Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 102 Women's Disease
In order to make the performance more realistic, Yuan Qingzhu cried until her voice became hoarse, she sobbed when she spoke, and her handkerchief was half soaked with tears.

Xue Yuechen felt his heart sinking when he saw her like this.

The door of Tanqiuyuan was still closed.

She asked in a low voice: "Why isn't Sixth Sister here?"

The girl in green came over respectfully and bowed. "Reporting to the princess, Concubine Yuan just brought people to search the yard and insisted that Lady Xue kneel for two hours... Lady Xue was anxious and her blood rushed to her heart, so she fainted. Now she is lying in bed and can't get up..."

Having trouble getting out of bed?

Xue Yuechen couldn't help but look up at Li Huan.

Li Huan's eyes are deep and unfathomable, making his thoughts hard to fathom.

She stepped forward with gritted teeth, "Your Majesty, do you really believe what Concubine Yuan said?"

Before Li Huan could answer, Yuan Qingzhu started crying.

"Princess, please stop making excuses for Lady Xue! How can you fake something when so many eyes are watching? Besides, isn't the sachet right here? Your Majesty will know the truth once he checks it."

Xue Yuechen glanced at her coldly and said nothing.

But he thought in his heart: Yuan Qingzhu's aggressiveness might have been premeditated.

Li Huan said, "Someone, go and get Doctor Chen."

He sat in the main seat, his eyes not lingering on the sachets, as if he had little interest in these so-called "evidence".

Xue Yuechen could only suppress the uneasiness in his heart, and patiently sat down below him, exchanging glares with Yuan Qingzhu, who seemed to be smiling.

The doctor from the palace arrived soon.

His name is Chen Henian. He is a good medical officer in Prince Duan’s Mansion and is familiar with the masters of each courtyard.

As soon as he entered the room, he first bowed to Li Huan and Xue Yuechen, then bowed to Yuan Qingzhu, and then walked to the carved wooden table where the sachets were placed.

The room was silent.

Everyone's heart was in their throat...

Chen Henian took out several pieces of medicine-wrapped paper from the medicine box and spread them flat on the wooden table with skillful movements. Then, in front of everyone, he carefully opened a sachet, slowly poured out the contents, and began to examine it carefully.

"Ziziphus jujuba seeds, Polygonum multiflorum, Albizzia julibrissin bark, cypress seeds...benzoin..."

He checked the medicinal powder in the first sachet and didn't say much.

But when he checked the second sachet, his face suddenly changed and his hands trembled slightly...

Seeing this, Li Huan's expression also became serious.

"Is there anything unusual?"

Chen Henian hurriedly raised his sleeves and bowed respectfully to Li Huan.

"Reporting to Your Highness, these wild jujube seeds, night clover, albizzia bark, cypress seeds, etc. are all common sleep-inducing herbs."

He paused, then pondered, "The herbs in the sachet are exquisitely matched and properly fried and roasted, which shows that the person who used the herbs was ingenious. These herbs work together to nourish the blood and calm the mind, and to harmonize the internal organs. The combination is wonderful and can be called unique..."

Li Huan said: "So, this sleep-promoting and calming substance is beneficial to me?"

Chen Henian frowned slightly and looked very embarrassed.

"It should have been like this, but... there was an extra very special medicinal ingredient added to the sachet."

Li Huan's face was calm, "What is that?"

Chen Henian said: "This thing is called Huanxin Grass. It is not common, and it has the effect of harmonizing qi and blood, nourishing the kidneys and producing essence. If each has its own effect, there will be no obvious disadvantages, but mixing Huanxin Grass with benzoin... It is very easy to disturb the mind and sex, stimulate sexual desire, and over time, it may even cause mental confusion..."

When these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked.

How could Mrs. Xue actually have such intention to harm others?
No wonder His Highness lingers in Muyue Residence every night...

"Your Highness!" Yuan Qingzhu saw Xue Yuechen's face change drastically and he looked terrified. He was secretly happy in his heart, as if he had caught a huge handle on him.

"Xiao Xue has such a vicious heart! Not only did she attempt to harm the prince, she also intended to frame the princess... This person must not be spared!"

For a while, the hall was filled with whispers.

Only Li Huan looked calm, "Keep investigating!"

Chen Henian quickly responded with a "yes", shook his sleeves tremblingly, and continued to open the third and fourth sachets...

This investigation was even more jaw-dropping.

The sachet contains not only the fantasy grass that can stimulate sexual desire, but also a piece of talisman paper with a little man drawn on it.

The paper has the date of birth written on it.

The little man was tied up with crooked ropes and covered with needles.

At that time, people believed that revealing the horoscope would invite others to spy on and exploit it, so the horoscope would not be easily told to others. The horoscope of the princes was even more secretive, recorded in secret documents, and could not be viewed without the emperor's order.

But Prince Duan’s birthday had just passed, so even if one did not know Prince Duan’s horoscope, one could tell that it was Prince Duan’s birthday.

Combined with the contents of the talisman paper, it is clear at a glance that it is a curse on Prince Duan.

Even though the little man was drawn in a strange shape, he did not resemble the handsome and heroic Prince Duan at all.

