Chapter 18: The Shocking Soul of the Separate Courtyard

  Long Xilan gulped down several mouthfuls of water, wanting to emerge from the water, but that powerful force held her in a death grip, no matter how strong her will to survive was, there was not the slightest chance of escape.

  She was only six years old that year, and the neighboring village was haunted by a ghost. The villagers asked her father to go and exorcise it. In order to find out why the evil spirit was haunting, Long's father left her alone in the abandoned haunted house on the outskirts of the village. At night, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, illuminating her eyes through the broken tiles above her head.

  What is fear? How would a six-year-old child know? She could only stare motionlessly at those creatures not of this world, even forgetting to cry. And how she managed to escape with her life from the clutches of that evil spirit, only she herself knew. Afterwards, Dragon Father only said one sentence to her: "Dragon family members, don't be afraid!"

  From young to old, even her daughter's colorful dresses have never been worn, it can be seen that the dragon father is so strict with her!

  But she never blamed her father, she understood what the Long family was facing, fear? There's only death! So, every time she was afraid, she told herself, is it fear or death?

  But now, her conscience told her that even if she wasn't afraid, she would still die, and yet she was still afraid!

  What she fears is not how cruel her murderer is, but how she will face that dark world after death!

  Outside the small courtyard, Li Hua had changed into a black casual outfit and walked in with Liu Jin's accompaniment.

  The Wangfu army was densely guarding the gate, while inside the small courtyard, in order to let the future queen get used to it, only Chen Niang and four capable maids could come and go freely. At this time, he saw Chen Niang and others waiting outside, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

  "Chen Niang, has Miss Ji gone to sleep?" He had been back for a whole incense stick's time, and before going to bed, he remembered the rumor in the village, so he came over again to take a look.

  Chen's wife replied: "Miss Ji is taking a bath."

  Li Hua nodded and didn't think much of it, just about to turn around and leave, but asked another question.

  "Is she alone in there? For how long?"

  "It's almost half an hour!"

  Li Hua's face changed, and he turned around to push open the door. Chen Niang had expected something would happen, and she hastily followed him in.

  Just saw the bathtub, no one was there!

  Chen's wife was so frightened that her eyes rolled back, and she immediately fainted. Fortunately, the two maids who were following behind her supported her body in time.

  Li Hua strode to the front of the bathtub and saw that there was black hair floating inside, only then did he realize that the person hadn't disappeared, but was in the water. He stretched out his large hand into the water, grabbed Long Xilan's arm with one swoop, and pulled her out.

  At this time, she still had consciousness, a face bleached white by water, no different from a dead person.

  Li Hua picked her up, wrapped her in a quilt and put her on the bed. She had learned some emergency treatment for drowning from the imperial physician when she was in the palace, which came in handy now.

  I thought she couldn't be saved, but unexpectedly, the water that was stuck in her throat came out after being squeezed, and her breathing came back, but she didn't wake up.

  "Hurry up and call Xue Ping'an over!"

  Xue Ping'an was originally a royal doctor with superb medical skills in the palace. In his early years, he was involved in a miscarriage of a young mistress and was about to be thrown into prison. Li Huan valued his talent and pleaded for him to the emperor, after which Xue Ping'an became loyal to him and served in the Wang Fu.

  Originally, he shouldn't be in this courtyard tonight either. Li Huan was worried that something would go wrong, so he called him over early to wait.

  Xue Ping'an arrived soon after, dressed in simple yet elegant attire, with a youthful appearance and clear features. Although he was not a striking figure, he had an air of refinement about him. He was accompanied by a young apprentice carrying a medicine box, who stood waiting outside while only Xue Ping'an followed King Xi into the inner chamber. Separated by a silk curtain, he took Dragon Qiulan's pulse and, in order to observe more closely, also examined her complexion and eyes with King Xi's permission.

  After everything was done, a layer of doubt appeared on Xue Ping'an's pale face.

  Li Hua, sitting upright in the carved chair opposite him, asked softly, "How is it?"

  "Miss Ji's pulse has calmed down and she should be out of danger now!"

  Li Hua sat still and asked: "Since there is no danger of life, why hasn't he woken up yet?"

  This was also what Xue Ping'an couldn't understand. He had already administered the needle to Long Qilan, and according to reason, she should have woken up after the treatment, but it had no effect. In his many years of medical practice, he had never encountered such a situation.

  "Your Highness, are you certain Miss Ji died from drowning?"

  Li Hua nodded, but was uncertain, for it was he himself who had pulled him out of the water.

  Xue Ping'an bowed his head slightly and said, "Your Highness please forgive me, earlier when I was checking Miss's complexion, it seemed that the skin color on her neck was a bit unusual."

  Li Hua had just been focused on saving people and hadn't noticed that much. After hearing Xue Ping'an say this, he immediately stood up and walked to the bedside, taking a closer look at Long Yulan's neck. Indeed, it was different from the rest of her skin tone, and the more he looked, the more he felt that it was a pair of hands choking her throat, presenting a certain shape!