The Xie Mansion stood solemn in the dim glow of the moonlight. The silence that loomed over it was almost suffocating, and yet, it bore the weight of countless whispers of desperation and fading hope.

  Xie Liyun sat at his desk, his sharp eyes scanning the letter he had just received from Yu Tang. The renowned apothecary rarely sent letters himself; he was not one for frivolous words. If he had taken the time to write to him, then the matter was urgent.

  His fingers tightened around the parchment as he read, his brows knitting together in deep thought. When he reached the st line, his expression darkened considerably.

  A low sigh escaped his lips, the only sign of his frustration. His hands clenched the letter into a tight roll before pcing it into a small silver box on his desk. He stood and grabbed his outer robe, draping it over his shoulders as he strode towards the door. He had no time to waste.

  "Yan Rui," Xie Liyun's cold voice called out as he pushed open the door.

  A few moments ter, a drowsy yet alert Yan Rui appeared, rubbing the st remnants of sleep from his eyes. "General, it is the middle of the night. What could be so urgent?"

  "Prepare the carriage. We are leaving immediately."

  Yan Rui blinked at him, bewildered. "But—"

  "No deys."

  The finality in Xie Liyun's tone allowed no argument. Yan Rui sighed but quickly turned to rey the order to the stable hands. Within minutes, the carriage was ready and waiting in the front courtyard.

  Xie Liyun cast one st gnce back at his mansion. The heavy weight in his chest only grew as he took in the stillness of the grand estate. His family—his grandfather, his parents, his younger siblings—were all growing weaker. The poison was eating away at them day by day. Even now, he could feel the numbness beginning to creep up his own fingers, a silent warning of what awaited him should he fail to find a cure.

  No. He could not afford to waste even a second.

  With an unreadable expression, he turned away and stepped into the carriage. The horses neighed softly before galloping forward into the night, carrying him toward whatever answer Yu Tang might have for him.

  --

  Meanwhile, Xuan Zhi was looked through a stack of reports. The tranquility of the night had lulled him into a calm state—until a knock at the door disrupted the silence.

  Fan Yi entered, holding a sealed letter. "Your Highness, a message from the merchant group that aided us on our journey to Gu Dynasty."

  Xuan Zhi had been expecting a letter, but the moment he opened it, his fingers trembled slightly.

  His eyes scanned the contents rapidly, his breath catching in his throat.

  His brothers—Xuan Qing and Xuan Heng—were alive.

  Severely injured, barely clinging to life, but alive.

  And they were on their way to him, set to arrive in five days.

  His mind reeled. Decred dead in Xuan Dynasty? Then who had orchestrated such a scheme? Who had dared to silence them so thoroughly that the entire kingdom believed them dead?

  Xuan Zhi's hands clenched the letter as his thoughts ran wild. If they had been discovered, then their fates would have been sealed. He could only assume that their escape had been nothing short of a miracle.

  Taking a deep breath, he quickly grabbed a nearby candle and held the letter over the fme. The paper curled and bckened, disintegrating into ashes before his eyes.

  He couldn't risk keeping any evidence.

  As the st remnants of the letter crumbled into nothing, Xuan Zhi exhaled slowly, pressing a hand to his forehead.

  "They are coming here... wounded, vulnerable. I must prepare."

  His peaceful days in Gu Dynasty were about to end. He had thought himself free from pace politics, but fate had other pns. The storm that had begun in Xuan Dynasty was now reaching its tendrils towards him.

  Yu Tang led Xie Liyun and Yan Rui through the narrow alleyways of the city, their footsteps quiet against the stone pavement as they made their way to Xing Manor. The night was still, only the distant chirping of insects and the occasional bark of a stray dog breaking the silence. Xie Liyun, draped in a heavy bck cloak, walked with steady confidence, his domineering aura undiminished despite the urgent circumstances. Yan Rui followed beside him, his usual jovial expression subdued as his gaze flitted between the shadows, always on alert.

