Chapter 41 Poisoning

Su Yunqing returned down the mountain the same way she had come.

As expected, the guards at the foot of the mountain were as lax as ever. She easily bypassed them and smoothly reached the main road.

Having ridden her horse for only a short distance, she spotted a familiar carriage parked by the roadside.

When the coachman, Old Li, saw her horse, he muttered something back into the carriage. Zhuhua lifted the curtain, leapt down from the carriage, and stood by the road waving at her.

"Young Miss..."

"Why are you all here?" Su Yunqing gently pulled the reins and came to a halt.

"After you left, Madam scolded me quite a bit and told us to come and pick you up."

Su Yunqing remained mounted. "You can follow behind. I'll ride ahead."

"Hey, Young Miss..."

Emerald Pavilion.

"Mother, is there any news from the people we sent out? Have they found her?"

Facing Cheng Ji's persistent questioning, Madam Cheng could only offer continuous soothing words. "They've gone, they've even sent people out to sea. Don't worry."

Cheng Ji's ten fingers twitched uncontrollably.

"What is wrong with the gatekeeper? How could they let her go out alone when she is completely unfamiliar with this place? And her maid? Why didn't the maid stop her?"

Seeing him growing overly agitated, Madam Cheng quickly clasped his hands and gently coaxed him. "The maids have also gone to look for her. Just wait patiently. Your condition has only just started to improve, you mustn't get too excited."

"If anything happens to her, how am I to face her departed family members?"

"She'll be fine!" Cheng Cong stood nearby, chewing on a bamboo twig with his arms crossed, saying with absolute confidence, "She is extremely capable!"

Cheng Ji snapped, "Shut your mouth! If you dare pull any more cheap stunts, I will certainly not spare you."

Cheng Cong tilted his head and sighed, "I actually hope you'd hurry up and get up to beat me."

At that moment, a maid rushed in frantically. "Madam, First Young Master, Su Yunqing is back!"

Because of the horseback ride, Su Yunqing was covered in dust. Without even taking time to freshen up, she hurried into the room holding a brocade pouch.

Madam Cheng patted Cheng Ji's hand, stood up, and rushed forward. "How is it, Qing'er, did you find it?"

Su Yunqing shook the brocade pouch in her hand. "Found it, and there are two stalks!"

Overjoyed, Madam Cheng took the pouch and opened it. Inside lay two vibrant and resilient stalks of Ambergris Grass, still carrying the scent of the ocean.

Cheng Cong rolled his eyes. "Something that only exists in legends can be found just like that? Is it real..."

Choosing to ignore Cheng Cong's provocative and rude remarks, Su Yunqing said, "Madam, please invite Doctor Liu. With the Ambergris Grass and some supplementary medicine prescribed by him, we can brew it for Eldest Brother to take."

"Alright, alright, hurry, go invite Doctor Liu!"

"Third Younger Sister!" Cheng Ji softly called out to her, and Su Yunqing walked toward him with a smile.

"How are you feeling? Were you hurt? You must never take such risks again."

Su Yunqing stood straight and spun around once before his bed. "Look, I'm completely fine, not hurt at all."

Cheng Ji turned to Hibiscus, who had been waiting nearby and whose face lit up with joy at the sight of the Ambergris Grass. "Take the Young Miss to freshen up and change her clothes."

Maintaining a smile, Hibiscus stepped forward. "Young Miss, let this servant attend to you for a wash!"

Hibiscus, who had always glared at her with hostility, was now showing a friendliness that felt rather unfamiliar.

"No need. Let's wait here for Doctor Liu. Zhuhua will be back shortly. Just tend to the Eldest Young Master properly."

Hibiscus cast a glance at Cheng Ji.

Cheng Ji said, "Listen to the Young Miss."

Doctor Liu examined the Ambergris Grass in his hand for a moment. "In shape like an orchid, with slender leaves edged with tiny black thorns, roots that are fine and smooth, and a tiny pearl-like particle at the tip—this is indeed Ambergris Grass."

"Splendid, splendid!" Madam Cheng was overwhelmed with joy, tightly grasping Su Yunqing's hand. "It's all thanks to you."

She then raised her hands together in prayer and looked upward, chanting, " Amitabha..."

