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The next day, the sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hints of dawn.
"Ah!!!"
A piercing scream shattered the tranquility of the Right Chancellor's residence.
ng Zhiyun thrashed and scread, her voice raw with panic.
The maidservants in the room scurried around helplessly.
"Quick, go fetch Madam Zhao! The second young mistress has woken up!"
"Let go! You vile wretches! Ah! It's so itchy! It hurts so much!"
Madam Zhao rushed in, her face pale and drawn.
After just one night, she looked as though she had aged several years.
Her daughter had collapsed in agony last night, and Madam Zhao had only managed to rest for a short while before this chaos began again after barely two hours.
"My daughter! Who on earth has done this to you?!"
Madam Zhao bitterly regretted having that maid killed so hastily the day before. She hadn't even managed to extract a confession about who had poisoned her daughter.
"Mother! Let go! It's so itchy! Mother!" ng Zhiyun writhed, feeling as if tiny insects were crawling all over her body, biting her relentlessly.
Fearing her daughter would break free, Madam Zhao ordered the maids to add another rope to restrain her.
"Quickly, send for Master ng!"
Soon enough, the Right Chancellor arrived, accompanied by ng Zhirou and his official wife, Lady Qu.
Upon entering, they were greeted by ng Zhiyun's disfigured appearance, causing ng Zhirou to nearly retch.
"Sister, Mother and I have co to see you," ng Zhirou said softly, clinging to her mother's arm and hesitating to approach further.
"What are you doing here?! Co to mock , have you? Mother! Throw her out! Hurry!"
Seeing ng Zhirou's flawless complexion, ng Zhiyun felt an overwhelming urge to claw her sister's face to pieces.
Lady Qu furrowed her brow and asked, "How could it be this severe?"
Putting aside their past grievances for the mont, Madam Zhao wiped away tears and replied, "I don't know. She returned ho from an outing yesterday like this. Even the imperial physicians are at a loss."
The Right Chancellor sat in a chair in the outer chamber, utterly exhausted by his daughter's incessant cries.
Lady Qu spoke thoughtfully, "This poison is exceptionally insidious—likely sothing obscure. The imperial physicians specialize in treating illnesses, but when it cos to poisons, they might not know as much as so wandering folk doctors. Perhaps we should invite a few herbalists or practitioners from outside the palace."
The Right Chancellor's eyes lit up. Turning to a servant, he commanded, "Go quickly and summon several doctors. And make sure to bring the esteed Dr. Changchun from Xinglin Hall!"
"Yes, Master."
The stench inside the inner chamber was unbearable, so ng Zhirou escorted her mother to sit in the outer room.
As the Right Chancellor observed his official wife, her calm deanor brought him a sense of peace.
In tis of crisis, it was truly Lady Qu who remained composed—a testant to her noble upbringing.
Compared to Madam Zhao, who resorted to hysterics at the slightest problem, Lady Qu exuded grace even under pressure.
He'd hardly noticed before, but now, shuttling between court affairs and family matters, unable to sleep through the night, he felt utterly drained.
Before long, a string of doctors was ushered into the residence.
"You will examine my daughter thoroughly! Na any herbs you require, no matter the cost—I'll spare no expense! If you cure her, I'll reward you handsoly!"
Hearing this, the doctors scrambled toward the inner chamber.
"Heavens!"
"!!!"
"Ugh!"
Upon seeing the patient, one of them promptly vomited.
The key issue was that the patient refused to cooperate, screaming and thrashing wildly, looking more like a madwoman than anything else.
Several of the doctors imdiately lost their nerve.
"Your Excellency, this old man is powerless. I must take my leave."
"This humble physician lacks the knowledge to help. Farewell."
The Right Chancellor bellowed, "Stop! Stay where you are!"
But the doctors paid him no heed.
"Let's go, let's go! What's the point of trying to treat soone in this state?"
Within monts, three or four doctors had fled.
The remaining four or five took turns examining ng Zhiyun's pulse.
"Hmm... What kind of poison is this? It's so bizarre."
One doctor shook his head and turned to Dr. Changchun. "Master Changchun, please take a look."
Dr. Changchun stepped forward, closing his eyes as he focused on the pulse.
After a long pause, his eyes snapped open.
"This... This is Rotten Gut Poison!"
Madam Zhao's eyes widened. She recognized the na of the poison. None of the earlier doctors had identified it, proving that Dr. Changchun was indeed the most skilled among them.
"Is there an antidote?" Madam Zhao asked hopefully.
Dr. Changchun shook his head. "I cannot cure it. But perhaps there is one person who can."
Madam Zhao pressed urgently, "Who?"
"The sa person who cured Golden Grass Poison. Perhaps they can also handle Rotten Gut Poison."
Another doctor interjected, "You an Miss Su of the Su family?"
Everyone present knew of the incident where a child poisoned by Golden Grass had been saved. Initially, no one realized the masked woman was Miss Su. However, descriptions of her attire and her attendants eventually connected the dots.
When news spread that Su Li had saved the Crown Prince, the speculation beca certainty.