"What a courage!"

Yuan Qingzhu sat up in shock from his dying illness, staring with eyes as big as copper bells.

"Mrs. Xue is truly a vicious woman! How could she resort to such a sinister and despicable method to curse the prince?"

Yuan Qingzhu was afraid that nothing could be found in the sachet.

In order to crush Little Xue to death, she dragged Big Xue into the water as well.

Therefore, he specifically instructed Mingxue to put talisman paper in the sachet.

If she had known earlier that there was such a thing as the Illusion Heart Grass inside, she wouldn't have taken such a risk...

But it's also good this way, good things come in pairs, no matter which one, it's enough to ruin the reputation of the Xue sisters...

Xue Yuechen nervously twisted the silk handkerchief in her hand and shook her head.

"Your Highness, Sixth Sister would not do that."

Li Huan remained silent, with no expression on his face.

Xue Yuechen bowed slightly and said, "Sixth sister has always been kind and would not even step on an ant to death. How could she have such a mean mind? Sixth sister got the sachet from Muyueju, and every concubine checked it with her own eyes. There is absolutely no birth date of the prince in it. Moreover, how did Sixth sister know the birth date of the prince..."

Yuan Qingzhu sneered.

"Perhaps you accidentally let it slip, Princess, and Mrs. Xue heard it?"

Isn't this equivalent to saying that Xue Yuechen and Xue Sui were in collusion to do this?

Xue Yuechen was the princess married to Li Huan in a formal ceremony, so she naturally knew the horoscope.

However, the Yuan family and the Xiao family had a close relationship. When Prince Duan was born, Yuan Qingzhu's aunt was guarding Concubine Xiao's bedside and knew everything clearly.

But at this time, no one would doubt Yuan Qingzhu.

Almost all eyes were turned towards Xue Yuechen.

Xue Yuechen lowered his eyes and slowly knelt down at Li Huan's feet.

"Your Highness, please be clear-headed. My sixth sister would never do such a treasonous thing..."

Yuan Qingzhu silently observed Li Huan's expression, and a hint of imperceptible pride flashed in his eyes.

"The princess and Lady Xue have a deep sisterly bond, and it is natural for her to feel sorry for her own sister. Your Majesty, I think the princess has been deceived and used by her own sister, and has been kept in the dark. Please don't blame the princess..."

The implication of this statement is that sisters will definitely protect each other. Xue Yuechen's words cannot be trusted. Saying that Xue Yuechen was kept in the dark was nothing more than a sarcastic statement. Anyone could hear that she was accusing Xue Yuechen of being Xue Sui's accomplice.

"Concubine Yuan."

Li Huan looked at Yuan Qingzhu, picked up the sachet that Chen Henian had not yet poured out, weighed it lightly in his hand, and took a light sniff.

"Did you find these sachets in Mrs. Xue's room?"

Yuan Qingzhu smiled before he spoke.

"It's absolutely true. I dare not say a word of falsehood!" She looked at Li Huan and frowned slightly, as if she didn't believe it. She quickly added: "I don't dare to make decisions on my own. I have been guarding Tan Qiuyuan. These sachets have never left my sight. They cannot be false..."

Li Huan smiled faintly and asked her with his head slightly lowered.

"Then can I find anything suspicious in Tanqiu Courtyard?"

Yuan Qingzhu's heart skipped a beat as he finally realized something fishy was going on in Li Huan's words.

Looking at him again, his gaze was as clear as the calm waters of Yingyue Lake. Although there was a smile on his face, his eyes were so cold that it made people feel frightened.

Yuan Qingzhu was slightly flustered and answered cautiously.

"Your Highness, since Lady Xue has done such a wicked thing, she must have left some clues. Your Highness might as well send someone to search carefully..."

Li Huan looked at her deeply for a moment and called the eunuch Cheng Fu.

"You personally take people to Shuyu Pavilion and get to the bottom of this for me!"

Cheng Fu was stunned.

Something happened in Tanqiuyuan, why investigate Shuyuge?
Soon, he understood.

The prince has been sleeping well and looking good lately, and he doesn't look like someone who has overindulged himself and is listless at all.

Besides, the prince has always been cautious. If the princess really used that kind of aphrodisiac, how could the prince not notice it at all?

The prince might know better than the princess what is in those sachets.

Otherwise, he wouldn't go to Muyueju so often.

Concubine Yuan was still being too clever for her own good.

How could Prince Duan be the Prince Duan today if he is so easy to fool?

If Concubine Yuan didn't add those things, the worst crime she would be charged with would be jealousy, suspecting that Xue used the sachet to win favor.

The prince may not necessarily punish the women in the harem severely for their little thoughts.

Add to that the witchcraft and sorcery based on her birth date, and it's not just a deliberate frame-up, she also has to bear the additional charge of "cursing Prince Duan". Not only will the prince not forgive her, but she won't be able to escape the guilt even if she cries in front of Concubine Xiao.
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Cheng Fu bowed and led his men down to search.

