Chapter 89 Come find me first
Through careful comparison, Meng Yutong discovered that the powder extracted from the part of the blanket stained with pink juice after baking had a subtle difference in color compared to the other parts.
She personally picked up the piece of glass, focused intently, and confirmed that it indeed contained something that was not originally in the prescription.
However, no matter how hard she tried to recall and compare, she couldn't immediately identify what the extra ingredient was. She could only hand the glass shard to Ji Yun beside her, "Take a look at this."
The two of them huddled together under the light, their heads almost touching, carefully examining the tiny speck of discolored powder.
Meng Yutong was so engrossed in watching that she subconsciously brought the glass shard close to her nose, trying to smell its aroma. She was so focused that her nose almost touched the powder.
Ji Yun's eyes narrowed, and before he could think further, he reached out and gently pressed his finger against her forehead, pulling her back a little.
Meng Yutong paused, then looked up at him with a slightly bewildered expression.
Ji Yun withdrew his hand nonchalantly, his tone calm and unreadable: "You've gone to great lengths to get this little bit. Be careful not to inhale it all. Then let's see what you can still investigate."
Upon hearing this, Meng Yutong found it reasonable and stopped risking smelling it. Instead, she carefully placed the glass shard containing the powder on the table and tightened the caps of the small bottles that collected the other powders.
"We can't see any clues for now, so let's put it aside for a while."
"Didn't you bring other things back from the princess's residence?" Ji Yun reminded him.
Meng Yutong nodded, took out the plain silk wrapped with hibiscus petals and lip rouge from the medical kit, and spread it out on the table.
She pointed to the delicate pink petals and said, "I observe that the color of this flower is very similar to the color of the smear of juice on the carpet. The furnishings in the princess's residence are mostly bright and colorful, and such light and delicate pink is quite rare."
"Moreover, the juice on the blanket, though only a little, upon closer inspection, shows an uneven transition in color, unlike a carefully prepared medicine, but rather seems to be... caused by natural flower juice."
Ji Yun immediately understood her meaning: "You suspect that the unknown sap originated from this flower?"
Seeing Meng Yutong nod, Ji Yun lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment before saying, "Whether it is or not, we'll know once we try."
He plucked a hibiscus petal, ground it finely in a white jade cup with a jade pestle, and squeezed out a pink juice.
He then unfolded the medicinal blanket again, dipped a clean silver hairpin into a small amount of freshly squeezed flower juice, and gently dabbed it onto a blank spot on the blanket, letting it dry naturally.
The two bent down and compared the newly applied flower juice with the original unidentified stain. The color, concentration, and even the texture after drying were exactly the same.
To be on the safe side, Ji Yun followed the same method, baking the area newly stained with flower juice over a low flame, collecting the extracted powder, and comparing it side by side with the previously questionable powder.
"It is undoubtedly the juice of this flower."
Ji Yun drew a conclusion, but his brow remained furrowed. "However, the hibiscus itself is not poisonous, and its sap is also harmless. Yet the Empress Dowager's people insist that the sap is problematic..."
He pondered for a moment and said, "I will personally go to the Imperial Medical Academy tomorrow to see what progress has been made in Chen Bin's examination."
"That's all we can do," Meng Yutong sighed softly, rubbing her slightly throbbing temples.
The night outside the window was deep, and the candlelight flickered weakly.
Ji Yun looked at her and saw that her black hair was tied up high. Although she looked neat and tidy in men's clothing, the weariness between her brows was hard to hide. "It's getting late. I'm afraid there won't be much progress tonight. Why don't you go and rest first, and get enough rest so we can discuss it again tomorrow?"
Meng Yutong also looked up at him, the lamplight reflecting two warm points in her clear eyes. She said sincerely, "Ji Yun, thank you for today."
Her words of gratitude were pure and direct, without any unnecessary emotions.
Looking at her exhausted yet still trying to hold on, Ji Yun felt a strange, gentle prick in his heart.
He looked away, tidying up the scattered utensils on the table, and said in a softer voice, "I've told you many times, there's no need for such formalities between us. Besides, Princess Jingfu is my aunt, and it's only my duty to find out the truth and help her recover. You should go and get some rest."
"Then you should get some rest too," Meng Yutong said, and then got up.
Thinking that she would continue tomorrow, she left the things on the table untied, intending to use them again tomorrow.
Ji Yun also stood up. Seeing her turn to leave, he struggled with his thoughts for a moment, but finally spoke before she took a step: "Meng Yutong, if you encounter any difficulties in the future, may you come to me first?"
Meng Yutong stopped and looked back, her eyes filled with a faint doubt and a deeper sense of bewilderment.
She paused, then said seriously, "In my memory, you are not the kind of person who likes to meddle in other people's business. Our relationship doesn't seem to have reached the point where we need to entrust everything to each other."
