Chapter 83: Trouble Again
Although Xia Yuanpan was not proficient in burn treatment, he could still smell the ingredients of the ointment.
"It contains angelica root, licorice root, angelica root, coptis root, phellodendron chinense, turmeric, sesame oil, cassia twig and pinellia tuber."
"this…"
Xia Yuanpan was very familiar with the habits of medicinal herbs. After smelling cassia twig and pinellia, he realized that things were not that simple.
Xie Chen looked at his reaction and sneered, "Is there something wrong here?"
Judge Xia bowed and said, "Cinnamon twig and Pinellia ternata are heat-inducing herbs, which are the exact opposite of the properties of other herbs that invigorate blood, clear heat, and moisturize and revitalize the skin. Applying this medicine to the burn will not only have no effect, but will actually worsen the wound until it rots and ulcerates."
Yuling's words were confirmed, and Xie Chen's face darkened completely.
Concubine Shen Liang was about to cry: "Who on earth wants to harm me?"
"I will stay here today and investigate step by step. No one will leave until we find the truth." Xie Chen glanced at the faces of the concubines in the hall, then pointed at Doctor Gao who was kneeling on the ground and shouted, "I asked you to prepare a good burn medicine for Concubine Liang. Tell me, how did these cinnamon twigs and pinellia ternata get in?"
Imperial Physician Gao's face was filled with panic, his head slamming heavily on the gleaming floor tiles. "I really don't know! When I prepared this ointment, I had it checked by several colleagues. Only after they found no problems did I present it to Concubine Liang. My colleagues can all vouch for me."
Empress Cui was puzzled and asked, "This is strange. If there was no problem when it was presented, what went wrong?"
Everyone started to figure it out.
Concubine Qin opened and closed her red lips. "Could it be that Concubine Liang is staging a show on her own, deliberately trying to provoke the Emperor's pity?"
As soon as these words came out, everyone's eyes fell on Concubine Liang and they couldn't help but become suspicious.
After all, with the example of Concubine Jiang Shufei, this speculation is not impossible.
Concubine Shen Liang was almost overwhelmed by the suspicious looks from the other concubines. She angrily shouted to Concubine Qin, "Concubine Qin, are you trying to frame me with empty words? The Emperor already loves me. Why should I go to such great lengths and risk leaving a scar that won't heal, just to win his already existing sympathy?"
That makes sense.
On the one hand, Concubine Shen Liang already had the emperor's favor, so there was no need for her to hurt herself to gain the emperor's sympathy.
On the other hand, as a woman in the harem, which one doesn't care about her appearance? If it comes at the cost of leaving scars, the price is too high.
Many of the doubts in everyone's minds were dispelled.
Qin Jieyu curled her lips and said, "If it's not true, then it's not true. Why is Concubine Liang so excited?"
Concubine Shen Liang refused to give in: "If I say that Concubine Qin did it, what will Concubine Qin do?"
Qin Jieyu was furious: "You..."
"If you want to quarrel, both of you get out!" Queen Cui scolded harshly.
After the hall quieted down, she turned to the two imperial physicians and asked, "If I remember correctly, the Imperial Hospital has all the medicinal herbs you use recorded in its records, right?"
Judge Xia said, "Yes, all pulse checks and prescriptions for your masters must be recorded in the Imperial Hospital's files."
Empress Cui pondered and said, "Then let's find the file and see if this Imperial Physician Gao has used cinnamon twigs and pinellia tubers in his medicine recently. If he hasn't, we can clear his name. Then we can carefully examine the file to see which Imperial Physician used these herbs and to which palace they sent them. That way we can have a clue."
Liang Yao took the order and left.
Everyone waited anxiously.
When it was getting dark, Liang Yao came back.
He stood in the hall and bowed, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I have brought the files from the Imperial Hospital."
Xie Chen said solemnly, "Investigate."
Liang Yao handed the booklet to Empress Cui and bowed again, saying, "Your Majesty, I just went to the Imperial Hospital and verified what Imperial Physician Gao said."
Xie Chen narrowed his eyes.
He knew Liang Yao very well, and if he hadn't found out anything, he wouldn't have replied.
Since he replied, there must be something fishy going on.
Sure enough, the next moment, Liang Yao said, "After Imperial Physician Gao prepared the ointment, he did indeed have it examined by several other imperial physicians. However, one of the imperial physicians said that Imperial Physician Gao did not submit it immediately, but submitted it the next day."
Since it was not presented immediately, there is suspicion of tampering.
Xie Chen looked at Doctor Gao coldly: "How dare you lie?"
Doctor Gao was so frightened that his face turned pale and he was speechless.
"If that's the case, then you must have tampered with the ointment." Xie Chen slowly analyzed the situation, then waved his hand, "Drag him out and let me beat him. I'll stop when I find out who's behind this."
Two young eunuchs carried Doctor Gao out.
After a while, the muffled sound of a board was heard, which was terrifying to hear.
At first, Doctor Gao shouted that he was innocent, but later all he could hear were cries of pain.
Empress Cui flipped through the booklet and said, "Because these two months are the hottest summer months, and these two herbs are hot and dry in nature, they were not used much. There is only one record in the Imperial Hospital's booklet: the Summer Hospital ordered the medicine and sent it to the Cining Palace."
When she said this, Judge Xia suddenly remembered, "Your Majesty, I now remember what happened. Twenty days ago, the Empress Dowager sent someone over and asked me to prepare a few doses of medicine for heart palpitations. I grabbed some cinnamon twigs and pinellia tubers and sent them to the Cining Palace."
So what's going on?
No imperial physician in the palace used cinnamon twig and pinellia, and the concubines had no access to them. So where did the cinnamon twig and pinellia mixed in Concubine Liang's ointment come from?
Everyone became confused.
As for the Queen Mother, no one dared to doubt her.
Empress Cui pondered for a moment, then slowly said to Xie Chen, "Ever since the maid of Concubine Shu brought dirty things into the palace, I have strictly controlled the entry and exit of the palace. Especially when entering, they are required to strip and search. Therefore, it is impossible that these cassia twigs and pinellia tubers came from outside the palace."
After cutting off contact with people outside the palace, the only one left is the Empress Dowager. No matter what, I have to go and ask her.
Xie Chen rubbed his brows and instructed Liang Yao: "This matter is still questionable. Go to the Cining Palace and ask the Queen Mother whether the medicine has leaked out of the Cining Palace."
A clear voice sounded in the hall.
"Manager Liang doesn't need to go."
Everyone was stunned and looked in the direction of the voice.
Pei Tingyue stood up from the stool under the gaze of everyone in the hall, walked to the center of the hall and knelt down.
"The medicine for treating heart palpitations was given to me by the Empress Dowager."
Ever since she heard the Empress Dowager's name, her eyelids have been twitching, and until now, there is no way to avoid it.
Just like the day when Concubine Shu lost her son, she knelt before the Emperor and Empress again.
At this moment, Liang Yao entered the hall, with two young eunuchs behind him dragging Doctor Gao, who was covered in blood.
As the concubines were in an uproar of fear, Liang Yao said, "Your Majesty, Imperial Physician Gao has confessed."
He paused, glanced at the thin figure kneeling in the hall, and then said, "Imperial Physician Gao said that Concubine Pei ordered her to do this."
The center of the hall.
Pei Tingyue closed her eyes.
The person behind this is very thoughtful. She has gathered all the witnesses and evidence.
Unfortunately, she is no longer the person who was unable to resist that day!
Pei Tingyue suddenly opened his eyes, and a strange light flashed in his eyes.
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