Chapter 57: Taking the Bait

Chapter 57: Taking the Bait

The Yun family of Lianzhou?

Jiang Hui knew of them, significant medicinal merchants based in the northeast of the Great Zhou territory.

With Miss Lin’s cousin from the Yun family remarking on the uniqueness of the mooncakes, was Lin Qingshu hinting at something?

After the Chengping Princess and the Lin family left, Jiang Hui called Hongying, pointing at the mooncakes on the table, "Taste these again. Is there something unusual about them?"

Hongying always checked everything brought into Yaohua Palace, including the previously delivered mooncakes.

However, since Lin Qingshu had dropped such a hint, there might be something in the mooncakes not easily detectable.

"Yes," Hongying said, her expression turning serious. She knew she might have overlooked something, carefully breaking a petal-shaped mooncake in half and tasting both the crust and the filling.

This time, she didn’t focus on potential toxins but scrutinized the taste for anything unusual or unnecessary in making mooncakes.

After a long moment and finishing two pieces of mooncake, she paused and hesitantly said, "It seems there is inula flower added to these."

"Inula flower?" Jiang Hui echoed.

"Yes," Hongying explained, "Inula flowers resemble wild chrysanthemums and are commonly used to dissolve phlegm, stop coughing, and treat belching and vomiting. It’s also used as a sweetened spice in folk remedies and is non-toxic by itself."

"If it’s harmless by itself, then what does inula flower conflict with?" Jiang Hui quickly grasped the sinister method behind the scenes.

"Inula flower should not be used with angelica and cuttlebone; otherwise, their properties conflict and can easily cause poisoning and diarrhea," Hongying replied instinctively, then frowned, "But even if they conflict, the toxicity is mild. At most, it would cause diarrhea for a couple of days in children, nothing more serious..."

"Angelica dispels cold and relieves pain, while cuttlebone is used for deficiencies in heart and kidney..."

"Angelica, cuttlebone... Angelica, cuttlebone..."

Hongying muttered to herself, then suddenly exclaimed, "My lady, the nourishing soup given to the wet nurses included cuttlebone!"

Jiang Hui's heart sank. She quickly commanded, "Okra, hurry and fetch Doctor Lin. Hongying, go to Nian'er and make sure the wet nurses don't breastfeed him!"

"Yes," both maids understood the urgency and dashed out.

However, it was already too late. By the time Qingfeng rushed Doctor Lin from the medical bureau, Nian'er had severe diarrhea and had started to develop a fever.

Jiang Hui sat beside the bed, watching Doctor Lin's concerned examination of Nian'er, while the Emperor, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, paced back and forth, asking again, "Doctor Lin, how is Nian'er?"

"Your Majesty," Doctor Lin, too anxious for formalities, stood up after examining Nian'er's eyes and tongue, "The crown prince was born with a weak constitution and has ingested mildly poisoned breast milk. He now has relentless diarrhea and a high fever. I must administer strong medicine immediately to stop the diarrhea, or he could lose vital energy, leading to unthinkable consequences."

"Quickly, write the prescription! Sheng An, help prepare the medicine," Emperor Xiaosheng urged anxiously.

Jiang Hui, hearing Doctor Lin's diagnosis, had a flash of coldness in her eyes, but she gently cradled Nian'er in her arms, soothing the continuously crying infant.

After the medicine was administered and Doctor Lin applied acupuncture, Nian'er's condition finally stabilized.

Sheng An, wiping the sweat from Doctor Lin's forehead, couldn't help but smile in relief seeing the crown prince peacefully asleep.

Doctor Lin, catching his breath, didn't wait to be asked, and immediately informed the Emperor and Jiang Hui, "Fortunately, the Noble Consort noticed in time. The crown prince already has inherent deficiencies in his spleen and kidneys. Any later, and it might have been too late."

The implication was clear: Nian'er had been saved.

Emperor Xiaosheng, gripping Jiang Hui's hand, nodded lightly at Doctor Lin's words, "Doctor Lin has merit in saving the crown prince. Reward him!"

Yet, Jiang Hui's thoughts lingered on the phrase "noticed in time." If Lin Qingshu's elder sister hadn't visited home yesterday, if Lin Qingshu hadn't hinted at the issue with the mooncakes for fear of getting involved in palace intrigues, if Hongying hadn't been knowledgeable in medicine, if Qingfeng had been even slightly later to the medical bureau, what would have become of her Nian'er...

The more she thought about it, the tighter Jiang Hui clutched the Emperor's hand.

Noticing Jiang Hui’s expression, Emperor Xiaosheng gently patted the back of her hand and asked Doctor Lin, "Nian'er has always been frail. Is there any lasting harm now?"

Doctor Lin appeared troubled as he replied softly, "Your Majesty, I’ve heard that the Noble Consort recently took Snow Essence Reversal Tonic. Although this prescription is generally too strong for the Crown Prince, under the current circumstances, it’s fitting. However…"

He glanced at Jiang Hui and continued, "According to the dosage prescribed by Doctor Li and Doctor Liu, the Noble Consort should have finished it just yesterday."

Jiang Hui’s heart stirred, and she asked, "What if the Snow Essence Reversal Tonic hadn’t been available, and we had to rely on other medicines?"

Doctor Lin bowed his head and said, "Although the Crown Prince was born with deficiencies, they could have been compensated for later. But after this incident, if we rely solely on other medicines, he may need to be on a continual supplement regimen."

So, without the Snow Essence Reversal Tonic, would Nian'er become dependent on medicine for life?

The Emperor, unable to suppress his anger yet mindful of the sleeping Nian'er, took several deep breaths before saying sternly, "Doctor Lin, take good care of Nian'er these days. Sheng An, come with me."

Once outside the Qionghua Palace's eastern annex and in the warm chamber, Emperor Xiaosheng slammed a teacup onto the floor in anger, "Sheng An, go to the Imperial Kitchen and investigate thoroughly. First peanut powder, now non-toxic inula flower. It seems our Imperial Kitchen is full of hidden talents!"

"Yes, I’ve already instructed Anjing to surround the Imperial Kitchen. I’ll go there right now!" Sheng An hurriedly responded.

"If nothing is found, then execute them all and replace the staff," the Emperor said darkly.

A moment later, he added, "Go to the Internal Affairs Department and bring a few more wet nurses. Supervise them yourself."

Back in the eastern annex, Jiang Hui still sat beside the bed.

She had calculated the timing of her finishing the Snow Essence Reversal Tonic. Someone in the medical bureau had access to the prescription records, having previously caused Consort Liu's miscarriage with saltpeter.

However, they couldn’t interfere with the Qionghua Palace, so they were unaware that, since returning from the Proluo Temple, Jiang Hui’s illness was partly feigned, and she hadn't finished the tonic.

She summoned Hongying, speaking softly, "Hongying, go to the low yellow cabinet in the main room and get the medicine packet. Brew it quietly, without letting anyone see."