"Princess Consort, how is the Prince?" Xiao Si anxiously looked at Ye Qingcheng, who was examining Xiao Wangye on the bed.
"He has been poisoned," Ye Qingcheng said, inserting a needle into Xiao Wangye's body to temporarily slow the spread of the poison.
She couldn't help but sigh. Xiao Wangye already had poison in his body, and now there was another one. If this continued, was Xiao Wangye trying to cultivate a body impervious to all poisons?
"The Prince's meals are all prepared by the manor, how could..." He thought of the only food not from the manor.
"Could it be the wine brought by Young Master Xiao Teng?"
But why would Young Master Xiao Teng do such a thing? He had always respected the Prince.
"It's not certain yet." Ye Qingcheng made an incision on Xiao Wangye's hand with a knife.
"Princess Consort..." Xiao Si saw the Prince injured and wanted to stop her. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Ye Qingcheng took a teacup and collected his blood. There was nearly half a cup. She then sprinkled some medicinal powder from her person onto it and wrapped it with bandages.
"If we don't figure out what the poison is, it can't be cured," she said while bandaging.
"Bring me the rest of the wine. Also, have Lin Xiao keep an eye on those young men."
"Yes, Princess Consort." There was nothing else to do now. Xiao Si added, "Should we have the manor's physicians come and take a look?"
"That's fine. Bring over any physicians you trust."
Ye Qingcheng poured some of the wine into a cup. It seemed the special fragrance emanating from it was from the poison.
She just didn't know what medicinal ingredients were added. After all, she wasn't from this era and had only learned about commonly used herbs during this time. If there were any rare herbs in the wine, she wouldn't know.
"How is it? Did the physicians identify the poison?"
Three physicians were examining the wine in the outer room. One physician said, "Princess Consort, we have all examined the wine in this bottle."
He poured some wine into a cup. "The aroma of this wine is indeed special. To be honest, Princess Consort, I am also a connoisseur of wine and have tasted many varieties. But this wine, I truly don't know its raw materials."
"Princess Consort, we have never seen such a poison in the capital."
It seemed this poison was likely from some obscure, peculiar prescription.
Ye Qingcheng wondered why, at the banquet today, everyone had drunk the wine, but only Xiao Wangye was poisoned.
Was there some detail she had overlooked?
"Princess Consort, why don't we summon Young Master Xiao Teng to ask him?" Xiao Si suggested from the side.
"That's a good idea." Since the ingredients of the poison couldn't be identified, they had to start by investigating the source of the wine.
"Wait, do they all live in single rooms?"
"Yes, the young masters are all given single rooms when they visit."
"Bring him here quietly, alone, and don't let anyone else know." It was also a precaution. There was no benefit in the news of Xiao Wangye's poisoning spreading.
It might even alert the mastermind behind this scheme.
"Xiao Si understands." He gave Ye Qingcheng a deep look. "I entrust the Prince to you, Princess Consort."
"Do the three physicians know any itinerant physicians?" Ye Qingcheng asked. Since the orthodox physicians couldn't identify the poison, perhaps wandering herbal doctors might have some clues.
The physicians shook their heads. They had been practicing medicine in their clinics for decades and had little contact with the wandering barefoot doctors.
Ye Qingcheng had no choice but to have people secretly invite some folk physicians.
Several physicians were somewhat unconvinced. In their opinion, folk physicians were just charlatans and lacked any real skill.
"Then what should we do now?" Ye Qingcheng looked at them.
"You haven't encountered this poison. Folk physicians who are rooted in the countryside might have encountered more difficult and complex cases in their lives than you have in your entire careers at the clinic."
Besides, in healing people, there should be no distinction between high and low. A pure heart dedicated to saving lives was enough.
The three physicians were moved by her words and said nothing more.
"Princess Consort," one physician said hesitantly, "I have a junior brother who, when he was young, enjoyed researching peculiar prescriptions."
"Where is he now?"
"My junior brother left our sect decades ago to travel. He visited me a few days ago and is currently at the clinic."
"Then please invite him to treat the Prince."
"Yes."
The white-robed physician who came out later said to the other physician, "The junior brother you're talking about, isn't it Chu Xiu, who was kicked out decades ago?"
Another physician in a blue robe said, "If you introduce him to the manor, it might offend the Prince and Princess Consort."
Physician Chu Yan gave a wry smile and stroked his now-white beard. "My junior brother has been away from the capital for many years and has no one to rely on. I wanted to help him find a way to make a living."
As for this opportunity, it depended on whether he could seize it.
Chu Xiu was brought from the clinic by his senior brother's youngest disciple.
When he heard he was to come to the manor to see the Prince, Chu Xiu still had some reservations.
"Master asked me to tell Uncle-Master that what happened back then is in the past, and Uncle-Master should start planning for himself now," said Physician Chu Yan's youngest disciple.
"I understand," Chu Xiu sighed.
Upon entering the manor, a guard led him to the front hall. He saw a young woman and three physicians discussing something, one of whom was his senior brother, Chu Yan.
"This is my junior brother." Chu Yan brought his junior brother to Ye Qingcheng.
"Princess Consort," Chu Xiu and Ye Qingcheng bowed. Is this the Princess Consort? Why is she still wearing a maiden's hairstyle?
Ye Qingcheng looked at Chu Xiu before her. He wore plain clothes, and his skin was dark. It was likely from years of traveling in the countryside, making him look like a farmer.
"Rise. Go and examine the Prince." The three physicians and Ye Qingcheng followed him to Xiao Wangye's bedside.
Chu Xiu examined Xiao Wangye for a while and was secretly surprised. The Prince had two poisons in his body.
"Princess Consort, I see two poisons in the Prince's body. One is a slow-acting poison, but it seems it hasn't been administered recently, so its potency has weakened. The other is a more potent poison, likely the one he has just contracted."
"That's right." Ye Qingcheng nodded, agreeing with Chu Xiu's medical skills. "The Prince did indeed suffer from a slow-acting poison for a period before."
Chu Xiu took the wine and smelled it carefully. He then listened as Ye Qingcheng explained that no one else showed signs of poisoning.
"I believe it's possible that the slow-acting poison reacted with this new poison, which is why only the Prince is affected."
Ye Qingcheng had also had this suspicion, but they still couldn't find the ingredients of the poisoned wine.
"Does the Princess Consort have the prescription for the previous slow-acting poison?" Chu Xiu asked.
"Yes, I'll write it for you."
"How is it? Any leads?" Ye Qingcheng watched as Chu Xiu began writing down herbs on paper after receiving the prescription. Had he found something?
"Princess Consort," Chu Xiu sighed, "I have indeed thought of several herbs that might react with the slow-acting poison's prescription."
"However," he said with some difficulty, "I cannot confirm which ones they are. If we rashly test the medicine on the Prince, it might worsen his condition."
"Then I will try it," Ye Qingcheng said.