Chapter 102: A Woman’s Ailment
Yuan Qingzhu, to make it convincing, cried until her voice was hoarse. Her speech was choked with sobs, and her handkerchief was already half soaked with tears.
Seeing her like this, Xue Yuechen’s heart sank.
The door to Tan Qiu Courtyard remained tightly shut.
She asked in a low voice, “Why isn’t Sixth Sister here?”
The maid in green walked over respectfully, curtsied, and replied, “Reporting to the Princess Consort, just now Consort Yuan brought people to search the courtyard and insisted that Ru Ren Xue be made to kneel for two hours… Ru Ren Xue became anxious and her qi and blood surged, causing her to faint. She is currently bedridden and unable to get up…”
Bedridden and unable to get up?
Xue Yuechen couldn’t help but look up at Li Huan.
Li Huan’s eyes were unfathomably deep, making his thoughts impossible to discern.
She braced herself and stepped forward, “Your Highness, do you truly believe Consort Yuan’s words?”
Before Li Huan could reply, Yuan Qingzhu began to cry out.
“Princess Consort, please stop defending Ru Ren Xue! So many eyes witnessed it, how could it be faked? Moreover, the scented sachets are right here. Your Highness can investigate and see for yourself.”
Xue Yuechen shot her a cold glance and remained silent.
In her heart, she pondered: Yuan Qingzhu’s aggressive behavior suggests a premeditated plan.
Li Huan said, “Someone, please invite Medical Officer Chen.”
He sat in the main seat, his gaze not lingering on the scented sachets, as if he wasn’t particularly interested in these so-called “pieces of evidence.”
Xue Yuechen could only suppress her unease and patiently sit down below him, engaging in a silent battle of glares with the smirking Yuan Qingzhu.
The medical officer of the Prince’s Mansion soon arrived.
His name was Chen Henian, a skilled medical officer of Prince Duan’s Mansion, and he was familiar with the masters of each courtyard.
Upon entering, he first paid his respects to Li Huan and Xue Yuechen, then bowed to Yuan Qingzhu, before proceeding to the carved wooden desk where the scented sachets were placed.
The room fell silent.
Everyone’s hearts were in their throats…
Chen Henian took out several pieces of paper used for wrapping medicine from his medicine box, skillfully spread them on the wooden desk, and then, in front of everyone, carefully opened a scented sachet, slowly pouring out its contents to examine them closely.
“Spina date seed, caulis polygoni multiflori, albizia bark, platycladus orientalis seed… benzoin…”
After examining the powdered medicine in the first sachet, he said nothing further.
However, when he examined the second sachet, his expression changed drastically, and his hand trembled slightly…
Seeing this, Li Huan’s expression also grew solemn.
“Is there anything unusual?”
Chen Henian quickly raised his sleeve and respectfully cupped his hands towards Li Huan.
“Reporting to Your Highness, the spina date seed, caulis polygoni multiflori, albizia bark, platycladus orientalis seed, and so on, are all common sleep-inducing medicinal materials.”
He paused, then mused, “The medicinal materials in the scented sachets are exquisitely formulated and expertly roasted, demonstrating the ingenuity of the person who prepared them. These materials work synergistically to nourish the blood and calm the spirit, as well as harmonize the internal organs. The brilliance of this combination is unparalleled…”
Li Huan asked, “So, this sleep-inducing and spirit-calming substance is beneficial to me?”
Chen Henian frowned slightly, looking very troubled.
“Originally, it should be so, but… an extremely special medicinal material has been added to the sachet.”
Li Huan’s expression remained calm, “What is it?”
Chen Henian replied, “This substance is called Illusion Heart Grass. It is uncommon and has the effect of harmonizing qi and blood, and nourishing the kidneys to generate essence. If each had its own effect without obvious drawbacks, but when Illusion Heart Grass is mixed with medicinal materials like benzoin… it can easily disturb the spirit and incite lust. Over time, it can even lead to mental confusion…”
Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall was greatly shocked.
