freenovelworld Chapter 76 He's Really Sick
Chapter 76 He's Really Sick
When it comes to poisoning, Meng Shu is actually quite skilled at it. After all, she has a photographic memory. Although there are no poison prescriptions in the pharmacopoeia, there are countless cases of two or more medicinal materials interacting and counteracting each other. But when it comes to incense prescriptions, she is not so sure.
Speaking of Ruilin Incense, on the Double Ninth Festival, every courtyard uses it to perfume clothes and houses. Meng Shu even planned to use this incense to make a sachet for the Second Miss because the incense is meticulously made and properly blended, making it the best incense to repel mosquitoes and evil spirits. Fengyin Courtyard has been making this incense in the courtyard these past few days, so how could it have attracted poisonous insects?
Putting aside Meng Shu's doubts, let's talk about Aunt Wen first. At this moment, she was indeed restless in her room and barely managed to refrain from speaking to the old woman guarding her.
As night fell, no news came from Fengyin Courtyard. Suddenly, Aunt Wen fell seriously ill. The old woman guarding the gate was overwhelmed and hurriedly sent someone to fetch the physician from the prefectural hospital to examine her.
Fengyin Temple.
While Jian Zhi was talking to the family in the outer room, Aunt Lu was lying on the bed in the inner room, being looked after by a maid. She had managed to escape with her life.
Huixin knelt on the ground, trembling, and said, "Steward, Doctor Jian, our aunt has always been making incense in the back room. She usually uses a variety of spices, many of which are avoided by insects and scorpions. She certainly wouldn't attract any poisonous insects."
Huixin had a clean background; she was a maid who used to work for Aunt Lu in the incense shop and was skilled in incense making. Therefore, everyone trusted her to some extent. Huixin herself was also terrified. Fortunately, Aunt Lu had heeded the Madam's advice some time ago and had the wet nurse hold the Second Young Master far away while making incense. If the Second Young Master had been stung by a scorpion just now... Aunt Lu probably wouldn't have survived.
Jian Zhi carefully examined the incense recipes on the table, which contained more than ten ancient incense formulas. There were no problems with the ingredients, processing methods, or even the compatibility and medicinal properties of the ingredients.
Upon further inspection of the backyard, it was found that the unusually strong scent of incense at Fengyin Temple had almost eliminated mosquitoes, leading to the conclusion that the scorpions must have been released from outside the courtyard.
Thinking of this, Jian Zhi had no choice but to say to the head of the Fang family, "Manager Fang, there is absolutely no problem with this incense recipe. Aunt Lu should have made the Zanxi Soothing Incense according to the recipe. The Zanxi incense, agarwood, benzoin, frankincense, angelica, fennel, and honey mentioned in the recipe are all safe and sound."
The Fang family found the situation extremely troublesome. Ever since Aunt Lu gave birth safely, the entire Fengyin Courtyard had been under the Madam's surveillance. Even when the Madam was not in the mansion, there were meticulous arrangements around Fengyin Courtyard, so it was impossible that someone had suddenly released poisonous insects in.
"In your opinion..."
Just as Madam Fang was about to inquire, a maidservant relayed a message that Consort Wen was ill. Madam Fang scoffed, "What a coincidence that this illness has come so suddenly." As it was nearing evening, Jian Zhi, to avoid suspicion, sent a junior sister to examine the patient.
"In your opinion, could it be that two spices are incompatible, causing the insect infestation?" Master Fang continued to ask.
Jian Zhi replied almost without thinking, "Impossible. Although some of these spices are very precious, they would not be incompatible. I have heard that Aunt Lu is very skilled in this area. If there is a problem, she would definitely be able to anticipate it."
The Fang family didn't ask any more questions. Fortunately, Doctor Jian arrived in time and Aunt Lu was temporarily out of danger. She would probably need to rest for a long time. Today's events should be reported to the estate in their entirety.
Lanting Courtyard, where Aunt Wen resides.
After the female doctor mentioned that Aunt Lu was temporarily out of danger, Aunt Wen actually fell ill.
She began plotting from the moment Aunt Lu became pregnant, going to great lengths to learn about spices and collect incense recipes. Despite all her efforts, she failed. Aunt Wen will probably be ill for a while.
The incense recipe itself is fine; the problem lies with the cinnabar incense. The old lady has been absent-minded lately, and if Aunt Lu sees the recipe for the cinnabar soothing incense, she will definitely rush to make it in order to curry favor with Fu An Ju.
The interplay and antagonism between spices are not simply a matter of "one" or "the other." Their flavors are ever-changing, and how many people can truly understand all the mysteries within them?
Chansixiang is a common incense, but when lit together with Ruilin incense, it becomes deadly to a type of poisonous scorpion native to Lin'an. This was Aunt Wen's last trump card, and it happened during the days when neither the old lady nor the madam was present. All the right conditions, including timing, location, and people, failed to work. Aunt Wen's hatred surged, and she could not sleep peacefully.
The Fang family was very sensible; since Aunt Lu was alright, they wouldn't bother their master on the Double Ninth Festival.
As night falls, the houses are nestled among the shadows of the trees, as if bathed in ink, and all is quiet throughout the entire residence.
Meng Shu and Dong Gua lay on the same bed. Dong Gua's regular snoring could easily make one doze off after a while, but Meng Shu suddenly couldn't fall asleep. Aunt Lu was just an insignificant character in the inner quarters. She could live a peaceful life when she didn't have a son, but once she gave birth to a son, she was immediately poisoned.
The women in the inner quarters have it much harder than the men in the front. The small backyard of the Tang family is full of intrigues and schemes. If the second young lady marries into a high-ranking family, will she be able to survive in the deep and complicated inner quarters?
Meng Shu turned over, her mind filled with the Second Miss's voice. More than once at night, the Second Miss would pat the side of the bed and whisper to herself, "Come up and sleep, the floor is cold." And that sentence, "In that case, send someone to redeem her tomorrow."
The favor that Huanyun had given up after much consideration had actually taken root in Meng Shu's heart. The more affection there was, the deeper the entanglement became.
"Ah."
Donggua was snoring and dreaming when a sneeze jolted him awake. Still half asleep, he looked at Meng Shu's blinking eyes and mumbled, "Aren't you sleepy? Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Meng Shu expressed her concerns, while Dong Gua rolled over on the bed and wrapped the quilt under her legs. "No matter who the Second Miss marries, even if she marries into the palace and becomes a concubine, we will have to go with her as part of her dowry. You just need to help her fight and protect her."
Meng Shu: "......"
"Master told me that worrying about distant things will shorten your life, so go to sleep." As soon as Donggua finished speaking, he started snoring again.
Meng Shu could only mutter that Dong Gua was indeed good at overpowering others with sheer force. She didn't have time to think about it any further, so she squeezed next to the chubby Dong Gua and finally fell asleep peacefully.
The next morning, the head of the family in Yun Gui Courtyard sent someone to the estate to deliver a message. In the afternoon, the second young lady, accompanied by the sixth young lady and servants, returned to the Tang residence. Meng Shu and the others rushed to the gate of the Tang residence to greet them.
With tears still on her face, the sixth young lady got off the carriage and, with the help of her wet nurse, forced herself to remain calm as she returned to Fengyin Courtyard. The second young lady naturally wanted to go with her to visit Aunt Lu. As they walked, Meng Shu keenly noticed that the second young lady seemed to have changed after not seeing her for a day or two.
She remained dignified, but she was more than just dignified; with her exquisite face, every step she took seemed to create a rustling sound in the wind.