The old doctor who had come with Xie Jijiu was shocked when he saw the large patch of blood under her body. He quickly stepped forward and said, "Lord Xie, please allow me to examine the Third Prince's Consort first."
Only then did Xie Jijiu hand Xie Xinru's hand to the old doctor.
The old doctor carefully examined her pulse: "Third Prince's Consort, you are not pregnant. Why did you drink the abortion medicine?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Xinru's tears rolled down her cheeks again. She was wronged. She insisted that she was not pregnant, not at all!
Xie Jijiu carried the person into the house and ordered people to wash and change Xie Xinru's clothes. He himself stood under the eaves like an iceberg, waiting for Zhu Chen to return to the manor and give him an explanation!
Meanwhile, Zhu Chen in the palace had just finished reporting to the old emperor everything that had happened in Mu City over the past six months.
Before the pandemic, Zhu Chen would submit a memorial to Shengjing City every two weeks, but he stopped doing so to prevent the spread of the disease after it broke out.
After listening, the old emperor coughed twice and nodded: "Hmm, you've done a good job these past six months. You must be tired, go back to your residence and rest for a few days."
"Yes, I am not tired of sharing the burden with my father."
Just as Zhu Chen was about to bow and leave, the old emperor spoke again: "Your eldest sister-in-law has passed away. Go and pay your respects when you have time."
Zhu Chen frowned slightly, but quickly regained his composure: "Yes."
"It seems the Crown Prince is also not going to make it. You should go and visit him on my behalf and offer him some comfort."
Zhu Chen was startled. Was Zhu Zixuan going to die?
But why did his chief guard tell him on his way back to Mu City that Zhu Zixuan's weakness showed signs of recovery?
Zhu Chen hurriedly came out of the imperial study, with the head guard following behind him.
As they walked out of the palace, he lowered his voice and said, "Dispose of the tea set that Ruoling used, which we brought from Mu City."
The head guard asked in confusion, "Aren't they going to give them to the Crown Prince?"
"We've been tricked. Zhu Zixuan's weakness hasn't improved at all; it'll probably be over in the next few days. We need to get rid of these things immediately!"
He was ordered by the emperor to visit Zhu Zhi and Zhu Zixuan at the Crown Prince's residence the next day. If Zhu Zixuan died shortly after he left, those in the know would understand that he didn't have many days left to live anyway.
But those who don't know the situation might overthink it, so at this moment, he can't afford to make even the slightest mistake.
"Yes!" the head guard replied immediately.
As soon as the two arrived at the palace gate, the guards who had been waiting for him at the Third Prince's residence rushed forward. Without a token, he could not enter the palace and could only wait at the palace gate.
Upon seeing Zhu Chen emerge, he said, "Your Highness, Chief Minister Xie has arrived."
Zhu Chen snorted coldly. He hadn't even come knocking on Xie Yongquan's door yet, and Xie Yongquan still had the nerve to come looking for him.
Zhu Chen mounted his horse and rode towards the Third Prince's residence.
The common people on the streets of Shengjing watched the Third Prince galloping away on horseback, angry but unable to speak out. Seeing his furious expression, the stall owners who had been so frightened that they had overturned their stalls could only accept their bad luck.
The head guard then took a different route to deal with the tea set he had just ordered delivered to the Crown Prince's room.
After throwing the horse reins to the gatekeeper, Zhu Chen strode towards the backyard with an icy expression. He wanted to ask Xie Yongquan what his intentions were in marrying him off to such a fickle woman who couldn't even stand being alone for half a year!
Inside the house in the backyard, the servants had already washed and changed the Third Prince's Consort. The blood-stained clothes hadn't been disposed of and were just placed on the ground outside. The old doctor sat beside her, administering acupuncture.
The medicine was too potent, and it was made with the worst possible ingredients. The Third Prince's Consort is likely to be in grave danger after this ordeal.
He lost consciousness due to excessive blood loss.
Xie Jijiu clenched his fists tightly, his face contorted with rage. His daughter, Shiliu, had married Zhu Chen, and the two were a harmonious couple. Although the Third Prince's residence had two concubines and one secondary wife, his daughter was always the one he loved the most.
He never expected that Zhu Chen, after only five months in Mucheng, would want to kill his daughter as soon as he returned, and with such vicious methods. What exactly did Xinru do wrong?
He even falsely accused her of being pregnant. How could he not know what kind of person his own daughter is?
She only had eyes for her husband, and for this reason, she often begged him to send her disciples to Zhu Chen's ranks, paving the way for his great path.
Xie Jijiu had reason to suspect that during those months in Mu City, Zhu Chen must have set his sights on a woman who was more advantageous to him, so as soon as he returned to the manor, he couldn't wait to give up the position of the Third Prince's consort.
That's why they would pin such a despicable crime on their own daughter.
Under the eaves, Physician Chen, who had just been summoned at noon to diagnose the Third Prince's wife's pregnancy, knelt trembling with fear, cold sweat pouring from his forehead.
Physician Chen had been in the Imperial Medical Academy for more than ten years. He had committed many crimes, either by being threatened with power or tempted with gold and silver. His hands were stained with blood. Among them were three unborn children of the princes and princesses.
Xie Jijiu ordered someone to bring him here and question him.
But that was a royal secret, and he was just a lowly eighth-rank imperial physician. How could he dare to speak carelessly? He simply knelt to the side and said that everything would be discussed when the Third Prince arrived.
Zhu Chen entered the backyard shortly afterward and immediately spotted Xie Jijiu.
Xie Jijiu's fists clenched so tightly they cracked. If the person in front of him hadn't been a prince, he would have already swung his fist at him.
His face was ashen, and he suppressed the surging anger in his heart: "I don't know what my daughter has done to offend the Third Prince so much that he treated her like this and almost killed her!"
Although it was June, Zhu Chen's face was still extremely cold, and his anger was even greater at Xie Yongquan for having the nerve to question him: "Hmph, you'll have to ask your good daughter, Xie Jijiu, what good things she did in the five months I was away from Shengjing!"
Thank you, Master Xie! Ha, back when you needed my help, you always called me "Father-in-law."
"Although I am a minor official of the fourth rank, I will never allow anyone to bully my daughter! Since His Highness the Third Prince dislikes her, I will take my daughter away now! However, I will definitely go to the Emperor to demand an explanation for this matter! My daughter cannot be unjustly accused!"
Zhu Chen gave a cold laugh.
Xie Jijiu turned around and went inside, intending to pick up the unconscious Xie Xinru.
The old doctor hurriedly stopped her: "Sir, you mustn't! The Third Prince's Consort, who is not pregnant, has been given an extremely strong abortifacient for no reason. She is bleeding profusely and must not be moved at all, or her life will be in danger!"
Zhu Chen strode inside and grabbed the old doctor by the collar: "What did you say! She's not pregnant?!"
The old doctor was puzzled: "Of course not. The Third Prince's Consort is just about to have her period, but she is not pregnant. Although my medical skills are not great, do you think I can't tell whether she is pregnant or not?"
Xie Jijiu found it amusing; Zhu Chen's performance was far too fake.
Zhu Chen strode out of the room and dragged the kneeling Physician Chen inside.
He shoved the man in front of Xie Jijiu and the old doctor: "Tell him that Xie Xinru was nauseous and vomiting around noon yesterday, and what did you diagnose her with!"
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