With that one word, King Nao's Shadow Guards descend from their hiding spot.  Preventing anyone from exiting or entering the premise.  Two of King Nao's Shadow Guards stand by him, just in case there is an assassin among the people present.  

Lihua coughs more and more as her white veil starts to turn more red.  Takeshi carries her in his arms and looks at King Nao.  

"Brother."  Takeshi said with concern forgetting proper etiquette.  

King Nao's heart beat fast as he sees the woman that has made his brother happy, slowly dying before him.  "Go.  Go take care of sister-in-law. I'll find out who poisoned her. I promise you Brother, they'll pay for what they've done."   

With these word, Takeshi flies out back to his estate in a panic.  Lihua have not said a word since the last cough she made.  His heart beat wildly in concern, however he could feel her breathing in his arms, so he held on to that comfort as he brought her back to safety.  

The moment he reaches his courtyard, he gave out several orders.  The first is to send for a doctor, the second was to go into lock down.  As he brings her into their cambers the guards and servants who were working in his courtyard sees their Master in distress.  They also see the red blood stain on their Mistress's white veil.  Immediately they knew something bad has happened to their Mistress.  Taking action, they immediately follow orders and heightened their security and made minimal movements within his estate.   

Takeshi quickly takes her crown off along with the bloody veil, not caring where the delicate pins in her hair fell to.  He lays her down on their bed and takes the wet towel from Eli as Takeshi wipes her mouth, chin and neck.  

Lihua's eyes remained close as Takeshi cleans her.  

"What happened."  Eli asks softly.  Only he was courageous enough to talk to their Master this way.  Others would have just kept quiet and waited for orders.  

"Someone poisoned her."  Takeshi said.  "I was sitting right next to her and she was poisoned right before my eyes."  

"You didn't know--"  Eli started to say.   

"I failed her."  Takeshi said as he got a fresh towel to wipe her whole face clean.  Takeshi remained quiet as he wiped her hands with a clean wet towel.  "Ladies, help me change her into something more comfortable, Eli see where that doctor is?" 

With the help of the four maids, they were able to get the beautiful dress off of her and change the white shirt and pants into her sleeping attire.  The moment they finished, the same doctor that served Hell King came in and immediately went to work.  

Checking her vital signs twice to make sure of his prognosis is correct, he came to the same conclusion he did the first time he met her.  He didn't know what was wrong with her.  Sighing heavily, he told his prognosis to Hell King and hoped to still keep his head afterwards. 

"Hell King,  Lady Lihua's body is too heavily poisoned for me to diagnose.  I'm not proficient enough in poisons to differentiate between poisons with in her body, so I am unable to give you a proper prognosis and cure for Lady Lihua." Doctor Woh said.  He knelt and kowtowed.  "Please forgive this useless doctor."  

"Do we know anyone who is an expert in poison?"  Takeshi asks.  

"There is the Poison Demon, but his whereabouts are unknown."  Eli suggested.  

"Doctor what do you suggest?"  Takeshi asks.  He had saved the poison assassin known as Poison Demon once.  The sly demon had told Takeshi that if there was anything he needed in the future, the Poison Demon will fulfill.   Takeshi had never once thought about asking for help.  To have something to hold over the Poison Demon would ensure Takeshi's life.  Meaning, since Poison Demon owes Takeshi a life, he would never do anything to go against Takeshi.  

"We monitor her."  Doctor Woh said.  "If her breathing is fine and she no longer coughs up blood, then we will have to wait until she wakes up.  If she can survive the Crimson Heart Poison, then Lady Lihua can survive this poison."  

"Everyone is dismissed."  Takeshi said as he came by to sit next to Lihua.  His hand cups her face as his thumb runs itself across her cheek, back and forth.  

Eli makes sure he is the last to leave the room.  What he saw broke his heart.  His master, who has sacrificed for family, for country, for love. Had never asked anything in return.  He sacrificed his youth for his family.  His humanity for his country.  His love for his brotherly bond.  And finally, he found someone to share his life with, someone who made him happy.  Seeing his Master sitting next to Mistress Lihua so desolate and hopeless made him sad.  He prayed his Mistress will be alright and recover quickly.  

"Eli."  Takeshi said quietly.  "Send someone to see what my brother has to say about my wife's poisoning.  I want the culprit brought to me alive. I want to deal with the culprit with my own two hands.  Tell him that, this is the only thing I request from him as his brother." 

Eli bows to Takeshi.  "As my Master commands."  

Eli closes the door and instead of sending someone to do Takeshi's bidding, he himself goes.  Eli had once served under the royal Shiro family a long time ago as their Shadow Guard, he protected their father, King Feng Long until his dying breath.  Eli had been by their side since the moment of their birth and had watched them grow up to be strong, honorable men.  Eli would have still been a Shadow Guard, had it not been at the request of King Feng Long to watch over his second son.  Feeling that his second son's life was too pitiful, he wanted to give Takeshi a trusted Shadow Guard to watch over Takeshi after his death.  It gave King Feng Long comfort that his second son had someone strong next to him that he could lean on if he was ever in trouble.  So when Takeshi came back from the boarders, earning himself the title of Hell King, Eli had stepped down as Shadow Guard to become his steward.  

Upon seeing Eli walk through the garden, making his way pass the Shadow Guards, Nao knew it was serious.