Chapter 271 Premeditated Murder of a Concubine
She frowned and said, "Your Majesty is joking. I am just an ordinary folk doctor. It is an honor for me to be able to treat Your Majesty. I have no right to ask for special treatment. I only know how to treat illnesses. I am really powerless to do anything else."
Consort Li's expression changed, but she quickly smiled and said, "Doctor Ye is quite straightforward. Then I won't make things difficult for you."
Ye Wanning wrote down the prescription and handed it to the palace maid beside her: "Get the medicine according to this prescription, one dose per day, decocted and taken twice a day, and you will be cured in three days."
"Thank you, Doctor Ye." Consort Li waved her hand. "See Doctor Ye out."
Leaving Consort Li's palace, Ye Wanning breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Pei Zhi had reminded her, otherwise she would have truly fallen into Consort Li's trap.
As soon as she arrived at the palace gate, she saw Li Dequan waiting for her.
"Dr. Ye, the Prime Minister has ordered me to escort you back to the Heritage Hall."
"Thank you for your help, Steward Li."
Once inside the carriage, Ye Wanning secretly rejoiced that her journey to the palace had gone relatively smoothly. Little did she know, the trouble was just beginning.
Early in the morning, news came from the palace: Consort Li vomited and had diarrhea after drinking the medicine she prescribed, and it was said that she had misdiagnosed and deliberately plotted to harm the concubine.
The emperor was furious and ordered her to be locked in a side hall of the palace to await her fate.
"Miss!" Su Ning ran in crying, "People from the palace are here, they say they want to take you to the palace!"
Ye Wanning was stunned. She had clearly prescribed medicine to soothe the lungs and relieve coughs, so how could it have turned out like this? It must be Consort Li who framed her.
"I understand." Ye Wanning took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "I'll go with them."
Ye Wanning was taken to a side hall in the palace, which was cold and damp, with only a bed and a table.
After the guard led her inside, he turned and left.
Ye Wanning sat down by the bed, filled with worry. Why would Consort Li want to frame her? It must be because she hadn't agreed to befriend her, so Consort Li was looking for an opportunity to retaliate.
Just then, a slight noise came from outside. A guard in black silently entered and handed her a cloak: "Doctor Ye, the Prime Minister asked me to bring this. He said, 'Don't be afraid, he's here.'"
Ye Wanning took the note he handed her. It was in Pei Zhi's handwriting and contained only four characters: "Consort Li is unharmed."
She immediately felt at ease, clutched the cloak tightly around her, and felt her body warm, and her heart warmed as well.
Pei Zhi will save her, definitely.
Pei Zhi, having already learned of the news, immediately put aside his affairs and petitioned the emperor to defend Ye Wanning: "Your Majesty, Ye Wanning possesses superb medical skills and a benevolent heart; she would never do anything to harm a concubine. Someone must have framed her. Please allow Your Majesty to re-examine the medicine and clear her name."
The Emperor's face darkened: "Prime Minister Pei, are you still going to defend her? Consort Li was poisoned by her medicine, and the facts are right before our eyes."
"Your Majesty, whether the medicine has been tampered with can be determined with a simple investigation," Pei Zhi said firmly.
"You mean, Imperial Physician Li from the Imperial Hospital can prove her innocence?" The emperor was somewhat skeptical.
“Yes, Your Majesty. An investigation will reveal the truth. Imperial Physician Li is impartial and incorruptible. If she truly has a problem, Imperial Physician Li will certainly expose it,” Pei Zhi said.
The emperor hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded: "Alright, then summon Imperial Physician Li."
Imperial Physician Li was quickly summoned to Consort Li's palace. He examined the remaining medicine and asked the palace maid which prescription it was made according to. He quickly concluded: "Your Majesty, someone added a laxative to the medicine. It was not that Doctor Ye prescribed the wrong medicine."
Consort Li exclaimed in disbelief, "Impossible! You must have seen wrong!"
