Chapter 28: Despite being extremely careful, I still got tricked
On the eighth day of the first lunar month, the Anyang Marquis Mansion was filled with the sound of gongs and drums, bright red silk was winding from the gate all the way to the main hall, and the mansion was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns, with guests coming and going in an endless stream.
But the bustling mansion seemed to be separated from Hongmeng Courtyard by an invisible barrier and had nothing to do with it.
Chu Ruohan had sent word out early in the morning, saying that the prince was becoming increasingly frail and suffering from a serious illness, and could not withstand any more hardship, so she declined the wedding banquet.
Hongmeng Courtyard was quiet. Chu Ruohan dismissed all those who had behaved in a suspicious manner recently, leaving only trusted people to guard the courtyard, ready for action.
The doors and windows of the house are tightly closed, and all food and daily necessities must be checked by doctors in turn to confirm that they are non-toxic before they can be brought in.
Gu Junze was curled up on the small couch reading a book. After reading for a long time, he picked up the teacup beside him, but had not yet brought it to his lips.
Chu Ruohan's eyes suddenly tightened, and she quickly walked to the bedside and asked anxiously, "Has the tea been checked by the doctor?"
Gu Junze was stunned at first, then smiled helplessly, put down the teacup, stretched out his long arm, and gently pulled Chu Ruohan to sit beside him.
He tapped her smooth forehead with his slender fingers and said gently, "We've checked everything thoroughly. You don't have to be so nervous."
Chu Ruohan quietly distanced herself from him. Although they had been sleeping in the same bed every day recently, she was still not used to being so close to Gu Junze.
You can't tell him that you died today in your previous life, and you still have to find an excuse to cover it up.
"Today, the guests in the mansion are a mixed bunch. This is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the situation. It won't hurt to be cautious."
After saying this, she inconspicuously clenched the silk handkerchief hidden in her sleeve. The handkerchief was soaked with sweat from her palms, just like her beating heart at the moment.
Seeing her being so cautious, the smile in Gu Junze's eyes faded. He was about to speak, but before he could utter a word, his face suddenly turned pale, without a trace of blood.
Chu Ruohan's heart sank suddenly, and she asked quickly, "What's wrong?"
Before he could finish his words, Gu Junze collapsed onto the couch. Then, his entire body began to convulse violently and uncontrollably, his teeth clenched, and veins bulged in his neck.
"Someone, someone, come!"
Chu Ruohan screamed in panic towards the door, her voice becoming sharp and piercing with anxiety.
Even though I was so careful and on guard against everything, could I still have fallen into the trap?
Chu Ruohan's eyes were red and she was full of anxiety. She hugged Gu Junze's trembling body tightly with both hands.
Gu Junze, who was in extreme pain and madness, suddenly bit Chu Ruohan's arm hard.
"Ah..." Chu Ruohan cried out in pain.
When the people guarding the yard heard Chu Ruohan's anxious cry, their nerves instantly tensed up and they rushed in like a tide.
Ying Qing's face was solemn and his steps were hurried. He rushed to the bed first and called out "Young Master". His usually steady voice was now trembling a little.
"Young Madam..."
Chu Ruohan's face was distorted with pain but she forced herself not to struggle. Ying Qing hugged Gu Junze tightly. Yuling and the wet nurse had to work hard to pull them apart.
The people in the house were in chaos.
The nurse's face was filled with distress. With trembling hands, she lifted up Chu Ruohan's injured arm and turned to the doctor, shouting, "Hurry up and let the young lady take a look! What's going on? It's bitten like this!"
Chu Ruohan was anxious and yelled at the doctors, "Don't worry about me! Come and see what's wrong with the prince!"
Several doctors did not dare to delay and quickly gathered forward, putting their fingers on Gu Junze's wrist, but they all looked puzzled and looked at each other with confusion.
This symptom?
This pulse was sometimes rapid and sometimes slow, and there seemed to be a strange force hidden in the weakness. Was it really a strange phenomenon that they had never seen in their half-life of practicing medicine?
Chu Ruohan just stood aside, staring at Gu Junze who was still twitching on the couch. She was extremely anxious, but forced herself to remain calm.
"Look at the tea!"
From morning to night today, everyone was watching Gu Junze's diet, but the cup of tea he had just drunk was the most suspicious.
The doctors were very skillful. They picked up the teacups and teapots and examined them carefully. They fed the remaining tea to the kittens. But after a while, the animals were still alive and kicking, with no signs of poisoning.
Chu Ruohan's heart gradually sank to the bottom. If Gu Junze died, then all her plans would be messed up...
Everyone was filled with anxiety and at a loss as to what to do.
Doctor Qian seemed to suddenly remember something, his expression startled, and he said loudly, "The prince's symptoms are exactly the same as what I read in an ancient medical book!"
As soon as these words came out, everyone's eyes were focused on him.
Ying Qing, who was standing beside him, grabbed Doctor Qian's sleeve and asked anxiously, "Is there a solution?"
Doctor Qian's eyes were solemn. He did not answer directly. Instead, he asked solemnly, "Are there any remaining medicines that the prince took before?"
Chu Ruohan's heart tightened, and before she could think about it, she immediately ordered: "Yes, go get the medicine prescribed by Doctor Fang, quickly!"
Yuling left in a hurry and came back soon with a medicine box.
Gu Junze hadn't touched the medicine for a long time. Every time she touched the medicine soup, she would secretly pour it out when the servants weren't paying attention. If she hadn't been careful and kept the medicine residue just in case, she would be at a loss now.
Doctor Qian took the medicine box, quickly pushed aside the medicine residue with his fingers, sniffed it carefully, and picked up a few strands of broken herbs and put them on the tip of his tongue to sip.
After a moment, he let out a long sigh and said firmly, "Yes, that's right, this is it." He looked around at everyone and said slowly, "This herb is called ghost poppy. It has extraordinary effects but is also extremely dangerous."
"It can indeed prolong life and alleviate pain when a person is sick, but once taken, it is like a maggot in the tarsal bone, slowly eroding a person's energy and spirit, leaving them listless and depressed."
"Long-term use will lead to dependence. Once you stop taking the medicine, you will become like the prince."
When everyone heard this, they all looked horrified.
Chu Ruohan asked in a hoarse voice: "Now, what should we do?"
The doctors looked at each other in confusion. For a moment, the only sounds in the room were Gu Junze's frantic cries of pain.
This ghost poppy is rare and has a mysterious origin. Most doctors have only heard of it. It is rarely circulated on the market, let alone in medical books. There is no record of how to deal with the toxic side effects of this drug.
Doctor Qian frowned, gritted his teeth and stamped his feet, "There is no other way at the moment. We can only let the prince continue to take this medicine to stabilize his condition first."
"Won't you die sooner or later?"
Ying Qing's eyes were wide open with anger, and his scorching gaze pierced Song Ruyan directly. Song Ruyan was not to be outdone, she stiffened her neck and glared back.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Yuling quickly grabbed her and pulled her out the door, muttering, "My little aunt, please be quiet. If you don't know how to speak, then don't say anything. Didn't you see the look on Master Yingqing's face? He looks like he wants to eat someone!"
"I'm not afraid of him!" Song Ruyan was dragged away, but she still kept on saying, "Am I not telling the truth?"
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