Free Web NovelChapter 240: Chapter 240: You Question Me? Stop This Nonsense
When Ji Qingwu was summoned to Prince Yong’s Mansion, she thought something terrible had happened to Princess Yong.
The little eunuch urged her on with an anxious tone. She hurried on her way into the Prince’s Mansion, and just as she reached the entrance of Jiwei Residence, she ran into Du Yufang.
An old woman was with her, holding the hand of a boy who was still unsteady on his feet. This must have been Prince Yong’s illegitimate eldest son, Zhao Yunxuan.
Worried about Princess Yong’s health, Ji Qingwu walked straight past Du Yufang and headed inside.
Du Yufang blocked her path and said resentfully, "Miss Ji, are you blind? Can’t you see a whole person standing right here?"
Ji Qingwu replied, "You’re a grown woman with big eyes. Can’t you see I’m trying to get inside? Must you stand in the way and be so repulsive?"
Du Yufang hadn’t expected her to be so rude and to show such complete disregard. She completely blocked Ji Qingwu’s path.
Ji Qingwu didn’t want to waste her breath on her. If Princess Yong’s condition was serious, there was no time to delay.
She grabbed the back of Du Yufang’s collar and hauled her to the side.
Du Yufang felt herself being dragged along, her heels scraping the ground, and was thoroughly frightened.
"Ji... Ji whatever-your-name-is! You’re too brutish! How dare you be so arrogant in the Prince’s Mansion!"
Ji Qingwu couldn’t be bothered with the accusations Du Yufang was shouting behind her.
As she walked, she said to the little eunuch behind her, "She’s too noisy. Can you lock her out?"
The little eunuch gave a sheepish smile. "Miss Ji, please don’t make things difficult for this servant."
Concubine Du had always held favor in the Prince’s Mansion and had a son to her name. No servant could afford to offend her.
When they reached the main door of the study, the little eunuch was just about to knock when the door was thrown open forcefully from within.
When Zhao Minghong saw Ji Qingwu, he was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
He said hurriedly, "Fifth Cousin, come in, quickly."
If Ji Qingwu hadn’t known it was impossible, she would have thought Princess Yong was about to go into labor. Prince Yong’s anxious expression made him look for all the world like a husband waiting outside a delivery room.
It was no wonder Zhao Minghong was so worried, as Tao Wanxin’s condition was truly abnormal.
The more gently he treated her and the more concern he showed, the redder Tao Wanxin’s eyes became, as if she had suffered some great injustice or was enduring immense pain.
Before Ji Qingwu arrived, Tao Wanxin had already had a good cry.
Zhao Minghong would rather she just curse him out than watch her shed aggrieved tears. Her crying was tearing his heart to pieces.
Ji Qingwu saw that Princess Yong’s face was flushed but couldn’t be sure what the ailment was.
However, she had given Tao Wanxin an abortion prevention pill just last night. Unless she had taken some countervailing medicine, she should have been safe for at least three days.
She stepped forward and said, "Greetings, Princess Consort."
Tao Wanxin was leaning against the head of a luohan bed, a thin blanket covering her.
"Qingwu, thank you for coming." Her eyes were red and swollen, and she said, abashed, "I’m not feeling unwell. The Prince is just overreacting."
Zhao Minghong immediately interjected, "Me, overreacting? If there’s nothing wrong, why are you crying? Everyone says a fussy child is a sick child. You must be feeling unwell."
Tao Wanxin grew even more embarrassed and argued, "I’m not a helpless infant who can’t speak for herself. I already told you, nothing is wrong."
Zhao Minghong drew a firm conclusion.
"You’re not much different from a baby. You just bottle everything up inside and refuse to talk about it."
Ji Qingwu watched them bicker back and forth, but every word was laced with concern.
She said, "Princess Consort, give me your hand. Let me see what’s really going on."
Ji Qingwu’s fingers rested on her wrist. After carefully checking the pulse for a moment, she withdrew her hand.
Zhao Minghong, who had been waiting nearby, leaned in and asked, "Fifth Cousin, is that it? Aren’t you going to check her pulse for a little longer?"
Ji Qingwu shot him a cool glance. "Are you questioning me?"
Zhao Minghong quickly shook his head. "I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare."
Ji Qingwu said, "The Princess Consort’s health is fine, it’s just..."
Zhao Minghong urged impatiently, "Just what?"
Ji Qingwu said, "The Princess Consort’s sleep hasn’t been very good recently. She could take some gentle, restorative herbal soups to calm her spirit and strengthen her constitution."
Zhao Minghong frowned. "Wanyin must have been frightened by that reckless servant girl. Why else would she be crying?"
Ji Qingwu’s gaze fell on the doorway, where she saw Concubine Du being blocked by Chang Lu.
She said slowly, "An ailment of the heart must be cured by medicine for the heart. The Princess Consort’s illness is not a physical one."
Chang Lu blocked Du Yufang, but he didn’t dare block Zhao Yunxuan.
The little boy was unsteady on his feet and tripped on the study’s threshold, falling flat on his face.
The few people in the room all looked at him. The child didn’t cry or fuss. After falling, he just stayed on the ground and started playing with his fingers.
Seeing his eldest son’s listless behavior, Zhao Minghong’s frown deepened.
Ji Qingwu had only glanced at Zhao Yunxuan briefly before, but now, looking him over from head to toe, she realized the boy’s behavior was strange.
While the old woman was tangling with Chang Lu, Du Yufang seized the opportunity to slip inside.
She didn’t pick up her child first. Instead, she rushed directly to Prince Yong, and before a word was spoken, two streams of tears were already flowing.
"Your Highness..."
Zhao Minghong said sternly, "Who allowed you to enter?"
Du Yufang had learned that her trusted handmaid had been thrown into the water prison, so she couldn’t sit still and had to come investigate.
Seeing Prince Yong’s terrifying expression, Du Yufang stammered, "Yunxuan hasn’t seen you for many days, Your Highness. He’s been clamoring to see his father."
Du Yufang pushed Yunxuan toward Prince Yong, but the boy just stood there blankly, seeming uninterested in anything.
Zhao Minghong glanced sideways to see Tao Wanxin’s reaction and happened to meet her gaze.
Tao Wanxin frowned at him and then turned her face away. This amused Prince Yong.
Because her eyes were no longer filled with indifference and unconcern, but instead stirred with a different emotion, one that held a different kind of charm.
Du Yufang shoved Yunxuan a couple more times, trying to force him toward his father.
As if annoyed by the pushing, Yunxuan ran directly to a corner of the room and squatted down.
This scene only made Zhao Minghong more irritated.
He said, "He has seen me now. Didn’t you find someone before to read our fortunes? They said the Princess Consort and Yunxuan have conflicting birth charts. Take Yunxuan and go back at once."
This talk of birth charts had just been an excuse Du Yufang came up with by bribing a Daoist, because she didn’t want the Princess Consort to raise her son, among other things.
Seeing Prince Yong ignore her, his eyes fixed only on Princess Yong, Du Yufang bit her lip resentfully.
"Since last night, my lower abdomen has been hurting. I’m afraid something might be wrong with the baby."
Du Yufang looked at Ji Qingwu, who was sitting by the luohan bed. "I’ve heard Miss Ji is also a physician. Could you perhaps examine me as well?"
Zhao Minghong scolded, "What is this nonsense!"
He had to beg just to get her to attend to the Princess Consort’s pregnancy, and now Du Yufang had the audacity to make such a request.
Ji Qingwu stood up and said nonchalantly, "A constant stomachache could be a sign of some rare and complicated disease. Since the concubine has made the request, I’ll take a look for you."