Did Ru Ren Xue harbor such malicious intentions?
No wonder Your Highness lingered in Mu Yue Residence every night…
“Your Highness!” Yuan Qingzhu, seeing Xue Yuechen’s face change drastically, looking utterly terrified, secretly rejoiced, as if she had found a huge piece of evidence.
“How wicked is Little Xue Shi! Not only did she attempt to harm Your Highness, but she also intended to frame the Princess Consort… This person cannot be spared!”
For a moment, whispers filled the hall.
Only Li Huan’s expression remained calm, “Continue the investigation!”
Chen Henian quickly responded with a “yes,” nervously shaking his sleeves, and proceeded to open the third and fourth sachets…
This further examination astonished everyone.
Not only did the sachets contain the Illusion Heart Grass that could incite lust, but also a talisman paper with a drawing of a small figure.
The paper was inscribed with a birthdate.
The small figure was bound with crooked ropes and pierced with needles.
In those times, it was believed that revealing one’s birthdate would invite scrutiny and exploitation from others, so birthdates were not easily shared. The birthdates of Imperial Princes were even more secret, recorded in confidential archives, and could not be viewed without an imperial decree.
However, Prince Duan’s birthday had just passed, and even without knowing Prince Duan’s exact birthdate, one could tell it was Prince Duan’s birthday being written.
Combined with the content of the talisman paper, it was clear it was a curse directed at Prince Duan.
Even though the small figure was drawn bizarrely and bore no resemblance to the handsome and heroic Prince Duan.
“How audacious!”
Yuan Qingzhu, as if jolted from a deathbed, sat up, her eyes wide as copper bells.
“Ru Ren Xue is truly a viperous woman! To resort to such insidious and base methods to curse Your Highness?”
Yuan Qingzhu was afraid that nothing would be found in the sachets.
To crush Little Xue Shi, she had also dragged Big Xue Shi down with her.
Therefore, she had specifically instructed Ming Xue to place the talisman paper in the sachets.
If she had known about the Illusion Heart Grass, she wouldn’t have taken such a risk…
But this was also good; good things come in pairs. Regardless of which piece of evidence, it was enough to ruin the reputations of the Xue sisters…
Xue Yuechen nervously twisted the silk handkerchief in her hands and shook her head.
“Your Highness, Sixth Sister would not do such a thing.”
Li Huan remained indifferent, his face expressionless.
Xue Yuechen slightly bowed and added, “Sixth Sister has always been kind; she wouldn’t even step on an ant. How could she have such base thoughts? I personally inspected every sachet from Mu Yue Residence that Sixth Sister received, and none of them contained Your Highness’s birthdate. Furthermore, how would Sixth Sister know Your Highness’s birthdate…”
Yuan Qingzhu sneered.
“Perhaps Princess Consort inadvertently let it slip, and Ru Ren Xue overheard it?”
This was tantamount to saying that Xue Yuechen and Xue Sui were colluding in this matter.
Xue Yuechen, as Li Huan’s lawfully wedded Princess Consort, naturally knew the birthdate.
However, the Yuan family was close to the Xiao family. When Prince Duan was born, Yuan Qingzhu’s maternal aunt was by Consort Xiao’s bedside, so she was well aware of this.
But at this moment, no one would suspect Yuan Qingzhu.
Almost all eyes turned towards Xue Yuechen.
Xue Yuechen lowered her eyes and slowly knelt at Li Huan’s feet.
“Please, Your Highness, investigate carefully. My Sixth Sister would never commit such a treasonous act…”
Yuan Qingzhu silently observed Li Huan’s expression, a hint of imperceptible triumph flashing in her eyes.
“The Princess Consort and Ru Ren Xue have deep sisterly affection. It is natural for her to worry about her own sister. Your Highness, I believe the Princess Consort was deceived and used by her own sister and was kept in the dark. Please do not blame the Princess Consort…”
The implication of these words was that sisters would naturally protect each other, and Xue Yuechen’s words could not be trusted. Saying Xue Yuechen was kept in the dark was merely a veiled accusation, and everyone understood that she was implying Xue Yuechen was Xue Sui’s accomplice.