Dr. Changchun nodded. "Yes, precisely."
ng Zhiyun shrieked, "No! I won't let Su Li near ! I refuse to let her see like this! All of you are useless quacks! Get out! Leave alone!"
At these words, the remaining doctors exchanged uncomfortable glances.
They exited the inner chamber and bowed to the Right Chancellor. "Your Excellency, we are powerless. We must take our leave."
"Goodbye, goodbye."
The Right Chancellor slumped in his chair, too weary to speak. He waved dismissively, letting them go.
Madam Zhao erged, her voice trembling with excitent. "Master, did you hear what Dr. Changchun said? Perhaps Miss Su can save our daughter!"
The Right Chancellor's eyes briefly brightened, then dimd again.
If it were anyone else, he could have summoned them without hesitation. But why did it have to be Miss Su?
After ng Zhiyun's public accusation against her in the palace hall, both the Wei and Su families likely despised her.
Madam Zhao called out uncertainly, "Master? Did you hear ? Send soone to invite Miss Su imdiately!"
The Right Chancellor sighed. "Zhiyun and Miss Su have never gotten along..."
Madem Zhao cut him off. "What does that matter? Young girls quarrel all the ti. Inviting her shows respect for her abilities."
Seeing him hesitate, she burst into dramatic sobs. "Master, Zhiyun is my only daughter! If anything happens to her, I'll die too! Were all those promises lies? You always claid to care for her deeply, but it was all false..."
The Right Chancellor groaned inwardly, feeling overwheld.
"Enough, enough! I'll send soone right away!"
He summoned a servant, prepared a lavish gift, and dispatched him to the Su residence.
Hours passed, but there was no sign of anyone returning.
Finally, as dusk approached, the servant ca back.
The Right Chancellor glanced at the empty doorway and asked, "Where is she?"
The servant replied sheepishly, "Master, I didn't even get to see Miss Su."
Madam Zhao demanded, "Did you deliver the ssage? That the Right Chancellor requested her presence?"
The servant hung his head. "I did, but the Su family servants said their young mistress is of noble birth and not so wandering healer. They claid she doesn't see just anyone..."
Madam Zhao exploded. "Unbelievable! That insolent girl thinks highly of herself!"
The Right Chancellor massaged his temples. "Enough!"
Madam Zhao imdiately sobbed. "Master, please think of sothing else!"
The Right Chancellor rose and began walking away.
"Master, where are you going?" Madam Zhao stopped crying long enough to ask.
But the Right Chancellor ignored her.
"Cough... cough..."
ng Zhirou draped a shawl over Lady Qu's shoulders.
"Mother, your cough still hasn't improved?"
Lady Qu smiled gently. "It's nothing serious. I'm almost better."
Just then, Zhu Sha, the senior maid, entered and announced, "Madam, the master has arrived."
Lady Qu glanced toward the door, and sure enough, the Right Chancellor appeared.
"What brings you here?" Lady Qu asked, surprised.
The Right Chancellor walked straight in and sat down. "I was wandering aimlessly and ended up here."
ng Zhirou poured him a cup of tea.
"Father, please drink."
The Right Chancellor took a sip and frowned. "Old tea?"
Lady Qu interjected. "It's fine for now. Are you still troubled about Zhiyun's condition?"
The Right Chancellor nodded, then suddenly perked up.
"Rou'er, during the palace banquet, I saw you sitting with Miss Su. Are you close?"
ng Zhirou, puzzled, answered honestly. "Miss Su is Cousin Yao's younger cousin. She's very kind, and we're friends."
The Right Chancellor bead. "I've heard Miss Su is an excellent healer. Could you reach out to her and ask her to co see your sister?"
ng Zhirou frowned. "Father, I can't impose on our friendship like that."
The Right Chancellor softened his tone. "Why would it be imposing? You're friends. Surely she wouldn't refuse such a small favor?"
ng Zhirou had never seen her father act so gentle toward her. She understood—it wasn't for her sake; it was for his beloved younger daughter.
But she also knew the truth about what had transpired between Su Li and ng Zhiyun. At the palace banquet, Zhiyun had forced Su Li to play the zither, intending to trap her in an illusion and ruin her. If she were in Su Li's shoes, she wouldn't want to step foot in their house either.
Lady Qu spoke sternly. "Enough! Why are you pressuring Rou'er? If you want to invite her, go yourself—or send Madam Zhao to beg on her knees. But my daughter will not be coerced into doing anything!"
The Right Chancellor stood abruptly, visibly angered.
"You and your daughter are alike! Hmph!"
As they watched his retreating figure, ng Zhirou's expression grew somber.
Her father's tenderness had co swiftly—and vanished just as fast.
Lady Qu stroked her daughter's hair tenderly. "Rou'er, don't be sad."
ng Zhirou shook her head. "I'm not sad, Mother. I'm only sorry for you."
Lady Qu sighed. "Don't expect too much, and you won't be disappointed." She coughed again, weakly.
"Mother, drink so water!"
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