That day, Jiang Wan took a carriage to Xiangmingju.
After buying the green tea Buddha's hand cake, she didn't rush to leave. Instead, following her usual habit, she ordered the opera she loved to listen to.
As the opera began, she found a seat by the window and slowly sipped her tea.
His gaze drifted almost imperceptibly toward the streets and alleys, as if he were waiting for someone rather than listening to a play.
Before long, a dark blue sedan chair stopped in front of Xiangmingju.
An elderly man in his seventies stepped out of the sedan chair. He was wearing a pine-green long gown, his hair was gray, but his eyes were bright and piercing.
Jiang Wan recognized the person at a glance as Physician Jin.
She instructed Biluo to pay the bill, then picked up the food box containing the snacks and headed towards the teahouse entrance.
Just as Physician Jin was leading his servant into the teahouse, the servant suddenly stumbled and cried out as he bumped into Jiang Wan.
Jiang Wan barely managed to avoid it.
But the food box in his hand was knocked over, and several pieces of Buddha's Hand cakes scattered on the ground.
"It was all my fault for being blind and offending you, Madam. Please forgive me," the servant said, picking up the pastries from the ground.
Jiang Wan straightened her clothes: "It's alright."
Just then, Biluo, who had paid the bill, hurriedly followed.
When Physician Jin saw the plaque of the Chengping General's Mansion hanging on her waist, his eyes lit up slightly, further confirming Jiang Wan's identity.
For days, he had been sending people to keep an eye on Xiangmingju, just in order to wait for Jiang Wan to appear.
Unexpectedly, there has been no news since.
So today, upon hearing the news of Jiang Wan's appearance, he decided to come in person.
If Jiang Wan really has a problem, her appearance here after so many days must mean she has something important to do.
"No need to pick them up anymore, these pastries are covered in dirt and can't be eaten."
Physician Jin looked at Jiang Wan.
"So it was Madam Jiang from the General's Mansion. I've offended you. I'll send someone to buy some more pastries as an apology."
I appreciate your kindness.
Jiang Wan nodded slightly.
"However, Xiangmingju only makes ten servings of Buddha's Hand Cakes each day, and by this time, they should already be sold out."
Upon hearing this, the servant apologized repeatedly.
Jiang Wan smiled and said, "It's alright. It's just that my grandmother wanted to eat these pastries, so she asked me to go out and buy them. It seems she'll have to wait another day."
She gestured to the waiter to clean up the pastries on the ground, then nodded to Physician Jin and turned to leave.
After Jiang Wan left, the servant who had been bowing raised his head.
He deftly picked up the pastries from the ground and followed Physician Jin into a private room.
The guards who were keeping watch were sitting in the private room. When they saw Physician Jin, they said...
"Madam Jiang arrived here half an hour ago, ordered a play she usually enjoys, sat for a while and then left, without having any contact with anyone in between."
The servant asked doubtfully, "Could she really be here to buy pastries?"
The guard shook his head: "In such a large general's mansion with hundreds of servants, how could the mistress of the house be allowed to buy snacks herself?"
Physician Jin also frowned.
He opened the pastries the servant had picked up, held them under his nose and sniffed them gently, then his gaze suddenly darkened.
"There's something wrong with this dessert."
Ordinary Buddha's Hand cakes are made primarily with green tea and glutinous rice, but the one in his hand was mixed with a large amount of Cold Food Powder.
Cold Food Powder is rare and has a great tonic effect, but it has strong side effects.
After taking it, the limbs feel hot, as if burned by fire, which is unbearable for ordinary people. The sale of this medicine has been banned in the capital for many years.
Physician Jin's expression darkened.
As far as he knew, most Miao people who practiced secret arts had symptoms of being cold-blooded.
This Cold Food Powder is too much for ordinary people to handle, but it is a very suitable medicine for the Miao people who practice Gu poison.
Moreover, judging from the amount of cold food powder used in this pastry, the person who took it must have suffered severe physical depletion and urgently needed to replenish their body.
"Just now, Madam Jiang said that it was the matriarch of the Yuan family who specifically requested this pastry?"
The servant nodded: "That's what they say."
Physician Jin remained silent for a moment.
Raising Gu (a type of poisonous insect) is extremely mentally taxing, and the losses are even greater for elderly people.
The guard analyzed, "It's also possible that Madam Jiang is lying, and that she wanted to eat these pastries."
Physician Jin, however, felt it didn't seem like it.
Cold Food Powder is a forbidden medicine; how could Jiang dare to flaunt it in public?
Just now, Madam Jiang casually had the waiter clean up the pastries on the ground, and her nonchalant manner clearly indicated that she was unaware of the strangeness of the matter.
He had some guesses in his mind, but he couldn't be sure yet.
Just then, someone came to report from the door: "Imperial Physician, something terrible has happened! Lord Ji has fallen ill."
Physician Jin rushed back to the Ji residence.
Fortunately, Ji Rong's condition was not serious, and she fell asleep again after taking the sedative.
Imperial Physician Jin asked Ji Rong about the time of her attack, and seemed to be deep in thought.
Ji Rong's abnormality was caused by the restlessness of the Gu worms in his body. The Gu worm breeder must have appeared near the Ji residence just now.
Jiang Wan had spent the entire morning at the tea house and had just parted ways with them.
Judging by the timeline, that person couldn't possibly be Jiang Wan.
This incident further confirmed Physician Jin's suspicions.
"General Chengping's Residence".
He frowned and sighed inwardly.
"What a pity."
After organizing his thoughts, Imperial Physician Jin submitted a memorial to the palace that very night.
When the memorial was received, Emperor Jingyuan was having dinner in Consort Yun's palace.
After reading Physician Jin's report, he put down his silver chopsticks, his face turning terrifyingly cold.
"Father, what's wrong?" Pei Xi asked.
Emperor Jingyuan shook his head.
The emperor, never showing his emotions, quickly composed himself and looked at Consort Yun: "Where were we, my beloved consort?"
Consort Yun smiled and said, "Xi'er has made progress in his studies recently and is always thinking about sharing His Majesty's burdens. Why don't you find him something to do in court, so that he can gain some experience?"
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