Chapter 181: Chapter 88 Poisoning_1
The maidservant’s cries, tinged with sobbing, echoed through the pavilion, and Meng Xiyang’s complexion changed immediately.
Lu Tong looked at the maidservant on the ground with surprise.
No wonder I hadn’t seen the Princess Consort managing today’s feast at the Wangfu, it turned out that Princess Wenjun, who was in her sixth month of pregnancy, was not suitable to attend.
However, how could she suddenly suffer from a pregnancy emergency?
In front of all the ladies present, Meng Xiyang whispered a scolding, "How did the servants take care of the Princess Consort? How could she suffer from a pregnancy emergency without reason? Have you summoned a doctor yet?"
The maidservant, sobbing, replied, "According to the people in the Princess Consort’s courtyard, she was fine this morning. Just a moment ago, the Princess Consort mentioned she felt unwell in her stomach; we thought it was just nausea, but then her pain grew increasingly worse. That’s when people in the courtyard started to panic."
The maidservant paused before continuing, "A request for a Medical Officer has already been sent, but the Princess Consort is in such severe pain right now, and it will be some time before the Medical Officer arrives... My lady, please go and check on the Princess Consort first!"
Today, the Emperor was hosting a banquet, and Prince Wen had also entered the palace. With Pei Yunshu’s incident, Consort Meng Xiyang was the only one capable of taking charge of everything in Prince’s Mansion.
Meng Xiyang’s face showed difficulty and, after a moment, she turned to the ladies in the pavilion, "I truly apologize, ladies, but the Princess Consort has suddenly fallen severely ill, and I must hurry to see her."
Situations concerning life obviously wouldn’t allow the feast to continue, and the ladies present weren’t the type to make a fuss without reason, expressing their understanding and insisting that Meng Xiyang should hurry to Pei Yunshu’s aid.
A round-faced lady spotted Lu Tong standing next to Lady Dong and had a sudden idea, calling out, "Isn’t Doctor Lu well-versed in medicine? Since the Medical Officer hasn’t arrived yet, why not let Doctor Lu take a look at the Princess Consort first, to avoid any mishaps?"
Upon hearing this, Lady Dong’s heart sank with a "thump," and she thought to herself that this was not good.
Through the years, she had seen her share of these complicated matters among the noble families. In situations like this, it was best to keep a clear head and not to interfere foolishly; a careless move could cost one’s life.
These ladies were just eager to watch the excitement and didn’t shy away from making things worse. If Lu Tong ended up being blamed, to them, she was just a common female doctor from a medical hall, not someone worth caring about.
But how could they know about the relationship between Lu Tong and Pei Yunmeng?
On one hand, there was Pei Yunmeng’s elder sister, and on the other, Pei Yunmeng’s lover. If Lu Tong made a mistake without care, and Pei Yunmeng ended up blaming her, what would she do? After all, it was she who had brought Lu Tong to this pavilion in the first place.
Lady Dong didn’t want Lu Tong to blunder into this mess and possibly implicate herself, yet the surrounding ladies, upon hearing someone taking the lead – whether out of ignorance of Lu Tong’s identity or eagerness to ingratiate themselves with the Prince’s Mansion – began to warmly and vocally support the idea.
"Indeed, Doctor Lu is also a doctor and somewhat knowledgeable about medicine; it’s best to have her take a look," they said.
"Since she can produce miraculous medicine that other medical halls can’t, Doctor Lu’s medical skills are undoubtedly good. Given the emergency, Doctor Lu might be able to help," said a lady from the Imperial Censorate.
Lady Dong, listening to the chorus of agreement around her, felt a headache coming on, thinking about how these people had no hesitation in offering someone else’s services. They were comfortable as the knife wasn’t falling on themselves.
If nothing happened to Pei Yunshu, it would still be fine, but if something went wrong, it would be strange if Lu Tong wasn’t blamed!
In the midst of the noise, Meng Xiyang in the center of the pavilion looked up at Lu Tong with an ambiguous tone.
"You’re a doctor?"
Lu Tong bowed her head, "Yes, my lady."
Meng Xiyang looked at her, a glimmer of cold light flickering briefly in her eyes before she continued, "That’s good then. The Medical Officer hasn’t arrived yet, and the Princess Consort is in a critical condition. Since you understand medicine, come with me quickly to see her."
Lady Dong at her side wanted to speak for her, but Lu Tong gently grasped the corner of her sleeve and shook her head imperceptibly.
It seemed she might not be able to leave today.
Putting aside the sudden cause of Princess Wenjun’s abdominal pain, under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Lady Dong had just boasted about her exquisite medical skills to these ladies. If Lu Tong refused now, any doubt cast on her abilities would be detrimental to her future relationships with these nobles and her approach to the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion.
Lu Tong turned to Meng Xiyang and spoke softly, "Yes, my lady."
...
Meng Xiyang led Lu Tong and Yin Zheng to the courtyard of Princess Wenjun, but she refused to go any further.
This courtyard, located in the farthest corner of Prince Wen’s Mansion, seemed much quieter and cooler compared to Xunfang Garden. There was not a servant in sight.
Meng Xiyang stood at the gate with her willow-like eyebrows slightly furrowed. "The Princess Consort has never liked me entering her courtyard. Now that she is suffering, seeing me might make her feel even more uncomfortable."