Chapter 87

Chapter Eighty-Seven: Is This It? The horse-racing competition at the peach-blossom banquet had been held for many years, but this was the first time anyone had ever fallen from a horse. When Ling Yuwan was thrown to the ground, everyone in the stands was startled. The moment Madam Chen saw her daughter fall, she let out a scream and immediately rushed toward Ling Yuwan. The guards maintaining order around the racecourse also hurried over when they saw a young lady fall from her horse. They had to subdue the berserk horse first, lest it suddenly lash out and injure someone else. When Empress Su Wanrong saw that a young lady had fallen from her horse, she asked the steward matron beside her, “Mama Wan, which family does that young lady belong to? How did she suddenly fall from her horse?” Mama Wan had also seen Ling Yuwan fall. She focused her gaze on the scene before replying, “Your Majesty, that is a young lady from the Ling Residence. Her name is Ling Yuwan. She is a concubine-born daughter of the Ling family and has just turned fourteen this year, so she was eligible to participate in the horse race.” “Go and summon an imperial physician to treat Miss Ling. That fall looked serious to me. They must make sure she survives,” Empress Su Wanrong said anxiously to Mama Wan. “This servant will go at once.” Mama Wan curtsied to Empress Su Wanrong before hurrying off to summon an imperial physician. By then, Madam Chen had already reached Ling Yuwan’s side. Ling Yuwan lay on the ground, completely unconscious. Madam Chen lifted her into her arms and wailed, “Yuwan, don’t frighten Mother! Wake up! You’re Mother’s only child. Wake up, quickly!” While Madam Chen was holding Ling Yuwan and crying out, the guards had already managed to restrain the berserk horse. Even so, it continued to neigh wildly, and the guards could barely hold it back. Just then, another group of guards arrived carrying a stretcher and carried Ling Yuwan away. Madam Chen followed beside the stretcher, tears falling nonstop like beads from a broken string. When Madam Liu saw Ling Yuwan suffer such a sudden misfortune, she also stood up anxiously, her eyes filled with concern as she watched her. Although Ling Jiayue’s face was full of worry, a trace of amusement glimmered in the depths of her eyes. She sneered inwardly: My good little sister, how does it feel to fall from a horse? When the guards carried Ling Yuwan back to the banquet, Madam Chen had already cried herself hoarse. At that moment, Mama Wan arrived in haste with an imperial physician. “Quickly, lay the young lady down so this old man can examine her,” the imperial physician said urgently. Hearing this, Madam Chen seemed to suddenly come to her senses. She hurriedly said, “Yes, yes, lay Yuwan down first so the imperial physician can examine her. Yuwan mustn’t come to any harm!” The guards obeyed and gently laid Ling Yuwan down. The imperial physician set down the medicine chest he had been carrying, reached out to check Ling Yuwan’s breathing, then lifted her eyelids to examine her eyes. After conducting a thorough examination, he spoke in a grave tone. “This young lady’s lumbar spine suffered a severe impact when she fell from the horse. I’m afraid…” The imperial physician did not dare finish his sentence, but Madam Chen was frantic with worry and pressed him anxiously, “Afraid of what? Imperial Physician, please explain clearly!” The imperial physician looked at Madam Chen, then at Ling Yuwan, and shook his head. “I’m afraid she will never be able to stand or walk upright again. She is as good as crippled for the rest of her life…” When Madam Chen heard that Ling Yuwan would never be able to stand and walk again, it was as though she had suffered another devastating blow. Her vision went black, and she fainted. Seeing Madam Chen collapse, Madam Liu hurriedly called out, “Quick, catch Concubine Chen!” The maid beside her hastily caught the fainting Concubine Chen. Madam Liu looked at Ling Yuwan lying on the stretcher and at the unconscious Concubine Chen, then sighed silently. “Imperial Physician, is it true that this child will never be able to walk again? She is only fourteen years old. If she can never stand again, her entire life will be ruined.” The imperial physician bowed and clasped his fists. “I am sorry. This old physician is incapable of curing Miss Ling. I can only prescribe some medicine for treating her external injuries and relieving the pain.” “Then I must trouble you, Imperial Physician.” Madam Liu sighed. “Mother, how could the horse have suddenly gone berserk for no reason? And why would it suddenly throw Sister Yuwan off? If it was because of the horse, then all of these horses came from the same stables. Why was it only Sister Yuwan’s horse that became so agitated?” Ling Jiayue asked the question, but a glint flashed through her eyes. She would “resolve” these questions one by one. If Ling Yuwan woke up, she would not even have the chance to shift the blame onto her. Ling Yuwan would have to suffer the consequences of her own actions. Let her endure the pain of never being able to stand again for the rest of her life—that would be the greatest punishment for Ling Yuwan. When Madam Liu heard Ling Jiayue’s question, she also found the matter strange. Since the imperial physician was well versed in medical arts, perhaps he could notice something. She therefore asked him, “Imperial Physician, could you examine the horse and determine why it went berserk, and why exactly Miss Yuwan was thrown from it?” The imperial physician answered cautiously, “This old physician can only make judgments from a medical perspective. I hope Madam Ling will not place too much hope in me, but I will certainly do my best to investigate.” Madam Liu replied, “Imperial Physician, there is no need to worry too much. Please do your best.” The imperial physician rolled up his sleeves and went to examine the horse. He discovered that it was unusually agitated, clearly because it had inhaled some sort of drug. He tried to calm it, but the horse remained restless and continued neighing wildly. The imperial physician looked at the horse and then at Ling Yuwan, as though he had thought of something. He turned back to Madam Liu and said, “Madam Ling, forgive my boldness, but please tear off a piece of Miss Ling’s clothing. I would like to verify a suspicion.” Madam Liu nodded in agreement. Her steward matron stepped forward, tore off a piece of Ling Yuwan’s clothing, and handed it to the imperial physician. The imperial physician took the cloth and held it beneath the horse’s nose. Sure enough, the horse suddenly went berserk, and the guards nearly lost their grip on it. The imperial physician was clearly frightened by the horse’s sudden outburst and retreated several steps. However, he had now confirmed what had caused the horse to go berserk, as well as why Ling Yuwan had suddenly been thrown from it. The imperial physician wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned back to Madam Liu. “Madam Ling, I have confirmed it. Miss Ling was thrown from the horse because of the scent on her body. The scent caused the horse to go berserk when it smelled her, which was why it threw her from its back.” A scent? Madam Liu and Mama Wan were completely bewildered. Ling Jiayue, however, smiled. She untied the sachet from her waist and handed it to the imperial physician. “Imperial Physician, is it this?” The imperial physician took it, smelled it, and replied, “That is correct. The injured Miss Ling had precisely this scent on her.” Madam Chen had just regained consciousness when she saw this scene. Her heart clenched, and she blurted out, “What is Miss Ling doing? Shouldn’t we be finding the murderer who plotted against Yuwan first?”