Shui Shui was still checking the pulse, while the Third Prince, Ling Yi, who was also in the courtyard, fetched a stool for Ling Fu to sit down and wait.
Ling Fu’s chubby face was soaked with tears, and he was filled with guilt: “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have given Little Seven random food.”
Seeing that the little one hadn’t woken up yet, Ling Fu was so upset that he was about to collapse. “If Little Seven dies from the spiciness, I… I won’t live either!”
Ifthe little one were gone, how could he, the murderer of his brother, go on living?!
While Ling Fu continued to cry in self-blame, Ling Yi handed him a tissue to wipe his tears. “Alright, alright, stop crying.”
“Shui Shui is here. He won’t let Little Seven die.”
But Ling Yi’s comforting words didn’t help at all.
Shui Shui, who was crouched in front of the little one, grew more serious as he checked the pulse.
He let go of the little one’s wrist, leaned closer, and carefully examined his tongue and several areas on his body.
Watching this, Ling Yi started to sense something was wrong. “Shui Shui, haven’t you finished checking?”
Shui Shui didn’t respond.
After a moment, he stood up and finally spoke: “Poisoning—chronic poisoning.”
Ling Yi: “?”
Ling Fu: “???”
Ling Fu stammered, “That’s impossible!”
His chubby face turned pale as he dug into his pocket, pulling out crumbs of the spicy cake.
“Little Seven didn’t even eat as much as I did. I ate a lot, and I didn’t pass out from poisoning.”
Though Ling Fu didn’t believe the cake could be poisoned, he still handed the crumbs to Shui Shui to check if they contained any poison.
Shui Shui walked over, took the crumbs, rubbed them between his fingers, sniffed them, and even tasted them.
After tasting them, his expression changed dramatically.
Seeing this, both Ling Yi and Ling Fu reacted—one sat down on the ground in fright, and the other started trembling slightly. “Shui Shui, is the cake really poisoned?!”
Shui Shui: “Cough, cough, cough!”
Shui Shui began coughing violently.
Ling Yi quickly held him up and patted his back.
But Shui Shui pushed Ling Yi away, ran to the side, and gulped down two cups of water.
After drinking the water, he wiped his mouth and said, “No poison, just spicy.”
He hadn’t been poisoned—he was just overwhelmed by the spiciness.
Ling Fu and Ling Yi looked at him, falling silent together.
Shui Shui then returned to the little one and placed a few leaves in his mouth.
The leaves were cool and soothing, meant to relieve the spiciness in Little Seven’s mouth.
While Shui Shui was still tending to Little Seven, Noble Consort Yi, who was always sensitive to her child’s situation, hurried over to the courtyard.
As soon as she arrived, she saw the little one lying there with his eyes still closed.
“Little Seven!”
Noble Consort Yi quickly walked over and anxiously asked Shui Shui about the situation.
Shui Shui replied truthfully, “It’s poisoning—chronic poisoning.”
Noble Consort Yi: “!”
The moment she heard the word “poison,” her head buzzed. Although she tried her best to control her expression, it was clear from her delicate face that she was deeply shaken.
“What kind of poison? Is it serious? Can it be cured?”
Noble Consort Yi asked too many questions at once, and Shui Shui paused before answering them one by one, “It’s a rare poison. Not too serious, and it can be cured.”
When he said the word “cured,” Shui Shui hesitated again.
Though the poison could be cured, it would be difficult.
“As long as it can be cured, that’s all that matters,” Noble Consort Yi said, not noticing Shui Shui’s expression. Her focus was entirely on her child.
“Did Little Seven’s poisoning flare up suddenly?”
“It was triggered,” Shui Shui explained. “He already had a bad tooth, and eating the spicy cake built up internal heat, causing his body to become imbalanced.”
So, to be precise, Little Seven’s toothache and internal imbalance led to the hidden poison being triggered.
After explaining, Shui Shui suggested that Noble Consort Yi take Little Seven back to Fenghua Palace.
His small courtyard wasn’t as comfortable as Fenghua Palace.
Since Little Seven wouldn’t recover quickly, even if Shui Shui agreed, Noble Consort Yi likely wouldn’t want him to stay in the small courtyard for treatment.
“Alright, I’ll take Little Seven back. Shui Shui, I’ll be troubling you a lot this time.”
Although Noble Consort Yi trusted Shui Shui, she still called for other imperial physicians to check on the little one.
The Emperor didn’t fully trust a child like Shui Shui; he preferred the experienced imperial physicians he had relied on for years.
Little Seven was taken back to Fenghua Palace, where he laid on the large bed, eyes closed, fast asleep.
Meanwhile, in the outer room, Noble Consort Yi, her face cold, ordered Ji Yan to thoroughly investigate the palace from top to bottom.
In the harem, poisoning was the most common method used.
Noble Consort Yi prided herself on being careful with her child’s diet, yet her child’s poisoning today felt like a slap in the face.
