Chapter 9: Qi and Blood Attacking the Heart?

“Miss, you guessed correctly. I collected the dregs from ten doses of medicine in total, and three of them contained an extra ingredient compared to the others. I have already inquired about it; that ingredient is called *yuanzhi* (polygala). It can cause nausea and vomiting, but it also has sedative properties that can make a person feel drowsy!”

Mu Xinnuan nodded. “You did well. Remember, keep this matter confidential for now; do not mention it to anyone. I haven’t been leaving my courtyard much these past few days, so I imagine Concubine Song doesn’t know my true condition and likely assumes I have been taking the medicine all along.”

Rongyue said with some concern, “But Miss, shouldn’t we report this to the Madam? If the Madam finds out, she will surely purge the kitchen and strip Concubine Song of her authority to manage it!”

“You underestimate Concubine Song,” Mu Xinnuan said, shaking her head gently with a sigh. “If she were so easy to deal with, how could she have won the Old Madam’s favor? How could she have gained the respect of the servants? If she didn’t have a few tricks up her sleeve, how could a mere concubine like her qualify to manage the household affairs?”

Nurse Yu was stunned. Manage the household affairs?

“Does Miss mean that she is harming you like this so that the Madam will neglect the household affairs to focus on caring for you, thereby allowing her to seize control of the household?”

Mu Xinnuan nodded with a smile. “Tell me, how could such a calculating person not have prepared a retreat for herself? It’s just an extra bit of *yuanzhi*; it won’t be fatal. If this were to become a public scandal, I fear Concubine Song would instead bribe the house physician to claim it was for my sedation. If that happened, wouldn’t we be falsely accused of framing the father’s concubine?”

Nurse Yu nodded. “Miss’s concerns are not without reason. But Miss, if we don’t strip Concubine Song of her authority over the kitchen, what if she does something against the Madam?”

“Rest assured, I have already made arrangements for this. Concubine Song is not stupid; she wouldn’t dare act rashly after only a few days.”

Nurse Yu thought about it and agreed. She had only just taken over the kitchen a few days ago; how could she have the audacity to poison a legitimate daughter so soon? Moreover, if Concubine Song had already bribed the house physician, no matter what was mixed into the medicine, the physician would certainly exonerate her! It seemed this matter would require long-term planning.

Rongyue felt anxious but could think of no good solution. For a moment, her eyes turned red, and she nearly burst into tears.

“Nurse Yu, do it like this.”

The lamplight was somewhat dim, and the expression on Nurse Yu’s face was one of astonishment. It took her a while to recover. “Miss, is this… isn’t this too risky?”

“Don’t worry, just do as I say! If we want Concubine Song to completely lose her authority over the kitchen, this is the most effective method.”

“Yes, Miss. I will go and prepare now.”

Four or five days passed in a flash. Mu Xinnuan went to the Rong Courtyard every day to pay her respects, though her complexion looked somewhat poor. Madam Li saw this and felt a pang of heartache, only urging her to rest well.

On this day, Zhao Qing, the head of the Imperial Academy of Medicine and a childhood playmate of Mu Changan, came to visit with his young son.

Mu Changan was waiting in the study with Mu Qingxuan. They had barely spoken a few words when a young servant rushed in to report, “Reporting to Master, the Eldest Miss has suddenly taken a turn for the worse!”

“What? What happened?”

“Replying to Master, Nurse Yu in the backyard had someone summon the house physician. The Madam and the Old Madam have also gone over. For some reason, the Eldest Miss suddenly vomited blood and has fallen unconscious.”

Mu Changan was greatly alarmed! Mu Qingxuan ran straight out of the study, but just as he reached the door, he turned back and bowed to Zhao Qing. “I beg you, Uncle, please save her.”

Mu Changan also looked at Zhao Qing. “Brother Zhao, since you are here, I ask that you examine my daughter.”

“Let’s go. Since my niece is in trouble, I naturally cannot ignore it.”

Over at Yuexuan, the place was already in total chaos.

Mu Xinnuan lay on the bed, unresponsive, while Madam Li sat on the edge of the bed, wiping away tears incessantly.

“My poor child, what has happened? How could you be perfectly fine one moment and end up like this the next? How have you all been serving her?”

The servants were all kneeling on the floor. Rongyue said with a trembling voice, “Replying to Madam, the Eldest Miss had just taken her medicine. I don’t know why, but she suddenly vomited blood.”

Concubine Song’s eyelids twitched. Taking medicine? Such a coincidence?

Although Mu Xinyao was only nine years old, she knew that her own mother was currently managing the kitchen, and that the medicine naturally came from the small pharmacy within the kitchen. This was clearly implying that her mother was secretly harming Mu Xinnuan!

Mu Xinyao was still young, so she immediately pointed at Rongyue and said, “Nonsense! You lowly maid, you are clearly spouting nonsense! Since the Eldest Sister just took her medicine, how could she suddenly vomit blood? It is clearly because you bunch of lowly maids are negligent in your duties, and now you are trying to shift the blame. You have no manners at all!”

Her outburst caused Madam Li and the Old Madam to frown in unison!

Concubine Song realized something was wrong and quickly reached out to pull Mu Xinyao back, kneeling down as she said, “It is all because I failed to teach her properly. I beg the Old Madam not to take offense.”

The Old Madam’s expression was indeed unpleasant. She and Madam Li were both present; how was it the turn of a concubine’s daughter to reprimand the maid of a legitimate daughter? It was simply lacking in decorum!

Upon hearing this, Madam Li sneered, “Why hasn’t the house physician arrived yet? Are we expected to wait for the Eldest Miss to faint for another hour before he can be summoned?”

This remark implied that the house physician no longer considered the Eldest Miss his master! Such an accusation showed extreme dissatisfaction with the physician. In an ordinary wealthy household, such a physician would likely be dismissed. And if a physician were driven out by a prominent family, his reputation would be ruined! No family would ever hire such a physician again!

“Madam, the house physician is here.”

Nurse Yu wiped the sweat from her brow and quickly stepped aside to let the physician take the pulse.

The physician’s brow furrowed, and he subconsciously glanced in the direction of Concubine Song. Madam Li was entirely focused on her worry for Mu Xinnuan and did not notice his gaze, but Nurse Yu, who had been briefed beforehand, quietly took in their interaction.

“The Eldest Miss is merely suffering from a sudden surge of blood and qi to the heart. Perhaps she was provoked or distressed by something, which led to this. Please, Old Madam and Madam, rest assured. I will write a prescription for the Eldest Miss, and she will be fine after taking the medicine.”

Madam Li seemed unconvinced. “You say it is a surge of blood and qi? But how old is A-Nuan? How could she have such a temper?”

Nurse Yu also frowned slightly. If this were to spread, it would be extremely detrimental to her mistress’s reputation. If she were known to have such a temperament at such a young age, what would happen when she grew up? Which young master would be willing to take such a lady as his wife?

“A pack of lies! The Eldest Miss is not suffering from a surge of blood and qi; she has clearly been poisoned!”