The Foolish Agent

Chapter 111

Madam Leng looked at Leng Jie with concern, noticing a bloodshot glint in her eyes. Her face had turned ashen, and the marks of her tightly pressed lips were visible. Her fists were clenched, and her entire body trembled. Madam Leng anxiously asked her uncle for confirmation:

"Does that mean the Emperor will wake up in three days? But he will become a mindless puppet. Is that right?"

The Imperial Uncle nodded slightly in agreement, "That's exactly right!"

"Damn Lin Yin'er! I never imagined she could be so vicious. Once Xuanyuan recovers, I'll have her torn to pieces!" Leng Jie spat out a vow through gritted teeth. Then she asked her uncle dangerously:

"Uncle, don't tell me there's no cure for this curse!"

The Imperial Uncle was visibly taken aback for a moment; he hadn't expected Xiao Jie to remain so rational after hearing such a terrifying story about the curse. He quickly reassured her:

"Xiao Jie! Don't worry too much. Although I don't know how to undo this curse, I think someone will eventually know how."

Leng Jie glared fiercely at her uncle and replied coldly:

"Not worried? You make it sound so easy! What if Lin Yin'er sends him to deal with us in three days? Should we let him do as he pleases, or stab him a couple more times? Besides, who here can control him now that he's heartless and soulless?"

Yes, that's the crux of the matter. A sudden silence fell over the room.

A moment later, Leng Jie suddenly raised her pair of sinister and terrifying eyes, and said to Duanmu Xingyue in a cold voice:

"Xingyue, immediately send a message to your brother via carrier pigeon. Tell him to lead his army to surround that tribe that raises Gu poison. Tell him to find out the way to cure the Gu poison within three days, no matter what method he uses. Otherwise, wipe out that tribe to prevent them from raising Gu poison to harm people again!"

Leng Jie's cold and sharp words sent a chill down everyone's spine. They had never seen Xiao Jie so ruthless. Even when facing the ministers who had pressured them, she had hidden her hatred. But now, the words about exterminating their clan came out of her mouth so smoothly, as if she were ordering the extermination of a swarm of locusts.

"Yes, I'll go right away. I'll also have my father come and see if he can do anything." Xingyue glanced at Xuanyuan, who lay lifeless on the bed. She understood Xiaojie's feelings at this moment. If it were her Yangtian who was injured, she might do something even more terrible. Therefore, after agreeing, she immediately went to write a letter.

"Your Majesty, please go and rest! This old servant and your uncle are here to look after His Majesty," said Eunuch Fu in a hoarse voice.

"Yes, Xiaojie. You should go and rest for a while!" Madam Leng also advised.

Leng Jie nodded to them, then gently stroked Xuan Yuan's pale, bloodless face, and lightly kissed his cheek. She rose and walked out. Madam Leng and Qing'er quickly followed her. They saw her heading towards the side room where Lin Yin'er was being held. Madam Leng knew that Xiao Jie was going to find Lin Yin'er to interrogate her, and she said to Qing'er:

"Qing'er, go and prepare some food for Xiao Jie. I'll go with her."

"Yes, Madam!" Qing'er obediently responded and walked towards the kitchen of Qingfeng Residence.

Madam Leng rushed after Xiao Jie, grabbed her arm, and asked worriedly:

"Rui'er, what do you want to do? That woman can't die yet."

“Mother! I know. Don’t worry, I’m perfectly lucid now. Xuanyuan needs her blood to survive! How could I let her die like this!” Leng Jie replied calmly.

The more nonchalant her expression, the more Madam Leng felt heartbroken. Madam Leng stepped in front of her, holding Xiao Jie in her arms and gently comforting her:

"Then let's not go see her. She's gone mad. She went mad the moment she started feeding that blood potion. Do you really want to get the cure from a madwoman? Be good, don't go. Seeing her will only make you hate her more and hurt your heart even more."

"Mother!" A pang of sorrow gripped her heart, and her eyes, already brimming with tears, finally overflowed like a burst dam. Leng Jie could no longer hold back and buried her face in Madam Leng's shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.