"And what about you and Li Jing?" Ji Yun's voice was slightly hoarse. The image of the pair of white magnolia earrings in the medical kit lingered in his mind, stirring up layers of bitterness. "I knew you before he did, and I spent far more time with you. In your heart, are you actually closer to him?"
Meng Yutong remained calm. "I remember telling you that I don't like owing favors. If he helps me today, I can help him in the future. The boundaries are clear, it's clean for both of us, and there's no trouble."
Ji Yun gazed at her.
Under the lamp, she stood slender yet straight, like a bright moon shining alone in the cold night, its clear light spreading far and wide, yet unapproachable; or like a deep valley spring, its still waters running deep and cold to the touch.
She was standing right in front of him, her clothes fluttering slightly in the night breeze seeping in from the window, her figure clear, yet it seemed as if there was an invisible, insurmountable mountain and river between them, making him feel powerless from afar.
He was silent for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was much lower: "Perhaps I have never mentioned it to you. I am not the eldest son of the Ji family. I had an elder brother above me."
A hint of surprise flashed across Meng Yutong's eyes.
Ji Yun has an older brother? She had never heard of this before, not even during the time she married into the Ji family in her previous life.
But why did he suddenly bring this up?
Seeing the doubt on her face, Ji Yun smiled with a hint of bitterness: "My elder brother was a medical genius in his youth, with extraordinary medical skills. He had a grand ambition to save the world and once vowed to compile a world-class medical book to cover all the difficult and complicated diseases in the world and benefit future generations. It's just a pity that he didn't live long."
His gaze fell on Meng Yutong's face, carrying a complex and difficult-to-decipher emotion, with a hint of earnestness: "I'm telling you all this because I want to tell you that your medical talent and insights are far beyond what ordinary people can achieve. In the time I've known and worked with you, I've benefited greatly from you. If I were to continue writing my brother's unfinished book in the future, there would certainly be many difficulties that I would need to consult and discuss with you."
He paused slightly, as if taking a deep breath, "So, if you ever encounter difficulties again, don't go to great lengths to ask me for help. Try to trouble me. I'll help you today, and you can help me in the future. I deeply agree with Yutong's way of dealing with people."
Upon hearing this, Meng Yutong's brows relaxed slightly, and she nodded gently, speaking with propriety and grace: "Physician Ji, you flatter me. I will remember your help this time. If in the future, in the field of medicine, there is anything I can do to help you, please speak frankly, and I will repay you with all my heart."
Her words remained polite and considerate.
Upon hearing this, Ji Yun smiled faintly, a smile that dispelled some of the coldness that usually clung to his brows, revealing a sense of relief and ease.
A night breeze rose, sweeping through the branches and leaves of the pomegranate tree in the courtyard, making a soft, low rustling sound.
“Of course,” he replied, his eyes clear and his voice slightly gentler than usual.
*
On the other side of Princess Jingfu's residence, Li Jing was anxiously waiting in the garden, pacing back and forth. The two hadn't returned after so long, and he was afraid that something had happened to Meng Yutong.
Just as he was feeling uneasy, he saw Granny Wu walking hurriedly towards him.
Granny Wu approached and bowed respectfully, saying, "Young Master Li, Physician Ji and his entourage have already left the manor. He specifically instructed this old servant to come and inform you that you should return to your manor to rest and need not wait for them."
"What? They left first?" Li Jing's eyes widened, and he pointed to himself in disbelief, a sudden surge of anger rising in his chest.
Granny Wu nodded in confirmation, and then gently urged again, "Yes, Your Highness, please return to your residence to rest as soon as possible."
Li Jing couldn't help but click his tongue softly, feeling an indescribable sense of frustration stuck in his chest, neither rising nor falling.
He clearly went to great lengths to bring the person out, so how could Ji Yun just take him away like that? And what about Meng Yutong? With Ji Yun's help, did she just forget about him? What a blatant act of crossing the river and then burning the bridge!
Besides, how much time would it take for them to wait for him on their way out?
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. A nameless rage surged to his head, and with a flick of his sleeve, he strode out of the mansion without looking back, his whole body filled with resentment.
Hmph, he doesn't even want to get involved!
He's happy to finally relax and go back to sleep!
*
The next morning, around the end of the Chen hour, the golden morning light bathed the backyard of Zhaoyutang. A refreshing autumn breeze brought the fresh scent of grass and trees, and birds chirped under the eaves, adding to the tranquility.
The old persimmon tree in the courtyard has lush green leaves, and a bamboo birdcage hangs among its branches, containing the pigeons that Liu Sijun has entrusted to him.
The weather was fine today, so Meng Yutong took it out early in the morning to get some fresh air and sunshine.
