Even women who travel through time can become prime ministers and nobles.

Chapter 493 Adventure in Search of Medicine

“Miss Shi…”

Lin Yiyu's voice trembled. He wanted to move over, but the pain was excruciating as soon as his legs touched the ground, so he could only watch helplessly.

Choi Ji-ho followed his gaze and his heart sank.

Before he passed out last night, he could still see Shi Wanxia supporting herself on the door frame, and she never let go even when she was being hit.

But now, her face was as white as paper, the blood on her lips had dried and turned dark brown, and even her breathing was as light as a breeze. If it weren't for the faint rise and fall of her chest, one would almost think...

"She...she was beaten by those soldiers just now while protecting us..."

Wang Ying held Ya Ya in her arms, her voice trembling with tears, and spoke cautiously.

"I wanted to apply medicine to her, but I searched the whole house and couldn't find any herbs. She just vomited blood and hasn't woken up yet..."

Ya Ya nestled in Wang Ying's arms, her little head peeking out as she looked in Shi Wanxia's direction. Her big eyes were brimming with tears as she whispered, "Sister Shi bled so much, she was in so much pain... Yesterday she touched my head and said she would protect me..."

The child's voice was soft and gentle, like a needle pricking at Cui Zhihao and Lin Yiyu's hearts.

They were men, scholars who could wield swords and speak with authority in public, but what about now?

Cui Zhihao looked at his hands. These hands could write beautiful articles and hold a pen, but they couldn't even lift Shi Wanxia off the ground.

With a strain, the pain in his chest made his vision go black, and he could only watch helplessly as she lay on the cold ground, without even a soft cushion.

Lin Yiyu was even more anxious. His leg injury wasn't fatal, but it hurt so much that he broke out in a cold sweat with every movement. He wanted to go out to find medicine, but when he thought about the possibility that there might still be rebels patrolling outside, he wondered who would protect the people inside if he went out.

If he gets caught, it will expose Shi Wanxia and the others.

He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, the pain making his skin numb. But compared to the injuries on Shi Wanxia's body, what was this pain?

"Blame me……"

Cui Zhihao's voice was filled with self-reproach, "If I hadn't fainted, Miss Shi wouldn't have been left to shield us all alone..."

"It's not your fault,"

Lin Yiyu interrupted him, her voice even lower.

"It's my fault for being useless. I couldn't even protect myself, and now a young woman has to suffer for us..."

Although they usually possessed a certain arrogance typical of scholars, at this moment, they were left with nothing but utter helplessness.

Dawn was breaking outside the window, and the dim light shone through the window paper, falling on Shi Wanxia's face, making her look even paler.

Wang Ying hugged Ya Ya tighter, not daring to speak again, afraid that her crying would disturb Shi Wanxia, ​​and also afraid that if she cried, she would not be able to hold back anymore.

Cui Zhihao stared at Shi Wanxia's face and suddenly remembered how she usually looked—she was wearing a light blue dress, her hair was neatly combed, she was holding a book, and she would occasionally look up and smile, her eyes shining as if they were glowing.

But now, the soot on her face hadn't been washed off, her hair was disheveled and stuck to her face, the bloodstains at the corner of her mouth were glaring, and even her usually energetic eyes were tightly closed, devoid of any life.

"Miss Shi, wake up..."

Choi Jiho called softly, his voice choked with emotion he himself didn't realize, "Didn't you say you'd protect us? You can't let anything happen to you..."

Lin Yiyu also called out, "We haven't found a safe place yet. Wake up, let's go together..."

But Shi Wanxia remained motionless, her breathing still so light, as if it were about to stop at any moment.

Ya Ya couldn't help but cry. She reached out her little hand and gently touched the back of Shi Wanxia's hand: "Sister Shi, please wake up, okay? Ya Ya will give you candy, I'll give you all my candy..."

The child's cries weren't loud, but they felt like heavy hammer blows to everyone's hearts. Wang Ying quickly covered her mouth, but her own tears also fell, dripping onto Ya Ya's hair.

