Chapter 1229: Medicinal Reaction
While Yuwen Ling drugged Jiang Zhennan, another oppressive and dark atmosphere seemed to be brewing in the Imperial Palace!
"Your Majesty, the soup is here!"
In the royal study, n.o.ble Consort Zhou, dressed in a n.o.ble purple-red dress, came in with a tray.
It was obvious that there was a bowl of soup on the tray!
Yuwen Longyan watched n.o.ble Consort Zhou enter and put down the memorial in his hand. He smiled at n.o.ble Consort Zhou and said," My beloved consort"s cooking skills have improved greatly recently! The soup you make is getting better and better. I miss it every day!"
Imperial Consort Zhou"s heart couldn"t help but thump when she heard this. Why did she feel that she was feeling the same way every day?
This made her heart panic!
However, she still smiled calmly and replied," Is that so? Your Majesty likes my cooking, and it makes me feel honored! Come, Your Majesty, drink the soup!"
As she spoke, n.o.ble Consort Zhou handed a bowl of ginseng soup to Yuwen Longyan!
After Yuwen Longyan finished drinking the soup, n.o.ble Consort Zhou immediately ran back to the Moon Palace. When she saw Qin "er, she immediately ordered," Qin" er, I want to drink the soup again. Get the imperial chef to make it!"
Qin "er immediately answered, "Yes, Your Highness!""
After Qin "er left, n.o.ble Consort Zhou"s exquisite face sank. She immediately instructed Qi" er in a serious and cautious manner," Qi "er, take this Queen"s token and go to the Imperial Academy of Medicine to secretly find Princ.i.p.al Zhang. Tell him that I am not feeling well! Remember, this must be done discreetly. Don"t let anyone find out, especially not Qin "er!"
When Qi "er heard this, she was very puzzled.
Hasn"t the n.o.ble Consort been doting on Qin "Er? Why would she suddenly ask for the imperial physician and hide it from a little palace maid like Qin "Er?
Although Qi "er had her doubts, this was her master"s order, so she could only do as she was told.
Soon, Qi "er brought Princ.i.p.al Zhang, who was carrying a medicine box, over.
After Princ.i.p.al Zhang arrived, n.o.ble Consort Zhou immediately ordered the servants to leave.
When only Princ.i.p.al Zhang and n.o.ble Consort Zhou were left in the hall, n.o.ble Consort Zhou"s expression immediately became somewhat anxious. She stretched out her hand and said," Princ.i.p.al Zhang, check my pulse!"
Princ.i.p.al Zhang was very puzzled.
On the first day of every month, the Imperial Academy of Medicine would check the pulse of the masters of the various palaces to confirm that their bodies were safe and sound or whether they had any children.
It was just past the tenth day of the first lunar month.
Generally speaking, Princ.i.p.al Zhang was only responsible for the Emperor"s health. Then, for each rank of concubine, there would be a royal doctor responsible for checking their pulse.
However, because Princ.i.p.al Zhang and n.o.ble Consort Zhou had a friendship, and Princ.i.p.al Zhang was deeply in love with n.o.ble Consort Zhou, he was very attentive to n.o.ble Consort Zhou.
As long as n.o.ble Consort Zhou looked for him, he would definitely be there at the ready!
n.o.ble Consort Zhou secretly found him, and she seemed to be very anxious.
Princ.i.p.al Zhang took out a piece of silk and placed it on n.o.ble Consort Zhou"s wrist. Then, he very seriously felt n.o.ble Consort Zhou"s pulse.
A moment later, n.o.ble Consort Zhou asked impatiently," Princ.i.p.al Zhang, how is my health? Is there a problem?"
Princ.i.p.al Zhang replied," Your Majesty, you are very healthy!"
When n.o.ble Consort Zhou heard this, her eyes lit up. The anxious and worried expression on her face slowly disappeared. However, she immediately asked suspiciously," Is what you said true? Is my health perfect?"
