The side room was dense with cobwebs and filled with the scent of dust mixed with the decay of old wood, permeating the stagnant air. A single thread of moonlight squeezed through the cracks of the dilapidated window lattice, casting pale and distorted patches of light on the floor.
Ling Zhao leaned against the cold wall, his breathing suppressed to a minimum, nearly merging with the darkness. His mental power, like the most sensitive tentacles, extended to every corner outside the room, catching the slightest sound carried by the wind.
The hesitant footsteps paused outside the door for a long time, betraying obvious struggle and fear. Finally, the door hinge emitted a barely perceptible creak, a thin figure slipped inside, and quickly shut the door.
The person was indeed Physician Hu. He wore dark plain clothes, without his official robe. His face was bloodless, and his chest rose and fell slightly due to anxiety. He stood by the door, adjusting to the room's darkness, his eyes scanning nervously.
"Physician Hu." Ling Zhao's voice sounded calmly in the darkness, not loud, but it made Physician Hu jump like a startled deer.
"Who?!" Physician Hu hissed, his voice trembling uncontrollably.
Ling Zhao slowly stepped out of the shadows. The pale moonlight outlined his slender, indifferent silhouette. "It is I, Lin Zhao."
Seeing it was Ling Zhao, Physician Hu's strained nerves seemed to relax for a moment, but were immediately seized by greater terror. "You… who exactly are you? That note… how do you know…" He was incoherent, his eyes filled with guardedness and disbelief.
"Who I am is irrelevant," Ling Zhao interrupted him, his gaze like two cold lamps penetrating the darkness, staring straight into Physician Hu's panicked eyes. "What is important, Physician Hu, is do you want to live? Do you want to save your life and property, and even… your newborn son, who just had his first birthday?"
"You!" Physician Hu was struck as if by lightning, his face instantly turning deathly pale. His finger trembled as he pointed at Ling Zhao, "Are you threatening me?!"
"It is not a threat; it is a statement of fact," Ling Zhao's voice was utterly calm. "'Phantom Heart Vine,' 'Yin Moss,' 'Red-Refining'—these three substances mixed together and sent into the Eastern Palace. Once this matter explodes, every person involved, without exception, faces the crime of extermination of the nine familial relations. Physician Hu, though you did not directly prescribe the formula, can you guarantee you were completely unaware of the medicine sent by the Imperial Medical Office? Will the Administrator let you go unscathed?"
Physician Hu staggered back a step, his spine hitting the cold door panel with a dull thud. Ling Zhao's words were like a cold dagger, precisely striking his deepest fears. He had indeed vaguely known that the medication used in the Eastern Palace was abnormal, and he had his suspicions. But the palace intrigue was an unfathomable abyss; how dared a minor physician like him speak up? He could only pretend ignorance to save himself. Now, with Ling Zhao stripping away the pretense, the self-deception shattered instantly, leaving only chilling dread.
"I… I don't know… I don't know anything…" Physician Hu mumbled, utterly panicked.
"You might not know the destination of the herbs, but you are skilled in pharmacology," Ling Zhao pressed on. "Tell me, what are the symptoms of these three poisons mixed together? How can they be alleviated? Is there an antidote?"
Physician Hu abruptly looked up at Ling Zhao, his eyes horrified: "You… you want to save…" He dared not utter the title.
"I want to know if there is any salvation," Ling Zhao's voice lowered, with an undeniable earnestness. "Or, how much longer can he remain conscious?"
Physician Hu stared at the frighteningly calm eyes in the darkness, a feeling of cold dread rising from his feet. This scholar was absolutely no ordinary man! He struggled; his reason told him to flee immediately, but the mention of his "young son" and the fear of familial extermination locked him firmly in place.
The silence was protracted, lasting until only the heavy, uneven breathing of the two men remained in the side room. Physician Hu finally seemed drained of strength, sliding defeatedly to the floor, his voice hoarse and dry:
"Phantom Heart Vine causes hallucination, Yin Moss erodes the body, Red-Refining burns the heart… The three combined are like a parasitic bone-marrow disease. They will gradually corrode the mind, starting with frequent hallucinations and drastic changes in temperament, and then… the sea of consciousness collapses, leading to madness, and finally… death from exhausted vitality." He paused, adding with difficulty, "This poison… is extremely insidious. An antidote is rare. To alleviate it… one must use the pure medicinal power of Centennial Snow Lotus to protect the heart meridian, suppleme