https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-178-Adding-a-Little-Brother-or-Sister-for-Bao-Shu/12934174/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-180-Treating-the-Retired-Emperor/12934180/
Chapter 179: Trust Between Husband and Wife
Chapter 179: Trust Between Husband and Wife
Meng Qianqian, Lu Yuan, Zong Zhengxi, and his personal eunuch, Xiao Dezi, all headed towards the Retired Emperor's residence, Zhuang He Pavilion.
Zhuang He Pavilion was a small, serene palace where the Retired Emperor chose to reside.
After years of worshipping Buddha in temples, he had grown accustomed to tranquility.
As soon as they entered the palace, Meng Qianqian and Lu Yuan felt an extremely tense atmosphere.
The eunuchs and palace maids knelt in the corridor, their eyes lowered, not daring to breathe loudly. Occasionally, medical personnel from the Imperial Medical Institute hurried by, their faces grave.
"Your Majesty..."
A guarding palace maid noticed Zong Zhengxi and was about to greet him.
Zong Zhengxi raised his hand, and the palace maid cautiously stepped aside.
Zong Zhengxi had only been gone for two hours, but upon returning to his father's palace, he found that several people had gathered by his father's bed.
"Your Highness."
Zong Zhengxi called out to Wanping Princess.
Wanping Princess didn't hear anything; she knelt by the bed, sobbing uncontrollably beside the Retired Emperor.
Behind her, her other siblings knelt as well.
However, it was unclear how many of them were genuinely heartbroken and how many were putting on a show of tears.
Meng Qianqian and Lu Yuan exchanged a glance.
Although Lu Yuan didn't want to look at Wanping Princess, he had to admit that her filial piety towards the Retired Emperor was genuine. If the Retired Emperor had indeed been poisoned, they could rule her out as a suspect.
Meng Qianqian's gaze then swept over the other princes, not recognizing them, and couldn't discern anything for the moment.
"Your Majesty."
The Third Prince was the first to notice Zong Zhengxi and stood up to pay his respects.
The others also stood up one after another.
Zong Zhengxi said, "My royal brothers, there's no need for such formalities."
The court physicians also hurriedly paid their respects to him.
After that, everyone noticed Lu Yuan and Meng Qianqian standing behind Zong Zhengxi.
Not everyone might recognize Meng Qianqian, but no one was unfamiliar with Lu Yuan.
The crowd was taken aback.
Zong Zhengxi observed everyone's reactions, took a deep breath, and said, "Lady Lu is proficient in Traditional Chinese Medicine. I went to the Governor's Mansion and invited her to treat my father's illness."
"Absurd!"
The Second Prince glared and stepped forward. He was older than the Noble Consort Li and had the demeanor of a true prince.
Pointing at Meng Qianqian, he said, "I've never heard of her knowing any medical skills. Even if she does, given her current status, who can say whether she's treating or harming my father?"
The Third Prince chimed in, "Yes, Your Majesty, have you forgotten who sent my father to the 'resting palace' these past few years?"
Everyone except Zong Zhengxi believed that the Retired Emperor had been confined to the resting palace.
The Second Prince said, "Lu Yuan couldn't have peace of mind!"
Zong Zhengxi felt a bit weak, "My father... these years in the 'resting palace' were actually quite good."
It was only after returning to the palace that he fell ill.
He hadn't taken good care of his father; he was useless!
The Second Prince, frustrated, said, "Have you forgotten how the former Crown Prince died? Wasn't it because he invited a quack doctor who killed him?"
The Fifth Prince mocked, "Second Brother, Third Brother, don't say anything more. If the Crown Prince hadn't died, would it have been his turn to become the Emperor? How could he blame Lu Yuan?"
Lu Yuan spoke calmly, "Your Majesty, I've only been absent from court for a month, and your brothers are already speaking to you like this?"
Zong Zhengxi's face turned pale.
Indeed, when Lu Yuan was regent, none of his brothers dared to ridicule or disrespect him.
It was as if only Lu Yuan could scold him, and no one else.
The Third Prince spoke coldly, "Lu Yuan, you have no right to speak here! The crimes you've committed are countless, and it's only due to the Retired Emperor and the Prime Minister's leniency, considering your merits in conquering Northern Liang, that your life was spared!"
"Prime Minister," Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow.
Just as they were talking about him, a little eunuch announced, "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister requests an audience, and he has brought a Divine Physician with him."
