The guards looked to Zhan Tianhong.
Zhan Tianhong's face was pale, but he didn't stop them. The guards could only let go of Zuo Yan.
Zuo Yan's complexion wasn't much better, and he kept glancing at Jiang Luoxi.
Yun Shu and Zhan Tianye exchanged a look.
Then.
The Empress Dowager left with Jiang Luoxi and Zuo Yan.
Before leaving, Zhan Ming couldn't resist a sarcastic remark about Yun Shu's medical skills, "Miss Yun the Second needs to learn more about medicine. If there's an opportunity, I can offer ten thousand pieces of gold to whoever taught you."
After Zhan Ming also left, Zhan Tianhong could no longer suppress his immense rage.
He slammed his fists on the table twice.
Several memorials on the table fell to the floor.
Seeing Zhan Tianhong's extreme anger, almost losing control of his emotions, Yun Shu spoke, "That pill indeed had a problem."
The pill itself was problematic.
But after it passed through her hands, it became even more so.
Zhan Tianhong was stunned, "If it had a problem, why didn't you say so? Why let that poisonous doctor who wanted to harm me leave?"
"The medicine would harm the body, but it wouldn't be apparent immediately. Even if we had stopped them and called for imperial physicians, they wouldn't have noticed anything," Yun Shu said, her brow furrowed slightly as she calmly observed the young emperor, who was struggling to control his emotions.
She could tell the young emperor was blaming her.
Zhan Tianye narrowed his dark eyes and looked at Zhan Tianhong expressionlessly, "This person is named Zuo Yan, and he entered the palace with the Empress Dowager. Without concrete evidence, insisting on punishing the poisonous doctor would bring only harm and no benefit to Your Majesty."
Zhan Tianhong knew this.
It dawned on him that he had just been complaining about Yun Shu.
He immediately felt remorse and regret, "Miss Yun the Second, I apologize. I... I didn't mean to. I was just too angry."
He looked nervously at Yun Shu.
Now, she was the only one he could trust by his side.
He wasn't afraid of being poisoned or dying inexplicably, all because she was there.
He had actually raised his voice and questioned her! At this moment, he was filled with regret.
Yun Shu smiled, "Your Majesty doesn't need to apologize. Anyone else would have been anxious in the moment. Please rest assured, Your Majesty, that the pill will serve its intended purpose."
Zhan Tianye raised an eyebrow slightly, a smile playing on his lips.
As expected, she was remarkable.
The fact that she had held onto the pill until the last moment indicated she understood it thoroughly.
...
Upon returning to Qiankun Palace, the Empress Dowager immediately ordered the gates to be tightly shut.
No matter who came today, she would not see them.
After assigning guards to secure the gate, the Empress Dowager took Jiang Luoxi and Zuo Yan into her chambers.
The moment the chamber doors closed.
Jiang Luoxi, who had appeared calm with no change in her expression during the journey back, suddenly grabbed a nearby vase.
She vomited uncontrollably into it.
Her fingers dug deep into her throat.
Gagging sounds filled the air.
The Empress Dowager's face was extremely grim, "Damn Yun Shu! If it weren't for her and Prince Ye today, we could have protected the Empress, and you wouldn't have had to suffer like this! Will this medicine be fatal?"
After a string of complaints, the Empress Dowager immediately turned to Zuo Yan.
Zuo Yan had already reached Jiang Luoxi's side and, disregarding propriety, was patting her back with a look of anxiety.
Hearing the Empress Dowager's words, he replied with a pale face, "This medicine is extremely cold and will harm Miss Jiang's body. It must be vomited out immediately, and an antidote taken without delay."
On the surface, the pill appeared to be a tonic, but hidden within was an extremely cold substance!
Let alone a young person, even a strong adult would become incredibly weak.
Not to mention Miss Jiang!
She was already reacting severely.
Jiang Luoxi felt a tremor run through her body, a chill spreading from her internal organs.
"What? Then hurry and get the antidote! Hurry!" The Empress Dowager's face changed drastically. Women feared extreme cold the most, as it could easily harm their bodies and prevent future childbirth!
Jiang Luoxi was meant to marry Prince Ye in the future, and ideally bear his children. Then they could control Prince Ye and prevent what had just happened in the study.
Zuo Yan glanced at Jiang Luoxi and immediately turned and left the chambers.
He lived in a small side hall.
Stumbling back to his side hall, he found the antidote. Ignoring his injured foot, he rushed back to the chambers.
By then, Jiang Luoxi's face was ashen, and she was wrapped in a tiger skin, shivering from the cold.
Seeing Zuo Yan return, Jiang Luoxi slowly opened her eyes. Despite her disheveled appearance, her expression was calm, and her words were even calmer, "Give me the antidote."
She reached out her hand, intending to take the medicine herself.
Zuo Yan immediately handed the medicine to Jiang Luoxi.
Jiang Luoxi swallowed the antidote in one gulp.
Although the antidote was taken, its effects were not immediate. She still felt cold all over and could only wrap herself tightly in the tiger skin.
She looked at the Empress Dowager and said, "Prince Ye and Yun Shu are of one mind, and Yun Shu is extremely well-hidden. Empress Dowager, we cannot wait any longer. They are to be engaged tomorrow."
Everything was progressing faster than she had anticipated.
So fast that she felt a sense of losing control.
The Empress Dowager's initially soothed emotions turned to anger upon hearing this, "Yun Shu has indeed exceeded my expectations."
Compared to Yun Shu five years ago, she was a completely different person.
Unexpected.
Upon reflection, Yun Shu had spoken little just now, but every word she uttered had managed to turn the tide and put them in a difficult position.
Jiang Luoxi coughed lightly and nodded, "Yes, it's too unexpected."
"They are to be engaged tomorrow, and the entire capital will know that Yun Shu is to marry into Prince Ye's manor. Luoxi, you must find a way quickly." The Empress Dowager, now sitting down, felt a throbbing headache. She pressed her temples, unable to think of a solution to their predicament.
While they were talking, Zuo Yan remained silent.
He had been watching Jiang Luoxi.
Seeing that she was still wrapped in the tiger skin, her face still pale, showing no sign of recovery at all.
His expression gradually became flustered.
This situation had never happened before. This was the first time...
Jiang Luoxi, sensing something, immediately looked at Zuo Yan, "What is it?"
"After taking the antidote, the cold should recede within moments, but Miss Jiang shows no signs of improvement!" Zuo Yan's heart leaped.
The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became.
Suddenly, a possibility came to mind.
But this idea needed verification.
Anxiously, he looked at Jiang Luoxi, "Miss Jiang, I need to take your pulse now. Let me check your pulse! This situation is too unusual!"
Jiang Luoxi's expression changed slightly, and she pulled the tiger skin tighter around herself.