Yehe Shi hadn't come to pay her respects to Lanqin for ten days. At first, Lanqin didn't think much of it, but after several days without her coming, she realized something was wrong. Cui Niang said that Yehe Shi was rarely seen in the inner quarters; she stayed in her room all day and never came out.
Although Lanqin found it strange, she didn't inquire further. Her belly was almost five months along and looked quite large. These past few days, she suddenly felt some discomfort in her stomach, a vague feeling of heaviness, which terrified Lanqin.
Early in the morning, Cui Niang invited Doctor Liang into Lanqin's room to examine her, just in case anything unexpected happened.
Dr. Liang listened to the fetal heartbeat with a stethoscope and then took her pulse.
"Consort, in traditional Chinese medicine, there are substances like musk and safflower that can accelerate blood circulation and cause miscarriage. I just gave you a preliminary examination and found that your pulse is beating much faster than usual. The fetal heartbeat also seems to be faster. It looks like you've been exposed to musk and safflower. Has Consort been in contact with anything like this recently?" Doctor Liang said, putting away his stethoscope.
Cui Niang and Nian Xue, who were standing to the side, were so frightened by these words that they quickly recalled the objects Lan Qin usually came into contact with, as well as who had visited her and given her gifts.
Lanqin was completely baffled, having no idea when she had come into contact with those things, and simply shook her head in confusion.
"Consort, how are you feeling now?" Doctor Liang asked.
"I feel a bloating in my lower abdomen, a kind of downward pressure, similar to the feeling during my period," Lanqin said.
"Doctor Liang, please think of a way to give this to the concubine. We are always very careful about what our mistress eats and uses, and we have never found any of those things," said Cui Niang.
“Besides Consort Song, Consort Yehe also came often before, but neither of them brought anything for the master. They just came to sit and chat and then left. It’s impossible for such evil things to be hidden in the South Courtyard. How exactly did the master get infected by those things?” Nianxue asked.
Her words made both Cui Niang and Lan Qin fall into deep thought. Nian Xue was right. Ever since Lan Qin was pushed and fell outside, she had hardly left the South Courtyard after returning. Even if someone wanted to poison her, they would need an opportunity. But apart from Song Shi, only Ye He Shi had come.
“It’s Yehe! She’s the only one who’s ever come here, and she used to come frequently. Sister Song wouldn’t harm me, I trust her.”
Lanqin said.
Cui Niang nodded and said, "This servant thinks so too. Song Gege and Master are like sisters, having known each other for many years. She has no reason to harm Master. Only Yehe Shi has ulterior motives. She used to come all the time, but now she has suddenly stopped. Doctor Liang, is Master's health alright? We must quickly remove the effects of musk or safflower on the fetus in Master's womb."
"Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be a big problem now, and the toxicity may not be significant. But we still need to be careful. I'll prepare some medicine to help with the pregnancy and have him take it for three days to see how things go," said Doctor Liang.
Cui Niang hurriedly sent Lan Qi and Si Hua to accompany Doctor Liang to prepare the medicine, while she and Nian Xue began to examine every item Lan Qin had used, not even missing the ice basin.
"What are you doing? She didn't give me anything, and that thing shouldn't be in my room," Lanqin said.
“When she came, all the servants were watching her closely. There’s no way she could have secretly put something there without us knowing,” said Cui Niang.
“So you don’t need to bother anymore, we definitely don’t have it here.” Lanqin intuitively felt that Yehe’s sudden absence must be related to her being poisoned by musk or safflower, but she couldn’t figure out the connection.
Meanwhile, when the Princess Consort learned that the two maids from the South Courtyard had gone to the manor's pharmacy to get medicine, she immediately asked the servant who came to report, "What medicine did they get? Do you know?"
The servant was originally in charge of the pharmacy, but he had long been bribed by the Princess Consort. He would inform her of who took which medicine.
"They brought astragalus, fritillaria, licorice, and five-element seeds. These herbs are probably used to protect the fetus and have the effect of clearing heat and strengthening the body," the man said.
The princess's lips curled into a faint smile as she waved to the man, signaling him to leave. Lingxiu personally saw him out, naturally slipping a purse into his hand.
When Lingxiu returned, she saw the Fujin walking to the window, preparing to pick up scissors to trim the potted Eighteen Scholars. Each pink flower was exceptionally beautiful.
"Madam, the illness in the South Courtyard has flared up again. It seems that the bracelet worked." Lingxiu said with a smile.
"We can't be too happy yet, after all, she hasn't miscarried. How is things on the Yehe side?" the Fujin said in a deep voice, her hand holding scissors searching for suitable branches to cut.
“Peach Blossom said that Lady Yehe has locked herself in her bedroom every day, and Jade Dew is only brought in when it’s time to eat. She’s been locked up for more than ten days now, and she hasn’t tried to take any more of that stuff. I’m really impressed with Lady Yehe; she’s managed to resist.” Lingxiu said.
"Hehe, what a Yehe woman. She actually managed to get her to quit." The Fujin said with slight surprise.
“Madam, now that Yehe has broken free from her dependence on opium, what if she refuses to listen to you anymore?” Lingxiu asked.
“Now that she has the biggest weakness in the hands of the Fujin, how could she not listen to me?” Fujin glanced at Lingxiu and said.
"Does Your Highness mean that bracelet?" Lingxiu asked, noticing a strange glint in the Fujin's eyes.
“Yes, if that woman in the South Courtyard miscarries, then she will be the murderer who killed the child in her womb. Tell me, is there any better incriminating evidence than that?” the Fujin said with a smile.
“That’s right, there’s no turning back now. If she wants to survive here, she has to rely on the Fujin (principal wife). Otherwise, she probably won’t even get to see the master,” Lingxiu said.
Meanwhile, Yehe Shi had indeed begun to kick her opium addiction, and was now forcing herself to eat every day to regain the weight she had gained. She wanted to be able to return to her former self when the Fourth Prince returned.
"Princess, your face has become a bit rounder. Eating four or five meals a day is definitely having an effect," Yu Lu said, looking at Ye He Shi.
"Have you found what I wanted?" Yehe smiled slightly as she sat behind her desk, drawing. During the ten-odd days of detoxification, whenever the withdrawal symptoms struck, she forced herself to draw, drawing incessantly. No matter how uncomfortable she felt, she continuously vented her anger and resentment on the blank paper, which was how she managed to persevere.
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