The Old Madam was also losing her reason under the influence of the dicine. Saying sothing like this would only make things seem even more suspicious!
All eyes in the room instantly turned to the Old Madam, filled with shock and suspicion.
Lu Xingzhou felt that everything tonight was spiraling out of control. First, his son had exposed Lu Linglong as an idiot. Then his daughter-in-law seized the initiative to hand over the dicine bottle to the two Imperial Physicians. And now, even his mother had lost her composure and revealed a fatal flaw.
He hadn’t been able to stop any of it!
He shot ng Qianqian a fierce glare. If his son and mother had acted because of the heat of the mont, then she was clearly stirring things up on purpose.
ng Qianqian ignored his sharp gaze entirely and turned up the oil lamp in Lu Lingxiao’s hand to its brightest.
anwhile, the female guests who had stayed back in the room to avoid the scene began erging one by one, like mushrooms sprouting after the rain.
Gossip... Ahem, human life was at stake!
Madam Liu also sensed a looming storm and discreetly signaled her maid.
The maid silently retreated.
Lu Xingzhou noticed it and grew anxious, clutching his fists tightly.
The dicine bottle was already empty, but because it had been sealed well, the scent inside was still very strong. Imperial Physician Hu even used a silver needle to scrape out the residue at the bottom of the bottle.
This was more than enough to deduce sothing.
Lu Xingzhou strode over to Madam Liu with large steps, clasping his hands in a gesture of respect and saying, "Sister-in-law, my mother and my brother’s wife mistakenly consud a purgative. This is a private family matter of the Lu Family. I kindly ask you and the other guests to please step aside while we handle it ourselves."
Madam Liu was conflicted.
She was curious about the truth of the matter. Yet, Lu Xingzhou’s rationale made sense. Since he admitted it was their family affair, it wasn’t appropriate for her to ddle further.
ng Qianqian interjected, "Father, the Imperial Physicians said that it wasn’t a purgative that Grandmother and Second Aunt mistook."
Lu Xingzhou bellowed, "This isn’t your place to speak!"
Lu Lingxiao frowned slightly at his father’s attitude toward ng Qianqian but ultimately held his tongue—children should not criticize their fathers.
ng Qianqian remained composed and said evenly, "Grandmother and Second Aunt were diagnosed with pregnancy pulses. Father, don’t you want to clear their nas publicly?"
"Good heavens!"
A lady outside the door gasped aloud.
Others drew sharp breaths in quick succession!
Pregnancy pulses?
This revelation was explosive!
The Old Madam felt as though she could strangle ng Qianqian on the spot. This wretched girl! Ever since Lingxiao had brought a woman back, she had acted like she was possessed, scheming against her at every turn!
She was clearly out to ruin her!
The two Imperial Physicians looked deeply troubled.
Should they say it or not?
After all, it was a family affair. Wouldn’t interfering be inappropriate?
anwhile, Madam Liu’s maid went to find the Marquis of Yong’en.
The Marquis, having been busy all evening, had just co to the mourning hall to take a brief rest and exchange so pleasantries with old acquaintances.
Lu Yuan was there too but sat with his eyes closed, exuding an unapproachable aura. The Marquis dared not disturb him.
When the maid told him that sothing had gone wrong with what the Old Madam and Second Madam consud, and that the two Imperial Physicians had been involved, the Marquis’s first reaction was that if a guest had been hard, the Liu Family might be held accountable.
He decided to deal with it personally.
Several officials in the mourning hall rose to their feet when they saw him getting up.
Once outside, everyone let out a long sigh of relief.
My goodness!
At last, they had found a suitable excuse to leave. Staying under the watchful eyes of the Grand Commander any longer would have driven them to a nervous breakdown!
Although it was a bit unscrupulous, quite a few officials straightened their backs, walking with exaggerated nonchalance, barely containing their smiles.
"How much farther?" one of them asked.
The Minister of Rites clapped a young man’s shoulder and said, "Almost there. Why are you in such a rush? See that rock garden? Go around it, and you’ll find the Liu residence—Ah!"