Furious, she sat in the outer hall, sealing off Fenghua Palace and having Ji Yan conduct a meticulous investigation.
Ji Yan’s face was tense as well. As the head palace maid of Fenghua Palace, she couldn’t escape responsibility for the little prince’s poisoning.
More than the responsibility, what Ji Yan wanted most was to find out who was behind this.
She had served Noble Consort Yi since childhood and held deep loyalty to her. As for the Seventh Prince, he was also her little master.
Ji Yan was fiercely protective, and at this moment, her anger surpassed even Noble Consort Yi’s.
Fenghua Palace was sealed for half a day, during which not even a fly could escape.
When the Emperor arrived and saw the situation, he wasn’t surprised.
He didn’t interfere with the investigation but instead stayed by the little one’s side, frowning as he watched.
Lately, his little one had been through too much misfortune.
First, he was falsely accused of being ill-fated, then his tooth went bad. And now, just after a few days of peace, someone had poisoned him.
All these incidents, except for the toothache, were the result of human malice, clearly aimed at making the little one suffer.
The Emperor held the little one’s soft, cool hand and murmured, “Little Seven, Daddy’s here. Please wake up soon, alright?”
“When you wake up, and your tooth feels better, Daddy will give your candy back.”
The little one had been searching for candy recently, but all the sweets the Emperor had brought back from Guan Shan Residence had been hidden away by him and Noble Consort Yi.
They had planned to give it to him bit by bit once his tooth healed.
The Emperor stayed by the little one’s side for a long time.
Meanwhile, after Ji Yan had thoroughly searched the palace and interrogated everyone, she furrowed her brow.
“Your Highness, I’ve checked everyone who has been near the little prince’s food or has come close to him. I found nothing suspicious.”
Noble Consort Yi did not doubt Ji Yan’s competence.
But Ji Yan’s findings made her heart race.
If there was no issue within Fenghua Palace, then where could the problem be?
Little Seven occasionally ate food outside the palace, but she had always instructed him not to eat anything given by palace servants.
He only ate food given to him by other princes or princesses, and none of them would harm him, logically speaking.
Then there was the food from Chengming Hall, which was also unlikely to be tampered with.
Noble Consort Yi racked her brain but couldn’t find any suspicious leads.
Unable to identify a clear source of suspicion, her expression darkened, and she decided to investigate every possibility.
This wasn’t a small matter—it concerned her Little Seven. Even if it meant offending others, she would do whatever it took.
“Your Majesty.”
Noble Consort Yi personally approached the Emperor to request permission.
Without hesitation, the Emperor nodded his approval.
With his consent, Noble Consort Yi wasted no time. She took Ji Yan with her to search Consort Ru’s palace and then went to the residences of the Eldest Prince, the Fourth Prince, and the Fifth Princess.
Her actions were bold and conspicuous. It wasn’t long before someone reported her to the Empress.
However, the Empress simply remarked indifferently, “Let her be.”
When the consort who had come to complain seemed displeased, the Empress glanced at her and, while twirling her prayer beads, casually added, “What Noble Consort Yi is doing may not seem appropriate, but His Majesty is in her palace. Do you think he’s unaware of her actions?”
Upon hearing the Empress’s words, the complaining consort fell silent.
It was clear that Noble Consort Yi had the Emperor’s backing to conduct such a high-profile search of the other concubines’ and princes’ residences.
Without his permission, Noble Consort Yi wouldn’t have been able to do this.
“But even with the Emperor’s approval, her behavior is still overstepping the bounds,” the consort murmured, unable to resist venting her jealousy over Noble Consort Yi’s prominent position in the harem.
Recently, rumors had spread that the Emperor was beginning to favor Beauty Yu, suggesting that Noble Consort Yi was falling out of favor. But seeing the current situation, Noble Consort Yi certainly didn’t seem like someone being neglected.
The consort who came to complain sat with the Empress for a short while before leaving. Watching her silhouette disappear, the Empress turned her head and calmly asked her trusted maid, “Qiu Er, is it clean?”
This cryptic question was perfectly understood by Qiu Er, who softly replied, “You can rest assured, Your Majesty.”
The two exchanged no further words.
While the palace was in an uproar due to the actions of Noble Consort Yi, the Empress appeared indifferent. She returned to her small temple, knelt on the prayer mat, and devoted herself to reciting the Sutra of Compassion.
While the Empress was quietly praying in the temple, Noble Consort Yi was fuming, eager to catch the culprit and tear them apart.
After much effort, Noble Consort Yi still found nothing.
Frustrated, she returned to Fenghua Palace, where Shui Shui and the imperial physicians were gathered. She approached Emperor Ling and asked, “Has Little Seven woken up yet?”
“No,” Emperor Ling responded, growing impatient as time passed without the child waking. He turned a cold gaze on the physicians, suppressing his irritation as he asked, “Imperial Physician Tang, when will Little Seven’s poison be cured?”
