Song Yuan, seeing this, rarely praised Song Chaoyu: "Fourth girl's thoughts are thorough. It was right to have your姨娘 go back first. It seems Fourth girl has been well-raised at the estate. Your father can rest assured of your upbringing for marrying into another family."
Yes... this was also what Song Chaoyu worried about the most.
She had already passed her jī jí age and was approaching the time for marriage.
Within this year, Song Yanjiao's marriage would be settled. After that would be Song Yanrou and herself, but she didn't want to get married yet.
However, she couldn't think about these things now. After thanking Song Yuan, Song Chaoyu retreated to the side.
Fan Jiangyue examined the dregs of the medicine and then stepped forward to reply to Song Yuan: "Lord Song, I fear the eldest young master has been poisoned."
"What?!"
This statement was like a stone dropped into the calm lake of the Song family, stirring up ripples and shocking everyone present.
The Old Madam even stood up and walked towards Fan Jiangyue: "Imperial Physician Fan, can you be sure? We are a family of upright officials. Such dirty business as poisoning cannot be spoken of casually! Why not wait until your father and Doctor Zhou arrive before making a decision?"
Fan Jiangyue's medical skills were excellent, and she was also bold.
Facing the pressure from the Old Madam and Song Yuan, she did not retreat an inch: "Even if my father comes, the result will be the same."
She pointed to the dregs of the medicine: "The medicines used to treat wind ailments are mostly tonics. The medicine is bitter and astringent, but it will not have any other taste. However, in the dregs just now, I smelled a strange sour and pungent odor. Although the smell was not obvious, it was indeed present. Yet, I searched through all the dregs and could not find any medicinal herb that could emit this smell. As far as I know, there is only one thing."
Her eyes darkened: "There is a poison that comes from the Western Regions, called 'Shanghun Cao' (Soul-Wounding Grass). This substance is made from the rare Western Region flower, 'Shixiang Hua' (Corpse Fragrance Flower). After it is made, it is worth a thousand pieces of gold per liang. If this thing is placed in medicine and then boiled, it will melt completely without a trace due to the intense heat of the boiling. However, it will leave behind a sour and pungent odor. In the eldest young master's medicine dregs, this sour and pungent smell is not obvious, likely because only a very small amount was used. Otherwise, I fear the eldest young master would have already returned to the heavens!"
Shanghun Cao?
This was not the same poison that in her previous life they had accused Concubine Liu of giving to Song Jiayang?
At that time, when the Second Concubine interrogated Concubine Liu, she had said that poisons from the Western Regions were rare, and only those like Concubine Liu, who were not controlled by the Song family at the estate, could have access to them.
They had even said that it was precisely because Concubine Liu had hoarded all the money sent by the Song family to buy this Shanghun Cao for a thousand pieces of gold that Concubine Liu and Song Chaoyu always appeared so poor, even slandering the Song family for not taking good care of them, mother and daughter.
Who would have thought that in this life, because of Fan Jiangyue, and because Song Chaoyu herself had kindly reminded Madam Nie, the matter of Shanghun Cao would surface so quickly!
Now, Granny Qiu had been sent back to the estate, and Doctor Zhou was no longer serving Concubine Liu.
It was probably impossible for anyone to accuse them, mother and daughter, of poisoning Song Jiayang, right?
Seeing Fan Jiangyue's confident expression, the First Madam took two steps back, looking incredulous: "Someone wants to harm my Yang'er? Someone actually wants to harm my Yang'er?!"
Song Chaoyu felt that the First Madam truly did not know about the poisoning. She was probably being used by someone in her previous life.
Song Jiayang was her only son. It was impossible for her to poison Song Jiayang.
Therefore, there was still a poisonous snake hidden in this Song mansion, one that Song Chaoyu didn't even know about!
Thinking of this, Song Chaoyu shivered.
Fan Jiangyue continued to tell Song Yuan: "Judging from the pulse, the eldest young master has likely been taking this Shanghun Cao for several months. However, each time, the amount of Shanghun Cao mixed with the medicine was very small. I think this is why the eldest young master's wind ailment has not improved at all, and he hasn't even woken up once in these past few months!"
Upon hearing Fan Jiangyue's words, Madam Nie had already burst into tears: "Yes! He has suffered from wind ailment for two years, but before, he could still wake up once every few days, and his spirit seemed to improve. It's just that since four months ago, he hasn't woken up once, and his complexion has become uglier day by day. Doctor Zhou said it was a lingering and recurrent illness, and it would improve significantly in the height of summer. So it wasn't for that reason after all!"
She threw herself onto Song Jiayang and cried incessantly. kanδん
Song Yuan also frowned and began pacing the room irritably.
After a while, when Imperial Physician Fan and Doctor Zhou both arrived, he did not immediately let Doctor Zhou in, but only called for Imperial Physician Fan.
The conclusion reached by Imperial Physician Fan was indeed the same as Fan Jiangyue's!
However, he was also surprised that he had always overlooked this illegitimate daughter, Fan Jiangyue, who possessed such skill!
Now that even Imperial Physician Fan confirmed it, Song Yuan's body swayed before he finally admitted that this was a dirty affair of the Song family!
"Investigate for me!"
He said in a low voice to Madam Song, angrily: "No matter who it is, daring to poison my Song family's legitimate eldest son is an act of defiance against my Song family. No matter what, find this person for me. I will deal with them personally."
Then, he looked at Imperial Physician Fan as if making a heartfelt plea: "Imperial Physician Fan, I implore you, please save my Yang'er!"
Imperial Physician Fan nodded, looking at Fan Jiangyue with admiration: "Fortunately, Yue'er discovered it early and provided timely treatment, so there will be no problem. And Lord Song, rest assured, I and Yue'er will definitely not speak of this matter. Lord Song can rest assured to take care of the young master, without worrying about us."
Song Yuan nodded hurriedly, deeply grateful to the Fan father and daughter.
Song Chaoyu also looked at Song Jiayang on the bed, knowing that with Fan Jiangyue there, she had a bit of confidence.
She then took the lead in walking towards Song Yuan: "Father, that bamboo..."
Song Yuan glanced at Song Yang on the bed, whose face was looking unwell, as if he had made up his mind and no longer doubted Fan Jiangyue's words: "Chop them all down! Whatever is good for Yang'er, the Song family can do anything!"
Madam Nie turned back and looked gratefully at Song Chaoyu.
Song Chaoyu then took a step back: "There are too many people here, and it's not convenient for my brother to recuperate. Your daughter will take her leave first!"
Song Yuan nodded, and Song Chaoyu turned to leave.
She knew that from this day on, she had gained another friend in the mansion: Madam Nie.
If Song Jiayang were to wake up, she didn't know what the scene would be like. But at least, Madam Nie was a just person, and she would advise Song Jiayang not to gang up with Song Yanjiao and the First Madam to make things difficult for them, mother and daughter.
As Song Chaoyu was thinking this, she also saw the Second Concubine and Song Yanrou hurrying over.
Seeing Song Chaoyu walking out from the direction of Pingyang Garden, Song Yanrou stepped forward and grabbed Song Chaoyu: "What's going on? I heard something happened to Eldest Brother?"
Song Chaoyu shook her head: "No, it's just that my sister-in-law sent people to cut down the masters of Pingyang Garden, which caused some commotion. How did it alarm the Second Concubine and Third Sister?"