"What should we do? Imperial Physician Yang, please quickly cast a spell to save these three children. They don't look well. Could their lives be in danger?" Lanqin asked hurriedly when she saw that the old imperial physician had revealed the truth.
"Your Highness, there is no specific medicine to treat this kind of food poisoning. We can only give the child some detoxifying soups to help him recover. Whether he can pull through depends on the child himself. Job's tears and red dates are both very nourishing foods when eaten individually, but if they are eaten together, they can cause swelling of the throat over time, blocking the trachea and causing difficulty breathing, which in turn can lead to brain hypoxia and coma," said Physician Yang.
"Judge Yang, I don't recall ever hearing that red dates and Job's tears shouldn't be eaten together. Does anyone know about this food taboo?" Lanqin felt a chill in her heart. At this moment, she was actually on the verge of collapse, but she was gritting her teeth to keep from breaking down. Wuxiha was still so young. According to this old doctor, whether she could pull through this ordeal depended on herself.
Upon hearing this, Judge Yang naturally understood Lan Qin's meaning; his words could determine someone's life or death. The old man had been working in the palace since the time of Emperor Shunzhi; he had seen all kinds of people. The concubines in the harem were capable of anything to win the emperor's favor.
“It’s hard to say, old man. These food taboos aren’t a problem; some people know them, some don’t. Just like Consort Yang, even if I didn’t tell you, you wouldn’t know,” Judge Yang said, squinting his eyes.
Fourth Master looked at the three children lying on the bed and said to Physician Yang, "Please tell them about the detoxifying medicine so that we can quickly boil some."
Yang, the court physician, bowed to the Fourth Master and then followed Su Peisheng to prepare the medicinal soup.
Lanqin, having received such a remark from him, knew that this time it would be difficult to get justice for Wuxiha and the wet nurse's two children. She was almost certain that this incident was no coincidence. The barley porridge was sent by Yan Yu, and the jujube soup was sent by Madam Yin. Did they know that these two foods were incompatible? But would Fourth Master believe it?
With tears in her eyes, Lanqin said to the Fourth Master, "Master, there's no need to interrogate those maids. The matter is already clear."
Fourth Master nodded and told Chen Shou to immediately go and tell the head nanny.
Lanqin lay down on Wuxiha's bed, staring at the small body that was suffering extraordinary pain. Her little face was slightly red from difficulty breathing, and a sawing sound came from her lungs.
Lanqin took that small, chubby hand, pressed it against her face, and choked out, "It's all my fault, Mother. I should have protected you every moment."
The two wet nurses, each guarding their own child, were in tears. Lanqin and Fourth Master, of course, wouldn't blame them at this moment.
Fourth Master walked behind Lanqin, stroking her back with one hand, and said in a low voice, "Wuxiha will pull through, Qin'er, believe in her, believe that our daughter will pull through."
The maids standing behind Lanqin, including Nianxue and Xicha, all looked sorrowful. Nianxue, in particular, knew very well that Lanqin had been longing for this child for a long time, and that the pregnancy and childbirth had been difficult. Now, she was about to face the grief of losing her.
At the same time, Madam Yin had already led Ye Ying to the main courtyard.
"This humble servant greets Your Highness, may Your Highness enjoy boundless blessings and peace!" Lady Yin performed a perfectly proper bow to Lady Ulanara, who was seated in the main seat of the hall.
"Sister, please get up quickly." The Fujin looked at Madam Yin indifferently.
"Pan Chun dares not rise, Pan Chun begs for help from the Fujin!" Madam Yin remained squatting, her body not swaying at all, as steady as a wooden sculpture, showing that she had practiced her bowing skills.
"What do you mean by that, sister? Why do you need my help?" The princess's lips curled into a slight smile, and she understood more and more.
“Your Highness must have summoned me here for a reason. Besides, the headmaster of the South Courtyard has already been summoned, so something serious must have happened. Although I don’t know what it has to do with me, I still feel uneasy,” said Madam Yin.
The Fujin (principal wife) helped Lingxiu up from her seat, walked over to Madam Yin, and personally helped her up.
“Sister, both of Ushiha’s and her wet nurse’s children were poisoned after eating barley and jujube soup. Do you know why?” The Fujin stood beside her, and the two did not look at each other, but spoke with their bodies turned to the side.
A flicker of horror flashed in Madam Yin's eyes, but it quickly faded away, like a pebble thrown into a deep pool.
"This concubine had no idea that jujube soup and barley porridge could cause food poisoning. Please enlighten me, Your Highness!" As if suddenly understanding, Madam Yin turned around and bowed to Your Highness again.
"You really did send those two items of food over?" the Fujin asked.
"I only sent red date soup. On the day of Wuxiha's full moon celebration, I sent some clothes and food as well. They ate it on the spot and there was no problem." Madam Yin already knew that Yan Yu was behind this scheme, but she was the Fujin's sister after all, and she couldn't be sure that it was her. What if it was Nan Xiaoyuan who cooked it herself?
"Is there anything else you haven't said?" Knowing her concerns, the Fujin pressed on.
Considering the Fujin's meaning, Madam Yin slowly said, "It was Princess Yu who suggested sending this jujube soup. She came to see me the other day and asked about Wuxiha's one-month celebration, saying that it would be good for the little princess to drink some jujube water. I didn't think much of it, only that jujubes are very mild, and it wouldn't be a problem for a child to drink a little to replenish his blood and qi. I never imagined that jujubes and barley could cause poisoning. I just don't know who was so lucky as to let the little princess drink barley porridge."
The princess sneered and said, "My sister has always thought herself clever. Now that she has caused this trouble, it was probably premeditated."
Upon hearing this, Madam Yin felt a pang of bitterness and a burning hatred for Yan Yu. She had only just gained the Fourth Prince's trust and was raising the Third Prince; now that this had happened, there was no guarantee that the Fourth Prince wouldn't become suspicious of her.
"Please enlighten me, Madam. I truly did not know that red dates and Job's tears could cause poisoning, otherwise I would never have sent them. I just don't know whether Princess Yu did it unintentionally or intentionally. What should I say when the master asks?" Madam Yin asked, bowing her head.
The Fujin turned around, stared at Madam Yin's face, and slowly said, "Sister, if the master asks, just say that Princess Yu sent you to deliver it, and that you know nothing else. Do you understand?"
Lady Yin looked up at the Fujin in astonishment, but what she saw on her face was a look of certainty, without the slightest hint of probing.
Why is this? Is the Princess Consort planning to kill her own sister?
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