Chapter 113 Undeserved Disaster His eyes lowered, a chilling glint in them. "I will..."
"Yaoyao?" Pei Xu reached out to support her swaying body, his hand feeling her icy cold skin. "Are you feeling unwell?"
Meng Lingyao moved her lips but didn't make a sound before collapsing limply to the ground.
"Yaoyao!" Pei Xu quickly pulled her into his arms, his heart feeling as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand.
"The imperial physician!" He raised his head, his voice trembling, "Summon the imperial physician!"
The eldest princess, seated at the head of the table, was the first to react. She immediately stood up, her expression grave. "Yanxing, quickly carry her to the side hall! So that the imperial physician can treat her with peace of mind. There are too many people here, and it won't be helpful for her condition."
Before he finished speaking, Pei Xu had already scooped Meng Lingyao up in his arms without hesitation and hurried towards the side hall. He was tall and his steps were always steady, but now, in his haste, he stumbled as he crossed the not-so-high threshold of Chengrui Hall, nearly falling with the person in his arms. Fortunately, he reacted quickly, regaining his balance and pulling her even tighter in his arms, almost staggering as he rushed out.
This scene, witnessed by everyone in the hall, caused a low murmur of unease. Several senior members of the imperial family exchanged bewildered glances. When had they ever seen Pei Shaoqing, who had achieved fame at a young age and remained unmoved even in the face of a collapsing mountain, lose his composure like this? Even when facing the most formidable political enemies or the most dangerous cases in the court, he always maintained that calm and collected demeanor, as if he had everything under control.
"This...this is a sudden medical emergency? How could this happen all of a sudden?" someone whispered, speculating.
“This doesn’t seem like a common illness,” another person said in a low voice. “It’s so rapid and violent, could it be…poisoning?”
"In the palace? At the family banquet on the Emperor's birthday?" The person next to him gasped and dared not say anything more.
The imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital were all sweating profusely. They had just finished examining the Second Prince's Consort and were preparing to take their leave when this unexpected incident occurred. The head physician hurriedly led his physicians to the side hall.
The emperor had fully sobered up by now. His face was grim, and he gripped the armrest tightly, his sharp gaze sweeping over the various expressions on the faces of the people in the hall. Under the very nose of the emperor, on his birthday, someone dared to openly commit such a despicable act!
An eerie silence fell over the entire Chengrui Hall, with only occasional whispers breaking the silence.
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a royal physician rushed back from a side hall and knelt before the emperor to report, "Your Majesty, Lady Pei has ingested an extremely cold substance! Women are of the yin nature and are most vulnerable to the invasion of cold, hence her excruciating abdominal pain, which was extremely dangerous. Fortunately... fortunately, Lady Pei is usually in good health and is not in immediate danger of death. However..."
As he spoke, he lowered his head deeply, his voice growing softer and softer, "I'm just afraid it might hinder my future offspring."
The words “impaired offspring” exploded like thunder in the silent hall.
Upon hearing this, some kind-hearted women immediately showed pity and sympathy. They were all women of the inner quarters, and knew all too well how difficult life would be for a woman, especially in a high-ranking family like the Pei family, if she lost her fertility. Even with a loving husband, without children, she was ultimately a rootless duckweed. Thinking of Pei Shaoqing and his wife, newly married and deeply in love, suffering such a misfortune, they couldn't help but sigh with sorrow.
Among the guests were several individuals with their own agendas, exchanging meaningful glances, some even unable to suppress a slight smile. Without the ability to bear children, how long could Madam Pei, possessing only beauty and her husband's favor, maintain this position? It seemed her position as the principal wife was far from secure.
The emperor's face was so dark it seemed to drip water. He slammed his hand on the armrest, his voice as cold as ice, "A thing of extreme cold? How could such a poisonous thing appear at my palace banquet!" He ordered sternly, "Guards! Immediately seal the palace gates and guard them closely. No one is allowed to enter or leave! I want to see who dares to tamper with things right under my nose!"
The Imperial Guards obeyed the order and moved out, the sound of their armor clashing immediately filling the air, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.
