Chapter 59： Striking the Reverse Scale Incites Wrath

The Golden Thread Ant is indeed the most venomous insect under the heavens, but it is not insurmountable. However..." The Royal Physician paused momentarily.

"And yet?" Su Yuxin's heart had ascended to her throat.

"The remedy is exceedingly elusive. I have lived through many years, encountering it only in ancient medical tomes," sighed the Royal Physician with a tinge of regret. "Though these two girls are not grievously poisoned, it may still prove challenging to rescue them."

"Kindly inform me, esteemed physician, of the precise herbal remedy?" Su Yuxin inquired, her countenance pale.

As long as a glimmer of hope persisted, she was resolute in her determination not to yield. She had vowed to ensure their joy and tranquility in this lifetime.

"Silver Thread Grass," the Royal Physician declared. "This variety of grass grows solely in proximity to the lairs of Golden Thread Ants, their favored sustenance. Therefore, Silver Thread Grass is often consumed by the ants before it fully matures. The medicinal properties manifest only in specimens aged beyond five years, rendering it exceptionally rare."

Su Yuxin's heart sank incrementally.

"Silver Thread Grass?" Doctor Sun furrowed his brow and asked, "Once matured, does it resemble a tangled mass of silver threads?"

"Indeed," affirmed the Royal Physician.

"By a fortuitous stroke of chance, I obtained this substance two years ago, and it remains stored in our repository," disclosed Doctor Sun.

"Is that so?" Su Yuxin's eyes suddenly brightened with a glint of hope. "I cannot ascertain whether it is Silver Thread Grass, but it bears a striking resemblance. I shall retrieve it presently for your inspection, esteemed physician," Doctor Sun stated.

"If Silver Thread Grass is indeed present, the lives of these two girls may be preserved," confirmed the Royal Physician, his eyes holding a spark of anticipation. This chance encounter would absolve his lifelong regret of never having beheld Silver Thread Grass. Should he lay eyes on it today, he would have no regrets a century hence.

Doctor Sun returned promptly, bearing a bundle of silver threads within a mahogany box. "Esteemed physician, is this the substance of which you speak?" Doctor Sun queried, still somewhat breathless.

The Royal Physician meticulously examined it for a time, a gleam of elation illuminating his eyes. "This is the very specimen!"

"Will the possession of Silver Thread Grass suffice to save them?" Su Yuxin hurriedly inquired.

"It will. These two girls are not deeply poisoned; a single dose of the remedy should suffice," asserted the Royal Physician with unwavering confidence. "I shall now proceed to draft the prescription."

"Gratitude to you, esteemed physician," Su Yuxin breathed a sigh of relief, her previously suspended heartache alleviating somewhat.

Beside her, Old Lady Luo wiped the perspiration from her brow. These two girls were akin to her own offspring; their well-being was her paramount concern.

"The physician affirms their salvation, thus, it shall transpire. Fret not," reassured Feng Yao, patting Su Yuxin's shoulder.

"Very well," Su Yuxin nodded, yet she could not completely ease her worry until she witnessed Qingque and Ziyuan awaken.

The Royal Physician promptly penned the prescription, while Old Lady Luo took charge of its preparation. She feared the young girls might mishandle it; should it spoil, there was no alternative source of Silver Thread Grass available.

While Old Lady Luo brewed the concoction, the Royal Physician administered acupuncture to Qingque and Ziyuan. Upon its ingestion, their visages gradually regained their rosy hues, and their lips began to regain a natural color. Nonetheless, they remained unconscious.

The Royal Physician rechecked their pulses and remarked, "They are unharmed. However, their bodies will be feeble for a period. I shall devise another prescription to aid their convalescence."

With that, he swiftly inscribed another prescription. "Thank you, esteemed physician," expressed Feng Yao with gratitude. "Jinling, ensure the safe conveyance of the physician back home."

"Understood," Jinling responded respectfully, escorting the physician away expeditiously.

"Now that the young ladies are out of jeopardy, I shall take my leave," bid farewell Doctor Sun.

"Doctor Sun, kindly wait. I have some inquiries I wish to make," voiced Feng Yao.

"I am not one worthy of dispensing advice, General. Please feel free to direct me," Doctor Sun replied.

"What are the origins of these Golden Thread Ants? I have never heard of them before," queried Feng Yao, as Su Yuxin, seated beside him, shared the same curiosity.

"Golden Thread Ants inhabit the desert, not within our Great Liang. Furthermore, our climate does not accommodate their survival," expounded Doctor Sun.

Feng Yao's eyes narrowed dangerously. It seemed to be a deliberate orchestration.

"As their name suggests, Golden Thread Ants are diminutive and slender, resembling a strand of gold, and they traverse at remarkable speeds. A solitary Golden Thread Ant may not be menacing, but the peril lies in their colony. They possess the ability to penetrate human skin, leading to fatal poisoning within two hours. Curiously, the symptoms post-mortem are indistinguishable from those of arsenic poisoning, making it challenging to attribute the cause to the insect. However, such creatures are a rarity, even within the desert," explicated Doctor Sun.

"If the quantity of Golden Thread Ants is limited, how long does it take for the poison to manifest?" further inquired Feng Yao.

"The duration is prolonged but will not exceed six hours," answered Doctor Sun. After a pause, he hesitated and added, "These two girls were not severely poisoned. It is likely that there were not many Golden Thread Ants involved. If it were an entire nest of Golden Thread Ants, there would have been no time to summon a physician. Once the poison takes effect, death is immediate. The medicine pouch worn by the General's wife is exceptional, capable of repelling the ants. It is plausible that these two girls, who frequently accompanied the General's wife, had acquired a trace of the pouch's scent, deterring some ants, hence the severity of poisoning was mitigated."

Today was the Su household's birthday celebration, known throughout Shengjing.

Doctor Sun harbored suspicions regarding the Su household, yet was unable to articulate them directly, hence his circumlocution.

Feng Yao's eyes instantly swirled with a tempest. Not only was there someone plotting against his younger sister's innocence, but now there were others intent on claiming the lives of these two girls. Did they consider him, a military commander, merely an ornament?

Provoking a man's fury often brings dire consequences. Su Yuxin was his point of contention.

"General..." Su Yuxin immediately clutched Feng Yao's hand, tenderly calling out.

The violent temperament surrounding Feng Yao gradually receded, yet the wrath in his heart continued to surge.

"Now that the two young ladies are safe, I shall take my leave," concluded Doctor Sun.

"Gratitude for saving their lives today. If Doctor Sun requires anything in the future, I shall spare no effort," pledged Su Yuxin.

"Madam General, you are exceedingly gracious. The Silver Thread Grass came

 into my possession by fortuity. Its use today is my good fortune," Doctor Sun humbly remarked, bowing.

"Jinling, ensure that Doctor Sun is escorted back safely," instructed Su Yuxin.

After Doctor Sun departed, Su Yuxin's eyes deepened.

Truly, experience outweighs theory. Su Yuxiang's petty schemes paled in comparison. Alas, despite her calculations, she never foresaw the existence of Xia Zhi's medicine pouch or the presence of an antidote in Doctor Li's possession.

Were it not for these unforeseen factors, today she might have met an untimely demise, unbeknownst to anyone.

Underestimation is folly.