Dongfang Heng's jade-like fingers lightly touched Shen Lixue's fair and delicate back, gently untying the straps of her crimson bodice.
Through the last layer of clothing, Shen Lixue could clearly feel Dongfang Heng's body burning hot. Thinking about what was about to happen, she subconsciously murmured, "Dongfang Heng, I love you!"
The six simple words, brimming with deep affection, reached Dongfang Heng's ears like an alarm bell, instantly waking him from his confused and infatuated thoughts.
He suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the beautiful and charming Shen Lixue. He instantly understood her good intentions. A bitter look flashed in his eyes, and he moved away from her a little.
The strong body suddenly moved away, and Shen Lixue opened her eyes in confusion to look at Dongfang Heng: "What's wrong with you?"
"You still have to get married, I can't be so selfish!" Dongfang Heng gazed deeply at Shen Lixue, his jade-like fingers gently stroking her beautiful face before slowly moving down to her back and quickly tying the straps of her bodice.
He will leave soon, but she must continue to live. Although he will arrange everything for her, it is much better for her to marry as a virgin than as a married woman, and she will be more likely to receive her husband's favor.
"I will never marry anyone else but you!" Shen Lixue hugged Dongfang Heng tightly around the waist, buried her face in his chest, and her beautiful eyes glistened with tears. Dongfang Heng was running out of time, and she hadn't found Yu Liuli, so she couldn't save his life. She planned to give herself to him completely tonight, and then leave with him.
"Li Xue, if you truly love someone, it's not about wanting her to be buried with you, but about wanting her to live well. Do you understand?" Dongfang Heng's voice was deep as he held Shen Li Xue tightly, his jade-like fingers gently stroking her silky black hair.
"Then give me a child, and I will raise him well!" Shen Lixue raised her head, her beautiful eyes filled with longing. She couldn't go with him, but she would live with her longing for him.
"It's too hard for you to raise the child alone!" Dongfang Heng didn't want Shen Lixue to go through the hardships and suffering that Lin Qingzhu had endured.
"Do you want me to live alone in this world?" Shen Lixue glared at Dongfang Heng, crystal tears sliding down her cheeks.
Dongfang Heng gently wiped away her tears, as if cherishing a rare treasure, saying carefully, "After you get married, you will have a husband and children, you won't be lonely!"
"I said I wouldn't marry anyone else!" Shen Lixue roared, her tearful eyes filled with anger.
"Li Xue, cough cough cough..." Dongfang Heng coughed violently, bright red blood seeping from between his fingers, dripping onto the light-colored bed sheet, staining it with bright red flowers. His other hand was tightly clutching his chest, and large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
He had a relapse, and his heart felt like it was being stabbed by steel needles, causing him unbearable pain.
"Dongfang Heng, where is the medicine?" Shen Lixue asked in shock. She hurriedly got out of bed, picked up her strapless dress and put it on, and was about to go find the medicine.
With his last ounce of strength, Dongfang Heng reached out and grabbed her, saying haltingly, "Where's your...family heirloom...jade pendant...?"
"Here it is!" Shen Lixue grabbed her coat, pulled out the Shen family heirloom jade, and quickly stuffed it into Dongfang Heng's hand: "You want this?"
Dongfang Heng shook his head, placed the jade pendant in Shen Lixue's hand, and hugged her tightly. The faint aura from the jade pendant passed through Shen Lixue and entered Dongfang Heng's body. The needle-like pain gradually lessened and soon disappeared. A few faint blushes appeared on his pale face.
Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow: "My family heirloom jade can alleviate your condition?"
"Hmm!" Dongfang Heng nodded, his symptoms completely gone, though his eyes still looked a little tired.
"When did you find out?" Shen Lixue was slightly taken aback. She had long guessed that the jade pendant had a secret, but she did not expect that the secret was to alleviate the illness. No wonder Shen Minghui, after being poisoned by the Gu, did not hesitate to risk being discovered by her and sent away half of Lin Qingzhu's dowry.
"After the Prime Minister's residence was sealed off!" Dongfang Heng said softly, resting his chin on Shen Lixue's shoulder and closing his eyes.
