This doesn’t make sense. Why hasn’t this guy passed out yet?
In the ceremonial wedding wine, she had clearly added a sufficient dose of Heart-Dazing Powder, precisely to make Dugu Yu fall into a deep sleep so she could act alone.
By her calculations, the drug should have taken effect long ago.
“You… what did you put in the wine?”
Dugu Yu suddenly felt dizzy, and his intuition told him that the ceremonial wine they had just shared was problematic.
Here it comes.
Song Yunying feigned ignorance, asking, “Your Highness, what’s wrong?”
Dugu Yu shook his head. “Dizzy.”
She quickly supported him and checked his pulse. “There’s nothing seriously wrong with your health. You must be tired. A good night’s sleep will help.”
One, two, three.
Just as she silently counted to three in her mind, Dugu Yu collapsed into her arms.
From this angle, he looked clear-spirited and handsome, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes—quite dashing.
“Your Highness?” She patted his shoulder.
No response.
This Heart-Dazing Powder really works.
After settling Dugu Yu, Song Yunying went out.
Poisoning a princess was no small matter.
While it would be ideal for Song Yunying to forewarn everyone, speaking up too early could easily lead to suspicions of being an accomplice, making it impossible to explain herself later.
Saving someone also required careful timing.
But she had already wasted a lot of time earlier, and now the palace was likely fraught with hidden dangers.
Song Yunying couldn’t help but quicken her pace.
Princess Danyang’s Yuxiu Palace was located west of the imperial garden. Coincidentally, just as she reached the palace gate, she saw a palace maid in red carrying a tray walk inside.
It was her!
Song Yunying would recognize her even if she were reduced to ashes.
After poisoning the eldest princess back then, this palace maid had committed suicide, and the whereabouts of the antidote were never discovered.
Without another thought, Song Yunying rushed through the palace gate and shouted, “Your Highness, be careful—there’s an assassin!”
In the blink of an eye, the red-clad palace maid had already drawn a dagger hidden beneath the tray and lunged forward.
Fortunately, Song Yunying’s loud cry alerted the palace attendants, who reacted swiftly and shielded the princess, preventing the assassin from succeeding.
The princess was jostled and began bleeding below.
The commotion sent everyone into a panic, shouting to capture the assassin.
Danyang lay to the side, her lips turning purple—a clear sign of poisoning.
After checking her pulse, Song Yunying urgently instructed, “Fetch a handful of charcoal ash, brew it with Mingteng, honeysuckle, and licorice into a pot of water, and give it to the princess first.”
The imperial physicians hadn’t arrived yet, and the palace attendants looked at one another, unsure whether to follow her instructions.
“I am the Ninth Prince’s principal consort and a medical officer of the Taiyishu. What are you waiting for? Hurry up!”
Only then did the palace attendants snap out of their hesitation and rush to prepare the medicine as instructed.
Before the assassin could be captured, she had already bitten her tongue and committed suicide, cutting off all clues to the antidote.
“A bunch of useless fools! What good are you? If Danyang can’t be saved, Bengong will have you all buried with her!”
“Your servant is terrified—” the imperial physicians knelt and cried out in unison.
Song Yunying stepped forward. “Mother Empress, allow your daughter-in-law to try.”
The Taiyiling hurriedly intervened, “Medical Officer Song, you are still inexperienced. This poison is extremely dangerous. Do not recklessly take the lead.”
The Taiyiling was unwilling to take risks for the sake of his official position.
After all, the princess had been poisoned by someone else. If anything were to happen to her, it wouldn’t be the fault of the Taiyishu.
But if the diagnosis was wrong or the wrong medicine was administered, the entire Taiyishu would be held accountable.
The Empress glanced at the white-bearded old man. “Then, Taiyiling, will you take charge?”
“Your servant… your servant’s skills are insufficient. This poison is exceedingly rare in the world, and I fear…”
“Bengong thinks you’ve grown senile, spouting nothing but useless nonsense. Yunying is Bengong’s daughter-in-law. Bengong hasn’t even spoken yet, and you’re already passing judgment.”
