Chapter 193: Diagnosis

Chapter 193: Diagnosis

Grape then said, “But, Mistress, even if something happens to Empress Gaozhao, it’s not certain that Ji Jiyu could raise the Sixth Prince. Both you and Jingfei are yet to have children. Moreover, perhaps the Empress herself might want to adopt a healthy child.”

“The Empress?” Roupin shook her head, “I’ve been in the palace for over three years, and although I’m not close to her, I know her nature. She wouldn’t stoop to adopting someone else’s child, especially a child who’s three years old and already has memories. Not to mention, as long as the Empress holds her position, she will be the Empress Dowager in any future scenario.”

Stopping there, Roupin returned to the previous topic, “As for Jingfei and me, I’m of low rank and ordinary lineage, I must wait behind Jingfei and Ji Jiyu. Ultimately, if something happens to Empress Gaozhao, the choice of the Sixth Prince’s foster mother will be between these two. A fifty percent chance is enough for Ji Jiyu to take the risk.”

After all, with no selections made by the Emperor this year, it's unlikely for any lower-ranked consorts to be pregnant with Ji Jiyu’s son. The next chance like this is unpredictable.

“But surely Ji Jiyu wouldn’t blatantly use Doctor Cheng to poison, would she?” Grape curiously asked.

Lifting her eyelids slightly, Roupin put the neatly folded handkerchief into a lake-green pouch, handing it to Grape, whispering, “Tomorrow morning, when serving meals, secretly give this pouch to Sujin, who’s close to Ji Jiyu. Just say one sentence, I believe she’ll understand.”

“What should I say?” Grape hurriedly asked.

“Just tell her that the contents of this pouch can control Doctor Yan,” Roupin’s voice was soft.

The look in one’s eyes when they like someone is often hard to hide.

Roupin had seen that look in her own eyes in the mirror countless times when thinking of the Emperor. Hence, on the way from the Imperial City to Qingning Mountain Villa, she easily discerned the meaning behind Doctor Yan’s unintentional glances at Jingfei.

“Mistress,” Grape didn’t ask why the item could control Doctor Yan, nor why her mistress didn’t use it herself. Instead, she asked, “If we're to use Doctor Yan, why involve Doctor Cheng?”

Roupin glanced at her, speaking slowly, “Having Doctor Cheng as a contrast will make Empress Gaozhao trust Doctor Yan even more. And if by chance the prescriptions from both doctors inadvertently clash, it wouldn’t be anything unusual.”

That afternoon, a sudden drizzle fell over Liubo Lake, creating a misty scene reminiscent of the Jiangnan region.

Jiang Hui sat by the window, casting a glance at Empress Gaozhao and Roupin still seated in the canopy boat, then turned to Huayang beside her and asked, “Is the birthday gift for your father, the Emperor, ready?”

Huayang, sipping newly made lotus seed soup, put down her spoon and nodded, “Yes, Huayang has been painting it for half a year!”

Then, hugging Jiang Hui’s arm coquettishly, she added, “I’m also preparing your birthday gift, Mother. Don’t be jealous.”

Amused, Jiang Hui playfully tapped her nose, “You little talker.”

As they spoke, distant cries of alarm drifted in. Huayang peeked out and raised her eyebrows, “Ah, Empress Gaozhao and Roupin fell into the water.”

Losing interest, she turned back to Jiang Hui, “Mother, has Sister-in-law chosen Sister He? When will Father issue the marriage decree? Can Huayang go play with Sister He now? I heard she has traveled to many places, and I want to explore the five lakes and four seas too!”

Amidst her rapid-fire questions, Jiang Hui smiled, “The marriage decree will probably be issued after the autumn hunt.”

Empress Gaozhao and Roupin’s unexpected fall into the lake, though not life-threatening due to the warm weather, still necessitated a doctor’s check-up.

Perhaps due to her youth, Roupin recovered quickly, resting for only a few days before returning to pay her respects to Jiang Hui. But Empress Gaozhao's recovery was slower. Initially falling ill with a cold from the soaking, she drank medicine for several days without improvement and then had Doctor Yan summoned again.

This treatment led to a major incident.

Empress Gaozhao died.

Her death was sudden; shortly after taking Doctor Yan’s medicine, she complained of a sore throat and, before another doctor could be summoned, stopped breathing.

Her maid, Sanyue, cried bitterly, unable to comprehend what went wrong.

Doctor Cheng, unable to cure his mistress, eventually had to call Doctor Yan. The prescription was from Doctor Yan, and the medicine, not sourced from the palace pharmacy due to their location, was prepared from the doctors' own supplies. Despite being personally brewed, why did the mistress pass away after drinking it?

Kneeling on the ground, she kowtowed three times vigorously to Jiang Hui and exclaimed loudly, “Please, Empress Jiang, seek justice for my mistress! She must have been murdered!”

Seated in the main seat, Jiang Hui glanced at the consorts who hurried over upon hearing the news and asked Doctor Liu, “How is it?”

Doctor Liu, visibly aged over the years, stroked his long beard and replied, “Your Majesty, the Empress, the dregs contain water hemlock, a plant resembling wild celery but highly poisonous. Ingestion causes intense burning and pain, followed by paralysis and asphyxiation, leading to death.”

Water hemlock, though similar to wild celery, could not be mistaken by Doctor Yan, an expert in medicine.

Yijieyu’s pupils shrank upon hearing Doctor Liu’s words, then she lowered her head.

Weren’t the instructions to use conflicting medications to slowly drag it out? Why was such a potent poison used?

Was he not afraid of the secret being exposed?

No, she had people investigate; Le Zhan and Lu Qin were undoubtedly a pair; their relationship was far from simple. Exposure would doom both Doctor Yan and Consort Jing; he wouldn’t dare.

Yijieyu, thinking this, glanced subtly at Roupin, only to see her downcast eyes.

Was it Roupin? Aiming to kill two birds with one stone?

Yijieyu then looked at Consort Jing, who was lost in thought staring at a landscape painting on the wall. Or was this all orchestrated by Consort Jing? If the Sixth Prince lost his mother, she would be the most likely to take custody of the child.

But wasn’t she afraid that I would reveal this secret?

Jiang Hui, indifferent to the thoughts of those below, glanced at Doctor Yan, bound and kneeling, and inquired, “Doctor Yan, did you personally add the water hemlock?”

“Yes,” Doctor Yan admitted calmly, without denial.

“Why?” Jiang Hui asked.

Yijieyu’s grip on her handkerchief tightened as she listened to Doctor Yan respond, “Your Majesty, I have long admired someone else. Empress Gaozhao repeatedly sent people to pester me. Unable to bear it anymore, I committed this act in anger. I am willing to accept death as my punishment.”

Yi Jieyu, not hearing anything detrimental to her, discreetly let out a sigh of relief.

Gao Zhao Yi's maid San Yue suddenly cried out in protest, "Doctor Yan, what nonsense are you spouting?! My mistress has never sent anyone to pester you! You are slandering her! Who put you up to this? Speak! Say it!"

Jiang Hui's brows slightly furrowed, and Qingfeng quickly gagged San Yue with a handkerchief.

"You claim Gao Zhao Yi sent someone to trouble you. Who exactly was it? Do you have any evidence?" Jiang Hui asked softly.

Doctor Yan looked troubled and quietly said, "I dare not speak plainly."

"You have my permission to speak openly."

Upon hearing this, Doctor Yan knelt and confessed, "It was Princess Rou Pin."