"Master, Princess Yin is here. Judging from her appearance, she's probably here to offer New Year's greetings," Nianxue said to Wuxiha, who was holding her and flipping through a cloth book. Cui Niang also stood aside, watching the soft "cloth book" that Lanqin had specially made for Wuxiha. When Lanqin was in confinement after childbirth, she was so bored that she asked Nianxue to find the leftover fabric from cutting clothes and cut it into equal-sized pieces. Then, she had Nianxue and several other maids embroider patterns of fruits, vegetables, animals, and other things onto each page. This was the cloth book that Lanqin and the maids made themselves for early childhood education.

"Is there something you need? Let her in," Lanqin said calmly, raising her head. This made Lanqin think of the Third Prince, and a bad feeling suddenly arose in her heart. Yin Shi's visit was probably for the Third Prince; otherwise, why would she come?

Then, Madam Yin, holding Ying'er's hand, followed Nianxue in.

"This humble servant greets Consort Yin!" Lady Yin greeted her. Lady Cui also bowed to Lady Yin.

"No need for formalities, Lady Yin. May I ask what brings you here?" Lanqin didn't want to beat around the bush and asked directly.

When Lady Yin saw Lanqin's directness, she was slightly taken aback, but quickly regained her composure and said slowly, "The Third Prince has suddenly fallen ill again. I sent Ye Ying to ask the Consort for instructions, but she came at the wrong time and didn't open the door. In my haste, I had no choice but to ask Doctor Wu to come over first."

At this moment, Madam Song and Madam Geng also came in. When they heard Madam Yin say this, they were both taken aback.

"When did Ye Ying arrive?" Lan Qin was taken aback. Although Madam Yin had spoken tactfully, if the Fourth Master inquired, he would probably think that she had neglected to discipline her servants and hadn't even opened the door for them.

"It happened about half an hour ago. The Third Prince seemed unwell, and I wish to ask Consort Yin to come and see him. However, neither the Prince nor the Princess are in the manor right now, so I can only ask Consort Yin to make the decision," said Madam Yin, bowing as she stepped down.

"Nianxue, take Wuxiha and Xichen downstairs to wash up and let them sleep. I'm going to check on the Third Prince. Would Sister Song and Sister Geng like to come with me?" Lanqin frowned slightly as she looked away.

“Of course we’ll go. The Third Prince is so pitiful; he hasn’t been getting any better since winter started,” Song said quickly, and Geng nodded in agreement.

Cui Niang had already prepared Lanqin's snow fox fur cloak and enamel gilded hand warmer. After Lanqin was dressed, Song Shi and the others also put on their cloaks, and the group went to the west courtyard with Yin Shi.

When Lanqin and the others arrived at Madam Yin's house, they saw Madam Wu standing at the door. When she saw them arrive together, she also came out and looked in their direction.

"Dr. Wu, what's wrong with the Third Prince? Wasn't he supposed to be getting better?" As soon as Lanqin entered the Third Prince's room and saw him lying on the bed, her heart clenched.

"Reporting to Consort Wu, the Third Prince is likely poisoned, and it's a chronic poison. If it were just a common cold, he should have recovered long ago," Wu Youcai said.

A look of horror flashed in Madam Yin's eyes, and she said in a trembling voice, "Poisoning? How could the Third Prince be poisoned?" After speaking, she turned to the wet nurse and two maids who were already kneeling on the ground and asked, "Have you noticed anything unusual in how you take care of the Third Prince's daily life and diet?"

The wet nurse, suppressing her shock, said, "We have been following Doctor Wu's instructions. We have always personally brought the Third Prince's food from the kitchen. There has been nothing unusual about it."

“Sometimes poisons don’t come from food; for example, they can come from the perfume or the water used to make it,” Wu Youcai said.

This sentence caused Lady Yin's face to change several times. She said to Lanqin with a look of ignorance, "Consort, the Third Prince's food and drink are no different from usual. I am really not someone who wants to poison the Third Prince."

Song and Geng exchanged a puzzled look, while Wu stood silently to the side, only staring at the Third Prince's face for a few moments.

Lanqin sighed inwardly: "The tree desires stillness, but the wind will not cease." The Third Prince was poisoned, but what poison? Who administered it? There wasn't a single clue. How could she, as a concubine, possibly manage this? The Fourth Prince and his wife had gone to the palace for the New Year and wouldn't be back for three days. These three days would be entirely her responsibility as the concubine. If she did nothing and simply waited for the Fourth Prince to return and handle the situation, it wouldn't be fair.

"Doctor Wu, what poison has the Third Prince been poisoned with? Is his life in danger?" Lanqin asked anxiously.

"Your Highness, I cannot yet determine what poison the Third Prince has been poisoned with. It is likely a slow-acting poison, which explains why the Third Prince has been bedridden for so long. The poison was probably administered very discreetly. I can only do my best to control the toxicity with herbal medicine. To find out what kind of poison it is, it would be best to find the source of the poison as soon as possible," said Doctor Wu.

"Dr. Wu, then I'll have to trouble you. Quickly prepare the medicine for the Third Prince; we need to stabilize his condition first. I'm looking at him, and it seems like he's having trouble breathing. No wonder his face is so pale and red." Lanqin walked to the Third Prince's bedside, reached out and touched his face, and felt a strange sense of fear in her heart.

“I have already instructed Miss Ye Ying to prepare the medicine. I am now using silver needles to try and determine what poison the Third Prince has been afflicted with,” Wu Youcai said. On the small stool in front of him was a cloth satchel, densely covered with many silver needles of varying lengths, their tips gleaming brightly.

“Alright, Doctor Wu, you must be careful. The Third Prince has always been highly valued by the Fourth Prince. Now that the Fourth Prince and his wife are not here, if anything happens to the Third Prince, no one can help him.” Lanqin said, staring at Wu Youcai’s profile.

Doctor Wu felt that Lanqin seemed to be hinting at him, as if she was telling him to pay close attention to the Third Prince's condition. Unable to figure it out, he could only say, "Please rest assured, Consort, I will do my best."

Lanqin turned to Madam Yin and the others and said, "Why don't we go to Madam Yin's room? Cui Niang, you stay here and keep watch. Everyone else, come with me. Standing here will only interfere with Doctor Wu's acupuncture."

After Lanqin and the others left, Wu Youcai finally let out a sigh of relief. Every time, this Consort Niu made him feel like he had a thorn in his side.

"Princess Yin, now that the Third Prince has been poisoned, what do you have to say? After all, the Third Prince was poisoned here." Lanqin asked directly after the others had just sat down.

"Please, Consort, investigate this matter thoroughly. I have always treated the Third Prince as my own son. How could I possibly have any intention of harming him? Besides, since the Third Prince has run into trouble with me, I am the one with the greatest grudge against him. Wouldn't this just be inviting trouble upon myself?" Lady Yin hurriedly stood up and said.

"Do you have anyone you suspect? The Third Prince is definitely poisoned," Lanqin said.