"Yes! This lowly subject does not dare to hide anything from the n.o.ble Consort!" Princ.i.p.al Zhang said seriously.
When n.o.ble Consort Zhou heard this, the uneasiness and panic in her heart finally eased a little.
"Mistress, the soup is here!" Just then, Qin "er"s voice came from outside.
n.o.ble Consort Zhou looked at the door, then opened it herself. She took the soup from Qin "er"s hands and instructed," There"s nothing else for you to do now. You may leave!"
"Yes, Mistress!" Qin "er looked through the crack of the door in confusion and saw a figure, but it did not look like the Third Prince.
"What are you looking at? Get down!" Imperial Concubine Zhou noticed Qin "er"s movements and shouted sternly.
After Qin "er left, n.o.ble Consort Zhou came to Princ.i.p.al Zhang with the bowl of soup and said to him," Princ.i.p.al Zhang, help me check this bowl of soup!"
Princ.i.p.al Zhang looked at the soup in front of him. He first looked at it, then brought it under his nose to smell it. Finally, he took out a silver needle from the medicine box and dipped it into the soup.
"How is it?" n.o.ble Consort Zhou asked.
Princ.i.p.al Zhang said, "There is no problem with this bowl of soup!"
Then, he asked doubtfully,"n.o.ble Consort, do you feel anything wrong?"
Otherwise, why would she secretly find him to take her pulse and check her soup?
When n.o.ble Consort Zhou heard this, she frowned and said," I"ve been enjoying this soup a lot lately. I only like to drink the soup that Qin "er brings over. It"s like I"m addicted to it! I feel uncomfortable if I don"t drink for a day!"
Then, she looked at Princ.i.p.al Zhang very seriously and said," I suspect that this soup was drugged. But now you"re telling me that everything is normal! Could it be that I am overthinking?"
Princ.i.p.al Zhang thought for a moment and said," Your Highness, in that case, this humble subject suggests that Your Highness stop drinking the soup, especially the soup Qin "er brought over! We"ll see how it goes in two days!"
n.o.ble Consort Zhou thought about it and could only nod." Alright then!"
After Princ.i.p.al Zhang secretly left, n.o.ble Consort Zhou instructed her confidants to monitor Qin "er"s every move 24 hours a day.
Although Princ.i.p.al Zhang didn"t find anything wrong, it made her feel even more uneasy!
Two days later
"Ah, ah." A series of painful screams came from the Moon Palace.
"Ah, Mistress, what"s wrong with you?" The palace maids and eunuchs immediately rushed forward in panic to support n.o.ble Consort Zhou, who was lying on the ground and wailing in pain." Get the imperial physician, quickly get the imperial physician!"
"Send someone to find Princ.i.p.al Zhang!" n.o.ble Consort Zhou grabbed her hair and shouted at her confidant with a twisted expression.
"Ah!" n.o.ble Consort Zhou suddenly pushed away the palace maids and eunuchs who were supporting her, grabbed her head, and slammed her head against the wall!
"Mistress…" The palace maids and eunuchs were panicking as n.o.ble Consort Zhou tried to commit suicide by slamming herself against the wall.
If anything happened to the n.o.ble Consort, none of the servants of the Moon Palace would survive.
However, with her appearance, was she crazy?
Qin "er saw n.o.ble Consort Zhou"s inhumane, ghostly, and miserable appearance, and her entire face turned deathly pale.
She knew very well that n.o.ble Consort Zhou had stopped taking her medicine.
When Princ.i.p.al Zhang arrived at the Moon Hall, he saw seven or eight palace maids and eunuchs holding down n.o.ble Consort Zhou.
n.o.ble Consort Zhou"s hair was disheveled, her clothes were in a mess, and her face was twisted with madness. There was blood on her forehead, and her strength seemed to have become incomparably strong in an instant. The strength of seven or eight people could not suppress her madness!
Princ.i.p.al Zhang"s pupils constricted, and his expression was one of shock. He immediately went forward to check on n.o.ble Consort Zhou"s condition.