“Consort Yuan.”
Li Huan looked at Yuan Qingzhu, picked up the sachet that Chen Henian had not yet opened, weighed it lightly in his hand, and sniffed it gently.
“Were these sachets found in Ru Ren Xue’s room?”
Yuan Qingzhu smiled before speaking.
“Absolutely true, I would not dare to utter a single false word!”
She saw Li Huan’s brow furrow slightly furrow, as if he doubted her, and quickly added, “To prevent anyone from tampering, I did not dare to act on my own. I stayed by Tan Qiu Courtyard the entire time, and these sachets never left my sight. They cannot possibly be fake…”
Li Huan smiled faintly and asked her, tilting his head slightly.
“Then, could I find any suspicious items in Tan Qiu Courtyard?”
Yuan Qingzhu’s heart skipped a beat. She finally detected a hint of suspicion in Li Huan’s words.
Looking at him again, his gaze was as clear as the calm waters of Moonlit Lake, and though he wore a smile, his eyes were chillingly cold.
Yuan Qingzhu became slightly flustered and replied cautiously.
“Your Highness, since Ru Ren Xue has committed such a heinous act, she must have left some traces. Your Highness might as well send someone to search thoroughly…”
Li Huan looked at her for a moment, then called for the eunuch, Cheng Fu.
“You personally lead a group of people to Shu Yu Pavilion and investigate this matter thoroughly for me!”
Cheng Fu was stunned.
Why investigate Shu Yu Pavilion when the incident occurred at Tan Qiu Courtyard?
Soon, he understood.
His Highness had been sleeping well and looking well recently, not at all like someone suffering from excessive indulgence and appearing listless.
Moreover, His Highness was always cautious. If the Princess Consort had truly used something to incite lust and disrupt the mind, how could His Highness not have noticed anything?
His Highness might know what was in those sachets better than the Princess Consort.
Otherwise, why would he frequently visit Mu Yue Residence?
Consort Yuan had been too clever for her own good.
If Prince Duan were so easily fooled, he wouldn’t be the Prince Duan he was today.
If Consort Yuan had not added those substances, the crime would have been at most jealousy and suspicion that Xue Shi was using scented sachets to curry favor.
His Highness might not have severely punished such petty schemes of women in the inner court.
However, with the birthdate and witchcraft, it was not merely a case of deliberate framing, but also the crime of “cursing Prince Duan.” Not only would His Highness not forgive her, but even if she cried before Consort Xiao, she would not escape punishment.
–
Cheng Fu bowed and led his men to search.
Li Huan looked at Yuan Qingzhu, who could not hide her panic, and said nothing more. He then turned to Chen Henian and said, “Since Medical Officer Chen is here, please go and examine Ru Ren Xue as well.”
Chen Henian cupped his hands and replied, “Yes.”
Xue Yuechen gave Jinshu a look, “Lead Medical Officer Chen.”
As she spoke, she was about to follow, but Li Huan also stood up.
“I will go and see as well.”
He had sat there for so long without saying he would visit the sick, but as soon as the medical officer arrived, he wanted to go.
Xue Yuechen frowned.
Did he not believe Sixth Sister was truly ill?
Actually, when she heard about the fainting, she had her doubts too.
After all, Ping Le had fainted twice recently. Xue Liu fainting again was indeed a bit coincidental.
She glanced at Jinshu and saw her calmly leading the way inside, her heart filled with trepidation…
Upon entering the inner room, she saw Xue Sui sitting propped up against the headboard. It was a hot day, and the sun was high, yet her face was pale, she was covered with a layer of gauze, and she looked weak and exhausted.
Xue Yuechen quickly put on a smile, sat on the edge of the bed, and held her hand.
“Sixth Sister, are you feeling any better? Sister went out today and never expected such a thing to happen…”
Xue Sui forced a smile and remained silent.
