Emperor Kangxi was reviewing memorials when he heard that the Imperial Medical Academy was requesting an audience. He was somewhat surprised and said, "Summon them!"
Physician Ma knelt on the ground at a distance, raised his hands above his head, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, please examine this medical record."
Liang Jiugong took it, glanced at it, and almost dropped it.
Liang Jiugong gave Doctor Ma a deep look. Did he have a death wish? He dared to present such a deadly thing to the emperor.
Kangxi took the document and his gaze sharpened. He recognized one of the documents; it was a source of eternal pain in his heart, and the first time he had ever hated his own incompetence. Despite possessing the wealth to rule the world, he was powerless to keep the one he loved.
With just one glance, a murderous aura gradually spread in Kangxi's eyes. He noticed that, in contrast to the yellowed paper, there was a brand new paper with ink still wet.
"Ma Yuan, I'll give you three sentences to explain the whole story. Otherwise, you'll be disrespectful to the late Empress, and I'll take your head." Kangxi's tone was calm, but chilling.
"Your Majesty, I deserve to die a thousand deaths. However, the symptoms and pulse of the Fourth Prince Consort are exactly the same as those of the late Empress during her pregnancy. If you do not believe me, you can simply summon the Fourth Prince Consort for a consultation. I have come here at the risk of my life to report to Your Majesty that this is not a natural disaster, but a man-made one." Physician Ma was filled with resentment. His master had died in the vortex of that year.
When the emperor is angry, rivers of blood flow. How many people died because of the death of the late empress?
But his master died unjustly. Doctor Ma was an orphan who was taken in by his master when he was young and raised as his own son. His master even recommended him to serve in the palace.
For many years, Physician Ma had served diligently in the palace, partly because it was his only profession, and partly because he wanted to secretly investigate the cause of the late Empress's death. Finally, on the day he became the Chief Physician, he immediately examined the long-forgotten medical records and became even more suspicious of the late Empress's symptoms. It didn't seem like an adverse reaction; rather, it seemed like...poisoning.
"Are you trying to tell me that my Empress was murdered, and now this person has used the same method on my fourth son's wife?" Kangxi sneered. "So many years have passed, where is your evidence?"
"Your Majesty, I am filled with fear upon seeing the Fourth Prince's wife today. I only wish to report back immediately, but I have yet to find the evidence." Physician Ma kowtowed. "However, I believe that as long as we follow the Fourth Prince's wife's trail, we will surely find the person behind it all."
"Liang Jiugong, Physician Ma, be temporarily detained in the Shenxing Division. No one is allowed to visit you or use torture on you." Kangxi stared intently at his head. "I will immediately send someone to investigate. If even a single word you said today is found to be false, you will be buried with the late Empress."
After saying that, Liang Jiugong gestured to the eunuch to drag away the already weak-legged Physician Ma.
Kangxi gripped the thin sheets of paper tightly, and after a long while spoke, his voice hoarse: "Summon the Fourth Prince to an audience."
"yes."
Yinzhen felt uneasy on his way to the palace. He had been behaving himself lately and hadn't done anything to attract attention. He felt that his father's sudden summons was not a good thing. He handed a purse to a young eunuch and tentatively asked, "Eunuch, besides me, who else did Father summon today?"
Remembering Grandpa Liang's instructions, the young eunuch whispered, "Today, Physician Ma went to your residence to examine the Fourth Princess Consort's pulse. After returning, he hurriedly went to see the Emperor. When I was leaving the palace with the imperial decree, I happened to see Physician Ma being dragged out. Judging from the direction, it wasn't the Imperial Hospital, but rather the Department of Penalties."
Upon hearing this, Yinzhen's heart sank. He knew something serious had happened. He then slipped another purse to the eunuch, saying, "You didn't say anything today, and I didn't ask anything either."
"Yes, Your Highness is right," the little eunuch said, deftly putting away the purse.
******
When Yinzhen entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he did not see the storm he had imagined. Instead, Kangxi was looking at a large calligraphy scroll.
"Fourth brother, you've come at the right time. This is Honghui's homework. Take a look and see if he has made any progress."
Yinzhen subconsciously straightened his body, leaned closer and saw the familiar words, and replied carefully: "Honghui has the advantage of some ingenuity. His handwriting is much better than at this time last year, but the strokes are loose and he still needs to practice."
"You, as a father, are so strict with your son. No wonder he doesn't dare to ask you directly, but instead comes to me to ask him to treat his mother," Kangxi said calmly.
Yinzhen immediately knelt down: "Father, please forgive Honghui's ignorance. Physician Qin's prescription is excellent, and the Fujin is gradually recovering. Honghui was too concerned about his mother and lost his sense of propriety. Please be lenient with me, Father."
"Is it done?" Kangxi tapped the table, making a muffled sound. Yinzhen felt his heartbeat almost synchronize with it.
"But Doctor Ma came back and said your wife has been poisoned. What do you think?"
Yinzhen kowtowed: "Your Majesty, I was unaware of this. Please forgive me. I believed the advice of an experienced elder and replaced all of the Fujin's rooms. To be honest, if I hadn't been afraid of disturbing the Fujin's sleep, I would have even replaced the walls."
"Poisoning is also a possibility."
Kangxi raised an eyebrow, looking at Yinzhen kneeling obediently at his feet, and weighed something in his mind: "I give you three days to find out the poison that your wife has been poisoned and come back to report. If you can't, you can forget about being a prince."
"Your subject obeys the decree." Yinzhen felt his back was soaked with sweat. He felt that he was in a huge whirlpool and could not see the way forward.
Liang Jiugong personally escorted Yinzhen out: "Your Highness, you don't look too well. Would you like to go to Yonghe Palace to rest? It's still early before the palace gates are locked."
Yinzhen's previously chaotic thoughts were pulled out by Liang Jiugong, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "Thank you for your guidance, Eunuch Liang."
"I dare not accept such a title; please watch your step."
Yinzhen entered Yonghe Palace looking utterly dejected. When Green Granny saw his condition, she knew something was wrong and immediately dismissed the palace servants.
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