One Lifetime Is Never Enough

1.45 Sound of Silence (1)

The following days, the residents of Da Lang noticed that there were a lot of imperial carriages visiting Liu YangHuan's residence.

The Emperor had practically emptied out his medicinal vault, sending carriages after carriages containing precious medicines, thousand years ginsengs, and various objects supposedly would aid the strengthening of the bodies - night pearls, warming jades, auspicious engraving and statues of roosters(1).

The Royal Princes had also visited the residence almost everyday, sometimes not bothering to even go back to their estates for some days. Apart from going to the Imperial Palace for their daily court duties for the first half of every day, Liu YangHuan's residence practically became their second home.

The three of them and Zhen BuFeng took turn to expend their energy to Ji SongLi. However, apart from the first seemingly successful attempt by Zhen BuFeng, their efforts afterwards yielded little to no result. 

Even General Zhen personally also visited one day and expended his own energy, not only for Ji SongLi, but also for Ji ChanFang.

Ji ChanFang was already starting to gain consciousness, though he was always still groggy whenever he managed to open his eyes. The effect of the poison was also to muddle the brain and impede his eyesight. Wu JianRui kept by his side almost the entire time, her own body became apparently thinner every each passing day.

Though that also applied to Hai FenChu who could only watch Ji SongLi lying unmoving in his bed. 

YuLan entered the bedroom carrying a basin of water, accompanied by Xiao He. She put it on the table, poured a cup of water from a pot already on the table, and walked towards Hai FenChu, who was still sitting by the bed. She softly touched the older woman's shoulder, alerting the latter's attention to her presence.

"Madam Hai," she forced a smile while handing her the cup of water, "You have been up all night. I can watch after Young Master in your stead for a time being. Please have some rest."

Hai FenChu looked up to her with bleary empty eyes. She accepted the water and drank it slowly, then managed to muster a weak nod before weakly sauntered outside. Xiao He supported her.

YuLan walked towards the basin of water and soak a few clothes to freshen SongLi. Every night, although the young man had yet to regain consciousness, his body had been shivering with cold sweat. The frown on his youthful face was the only visible expression anyone could observe.

"YuLan," a soft voice called her from the door. YuLan turned her head quickly, feeling somewhat baffled that she did not notice the person's arrival. 

It was Ji LanBai. It was one thing to not notice Ji SongLi's, Zhen BuFeng's, or even the three Princes' footsteps - given their martial art skills. But Ji LanBai was never the most quiet female in the household, always walking around with gusto in her steps - despite YuLan and Wu JianRui's grimace and constant reminders.

"I must be getting tired, too...", YuLan mused bitterly.  

The younger girl walked sloppily - her own fatigue very evident on her pale face. Ji LanBai was already petite in her stature to begin with, now she look even more frail.

Worrying between both her father and her brother, Ji LanBai had been forced to mature quickly in just a span of a few weeks. No one would canoodle her to ease her worries. Her mother was occupied with taking care of Ji ChanFang, and the Second Madam with Ji SongLi. LanBai could only offer her own way of support by ensuring her mother always eat on time and consume her medicine as well, lest she would also break down before Ji ChanFang fully recovered.

There had been quite a few deaths resulting from the last incident caused by the Dong tribe. 

The Ji estate in Ming Town was almost wiped out. There were only a couple of survivors who were lucky enough to only receive flesh wound, not poison.