CHAPTER 422: CHAPTER 422: ANTIDOTE (REQUESTING MONTHLY VOTES)

Agarwood Pavilion, inner room.

Xie Jingchen fainted on the bed.

Su Jin sat by the bed, holding his hand, her eyes red.

It was as if if Xie Jingchen died, she would follow him, a look full of deep affection.

Once the maids in the room left.

Just as Su Jin was about to let go, Xie Jingchen grasped her hand tightly.

As soon as his hand moved, Su Jin was pulled onto him.

"What are you doing?" Su Jin asked anxiously.

The door wasn’t closed.

The maids could come in at any time.

Xie Jingchen gazed at her and said, "Seeing you cry so sadly, I can’t help but want to comfort you."

Su Jin, "...."

Comfort, my foot.

She was just carried away by the Old Madam’s acting skills.

She got slightly immersed when acting.

Su Jin blinked and said, "How does my acting compare to the Old Madam’s?"

Xie Jingchen, "...."

"Far too inferior," Xie Jingchen said.

"...."

Is the gap really that wide?

Su Jin struggled to get up, but Xie Jingchen wouldn’t let her.

Xie Jingchen’s warm breath sprayed onto her face.

Su Jin only felt her cheeks getting hotter.

"I’m still young, how can I compare to the seasoned actor?" Su Jin retorted.

Xie Jingchen frowned.

He didn’t quite understand those words.

There were footsteps outside.

Unable to break free, Su Jin improvised, crying and secretly pinching Xie Jingchen.

Humph!

Even bed scenes aren’t that easy to act!

Xie Jingchen grimaced in pain, his forehead couldn’t help but twitch.

Xingxing ran in.

"Miss, miss, it’s not good, that maid has died," Xingxing said urgently.

Su Jin frowned.

After Xingxing reported that Duke Zhen had fainted, Xie Jingchen couldn’t lay still any longer.

"What’s wrong with grandfather?" he said.

Hearing the footsteps approaching, Su Jin quickly pushed Xie Jingchen back to lie down properly.

The good play must not fail now.

The Second Madam came to visit Xie Jingchen.

Su Jin looked at the Second Madam and said, "Second Aunt, I heard from the maids that the Duke fainted, is he alright?"

"The Duke seems to be very ill, Doctor Zhao didn’t say anything," the Second Madam said with a serious expression.

Su Jin’s brow furrowed.

The Second Madam came to visit Xie Jingchen.

But Xie Jingchen fainted, unconscious.

The Second Madam only stayed for a while before leaving with the maids.

After the Second Madam left, Su Jin, still worried, instructed Xingxing, "Go and invite Doctor Zhao over."

Poor Doctor Zhao hadn’t even had a bite of dinner, constantly rushing about.

Doctor Zhao walked in and said, "Eldest Young Madam, what can I do for you?"

Su Jin’s mouth twitched, "What is the Duke’s illness?"

Doctor Zhao didn’t think much and described Duke Zhen’s illness to Su Jin.

"And his wound?" Su Jin asked.

Doctor Zhao hesitated.

"Doctor Zhao, just say it," Su Jin said.

"The Duke’s wound is festering, I feared it might frighten the Eldest Young Madam to hear," Doctor Zhao said.

Actually, from Doctor Zhao’s description of the pulse, Su Jin could already make some judgment.

She asked Doctor Zhao how he dealt with the wound.

Doctor Zhao furrowed his brows slightly because Su Jin’s questions were too detailed.

"Cut away the necrotic flesh, then bandage the wound," Doctor Zhao said.

Su Jin looked at him, "Any ordinary doctor would treat the Duke’s wound that way, yet his wound hasn’t healed, has Doctor Zhao ever thought why?"

Doctor Zhao looked at Su Jin.

Su Jin said, "Simply cutting away the necrotic flesh isn’t enough, the flesh around the wound may seem fine but is actually rotten, it needs to be removed too, disinfected with alcohol, then treated with medicine."

Doctor Zhao was stunned.

His gaze toward Su Jin was filled with inquiry and scrutiny.

It’s impossible for someone not skilled in medicine to say such things.

"Eldest Young Madam, you...."

"I’m not convenient to go, please trouble Doctor Zhao to re-bandage the Duke’s wound," Su Jin said.

Doctor Zhao said nervously, "I dare not, treating the Duke’s illness is my duty."

Moreover, curing Duke Zhen would be a great merit.

Doctor Zhao rushed again to Duke Zhen’s residence.

But Duke Zhen did not allow him to touch the wound again.

The wound was large, if he dug out a circle, he wouldn’t be able to get out of bed for the next few days.

He must attend court tomorrow.

With only Marquis Dongxiang, it’s difficult to suppress Duke Chong’s faction and persuade the Emperor to release King Beimo.

Duke Zhen insisted, so Doctor Zhao could only comply, saying, "Then I’ll come tomorrow to treat the Duke’s wound."

Peony Garden.

Old Master Xie was asking Princess Nanzhang for the antidote.

Doctor Zhao said that Xie Jingchen already had poison in his body, the longer it’s left untreated, the more harm it would do.

Princess Nanzhang’s eyes reddened with anger, "Finally got you back, and you wrong me like this!"

"If I had the intention to poison the Eldest Young Master, why would I wait until you returned to the mansion?!"

This argument did sound somewhat reasonable.

Old Master Xie looked at Princess Nanzhang, "I said before, if you dare harm Chenchen, I won’t let you off!"

"I didn’t do it, are you going to force a confession out of me?!" Princess Nanzhang clenched her fist and said.

"If you don’t believe me, you can search my place for any poison!"

Old Master Xie sneered.

Behind him, Chief Steward Li walked in, a servant was pushed in ahead of him.

The servant knelt down as soon as he entered.

Chief Steward Li held a wine pot in his hand.

There was a mark on the bottom of the wine pot; it was bought from Desheng House.

The Mother and Child Pot, something specially designed for harming others, wasn’t often used.

Though it was late, Desheng House wasn’t far.

Chief Steward Li decided to try his luck at Desheng House, and indeed he found some clues.

The young worker at Desheng House still recognized the Mother and Child Pot; it was bought by a servant.

Chief Steward Li asked for a detailed description of the servant’s appearance.

He was the chief steward of Duke Zhen’s mansion, he knew the appearance of every servant by heart.

Upon returning to the mansion, he caught this servant.

The servant confessed that the Mother and Child Pot was bought upon the request of Nan Xiang, a maid in Princess Nanzhang’s courtyard.

"What else do you have to say?" Old Master Xie’s face was cold as frost.

A cold glint swept by.

Princess Nanzhang’s body went half cold.

She staggered back two steps, knocking over the small table, tea cups and cakes spilling on the ground.

Xie Jinyu stood by the screen watching, biting her lip tightly.

Old Master Xie grabbed Princess Nanzhang’s hand, demanding she hand over the antidote.

Princess Nanzhang had only two words: none.

She didn’t poison Xie Jingchen; how could she hand over the antidote?!

She wouldn’t admit to a crime she didn’t commit.

Seeing her obstinate, Old Master Xie changed to choking her.

Princess Nanzhang struggled, her face turning purple from the lack of air.

Xie Jinyu rushed in, kneeling at Old Master Xie’s feet, crying, "This truly has nothing to do with mother, I’m the one who had the maid poison elder brother."

"Yuyu....?"

Princess Nanzhang called out her daughter’s pet name with difficulty.

Old Master Xie loosened his grip, if not for Mrs. Zhao supporting Princess Nanzhang in time.

She would have collapsed to the ground.

Princess Nanzhang touched her neck, almost strangled, and said with deep grief, "Yuyu, you...."

"You’re truly foolish!" Princess Nanzhang was bitterly disappointed.

Old Master Xie looked at Xie Jinyu and said, "Where is the antidote?"

Xie Jinyu stuttered.

How could she have the antidote, she only confessed to save Princess Nanzhang from being strangled by Old Master Xie.

"No, no antidote," Xie Jinyu said.

Old Master Xie instructed Chief Steward Li, "Go search Zilan Garden!"

Chief Steward Li led others to search Zilan Garden.

Xie Jinyu knelt on the ground, at a loss of what to do.

Soon, Chief Steward Li returned.

Holding a bottle of medicine, Chief Steward Li said, "Found a bottle of medicine in the young lady’s dressing box, unsure if it’s the antidote."

Xie Jinyu turned back abruptly.

How could there be medicine in her dressing box?!

Thinking of something—

Xie Jinyu’s face turned deathly pale, her body cold as ice.