Chapter 161 Unable to Succeed

"Your Highness, this subordinate official is about to administer acupuncture. Please do not move your head, lest I accidentally injure you."

Luo Junhe pursed his lips and said in a hoarse voice, "Very well, I understand. Imperial Physician Zhu, proceed with the needles."

Imperial Physician Zhu acknowledged. This time, he had a flash of inspiration. Knowing that Luo Junhe couldn't see, he deliberately switched to the longest and thickest silver needle.

He planned to strike decisively!

He approached Luo Junhe's neck with the needle, closer and closer. His hands trembled with excitement.

Just as he gritted his teeth and prepared to stab, Imperial Physician Zhu suddenly let out a pained scream, "Ah!"

Looking down, the silver needle had pierced the back of his own hand, with the tip coming out through his palm.

Imperial Physician Zhu's forehead broke out in cold sweat from the pain. He couldn't understand what had happened. The needle meant for Luo Junhe—why had it ended up in his own body?

But Luo Junhe seemed to have not heard the scream at all. He even fanned the flames.

"Imperial Physician Zhu, what happened? Have you finished the acupuncture? I didn't feel any pain at all! It seems your medical skills are becoming more refined and brilliant!"

"With a physician of your skill in Dongchen Kingdom, it is the kingdom's fortune and the Imperial Medical Academy's blessing."

Imperial Physician Zhu: "..."

He wanted to say he hadn't given the acupuncture yet, but Luo Junhe had already flattered him excessively.

The man was clearly complimenting him. If he said now that he hadn't administered the acupuncture, wouldn't he be slapping his own face?

Imperial Physician Zhu couldn't afford to lose face.

He twitched the corners of his mouth and reluctantly accepted the praise: "Your Highness overpraises me. Healing the sick is my duty. I am merely doing what is within my responsibilities. It's hardly a blessing."

"Our Dongchen Kingdom is truly blessed to have a war hero like Your Highness, who protects the nation."

Luo Junhe dismissed his words as bullshit. He sneered mockingly. Imperial Physician Zhu hadn't administered the needle but didn't deny it—so was he admitting his own medical prowess?

Yes, if he didn't admit it, he wouldn't be Imperial Physician Zhu.

Seeing that his first plan had failed, Imperial Physician Zhu prepared a second plan.

He pulled out a white porcelain bottle from inside his robe and poured out a black pill.

Like a merchant luring a child with candy, he coaxed Luo Junhe:

"Just now, I took your pulse and found that your body suddenly suffered blood loss, depleted qi, and weak yang. You are gravely ill. I believe it's because you have switched to a regular bed. Without the Ice Stone Bed to suppress the fire poison, it has merged into your heart and lungs. If not stopped, your life may be in danger!"

"Fortunately, I have this Golden Crow Pill here. I refined it in the Imperial Medical Academy using ginseng, fleeceflower root, thousand-year snow lotus, and more than a dozen precious herbs. It took forty-nine days to produce a single pill. I guarantee that after taking it, you will have your blood and qi replenished within three days and look radiant."

Luo Junhe's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he sneered.

Radiant?

He thought it looked more like a deathbed glow.

If this pill were as good as he claimed, Imperial Physician Zhu would have offered it to Emperor Jingyang instead of giving it to him.

When had Imperial Physician Zhu ever been so generous?

Luo Junhe knew this was a trap. His dull eyes flickered. He coughed twice and said hoarsely:

"Imperial Physician Zhu is thoughtful. I do feel terribly weak these days. If I recover, I will surely reward you handsomely."

Imperial Physician Zhu rolled his eyes contemptuously. He didn't take Luo Junhe's words seriously.

The Prince Ye's Mansion couldn't even afford fresh spring tea these days. How could Luo Junhe reward him handsomely?

Even if he wanted to thank him, he'd need something worth giving!

Thinking Luo Junhe was blind, Imperial Physician Zhu rolled his eyes a few times and brought the pill to Luo Junhe's lips.

"Here, Your Highness. Let me feed you the medicine."

A cruel glint passed through Luo Junhe's dark eyes. Looking at the foul-smelling black pill at his lips, he sneered internally, parted his lips, and coughed up a mouthful of blood onto the pill.

Imperial Physician Zhu: "..."

Imperial Physician Zhu: "!!!"

With blood splattered on his hand, Imperial Physician Zhu's face turned black as coal.

And that wasn't all. Looking down, he saw the pill in his palm was also stained with red blood.

And he had only prepared this one pill.

Now that it was covered in blood, would Luo Junhe still take it?

Imperial Physician Zhu didn't know.

He didn't want to waste it. He decided to try feeding it to Luo Junhe again. After all, Luo Junhe couldn't see the blood on the pill.

At that moment, blood was still oozing from Luo Junhe's lips.

Imperial Physician Zhu glanced around the room, grabbed a handkerchief, and perfunctorily wiped his mouth.

"Oh dear, Your Highness, look how sick you are. You're spitting blood like it's free."

"If you don't take the medicine now, it will be too late. Open your mouth, and I'll feed it to you."

Luo Junhe neither moved nor opened his mouth. But just then, the door was suddenly pushed open. Ji Yuntang slipped in, snatched the pill from his hand, brought it to her nose, and said with disdain:

"Imperial Physician Zhu, why does this pill smell like shit? Don't tell me you're trying to trick my husband into eating shit?"

Imperial Physician Zhu: "!!!"

Ji Yuntang's eyes were so sharp. She had figured it out?

His pill was indeed made from rabbit droppings, silkworm droppings, human feces, chicken dung, duck droppings, and horse urine.

He had also added a colorless, odorless chronic poison. After taking it, one would become increasingly drowsy until they never woke up.

Of course, all of this was orchestrated by Consort Li.

Consort Li believed that Luo Junhe didn't deserve good things. Using dozens of precious herbs to refine medicine for him? That would be a waste.

She wanted to do this both to make Luo Junhe's death more drawn-out and to humiliate him.

Seeing Imperial Physician Zhu's reaction, Ji Yuntang's almond-shaped eyes chilled over.

Looks like this princess was right, huh?

You came here claiming to treat an illness, but your real intention is to harm my prince with this poison. In that case, this princess will take this pill to the Dali Temple and report you. With both witnesses and physical evidence, let's see how you can deny it then!

Having said that, Ji Yuntang stormed off, and Imperial Physician Zhu was scared out of his wits.

This pill wouldn't hold up under scrutiny at the Dali Temple; if she really took it to the authorities, it would be a disaster.

Losing his reputation as a doctor after years of practice would be a minor matter—he feared his entire family's lives would be at stake.

With this thought, Imperial Physician Zhu quickly chased after her, gave Ji Yuntang a push from behind.

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