Consort Jing, who was at the banquet, suddenly realized something. Her face turned deathly pale, and she swayed, nearly slipping from her chair. She struggled to kneel before the Emperor, her voice filled with fear and lingering dread, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty... Your Majesty has something to report!" She raised her head, her eyes already brimming with tears, "Just now, while resting in the side hall, Your Majesty ordered someone to bestow upon me a bowl of bird's nest soup. Because the smell in the hall was unpleasant, I had no appetite, so... I gave it to Lady Pei. Could it be..."
Before she could finish speaking, her face turned ashen. That bowl of bird's nest soup was, barring any unforeseen circumstances, meant for her to consume. She was currently six months pregnant; if she drank the soup, the baby would certainly be in danger, and even her own life would be in peril.
Upon hearing this, the emperor's face darkened further. "Guards! Investigate the origins of that bird's nest soup immediately! Find out who handled it and who wasn't involved."
Zheng Yu gripped the Second Prince's hand tightly for a moment, then slowly released it. She was in charge of everything for this family banquet, and now such a huge blunder had occurred; she couldn't escape blame. The only saving grace was that the soup was drunk by Meng Lingyao, not Consort Jing; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Especially since she was now pregnant, she would have no way to clear her name.
Zhao Ruxuan lowered her eyes, her fingers tightening slightly as she held the teacup. She glanced subtly to her side. The Third Prince remained seated upright, his face displaying the same shock and anger as the Emperor on his throne. But she was very close to him, and when the imperial physician reported earlier, she clearly saw his hand, resting on his knee, stiffen for a moment.
She pursed her lips, lowered her head even further, and a chill slowly crept up her spine.
In a side hall, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy was intently administering acupuncture to Meng Lingyao. One silver needle after another pierced her acupoints. Even in her unconscious state, Meng Lingyao's body would tremble slightly uncontrollably, her delicate brows furrowed tightly, clearly still enduring immense pain.
Pei Xu sat on the edge of the couch, carefully pulling her upper body into his arms, using his body heat to warm her icy body. His face was ashen, and he stared intently at the judge's movements, his jaw taut.
Seeing his frightened expression, the imperial physician assisting him worried that he might do something unwise in his desperation and affect the acupuncture judge's treatment. He took the initiative to explain, "Please rest assured, Lord Pei. The acupuncture judge's skills are superb, especially his 'Burning Mountain Fire' acupuncture technique, which is used to treat deficiency and cold syndromes and has remarkable effects."
Pei Xu closed his eyes briefly, his thick eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath them. When he opened them again, the turbulent emotions in his eyes were forcibly suppressed, leaving only a bottomless darkness. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his voice was low and hoarse, "Thank you for your trouble, Imperial Physician."
In a daze, the imperial physician seemed to see a glimmer of light flash in the corner of Pei Shaoqing's eye as he lowered his gaze, so fast that he wondered if he was just seeing things due to his nervousness.
After a long while, the physician finally removed the last silver needle. He was covered in sweat, his undergarments almost completely soaked. He let out a long sigh and respectfully said to Pei Xu, "Young Master Pei, the cold poison in your wife's body has been temporarily suppressed, and she is out of danger for now. However, the damage this time was considerable, and she must take good care of herself in the future. She must not be exposed to cold again, and she must pay extra attention to her diet. She must never touch raw, cold, or chilled foods again."
He paused, glanced at Pei Xu's expression, and carefully chose his words, "As for... the matter of offspring, Madam is still young. If she can take good care of herself for several years, perhaps..."
“I understand,” Pei Xu interrupted him. “Thank you, Your Honor.”
He didn't care about having children; as long as she was safe and sound, he didn't care about anything else.
The eldest princess withdrew her gaze from Meng Lingyao, her face grim. "Have you found out? What exactly is it?"
A eunuch immediately knelt down and reported, "Your Highness, we have examined the bird's nest soup that Madam Pei used and found processed scutellaria powder in it."
"Kuqin?"
"Yes, Scutellaria baicalensis is a medicinal herb with heat-clearing effects," a royal physician replied. "However, it is extremely cold in nature, and its use should be approached with extreme caution and careful consideration of dosage. The Scutellaria baicalensis in this soup is very old and has undergone special processing, making it even colder. If a woman consumes it, it will be like having ice and snow poured over her body, easily damaging her fundamental health..."
