Qian Shengyan: !!!

There are always treacherous people trying to harm the Imperial Concubine!

Yinzhen also suddenly became furious: "What's going on! This prescription doesn't match what you wrote?"

"I smell a slightly bitter and cold odor... but I cannot be sure yet. May I examine it more closely?" Liu, the Imperial Physician, asked.

Yinzhen naturally wouldn't refuse, but at the same time, he turned his displeased gaze to Green Willow and the other two.

Green Willow's knees buckled, and she knelt on the ground with a thud: "Your Majesty, Master..."

“It’s not Green Willow.” Qian Shengyan pressed down on Yinzhen’s hand and said decisively, “Green Willow has been with me since I first entered the manor, and I believe her.”

Yinzhen turned and grasped her hand, patting it twice as if to comfort her, but he showed no mercy to Green Willow's words: "The Imperial Noble Consort trusts you, so you must live up to her trust. Now I will give you a chance. Go back to Yongshou Palace now and find out for me who handled the medicine. Can you do it in two quarters of an hour?"

Green Willow knelt on the ground and kowtowed twice, saying in a deep voice, "This servant can do it." She seemed to choke up for a moment, then kowtowed again to Qian Shengyan, said nothing more, and got up to walk quickly towards Yongshou Palace.

Xiang'er also knelt on the ground in fear and unease, looking at Qian Shengyan, seemingly wanting to explain, but in the end she didn't say anything, only lowered her head deeply.

As for the newcomer Qiu Shu, she was so frightened that she dared not move at all, kneeling behind Xiang'er and sobbing occasionally.

While Imperial Physician Liu was still carefully examining the dregs of the medicine, Qian Shengyan moved closer to Yinzhen and whispered, "I think it might not be anything serious..."

"They've even touched your medicine with their hands and feet, and you still say nothing's wrong?" Yinzhen frowned.

"But I don't feel uncomfortable at all," Qian Shengyan continued in a low voice.

Yinzhen was helpless and wanted to say something, but after thinking about it, he decided against it. He simply pinched Qian Shengyan's lips, signaling her to shut up.

By this time, Imperial Physician Liu had also figured out the general idea. He put down the medicine pot, examined the color of the brewed medicine carefully, and knelt down on the ground, saying, "Your Majesty, I have discovered something wrong."

“Because charcoal is used more frequently in winter, I originally added a little Coptis chinensis to the prescription I wrote for the Imperial Noble Consort to clear heat and reduce internal fire. However, the Coptis chinensis in the dregs has been replaced with Scutellaria baicalensis.” Imperial Physician Liu frowned and said, “Scutellaria baicalensis has a similar bitter taste to Coptis chinensis, but its nature is slightly cold, and also…”

"Stop showing off your knowledge, get to the point." Yinzhen slammed his hand on the table, startling Imperial Physician Liu, who quickly continued, "Moreover, excessive use of Scutellaria baicalensis is bad for the spleen and lungs, especially since the Imperial Noble Consort is coughing so often, she absolutely cannot use Scutellaria baicalensis..."

"So, you're just making my illness worse and slowing down my recovery?" Qian Shengyan asked.

Presiding Physician Liu nodded, then emphasized, "Scutellaria baicalensis is not poisonous and is a good medicine for clearing heat and detoxifying, and it can also help prevent miscarriage. However, Scutellaria baicalensis is particularly prone to inducing external cold pathogens, and now it is winter, and the Imperial Noble Consort is in poor health..."

Qian Shengyan blinked and understood.

This is starting small, striking while the iron is hot to finish her off.

"Fortunately, according to my observation, the prescription does not contain much Scutellaria baicalensis. I just examined the Imperial Noble Consort's pulse, and it was normal. There is no major problem for now." Imperial Physician Liu did not dare to make any definitive statements, and could only say that it seemed that there was nothing wrong at the moment.

Yinzhen was silent for a moment: "From now on, every day when the Imperial Noble Consort takes her medicine, you shall come over, taste the medicine first, and then check her pulse."

