After Marrying the Disabled Fourth Prince

Chapter 15

Bao Ning's face was still streaked with tears, her nose red, and her eyes vacant, as if she couldn't understand what he was saying. Today's events had been too overwhelming for her. Pei Yuan flicked her forehead lightly and sighed, "Forget it. I'm hungry, let's cook."

Bao Ning snapped back to reality. Pei Yuan in front of her still looked the same, with his beautiful, narrow eyes, lazily sitting there with his chest slightly open, revealing a distinct collarbone. His dark eyes were fixed on her. But something was different. His eyes now had a certain brightness, unlike the usual indifferent coldness when he looked at her.

Bao Ning didn't know whether to feel happy or not. "Are you stunned?" Pei Yuan frowned, waving his hand in front of her eyes. Bao Ning immediately responded, "No." She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and hurriedly jumped down, "I'll go make dinner." As she glanced at the bloody red snake head on the ground, still gaping with sharp teeth, Bao Ning gasped as the terrifying memories flooded back. "Don't look." Pei Yuan covered her eyes from behind, "It's dead, what are you afraid of?" His palm was very warm, causing Bao Ning's heart to skip a beat. She quickly pushed his hand away. Pei Yuan's face darkened. Bao Ning glanced back, saw his unfriendly gaze, and her fear grew stronger. Before he could say anything, she lifted her skirt and ran out in a hurry. Ah Huang barked twice and followed her out.

The house fell silent again. Pei Yuan lowered his eyes and rubbed his fingers, which still seemed to retain the soft, moist feeling of her tears. Forget it, I'll let her off for now....Bao Ning crouched by the stove to start a fire, holding kindling in her hand, staring at the faint red glow inside, her soul seemingly lost. She didn't know how to react to Pei Yuan. Nor did she understand what he meant. She felt confused and embarrassed by his occasional closeness and touches, wanting to avoid him. Pei Yuan had been so cold at first, and she had long grown used to that kind of interaction, never thinking it would change.

Bao Ning recalled her original intention for marrying Pei Yuan. She wanted to escape the scheming and strife of the Guo Gong Mansion and find a quiet place to live a peaceful life. So she didn't care what Pei Yuan was like, whether he was down and out, or how bad his temper was. She cared for him with all her heart, tolerated him, hoping he would recover soon, so they could keep each other company. Some kindness, some selfishness, and a sense of responsibility. They were married, and regardless of whether there was love or not, to Bao Ning, Pei Yuan was her responsibility. She couldn't bear to let him go hungry, cold, or with festering wounds.

Even now, knowing about the enmity between Pei Yuan and Pei Xiao, the grudges, and the potential future troubles, Bao Ning still couldn't bring herself to abandon Pei Yuan. Perhaps Pei Yuan was right that time; she really did have a bit of a bleeding heart. The fire in the stove was about to go out. Bao Ning quickly grabbed a handful of dry kindling and stuffed it in, with a whoosh, the fire flared up again. The door was open, and the wind blew in, making her shiver in the alternating cold and heat. She sneezed, thinking she was dressed too lightly, got up to put on another layer, and continued cooking. After what happened during the day, she had no appetite for a fancy meal. Luckily, there were some leftovers from last night. Bao Ning cracked a few eggs to make fried rice. While stirring the eggs, her mind wandered back to what Pei Yuan had said.

Pei Xiao had someone named Gongsun Zhu, an expert in poisons... Gongsun Zhu, Bao Ning found this name particularly familiar. After a moment of blankness, Bao Ning suddenly remembered that Aunt Ming had once told her about an uncle of hers named Gongsun Lan, who had trained under the same master as her father, both being doctors. However, Aunt Ming's father, Ming Heyu, specialized in treating strokes and paralysis, while Gongsun Lan was more skilled in treating internal conditions like clearing heat and dispelling cold, with extensive knowledge of medicinal herbs. He had even written a medical book titled "Pharmacology and Toxin Clearance."Before his death, Gongsun Lan gave this book to Ming Heyu, who passed it to Aunt Ming before his death, and Aunt Ming later gave it to Bao Ning. Gongsun Lan and Gongsun Zhu, such a rare surname, how could it be a coincidence? Bao Ning's heart raced as she put down the bowl of eggs and quickly rummaged through her dowry chest. She remembered bringing the book with her, though she only read half of it because it was too obscure and she couldn't understand it. She only recalled that it had detailed antidotes for various poisons. She didn't know if it would help Pei Yuan's leg, but she had to find it! In her neatly arranged dowry, a stack of books was in the corner. She pulled them out and sat on the kang, flipping through them one by one. She really found it. A thin, old booklet with fragile, yellowed pages, and four characters in cursive on the cover—"Pharmacology and Toxin Clearance." Bao Ning took a deep breath and carefully started reading.

