Leng Royal Residence
Late at night, in the study of the Leng Royal Residence, candlelight flickered. Suddenly, a dark figure appeared outside the study door.
“Your subordinate pays his respects to His Highness.”
Ye Ying bowed respectfully.
“Enter!”
“How is the matter I tasked you to investigate?”
As Jun Mohan asked, his violet eyes never left the military strategist in his hands.
“Reporting to His Highness, your subordinate has ascertained the identity of the woman encountered tonight at the Zhisheng Restaurant.”
“She is General Leng Jinyu’s foolish and ugly daughter, Leng Ruo Li,” Ye Ying stated.
“Is she the eldest daughter of the Leng family who is betrothed to Prince Qing through a childhood engagement?” Jun Mohan asked indifferently.
“Yes, Your Highness, it is indeed her.”
Ye Ying said with certainty.
“But the woman I met tonight was not foolish at all; she was quite intelligent. Could the rumors be false, or is someone impersonating Leng Ruo Li? If so, what would be their motive?” Jun Mohan said in surprise.
“Your subordinate is also confused. Based on my observations tonight, the eldest daughter of the Leng family is truly not foolish. Furthermore, I witnessed something interesting, which is…”
Ye Ying recounted everything he had seen after following Leng Ruo Li that night to Jun Mohan.
Regrettably, Ye Ying had missed many crucial moments, such as Leng Ruo Li performing CPR on Ling’er, treating Ling’er’s wounds, and drugging and scaring Concubine Liu while she was bathing.
“It seems the rumors are not to be trusted,” Jun Mohan said meaningfully.
“Yes.”
“Your Highness, when I saw Leng Ruo Li emerge from her room dressed as a hideous apparition, my scalp tingled. Not to mention a woman seeing her in that state; it would be a miracle if she weren’t terrified to death.”
“Hmm, from now on, you will have people keep a close watch on Leng Ruo Li. Report any developments to me promptly.”
“Yes, your subordinate obeys.”
Ye Ying cupped his hands in response.
“You may leave.”
Ye Ying turned and walked out of the study.
…
The next day
The sky was a hazy gray, not yet fully dawn.
A’Man, who was sleeping outside the door, was awakened by the cold. She suddenly opened her eyes, realizing she was sleeping on the ground, and a sense of foreboding flashed through her mind.
A’Man quickly got up and rushed into Concubine Liu’s room. Seeing that Concubine Liu’s door was ajar, she felt uneasy.
She hurried into the inner chamber and saw Concubine Liu lying naked on the floor, unconscious. With a silent cry of “Trouble!”, she quickly darted behind the screen, retrieved Concubine Liu’s undergarments, and helped her put them on.
“Mistress, wake up, please wake up…”
A’Man called out to Concubine Liu several times, but there was no response. Her body was ice-cold. If not for seeing Concubine Liu still breathing, A’Man would have thought she was dead.
As a last resort, A’Man resolutely pulled a hairpin from her head and forcefully pricked Concubine Liu’s thigh. The pain made her almost jump.
“Ah—Wan’er sister, don’t kill me.”
Concubine Liu cried out in terror.
“Mistress, I am A’Man, I am A’Man!”
A’Man turned Concubine Liu’s face to help her see her clearly.
After a long while, Concubine Liu finally regained her composure.
She scanned the entire room with her eyes, and only when she confirmed that Xia Wan’er’s ghost was no longer in the room did she breathe a sigh of relief.
“A’Man, I saw Xia Wan’er’s ghost return last night. She came back to claim my life,” Concubine Liu said, weeping.
“Mistress, there are no such things as ghosts in this world. Don’t scare yourself. Someone must have broken in last night. That person also managed to incapacitate me. They seem quite skilled,” A’Man said calmly.
“Then who could it be? Could it be Leng Ruo Li?” Concubine Liu asked, her face full of confusion.
“I’m not sure.”
After speaking, A’Man helped Concubine Liu up and guided her to sit by the bed.
Suddenly—
Concubine Liu’s body became unbearably itchy, and she broke out in hives. She scratched herself, but the more she scratched, the itchier and more painful it became. A’Man also helped her scratch.
Before long, Concubine Liu’s body was covered in scratch marks, and she felt a burning pain all over.
“Ah, it’s so itchy, it’s killing me!”
“Mistress, please bear with it. I will send someone to fetch a doctor immediately.”
A’Man hurried out and instructed a young servant to invite a physician.
Not long after, Leng Ruo Shuang heard the news and rushed over with Xiao Cui and Madam Liu.
“Sob sob—Mother, what’s wrong with you? Don’t scare Shuang’er!”
Seeing Concubine Liu in such a state, Leng Ruo Shuang burst into tears.
“Shuang’er, it’s good that you’re here. Hurry and help Mother scratch the itch.”
Leng Ruo Shuang watched as Concubine Liu frantically scratched her own body without any decorum. Many parts of her body were peeling from the scratching, and blood was flowing.
