Chapter Sixteen: Mistaken Tent

Jiang Bai was momentarily stunned, then almost burst out laughing. Who would have thought that this seemingly certain-to-fail assassination would end so quickly just because the tent had been changed?

After leaving two men behind, Duan Jing ordered others to go to the original tent to capture the traitor. Feeling somewhat relieved, he was about to say something to his brother when suddenly his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

“Zhongxuan!” Duan Yue was shocked and tried to get up but was pulled back down by the pain from his wound.

“General, don’t move! I’ll check on him!” Shitou pressed down on Duan Yue, who was about to rise again, and hurried to Duan Jing’s side.

“Doctor Jiang, what’s wrong with Zhongxuan?” Duan Yue was frantic. Duan Jing had just skipped over the fact that he was injured, so Duan Yue had no idea his brother was hurt.

Jiang Bai quickly stepped forward and immediately instructed Shitou to lay Duan Jing on a nearby low bench. She bent down to carefully examine him. Duan Jing’s face was pale, a fine sweat beaded his forehead, and his breathing was faint yet rapid. Jiang Bai felt his pulse and found it erratic and irregular.

“Did Zhongxuan get injured just now?” Duan Jing was dressed all in black today, so it wasn’t easy to notice the bloodstains on his chest at first, but now that he was laid on the bench nearby, Duan Yue finally saw the unusual marks. Jiang Bai nodded.

“Zhongxuan, you foolish boy…” Duan Yue muttered softly, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white.

“Doctor Jiang, how is Zhongxuan?” Duan Yue asked anxiously.

“General, please don’t worry. I have already stabilized Military Advisor Duan’s wound. Although he has fainted, there is no serious danger,” Jiang Bai said as she began acupuncture.

She swiftly retrieved silver needles and several herbs from her medicine box, skillfully inserting the needles into Duan Jing’s acupoints, attempting to steady his internal energy.

With Shitou’s support, Duan Yue slowly stood aside, his gaze fixed on Duan Jing, filled with anxiety and unease. Recalling Duan Jing’s expression moments ago, he blamed himself even more. If only he had noticed the injury earlier, perhaps his brother wouldn’t have fainted.

After finishing the acupuncture, Jiang Bai wrote a prescription and instructed Da Chui to prepare the medicine. Turning to Duan Yue, she said, “General, although Master Duan’s injury is severe, timely treatment will prevent any serious complications. However, his constitution seems weak, so he will need extended rest without any disturbance.”

Duan Yue nodded, feeling a slight relief. Looking at Duan Jing’s pale face, he vowed silently to protect him at all costs and never let him suffer harm again.

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Jiang Bai gave a few more reminders before rising and leaving the tent to prepare subsequent treatment plans.

Duan Yue sat beside Duan Jing, gently holding his hand and feeling his faint pulse. Guilt and regret filled his heart; it was his fault for not noticing Zhongxuan’s injury and making him stand for so long.

“Zhongxuan, it’s all my fault,” Duan Yue whispered, his voice heavy with remorse.

Yang Bin then entered. The men Duan Jing had sent had just arrived at the general’s previous quarters. Concerned about the brothers Duan Jin and Duan Jing, Yang Bin had come to explain what had just happened.

Initially, Duan Yue heard about Jiang Bai being slandered and thought the tactic was foolish. Then he learned that Li Yuan, his own protégé, had betrayed him, which enraged him. The final twist left him unsure how to react. During his injury, his brother had been so busy he forgot to inform their subordinates where he was. Yet, this oversight turned out to be a blessing in disguise, allowing Duan Yue to narrowly escape an assassination attempt.

“General, it’s truly thanks to Doctor Jiang this time,” Yang Bin said, recalling that if Jiang Bai hadn’t poisoned Li Yuan and warned about changing the tent, the three of them might have perished inside.

“Yes, really thanks to Doctor Jiang,” Duan Yue echoed, his heart still trembling at the thought of how close they had come. Had Jiang Bai not acted promptly, Li Yuan would have succeeded. If anything had happened to his brother, he would have felt he had dishonored their ancestors.

“Big sister!” Just then, Jiang Bai entered the tent and was immediately embraced by Jiang Ye. “Are you hurt?”

Upon returning, Jiang Bai had heard someone calling for her and suspected trouble. Worried that someone careless might harm her brother, she first brought him back to the tent and used her abilities to shield it. Anyone daring to touch the tent would be strangled by the vines at its entrance.

“I’m fine,” Jiang Bai said, ruffling Jiang Ye’s hair. She had never been rough with the child and wasn’t sure if he had seen anything he shouldn’t have during Yang Bin’s pursuit of the culprit.

“Xingzhi, did anyone pass by just now?”

“No, but I heard fighting outside and was so scared that you might be hurt,” Jiang Ye said, recalling that although he had seen fights in Pingcheng, this was real combat with swords and guns, and the sounds alone were frightening.

“Don’t be afraid. Sister is safe, isn’t she?” Although in these chaotic times Jiang Bai always wished her brother would mature earlier, in moments like this, she found herself unwilling to let go. Better to protect him.

“By the way, I told Xingzhi that we might have met two relatives. I thought Military Advisor Duan just happened to share the same surname as General Duan, but it turns out they are brothers. We might have encountered two family members at once,” Jiang Bai tried to distract the child.

“Really?” Jiang Ye was amazed.

“Yes, but I haven’t figured out if they are related to us yet.”

“But just learning they’re brothers is already impressive,” Jiang Ye praised her.

“Is that so?” Jiang Bai felt secretly pleased. This little brother of hers was like a shadow, following her everywhere, responding to everything she said. When she had misbehaved once and their parents were about to punish her, one-year-old Jiang Ye anxiously started walking just to stand firmly in front of her for protection. Not even their parents, but she herself was surprised.

The fiercely protective Jiang Ye chuckled and scratched his head. “Yes, yes, Sister, you’re the best.”

Jiang Bai’s lips curled into a slight smile, a gleam of pride in her eyes. She gently patted Jiang Ye’s shoulder, teasing, “You little flatterer.”

Jiang Ye pouted, apparently displeased with the nickname. “Sister, I’m not!”

Jiang Bai teased him further, “Really?”

Jiang Ye shook his head with a serious expression. “I’m not! Xingzhi just speaks the truth, and you say I’m a flatterer. I’m so mad!”

Hearing this, Jiang Bai almost laughed but held it back. “So, our Xingzhi is really mad at Sister?”