Li Huan looked at Yuan Qingzhu, who was unable to hide his panic, and said nothing more. He turned to Chen Henian and said, "Since Doctor Chen is here, let's go see Lady Xue."

Chen Henian cupped his hands and replied, "Yes."

Xue Yuechen winked at Jinshu and said, "Lead the way for Doctor Chen."

As she was about to follow him in, she unexpectedly saw Li Huan also stand up.

"I will go and take a look too."

I had been sitting for so long without even mentioning going to visit the patient, so as soon as the doctor arrived, I went to see him.

Xue Yuechen frowned.

Does this mean you don't believe that Xue Liu is really sick?

In fact, when she heard about the fainting, she also had doubts.

After all, Pingle has fainted twice recently, and it is a bit of a coincidence that Xue Liu fainted again.

She glanced at Jinshu and saw her calmly leading people inside. She couldn't help but feel uneasy...

As soon as I entered the inner room, I saw Xue Sui leaning against the head of the bed. It was a very hot day and the sun was directly overhead, but she looked pale, covered with a quilt, and looked weak and tired.

Xue Yuechen quickly put on a smile, sat down on the edge of the bed and held her hand.

"Sixth sister, are you feeling better? I went out today and never expected something like this to happen..."

Xue Sui forced a smile and said nothing.

Xue Yuechen gently patted the back of Xue Sui's hand, his eyes red.

"It's your sister who made you suffer..."

Chen Henian took the pulse pillow out of the medicine box.

Ruyi found another clean towel, folded it and placed it on Xue Sui's wrist.

Chen Henian extended his hand and looked up at Xue Sui.

"I see that the lady looks tired. Do you think there is something wrong with her?"

Xue Sui said softly, "When the attack occurs, I just feel dizzy, weak all over, and my chest is tight, as if there is a huge rock pressing on my head, and it is difficult to breathe evenly..."

Chen Henian nodded, narrowed his eyes slightly, took the patient's pulse for a moment, and then withdrew his hand.

"Mrs. Xue has liver depression and qi stagnation, her mind is not nourished, and her qi and blood are deficient. She needs to rest and recuperate for a few days and avoid straining her mind. I will go down and prescribe a prescription for her now..."

Xue Sui said, "Thank you for your concern, doctor."

Chen Henian didn't know what he was thinking about, and he went up to Li Huan and saluted again.

"Please excuse me, Your Majesty, to talk for a moment."

Xue Yue's heart sank.

Watching Li Huan and Chen Henian go out, her heart beat faster again.

Xue Sui slowly narrowed his eyes, as if he had exhausted all his energy, and remained motionless.

"Sixth sister..." Xue Yuechen almost burst into tears, "You have to be strong and hold on. Sister still needs you..."

Xue Sui slowly opened his eyes, looking weak and powerless.

"Don't worry. You won't die."

Li Huan followed Chen Henian to the outer room. Behind the bamboo screen, Chen Henian bowed and saluted.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for my rude remarks."

Li Huan raised his hand: "Doctor Chen, there is no need to be so reserved."

Seeing that there was no one around, Li Henian lowered his voice.

"From the surface, Mrs. Xue's illness is just occasional dizziness and fatigue. As long as she takes good care of herself, she will recover slowly. But there are hidden worries inside. She has suffered many serious injuries, which have damaged her lungs and meridians. Her internal breath is disordered, and her vital energy is over-consumed, causing her uterus to be cold and her qi and blood to stagnate. I am afraid she has some women's diseases... In this case, it is not suitable... not suitable to have sex, so as not to further deplete her qi and blood and leave a stubborn disease if she is pregnant. It will be even more difficult to regulate her in the future..."

Li Huan smiled slightly.

"Has Doctor Chen heard a rumor recently?"

Chen Henian frowned, "I wonder what the prince is referring to?"

Li Huan's face was slightly cold, and he waved his hand, "Nothing, go down and prescribe the medicine."

Chen Henian said: "Yes!"

What Li Huan wanted to ask just now was whether Chen Henian knew about the things that were being spread privately in the backyard of the palace...

They said that Mrs. Xue was not only well versed in medical knowledge, but was especially good at gynecology.

A doctor cannot cure his own illness?
When Li Huan entered the room again, Xue Yuechen was sitting at the head of the bed, helping Xue Sui sit up.

Jinshu put a pillow behind her and fed her water with a spoon.

Li Huan didn't say anything, his eyes fell on Xue Sui's dry and slightly purple lips.

Her face was pale and her lips were bloodless, so the scar on her lip that had scabbed over but not fallen off was particularly noticeable.

And somewhat familiar.

Li Huan saw a similar wound on Li Zhao's mouth today...

He was silent for a moment, thinking about the point that made Yuan Qingzhu most suspicious when she complained just now - Xue Liu wanted to compete for favor.

She doesn't want to sleep with you at all, so why would she go to so much trouble to win your favor?

Li Huan smiled slightly and suddenly spoke.

"How did Lady Xue get the wound on her mouth?"

Li Zhao: Xue Ping'an, oh Xue Ping'an, you are so cruel. You are so cruel even to yourself?

Xue Sui: ...I'm sick! Don't mess with me, I'll kill you!