Chapter 573 Poisoning
Right now, Li San Niang is in the courtyard of the large kitchen in the backyard of the Song family. She is kneeling on the ground, giving acupuncture to the little girl lying on the ground.
Yes, Song Zhenzhu rushed to the pavilion in the garden to find Li Sanniang, wanting to ask Li Sanniang to rescue the person.
Let's rewind a few dozen breaths. On the way to the Song family's main kitchen, Song Zhenzhu hurriedly explained to Li Sanniang why she had suddenly come to see her.
"This is the first time my mother has taught me to manage such a large banquet. My aunt asked me to take charge of the kitchen work."
The banquet is about to begin, and I'm worried, so I wanted to go to the kitchen to check on things.
I went to the kitchen on a whim, and it actually caused me some trouble.
As soon as I arrived, I saw two kitchen girls sitting side by side in front of the stove, eating from a bowl of food. I knew that it was common for the kitchen staff to taste the food, but it was just a matter of eating; they just ate.
But the little girl probably saw me coming and got scared, so she choked.
I had no idea they'd dare steal food; I certainly didn't have the guts to let anyone see them.
As Song Zhenzhu spoke, she rolled her eyes. "However, some old women knew what was going on, so they went up and patted the girl on the back. Someone else gave the girl water, thinking they could help her swallow the food in her mouth."
I didn't want to reprimand them right away, so I planned to say a few words and let the matter drop, and then we could talk about it later after the banquet.
But as soon as I walked over, before I could even say a word, before my mouth was even open, the girl suddenly started convulsing, and within moments she was foaming at the mouth and her eyes rolled back.
Song Zhenzhu walked quickly, and while talking with Li Sanniang, they arrived at the entrance of the kitchen courtyard. As Song Zhenzhu walked in, she continued, "I was so frightened at the time. It was the nanny who reminded me, and I immediately asked the male servant to go find the doctor we keep at home."
While waiting for the doctor to arrive, the girl's spasms gradually subsided, but she was still exhaling more than inhaling.
I suddenly remembered that Dr. Li would be here today, so I wanted to ask you to save my life.
I was thinking if we waited for that family's private doctor to come over...
Before Song Zhenzhu could finish speaking, Li Sanniang saw a little girl kneeling on the ground in the courtyard suddenly convulsing. Ignoring Song Zhenzhu's words, Li Sanniang stepped forward, took out her gold needle pouch from her waist, and immediately took out needles to insert into the little girl's body.
Within moments of Li San Niang applying the needles, the young girl stopped convulsing, but remained lying unconscious on the ground with her eyes tightly closed.
"Who is she? What was she doing before? Did she eat anything?"
Li San Niang loudly asked the stunned onlookers a question, and then looked at Song Zhenzhu.
After Li San Niang administered the acupuncture, she took the pulse of the young girl and discovered that she seemed to be poisoned, and it was very likely that she had been poisoned by more than one kind of poison.
That's why Li San Niang asked that question.
How could Song Zhenzhu possibly know?
"Dr. Li, she's one of those two kitchen maids, but I don't know her name?"
Song Zhenzhu quickly looked at one of the old women in charge of the kitchen. The old woman was so frightened that she knelt down on the ground with a "plop," her mouth open but unable to utter a word.
"Wait a minute, where's the other girl?"
Where did that girl who takes in more air than she exhales go?
At this moment, Qiu Xiang, who was standing to the side holding Lu Zhu'er, put Lu Zhu'er down and told her to stay next to Song Zhenzhu and not move.
Qiu Xiang walked to the wall by the entrance of the courtyard, where a person dressed in emerald green clothes had their head covered by a white cloth and was lying on the ground.
The emerald green dress looks similar to the little girl Li San Niang treated with acupuncture; she must be the other little girl Song Zhenzhu was talking about, the one who stole food while tending the fire.
A short, plump old woman in the courtyard saw Qiu Xiang reaching out to lift the white cloth and called out, "Don't move! Don't move! Qing'er is gone, let's leave her with some dignity."
Qiu Xiang was not one to listen to reason, and she immediately lifted the white cloth. Underneath the cloth was a little girl, but strangely, the little girl's cheeks were bluish-black, and she didn't look like she had choked to death.
Qiu Xiang immediately called out to Li San Niang, who was still giving acupuncture to the young girl lying down, "San Niangzi!"
Li San Niang quickly walked over and, upon seeing the state of the young woman named Qing Ya, knew that she had died from poisoning.
"Young Miss Song, quickly go and invite Madam Song here."
Song Zhenzhu had just walked over as well, and she also saw Qingya's expression. "This...this...why is this girl like this? Wasn't she still alive when I left!"
She, she, how could she be dead!
She...she..."
Seeing Song Zhenzhu's condition, Li Sanniang quickly stepped forward, grasped Song Zhenzhu's hand, and pressed down on the web of her thumb and forefinger. "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, exhale, good, inhale."
Li San Niang gave a wink to the maid behind Song Zhenzhu, who quickly brought over a stool and helped Song Zhenzhu sit down. The maid then massaged Song Zhenzhu's tiger's mouth (the area between the thumb and index finger) in the same way Li San Niang had done.
"You, go and invite Madam Song immediately."
Having confirmed that she had indeed been poisoned, Li San Niang inserted several more needles into the body of the young girl who was still lying on the ground with the golden needle still stuck in her head. After a few breaths, the young girl's eyelids twitched, and then she opened her eyes. Before she could see the people surrounding her, she covered her mouth and felt like vomiting.
"Don't hold it in, just throw up!"
Li San Niang shouted at her, but the young woman still covered her mouth, looking like she wanted to vomit but dared not. Someone in the yard with good eyesight quickly brought over a large jar from the side.
As soon as the little girl saw that there was something inside, she immediately hugged the earthenware jar and started vomiting, vomiting so violently that she was completely disoriented.
A stench of stomach acid and fishy smell wafted through the yard, coming from the little girl's vomit.
Seeing that she had vomited almost all of it, only bringing up some sour water, Li Sanniang removed the golden needles that had been inserted into the little girl's body. Li Sanniang then said to the woman who had brought the jar earlier, who was watching, "Get some clean water for her to drink."
Just as Li San Niang finished speaking, there was a commotion at the kitchen door. Madam Song walked in with an old woman and two maids behind her.
Song Zhenzhu had recovered by now. When she saw Madam Song coming over, she felt reassured and quickly stood up with the help of her maid. She then spoke to Madam Song.
"...Mother, that's how it is."
"What to do? What to do? Mother, the feast is about to begin! What are we going to do?"
Madam Song reached out and took Song Zhenzhu's hand, whispering, "Don't be afraid, your mother is here."
Then, Madam Song bowed solemnly to Li San Niang, saying, "Thank you so much, Doctor Li. No amount of thanks is too much. It's just that the banquet is supposed to start in less than a quarter of an hour, and yet this has happened."
Could you please take a look at the items in this kitchen and see if they are still usable?
If not, I'll have to find some excuse to delay the start of the banquet so I can order food from various restaurants.
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