Several soldiers pulled out their tools and scooped up the exhausted cobras.
They were all limp.
A Jiu rolled up her sleeves and went into the bamboo grove, picked up the snake pancake that was the earth dragon, and stuffed it into her embrace under everyone's watchful eyes.
The Southern Ming King instinctively took a step back. This girl stuffed a venomous snake into her embrace?
"Everyone help, the time for today is almost up," A Jiu shouted.
It seemed they really didn't need Grandma's flattering words after all.
A Jiu had a large pile of bowls brought over. Mixed with the spiritual spring water and snake venom, along with a few soldiers and military doctors, she began distributing it to everyone.
She administered the acupuncture one by one, which saved a lot of effort.
Only when night fell did A Jiu stand at the cave entrance, hands on her hips, letting out a tired sigh.
The Southern Ming King had already left, but Eunuch Zhou was still there. "Miss Jiu'er, how is it?"
"Almost done, you can go inside and take a look." A Jiu said.
"I knew you could do it," Eunuch Zhou said, his face full of smiles as he entered the mountain cave.
What a sight it was! The mild cases were standing up, the seriously ill had regained their breath, and could now speak.
"Oh, that's wonderful! I'll go report this to the King right away."
Eunuch Zhou supported himself with both hands to adjust his sleeves, clutched the front of his robe, and hurried down the mountain, running like a plump toad that had just stood up.
*Crack!*
A crisp sound caught A Jiu's attention.
After pouring the water for the last person, she turned to look.
Ye Qing was leaning against the cave entrance, completely weak, as if she could no longer stand.
"Ye Qing, what's wrong?" A Jiu approached to ask.
Ye Qing leisurely turned her head to look at A Jiu. "You didn't hear me, did you? If you're pretending not to hear, I'll ask you again."
A Jiu was stunned. "Ask what?"
Ye Qing looked at those eyes, as radiant as starlight, seemingly untouched by the dust of worldly affairs.
"Hmph, do you know who Tuoba Yan is? Do you know what my relationship is to Tuoba Yan? Why are you getting so close to him?"
A Jiu was immediately frozen on the spot.
"He and I..." Oh no, if she's asking like this, their relationship must be unusual.
But A Jiu had never heard Tuoba Yan mention this girl named Ye Qing before. Could it be a romantic relationship?
A Jiu looked at Ye Qing's eyes again. Perhaps she understood a woman's feelings, and she could see jealousy in Ye Qing's eyes.
It's over, her intuition was correct.
But then A Jiu thought, that engagement contract did exist. However, didn't Tuoba Yan also write about their divorce?
"He and I are because..."
A Jiu's wrist was grabbed tightly.
"Don't interrupt me," Ye Qing said, looking down at the young girl.
A Jiu grumbled inwardly, *Weren't you the one asking? Why can't I even interject? If you don't want me to speak, I won't.*
"Tuoba Yan is the son of the Southern Ming King, and I am his betrothed wife. Do you understand?"
Ye Qing had been waiting for this day for a long time.
She took advantage of the plague in the army and learned that this girl had actually cured such a disease. It was she who had ordered the Southern Ming King to suppress the Yi Pin Tang, so they found a female doctor from Hua Lan Medical Hall.
As for who specifically to invite, Ye Qing did not name names, so as not to appear too targeted in front of the King.
"You... he and I have no substantial relationship." A Jiu tried to pull her arm back, but she was no match for Ye Qing in strength.
"So, you do have a relationship then?"
"I wish I had a relationship," a voice with a smile came from behind Ye Qing.
Tuoba Yan stood with his arms crossed, smiling particularly brightly.
A Jiu instantly felt the hand gripping her wrist loosen as Ye Qing was distracted. She shook off Ye Qing's restraint.
"Come here!" Tuoba Yan beckoned.
A Jiu immediately rushed over and hid behind Tuoba Yan.
"What kind of relationship do you want?" Ye Qing clenched her fists tightly.
"You tell me what relationship you have with me first. I've already said, I'm not some long-lost son of some King. I have nothing to do with the royal mansion."
Tuoba Yan rubbed his hair in exasperation. He had no connection to this world, let alone the royal mansion.
"You do have a relationship! You are Nan Mingjun! I remember you were valiant in battle and excellent at archery. Don't deny it just because you don't want to marry me; that's cowardly behavior."
Ye Qing's eyes turned red with anger. A Jiu, seeing this, couldn't help but recall that he did indeed resemble the Southern Ming King by about seventy percent.
But archery? A Jiu knew he was an idiot. He could be scared unconscious by a watermelon, and Grandma also mentioned his blood phobia. How could someone who couldn't see blood possibly be skilled at archery and fight on the battlefield?