Chapter 104 - 15: The Princess Who Refuses to Be Cannon Fodder (Part 15)

Jiang Xiong was terribly worried, but he wouldn’t say anything. He could only look at Jiang Lai anxiously and apologize repeatedly.

"Sweetheart, it’s my fault. Are you in pain? I’ll carry you out."

Of course, Jiang Lai was in pain.

She merely glanced at Jiang Xiong with tears and, with a bit of defiance, said.

"Whether I live or die has nothing to do with you anymore. I don’t want you to care."

"You... Father, that day I misspoke. You... you’re still young and don’t understand a lot of things, sigh..."

He stammered for a long time but couldn’t explain clearly; it’s no wonder the original character always had a falling out with him.

Finally, Jiang Lai didn’t listen to his explanation. After leaving the mountain valley, she directly returned to the mansion.

The accident at the hunting ground resulted in two dead and thirteen injured, all of whom were nobility. Consequently, the hunting ground was immediately sealed off, and the official in charge lost his position and was sent to the execution platform.

Many were executed, whether deserved or undeserved, yet they never found out why the wild beasts lost control in the mountains.

That tiger was eventually surrounded and killed by Jiang Xiong’s troops. It took seven strong men working together to lift the tiger, and everyone who saw the dead tiger on the way down the mountain was utterly terrified.

Among the injured, Murong Dun was hurt the worst. After returning to the mansion, the Monarch sent an Imperial Physician, whose experience and medical skill were superb, but after examining Murong Dun’s leg, he shook his head helplessly.

"The injury is too severe; muscles and bones are all broken and infected. It’s a blessing the life was saved at all, let alone the leg."

Murong Dun found it hard to accept, kept asking.

"Is there no saving my leg? Is my leg ruined?"

The Imperial Physician didn’t answer directly.

"It’s already a great fortune to save your life. Please, Prince, take care of yourself."

The Imperial Physician’s words essentially sealed Murong Dun’s fate regarding his leg.

Unable to accept it, he sat dazed on the bed with a blank expression, not responding to anyone calling him.

Jiang Lai brought the medicine over and handed it to him.

"Drink your medicine."

Murong Dun looked at her with reddened eyes, his nostrils flaring intensely, his voice hoarse and suppressing despair.

"Drinking this now, what good will it do?!"

Jiang Lai looked at him, filled with heartache, tears falling faster than his.

"We’ll find another great doctor, and they’ll definitely heal your leg."

"I’m a cripple now, a cripple!!"

"Husband, don’t be like this! There’s still hope, there must be!"

The word ’hope’ suddenly reminded Murong Dun of Luoyang’s master.

Returning to the Prince Mansion, Luoyang had already become the maid Xiao Hua, and Murong Dun looked at her as if clutching a life-saving straw, urgently asked.

"Can your master save me? Your master surely can save me, right?"

Luoyang confidently nodded.

"Don’t worry; my master possesses the medical skills to revive the dead and restore bones and flesh. Your leg injury won’t be a problem in front of him. I have already sent people to contact the elderly. Medical Immortal Island is three days from here; endure for three days, and once master arrives, he will definitely heal your leg."

Murong Dun finally reignited hope and grasped Luoyang’s hand.

"Aluo, thank goodness for you."

"Don’t overthink it and focus on healing. Also... I saw Jiang Xiong personally save Jiang Lai that day; it’s a good breakthrough. If Jiang Lai comes to care for you these days, please pay her some attention. She already had some suspicions about you in the canyon those days."

Murong Dun was consumed by worries about his leg injury. He thought Luoyang was most concerned about his leg, but she was still primarily focused on revenge.

Though frustrated inside, he remembered the Imperial Physician saying he saved his life because of timely wound treatment and medication for pain relief and bruise reduction, which made him more patient and grateful to Luoyang.

"Hmm, I understand."

When changing the dressing, Luoyang volunteered to change the bandage for him.

As the bandage was unfolded, the hideous wound suddenly came into view, emitting an unbearable, dizzying rotten stench from being covered all day. Luoyang instinctively turned away, her brows tightly furrowed throughout, forcing herself to change the bandage quickly.

This scene seemed to stab at Murong Dun repeatedly, slicing into his wound, causing a faint pain.

That evening, Jiang Lai came to see him again, carrying a silver tray with various surgical tools for doctors and prescribed medications by the Imperial Physician.

"I’m here to change your medication."

Murong Dun recalled the canyon incident and Luoyang’s advice, said little, allowing her to position his leg on a chair and gradually unwrap the bandage.

He was ready for Jiang Lai to show a disgusted expression at the sight.

So he watched her, waiting for validation of his thoughts, waiting for her to quickly finish and leave, allowing him peace.

As the bandage was undone, the wound was more swollen than before, with flesh curling, pus draining, and the skin covering bones turning pale, emitting a strong stench straight to the head, stinging the eyes.

The wound was deep, exposing bones, the fascia rotting under grey-white pus, and Jiang Lai prodded the swollen skin around the wound, yet Murong Dun showed no expression, as if unable to feel pain.

He just kept watching Jiang Lai.

Seeing her frown, with a sarcastic smile on her face, despair overwhelmed.

"You should go, let someone else come."

But Jiang Lai shook her head.

"The Imperial Physician said the rotting flesh around the wound must be timely cleaned, or it could threaten your life."

Saying so, she picked up a knife, scraping away the outer layer of decaying flesh bit by bit.

Murong Dun, though feeling little pain, was still disturbed watching his flesh get peeled away, silently enduring the touch of horror, throbbing pain hidden.

Little Buding couldn’t watch, thinking Jiang Lai was ruthless.

"You can bear all this, Luoyang, as the heroine, with strong willpower almost couldn’t help but vomit."

Jiang Lai carefully excavated his flesh with precision.

"Normally can’t find such an opportunity."

As she spoke, her knife slipped, unintentionally slicing on the swollen part, causing Murong Dun to grit his teeth in pain, almost passing out.

"Jiang Lai, you——!!"

"I’m sorry, my husband, I didn’t mean to; I’m just, just too, too heartbroken, husband... I’m sorry, seeing you suffer so much, I can only watch helplessly, unable to assist, I’m... I’m heartbroken, husband, if only I were the one injured, if only I could share some of your burden!"

Jiang Lai’s voice broke, beginning to cry, tears falling like a torrent, emotions long suppressed erupting, clinging to Murong Dun’s waist, sobbing shook him, stirring his heart, prompting his eyes to red and he couldn’t help but gently pat Jiang Lai’s shoulder.

"I’m okay... The Divine Doctor will come to save me, silly girl, stop crying; I won’t be in trouble."