Chapter 117 Mysteries of the East Annex Hall
A few days later, in the east wing of Yanxi Palace, Empress Nara's peaceful state of mind was shattered by an inexplicable unease.
At first, it was just occasional restlessness and frequent dreams at night that made me wake up easily.
She thought it was just a common reaction during pregnancy and didn't pay much attention to it.
However, as the days went by, the symptoms not only did not lessen, but worsened.
The feeling of palpitations is becoming more and more frequent, and I feel mentally disoriented and have difficulty concentrating during the day.
I had nightmares every night, and woke up in a cold sweat, with extremely poor sleep quality.
This caused her complexion to gradually become somewhat haggard.
Compared to the previous diagnosis by Physician Li that the pregnancy was stable and everything was fine.
This stark contrast made Nara feel a pang of sadness.
She knew that her symptoms were not simply due to pregnancy discomfort, but rather that she had indeed fallen victim to someone's scheme.
A chill ran up from the soles of her feet. She knew she had been extremely careful, and her diet and medication had all been examined by Physician Li.
Even though they were careful with their personal belongings, they still couldn't escape this deadly attack.
Who is it? Who exactly is it? What methods did they use?
She forced herself to calm down and reflect deeply.
The most likely suspect to have been targeted in Yanxi Palace is Wanliuhashi, who also lived in Yanxi Palace!
Her gaze involuntarily drifted towards the west wing, her eyes filled with anger and vigilance.
"auspicious!"
Empress Nara summoned her personal maid, her voice hoarse with anxiety.
"Go to the Imperial Hospital immediately and ask Physician Li to come over. Tell him I am feeling unwell and ask him to come at all times."
Seeing that his master's complexion was not good and his eyes were dark and bluish, Ji Qing was worried and quickly replied.
"Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell? This servant will go and fetch Physician Li right away!"
Nara waved her hand, offering no further explanation.
"Go quickly, and we'll talk when Physician Li arrives."
Ji Qing dared not delay and left in a hurry.
Only Nara remained in the palace.
She forced herself to stand up and slowly paced around the bedchamber, her sharp gaze carefully sweeping over every corner.
The tables and chairs were arranged as usual, and their positions remained unchanged.
The cosmetics and jewelry on the dressing table were all things she was used to.
Even the faint incense in the air was a familiar scent that she was used to.
She walked to the coffee table, picked up her everyday teacup, and examined it carefully against the light.
The cup wall was smooth and there was nothing unusual about it.
Could it be... that she's just overthinking it?
Is it because I was disturbed by those rumors, coupled with the sensitivity of pregnancy, that this is a normal reaction?
A sense of self-doubt welled up inside me.
But soon, the real palpitations and the exhaustion from the nightmare made her reject the idea.
No, this is definitely not an illusion!
Just as she was feeling uneasy, Ji Qing led Physician Li in quickly.
"Your humble servant greets Your Majesty Nara."
Physician Li bowed respectfully, his face showing concern.
"I've heard that Master Feng is unwell. May I ask what the symptoms are?"
Nara gestured for him to stand up, then cut straight to the point, her tone serious.
"Physician Li, please examine me carefully. Have I fallen for some kind of trap?"
She described it in detail.
"Recently, I have started to feel inexplicably anxious and agitated. I feel lethargic during the day and have many dreams at night that are easy to wake up from. The dreams are also chaotic, and I feel extremely tired after waking up. These symptoms came on suddenly and I am completely different from before."
Upon hearing this, Physician Li's expression also became serious.
He stepped forward and took Nara's pulse again, placing his fingertips on her wrist and examining her intently for a long time.
However, his brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of confusion appeared on his face.
"Reporting to Your Majesty."
Physician Li withdrew his hand and replied cautiously.
"Judging from the pulse... although the fetal energy is slightly fluctuating, the foundation is still stable, and there are no obvious signs of poisoning or external pathogens. In my humble opinion, the symptoms you mentioned seem more like those caused by excessive thinking and mental exhaustion. Pregnant women are naturally sensitive, and if their minds are unsettled, they are indeed prone to symptoms such as vivid dreams, palpitations, and lethargy."
After hearing this, Nara was not relieved at all; on the contrary, she became even more convinced that something was amiss.
She shook her head, her tone firm.
"Imperial Physician Li, there are rumors circulating in the palace recently, saying that my pregnancy is unstable, I often have nightmares, and I am mentally confused. But I was perfectly fine before. Now, the symptoms in these rumors are actually coming true for me. How can there be such a coincidence in this world? I absolutely do not believe that there is no scheming involved."
She stood up, her gaze sweeping across the entire bedchamber, and earnestly spoke to Physician Li.
"Physician Li, I trust your medical skills and the bond you have with my Nara family. Please do me one more favor: thoroughly examine everything in my bedchamber that I might have come into contact with—the food, tea, incense, pillows, blankets, even the rouge and powder, the towels I use… Don't overlook anything I use daily. You must find the source of this harm."
Seeing that Nara's attitude was resolute and her expression did not seem to be feigning, Physician Li also began to have doubts.
He knew all too well that the inner palace was treacherous, and that all sorts of underhanded tactics were impossible to guard against.
Some poisons are indeed insidious, difficult to detect with ordinary pulse diagnosis. He nodded solemnly.
“Since Your Majesty has doubts, I will certainly examine it carefully and will not dare to be negligent in the slightest. Please be patient and allow me to check it one by one.”
After saying that, Physician Li became extremely focused.
From the tea Nara drank daily and the dregs of her pregnancy-preserving medicine, to the incense burning in the palace, the bedding on the bed, and the items on the dressing table…
Nara and Jiqing watched intently from the side, and the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became tense and oppressive.
——————
After carefully examining each of the items that Empress Nara had come into daily contact with in the East Annex Hall, Physician Li...
With a furrowed brow, he finally shook his head helplessly and bowed to report to Nara.
"Your Majesty, I have done my utmost to examine it carefully, but I have not found anything unusual. Perhaps my skills are not good enough to understand the key to it."
His tone carried a hint of shame and confusion.
Upon hearing this, Nara felt a sudden sinking feeling in her heart.
Even the renowned physician Li, who was well-versed in medical principles, could not find the problem.
If it weren't for the rumors that Ji Qing overheard that accurately corresponded to her symptoms, she wouldn't have been able to avoid them.
She might even suspect that she has pregnancy-related allergies.
But now the rumors and symptoms match so closely, it is clear that someone has been plotting this for a long time and used an extremely covert and insidious method.
She suppressed her panic and anger, keeping a straight face and even managing a relieved smile.
"Thank you for your concern, Physician Li. Perhaps... I have been overthinking things lately, and those rumors have disturbed my mind, which is why I feel this way. Since nothing abnormal has been found, I am somewhat relieved. Please prescribe some calming and soothing remedies to help me sleep peacefully."
Physician Li wondered if Nara was overthinking things, and nodded in agreement upon hearing this.
"Your Majesty, please relax and focus on your pregnancy."
Having said that, he bowed and left the East Annex Hall.
After Physician Li left, only his trusted confidant Ji Qing remained in the hall.
The feigned composure on Nara's face vanished instantly, replaced by solemnity.
Upon seeing this, Ji Qing quickly stepped forward to comfort him.
"Your Majesty, you see, even Physician Li couldn't find anything wrong. You must be overthinking it. It must be those damned rumors that are making you anxious and fearful, causing you to dream about them day and night, which is why you can't sleep well."
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