Madam Leng gently stroked her daughter's head with pity, silently praying for divine intervention. She hoped her poor daughter would no longer suffer. If she had to endure those hardships, then let her, the mother, take her place!

"Mother! Are you angry that your daughter deliberately concealed her identity?" After crying for a while, Leng Jie suddenly looked up and asked.

Madam Leng gently wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, smiled, and shook her head, replying:

"Silly child, how could your mother blame you! You must have had your reasons for doing that! Besides, if anyone's to blame, it's your mother for not being good enough. I didn't even recognize my own daughter. But how did you become the Divine Healer's junior sister? Did the Divine Healer cure your illness?"

"Miracle doctor! Heavens! How could I forget my senior brother and master? They must have a way to save Xuanyuan!" Leng Jie suddenly exclaimed, slapping her forehead as if she had just woken up. Then she released Madam Leng and ran towards her room.

"Xiao Jie, slow down, be careful of the child!" Madam Leng hurriedly followed after her, calling out anxiously.

However, it is clear that Leng Jie's only concern right now is the safety of her child's father; she has temporarily put the child out of her mind.

"Butler, bring me two carrier pigeons!" Leng Jie ordered the approaching butler. She then rushed towards her room, only to find a large brass lock on the door. She was about to yell for the butler to open it when she saw him already using the key to unlock the door.

"After Miss left, His Majesty locked this door. When His Majesty was in the palace, he would come and clean it himself every day. Yesterday, His Majesty returned and gave the key to this old servant, instructing me to clean it thoroughly and wait for Miss's return." The steward muttered to himself as he opened the door. Although he shouldn't be nosy as a servant about his master's affairs, he felt that Miss should know about the Emperor's feelings for her.

The door opened, and everything inside was exactly as she had left it. A ripple of emotion stirred within Leng Jie. When her gaze fell upon the still-disheveled bed, images of their passionate night flashed before her eyes. She couldn't help but gently touch her lower abdomen, where their child was already conceived. She felt proud of her decision. She softly said to her child, "Baby, don't worry. Mommy will never let anything happen to your father. Trust Mommy, okay?"

“The child already believes in you, and we all believe in you. You must believe in yourself too,” Madam Leng gently held Leng Jie’s hand and encouraged her.

"Yes, believe in yourself. Didn't my royal uncle say I'm the Empress of Heaven? With me, the Empress of Heaven, here, then Xuanyuan, the true dragon emperor, will definitely be alright, right?" Leng Jie reassured herself. After saying this, she walked to the desk, opened a drawer, took out paper and pen, and sought help from Qingfeng and the Old Man Wuyou. However, before she could finish writing her letter, Qing'er suddenly rushed in excitedly, shouting:

"Your Majesty! Young Master Qingfeng and Lord Ying have returned. They have already gone to the medicine shop to see the Emperor and asked me to come and inform you."

When Qing'er finished speaking, she looked around and saw only a dazed Madam Leng in the room; her mistress was nowhere to be seen! Then, in a flash, Madam Leng vanished as well. Qing'er blinked and chased after her.

Inside the medicine hut, Qingfeng was taking Xuanyuan's pulse, while Ziying and Yangpu listened with worried expressions as Eunuch Fu recounted the events. Suddenly, an anxious voice came from outside the door.

"Senior brother! You must have a way, right?"

The person arrived as soon as the sound came, and then a lithe figure swept in from outside the door like a bolt of lightning. She rushed straight to the bedside. Qingfeng quickly got up and helped the clumsy Xiaojie. He gently scolded her:

"Why are you disobeying me again? Didn't I tell you not to use your light-foot technique?"

"Senior brother, you're a divine healer. That broken curse shouldn't be a problem for you, right?" Leng Jie replied, seemingly unrelated to the question.

"Yes, Young Master Qingfeng must have a way!" Eunuch Fu said with a hopeful expression.

The others also stared intently at Qingfeng, waiting for his answer.

Qingfeng lowered his eyes sadly and shook his head helplessly. He said guiltily, "I can only use needles to temporarily stop the Gu-eating worms from invading his brain, but if we can't find a way to cure them after three days, the Gu-eating worms will die..."