When the Minister of Rites got a clear look at who was standing before him, he jumped three feet in the air and dropped to his knees with a thud. "This humble servant was rude! Please forgive , Grand Commander!"
Lu Yuan had his hands tucked into a hand warr, his tone lazy as he said, "Move faster. It’s cold."
"Yes, yes..."
The Minister of Rites was nearly in tears.
Two won have stomachaches, and you had to co too?
The officials were howling inside. What had they done to deserve this? Why had such a malevolent star been assigned to haunt them?
When the group entered the courtyard, the two Imperial Physicians were just coming out of the room.
The Marquis of Yong’en hurriedly stepped forward to ask, "Honored gentlen, how are Madam Lu and the Second Madam? Are their conditions serious? Just write the prescriptions, and I’ll have soone fetch the dicine right away!"
The two exchanged glances, their expressions complicated.
The Marquis’s heart sank. "Surely... it hasn’t co to a fatality, has it?"
Imperial Physician Hu quickly said, "Not that serious, no, no..."
The Marquis urged, "Then what is it? Speak up already!"
The two hesitated.
As doctors, it was their duty to safeguard patient confidentiality. Furthermore, they had already promised Lu Xingzhou.
At that mont, so sharp-tongued individual shouted, "The Grand Commander is here! Do you two still intend to hide the truth?"
The crowd simultaneously brightened, parting to make way and directing their gazes toward Lu Yuan, who was lingering at the back.
The Grand Commander, in the throes of drowsiness and barely containing his cold irritation, said bluntly, "Speak."
Professional ethics were important, but preserving one’s life was even more so!
"Imperial Physician Zuo, you conducted the examination! You speak!"
Better for one than for both to suffer!
Imperial Physician Zuo’s body stiffened. Damn you, Hu, how despicable!
"It’s a childbirth pill," Zuo reluctantly admitted, laying everything bare. "A so-called ’Immortal Pill’ commonly circulated among the people, made with Danggui, Shudi, White Peony, Dry Lotus Grass, honey, and other ingredients. Its original purpose was to soothe stagnation and nourish qi and blood. However, it also contains small amounts of Cistanche and Horny Goat Weed, giving it mild aphrodisiac properties. Additionally, the pill is infused with large quantities of Cinnabar and Mandala, which can create the illusion of pregnancy when consud. But, in truth, it does not induce real pregnancy."
The Assistant Minister of Rites interjected, "So, in other words, this childbirth pill is essentially a fake dicine!"
Imperial Physician Zuo nodded. "That’s correct. This pill is incredibly harmful, often tricking those who rely on unconventional redies. Best-case scenario, it renders the patient infertile; worst-case, it causes long-term ailnts or chronic qi deficiency."
Lu Yuan lifted his eyelids slightly. "Imperial Physician Zuo seems remarkably well-versed in this."
Imperial Physician Zuo quickly explained, "This humble servant knows of it only because I’ve treated several patients who were hard by this pill. So beca infertile, while others suffered lingering health issues."
Lu Yuan glanced indifferently toward the closed room door, his tone icy. "Lu Xingzhou, quite the audacity you have, leaving waiting outside all this ti."
Lu Xingzhou, along with other mbers of the Lu Family, ca out to greet him.
He bowed deeply and said, "This humble servant wouldn’t dare. I was attending to my mother inside and have been inattentive. I beg the Grand Commander for forgiveness."
Lu Yuan nonchalantly remarked, "Ungrateful son that you are, feeding your mother this sort of dicine? What’s the matter? Feeling inadequate yourself and hoping she could bear you a younger brother?"
The crowd collectively thought: Truly savage! The Grand Commander lives up to his reputation for cutting words.
But wait, was it Lu Xingzhou who administered the pills? Why would he give his own mother a childbirth pill?
Lu Xingzhou flushed with humiliation and anger, protesting, "The Grand Commander misunderstands! My mother and sister-in-law accidentally consud it. It wasn’t an intentional act of poisoning!"
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