Chapter 153: Obsessed with the Art of Resurrection Again

Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Obsessed with the Art of Resurrection Again

Xie Jinbai ignored the surrounding gasps. His gaze swept past the crowd, scanning the area.

Fearing he might miss something, he didn’t even blink.

His already deathly pale face slowly grew dim.

She was gone.

Completely vanished.

She had left him in this living hell, not even her soul deigning to remain for him to gaze upon one last time.

A wave of sorrow surged into his throat. Xie Jinbai closed his eyes.

He looked as if he had lost his soul.

A few of his adjutants exchanged glances, none of them daring to disturb him.

They could cower like quails and keep their heads down, but Doctor Liu could not.

The freshly bandaged wound was bleeding again. If it wasn’t treated quickly, his life might truly be in danger.

Doctor Liu removed the gauze, used silver needles to stop the bleeding, then carefully cleaned the wound. He took out a bottle of golden sore medicine and sighed softly, "Your Highness, if you keep tormenting yourself like this, even a body of iron will be left with chronic ailments."

A place so close to his heart, stabbed through again and again.

How could there not be lasting consequences?

Xie Jinbai seemed not to hear, not caring in the slightest.

This, however, made the vice-generals beside him frantic with worry.

"Your Highness, you are so young, with your grand ambitions yet to be realized. You must take care of your body."

"Indeed,"

Liu Rong said, "The Empress and the other Princes counted on your deep feelings, which is why they dared to lay a hand on the person by your side, causing... If you truly fall into despair and never recover, wouldn’t that be exactly what they want?"

The vice-general in charge of punishments was named Tu Yun.

He was not a man of many words, but he chimed in, "Li Lu is dead. That leg bone of his was truly exquisite. Don’t you want to make the Empress taste this heart-piercing pain?"

The Empress appeared to have a son and a daughter under her care.

But Xie Jinbai was not her biological son.

Compared to him, the Empress had invested far more affection in her nephew, Li Lu.

She protected him as if he were the apple of her eye, never allowing him to suffer the slightest grievance.

Now, her dear nephew had been flayed alive.

If she found out, who knows how heartbroken she would be.

The mere thought was deeply satisfying.

At this, Xie Jinbai finally stirred. His expression shifted slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes.

Everyone was overjoyed.

Doctor Liu quickly said, "You’ve been unconscious for three days and haven’t eaten a single grain of rice. You should have some food."

How could he recover from his injuries if he didn’t eat anything?

Xie Jinbai stared at the lifelike slender bamboo stalks painted on the ceiling of the tent. His parched lips moved, and his first words were: "Send someone by swift horse to Suzhou. Bring the abbot of Lingyin Temple to the Capital City."

Before Liu Rong could assent, he immediately followed with a second command: "Also, have someone watch the abbot of Zhen Country Temple. Don’t let him leave to travel in the coming days. Everything will wait until I return to the Capital City."

In the past three years, he had sought out countless skilled and strange people. Most were charlatans and swindlers from the martial world, but these two were eminent monks of the Buddhist Sect who possessed true abilities.

In addition, there were a few Daoists, but they had never left the Capital City.

That saved him some effort this time.

Liu Rong knew his master was about to become obsessed with the art of resurrection again.

He agreed with a complicated expression, then tried to persuade him, "Please, have at least a few bites. If Miss Pei were still here, she certainly couldn’t bear to see you abuse your body like this."

Xie Jinbai’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

An image appeared in his mind: the girl, frantic and jumping about in panic when she saw him injured.

’She even scolded me.’

’She... seemed to truly care about me.’

’It was as if... she really had developed some genuine feelings for me.’

’She wouldn’t just leave like this.’

This thought settled in his mind like a shot of adrenaline to his entire body. Xie Jinbai suddenly felt a surge of strength.

He pushed himself up from the couch, about to get up. The people around him rushed to help, but he stopped them with a raised hand.

He sat up by himself and ordered, "Serve the meal."

Liu Rong was overjoyed, and soon servants brought in a meal.

Since he hadn’t eaten for days, the meal couldn’t be too rich—it was just a single bowl of shredded chicken congee.

He washed his hands and face.

Xie Jinbai finished the congee in a few mouthfuls, wiped his lips, and said, "How long was I unconscious? Is there any news from the Capital City?"

"Three days!" Liu Rong stepped forward and reported quickly, "There’s been some movement from the Third Prince’s side. The third master of the Wu Family left the Capital City last night, disguised and in secret. His destination is unknown, but he was heading toward Jiayun Pass."

The Wu Family is the maternal family of the Third Prince Consort.

They are staunch supporters of the Third Prince.

And beyond Jiayun Pass are the Qiang people.

One of the advisors spoke up, "Although the Third Prince is impatient and eager for quick success, the Wu Family is not stupid. Such an obvious move is likely a trick, intended to mislead us..."

Xie Jinbai raised a hand to cut him off, saying flatly, "Capture him, torture him severely, and get the truth out of him."

Whether it was a feint or the Wu Family was truly that stupid, he couldn’t be bothered to guess.

Since they sent someone out at a time like this, he definitely knew something.

Once he was in his hands, there was no doubt he could make him talk.

Having lost his beloved, his killing intent was already hard to suppress. He simply had no patience for intricate schemes with them.

’So what if I just break them with brute force?’

Liu Rong bowed and accepted the order.

Xie Jinbai pondered for a few moments, then asked again, "Those Qiang people hanging on the city gate, are they still alive?"

The vice-general guarding the city gate replied, "Two of them are dead. The others are still alive, but they’re barely breathing."

It was no surprise, after three days and several heavy downpours.

Xie Jinbai said, "Take them all down and treat them well. Spread the word that among them is a minor leader who knows many secrets. To save his own life, he has confessed everything. He insists that the Marquis Guangping Mansion has colluded with the enemy and that he has concrete evidence of it."

Another overt scheme.

Once this news got out, those with guilty consciences, no matter how composed, would likely find it hard to eat or sleep in peace.

The vice-general immediately accepted the order.

Xie Jinbai propped himself up and issued several consecutive orders. He then looked up at his subordinates. "What other important matters have occurred these past few days? Report them all at once."

Seeing their master was finally willing to pull himself together, everyone in the room felt their spirits lift.

Several vice-generals began to step forward in turn to report on recent affairs.

During this time, a medical officer brought in the brewed medicine. The temperature was just right, and Xie Jinbai raised his arm and drank it all in one go.

After the vice-generals finished, it was the turn of the advisors and Household Ministers to report on all matters, large and small, from the Capital City.

The major news was that the Emperor’s health was growing increasingly frail; he had vomited blood a few days ago and was feared to not have much time left. The Empress and several Princes were making frequent, unusual moves.

The minor news concerned the movements of their followers, all of which were being watched closely.

After all, at such a critical juncture, even the most minor, trivial changes could not be underestimated.

Xie Jinbai leaned back against the couch, his eyes lowered, listening without expression.

He remained this way until one advisor said, "Your Highness previously instructed us to monitor the movements of the Heir’s wife of the Duke Zhao Mansion. Yesterday, we received news that Mrs. Chen is critically ill and not expected to survive. Prince Zhao has sent three urgent letters in a row, requesting... Miss Pei to return to the Capital City."

Xie Jinbai’s eyes shot up. "Bring me the letters."

Soon, three letters were presented to him.

He opened them one by one, scanning them quickly as his eyes gradually darkened.

The letters from Zhao Shijie stated that because no correspondence had come from Pingzhou for many days, Chen Minrou was overcome with worry and could not sleep. Compounded by a recurring old illness with the changing of the season, her body was gradually failing, and she was now confined to her sickbed...