Chiyin went berserk

"DO NOT GO IN THERE. THE SWORD IS THERE, THE SWORD IS THERE!" Chiyin shouted as he pushed Hushiyi away and rushed towards the approaching Yinyue.

"STOP!" Hushiyi cried out.

She dodged, causing him to nearly stumble forward. He swung around, hands out to grab her. 04 jumped between them, only for Chiyin to jump out of his way.

"What should we do?" 04 asked. He considered Chiyin an imperial relative. Hurting an imperial relative without explicit orders from Yinyue was forbidden. Forcing Chiyin into a restraining hold would result in joint dislocations.

"BROTHER!" Yinyue ignored 04 and hollered at Hushiyi, who reached out to grab Chiyin. "JUST DON'T LET HIM OUT!"

Chiyin's movements grew erratic. His hands thrashed in the air, trying to smack Hushiyi's face. His eyes darted around wildly, like a cornered animal searching for an escape route.

"LET ME GO!"

Yinyue kept her gaze on both fighting men, watching for an opening. She slid a fine long acupuncture needle from her hidden sleeve compartment into her finger.

She caught a whiff of the medicinal herbs wafting out into the courtyard from the workshop. And a light odor hidden between the fragrances.

Before she could head to the workshop, Chiyin jumped in front of her, blocking her way with two outstretched arms. Something is wrong with her uncle. She noticed his dilated pupils. Either he is fighting blind or he took a drug. Beads of sweat formed around Chiyin's face in the late winter's day.

He snarled at Hushiyi.

Both Hushiyi and Chiyin clashed fists against fists again. Yinyue took a deep breath. Her instincts told her an opening would open. 04 retreated to 05's side where a trembling Laoyi and the guards watched the spectacle.

"AAARRRGHHHH!" Chiyin roared as he pushed away Hushiyi.

"He's beyond control," Laoyi mumbled, only to get both 04 and 05 staring at him.

"That's obvious," 04 muttered.

05 nodded. "Has been out of control for a wild."

"I mean…he is out of his mind…"

"Obvious again…" 04 rolled his eyes at Laoyi, who kept quiet.

A blackish flash before them interrupted their exchange of words. It was Yinyue. She snuck behind Chiyin while Hushiyi distracted him.

No one saw clearly what Yinyue did. Just a glint of something in her fingers and then a needle appeared on Chiyin's head. He swung around her as she jumped aside out of his grasp.

Then Chiyin staggered a few steps before he crumpled into Hushiyi's arms, just before he hit the cold stone tiles of the courtyard.

"Why did you do that?" Hushiyi looked at Yinyue in horror as he held an unconscious Chiyin into his arms.

"Hit his sleep meridian point in the head," she replied.

"Surely there must be another way," he insisted.

He placed his finger under Chiyin's nose to check, causing Yinyue to frown. Did he really think she was capable of killing their uncle?

"Like hitting his neck with the side of my hand?" She retorted. "That can injure him badly."

"He's still our uncle."

"Do you have a better idea?" She scowled with no sign of remorse or regret for her action.

Hushiyi couldn't answer the question — he had no clue what to do when Chiyin went berserk. And she knew it. Better a needle than Chiyin smacking his head against the stone tile.

The tension in the air stretched high, like a tightened string on an overstrung zither stretching beyond its limit. Conflict could come with a sudden snap. And others were unwilling to get involved.

The rest, including 04 and 05, looked at both parties, secretly wishing that they could leave the three family members in private.

Yinyue glanced at Laoyi, who wished he could vanish on the spot but said nothing to his relief. He decided if she didn't call, he won't volunteer to examine Chiyin. Laoyi wondered if all three before him were afflicted with the illness of hereditary madness.

Yinyue heaved a heavy sigh at Hushiyi, who merely shook his head at her in silent disapproval. Their uncle looked like he was fast asleep in a peaceful dream.

She huffed loudly, threw her hands in the air with resignation, and said, "Think about it. If he's normal, he can counter my speed. It isn't even night but the afternoon."

Her words made sense, cold and emotionless as they were. Chiyin would be able to dodge the needle. Hushiyi's forehead tightened.

"If you missed that point…," he muttered under his breath and glared at her.

"He'll die. Yes, I know," Yinyue replied. "I knew my aim was precision. That's why I took the opportunity."

"That's not the point. There's always a chance of failure."

"Examine his eyes," Yinyue replied with no emotion. She was tired of arguing with him. Her voice was cold, freezing, like the wind blowing against them.

Hushiyi pulled up Chiyin's left eyelid. Chiyin's pupil dilated, turning his eye almost black with the dilation. He checked the other. Both dilated — a sign of a drug at work.

Hushiyi thought for a bit as the lines on his face creased deeper. "Poison or drug."

"I wouldn't know unless I check his workshop area." Yinyue bent down on one knee and took Chiyin's pulse. Chiyin's pulse seemed slow, too slow for a young man his age. Especially after a fight. And the threading in his pulse seemed unusual.

"What is it?" Hushiyi noticed her frown deepening.

"It may be a reaction." Yinyue beckoned to Laoyi to approach.

Laoyi quickly stepped forward and glanced at her fingers pressing on Chiyin's pulse.

"Check and see if it was the same when you examined him," she ordered, releasing her grip on Chiyin to stand up.

Laoyi nodded with respect as she stood aside. He went to check Chiyin's pulse and gasped.

"What is it?" She asked.

"It's unusual, not like before."

Yinyue rolled her eyes at his reply and smacked her head.

"What is your opinion?"

Laoyi clenched his teeth. He didn't even know the cause of Chiyin's ailment to answer her question.

Yinyue glared at him. Before she could say anything, 02 interrupted, "The magistrate of Bian has something urgent to report!"

Yinyue stepped away from the now disheveled Chiyin whom Hushiyi cradled and turned around. 02's eyes darted away from the scene before him and landed on Yinyue, pretending he noticed nothing unusual.

04 and 05 were hand signalling 02 to leave, but he didn't catch the hint. They only stopped when Yinyue's gaze fell on them.

"He can wait at the guest hall," she said. "Tell him I'm busy."

"He said it cannot wait," 02 bowed to her in apology. "It's urgent. And he needs to see you and those whom were in contact with those bodies."

Yinyue narrowed her eyes at him, causing 02 to retreat a step back, unaware of any wrong he did. Why was she looking at him this way? He's only the messenger.