As Choi Jiho watched this scene, the pain in his chest intensified. It wasn't the pain from the wound, but the pain in his heart that made it hard for him to breathe.

He thought, if only I were stronger, if only I hadn't been injured, if only...

But there are no "what ifs" in life. He could only sit there and watch the girl who had protected them slowly lose her life, until he no longer had the strength to reach out and wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth.

As dawn broke, a few birds chirped outside the window, but the room was eerily quiet, with only the breathing of a few people and Ya Ya's suppressed sobs.

Lin Yiyu stared at the hole in the roof, his eyes filled with despair. He thought to himself, "We grown men have lived in vain. We can't even protect a young woman. She has to suffer such serious injuries in our place. If Shi Wanxia really gets hurt, we will never have peace of mind for the rest of our lives."

Shi Wanxia was still lying there, like a flower wilted by a storm. No one knew when she would wake up, nor did anyone know whether they could escape the rebels' search or find medicine to save her.

The smell of blood in the air seemed even stronger.

As dawn broke, the curtains of the dilapidated temple rattled loudly in the wind.

Wang Ying held Ya Ya tightly in her arms, looking at Shi Wanxia's bloodless face, biting her lip until it bled.

The dregs of herbs on the stove were long gone. Shi Wanxia's breathing became shallower and shallower, and the cold sweat on her forehead soaked her disheveled hair. Occasionally, she would convulse as if she were suffering greatly.

"Ya Ya, be good. You stay here and watch over Sister Shi. Auntie will go out to get some medicine and come right back. Don't make a sound, okay?"

Wang Ying tucked the child deeper into the pile of firewood and wrapped him in a tattered blanket. Her voice trembled like a leaf, but she dared not shed a tear—she was afraid that if she cried, she would never have the courage to go out again.

Ya Ya clutched her clothes, her big eyes filled with fear: "Auntie, there are bad people outside, don't go..."

“If Auntie doesn’t go, Sister Shi won’t survive.”

Wang Ying cruelly pried the child's hands off, wiped her face, and smeared the stove ash on her face again, trying to make herself look even more disheveled. Then she clutched the loose silver in her arms, quietly opened the temple door, and like a frightened rabbit, ran along the wall towards home.

Before they had walked two blocks, a strong smell of blood wafted over. Wang Ying stopped abruptly and peered out from behind a wall.

Under the old locust tree at the alley entrance, several rebels were laughing around a young woman. The child in the woman's arms was crying heartbreakingly. One of the rebels kicked the child away, and the child's crying stopped abruptly. The woman rushed over like a madwoman, but the rebel slit her throat with a knife.

Wang Ying's stomach churned violently, and she covered her mouth to stop herself from vomiting; her legs were trembling.

In the alley where she lived, the door of her neighbor Aunt Zhang's house was open, and the door frame was splattered with blood. She had borrowed needles and thread from Aunt Zhang before, and Aunt Zhang had said that she would make a new pair of shoes for Ya Ya after the rebels left...

"Don't just stand there! If you don't leave now, you'll be next!"

Wang Ying cursed herself for being useless, but gritted her teeth and moved forward. When she passed Aunt Zhang's house, she quickly glanced inside—Aunt Zhang was lying on the ground, her eyes still open, clutching the half-finished shoe sole she had made for her child.

Tears finally streamed down Wang Ying's face. She didn't dare stop and stumbled all the way to Doctor Li's house.

Dr. Li was the only one in the neighborhood who knew a little about medicine, but his door was ajar. She pushed it open and called out, "Dr. Li! Please give me some medicine!"

No one responded.

As Wang Ying walked inside, she saw Doctor Li lying in front of the medicine cabinet, a knife stuck in his chest, and herbs scattered all over the floor.

Her legs went weak and she almost collapsed to the ground, but when she thought of Shi Wanxia waiting for her medicine, she forced herself to stand up and rummaged through the scattered herbs—hemostatics, analgesics, anything that could be used, she stuffed into her bosom.