Imperial Physician Tang, named directly by the emperor, bowed his head and replied, “Your Majesty, the poison afflicting the young prince is quite rare, and I… I—”
Sweat was beading on Imperial Physician Tang’s forehead.
Seeing this, Shui Shui stepped forward, looking up at the emperor.
“Your Majesty,” Shui Shui, though not one to mingle with court affairs, had been taught palace etiquette by the old nurse of Ling Yi. He now followed protocol and bowed respectfully to Emperor Ling.
Despite Shui Shui’s observance of etiquette, his interruption during the emperor’s questioning might have seemed inappropriate. Yet, his manner of bowing was flawless.
After bowing, Shui Shui took over for Imperial Physician Tang and addressed the emperor’s question.
“Your Majesty, the poison can be cured, but it is difficult to treat. This chronic poison is very rare.”
Shui Shui, though young, spoke calmly and steadily as he reported, “I have prepared some methods for detoxification, and we can start applying them to the young prince now.”
“As for a complete antidote, there isn’t one for this type of poison. However, the amount of poison in the young prince’s body is not excessive. The antidote I’ve formulated can neutralize the poison that’s present.”
After Shui Shui’s explanation, both Emperor Ling and Noble Consort Yi appeared somewhat relieved.
Shui Shui handed over the detoxification methods he had prepared to Imperial Physician Tang.
Grateful, Imperial Physician Tang accepted the instructions eagerly.
With these methods, the young prince would no longer have to lie in bed helplessly.
Imperial Physician Tang set to work, preparing the medicinal concoctions and herbal bath as Shui Shui had instructed. Meanwhile, Emperor Ling turned to Noble Consort Yi and asked in a low voice, “Yi Er, do you think Shui Shui can really save Little Seven?”
Noble Consort Yi understood the emperor’s doubts about Shui Shui. Now that he had initiated the question, it was clear he still lacked confidence in the little one.
“Shui Shui is very capable,” she said with full trust in him. Watching Shui Shui head toward the imperial pharmacy, she softly praised, “Though he is young, he knows a great deal. Your Majesty, Little Seven once suggested Shui Shui take your pulse for health. You’ve been putting it off—why not let him do it once Little Seven is well?”
In the past, Emperor Ling had rejected the idea of a child taking his pulse. But this time, after glancing down at the unconscious Little Seven, he finally said, “Alright.”
“If he can truly cure Little Seven, I’ll let him take my pulse.”
As they spoke, the young prince was carefully placed into the herbal bath.
The water in the bath was murky, and the scent was unpleasant.
Emperor Ling knelt beside the tub, holding onto Little Seven to keep his limp body from slipping under the water.
After a while, Emperor Ling felt the strain of holding his son in this position, his hands submerged in the water and sweating from exertion.
“Next time, I’ll get in the tub with Little Seven,” he remarked, after confirming with Shui Shui that the bathwater wouldn’t harm a healthy person.
He then ordered that a larger tub be prepared for the next herbal bath.
As the entire Fenghua Palace worked to detoxify the young prince, Noble Consort Yi and Ji Yan took the opportunity to speak privately.
They exchanged a glance, each knowing the thoughts occupying the other’s mind.
“Your Highness, I’ve already been to the imperial kitchen. The head stewardess there is on good terms with me.”
“She helped me investigate, and there was no trace of poison in any of the food prepared for the young prince recently.”
“The meals from the imperial kitchen are carefully inspected, especially those sent to Chengming Hall. There hasn’t been any negligence.”
“The maids in the kitchen have all been checked too. The only suspicious thing we found was a maid having a secret affair with a young eunuch, but that’s unrelated.”
Despite all her efforts, Noble Consort Yi found nothing.
Even Ji Yan, who had been working tirelessly, was starting to wonder where else the culprit might be hiding.
“Your Highness, many concubines are envious of our young prince…”
Indeed, there were many in the palace who disliked both her and Little Seven.
But very few had the ability to act with such precision and secrecy.
Noble Consort Yi raised a hand to rub her temples, letting out a soft breath as she tried to calm herself. “Have the small kitchen prepare dinner. I need to keep up my strength.”
She still hadn’t found the person responsible for poisoning her son, and at this critical moment, she needed to stay in top form.
Ji Yan nodded and left to arrange the meal.
Meanwhile, Ah Wu was hundreds of miles away from the capital. For most people, such a journey on horseback would take at least two days, but for Ah Wu, one day was more than enough.
In his original form, moving at his fastest speed, he raced toward the capital.
The little one he was thinking about was soaking in the water, clinging entirely to his father. His little body was so soft that without his father’s support, he would have already sunk to the bottom.
Father and son soaked in the water together. Emperor Ling frowned slightly as they bathed. Shui Shui had said that the medicinal bath was harmless to a healthy person, and there should be no sensation when soaking in it.
But as Emperor Ling bathed, he felt a growing discomfort in his body. After accompanying his son for a while, he glanced down at the little one in his arms and murmured, “Little Seven, if you don’t get better soon, your father might not make it.”