Physician Li inserted the silver needles into the herbal medicine, and before long, the needles turned black.
"This laxative will turn black when it comes into contact with silver needles, Your Majesty can see for yourself," said Imperial Physician Li.
The emperor, seeing the blackened silver needle, flew into a rage: "Guards! Bring all the palace maids from Consort Li's palace here and torture them severely! I want to see who dares to frame an innocent person in the palace!"
The palace maids could not withstand the severe torture, and soon one of them confessed: "Your Majesty, spare my life! It was the Empress who told me to put the laxative into the medicine to frame Doctor Ye!"
Consort Li collapsed to the ground, her face ashen.
The Emperor was furious: "How dare you, Consort Li, frame others in the palace! Guards, confine her to your quarters for a month and let her reflect on her actions!"
Consort Li cried and begged for mercy, but the emperor ignored her and ordered the guards to drag her away.
When the Prince of Jiangnan learned of this, he was furious and immediately sent someone to the palace to reprimand Consort Li, telling her to guard her palace properly and not to cause him any more trouble.
Ye Wanning was released and had just stepped out of the side hall when she saw Pei Zhi standing not far away waiting for her.
His face was deathly pale, and his eyes were bloodshot, indicating that he had been working tirelessly for her for a long time.
"Lord Pei," Ye Wanning stepped forward, her voice slightly hoarse, "thank you."
Pei Zhi smiled and said, "It's good that you're alright."
"It's my fault for dragging you down." Ye Wanning lowered her head.
“I’ve said it before, your business is my business,” Pei Zhi said softly. “I’ll take you back to the Heritage Hall.”
As Ye Wanning sat in the carriage, she looked at Pei Zhi beside her. He was clearly exhausted, yet he had protected her all the way.
She didn't know what to say, so she could only stay quietly by his side.
Back at the Heritage Hall, Su Ning was overjoyed to see her safe and sound, and cried tears of joy: "Miss, you're finally back!"
"I'm fine now." Ye Wanning patted her shoulder.
That afternoon, Imperial Physician Li came directly to the Heritage Center.
"Doctor Ye, I've come to pay my respects." Imperial Physician Li knocked on the door of the Heritage Hall.
Ye Wanning hurriedly went out to greet him: "Physician Li, you're too kind. Please have a seat."
"I have come here today to tell you something," said Imperial Physician Li after he sat down. "I recognize you; you are Lin Yuewei's daughter."
"You know my mother?" Ye Wanning asked, somewhat surprised.
"Of course I know her." Imperial Physician Li nodded. "Your mother was the most talented female physician in the Imperial Medical Academy back then. She was highly skilled in medicine and had a good character. I was an old friend of hers, and I even received a favor from her back then."
Ye Wanning's eyes reddened: "My mother, she..."
“I know about her situation.” Imperial Physician Li sighed deeply. “It is my incompetence that I was unable to clear her name. However, you have inherited her talent, and your medical skills are equally superb.”
He took out a wooden box from his pocket and handed it to Ye Wanning: "These are my treasured medical records and acupuncture insights, which I am now giving to you. I would also like to take you as my disciple, I wonder if you would be willing?"
Ye Wanning was so excited that she couldn't speak, and tears streamed down her face: "Disciple Ye Wanning, I'm becoming your disciple!"
"Good, good!" Physician Li happily helped her up. "If you need anything in the future, you can come to me!"
Liu Yuan quickly learned of this.
Liu Yuan spat: "What kind of lousy female doctor is she? She dares to become an apprentice of Imperial Physician Li? How shameful!"
Coincidentally, Imperial Physician Li happened to be at the Imperial Hospital, so Liu Yuan repeated it in front of him.
Imperial Physician Li immediately retorted, "Physician Liu, stop talking nonsense! Medical skill has nothing to do with status. I know Wan Ning's aptitude very well. I took her as my apprentice because I value her character and medical skills. Who gave you the right to interrupt?"
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