"'Bang!' Seeing Qingfeng's cold expression, Jie felt her heart sink to the bottom. She couldn't hear what Qingfeng said after that. She just stared blankly at Xuanyuan, who was motionless on the bed. Tears flowed down her face again uncontrollably."

"Xiao Jie! Don't be like this. We still have three days, we'll definitely find a way." Qingfeng hugged Xiao Jie with heartache and comforted her softly.

Xiao Jie suddenly turned her head, staring at Qingfeng in astonishment, and asked loudly:

"What do you mean there are still three days? Didn't the Imperial Uncle say that as long as there is the blood of the person who raises the Gu, Xuanyuan will not be in danger? Now that you and Yingdu are back, can't you control him before he is controlled?"

“Uncle is right, that can sustain Xuanyuan’s life. But if the Blood Gu is not suppressed and allowed to run rampant in Xuanyuan’s body, the Gu worms will erode Xuanyuan’s brain after one day. After three days, Xuanyuan will face irreversible danger,” Qingfeng explained softly.

"Senior brother, what exactly are you trying to say? The more I listen, the more confused I get." Leng Jie's mind was in turmoil, and her brain was naturally shut down. She shook her head forcefully and asked again.

Qingfeng was equally heartbroken by Xuanyuan's accident. But seeing Xiaojie's unprecedentedly bewildered and helpless expression, Qingfeng's heart ached even more. He already knew from Eunuch Fu that Xiaojie had revealed her identity as Empress. He needed to give her emotional support. Qingfeng placed his hand on Leng Jie's shoulder and said earnestly:

"Xiao Jie, listen to me. We have to make a choice now. If we want to keep Xuanyuan alive, then we shouldn't administer the acupuncture. The result will be that when he wakes up again in three days, he will become someone else's puppet. And even if we eventually find a way to cure him, Xuanyuan will become an idiot."

Another way is for me to administer acupuncture to him now. That way, we can find a way to cure the Gu poison within three days. Xuanyuan will be fine. However, if we can't find a way to lure the Gu worms out after three days, then Xuanyuan will never wake up again. Do you understand?

Everything has been explained so clearly, how could she not understand? Leng Jie nodded blankly.

"Now this choice must be made by you, his wife." Seeing that Xiaojie was stunned again, Qingfeng shook her shoulder and reminded her again.

Leng Jie raised her eyes, gazing at Qingfeng with a sorrowful look. She had thought her senior brother would bring good news, but instead, he had delivered an even more devastating blow! What was she supposed to do? One was to become a fool, the other was death. Neither was a choice she wanted. She shook her head desperately; she didn't want to make this choice!

"If you don't know which to choose, then I'll choose for you. I think if we let Xuanyuan live and become an idiot, we might as well take a gamble. Maybe we can find a way to break the curse within three days!" Qingfeng said with pity.

Leng Jie shoved Qingfeng aside and tightly protected Xuanyuan. She shook her head frantically and cried out:

"No, no. I can't risk his life. Fool, so be it! Even if he's a fool, I'll still love him. I can't let my child be without a father. Even if he's a fool, he'll still be a good father."

Chapter 139

Xiao Jie's desperate attempt to protect Xuan Yuan left everyone present looking at each other in bewilderment. Qing Feng, who had been pushed and stumbled by Xiao Jie, was even more stunned for a moment before he reacted. He quickly waved his hand at Xiao Jie and said:

"Xiaojie, calm down. I won't lay a hand on Xuanyuan unless you agree. But you can't let your mind wander, you know? Calm down and think it over carefully. You definitely have a way to save Xuanyuan. Have you forgotten? You are capable of anything. Believe in yourself. There is nothing in this world that you can't do."

"Am I omnipotent?" Xiaojie shook her head helplessly and said with a self-deprecating laugh, "But I can't even save the life of my own lover!"

“Xiao Jie, this isn’t like you! Think back to Beifeng, when you watched the old Taoist priest bleed you without even blinking. The Emperor isn’t beyond saving now, is he? You can’t panic!” The Imperial Uncle earnestly advised.