  Upon arrival at Xing Manor, Fan Yi greeted them and led them to the guest room where Xuan Zhi awaited them. He was seated at a modest table, his sharp red eyes glinting under the dim candlelight. He was dressed in a deep red robe with silver embroidery, his long golden hair loosely tied at the back. His beauty was striking, almost otherworldly, but his sharp gaze held an unmistakable authority.

  Yu Tang performed the customary greetings before introducing Xie Liyun. "This is General Xie Liyun of the Xie family. The general and his family are afflicted by the same condition as the young boy you are treating. I believed it was necessary for him to meet you."

  Xuan Zhi nodded, his expression unreadable as he gestured for Xie Liyun to sit across from him. "General Xie," he acknowledged, his tone polite but distant.

  Xie Liyun observed Xuan Zhi carefully before extending his wrist. He was not one to easily pce trust in strangers, but Yu Tang would not have brought him here without good reason. Without hesitation, Xuan Zhi reached out and pced his fingers on the pulse point of Xie Liyun’s wrist.

  The moment their skin made contact, Xie Liyun felt a strange, almost imperceptible jolt travel up his arm. His brows furrowed slightly. He had been touched before countless times—by physicians, by subordinates, by enemies in battle—but this touch felt different, inexplicably sensitive. He suppressed the unfamiliar sensation and focused on Xuan Zhi’s face.

  Xuan Zhi, however, was completely absorbed in his diagnosis. His fingers pressed lightly but firmly, his brows drawing together as he analyzed the flow of energy within Xie Liyun’s body. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "You have been afflicted for at least five years. The poison has settled deep into your meridians, but your strong physique has slowed its progression."

  Xie Liyun remained composed. "Can it be cured?"

  Xuan Zhi leaned back slightly. "It can. Your case will require ten treatments, spanning two months. Each treatment will be painful, but the poison will be eradicated completely."

  A faint flicker of something unreadable passed through Xie Liyun’s cold eyes. "And my family?"

  Xuan Zhi shook his head. "I cannot say until I examine them personally. Their conditions might be more severe. If they have weaker constitutions, the treatments may take longer."

  Xie Liyun exhaled slowly. "Can you come to Xie Manor today?"

  Xuan Zhi pondered for a moment before nodding. "I will. But I must ensure matters at my manor are handled first. Fan Yi, make sure everything remains in order. And keep a close watch on Xuan Yan."

  Fan Yi, who had been silently standing by, sighed in exasperation. "Young Master, controlling the Young Miss is easier said than done."

  Xuan Zhi shot him a gre, to which Fan Yi reluctantly nodded. "Fine, fine. I’ll do my best."

  Xie Liyun stood. "We should leave now."

  Xuan Zhi agreed and rose to his feet, retrieving a small pouch from his robes before following them outside. They boarded Xie Liyun’s carriage, and as they rode through the quiet city streets, Xuan Zhi gazed out of the window, lost in thought.

  If the Xie family was suffering from Snowfke Poison, their affliction was not natural. Someone had orchestrated this. The implications were dangerous, and he could not afford to involve himself too deeply without knowing the enemy.

  Meanwhile, Yan Rui sat across from him, his arms crossed as he scrutinized the golden-haired physician. His instincts told him Xuan Zhi was not an ordinary healer. There was something unsettlingly sharp about his eyes, something too calm, too knowing.

  After an hour’s journey, the carriage finally arrived at the imposing gates of the Xie Manor. Guards stationed at the entrance stiffened at the sight of their general but quickly stepped aside to allow them through. The Xie family estate, once a symbol of military might and prestige, now carried an air of desotion. Servants moved about quietly, their expressions heavy with worry and grief.

  Inside, Xuan Zhi was led to the inner chambers, where the afflicted members of the Xie family y. The air was thick with the scent of medicinal herbs, but there was also a faint, underlying bitterness that Xuan Zhi recognized immediately. His eyes darkened. It was the lingering presence of the poison.

  The first patient he examined was Xie Liyun’s grandfather, Xie Yuanbao.