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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.
Meng Zhiyun thrashed and screamed, 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 me 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 me go! It's so itchy! Mother!" Meng 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 Meng!"
Soon enough, the Right Chancellor arrived, accompanied by Meng Zhirou and his official wife, Lady Qu.
Upon entering, they were greeted by Meng Zhiyun's disfigured appearance, causing Meng Zhirou to nearly retch.
"Sister, Mother and I have come to see you," Meng Zhirou said softly, clinging to her mother's arm and hesitating to approach further.
"What are you doing here?! Come to mock me, have you? Mother! Throw her out! Hurry!"
Seeing Meng Zhirou's flawless complexion, Meng 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 moment, Madam Zhao wiped away tears and replied, "I don't know. She returned home 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 something obscure. The imperial physicians specialize in treating illnesses, but when it comes to poisons, they might not know as much as some 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 esteemed Dr. Changchun from Xinglin Hall!"
"Yes, Master."
The stench inside the inner chamber was unbearable, so Meng Zhirou escorted her mother to sit in the outer room.
As the Right Chancellor observed his official wife, her calm demeanor brought him a sense of peace.
In times of crisis, it was truly Lady Qu who remained composed—a testament 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! Name any herbs you require, no matter the cost—I'll spare no expense! If you cure her, I'll reward you handsomely!"
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 immediately 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 someone in this state?"
Within moments, three or four doctors had fled.
The remaining four or five took turns examining Meng 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 name 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 same person who cured Golden Grass Poison. Perhaps they can also handle Rotten Gut Poison."
Another doctor interjected, "You mean 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 became certainty.
Dr. Changchun nodded. "Yes, precisely."
Meng Zhiyun shrieked, "No! I won't let Su Li near me! I refuse to let her see me like this! All of you are useless quacks! Get out! Leave me 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 emerged, her voice trembling with excitement. "Master, did you hear what Dr. Changchun said? Perhaps Miss Su can save our daughter!"
The Right Chancellor's eyes briefly brightened, then dimmed again.
If it were anyone else, he could have summoned them without hesitation. But why did it have to be Miss Su?
After Meng 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 me? Send someone to invite Miss Su immediately!"
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 time. 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 claimed to care for her deeply, but it was all false…"
The Right Chancellor groaned inwardly, feeling overwhelmed.
"Enough, enough! I'll send someone 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 came 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 message? 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 some wandering healer. They claimed 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 immediately sobbed. "Master, please think of something 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…"
Meng 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."
Meng 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?"
Meng Zhirou, puzzled, answered honestly. "Miss Su is Cousin Yao's younger cousin. She's very kind, and we're friends."
The Right Chancellor beamed. "I've heard Miss Su is an excellent healer. Could you reach out to her and ask her to come see your sister?"
Meng 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?"
Meng 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 Meng 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, Meng Zhirou's expression grew somber.
Her father's tenderness had come swiftly—and vanished just as fast.
Lady Qu stroked her daughter's hair tenderly. "Rou'er, don't be sad."
Meng 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 some water!"