The first half was about common antidotes and treatments for bites from various poisonous creatures like snakes, scorpions, centipedes, and spiders, with illustrations accompanying the prescriptions. Bao Ning read each line meticulously, afraid of missing anything. No, no, there was no mention of the red-headed snake. Bao Ning's heart grew colder as she neared the last few pages. She was about to give up when her fingers slid to the next page, and her heart trembled. The illustration was of today's snake! There was hope! Bao Ning wiped the sweat off her fingertips onto her skirt, reverently reading each word."

This snake is not found in the wild, but bred from the black-banded pit viper, immersed in various toxins from a young age. Out of ten snakes, nine die, and the one that survives is extremely poisonous, with a red head. Its venom is most potent just after waking from hibernation...""...No one has survived its bite to date." Reading this line, Bao Ning's heart sank. Her hands shook even more than when she saw the snake. Hesitantly, she read the last line." Fortunately, there is an antidote." Bao Ning breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly turned to the next page, only to find it had been gnawed by mice and possibly damaged by moisture. The remaining fragment was illegible, the ink smudged."...How could it be ruined?"

Bao Ning futilely tried to wipe the ink smudge with her finger. Disappointment washed over her like a tide. Disappointment and self-reproach. If only she had taken better care of this book. Bao Ning sat on the edge of the kang, feeling a pang of sorrow. But it was still good news. At least there was an antidote. Bao Ning sniffled, clutching the book as she ran to find Pei Yuan. Without knocking, she rushed to his side and showed him the book, "Fourth Prince, did you see this? It says here that the poison can be cured. You must not give up!" Pei Yuan took it, glanced at it, and asked in confusion, "How do you have this book?" "That's not important." Bao Ning said seriously, "The important thing is that your leg can be healed. There's hope, we can't give up." Pei Yuan laughed, "But Gongsun Lan is already dead."

Bao Ning was silent for a moment, then said, "In a few days, Ji Yun will come. I'll go back to see Aunt Ming. Aunt Ming's father was a good friend of Mr. Gongsun. She might know something." Pei Yuan asked, "How likely do you think that is?" Bao Ning looked into his eyes. He seemed to be joking, but his expression was serious: "Bao Ning, don't waste your effort." "I..." Bao Ning was about to speak, but Pei Yuan interrupted her, "Actually, I've thought of another way." Bao Ning's eyes lit up, "What is it?" Pei Yuan made a knife gesture with his hand at the base of his leg and coolly said, "Cut it off." Bao Ning was shocked, "What nonsense are you talking about!" "Anyway, this part of the leg is beyond saving. Keeping it is more of a hindrance. What's the use?" Pei Yuan said, his eyelids drooping as he demonstrated, seriously considering the idea, "Cut it off, and I can walk normally again...""Pei Yuan, I hate your attitude." Bao Ning pursed her lips angrily, "Why do you always assume the worst? You've already admitted to yourself that you're a cripple, thinking you can't be healed. But there are so many methods you haven't even tried. Pei Yuan, don't always place yourself so low. Look on the bright side, okay?" Pei Yuan kept his head down, so Bao Ning grabbed his chin, forcing him to face her." I want to rise with you, but you're always pulling me down. Think about it yourself, isn't what you're doing wrong?" Pei Yuan looked at her. Her face was flushed with anger, her eyes bright and breathing heavily. They were very close, and her breath, unusually hot, fell on Pei Yuan's face. Realizing something was wrong, Pei Yuan reached out to touch her forehead. Bao Ning tried to pull away, but Pei Yuan frowned, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her into his arms. His fingertips felt the heat. Doubting his judgment, Pei Yuan pressed his lips against her shoulder and neck to check again. Startled and frightened, Bao Ning struggled, "What are you doing...""Don't move!" Pei Yuan commanded, wrapping her tightly in a blanket like a cocoon. Frustrated, Pei Yuan pinched her cheek and scolded, "Listening to you just now, I thought you were something special, speaking so confidently. Yet you didn't even realize you have a fever. And you have the nerve to lecture me?" "Am I sick?" Bao Ning blinked in confusion, then added, "This is different, you are...""What about me?" Pei Yuan narrowed his eyes at her, "Say one more word, and I'll throw you out right now. Even with my bad leg, I can still handle you." How could he be like this? One moment he was gentle, and the next, he reverted back. Perhaps her fever made her bold, and Bao Ning argued back, "You're unreasonable!" Pei Yuan ignored her, getting off the kang to put on his shoes. Seeing him ignore her, Bao Ning 's defiance slowly diminished. Watching his movements, she asked softly, "Where are you going?" "I'm going to boil water and make medicine," Pei Yuan replied, gritting his teeth, "to take care of you, you little troublemaker!"