Crimson Leaves: How Deeply They Fall Chapter Forty-Five: Walking into the Trap

Dong Xinwu watched Tang Haiqiu's emotions gradually settle. “Can you talk now?”

But Tang Haiqiu closed his eyes tightly, pressed his lips together, and remained silent. Dong Xinwu ordered those around him, “Prepare the torture instruments! Tonight, we must pry open his mouth; otherwise, we’re in deep trouble!” Cheng Jie nodded eagerly, sharing Dong Xinwu’s concerns.

Fang Wei gently laid the unconscious Mrs. Fang on the bed and grasped her hand, softly calling, “Xiuxiu?”

Mrs. Fang’s eyes remained tightly shut, her hand cool to the touch. After a moment with no response, Fang Wei sprang up and rushed out of the courtyard. He followed a hunch to the apothecary, pounding on the door with urgent force.

“Stop knocking! It’s the middle of the night—who are you trying to scare?” The door creaked open, and the doctor, yawning, stepped out. Seeing Fang Wei in his official uniform, he was momentarily taken aback. “Captain Fang.”

Fang Wei ignored everything else and grabbed the doctor’s arm, pulling him outside. The doctor recognized Fang Wei immediately; Mrs. Fang had long suffered from ailments and often sought his counsel. Seeing Fang Wei’s anxious face, he knew something was wrong. Breaking free from Fang Wei’s grip, he said, “Wait a moment—I’ll get my medical kit.”

Back at the Fang residence, a faint light flickered by the bedside. The doctor inserted needles into Mrs. Fang’s Shenting and Qingming acupoints, then took out dozens of herbs—Aconite, Notopterygium, and more—wrapping them tightly in gauze. He instructed Fang Wei to steep them in hot water. Fang Wei tended the fire while frequently glancing back at Mrs. Fang. Soon, the room filled with the pungent aroma of medicinal herbs. The doctor then took two sealed gourds, poured the decoction inside, and sealed them tightly. He removed Mrs. Fang’s shoes and socks, wrapped the steaming gourds in cloth, and placed them against the soles of her feet.

Wiping sweat from his brow, the doctor said, “Now, it depends on her willpower.” Then he turned to Fang Wei. “Your injuries aren’t minor either. Let me dress your wounds properly.” Fang Wei and Tang Haiqiu had clashed fiercely among the woods, resulting in multiple knife wounds. When Dong Xinwu arrived, conditions were rough, so he had only managed crude bandaging. Fang Wei’s official uniform was stained deep red with blood—a shocking sight.

Anxious beyond measure, Fang Wei shook his head, about to refuse. But then he thought that if his wife awoke and saw him like this, she would only worry more. So he removed his uniform and undergarments. The doctor carefully unwrapped the rough bandages, disinfected the wounds again, and redressed them. Fang Wei apologized, “Thank you for your trouble, Doctor Zhao.”

The doctor waved it off, “You guard the peace of the capital and protect the people. This small effort is nothing.”

Suddenly, a faint voice came from the bed. Fang Wei’s eyes lit up. Mrs. Fang had opened her eyes. He leapt forward and grasped her delicate hands tightly. The doctor smiled knowingly, packed away his tools quietly, closed the door, and left.

The room darkened. Mrs. Fang leaned toward her husband’s side. Fang Wei groaned softly; she quickly turned her head away. “You’re touching the wound.”

“It’s nothing,” Fang Wei murmured, opening his arms to pull her close.

Mrs. Fang pressed her head cautiously against his chest. Though the darkness obscured all sight, she could hear the vigorous thumping of his heart with crystal clarity. The thrill of escaping death left neither willing to sleep too soon. Listening to the steady heartbeat, she whispered, “Do you remember when I was bullied at eight years old?”