Chen Ming quickly made out the person inside the room and asked in surprise, "Why is it you?"
The person lying on the floor wore loose gray clothes and was dressed as a man. He had not recognized her at first, but once he saw her face, he realized she was Zhong Shuyu.
She was badly injured, one hand clutching her shoulder. Blood had flowed all over the floor, her face was pale as paper, and her breathing was weak. When she saw him appear, her lips moved slightly, then her eyelids fell shut and she fainted.
"Was she being hunted down by an enemy?"
After hesitating for two seconds, Chen Ming called Chunxiang and Xiaxiang in, had them carry her onto the bed, and clean away the bloodstains.
He shut the door, made a circuit outside the room, and wiped away the traces she had left behind, along with the drops of blood.
He followed her trail all the way beyond the courtyard wall. Only after cleaning everything up did he return to the courtyard.
Throughout the entire process, he did not alert a single person.
Chen Ming pushed open the door and asked Chunxiang, "How is she?"
Chunxiang's face was somewhat pale, though she remained fairly composed. In a low voice, she said, "Young Master, there's a wound on her shoulder. It's turned black. I'm afraid she's been poisoned. We need to call a doctor."
He shook his head. "That won't do. If she could have gone to a doctor, she would have gone to a medical hall herself. She wouldn't have come running here. Go to the pharmacy and find my brother. Tell him I have an urgent matter to discuss with him. Don't mention treating injuries, understand?"
"Understood."
Chunxiang hurried away.
Chen Ming then had Xiaxiang