The Empress, having been ordered to visit the side hall, understood everything upon hearing these words. This was clearly a trap set for Consort Jing, yet by a twist of fate, Meng Lingyao had fallen victim to it. If Consort Jing had drunk this soup, given her current pregnancy, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Knowing the gravity of the matter and that it could not be easily dismissed, she truthfully told Pei Xu, "Yanxing, His Majesty and I will certainly give you an explanation. Your daughter is taking the blame for someone else, and I will never let the real culprit go unpunished."
She glanced toward the bed; Pei Xu had her completely covered, and she could only catch a glimpse of the corner of his crimson dress.
Pei Xu nodded slightly. "Please forgive my rudeness, and thank you, Your Majesty. However, there are many inconveniences in the palace. Please allow me to take my wife back to the residence to recuperate."
His slender figure is extremely vain and strong-willed, and he certainly wouldn't want more people to see his current weak and disheveled appearance.
The Empress agreed, "That is only right. I will arrange for an imperial physician to accompany you, and we will ensure that the best medicines are used to guarantee your health."
Songlan, holding back her tears, handed over a cloak. Pei Xu carefully wrapped Meng Lingyao up tightly, then picked her up in his arms.
As she passed by the eldest princess, the princess whispered, "Don't worry." With her watching over the palace, no suspicious person would be allowed to escape.
Pei Xu did not stop walking; he merely nodded slightly before striding out of the side hall and heading straight outside. His back was as straight as a pine tree, his steps steady, and his arm holding Meng Lingyao remained motionless, without the slightest tremor.
At the Pei residence, Pei Xu carefully placed Meng Lingyao on the bed, tucking her in with the blankets with utmost gentleness, as if handling a rare treasure. Seeing her restless expression even in her sleep, and feeling her subtle trembling, he wished he could transfer that chill to himself.
"Why is she still trembling?" Pei Xu's voice was hoarse, his gaze fixed on Meng Lingyao's pale face. "Didn't the acupuncturist already administer acupuncture?"
The imperial physician had just finished preparing the prescription and was carefully instructing the maid on the precautions for decocting the medicine when he heard this. He quickly turned around and said, "Young Master Pei, the medicine is very potent. One acupuncture session can only suppress the most severe cold poison. The cold in Madam's body has not been completely dispelled, so she will still feel cold and uncomfortable. She will need to continue with decoctions to gradually regulate her body."
"I think it's all you useless people who only know some ineffective tricks!" Old Master Pei strode in and reprimanded him sternly.
The imperial physician was so reprimanded that he dared not raise his head or argue back. This old man had once dared to contradict even the emperor to his face in court, so he could only repeatedly assure him, "Your Excellency, please calm down. We will do our utmost. The lady is blessed with good fortune and will surely recover from this crisis. However, this cold has damaged her very foundation, so the treatment will inevitably involve some suffering."
Old Master Pei snorted heavily, his gaze shifting to Pei Xu, who remained silent by the bedside. It was as if he were seeing again the pale-faced, helpless child who had stood guard by his mother's sickbed many years ago.
The old man felt a pang of pain in his heart. He forced himself to stay alert and asked in a deep voice, "Yanxing, do you have any clue?"
Pei Xu's gaze remained fixed on Meng Lingyao. He reached out and gently brushed away the strands of hair damp with cold sweat from her forehead. His voice was low as he said, "Grandfather, this medicine was originally intended for Consort Jing and the imperial fetus in her womb. There are many people inside and outside the palace who want that child dead. But not many have the ability to tamper with things at the palace banquet."
It is not impossible for the concubines in the palace, the third prince, or even the second prince who just learned today that he will have an heir.
He lowered his eyes, his gaze icy cold. "I will petition His Majesty to investigate personally."
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Author's Note: Scutellaria baicalensis, also known as Huangqin, can clear heat and dry dampness, purge fire and detoxify. It is cold in nature. This is an exaggerated usage in this article. [shy]
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