Cheng Cong lowered his hands, stopped rolling his eyes, and spat out the bamboo twig, stretching his neck right beside Doctor Liu to stare at what was in the palm.

"Can such a tiny little thing be this miraculous?"

Madam Cheng smacked him across the mouth. "Bah, bah, bah. Keep your mouth shut."

Under Doctor Liu's guidance, Madam Cheng had servants take the two stalks to the kitchen and brew them along with several other medicinal herbs.

Su Yunqing used this time to return to her room, wash up, and change into her own clothes.

Inside the room, Madam Cheng was so excited she could hardly sit still, occasionally glancing at the clepsydra nearby.

Still skeptical, Cheng Cong at some point went back outside, snapped off another bamboo twig, and began chewing on it.

Hibiscus stood silently by the door, guarding the entrance.

An hour later, the medicine was brought in.

Eagerly, Hibiscus took the bowl and carried it to the bedside. Madam Cheng had already seated herself on the embroidered stool beside the bed, picking up the spoon to feed him personally.

Unable to intervene, Su Yunqing simply watched from the side. Catching sight of Cheng Cong's complex gaze—a mix of doubt and lingering admiration—she offered a cold smile.

Seeming to notice her sneer, Cheng Cong let out a cold huff in response.

Using a handkerchief, Madam Cheng wiped the medicinal broth from the corner of Cheng Ji's mouth. "How is it? Do you feel any better?"

Doctor Liu chuckled. "Madam, please remain calm. The medicine has only just reached his stomach. It will take at least two to three days to show any effect. How could it possibly work like magic instantly?"

Madam Cheng replied, "It is just this old woman being too impatient, making Doctor Liu laugh at me."

Doctor Liu said, "We are all parents. Putting oneself in another's shoes, I naturally understand Madam's deep love and anxiety for her son."

Not even a quarter of an hour after drinking the medicine, thin beads of sweat suddenly began to form on Cheng Ji's forehead. The sweat droplets grew larger and larger, and his complexion turned deathly pale.

Madam Cheng dabbed at his sweat. "Is this medicine taking effect? But didn't Doctor Liu say it would take two to three days? Why so fast?"

Su Yunqing also felt that this state was not right. It did not look like he was improving; rather, it looked as though he had been poisoned.

Immediately afterward, a sound of retching echoed out.

The medicine he had just swallowed surged out of Cheng Ji's mouth like a fountain. Panicked, Madam Cheng grabbed a handkerchief and tried to catch it with her hands, but how could she possibly catch it all?

Within moments, Cheng Ji had vomited out the entire bowl of medicinal broth, leaving the area beneath his head pitch black and drenched.

Weeping, Madam Cheng cried, "Good heavens, what is happening?"

Hibiscus hurriedly fetched a cotton cloth to wipe him down.

Su Yunqing turned to Cheng Cong and said, "Quickly, Doctor Liu hasn't gone far yet. Go and fetch him back."

Snapping out of his shock, Cheng Cong spat out the bamboo leaf in his mouth and turned to run.

Dragged along by Cheng Cong, Doctor Liu hurried back in, panting heavily.

Madam Cheng asked, "Doctor Liu, what is the meaning of this? Why did he vomit all the medicine he just drank? There isn't a second portion of this medicine left!"

Without a word, Doctor Liu stepped forward to check his pulse, his expression turning grave. "The Eldest Young Master has been poisoned."

Cheng Cong cast a sidelong glance at Su Yunqing. "Could there be something wrong with the medicine itself? Is the letter written by that person reliable? Could it be nothing more than the arrogant nonsense of some wandering quack?"

Imperial Physician Ma had once been the Head of the Imperial Medical Academy, well-versed in medical classics ancient and modern. There was no way his method could be flawed.

As for the supplementary herbs prescribed by Doctor Liu, Su Yunqing had checked them as well; they were all common herbs meant to aid absorption, along with licorice to harmonize the flavors, making poisoning all the more impossible.

Where did the problem lie?

Su Yunqing turned back to Zhuhua. "Zhuhua, hurry to the kitchen and bring over the medicinal dregs."

Nodding, Zhuhua quickly departed.