Xue Yuechen gently patted Xue Sui’s hand, her eyes welling up with tears.
“It’s my fault for making you suffer…”
Chen Henian took the pulse pillow out of his medicine box.
Ru Yi found a clean cloth, folded it, and placed it on Xue Sui’s wrist.
Chen Henian placed his hand on it and looked up at Xue Sui.
“I observe that Ru Ren looks tired. Do you feel unwell anywhere?”
Xue Sui said softly, “When it happened, I only felt dizzy and weak all over, and my chest felt very constricted, as if a heavy stone was pressing down on me, making it difficult to breathe…”
Chen Henian nodded, squinted slightly, and after taking her pulse for a moment, withdrew his hand.
“Ru Ren Xue has liver depression and qi stagnation, her spirit is not nourished, and her qi and blood are deficient. She needs to rest and recuperate for some time, avoiding mental exertion. I will go down and prescribe a formula for Ru Ren…”
Xue Sui said, “Thank you for your trouble, Medical Officer.”
Chen Henian, as if struck by a thought, bowed to Li Huan again.
“Your Highness, please step aside for a moment.”
Xue Yuechen’s heart sank.
Watching Li Huan leave with Chen Henian, her heart pounded again.
Xue Sui slowly closed her eyes, as if she had exhausted all her strength, and remained motionless.
“Sixth Sister…” Xue Yuechen almost burst into tears, “You must be strong, you must hold on. Sister still needs you…”
Xue Sui slowly opened her eyes, appearing weak and frail.
“Don’t worry. I won’t die.”
Li Huan walked with Chen Henian to the outer room, and behind the bamboo screen, Chen Henian bowed.
“Your Highness, please forgive my presumption in speaking frankly.”
Li Huan raised his hand, “Medical Officer Chen need not be so reserved.”
Seeing that no one was around, Chen Henian lowered his voice.
“From the outward symptoms, Ru Ren Xue’s illness is merely occasional dizziness and fatigue. With careful recuperation, she can slowly recover. However, there are hidden dangers within. She has suffered many serious injuries, her internal organs and meridians are damaged, her internal energy is disordered, and her vital energy is excessively depleted, leading to a cold womb and stagnant qi and blood. I fear she has some gynecological issues… In this condition, it is not advisable… not advisable to engage in intercourse, as pregnancy would further deplete her qi and blood, leading to chronic illness. It will be much more difficult to treat in the future…”
Li Huan smiled slightly.
“Has Medical Officer Chen heard a rumor recently?”
Chen Henian frowned, “What rumor does Your Highness refer to?”
Li Huan’s expression turned slightly cold, and he waved his hand, “It’s nothing. You may go and write the prescription.”
Chen Henian replied, “Yes!”
What Li Huan had wanted to ask was whether Chen Henian knew about the private gossip circulating in the inner court of the Prince’s Mansion…
They said that Ru Ren Xue was not only knowledgeable in medicine but also particularly skilled in gynecology.
Could a physician not treat her own illness?
When Li Huan re-entered the room, Xue Yuechen was sitting by the bed, helping Xue Sui to sit up.
Jinshu placed a pillow behind her and was feeding her water with a spoon.
Li Huan remained silent, his gaze falling on Xue Sui’s dry, slightly purplish lips.
Her face was pale, and her lips lacked color, making the scabs that had formed but not yet fallen off particularly noticeable.
They were also somewhat familiar.
Li Huan had seen a similar injury on Li Zhao’s lips earlier that day…
He was silent for a moment, recalling the point that had made him most suspicious when Yuan Qingzhu was making her accusations – Xue Liu’s desire to curry favor.
If she didn’t want to serve him, why would she go to such lengths to compete for favor?
Li Huan smiled slightly and suddenly spoke.
“How did Ru Ren Xue get the injury on her lips?”
Li Zhao: Xue Ping’an, Xue Ping’an, you are truly ruthless, even to yourself?
Xue Sui: …Sister was already sick! Don’t provoke me, I’ll fly at you!
