Something Triggered the Poison

When Mingyue entered the Princess's palace, Ying Yi was by her side. Ying Yi was holding a towel. Ying Yi's expression was frantic as she soaked the towel into hot water and dried it before she dabbed the princess' body with the hot towel to keep the princess warm.

Xiao Ying Yi turned around when Mingyue stood by her side. Her eyes grew wide for a seconds before she sighed with relief.

"How's the princess's condition?"

Ying Yi moved her hands to report to Mingyue of her diagnosis and what she had done to treat the princess. Mingyue frowned when Ying Yi told her that the princess's pulse was abnormal. Mingyue sat beside the princess' bed and put her fingers on the princess' wrist. Her frown deepened when she could detect the same irregular pulse as the last time. However, from her examination, it seemed that the situation was worse than the last time.

"Ying Yi, go and prepare the needle. Ah Zhen, continue to keep the room warm," Mingyue instructed. Then she checked on Lingchen's condition thoroughly. Mingyue popped a pill into the princess's mouth and started the acupuncture process. After a while, Mingyue removed the needle and placed her fingers on the princess' wrist again. It doesn't seem like the princess' was getting better.

Mingyue placed another pill into the princess' mouth and asked both Ying Yi and Ah Zhen to keep her warm. After half an hour, the princess' breathing stabilized. Mingyue rechecked her pulse and sighed in relief when the princess' condition turned better. The princess' breathing has stabilized.

"Physician Jiang, is Her Highness, alright?" Ah Zhen asked.

"She will be," Mingyue said.

Mingyue removed her hand from the princess' wrist and pulled up the blanket to keep her warm. Suddenly, she felt someone grabbed her wrist. Mingyue looked up and saw that the princess was looking at her with tired eyes. "Your Highness, you're awake! How are you feeling?"

Princess Lingchen licked her lips before she spoke, "I'm sorry."

Mingyue's gaze softened. She patted the princess' hands and shook her head. "It's fine. You should rest and recover well." Mingyue watched as Princess Lingchen nodded weakly before she closed her eyes to rest. Then, Mingyue turned to Ah Zhen and asked, "Were you by Her Highness' side when today?" Mingyue saw Ah Zhen nodded and continued to ask, "What happened?"

Ah Zhen thought over what happened at the wedding banquet and shook her head. "I'm not sure. Her Highness was enjoying the banquet with everyone else. There were too many people. After a while, Her Highness said she was uncomfortable and decided to return to the palace. She fainted when we reached the carriage. Luckily, Physician Xiao was around."

"Was there anyone else around the Princess?"

"General Jiang was by Her Highness side." Ah Zhen looked towards the door as something crossed her mind. "The General is guarding the princess' palace outside. Perhaps you can find some answer from him."

Jiang Mingyue instructed Ying Yi to look after the princess, and she headed out. Her brother, Xiao Xian, leaned on a pillar as he waited. Although he had his eyes closed, Mingyue knew that her brother was not asleep.

Xiao Xian opened his eyes and stood up straight when Mingyue came out. "How is she?"

"Her Highness is alright for now," Mingyue answered. Although she been saying that the Crown Princess' condition has stabilized, she knew that this time, Princess Lingchen's state this time was worse than the last time. "Elder Brother, you were staying by the princess' side today. Do you notice anything strange?" Mingyue asked.

Jiang Xiao Xian frowned. His whole body tensed at his sister's question. "You mean, this time, her illness relapsed because something triggered the poison again?"

Mingyue nodded slowly. "From the pulse and her condition, it seemed like it."

Xiao Xian thought over today's event. "I can't think of anything that might trigger the poison to react. Her Highness was with me and second brother the whole time. Although there were a few people who came over and offered a toast, no one got close to the princess. I can't think of anyone who would want to harm Her Highness."

Mingyue opened her mouth to ask another question when a eunuch high pitched voice was heard, announcing the arrival of both the Emperor and Empress.