Chapter 164

Chapter 164 Xie Run pressed her lips together. "I would ask the physician to prescribe medicine to help regulate Taotao's condition." Doctor Zhao stroked his beard and said slowly, "Side Consort Xie is known for her gentle nature, so I will be bold and speak frankly." "The young master's condition from the tapioca powder is not serious. But medicine is three parts poison—prescribing medicine to regulate his health when nothing is wrong would actually do more harm than good." "I can give the young master a massage. As long as he has a bowel movement today and never touches this substance again, there should be no major problem." Had it been anyone else, the old physician would not have dared to say such things. After all, the masters of this household treated their young masters like the apples of their eyes—they would prescribe tonic medicines even when nothing was wrong, let alone when something actually happened. It was only because Xie Run had a good reputation for being lenient and kind to those beneath her that the old physician dared to speak up. Had it been any other master, the old physician would have simply prescribed two mild formulas to fob them off. Xie Run's eyes showed gratitude. "Thank you, physician, for telling me the truth. Then let us do as you suggest!" "But please wait in the outer room—there are some matters that will require your personal testimony." "Since the Side Consort commands, I dare not refuse." Dantao stepped forward and offered a pouch of money as thanks. Xie Run also had a handful of gold melon seeds given to the old physician. Doctor Zhao had received a generous reward for this visit and was grinning from ear to ear. He tucked away his gifts and waited for the drama to unfold. With evidence in hand, Xie Run had Chunjuan quietly go to the front courtyard to invite the Princess Consort. Today the Princess Consort did not need to attend to the emperor at the palace and was resting at Pine Green Court. After several grueling days at the palace, the Princess Consort finally had a day of peace when she suddenly heard a servant relay a message. "Side Consort Xie of Spring Mountain Court invites the Princess Consort to come over, saying she has important matters to discuss." The Princess Consort was lying on the couch in the inner chamber taking a nap. Hearing this, she let out a sigh. Sure enough, the moment she relinquished her authority, those beneath her could no longer contain themselves. They truly could not wait even a moment! Nanny Li's scolding voice rang out: "The Princess Consort has finally earned a day of rest! Even if it were a matter of heaven and earth, it must wait until she has rested!" "Never mind Side Consort Xie—even if it were the Prince himself, there is no such thing as summoning her at will!" The Princess Consort propped herself up and sat, rubbing her brow with her jade-like fingers: "Nanny, have the person come in and speak." Nanny Li glared fiercely at the little maid who had delivered the message. What an oblivious thing! "Hurry up and go report to the Princess Consort?!" The little maid kept her head lowered and hurried inside. Tinghe and the other senior maids quickly stepped forward to attend to the Princess Consort. The Princess Consort asked, "What has happened?" The little maid kept her head down: "Reporting to the Princess Consort, the maid who came from Spring Mountain Court looked quite anxious, and from her words I gathered... it seems something has happened to the Fifth Young Master." "I thought that Spring Mountain Court normally never sends messages to the main courtyard, so for them to suddenly come requesting your presence, it must be urgent. I dared not delay, so I hurried to report." The Princess Consort nodded slightly. "You thought correctly." "Xie has always been well-behaved and knew her place. For her to suddenly come calling like this, there must be something serious." With that, she had her maids help her change clothes. Before the Princess Consort even arrived at Spring Mountain Court, Xie Run had already uncovered another matter. The water used to make Taotao's supplementary food was indeed problematic—a very small amount of tapioca powder had been mixed into it. This substance dissolved into water without color or odor, making it utterly impossible to guard against. Once the source of the problem was identified, Zihu began investigating the little maid Yuezhi who managed the water. Just then, Concubine Lu also arrived. "I've gathered news from all the courtyards!" Concubine Lu was something of a marvel. News from every nook and cranny of this estate could always be ferreted out by her—she claimed it was connections she had built up during her days as a maidservant. But there were many maidservants; who else had her ability? On this point, Xie Run had to concede admiration. Xie Run asked, "How are the other courtyards faring?" "The Fourth Young Master is still the same as always—plagued by various ailments, and it's hard to tell whether anyone has made a move against him. As for the Third Miss, she's recently been complaining of bloating and has been fussy for two days." "But Consort Li probably hasn't thought that far—she only had the estate physician prescribe digestive medicine." Not every child was like Taotao, who rarely fell ill. For babies a few months old, diarrhea, constipation, and even spitting up milk were all common occurrences. Xie Run frowned. "What about the Second Miss in the Princess Consort's courtyard?" "The Second Miss is fine." Concubine Lu said, "But I've also considered—first, the Princess Consort's courtyard is as tight as an iron bucket; ordinary people simply can't get a hand in. Second, the Second Miss is not only a girl, but also simple-minded. Who would be so foolish as to target her?" Unless someone bore a deep grudge against the Princess Consort. But then again, if the hatred ran that deep, they would simply strike at the Princess Consort directly. Why bother harming a simple-minded daughter who shared no blood relation with her? Xie Run listened quietly. "Your words make sense. But Consort Li is equally unthreatening—who would go after her?" Concubine Lu was also somewhat uncertain in her heart. "Perhaps Consort Li's case was just a coincidence?" "Perhaps." Xie Run said, "Once word of Spring Mountain Court spreads, Consort Li will certainly grow suspicious. We'll see whether she can uncover anything." As for now, Xie Run had to first resolve the hidden danger within her own courtyard. When the Princess Consort arrived, Xie Run performed her greetings and then got straight to the point. "Recently, Taotao has been waking up in the middle of the night with gas and Soul-startle, crying and fussing constantly. I felt something was wrong, so I had people investigate, and they discovered that someone had tampered with the wet nurse's food." The Princess Consort raised an eyebrow, instantly understanding why Xie Run had insisted on inviting her here. If something had happened to the wet nurse's food, it must be a problem originating from the main kitchen. The main kitchen was under the Princess Consort's overall management, and only with her authorization could anything be uncovered. The Princess Consort pondered for only a moment before making a decision. "Have someone summon Steward Wu from the main kitchen, and also ask who is in charge of the wet nurse's meals—bring them along as well." "The main kitchen is currently under Side Consort Fang's management; she should also be informed of the situation." Although the main kitchen was under Fang Yuan'er's management, for the Princess Consort to bypass her and summon personnel was merely a matter of a single word. No wonder Fang Yuan'er coveted power within the household so much. Who wouldn't want the authority to have the final say, without having to consider anyone else? While waiting for them to arrive, the Princess Consort took the opportunity to hear the testimonies of Doctor Zhao and the other servants. Xie Run also mentioned the issue with the water. The Princess Consort said, "Matters must be investigated one at a time. First, have someone pry open that girl's mouth, and once we get answers, we'll proceed from there." Xie Run said softly, "That is exactly what I was thinking." "It's just that I feel deeply ashamed to have troubled the Princess Consort to make a special trip." The Princess Consort held her tea and sipped it delicately, her demeanor composed and elegant. "When something happens in the household, it naturally must be investigated. Otherwise, it would be my fault as Princess Consort." "You have always been someone who causes little worry—it's just that there are others who are not so considerate." The Princess Consort said this merely as a formality; the main kitchen was now under Fang Yuan'er's management. If this matter came to light, no matter what, the first person to be held accountable would be Fang Yuan'er. A charge of negligence in oversight would be unavoidable. If Fang Yuan'er were to be even remotely implicated in this affair... then things would truly become interesting. The Princess Consort lowered her eyes, concealing the amusement beneath them. When that time came, it truly would not be just a single show to watch.