"Auntie, it's really not my fault. Just now, these people wanted to barge in directly. After I stopped them, they even wanted to use force."
Hearing the last sentence, Xiao Xiao's face immediately turned cold. She gave the shadow guards a cold look.
"Although I don't know who you are, I can tell from your aura that you're not ordinary people. In that case, since we've just met by chance, there's no need to make things difficult for each other. Please leave as soon as possible. Otherwise, don't blame me for being merciless."
By the end of her speech, she had drawn out the soft sword from her waist. The leader glared at the deputy leader beside him. It was all his fault. This could have been resolved through a calm conversation, but he just had to stand out and offend others.
"Auntie, don't be in a hurry. We don't mean any harm. It's just that our master has suffered serious injuries. If he doesn't receive treatment soon, his life will be in danger."
"If your master is seriously injured, you should look for a doctor, not come to our courtyard. There's no doctor here."
They never expected that their sincere plea would be rejected like this. The deputy leader looked extremely unwilling. "We know that the divine doctor is here, so we've come especially to seek medical help. Can't the divine doctor, who can even save common people, save our master?"
Xiao Xiao's face changed slightly. The fact that the divine doctor had come was rarely known. How did they find out?
However, the most important thing now was to deal with these troublesome people first. If something went wrong and their master woke up later, things would get really complicated.
"It seems that you've got bad intentions. In that case, leave quickly. Otherwise, the swords and knives won't spare anyone."
After giving this final warning, Xiao Xiao was about to order the servants to close the door. But the deputy leader reacted faster and blocked the door.
Looking at Xiao Xiao who was about to enter the door, he decided to reveal his master's identity.
"The Empress Dowager and the national master have a good relationship these days. Our master is the current national master. Are you really going to watch this official, who has dedicated himself to the Great Liang, die, auntie?"
Xiao Xiao stopped in her tracks. She turned around in surprise and finally took a good look at the person behind them.
She hadn't paid much attention before because she was being perfunctory. But now that she saw clearly, she was a bit confused.
"Why did the national master suddenly come here?"
"It's a long story. Now that everything has been explained, could you please let the divine doctor treat our master first?"
Xiao Xiao pursed her lips. "I can't decide this matter alone. I need to ask the Empress Dowager for instructions first. You can carry the national master in first, but he can't enter the inner room."
As long as she relented, there was still hope. The men carried Cui Qizhou and placed him in the middle of the courtyard. They guarded around him all the time, afraid that those two people would come back. If that happened, they really wouldn't be able to protect their master.
Xiao Xiao walked to the bedside with a solemn expression. She woke up her master, although she didn't really want to do this.
The person in the bed pouted, turned over and wanted to continue sleeping, but was pulled back.
"Master, wake up quickly. There's a big problem outside. If you don't go, the whole court might be in turmoil tomorrow."
"How could it be that serious? Unless Cui Qizhou is dead. Alright, Xiao Xiao, go out first. I'm really sleepy. If I don't sleep, I'll surely be the first person in the world to die of sleepiness."
Hearing this, Xiao Xiao didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but she also knew that the matter outside couldn't be delayed.
"Master, get up first. The national master might really die here."
These words scared the person in the bed so much that she jolted. She didn't react for a long time.
"What... did you say?"
"Your servant is saying that if you don't go out, the national master will die outside the courtyard."
Shi Muyuan frowned and followed Xiao Xiao's steps. She hurriedly came outside.
As soon as she came out, she saw the man lying on the simple stretcher.
The man who used to be so domineering in front of her was now listless and pale. He closed his eyes tightly, as if he had been dead for a long time.
For some reason, when she saw the man in this state, she suddenly felt a stabbing pain in her heart.
Was it because he was her ally that she had such emotions?
Before she could think further, all the shadow guards knelt down.
"Please, Empress Dowager, save our master. Now, our master is in critical condition. Only you can save him."
Hearing their words, Shi Muyuan came back to her senses after a long time. However, there was a look of hesitation on her face.
"It's not that I don't want to save your master. It's just that I'm not a doctor. Even if I don't study medicine, I know that your master must have suffered very serious injuries."
The leader quickly said, "If the Empress Dowager can't do anything, the divine doctor must be able to. Please, Empress Dowager, find the divine doctor. The divine doctor must be able to help our master."
Oh right, how could she forget? The divine doctor had come to see her secretly today. Not many people knew about this. No wonder they were Cui Qizhou's men. They were able to find out such important information so quickly.
She waved her hand, and Xiao Xiao immediately sent someone to invite the divine doctor.
The deputy leader was a bit worried at first. He knew that his master and the Empress Dowager had always had grudges. But when he saw that the Empress Dowager so readily went to invite the divine doctor, there was a look of surprise in his eyes.
Shi Muyuan had been curiously sizing up these people. Naturally, she didn't miss the look of exploration in the deputy leader's eyes.
She twitched the corner of her mouth. "I may not get along well with the national master sometimes, but that doesn't mean I want him dead. After all, the national master has dedicated himself to the Great Liang. If he's gone, the Great Liang's territory might fall into others' hands at any time."
They never expected that the Empress Dowager, whom they had hated the most before, would have such a grand vision. The deputy leader suddenly felt a bit guilty for his previous rudeness.
"Please punish me, Empress Dowager. I was too rash before."
"It's okay. You were just concerned about your master. I can understand."
Just as she finished speaking, there were messy footsteps at the door.
The divine doctor appeared at the courtyard door following Xiao Xiao. The deputy leader excitedly stepped forward. "Divine doctor, come and take a look at our master quickly."
The divine doctor was almost staggered by him, but he was surprisingly good - tempered and didn't care.
He felt the pulse with a solemn face. After a while, he quickly took out a set of silver needles from his medicine box.
In the blink of an eye, before anyone could see clearly, Cui Qizhou was covered in silver needles all over his body, looking like a hedgehog.
If it weren't for the fact that Cui Qizhou's face was gradually turning rosy, the shadow guards would almost have suspected that this divine doctor was sent by Shi Muyuan to kill their master.
"How is it, divine doctor?"