"Yes, my mother is seriously ill. We have sought many doctors, even the Imperial Physician has examined her, prescribing numerous medicines, but she is now unconscious. I beg the Commandery Princess to show mercy..."
Yun Jinnian took a deep breath.
He was quite fond of Lady Feng.
"Please lead the way, Mr. Feng."
Feng Wushuang was overjoyed, not expecting Yun Jinnian to agree so readily, "After you, Commandery Princess!"
"After you, Mr. Feng!"
Feng Wushuang’s carriage took the lead with Uncle Cheng driving the carriage following behind.
Feng Wushuang’s estate in the Capital City was a large three-courtyard residence, originally bestowed by the Emperor. After acquiring some wealth, Feng Wushuang had it renovated and remodeled. Due to the small number of people in the household, he reduced several courtyards and re-planned the construction, but Lady Feng’s courtyard remained the old one.
Feng Wushuang had suggested moving to a new courtyard, but Lady Feng preferred the old one. In his filial piety, he complied with the elderly lady’s wishes.
Unfortunately, Lady Feng, who had been relatively healthy, became increasingly weak, eventually coughing up blood and losing consciousness.
Numerous doctors had been consulted, and several teams of Imperial Physicians came, all to no avail.
Feng Wushuang had tried to see Han Xuzi but always missed him.
Fortunately, Yun Jinnian had returned.
Upon entering Lady Feng’s courtyard, Yun Jinnian noticed the lush oleander plants and had a moment of realization.
He followed Feng Wushuang into Lady Feng’s room.
Since it was winter, the doors and windows of Lady Feng’s courtyard were tightly closed, and an unpleasant odor lingered due to her chronic illness.
"Open the windows; remove the charcoal fire from the room. Also, prepare another courtyard. We’ll move Lady Feng there shortly!" Yun Jinnian commanded calmly.
Feng Wushuang hurriedly asked, "Is there something amiss?"
"I can’t say for sure yet, but something about this courtyard feels off. Let’s check Lady Feng’s pulse first!"
"Alright, thank you so much, Commandery Princess!" Feng Wushuang expressed his immense gratitude.
Yun Jinnian nodded slightly and, after taking a damp cloth from Hemei to wipe his hands, he checked Lady Feng’s pulse.
"Hemei, prepare the silver needles!"
Yun Jinnian performed bloodletting on Lady Feng, observing the dark, tarry blood.
"Mr. Feng, your mother has been poisoned!"
"Poisoned?" Feng Wushuang was utterly shocked.
He was considered a smooth operator in the Capital City, never offending anyone carelessly.
Even his feelings for Yun Jinnian, he kept well hidden, cautiously plotting.
"Yes, poisoned, but not by someone else’s hand. Instead, the medicines Lady Feng consumed every day just happened to counteract the properties of the oleander in the courtyard, and she was always inhaling their scent, which formed a toxin!" Yun Jinnian explained. He then opened a porcelain vial, poured out a medicinal pill, and handed it to a maid, "Dissolve it in warm water and have the maid drink it, followed by more warm water in a cup to be fed to Lady Feng slowly!"
Medicinal ingredients were precious; it was best not to waste them.
After a moment of reflection, Feng Wushuang said, "The oleander in the courtyard has always been thriving. Mother liked it, so she chose to live in this courtyard. I never expected it to be the root cause of the problem!"
If he had known that the oleander was harmful, he would certainly have dug it out early.
"It’s not entirely the oleander’s fault. Let’s move Lady Feng to another courtyard for now. If possible, bathe her and change her into clean clothes. Even though she is ill, I imagine she would prefer cleanliness," Yun Jinnian said with apparent nonchalance.
The several maids and old women in attendance trembled at his words.
Feng Wushuang, as her son, did not know how long it had been since Lady Feng had bathed, but Yun Jinnian, on his first visit, knew...
How could they not be frightened?
Hearing this, Feng Wushuang didn’t respond, but he took note silently.
"You have a point, Commandery Princess. It’s my oversight as her son!"
He had always thought it was the smell of illness on his mother, not imagining it was due to the maids and old women shirking their duties...