Upon seeing the Divine Physician by Xun Prime Minister's side, Meng Qianqian's expression froze.
Yan Niangzi?
It was her?
Meng Qianqian had no doubts about Yan Niangzi's reputation as a divine physician. After all, when she was punished in Changchun Palace and her cold condition flared up, it was Yan Niangzi who saved her life when she was on the brink of death.
What surprised her was how Yan Niangzi was connected to Xun Prime Minister.
She glanced at Lu Yuan, who seemed completely unsurprised, and instantly understood.
Yan Niangzi was affiliated with Xun Prime Minister.
No wonder the Ten Thousand Flowers Tower held such a prominent position in the capital.
Since the murderer of her family was connected to the Ten Thousand Flowers Tower, did this imply that Xun Prime Minister was also involved in her family's case? For a case with so many loopholes to be concluded and buried, the person behind it must possess immense power.
To be honest, the first suspect in her mind was Lu Yuan. She had approached and used him, all while investigating him.
After her trip to the border, Lu Yuan was cleared of suspicion.
So, was it the Retired Emperor or Xun Prime Minister?
Xun Prime Minister respectfully performed an elaborate bow to Zong Zhengxi, "Your Majesty, this subject greets you!"
Lu Yuan never knelt before the Emperor, and in comparison, the Prime Minister's etiquette was much more complete.
Zong Zhengxi quickly said, "Prime Minister, please rise. And the divine physician, please rise as well."
The Prime Minister and Yan Niangzi stood up one after the other.
"Prime Minister," Lu Yuan said politely, bowing slightly.
Xun Prime Minister returned the gesture.
Then, Xun Prime Minister spoke to Zong Zhengxi, "Your Majesty, I heard that the Retired Emperor is critically ill. The imperial physicians have done their best to stabilize his condition, but they have been working tirelessly for three days and are exhausted. After making inquiries, I learned that Yan Niangzi from the Ten Thousand Flowers Tower is highly skilled in medicine. Perhaps we could invite her to examine the Retired Emperor."
His words not only clarified their purpose but also provided a way for the imperial physicians to save face.
Who wouldn't feel relieved after hearing that? None of the princes had any objections.
Zong Zhengxi had no choice but to agree.
Yan Niangzi approached the bed and said to Wanping Princess, "Princess, I need to diagnose the Retired Emperor. Please take a rest on the chair for a while."
Wanping Princess didn't move; she was in a state of shock due to her grief.
Finally, Zong Zhengxi had two palace maids forcibly take her away, saying, "Don't hurt the Princess!"
Yan Niangzi took the Retired Emperor's pulse, examined his body, lifted his eyelids to check his pupils and tongue, and shook her head, "It's not a Warm Disease, nor is it poisoning. This is strange; I've never encountered such an illness before."
Xun Prime Minister's brows furrowed, "Is there a way to treat it?"
Yan Niangzi shook her head again, "If I can't diagnose the disease, I can't prescribe the right medicine."
Meng Qianqian's eyes narrowed; she trusted Yan Niangzi's medical skills and didn't believe she had misdiagnosed.
If it wasn't a Warm Disease or poisoning, then it could only be...
She spoke up, "May I try?"
Yan Niangzi smiled faintly, "You? Don't forget that I was the one who saved your life. With your abilities, how can you not even cure your own cold condition?"
Hearing this, the princes were even more reluctant to let Meng Qianqian treat the Retired Emperor.
Meng Qianqian said, "Physicians don't treat themselves."
It wasn't that she couldn't cure it, but she lacked the necessary medicine. The Ganoderma she needed to treat the cold was something she couldn't buy even with money.
Yan Niangzi smiled, "Well said, physicians don't treat themselves. Just in case your Governor's Mansion... has other intentions. You should know that it's easy for doctors to kill people, like the case of Lady Chu back then."
Indeed, the powerful Chu Great General had died at the border, at the hands of the divine physician Lady Chu.
Lu Yuan asked Meng Qianqian in a low voice, "How confident are you?"
Meng Qianqian thought for a moment, "Less than thirty percent."
Lu Yuan said, "That's enough."
Before Meng Qianqian could understand what he meant by 'enough', Lu Yuan took a few steps forward with utmost seriousness, his aura fully unleashed.
"I pledge my life to guarantee that my wife will not harm the Retired Emperor. As long as the Retired Emperor lives, I live. If the Retired Emperor passes away, I will die!"
Hmm, there's no double monthly pass today.
(End of Chapter)
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