Chapter 214

Chapter 214 Nanny Li beside her looked deeply uneasy: "What is to be done?! The mistress's health has been failing—how can she withstand such strain?" The Princess Consort immediately turned cold-faced. "Nanny! With Noble Consort Chen's passing, mourning is observed throughout the palace and beyond. This is my duty as a daughter-in-law of the royal family." The word "strain" made it seem as though the Princess Consort, as a royal daughter-in-law, held insufficient respect for Noble Consort Chen. Nanny Li quickly covered herself: "This old servant was referring to the assassination incident stirring up trouble in the palace..." Prince Jing never bothered to quibble with the Princess Consort over such trivialities of speech. After a while, word first arrived from Chunshan Court. Jing Wu came in person with his men. "Reporting to the Prince, this subordinate led men to search the bedchambers of Mistress Xie and Fifth Young Master and discovered venomous snakes, scorpions, and centipedes..." Xie Run was so startled she shot to her feet. "What did you say?!" Her heart pounded violently, nearly leaping from her chest. "What about Taotao? Is he alright?!" Prince Jing rose and patted her shoulder to soothe her, then asked calmly, "Have you searched everything thoroughly? Was anyone hurt?" Jing Wu: "Reporting to the Prince and Consort Xie, Fifth Young Master is unharmed. Only a few maidservants were startled—no one was injured." "This subordinate had men search back and forth over a dozen times, laid realgar and sulfur powder all around, and had herbal smoke wafted through several times. There is no longer any trace of these poisonous creatures." "Good. You may withdraw for now." Xie Run's hands clenched the armrests of her chair, her eyes reddening. "With snow three feet deep at this time, where would venomous snakes and centipedes come from?!" "Someone deliberately seeks to take my life and Taotao's!" "Thank goodness the Prince was vigilant... Had misfortune struck, I and Taotao might have lost our lives!" At the thought of a room full of poisonous creatures crawling about in her sleep, Xie Run felt chills run through her entire body. "The one behind this is far too vicious!" This wasn't merely a plot against Xie Run and Taotao's lives—it was clearly an attempt to claim dozens of lives in Chunshan Court! If those venomous snakes and insects scattered and bit anyone, each bite could take a life. Prince Jing patted her hand and said in a low voice, "Rest assured. I said before—I won't let you and the child suffer this injustice in vain." Prince Jing then asked Jing Wu, "Have you apprehended any suspects?" Jing Wu nodded. "Eunuch Chunjuan of Chunshan Court caught a maidservant acting suspiciously. When this subordinate arrived with men, we also found traces on a young eunuch and a young maid. We await the results of interrogation." Prince Jing waved his hand grandly. "Interrogate as you see fit—by whatever means necessary!" "Yes!" Dantao helped the shaken Xie Run sit down, both of them somewhat dazed. Suddenly, a flustered commotion came from the side chamber of Yunbi Pavilion. The Princess Consort frowned and asked, "What is happening in the birthing room?!" Having learned from the previous two incidents, the Princess Consort had arranged for matrons to be stationed in the birthing room early this time. Someone immediately came forward to report: "Reporting to the Princess Consort, Concubine Lian has fainted from exhaustion. The mansion physician is tending to her..." Xie Run asked in confusion, "How is the delivery progressing?!" "It's been so long and the child still hasn't come—is the baby doing well?" In truth, Xie Run wanted to ask whether the child was positioned transversely or head-down, and why the birth was taking so long. But with Prince Jing present, she didn't feel it appropriate to ask too many questions. "Reporting to Consort Xie, the child is positioned head-down, but Concubine Lian has been unable to summon strength. She's on the verge of fainting now, so we can only rely on the mansion physician's acupuncture..." Xie Run: "I only hope Concubine Lian delivers smoothly." Normally, one could send a card to request an imperial physician, but it was already so late today. Moreover, with a major event just occurring in the palace, the imperial physicians would surely be occupied serving the palace first—they likely couldn't be summoned. For now, they could only rely on the skills of the mansion physicians. Inside the birthing room, Concubine Lian was roused by the sting of the mansion physician's needles, slowly regaining consciousness. But no matter what, she felt she couldn't catch her breath. Her unfocused gaze took a long while to sharpen, and she reached tremblingly toward Wan Linlang. Wan Linlang had been in the birthing room all afternoon helping with the delivery, and she too looked somewhat disheveled by now. She took Concubine Lian's hand and asked gently, "Sister Lian, what do you want to say?" "The midwife says the baby's head is already visible. If you can just push a little harder, you'll deliver smoothly!" Wan Linlang's face was full of sincerity, not a trace of selfish motive—worry and heartache nearly spilled from her eyes. Concubine Lian opened her mouth, tears sliding from the corners of her eyes. "Sis... sister, I truly... have no strength left..." Wan Linlang pressed her hand. "Someone has already gone to brew ginseng soup. Once you drink it, you'll have strength... Hold on just a little longer." Concubine Lian shook her head with difficulty, gasping for breath, feeling as though her nose and mouth were blocked by something. Wan Linlang sensed something wrong. "Sister Lian, what's the matter?!" The matrons and maidservants nearby heard the commotion and came over to look. "Concubine Lian seems to be having trouble breathing?!" Wan Linlang immediately called for the mansion physician. The physician took one look and was greatly alarmed: "Is the mistress allergic to something?! Search the room at once!" Wan Linlang shouted, "She can't stand lilies!" "Quickly, search the room—is there any lily here?!" The maidservants and matrons scrambled about, but found no lilies anywhere in the room. The delivery room had been prepared in advance, so it was impossible for fresh flowers to be placed there. Wan Linlang rose and took the lead in searching the room. An old maid was the first to discover fresh lily petals stuffed inside a sachet hanging at the foot of the bed. "There are lilies stuffed in this sachet..." Wan Linlang's face turned cold. "Take this sachet out first and present it before the Prince and Princess Consort." She paused for a moment. "No, that's not right. If it were only these lilies, how could Sister Lian be so unwell?!" "Search again!" Before the maids and old servants could even move, Yuyan, Concubine Lian's personal maid, had already cried out in anguish: "No, no—Mistress Lian has stopped breathing!"