Sweat beaded on the Taiyiling’s forehead. “Your servant deserves death. Please forgive this offense, Your Majesty.”
He apologized verbally, but in his heart he believed Song Yunying was overestimating her own abilities.
What skills could a girl who learned medicine from a country doctor possibly have?
Rushing to show off right after marrying into the royal family—she truly wouldn’t give up until she saw the coffin.
“You there, boil three vats of water and place them beneath the bed to steam out the poison…”
“Then feed these pills to the Eldest Princess along with the decoction just prepared…”
Song Yunying never fought a battle unprepared.
She knew this poison was Thousand Blood Extract, refined from the blood of dozens of toxic creatures like poisoned feathers and ringed snakes.
In her past life, the case of Princess Danyang’s poisoning had far-reaching implications.
Song Yunying had never given up searching for the truth.
She spent five years traveling among the common people, consulting ancient texts, before finally developing an antidote formula.
This time, entering the palace, she had already brought the antidote with her.
After taking the antidote, the princess regained color in her face and found the strength to give birth.
Seeing this, The Empress repeatedly chanted “Amitabha Buddha.” “This child Danyang has had a hard life. Since she was little, she followed Bengong through hardship and displacement, never enjoying a single day of peace. When she reached marriageable age, she was betrothed by The Emperor to Bei Yi. Now that Bei Yi has been destroyed, she returned carrying a posthumous child, only to suffer endless gossip and slander…”
A baby’s cry from inside the room pierced the dark night.
Mother and daughter were both safe.
The Empress wept with joy. “Yunying, thank goodness you were here.”
Because this child’s arrival had been exceptionally difficult, she was immediately granted the title of Junzhu by The Emperor upon birth, with the imperial-given title—Zhao Yuan.
Meaning: as bright as the sun and moon, and as the mountains and rivers wish.
Afterward, even Junior Sister found it unbelievable.
“Senior Sister, where on earth did you get the antidote?”
Song Yunying couldn’t easily explain that she knew about the Thousand Blood Extract.
“Naturally, it’s Master’s secret formula, capable of curing all poisons.”
“My father? That old man is so biased—he taught you but not me.”
Song Yunying laughed. “Are you jealous?”
“Of course! Before, you were worried that once married, you wouldn’t be able to remain a medical officer. Now, with such a great achievement, not only have you stayed in Taiyishu, but you’ve even taken the position of Yuanpan.”
“From now on, we can be together again!” Junior Sister secretly rejoiced. “You didn’t see it—when the imperial decree came down, Taiyiling’s face turned green. Serves him right for always looking down on us.”
In her past life, after marrying Dugu Kan, Song Yunying was forced to resign from her position as a medical officer in Taiyishu.
Dugu Kan’s reasoning was that a woman should prioritize the family; appearing in public all day was ultimately improper.
Thus, Song Yunying remained idle at home for years, her skills having no outlet.
It wasn’t until Xuanjiajun recruited military doctors that she secretly signed up.
For this, Dugu Kan had a huge argument with her.
Unexpectedly, by saving the princess this time, she not only protected Junior Sister but also gained an unexpected reward.
Junior Sister smiled brightly. “I never thought the Ninth Prince would be so open-minded, actually allowing you to stay in Taiyishu.”
“Him?”
Song Yunying had thought it was The Empress’s recommendation, and The Emperor had simply gone along with it.
Could Dugu Yu really have been involved here?
“You are his principal consort. Without his approval, who would dare keep you? He’s the most difficult master to serve in the palace.”
“Senior Sister, you haven’t been in Taiyishu long and don’t understand the palace’s twists and turns. You’ll find out in time.”
Though Junior Sister was young, she had been in Taiyishu for a long time. In comparison, Song Yunying’s path had been much less smooth.
Her father allowing her to study medicine was already an extraordinary act of grace; Song Yunying had also expended considerable effort persuading him to let her enter Taiyishu.
Little did she expect that her newlywed husband would turn out to be so reasonable.
Now that my junior sister is alive and I have become the chief physician, the course of the previous life is slowly changing.
Does this mean everything is moving in a positive direction?