tallest building

Chapter 381 The Night is Deep

“Steward Qi, I dare not hide anything about this. I did twist my ankle on the way. You see, it's still swollen.” Yu Lu said, pulling up his trouser leg to show Qi Yu.

Of course, he wasn't stupid enough to tell a lie that was easily exposed; acting had to be convincing.

“I was in a hurry to deliver some snacks to the Empress and was afraid of being late. Just then, Eunuch Zhou came over and asked if I needed any help. So I asked him to carry me for a while,” Yu Lu said. “I didn’t think much about it at the time. He couldn’t carry the food box while carrying me, so I naturally carried it myself. But I remember very clearly that I always carried his food box with my left hand, just in case I mixed it up.”

Later, I ran into my two apprentices, and they put me down. I handed the food box to them. I didn't open it during that time, and it's impossible for me to have poisoned it, right?

Qi Yu listened to his words without saying a word for a long time, lowering his head as if he was thinking. After a long while, he raised his head and said with a smile, "Steward Yu, although the matter has been clarified, for the sake of propriety, you still cannot return to the Empress's Palace. You will have to stay here for a few more days. Is that alright with you?"

Qi Yu spoke as politely as ever, but Yu Lu knew that unless someone was an idiot, he should go along with what Qi Yu said: "That's only right, that's only right. I have no objection to Man's words, and even the Empress won't have any objections. After all, everyone wants to get to the bottom of this matter as soon as possible, otherwise it will really make people uneasy!"

"Then find a separate room for Steward Yu. Make sure it's clean and tidy, and don't neglect him," Qi Yu instructed the people around him. "Make sure it's warm, use thick blankets, and prepare tea."

"Steward Qi is so thoughtful, but don't go to any extra trouble for me," Yu Lu said quickly. "Just treat everyone the same."

Physician Su arrived at the Grand Tutor's residence at dusk.

The Dong family treated him with great courtesy, and the butler personally came out to greet him.

"Physician Su, you've finally arrived! The Grand Tutor is feeling quite unwell right now," the steward said solicitously. "If you hadn't come, I don't know how he would have gotten through the night!"

Su Qingyun followed the steward to see Grand Tutor Dong. Grand Tutor Dong was lying on the bed with a very bad complexion, but he still managed to force a smile when he saw Su Qingyun: "Imperial Physician Su has arrived. Please have a seat."

"No need for that. Let's start acupuncture on the Grand Tutor first." Su Qingyun opened his medical kit. "The sooner we start acupuncture, the sooner the Grand Tutor will feel better."

At this moment, a maidservant serving nearby removed the blanket from Grand Tutor Dong's body to make it easier for Su Qingyun to administer acupuncture.

Just as Su Qingyun took out the needle, Grand Tutor Dong asked him, "I heard something happened in the palace?"

"Yes, the second son of the King of Chu has been poisoned." Su Qingyun said, inserting the first needle into Grand Tutor Dong's acupoint.

"How could this be?" Grand Tutor Dong shook his head. "Is the child's life in danger?"

His tone was full of regret, and this was not an act, because he did not intend to harm Ying Shan.

"It's hard to say right now, but the situation is very dangerous." Su Qingyun inserted the second needle.

After that, Grand Tutor Dong did not speak again. He closed his eyes, and it was unclear whether he was asleep or resting.

However, after Su Qingyun finished administering all the acupuncture, he actually fell asleep and even started snoring.

Su Qingyun wiped the sweat from her brow, put all the needles away, and closed the medical kit.

"Physician Su, you've worked hard. Our master has returned from the south, but he's away today due to business. However, he instructed me to bring this gift to you." The butler was carrying a gift box wrapped in yellow silk. Although he didn't know what was inside, it looked very valuable.

Su Qingyun declined, saying, "No, no, no, how can I accept this? It is my duty to treat the Grand Tutor."

"Physician Su, look at what you're saying. This is just to thank you for relieving the Grand Tutor's illness. It's neither flattery nor ingratiation. Please accept it!" The steward firmly handed the gift to Su Qingyun. "We've known each other for a long time, and you must know a little about our master's temper. He doesn't take back what he's given away. If you insist on not accepting it, then I'll be the one who suffers."

The butler had gone to great lengths to persuade him, and if Su Qingyun refused, it would seem unreasonable. So he accepted the gift box and said with a smile, "In that case, I shall accept your offer."

"It should have been done long ago." The butler beamed. "You're doing me a favor." He then politely saw Su Qingyun out the door.

Su Qingyun still needed to return to the palace, because this was a critical moment.

Wen Mingqian was not asleep; she was keeping watch by Ying Shan's bedside.

Today's events filled her with immense guilt, even though she wasn't the one who caused the harm.

"Consort Wen, please don't stay here any longer, the night is still long." Mama Wang's voice was already hoarse from crying, but she didn't take her anger out on Wen Mingqian. "I'll stay with you."

Ying Shan was unconscious at this time, and her breathing was very weak.

Wang's mother knew that the child most likely wouldn't make it through the night. If her life could be exchanged, she would not hesitate to give her own life for Ying Shan's.

Unfortunately not.

Wen Mingqian looked at Wang Mama, whose hair had turned almost completely white in the past half day.

Wen Mingqian felt a sense of kinship with her, as they were both pouring their hearts and souls into raising sons with whom they had no blood relation.

Wen Mingqian took off his cloak and draped it over Wang Mama, saying, "You should also be careful. It's cold at night, so dress warmly."

She decided to leave not because she was afraid of hardship, but because she knew that in these last few days, she should let Wang's mother and Ying Shan be together.

Wen Mingqian went outside. It was already very late at night, the night wind was cool, and the stars in the sky were dim.

The cool breeze I inhaled calmed my mind and eased some of my frustration.

She took several deep breaths before stepping forward.

Gong Chang'an was still awake, with Zhang Ma keeping him company.

"How is Ying Shan?" Gong Chang'an asked anxiously.

He wanted to go to Ying Shan's place, but Zhang Ma stopped him.

"I'm afraid I won't make it through tonight." Wen Mingqian shook her head with difficulty, but she couldn't lie.

“This child is so pitiful,” Zhang Ma murmured. “Dong Xiangning has really gone mad.”

He decided that from now on he would never leave Gong Chang'an's side.

"It's late, everyone should go to sleep early. This matter won't be settled anytime soon." Wen Mingqian blinked wearily. "What follows is a fierce battle."

"The Emperor has already dispatched a fast horse to Longxi," said Zhang Ma. "King Chu will definitely seek revenge on the Dong family once he finds out."

The Chu King's family had long harbored hatred for the Zhao King and the Dong family. Now that his youngest son had gotten into trouble in the palace, he would assume, without anyone else saying so, that it was the Queen's doing.

"In a way, the Dong family brought this upon themselves," Wen Mingqian said. "Those who harm others will ultimately harm themselves."