inquiry
The news that Xie Wuqi had fallen into a coma again due to the poison was like a stone thrown into stagnant water, stirring up layers of hidden ripples beneath the seemingly calm surface of Prince Jing's Mansion.
The black plum blossom that Xu Xianyue had placed on his desk ultimately failed to help Xie Wuqi "sleep more peacefully." The next morning, the "burning heart" poison within him lashed out again with a furious force. Jingzhe and Housekeeper Yan stayed by his side all night, exhausting their reserve of precious medicines before they managed to suppress the burning heart and bone-eating frenzy. However, Xie Wuqi's vitality was severely damaged, and he fell into a deeper coma.
The news cannot be completely blocked, especially in the capital city where various forces are closely monitoring the situation.
So, shortly after daybreak, someone arrived at the palace. It wasn't the emperor, but a capable veteran eunuch close to the empress dowager, accompanied by several white-haired, solemn-looking imperial physicians. They claimed to have come "by order of the empress dowager to treat His Royal Highness Prince Jing."
Butler Yan personally welcomed the guests into the main house of Jinglan Courtyard. As the princess, Xu Xianyue naturally had to come out.
She remained dressed in a simple dress, wearing no jewelry in her hair, only a newly made bamboo hairpin made of light green silk thread. Her fresh and elegant appearance stood out against the medicinal aroma and solemn atmosphere that filled the room. She sat quietly in a chair by the window in the outer room, her eyes lowered as she gazed at her hands folded in her lap, as if the whispered discussions of the imperial physicians in the inner room and the cautious responses of the strict housekeeper had nothing to do with her.
Empress Dowager… Xu Xianyue sneered inwardly. This Empress Dowager, residing deep within the palace, was not Xie Wuqi's biological mother. Was she sending the imperial physician with such "concern" for his well-being, truly seeking treatment, or was she trying to determine how long this adopted son, whose achievements had intimidated the emperor and who had been poisoned, could survive?
"Your Highness's pulse is disordered. The poison has penetrated deep into the eight extraordinary meridians, especially the heart meridians..." The old and heavy voice of the imperial physician came from the inner room. "This poison is strange and fierce. No ordinary medicine can cure it. I... can only do my best to prescribe some prescriptions to strengthen the body and calm the mind. I hope to stabilize the condition for the time being..."
A diagnosis that sounds grand but is of no practical use.
Butler Yan nodded repeatedly, his tone respectful but with a barely perceptible weariness.
Xu Xianyue picked up the teacup beside her and gently stirred the foam. These imperial physicians probably didn't even know what the "burning heart" poison was. Their so-called diagnosis and treatment were just a formality.
At this moment, there was a burst of hurried footsteps outside the courtyard, accompanied by the guards' low voices of stopping them.
"President Lin, you can't go in. The prince is treating..."
"Get out of the way! I have something important to report to the prince!" A young but clear voice with unquestionable authority sounded, as if there was some dispute with the guards.
Lin Yuanpan? Xu Xianyue looked up and saw the door curtain suddenly opened. A slender figure walked in quickly, ignoring the guards' attempts to stop him.
The man was wearing a dark blue official robe. He didn't look like he was of high rank. He was about twenty years old, with a handsome face and a scholar's elegance between his eyebrows. But at this moment, his bright eyes were full of anxiety and worry. He didn't even care about etiquette and looked straight towards the inner room.
"I am the Imperial Physician Lin Qingyan. I heard that the prince's condition has relapsed, so I came to take his pulse!" His voice was clear and carried the sharpness unique to young people.
Lin Qingyan? Xu Xianyue thought the name sounded familiar, and after a moment's thought, she remembered it. The original owner seemed to recall a certain figure. The son of the Imperial Physician Ling family, he had achieved fame at a young age, possessing exceptional medical skills and earning the nickname "Little Miracle Doctor." However, due to his straightforward character and disdain for personal gain, he wasn't particularly successful within the Imperial Hospital. More importantly... there seemed to be some vague rumors about him and the original owner's older sister, Xu Xianyun.
Housekeeper Yan came out from the inner room and frowned slightly when he saw Lin Qingyan: "Doctor Lin, the prince already has other doctors treating him. You..."
"Butler Yan!" Lin Qingyan interrupted him, his tone urgent, "The poison that the prince has been poisoned with is not trivial. I have recently read ancient books and have some experience with this poison. Perhaps we can give it a try! Please allow me to take the prince's pulse!"
His attitude was almost rude, but his genuine concern did not seem fake.
Several old doctors from the inner room also came out upon hearing the noise. Seeing Lin Qingyan, their faces turned slightly grim. The leading doctor, Doctor Wang, snorted coldly, "Doctor Lin, how many years have you been in the Imperial Hospital? The prince's precious body is worth a fortune. How can you make arbitrary assumptions and prescribe medicine recklessly?"
"Lord Wang!" Lin Qingyan refused to back down and said with a bow, "This humble official is not speculating randomly! The 'Poison Classic' states that the 'burning heart' poison is as fierce as flames, burning the meridians and burning the blood vessels. Ordinary drugs that calm the mind and qi are like adding fuel to a fire! It requires..."
