C15

"Of course, you need to get it out. Did you really expect him to swallow it?" Jiuge pointed at Xie Xuan and instructed the servant, "Quick, get the medicine out of his throat."

"Get it out? How?" The servant, thrilled at the chance to redeem himself, scrambled to his feet.

"Mouth-to-mouth, breathe in... and get it out," Jiuge explained, much like how you'd help a child who was choking—either by extracting it or using back blows to dislodge it. Considering Xie Xuan was a grown man, flipping him over wasn't an option; extraction was the best method.

"Mouth-to-mouth? No way, I can't, I can't do that," the servant shook his head repeatedly, his face turning pale with fear.

"This is about saving a life. You need to find someone to get that pill out of his throat. Time is of the essence, so hurry up," Jiuge urged, casting a glance at the Xie family's staff.

If the servant couldn't do it, then someone else had to step up. As for her? Sorry, she had never done such a thing. As a renowned practitioner of traditional medicine, this small task was beneath her.

"Is extraction the only way?" A guard, who had previously stopped Yuen Yunhua, asked Jiuge from beside the carriage.

Jiuge looked at him, guessing he had some authority, and replied, "Turn him over, let him lie across your lap, and give him back blows. If that works, great."

"This..." The guard hesitated, imagining their young master sprawled across his lap like a child, which made him shudder. "Let's stick with extraction. Miss Chu, could you please help?"

In the brief moment, the guard had already learned of Jiuge's identity.

"Me? Are you serious?" Jiuge pointed to herself, incredulous. "I'm a young woman, and I'm getting married tomorrow."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, and you did say it's about saving a life," the guard reasoned, thinking Jiuge was playing hard to get. After all, their young master was well-born, handsome, and charming—a favorite among the city's ladies. Countless women had offered themselves to win his favor. Perhaps this Miss Chu was hoping to get close to the living Third Young Master Xie, even if it meant saving him from death...

The large man observed Jiuge's open expression. When he suggested she help the young master by drawing out the poison, her shock and surprise seemed genuine, which reassured him.

"It's like the saying, 'If your sister-in-law is drowning, your uncle should save her.' But here's the thing—there's no one else around, and you're all here. So, what's the point of authority?" Although the Xie family was powerful, Chu Jiuge wasn't intimidated by them.

In truth, Chu Jiuge had never been afraid of anyone.

No matter how skilled or influential a person was, they were still human. And humans... they get sick and need doctors. As a top-tier physician, she was always the one being sought after, not the one doing the seeking.

"Please, miss, lend us your help, and the Xie family will be forever grateful. By the way, the trouble you encountered today? We can handle it for you. I promise... as long as you save our young master, no one in East Forest will dare to touch you." The large man was savvy, glancing pointedly at Xiao Jing'an and Yuen Yunhua, making his meaning clear.

Even if the Xiao and Yuen families joined forces, they would still have to respect the Xie family.

For Chu Jiuge, what seemed like a monumental issue could be resolved with a mere gesture from the Xie family.

"You..." Chu Jiuge looked at the large man in front of her, unable to refuse.

She admitted, she was tempted.

She never intended to let anyone die; the reason she hesitated to personally draw out the poison was simply because...