Shen Lixue carefully examined the family heirloom jade. The emerald green jade pendant looked like a simple, precious jade pendant with no other effects. If one did not see it with their own eyes, no one would have imagined that it could cure diseases, just like this crystal swallow.
Shen Lixue picked up the crystal swallow hanging in front of her chest. Upon closer inspection, it was a beautiful jade swallow. No one would have thought that it could ward off poison.
Hmm, the shape of the crystal swallow and the strokes that overlap with the character "沈" are so similar.
Shen Lixue tried placing the crystal swallow into the overlapping strokes of the character "Chen," and it fit perfectly, not too big or too small.
"Dongfang Heng, look!" Shen Lixue placed her family heirloom, a crystal swallow, in front of Dongfang Heng.
Dongfang Heng opened his eyes and looked at the crystal swallow embedded in the character "Chen". His gaze darkened, and he pinched the crystal swallow in his hand, turning it left and right, but the Shen family heirloom jade pendant did not react at all: "It must be a coincidence. The crystal swallow is small and exquisite, and can fit into a fairly large gap!"
Shen Lixue took the crystal swallow with her fair hand, pressed it on the overlapping part of the character "Shen," and turned it for a moment without moving it. She frowned and said, "It is indeed just a coincidence." She thought something extraordinary would happen, but it seems she was overthinking it.
Just as she was about to pull out the smooth crystal swallow, a protruding beak on the swallow's beak cut Shen Lixue's finger. A small drop of blood flowed into the character "Chen," and the calm character suddenly shimmered with a faint light, illuminating people's eyes.
Dongfang Heng was taken aback. His jade-like fingers pinched the crystal swallow and gently turned it. The perfect character "沉" (chen, meaning sinking) instantly scattered in all directions, and a round bead the size of a grape appeared in the jade pendant. It shimmered with seven colors of glass, illuminating the entire room. It was bright, dazzling, and breathtaking.
"This is... Jade Glass!" The size, shape, and color of the bead are exactly the same as the Jade Glass described by the Gu doctor from Southern Xinjiang.
Dongfang Heng's gaze sharpened, his eyes unfathomable. Was this truly Yu Liuli? He coldly ordered the guards outside the door, "Go and fetch the Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang!"
Half a cup of tea later, the Ghost Doctor from Southern Xinjiang, carrying his medicine chest, hurriedly arrived at Maple Pine Courtyard: "Is the Prince unwell?"
Shen Lixue was already dressed and reached out to lift a white cloth covering the table. Instantly, seven-colored glass light filled the entire room again: "Ghost Doctor, is this jade glass?"
She looked expectantly at the Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang, eager to hear his answer immediately, yet also afraid to hear it. This is Yu Liuli, it must be him.
The round bead, about the size of a grape, shimmered with a seven-colored, glassy light, exactly as described in the book. The old doctor from the Southern Frontier's eyes instantly turned dark and bright, and he murmured excitedly, "This is jade glass, it's jade glass! Where did you find it?"
"It's in the jade pendant!" Shen Lixue handed over the Shen family heirloom jade pendant, her joy beyond words. This really was jade glass; Dongfang Heng was saved.
Dongfang Heng didn't speak, but looked at Yu Liuli and held Shen Lixue's small hand tightly. His obsidian-like eyes shone with a faint light. He knew that she was his lucky star.
"Could it be that jade glass is formed from jade?" The Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang looked at the jade pendant, his brows furrowed, and muttered to himself.
"Ghost Doctor, when can you cure Dongfang Heng's illness?" Having found Yu Liuli, Shen Lixue wanted to get him better as soon as possible so that he would no longer suffer from the pain and threat of death.
"Take a bowl of water, put the jade glass in it to dissolve, drink it, and you'll be fine!"
"That simple?" Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow.
The Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang chuckled: "The higher the grade of the medicine, the easier it is to take!"
"I'll go get some water!" A fragrant breeze blew by, and Shen Lixue's cyan figure left the room and headed towards the kitchen.
The Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang looked at Dongfang Heng and said with a faint smile, "Prince An, Princess Lixue is truly devoted to you, cherish her!"
"Of course!" Dongfang Heng smiled faintly. His heart for Shen Lixue was as clear as day. He would betray the world but never betray her!
"The water is here!" Shen Lixue carried a bowl into the inner room, the water in the bowl was crystal clear.