As dawn broke, she sat back down at the stone table in the courtyard, continuing to ponder the medicinal powders and flower juices that she hadn't been able to sort out the night before.
Beside her feet was a bamboo cage containing several lively, energetic chickens.
The guards outside would bring meals, and for the past few days, the food had been delivered by Granny Sun. Today, after Granny Sun brought some simple breakfast, Meng Yutong specifically asked her to bring a basket of live chickens.
She ground some fresh hibiscus flower juice again, mixed it with the main ingredients she used to fumigate her medicinal blankets, then took a chicken out of the cage, carefully fed it the paste mixed with flower juice, and marked the chicken's wing feathers with a pen for easy identification and observation.
Just as they were busy, a familiar voice came from the front hall, as if Ji Yun had returned.
Meng Yutong immediately stopped what she was doing, got up and walked quickly to the front hall, where she ran into Ji Yun, who was coming to the backyard to look for her.
"How is it?" Meng Yutong asked impatiently, "What were the results of Physician Chen's examination of the samples sent to the Imperial Medical Academy yesterday?"
Ji Yun shook his head, his expression slightly grave: "Chen Bin and his men checked the items three times. All the items sampled from the princess's residence, including the hibiscus flower, were found to be free of any toxicity."
Seeing a hint of disappointment flash across Meng Yutong's face, he pondered for a moment and softened his voice to comfort her, "Don't be anxious. Since the individual items on the surface are all non-toxic, perhaps the root cause of Aunt's poisoning is not a single item."
“My aunt is of noble status. If I were to use a deadly poison directly in her food and daily life, it would be too obvious and could easily backfire. If I were the one who poisoned her, I would never resort to such a crude and risky method.”
Meng Yutong lowered her eyes, pondering his words. Ji Yun's thoughts coincided with hers. She didn't actually have much hope for the samples sent to the Medical Academy for testing.
She also tends to believe that the real source of the poison is a combination of seemingly harmless substances that, under specific conditions, produce a deadly toxicity.
Only in this way will the investigation be extremely difficult, and it will also be the safest for those behind the scenes.
The two continued their discussion along this line of thought for a few more minutes.
At this moment, a little commotion arose under the persimmon tree in the backyard.
Shi Yu had already gotten up. Wu Ming arranged for him to have breakfast and then let him wander around the courtyard as he pleased.
He walked to the persimmon tree and saw the pigeons in the cage. On a whim, he took out a handful of millet from somewhere and started teasing them.
The pigeons ate happily, flapping their wings from time to time, appearing energetic and eager to break free of their cages.
Perhaps it was making too much noise, because when it stretched its neck to peck at the food, it accidentally got its head stuck between the bamboo bars of the cage, and immediately started to coo in a panic.
The chickens in the cages on the ground were startled by the sudden noise and started clucking loudly. The small courtyard was instantly filled with chickens flying and pigeons jumping, making a great commotion.
Seeing this, Shi Yu hurriedly opened the birdcage and reached in to rescue the reckless pigeon.
After finally managing to get it out, the pigeon immediately regained its spirits and broke free from his grasp with a "whoosh," circling low in the sky above the courtyard.
Shi Yu hurriedly chased after it, but missed every time. Finally, the pigeon swooped down and landed steadily on the stone table where Meng Yutong had laid out medicinal powder. It tilted its head and looked at the bowl of freshly ground flower and herbal mixture with pink liquid on the table. Then, it stretched its neck and pecked at some of the mixture with two quick "pecks"!
"Oh dear! Little darling, don't eat random things!" Shi Yu exclaimed upon seeing this and hurriedly went to find Wu Ming for help.
The two men chased after the pigeon in the yard, but the pigeon was very agile and always managed to slip away from their grasp.
The commotion in the courtyard was so great that it finally alerted Meng Yutong and Ji Yun, who were talking in the front hall. The two exchanged a glance and immediately hurried to the back courtyard.
"Honey! Quick! Blow your pigeon whistle!" Wu Ming, panting heavily, saw Meng Yutong as if she were his savior. He pointed at the pigeon and shouted, "This guy is lawless! I don't know what he ate from your table just now. Please don't let him get poisoned!"
Meng Yutong frowned, and without thinking, immediately put her finger to her lips, about to blow the whistle.
But then the pigeon that had been fluttering around the stone table suddenly stopped flying, its neck stiffened strangely, and then it fell straight down like a stone with a "bang," crashing heavily onto the stone table. Its legs twitched a few times, and then it lay still.
Exhausted, Wu Ming and Shi Yu bent over, hands on their knees, panting heavily, staring dumbfounded at the sudden scene before them.
Wu Ming slapped his thigh and sighed in anguish, "The boss hasn't even blown the whistle yet! This guy... could he really have been poisoned to death? What will we do if Young Master Liu finds out!"
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