Leng Ruo Shuang quickly had the servants restrain Concubine Liu’s hands to stop her from scratching, but the two young maids couldn’t hold her. A’Man stepped forward and acupunctured Concubine Liu’s pressure points, causing her to immediately fall unconscious.
“A’Man, did you send someone to fetch a doctor?” Leng Ruo Shuang asked anxiously.
“Second Miss, this servant has already sent someone to fetch a doctor,” A’Man replied.
“Then why haven’t they arrived? How have you been serving my mother?”
Leng Ruo Shuang, seeing A’Man standing calmly to the side, was furious and sternly questioned her.
A’Man’s brow furrowed slightly at Leng Ruo Shuang’s words, showing her displeasure, but she still replied.
“Second Miss, the doctor should be here any moment.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the servant returned with an old doctor, his hair gray, appearing to be around fifty years old, carrying a medical bag.
“Doctor, please quickly examine my mother and see what ailment she has.”
Dr. Liu put down his medical bag, approached Concubine Liu, took her pulse, and frowned, looking perplexed.
“Liu is unable to help. I cannot diagnose the noblewoman’s condition.”
Dr. Liu truthfully told Leng Ruo Shuang, but upon hearing this, Leng Ruo Shuang’s anger flared.
“What did you say? As a doctor, if you can’t even cure an illness, what kind of doctor are you?”
Dr. Liu’s face turned red with anger. “Second Miss Leng, you should seek a more capable physician.”
With that, Dr. Liu picked up his medical bag and fled the general’s mansion as if escaping, not even asking for his consultation fee.
Subsequently, Leng Ruo Shuang had several more doctors summoned, all of whom gave the same response: “Unable to diagnose the noblewoman’s condition.”
At this point, Xiao Cui suggested, “Second Miss, why don’t we invite an imperial physician from the palace to examine Concubine Liu?”
Xiao Cui’s suggestion immediately reminded Leng Ruo Shuang.
“Xiao Cui, go to Prince Qing’s residence and ask Prince Qing to request an imperial physician from the palace to treat my mother.”
“Yes, this servant understands.”
Xiao Cui hurried out of the general’s mansion.
After a long while, Xiao Cui finally returned, accompanied not only by Director Zhang but also by Prince Qing.
Director Zhang could have refused to treat Concubine Liu. After all, Concubine Liu was merely a concubine, and her status was not high enough to summon the Emperor’s personal imperial physician. However, Prince Qing personally went to the palace to invite him to treat Concubine Liu, and he could not afford to offend Prince Qing.
This was because the imperial physicians in the palace knew that Prince Qing was not as gentle and refined as he appeared on the surface; on the contrary, he was extremely cruel and venomous. If he refused Prince Qing, Prince Qing would surely cause trouble for him behind his back.
Therefore, Director Zhang would avoid offending Prince Qing if at all possible.
Leng Ruo Shuang was overjoyed to see that not only the highly skilled Director Zhang had arrived, but also the Prince Qing, whom she thought of day and night.
Leng Ruo Shuang was so excited she was on the verge of tears.
“Brother Qing, Shuang’er doesn’t know what to do. My mother doesn’t know what illness she has; several doctors have been unable to diagnose it.”
“Shuang’er, don’t be afraid. I’ve invited Director Zhang for Concubine Liu. Let him examine her first,” Prince Qing said gently, even taking out a handkerchief to carefully wipe away Leng Ruo Shuang’s tears, a gesture that was almost nauseating.
Then, Prince Qing said to Director Zhang, “Director Zhang, I trouble you to examine Concubine Liu.”
Director Zhang glanced at Concubine Liu on the bed and responded, “Your subject will do his utmost.”
Following that, Director Zhang put down his medical bag, approached Concubine Liu’s bedside, reached out to take her pulse, and said to those in the room, “Who acupunctured Concubine Liu’s pressure points? Quickly release her pressure points, or she will lose her life if delayed further.”
Everyone present turned pale with fright. A’Man quickly stepped forward to release Concubine Liu’s acupoints.
The room was immediately filled with Concubine Liu’s wails,
“Ah—it’s so itchy, it’s killing me!”
Although she had been acupunctured by A’Man, she had not lost her senses. She still felt excruciatingly itchy but could not make a sound, feeling as though she were suffocating.
Upon waking, Concubine Liu began to scratch her body uncontrollably.
Director Zhang instructed the servants to hold Concubine Liu’s hands to prevent her from scratching.
Then, after carefully taking Concubine Liu’s pulse again, he shook his head.
“Your Highness, in my decades of medical practice, I have never encountered such a condition as Concubine Liu’s. I am incompetent and cannot diagnose the cause.”
“Then what should we do?” Leng Ruo Shuang asked anxiously.
“Alas, Second Miss, Zhang is ashamed.”
“Perhaps I can write a prescription for Concubine Liu to relieve the itching and pain. Let her take it and see. It may not be effective.”
“Yes, yes, I trouble Director Zhang.”
Director Zhang casually wrote a prescription for an antipruritic and pain-relieving medicine for Leng Ruo Shuang, instructing her to have it decocted, and then stood aside to observe quietly.