C13 Chapter 13

He’s still breathing!

As a doctor, Chu Jiuge had her own code and professional standards. She wouldn’t rush in to treat every patient she saw, but she could never stand by and watch someone die when they could still be saved.

She had seen Xie Xuan’s condition clearly. He was having an asthma attack and struggling to breathe. He looked dead, but it was only a state of suspended animation. He could still be saved—but if too much time passed, he really would stop breathing for good.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Chu Jiuge lowered her spear. “I can save that man.”

“What?” The lead officer had been waiting for an opening to seize Chu Jiuge, but when he heard her words, he froze.

The three guards from the Xiao family were also stunned and couldn’t help giving Chu Jiuge another look.

Chu Jiuge ignored them. Taking advantage of their moment of shock, she tossed aside her spear and ran toward Xie Xuan’s carriage. The Xiao family’s guards and the officers snapped out of it and moved to chase after her, but then they heard Chu Jiuge shout to Xie Xuan’s attendants, “Your young master is still breathing!”

“What? You’re saying my young master is still breathing?” Beside Xie Xuan’s carriage, there were several guards along with his personal servant. They had been standing watch the whole time, and after learning that Xie Xuan had stopped breathing, every one of them had been stricken with grief. Hearing Chu Jiuge’s words, they were instantly shaken.

“Don’t listen to her nonsense. This young lady offended my—” A guard from the Xiao family reached out to block Chu Jiuge and stop her from getting any closer, but Chu Jiuge dodged aside and slipped past him.

Seeing this, one of Xie Xuan’s guards quickly rushed over and stood in front of Chu Jiuge. “Stop!”

“If you lay a hand on her, you’ll be killing my young master. And if anything happens to him, the Xie family... will never let this go.”

They were all powerful aristocratic families. Who among them wasn’t overbearing? Who among them wasn’t forceful?

The Xie family ranked above the Xiao family, and there was no way they would fear them.

Saving a life was like putting out a fire—there was no time to waste. Chu Jiuge had no attention to spare for the argument behind her. She rushed to the carriage and shoved aside Xiao Jing'an and Yuen Yunhua, who were trying to block her.

“Chu Jiuge, how dare you!” Yuen Yunhua still had the riding crop in her hand. She raised it to strike, but another of Xie Xuan’s guards stopped her. “Miss Yunhua, if I were you, I wouldn’t do that.” At the very least, not when this young woman was claiming she could save their young master.

Yunhua really wasn’t very bright.

“Yunhua, don’t make trouble at a time like this.” Xiao Jing’an knew better than anyone how much the Xie family valued Xie Xuan. When it came to him, the Xie family had no principles and no bottom line.

Xie Xuan had already stopped breathing, yet Chu Jiuge insisted he was still alive. The Xie family didn’t believe her, but as long as there was even the slightest hope, they wouldn’t let it slip away.

Xiao Jing’an gave Chu Jiuge a long look and found her more foolish than ever.

The day before her wedding, she had written to him and asked him to run away with her. At first, he’d thought she was joking. If Yunhua hadn’t seen the letter and insisted on coming to the city gate to take a look, he never would have realized she was serious.

Running away together... that had been a private matter. If he said nothing, it would have stayed that way. But Chu Jiuge had no sense at all. She had actually dared to lash out at him and Yunhua. She clearly had a death wish.

And now, just to save herself, Chu Jiuge was making wild claims, trying to attach herself to Xie Xuan. It was laughable...

Whether Xie Xuan was alive or dead, Xiao Jing’an could see it clearly. Chu Jiuge was finished this time.

Xie Xuan was Patriarch Xie’s most precious son. Even though his death had nothing to do with Chu Jiuge, she had chosen to interfere at this moment. Given how fiercely protective the Xie family was—and how quick they were to take their anger out on others—Chu Jiuge was as good as dead.

From the teahouse upstairs, the North Duke had seen Chu Jiuge’s actions and heard what she said. He gave a slight shake of his head, set down his empty teacup, and turned to leave...