"Yes," Judge Liu replied.

At this moment, Green Willow also returned, accompanied only by a young eunuch and two palace maids.

After entering, Green Willow knelt down and said, "This servant found the eunuch Xiaoting who fetches the medicinal herbs, as well as the two palace maids Yan'er and Green Life who clean the herbs and keep the medicine jars. All the people who handle the medicines for you are here."

Qian Shengyan looked at the three people in front of her. She recognized them slightly. They had come to kowtow to her and receive rewards during festivals, but she didn't see them often.

Yinzhen frowned first and looked at the green-clad palace maid: "This name is not good, change it."

"Hmm?" Qian Shengyan belatedly realized that Yinzhen felt that the name "Yan'er" clashed with her own name. She smiled and said, "Then let's call her Green Parrot."

They're all birds anyway.

The green parrot stepped forward and kowtowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing this name upon me."

Green Willow continued, "Little Pavilion is Wang Baoen's apprentice, and Green Life was a maid who used to serve in Dongyou Courtyard. They all came into the palace with their masters. Green Parrot was a palace maid who served in Yongshou Palace from the beginning. Sister Qingxue saw that she was clever and promoted her to serve in the courtyard."

“Those are all old servants who have served me,” Qian Shengyan said with a smile.

Green Willow was quite efficient; she had already asked these people beforehand, but fearing the Emperor might get impatient, she simply gave a brief explanation first.

The medicinal herbs were sealed by the Imperial Hospital. Xiao Tingzi went to fetch them, and they were still sealed when he returned. Lv Liu watched Lv Sheng wash the herbs, and then asked Lv Ying to take out the medicine pot and boil the herbs.

In short, either the medicine had a problem at the Imperial Medical Academy, or there was a problem with the medicine container.

However, Judge Liu had already thoroughly inspected the medicine residue, the medicine pot, the medicine bowl...

With a thud, Imperial Physician Liu knelt on the ground, his face pale. After a moment, he was able to speak: "Your Majesty... I have failed in my duty to supervise the Imperial Medical Academy..."

"After the investigation is complete, go and receive your punishment," Yinzhen said coldly.

He didn't say how he would be punished, but it was clear that a judgment would be made after the truth was uncovered.

Liu Yuanpan closed his eyes, knowing that he would be lucky to save his life after this incident. After all, the most hated thing in the world is the misuse of medicine. The strictest management in the Imperial Hospital is the prescriptions, including the entire harem. No prescriptions or medicinal materials are allowed to be stored. Even prepared medicines require a special requisition procedure to be taken away.

With such strict management, yet something still happened with the Imperial Noble Consort, whom the Emperor valued most. Judge Liu felt it was truly... an undeserved disaster.

Qian Shengyan originally didn't want to get involved, but Yinzhen's words... clearly had loopholes, and he even glanced at her after he finished speaking, as if waiting for her to say something.

She...she just didn't understand. The emperor's word is law, and it can be refuted?

Qian Shengyan thought for a moment, then tugged at Yinzhen's sleeve and whispered, "Your Majesty..."

"Hmm?" Yinzhen looked at her encouragingly.

Qian Shengyan: ...

No, this is happening in front of others. Don't you care about saving face at all?

However, she roughly guessed that Yinzhen wanted to give her a chance to bribe Physician Liu. If she pleaded for Physician Liu, it would be much more convenient and safer for her to see a doctor in the future.

“Physician Liu has always been diligent. Even if the Imperial Medical Academy is truly responsible for this matter, it must be because the people managing the medicine warehouse below did not keep a close watch on things. Your Majesty, please punish Physician Liu leniently,” Qian Shengyan said, forcing a smile.

Yinzhen's lips curled slightly, then he suppressed it after a moment, glancing at Imperial Physician Liu with a hint of displeasure, and said, "Since the Imperial Noble Consort has pleaded for you, I'll let it go this time. Go and thoroughly investigate the shady dealings within the Imperial Hospital, otherwise..."