"Yes! Giving up is definitely not in her personality. The word 'give up' has never existed in her dictionary." The Imperial Uncle's words were like a wake-up call. Leng Jie's blank eyes gradually cleared as she gazed at Xuan Yuan. After a moment of deep affection, she suddenly raised her head, her eyebrows blinking sharply, and a sharp, intelligent light immediately shone through her.

"Senior brother, you're right. As proud as Xuanyuan is, he would never want to become someone else's puppet. We must bring him back intact. Now, please administer the acupuncture!"

Leng Jie's resolute tone no longer carried any trace of her previous uncertainty or helplessness. The all-powerful Xiao Jie was back. Qingfeng and the Imperial Uncle nodded at her with satisfaction.

"Alright, I'll administer the acupuncture now." As he answered, Qingfeng was already preparing for Shi Zhen's treatment.

Leng Jie bowed earnestly to Qingfeng and said:

"Senior brother, I'm entrusting Xuanyuan to you."

Qingfeng's heart skipped a beat, suppressing the bitterness in his chest. He nodded encouragingly to Leng Jie and replied:

"Don't worry, Xuanyuan will definitely be fine."

"Yes, I won't let anything happen to him." It was as if she were answering Qingfeng, or perhaps speaking to herself. After saying this, Leng Jie got up and left the medicine hut, leaving everyone looking at each other in bewilderment once again.

"Xiao Jie, I've already sent the letter. We should have news soon." Duanmu Xingyue ran into Xiao Jie as she was leaving home and quickly told her the news.

"Okay, thank you!" After a curt reply, Leng Jie and Xing Yue passed each other.

Starry Moon stared in astonishment at Leng Jie's retreating figure and blurted out, "What's wrong with Xiao Jie?"

"I'll go take a look," Madam Leng was the first to react and chased after her.

"Mother, you don't need to come along," Leng Jie suddenly turned to Madam Leng and said. Seeing Madam Leng's worried expression, she forced a smile that was more like a grimace. She sadly assured her, "Mother, don't worry. I'm alright now. Since everything is predestined, we just need to do our best, right?" After saying that, she turned and walked towards Qingfeng Residence.

Madam Leng was still worried and wanted to chase after them, but Qingfeng stopped her, saying:

"Madam, please wait. Xiao Jie has her reasons for not letting you go with her. Trust Xiao Jie, she is more clear-headed than ever now."

“Yes! There are some things she has to face,” the royal uncle also advised.

Madam Leng looked at Leng Jie's desolate figure with pity and silently retreated.

"Lin Yin'er, you win." Leng Jie walked up to Lin Yin'er, who had been acupunctured by Xingyue and thrown onto the cold floor, forcefully slapped open her speech acupoint, and said coldly.

Lin Yin'er suddenly opened her bloodshot eyes, stared at Xiao Jie menacingly for a moment, and then laughed loudly:

"Haha, now you finally realize you've lost? I said my second senior brother is mine, and he will be mine no matter what. Whether it's the Yellow Springs or the Azure Heaven, I'll be with him. Haha..."

Leng Jie watched her laugh maniacally with a cold, expressionless face. Only after she had finished laughing and stopped did she coldly say:

"Yes! You've won, so I'm now ready to grant your wish."

Lin Yin'er was suddenly startled, and stared warily at Leng Jie, asking:

What do you want?

Leng Jie smiled calmly:

"You only want your second senior brother, right? Fine, then I'll let you nourish him with your blood until he drinks it all. But I want your son to witness all of this. Then, I'll find another similar vessel and implant it into his body, so he can also experience the taste of drinking human blood. Of course, I'll tell him that all of this is because of his mother, and the suffering you've caused him..."

"No! You can't do this to Yi'er! He's just a child, he's innocent!" Before Leng Jie could finish speaking, Lin Yin'er screamed hysterically.

"Looks like you're not completely insane!" Leng Jie sneered inwardly, her expression remaining unchanged, though a cold smile flashed quickly in her eyes.

"Hmph! Your child is innocent. Does that mean my child should be born without a father's love?" Leng Jie touched her lower abdomen and sneered coldly.

"You're pregnant with his child?" Lin Yin'er stared blankly at Leng Jie, asking incredulously. Before Leng Jie could answer, she suddenly shook her head frantically, muttering to herself: