Nan Zhi nervously glanced at Song Wanchu. Song Wanchu covered her aching chest and held her breath.
Just like Shen Yuhe, Dr. Zhou dropped a drop of potion into the tea.
The tea turned blue.
Then he dropped the potion into the other three teacups.
All the tea turned blue.
Dr. Zhou's face changed drastically. "Madam, the tea is poisoned!"
"How dare anyone try to harm Wanchu in front of me!" the old lady thundered in rage.
Hearing that the tea was poisoned, Princess Jiahe and Yu Huiyan immediately panicked.
Didn't that mean they were poisoned too?
"What kind of poison is it? Have you found out?" the old lady demanded sharply, her eyes like sharp blades stabbing at Yu Huiyan.
"It's the Soul - Frightening Powder. This poison contains a significant amount of monkshood and nux vomica. For someone with a heart ailment, a single sip of this tea will trigger an immediate attack," Dr. Zhou explained clearly. "But Madam, don't worry. Fortunately, Madam Song only took one sip, so the amount of poison she ingested is very small and won't be fatal."
The old lady nodded after listening. "You mean this poison only affects people with heart ailments?"
"That's right."
Princess Jiahe heaved a huge sigh of relief, but Yu Huiyan beside her broke out in a cold sweat.
The old lady, in a towering rage, slammed the table so hard that the teacups buzzed.
"Granny Qiao, go and find out who boiled the hot water, who fetched the tea leaves, and who touched this teapot. Investigate every detail. I'd like to see who has the audacity to harm Wanchu right under my nose!"
Suddenly, Nan Zhi let out a scream. Looking at Yu Huiyan, she was full of panic and anxiety. "Miss Yu drank more tea than our young lady! She donated her heart - blood for Second Master. Her heart ailment is even more serious than our young lady's!"
It was too late for Yu Huiyan to leave quietly.
A dozen pairs of eyes in the room, from masters to servants, all focused on her face in unison.
The old lady first gave Nan Zhi a puzzled look, then shifted her gaze to Song Wanchu.
After taking the Heart - Calming Pill, the pain in Song Wanchu's chest had eased a lot. At this moment, she calmly lowered her eyes, as if she were an outsider. But her eyes were clearer and more transparent than ever.
The old lady seemed to understand something. When her gaze fell on Yu Huiyan again, there was a hint of meaning in it.
"Dr. Zhou, feel Miss Yu's pulse."
Yu Huiyan was so panicked that her palms were sweating. Her throat felt blocked, and her vision went dark.
"No... there's no need to trouble Dr. Zhou."
Princess Jiahe just then realized what was going on and shouted anxiously, "You'll soon be Zhou'er's wife. What do you mean by 'trouble'? Hurry up and let Dr. Zhou feel your pulse!"
She grabbed Dr. Zhou's sleeve. "Where's that pill of yours? Hurry up and take it out for Huiyan to eat. Look, she's sweating from the pain!"
At this moment, Yu Huiyan's face was as pale as paper, panicked and restless. Her breathing was rapid due to a racing heart. At first glance, she really seemed to be having a heart attack.
Princess Jiahe was certain that Huiyan was also poisoned and had been enduring it all along.
She wasn't like Song Wanchu, that sickly girl who would act like she was about to die at the slightest pain!
If there weren't so many people around, Yu Huiyan really would have slapped Princess Jiahe!
Now her secret was about to be exposed!
She didn't actually have a heart ailment. When Song Wanchu had a toxic reaction, she had no idea that the Soul - Frightening Powder had been put in the tea.
Now, even if she wanted to act out chest pain on the spot, it was too late!
The moment Dr. Zhou placed his hand on her pulse, she felt that it was all over for her.
"How is it?" Princess Jiahe was sweating anxiously. She nervously grabbed Yu Huiyan's arm, her eyes full of worry, afraid that something might happen to her.
Yu Huiyan just wanted her to shut up.
Dr. Zhou stroked his beard, looking embarrassed, as if he had something hard to say.
"Well, how should I put it..."
Obviously, he was waiting for the old lady to give the order.
"Just say what you have to say. Don't let the princess make wild guesses and get even more anxious," the old lady said. The anger on her face had already disappeared, and there was a hidden smile in her eyes.
She was watching Princess Jiahe, who was still in the dark, playfully, as if watching a show.
Dr. Zhou coughed awkwardly twice. "Madam, Miss Yu is in good health. Her pulse is strong. She doesn't have a heart ailment, let alone being poisoned."
Princess Jiahe opened her mouth in surprise.
"Impossible! You quack doctor. I saw with my own eyes back then that Huiyan's chest was covered in blood. She still has a scar on her chest. How could she not have a heart ailment?"
Yu Huiyan was on the verge of crying.
She felt ten times more humiliated than being paraded through the streets naked!
And most of this humiliation was caused by Princess Jiahe.
"Auntie, stop talking. I feel much better now. Let's go."
The angrier Princess Jiahe got, the louder her voice became. "Huiyan, what are you afraid of? If you're in pain, then you're in pain. Why are you enduring it?"
The old lady could hardly hold back the smile on her lips.
Not long ago, Princess Jiahe had taken the blame for framing Wanchu. The old lady had originally thought she was a bit wronged.
But seeing her just as stupid today, the old lady thought she deserved it.
"Since the princess only believes Miss Yu's words, there's no need for Dr. Zhou to examine Miss Yu. You'd better take Miss Yu back and find a better doctor."
Princess Jiahe said aggressively, "I will!"
She grabbed Yu Huiyan and left angrily.
Along the way, she walked very fast. Halfway through, she suddenly remembered that people with heart ailments shouldn't exercise vigorously, so she quickly slowed down.
"Huiyan, are you still feeling uncomfortable? Don't listen to that quack doctor. Auntie will find a better doctor for you right away!"
"Auntie, I've already said I'm fine. That's enough!"
Yu Huiyan couldn't bear it anymore. She roared out of shame and annoyance.
Even if they found another doctor, the diagnosis result wouldn't change!
She was already ashamed and humiliated enough. Did Princess Jiahe, that stupid woman, want to strip off another layer of her dignity?
She had always thought that Princess Jiahe was impulsive and brainless, a very useful tool.
But when the blade of this tool turned against herself, she finally knew how much it hurt when the blade stabbed into the flesh!
Yu Huiyan shook off Princess Jiahe's hand and strode away.
Princess Jiahe stood there stunned, her mouth open for a long time.
Huiyan had always been gentle and polite. Why did she suddenly lose her temper like this?
"What did I say wrong? She's never lost her temper with me before..." Princess Jiahe felt sad and wronged.
Granny Gao beside her fell into deep thought.
She remembered that when Song Wanchu had fallen from the carriage and was seriously injured, the old lady had specifically asked Shen Yuhe to come and see her.
Princess Jiahe had stopped Shen Yuhe and let her examine Yu Huiyan first, who had been frightened.
At that time, Liang Yuzhou had rushed over in a hurry and asked about Yu Huiyan's condition. Shen Yuhe had said that Yu Huiyan was just frightened.
She had heard it clearly.
What Dr. Zhou said today was almost the same as what Shen Yuhe had said.
"Madam, could it be... Miss Yu really doesn't have a heart ailment?"
Princess Jiahe glared at her fiercely and suddenly slapped her.
"Are you senile too?"
If she didn't have a heart ailment, didn't that mean that Huiyan hadn't donated her heart - blood to Zhou'er back then?
Granny Gao covered her face, helpless and wronged. "Madam, maybe you should listen to Second Master and ask Miss Yu if she was involved in framing Song Wanchu!"
Her words were like a heavy hammer, hitting Princess Jiahe hard on the head.