Chapter 1112 - 1114: Consort Yue Poisoned Again_1
The members of the Bai Family all changed their facial expressions at once, although their household wasn’t particularly strict about etiquette, the servants wouldn’t run around and yell without proper manners unless something serious had happened!
"It’s the eunuch from Cining Palace who came to relay the Empress Dowager’s decree, saying that Concubine Le was feeling unwell." The servant was quite efficient and explained the situation directly.
Bai Ruozhu sprang up immediately, handed Little Dengdeng to her mother, ordered someone to fetch her medicine box, and hurried outside.
"I will accompany you," Jiang Yichun followed her, Bai Ruozhu hesitated for a moment, "You should not come, I am going to treat ladies of the harem, it’s not convenient for you to be there, and..."
And because it involved the imperial heir, if there were any accidents, he could figure out a solution from the outside, it would be troublesome if they both got detained inside.
Jiang Yichun knew her temperament well and his expression darkened, "Do you think something has happened?"
Bai Ruozhu shook her head, "I won’t know until I go there."
She had preserved Concubine Le’s pregnancy, and they had already passed the risky first three months, but if Concubine Le suddenly felt unwell, it was likely that someone had interfered.
Even if Cining Palace was safe, it wasn’t without vulnerabilities.
To save time, Bai Ruozhu asked a servant to bring a horse to the entrance, spoke to the eunuch who had delivered the message, took the medicine box provided by the guard, and rode towards the Imperial Palace.
She made swift progress, and when she arrived outside the Side Hall of Cining Palace, she could already hear Concubine Le’s cries of pain from afar.
She quickened her steps immediately and upon entering the room, she saw the Empress Dowager’s anxious face. The Empress Dowager grasped her arm, "Ruozhu, you must save Concubine Le, she suddenly complained of stomach pain, it was so severe she broke out in sweat. I summoned the Imperial Doctor, but the Imperial Doctor said..."
Seeing that the Empress Dowager had no doubts about her, Bai Ruozhu breathed a huge sigh of relief; if the Empress Dowager didn’t trust her, the illness would be difficult to treat.
She stepped forward to check Concubine Le’s pulse and quickly understood what the Empress Dowager meant by her unfinished words.
Concubine Le’s condition was very critical, the position of the fetus had slipped, and she was experiencing false contractions, with her abdomen periodically tightening and a wave of pain each time, in danger of miscarriage at any moment!
Bai Ruozhu didn’t dare delay for a second, she immediately gave Concubine Le a pill to suppress the toxins and then swiftly used acupuncture to alleviate the pain; soon the pain subsided, and Concubine Le relaxed a bit, no longer as tense as before.
She grasped Bai Ruozhu’s hand, pleading through tears, "Ruozhu, you must help me, save my child, as long as he can survive, I’m willing to exchange my life for his..."
Bai Ruozhu felt a warmth in her eyes, as she too had given birth. She could understand Concubine Le’s feelings at the moment. Even though she had Little Dengdeng in her womb when she transmigrated, day and night of being together meant the child had become a part of her, an extension of her life, and she loved him unconditionally without reasoning. During the most dangerous part of labor, she also thought that as long as the child could live, she didn’t mind exchanging her own life.
Such is maternal love, inexplicable, yet the most genuinely existing.
"Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you or the child," Bai Ruozhu sniffled and said.
She put down the silver needle and began to massage Concubine Le’s abdomen, employing a set of techniques she had to suppress false contractions.
"Empress Dowager, I will dictate a formula, please have someone write it down and prepare the decoction. It must be someone trustworthy, Concubine Le has been poisoned!" Bai Ruozhu couldn’t free her hands and had to ask the Empress Dowager for help.
The Empress Dowager and Consort Yue were both startled. Bai Ruozhu immediately said to Consort Yue, "Don’t overthink it, relax first, or else it will be even more dangerous."
Consort Yue hurriedly closed her eyes, trying not to think too much, and made an effort to calm herself down.
The Empress Dowager was shocked and angry but also knew that now was not the time to look for the culprit. Saving a life was the most critical. She personally took notes of the formulas Bai Ruozhu mentioned, had Bai Ruozhu review them, and then dispatched a trustworthy palace maid to gather and decoct the medicine.
Consort Yue gradually relaxed, and she wasn’t in as much pain as before. She even fell asleep under Bai Ruozhu’s massage.
Bai Ruozhu’s movements were extremely gentle because if she was not careful, the amniotic sac might detach. If the child was also poisoned, it would be even more dangerous later on.
The Empress Dowager saw Bai Ruozhu sweating from her forehead and wanted to ask if she needed to keep massaging, but seeing how peacefully Consort Yue slept, she dared not speak lightly. Her gaze towards Bai Ruozhu was filled with even more gratitude.
Just then, she suddenly noticed bloodstains seeping through Consort Yue’s skirt. She covered her mouth in fright. Had they still not managed to save the baby?
However, Bai Ruozhu let out a sigh of relief and said in a low voice, "Her womb was already bleeding due to the poisoning, and having poisonous blood accumulated inside is very dangerous—it can make the amniotic fluid murky. If left for too long, the fetus might get poisoned too. It’s better that it’s flowing out, but Consort Yue is still at risk of miscarriage."
The Empress Dowager had just breathed a sigh of relief but tensed up again upon hearing the latter part.
"I will personally stay here these next few days," Bai Ruozhu added.
"Good, we’re fortunate you were here today," the Empress Dowager said, wiping the corner of her eyes. She had never liked the deception and scheming in the palace, the plots and schemes. The Former Emperor had always protected her, but now that he was gone and she had become the Empress Dowager, she couldn’t even protect her own niece and grandchild. She felt utterly useless!
Only after the medicine soup was properly decocted and brought over did Bai Ruozhu stop the massage. She woke Consort Yue and spoon-fed her the medicine soup.
After that, she used a set of needlework to neutralize the effects of the detoxification medicine, fearing that the detoxification process might harm the still-forming fetus.
"We’ve temporarily suppressed the toxicity, but we must proceed step by step, and cannot be careless over these next three days," Bai Ruozhu said, wiping the sweat from her forehead, gathering the silver needles one by one.
What poison had Wenwen been subjected to, and how had it been administered? The Empress Dowager, with a grim expression, said, "We’ve checked today’s leftovers, and there seems to be no problem with them." This was the second attempt. She could not tolerate this any longer!
Bai Ruozhu thought for a moment and said, "It is a toxicity mixed from several herbs. It seems that our adversary also understands pharmacology. Moreover, this poison can take effect just through its scent. Let me take a look at the food first."
The Empress Dowager ordered the remaining food to be brought over—Consort Yue’s used dishes and utensils had not yet been cleaned. Bai Ruozhu inspected them carefully and confirmed that the poison was not in the food.
"So, just by smelling that substance, Consort Yue could be poisoned?" The Empress Dowager urgently asked.
Bai Ruozhu nodded, "Your Majesty, please check whether there have been any suspicious people in Cining Palace or those who have approached Consort Yue lately. Summon everyone to the yard."
"Very well, Wenwen, you take good care of yourself. I and Ruozhu will capture the person who poisoned you!" the Empress Dowager declared.
Soon, all those who had approached Consort Yue in Cining Palace these days were summoned. Fortunately, since Consort Yue was confined indoors for her pregnancy, she hadn’t moved around much—only seven people had been near her. Bai Ruozhu inspected them and found none carried that kind of poison.