317 Self-Rescue
After Princess Anping rushed to Princess Ping’an’s room with her attendants, she saw her daughter lying weakly on the bed again, looking even more frail than before the treatnt.
Recalling Zhuo An’s recent words that her daughter would suffer an agonizing end, Princess Anping’s heart instantly felt as if it were being fried in a searing pan.
Fuming with anger, she roared, "Such audacity, to dare commit fraud in the Princess Mansion! Attendants, seize them!"
Zhao Zhitong, who was examining Princess Ping’an, was startled by Princess Anping’s furious outburst. Then, seeing the smug expression on Zhuo An’s face behind Princess Anping and recalling Princess Ping’an’s recent symptoms, Zhao Zhitong instantly understood.
Playing dirty, are we?
At Princess Anping’s command, several household retainers imdiately rushed forward and surrounded Zhao Zhitong.
Princess Ping’an, her eyes fixed on her daughter on the bed, glared fiercely at Zhao Zhitong. "If anything should happen to my daughter, I’ll have you accompany her in death!"
With that, she yelled to the servants outside, "Quickly, go and summon the Prince Consort back!"
「anwhile, Wei Zijian, who had just stepped out to fetch dicinal herbs for Zhao Zhitong, saw from a distance that she was being seized. He was startled and imdiately turned to flee!」
Princess Anping glanced around and declared, "There’s another one—that so-called apprentice! Seize him as well! How dare they deceive ! Such audacity!"
While Princess Anping was seething with fury, Zhao Zhitong remained composed. "Princess Anping," she asked calmly, "why is this? Did we not agree on a one-month period? There are still three days remaining. Do you intend to sentence to death already?"
Princess Anping was incandescent with rage. "Why? You ask why? You know perfectly well what kind of pills you gave my Yue’er!"
"Pills?"
Zhao Zhitong nodded in understanding. So, Dr. Zhuo has been making an issue of the pills. She then produced a packet of pills, opened it, and asked, "Is Your Highness referring to these?"
Princess Ping’an nodded. "Yes, precisely these!"
Zhao Zhitong sighed. "Princess Anping, these are Vitamin C pills, the dicine to treat your daughter’s illness. Are you suggesting I gave your daughter poison?"
Princess Ping’an remained noncommittal.
Zhao Zhitong smiled. "I understand."
Saying this, she picked up a pill, placed it directly into her mouth, and swallowed it right in front of Princess Anping.
"You...!"
Princess Anping’s eyes widened as she stared at Zhao Zhitong in utter astonishnt.
At this, Zhao Zhitong explained, "Princess Anping, these pills rely supplent what the body lacks. The human body is highly complex, requiring a multitude of nutrients to function. If even one is deficient, illness will result."
"For instance, if the body lacks calcium, symptoms like leg cramps and pain arise. Your daughter’s condition is due to a deficiency of Vitamin C, which is affecting her eyes."
"When this deficiency becos severe, bleeding can occur—manifesting as bleeding gums, subcutaneous hemorrhaging, and bleeding in various other parts of the body. If there’s an external injury, wounds will heal slowly, impeding recovery. Won may also experience excessively heavy nstrual flow. Concurrently, the body weakens and becos susceptible to illness."
"I have been using both dication and specific foods to nourish your daughter back to health, which is why her improvent has been gradual. These pills are safe for healthy individuals to take in moderation; they are not poison. If you remain unconvinced, I am willing to take them alongside Your Highness daily."
Zhao Zhitong’s well-reasoned explanation left Princess Anping montarily unsure whom to believe. However, her gaze inevitably returned to her daughter, who now appeared even more frail.
She pressed, "Then what is the current situation with Princess Ping’an?"
Zhao Zhitong replied, maintaining a deanor neither servile nor overbearing, "I am still investigating. My preliminary assessnt is that soone has poisoned Princess Ping’an."
"So, Princess Anping, do you wish for your daughter to die? If not, then release imdiately so I can examine her."
As she spoke these last words, Zhao Zhitong’s entire deanor seed to transform, leaving Princess Anping montarily stunned.
Before , a princess of this nation, how can this young girl’s presence be so commanding?
"Your Highness! You mustn’t...!" Zhuo An attempted to interject again.
Princess Anping shot him a fierce glare. "You, be silent! Once my Yue’er recovers, just wait for to personally gouge out your eyes!"
Finally, she commanded the retainers, "Stand down!"
"Miss Zhao," Princess Anping pleaded, her tone changed, "I implore you, please save my daughter."
If it were anyone else, I would have stord off in a huff by now, letting them face the consequences, die if they wished! I certainly wouldn’t endure this indignity.
However, there was a prior agreent, and this was the Princess Mansion; she didn’t possess the sa authority or power as they did.
She had promised to cure Princess Ping’an within a month, and Zhao Zhitong always honored her word. Nevertheless, her deanor towards Princess Anping was now noticeably cooler than before.
After her examination, Zhao Zhitong confird that Princess Ping’an had indeed been poisoned. Fortunately, the amount ingested was small, and she had vomited most of it, so her life was not in imdiate danger.
Princess Anping instinctively glanced back at Zhuo An, a flicker of murderous intent in her eyes. Having grown up imrsed in the intrigues of the palace, what sort of vile sches hadn’t she witnessed? If she still couldn’t realize she was being manipulated by Zhuo An at this juncture, she would truly be a fool. That despicable Zhuo An! Relying on the Empress Mother’s indulgence and favor, he has grown increasingly audacious and lawless! First, colluding with officials, and now daring to poison my daughter! Does he truly believe he can obscure the heavens with a single hand?
A potent killing intent surged within her.
anwhile, once Zhao Zhitong determined that Princess Ping’an had been poisoned, Zhuo An realized Princess Anping must have suspected him of the deed.
He promptly excused himself and slipped away.
He knew Princess Anping would not spare him; his only recourse was to seek the Emperor’s protection.
「At the sa ti.」
Over there, Wei Zijian, who had fled upon seeing Zhao Zhitong captured, evaded the bodyguards, squeezed through a dog hole in a courtyard wall, and sprinted all the way to Wuyou Inn.
Qiao Muchen and Zhao Yue were currently taking their examinations, so only Zhao Yu and Wei Shulan were present at Wuyou Inn.
Wei Zijian burst into the inn, desperately searching for Wei Shulan and Zhao Yu. Fortunately, he spotted them downstairs, drinking tea.
Just as Wei Zijian caught sight of them, Wei Shulan also noticed him.
"Brother? What are you doing here? Weren’t you with Tongtong at the Princess Mansion?" Wei Shulan voiced her surprise.
"Sis! This is terrible!" Wei Zijian cried, rushing towards them as if he’d found his saviors. He panted, "Quickly, we must find a way to save my master!"
"Master... Master has been...!"
Having run so frantically, Wei Zijian stamred for several monts, unable to catch his breath properly.
Wei Shulan and Zhao Yu were beside themselves with anxiety.
Wei Shulan exclaid, "Oh, heavens! Been what? You’re killing with this suspense!"
Wei Zijian gratefully took the water Zhao Yu offered, gulped down a mouthful, and finally managed to steady his breathing. "Master has been seized by people from the Princess Mansion! They were also trying to capture , but I managed to escape! Please, you have to think of a way to save Master!"
Having finally blurted everything out in one go, Wei Zijian heaved a sigh of profound relief.
Hearing this news, both Wei Shulan and Zhao Yu grew extrely anxious.
"What on earth can we do?" Wei Shulan fretted. "Qiao Muchen and Zhao Yue are both still in the examination hall."
Anxiety gnawed at both Zhao Yu and Wei Shulan.
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