Li's cries were as terrifying as those of a night owl, and the servants working in the front yard rushed over upon hearing them.
When they reached Jianjia Pond, they saw Li Shi clinging to the shore with one hand. The Fourth Prince had already been placed on the shore by her, but he was lying unconscious on the ground.
Mingyan immediately urged everyone to pull Li Shi up, her eyes red and anxious, "My son, quickly save the Fourth Prince! Hurry!"
After everyone pulled Li Shi out of the pool, she said in a daze, "Nanny, Nanny, she's still in the water!"
Several servants who knew how to swim jumped into the water with a splash and began searching for the wet nurse. The reed pond was not large, and they could see almost everything, but there was no sign of the wet nurse.
"I'm afraid it's sunk." After saying this, Madam Li, supported by Mingyan, escorted the Fourth Prince away.
Lady Li ordered someone to carry the Fourth Prince upside down, head down and feet up, on her back and walk around. Slowly, the Fourth Prince began to spit out water. As the shaking intensified, the Fourth Prince began to react, spitting out large gulps of water.
“Keep going, keep going. The Fourth Prince has started vomiting water,” Li shouted hoarsely.
"Consort, Doctor Zhou has arrived." Upon learning that the Fourth Prince had fallen into the water, Xiangqiao immediately ran to fetch Doctor Zhou. By the time Madam Li and the others returned to the main room, Doctor Zhou had already arrived.
Lady Li had already put the Fourth Prince down from the servant's back. When Doctor Zhou went to check on him, the Fourth Prince was already somewhat conscious.
"Reporting to Consort Li, the Fourth Prince should be alright now; he has woken up," Doctor Zhou said to Lady Li, who was still dripping wet, after examining the Fourth Prince.
"Oh, I'm so glad my son is alright. That wet nurse is truly despicable; she actually took the Fourth Prince to play by the Reed Pond. I only went to relieve myself, and then they disappeared." Li walked to the Fourth Prince's side, noticing his still pale face, and said in a trembling voice, "Doctor Zhou, why does he still look unwell?"
Doctor Zhou raised his hand and reported, "Your Highness, the Fourth Prince must have been frightened, and then he suddenly soaked in cold water for a while, so he probably caught a chill. I will immediately prescribe some medicine to dispel the cold for the Fourth Prince, and we must feed it to him quickly."
Madam Li nodded immediately and said to Xiangqiao, "Hurry up and go with Doctor Zhou to prepare the medicine."
After they left, Madam Li seemed to remember something and said to Mingyan, "Go and call the nanny and maid who serve the Fourth Prince to come and help him change his clothes."
"Consort, you're still dripping wet. Let me help you change your clothes," Que'er said to Li Shi.
Meanwhile, at the other side of the reed pond, several servants had already dragged the wet nurse's slightly bloated body ashore. Her eyes were tightly closed, and her belly was as large as a pregnant woman's, clearly indicating she had drunk too much water. One servant tried to press on her stomach, but the wet nurse's teeth were clenched tightly, and she couldn't open her mouth at all.
At that moment, the head eunuch arrived at the edge of the reed pond with her entourage, silently observing everything. She recognized this wet nurse; she had personally chosen her to serve the Fourth Prince. She didn't know which courtyard's eunuch had come to tell her that something had happened in the east courtyard, so she rushed over immediately.
"Go quickly and fetch Doctor Zhou to take a look!" the head nanny said sternly. Everyone in the mansion was under her jurisdiction. Apart from the masters of the courtyards, everyone else could come to her directly for any matter, big or small.
"Reporting to the head nanny, Doctor Zhou is probably with the Fourth Prince right now," a servant said.
"What's wrong with the Fourth Prince?" the head nanny asked疑惑地, as she seemed to have seen the Fourth Prince yesterday and he didn't seem to be sick.
"The Fourth Prince and his wet nurse fell into the pond together, but they have been rescued by Consort Li. They are probably with Consort Li right now, and Doctor Zhou has also been invited there by Consort Li," said another servant who helped rescue the wet nurse.
"I'll go myself. You all stay and watch over her." After saying this, the head nanny hurried towards Madam Li's main room.
Lady Li had changed her clothes and was staying by the Fourth Prince's side. The Fourth Prince's face was pale, and his breath was weak. Lady Li held the Fourth Prince's hand, her eyes brimming with tears, and said, "Fourth Prince, please don't frighten your mother like this. Your mother can't live without you."
The head maid took a deep breath, walked to Li's side, and said softly, "Second Madam, is Doctor Zhou here with you?"
When Li saw the head nanny arrive, she wiped away her tears and said in a choked voice, "I'm preparing medicine for the Fourth Prince in the small kitchen."
The head nanny then said, "Reporting to Consort, the wet nurse who was in charge of taking care of the Fourth Prince has been rescued. This old servant would like to ask Doctor Zhou to go and take a look; perhaps there is still hope."
Madam Li's eyes narrowed slightly, and she sobbed as she said, "But the Fourth Prince's life is still hanging in the balance. What if something happens to the Fourth Prince if Doctor Zhou leaves?"
The head nanny frowned slightly, looking at the Fourth Prince's face again and again. Just as she was hesitating, Doctor Zhou came in with a bowl of medicine.
"Consort, quickly feed the Fourth Prince this; it will help remove excess water from his body." Doctor Zhou nodded slightly as he saw the head nanny standing beside the Consort, then handed the bowl in his hand to Mingyan, who was standing to the side.
Fearing that the head nanny would realize that the Fourth Prince was alright, Madam Li immediately exclaimed loudly, "Doctor Zhou, why is the Fourth Prince still unconscious? His little face looks pale!"
Doctor Zhou bowed and said, "Reporting to Consort Zhou, the Fourth Prince is weak and has caught a chill, and he has started to have a fever. Quickly give him the medicine that I have prepared to dispel the chill."
Madam Li nodded, and Mingyan, along with several maids who served the Fourth Prince, began to feed him the medicine little by little.
Time passed slowly, and the wet nurse's life was slipping away bit by bit. Finally, a servant rushed over and said to Consort Li and the head nanny, "Reporting to Consort Li and the head nanny, the wet nurse is probably not going to make it."
A sense of relief flashed through Li's heart, but she pretended to be helpless and said to Doctor Zhou, "You should go with the old woman to take a look. The Fourth Prince should be fine after drinking the medicine."
The head nanny bowed to Madam Li and then hurriedly left with Doctor Zhou.
When they arrived at the Reed Pond, they saw that the wet nurse's face had turned ashen and deathly pale. Doctor Zhou hurriedly stepped forward, pried open the wet nurse's mouth, looked inside, and felt her pulse. Sure enough, she had no life left.
The head nanny walked up behind Doctor Zhou, her eyes fixed on the wet nurse with a deep look. In truth, when she left to fetch Doctor Zhou, she already sensed that the wet nurse might not survive. This wet nurse was a bondservant of the Bordered Blue Banner, married to a down-on-his-luck Bannerman. Her three children relied almost entirely on her monthly salary earned working for the Fourth Prince's household. Now that she had suddenly passed away, what would become of those children? The head nanny sighed deeply and said, "Take her to rest and prepare for the Fourth Prince's return to make a decision!"
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