Chief Historian Feng’s heart raced uncontrollably, and he instinctively looked at Doctor Sun.
Doctor Sun, his expression grave, administered acupuncture to Lu Xuan and then wrote out a prescription, instructing the attendant to prepare the dicine.
After administering two bowls of the dark concoction, Lu Xuan finally stopped convulsing, and his limbs gradually settled.
Chief Historian Feng hadn’t even had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief when Doctor Sun’s deep voice said, "Lu Junma has taken ill suddenly. I have never seen such symptoms. The dicine can only temporarily alleviate them, but cannot address the root cause."
Chief Historian Feng furrowed his brow tightly: "Lu Junma was fine in the day, why did he suddenly take ill at night?"
Aunt i, who had been wiping away tears, responded softly with red eyes: "The master was very happy upon hearing the news that the Commandery Princess will soon ascend as Empress and drank quite a bit. In the middle of the night, he suddenly began to convulse."
Cases of people dying from drinking too much are, of course, not uncommon.
However, Doctor Sun, being a great physician of the ti, knew at a single pulse check that Lu Junma’s sudden illness was unrelated to alcohol. It seed more like...
Doctor Sun glanced subtly at Aunt i, then turned to Chief Historian Feng and said, "Lu Junma’s sudden illness requires him to recover properly, so traveling to the Capital City is certainly out of the question. I ask Chief Historian Feng to write to the Capital City reporting this matter to the Commandery Princess."
Indeed! With him in such a condition, how could he set off to the Capital City and cause trouble for the Commandery Princess?
In this light, Lu Xuan’s sudden illness seems to have occurred at just the right ti, sparing the Prince Mansion and the Commandery Princess from much trouble.
Chief Historian Feng had a flash of insight and nodded in response: "I will go write the letter now."
"I will keep watch here tonight," Doctor Sun added, "Aunt i, you may go rest and return in the day to attend to the Prince Consort."
Aunt i, however, refused to leave, choking with emotion: "I must remain by the bedside. Doctor Sun, you may go rest, and if anything is amiss with the Prince Consort, I will imdiately send for you."
Very well then!
Doctor Sun, quite anable, rose and went to rest in the guest room without further ado.
As for Chief Historian Feng, he stayed up through the night to write the letter, delivering it swiftly to the Capital City. The very next morning, at the break of dawn, he returned to check on the patient.
Having stayed up through the night with a worried heart, Aunt i was now haggard, and under Doctor Sun’s persuasion, she finally went to rest. After Aunt i left, Doctor Sun lightly coughed and gave Chief Historian Feng a signal.
Chief Historian Feng caught on, following Doctor Sun outside to a secluded spot for a whispered conversation.
Doctor Sun whispered a few sentences.
Chief Historian Feng gasped, his expression changing repeatedly: "Is what you’re saying true? That Lu Junma didn’t suffer from a sudden illness but was poisoned?"
Doctor Sun stroked his sparse beard and whispered, "This rare and peculiar poison is sothing I’ve never encountered before. However, I am eighty percent sure."
"Why didn’t you say anything last night?" Chief Historian Feng stared at Doctor Sun.
Doctor Sun t his gaze: "There are only so many people serving around the Prince Consort, and only a few who could tamper with his food or tea. Who does Chief Historian Feng think it could be?"
Chief Historian Feng: "..."
Several faces flashed through Chief Historian Feng’s mind, finally settling on the face of a beautiful and fragile woman. He was shocked and incredulous: "Are you suggesting the person who poisoned him is Aunt i?"
"How could that be?"
Doctor Sun smirked; "Why not." Then, he said aningfully, "Our Sun Family has practiced dicine for generations with exceptional skill and discretion, which is why we were allowed into the palace. The most important thing in being an Imperial Physician is not skill, but never saying what shouldn’t be said."
"The sa applies when practicing dicine in high-ranking household interiors; one must observe and listen more, speak less."
"Aunt i has served the Prince Consort for over ten years, bearing him a son and a daughter. But whether the life she lived was good, only Aunt i herself knows. Regardless of whatever reason Aunt i had for poisoning, in any case, she has solved a big problem for the Commandery Princess."
The Commandery Princess ascending as Empress is unprecedented. Lu Xuan not attending the enthronent ceremony would indeed be easy for people to criticize. If he went to the Capital City, he would surely cause many unnecessary troubles for the Commandery Princess.
Now, being "suddenly ill" and unable to move, no one can bla anyone.
From this perspective, Aunt i has indeed done a great service.
Chief Historian Feng slowly ca back to his senses from the shock, realizing so implications: "According to you, Aunt i is not only not guilty but has perford a ritorious deed. However, this matter is too indecent and must not be publicized, lest it tarnish the reputation of our Prince Mansion and implicate the Commandery Princess."
Doctor Sun coughed: "Before the Commandery Princess went to the Capital City, she entrusted all affairs of the Prince Mansion to Chief Historian Feng. How this matter should be handled is for you to decide."
Chief Historian Feng, being quite responsible, did not shirk the duty, and after pondering for a mont, made a decision: "Let’s not make this public for now, continue to treat the Prince Consort. I will write a private letter to be sent to Chief Historian Chen."
Discussing this matter directly with Chief Historian Chen without letting the Commandery Princess know the details. Even if the matter eventually cos to light, the officials of the Prince Mansion will bear the brunt to protect the Commandery Princess’s reputation.
...
Aunt i, who had been anxiously worrying through the night, lay in bed, unable to sleep.
She knew that what she did could not be hidden from Doctor Sun’s keen senses.
Doctor Sun was exceptionally skilled, even among the Imperial Physicians. Though she used an extrely rare poison in Lu Xuan’s tea, as a physician, how could he not distinguish between poisoning and "sudden illness"?
From the mont Doctor Sun arrived last night, she had prepared herself for exposure or a secret execution.
In exchange for Lu Xuan’s life, for the peace of mind of the Commandery Princess, she had risked her own. Her son and daughter, with the Commandery Princess’s care in the future, would surely have a bright future...
Never did she expect Doctor Sun not to expose her, even going so far as to reinforce the notion of Lu Junma’s "sudden illness."
What will Doctor Sun do next?
How will Chief Historian Feng decide?
This taste of awaiting the judgnt of fate is truly hard to endure. Aunt i tossed and turned in bed for half the day and, by the afternoon, mustered the strength to attend to the "suddenly sick" Lu Xuan.
The attendant was feeding dicine to Lu Xuan. Aunt i dared not look at Doctor Sun, stepping forward to take the dicine bowl and carefully feed Lu Xuan.
Lu Xuan was still unconscious, with stiff body muscles, necessitating prying his mouth open to half-feed, half-administer the dicine. About half would go in, but much of the concoction spilled from the corners of his mouth. The brown dicinal liquid trickled onto his lapels and bedding, reminiscent of the color of dried blood.
Doctor Sun was quite polite: "Aunt, you stay here and watch, I will rest for a while. I will co back in the evening."
Aunt i’s hand trembled slightly, wanting to look up at Doctor Sun’s expression but holding back, quietly agreeing instead.
After Doctor Sun left, Aunt i let out a heavy sigh.
Doctor Sun had said nothing, and for this reason, she might still have a few more days to live. To live another day was a good thing. If she could hold on until her children returned to the Prince Mansion, to be reunited with them before the "farewell", she would have no regrets in death.
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