Chapter 029: Poisoned

Lan Xun snapped fully awake, his previous thoughts vanishing instantly. He helped Mu Shengsheng to her feet, pulled her into his arms, and shouted loudly toward the house, “Someone! Help!”

Following Lan Xun’s prior arrangement, the relevant attendants had already been waiting outside for some time. The night was deep, and the household was quiet; some had even dozed off.

Hearing Lan Xun’s voice, everyone instantly woke up and rushed inside.

They cleared a path. Luo Qing, carrying a medicine box, led the way, hurrying over to take Mu Shengsheng’s pulse.

Everyone was flustered and tense. There was no time to wonder why Mu Shengsheng was on Lan Xun’s bed, their clothes disheveled. By now, no one was surprised; once these two were alone in a room, what else could be expected?

Lan Xun anxiously watched Mu Shengsheng while also glancing at Luo Qing, asking, “How is it? Has her condition flared again?”

Luo Qing’s hand rested on Mu Shengsheng’s pulse. His expression shifted multiple times. After taking her pulse, he carefully examined her eyes, ears, mouth, and nose before cautiously concluding, “Your Highness, Miss Mu shows signs of poisoning!”

Not a relapse—but poisoning?

There was no time to dwell on how she had been poisoned. Lan Xun asked urgently, “Is there a remedy?”

Luo Qing didn’t even have time to answer. He quickly pulled out silver needles, medicine pills, and powders from his box and immediately began detoxifying her.

He located the correct acupuncture points and pricked Mu Shengsheng a few times with silver needles. Soon, she coughed up a mouthful of black blood—the expelled toxins.

Judging from her symptoms, Luo Qing quickly deduced the type of poison and administered the appropriate antidote.

By the time he finished, half an hour had passed. Luo Qing was drenched in sweat and collapsed onto a stool, while a junior attendant hurriedly brought a cloth to wipe his sweat.

Lan Xun, who had been holding his breath the entire time, finally spoke, “How is it?”

Luo Qing’s expression softened. “Luckily we discovered it in time, or even an immortal couldn’t have saved her.”

This was thanks to Luo Qing waiting outside. Had he been a moment late, the poison could have taken Mu Shengsheng’s fragile life.

Of course, it was also thanks to his skill as a doctor. If anyone else had treated her tonight, her life might not have been saved.

Mu Shengsheng was left lying in the inner room, while Lan Xun and the others retreated to the outer room to speak.

Luo Qing finally smiled in relief. “Miss Mu has taken the antidote and is no longer in danger. She’s just asleep from exhaustion. In fact, her condition seems to be improving.”

These past days, Luo Qing had been busy preparing medicines. He had only taken her pulse twice: the first time when he first arrived at the Regency Prince’s mansion, seeing that although she hadn’t died, she had only days left.

But now, her health appeared to be improving. Living another month would not be a problem, so the medicines she had been taking were indeed effective.

Lan Xun and Zisu Luru, upon learning that she was merely asleep and not in mortal danger, finally relaxed, letting out a long breath.

Lan Xun had inquired about her condition but then remembered to investigate who had poisoned her.

His hands clenched into fists, bones cracking audibly. “How was she poisoned?”

Items entering the Regency Prince’s mansion had to pass multiple checks to prevent poisoning. How could poison reach Mu Shengsheng?

Luo Qing replied, “Do we know what Miss Mu ate yesterday?”

Lan Xun’s suspicious gaze fell on him. “She took the pills and decoction you gave her,” he said. “And some food, like oranges.”

Luo Qing hurriedly shook his head. “My medicines are completely safe. Even if they didn’t help her condition, they couldn’t have poisoned her fatally.”

It made sense. Luo Qing had no grudge against Mu Shengsheng and had been working tirelessly to save her. Why would he poison her?

If Luo Qing’s medicines were safe, the culprit must be something else she ate. Could it be the oranges? But those were brought by Lan Xun himself from the palace, and they had been checked—nothing was wrong. He had even eaten some at the same time.

Suspicion mounted. Lan Xun commanded, “Investigate thoroughly!”

“Understood.”

The incident not only infuriated the Regency Prince but also angered Tianshu, who prioritized the matter immediately. Orders were given to lock down the mansion and investigate everyone.

Meanwhile, Luo Qing personally examined the two medicines Mu Shengsheng had taken yesterday. The pills were fine; only he and Lan Xun had handled them, and enough time had passed that any reaction would have already occurred, not waiting until midnight.

As for the soup she drank at night…

Zisu brought the medicine residues for Luo Qing to inspect, and he immediately spotted the problem.

His expression darkened as he held up a herb. “Your Highness, this decoction is problematic. The preparation I made contained Aconite, which is relatively non-toxic when properly processed. But someone added Fritillaria, which is highly poisonous, almost killing Miss Mu. Ordinary people wouldn’t know this; the culprit must have medical knowledge.”

Lan Xun realized that it had been the soup that nearly killed her. Remembering that he had urged her to drink it despite her reluctance, a cold shiver ran through him.

His face darkened as suspicion formed.

Earlier, Luo Qing had been too busy preparing medicines and had invited several doctors to help. The poison must have come from one of them!

Daring to commit a crime in the Regency Prince’s mansion—they must be courting death.

Tianshu’s efficiency showed. Just as Lan Xun and Luo Qing finished speaking, someone was brought back under guard. “Your Highness, this person was sneaking out the back door late at night and was caught. We don’t know how to handle him.”

Looking at the middle-aged doctor in the distance, likely connected to the poisoning, Lan Xun’s gaze turned as sharp as a blade. “Lock him in the dungeon. I will interrogate him personally.”

“Yes!”

Tianshu’s eyes were fierce, but a smile played at his lips, as if eager to unleash the dungeon’s most cruel instruments on the culprit to avenge Miss Mu.

The Regency Prince’s dungeon was said to be hell on earth, filled with blood and trapped souls; no one survived it.

The middle-aged doctor, probably aware of this, trembled and cried out, “Don’t send me there! I’ll confess, I’ll confess to everything…”

If he was willing to confess, it would be easy to handle.