"That's enough!" Doctor Wang's face darkened as he interrupted him. "How dare you, a young boy, show off your skills in front of an expert! The prince's condition is complicated, and we will handle it. Why don't you leave now?"
The situation was deadlocked for a moment.
Xu Xianyue sat to the side, observing with a cold eye. This Lin Qingyan was quite an interesting person. Judging from his expression, his concern for Xie Wuqi was genuine, and his dedication to studying medicine was also genuine. Perhaps... he really knew something?
Her gaze swept across Lin Qingyan's slightly flushed cheeks, then glanced at the displeased old doctors, finally returning to her fingertips. She needed more information about the "burning heart" poison, and this Lin Qingyan might be a breakthrough.
Just as Butler Yan looked embarrassed and was about to force Lin Qingyan to leave, Xu Xianyue suddenly put down the teacup gently.
The crisp sound of porcelain colliding was particularly clear in the depressing room.
Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to it.
Xu Xianyue raised his eyes and looked at Lin Qingyan calmly. He spoke in a low voice, but with an unquestionable calmness: "Doctor Lin, since you have gained something, why not tell me?"
Her words stunned everyone.
Housekeeper Yan looked at her in surprise, as if he hadn't expected the previously silent princess to suddenly speak. Several of the old doctors were even more surprised, but then turned to disapproval. What medical skills did a woman from seclusion know?
Lin Qingyan was also startled, only then noticing a plain-dressed woman sitting in the outer room. He had been so anxious before that he hadn't noticed. Now, looking over, he saw the woman's beautiful face, her aura as calm as water, her eyes clear and bright, staring at him quietly. His heart skipped a beat, and he felt the woman looked somewhat familiar. But he couldn't dwell on it, and quickly bowed, "Your humble servant greets the princess."
"No need to be so polite." Xu Xianyue said lightly, "The prince's condition is serious. If Doctor Lin has any good ideas, please feel free to tell me." Her words implicitly gave Lin Qingyan an opportunity to speak.
Doctor Wang and the others looked even uglier, but since the princess had spoken, they could not forcibly stop them.
Lin Qingyan took a deep breath, glanced at Xu Xianyue gratefully, then turned to Butler Yan and the imperial physicians and said sternly, "I believe that the 'Burning Heart' poison is so powerful because it isn't just a single toxin, but rather a combination of several strange poisons that mutually inflame each other, like adding fuel to a fire. Ordinary tranquilizers can only temporarily suppress the symptoms and may even encourage it to become more ingrained. To cure this poison, perhaps we can find another way and find something that counteracts it, and then proceed step by step. For example..."
He began to quote from classics and explain his own views. Although some of his ideas were still immature, they were full of insights. His analysis of the toxicity of "burning heart" was much more profound than those of the old doctors.
Xu Xianyue listened quietly, her fingertips unconsciously caressing a freshly finished, slightly cool jade-colored velvet locket hidden in her sleeve. Lin Qingyan's words confirmed some of her suspicions. This poison was indeed not simple. His suggestions of "counteracting" and "taking it slow" resonated with her own approach of using the rhythm of the velvet flower to soothe the poison.
However, the several possible medicinal herbs he mentioned are all hard to find in the world.
After the discussion, silence fell in the room.
Several old doctors looked at each other, and although they still disagreed, they could not easily refute Lin Qingyan.
Butler Yan pondered for a moment, then looked at Xu Xianyue with a complicated expression: "Princess, look..."
Xu Xianyue stood up, walked to Lin Qingyan, took out the jade-colored peace locket velvet flower from his sleeve and handed it to him.
Lin Qingyan was stunned and didn't understand what he meant.
"Doctor Lin is very knowledgeable," Xu Xianyue said calmly. "This peace locket may help you think calmly. The prince's poison was not cured overnight, so we need to plan ahead."
Her words seemed both encouraging and a reminder. Giving him this velvet flower, which contained a faint, soothing rhythm, was, firstly, a gesture of goodwill, and secondly... perhaps, through him, she could verify whether the velvet flower had a similar effect on others.
Lin Qingyan looked at the exquisitely crafted, warm jade-colored velvet flower peace locket in his hand. Although he still felt puzzled, he could sense the extraordinary nature of the Princess Jing before him. He solemnly put it away and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Princess. I will do my best to research a method to detoxify you!"
Xu Xianyue nodded, said no more, turned to Butler Yan and said, "Thank you all, the imperial doctors, for your hard work. I will entertain you well. I am a little tired, so I will go back to my room to rest first."
She calmly left the main room, leaving behind all the doubts, calculations and the young doctor who had just ignited a glimmer of hope.
Walking out of the room, the cool breeze of the early morning blew against his face. Xu Xianyue looked up at the sky above Jinglan Courtyard, which was cut by the high wall.
The appearance of Lin Qingyan was like an unexpected piece thrown into the chessboard, stirring up the muddy waters even more complicatedly.
And she seemed to have accidentally made another move.
This game of chess is becoming more and more interesting.
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