Yun Shu squeezed her hands in surprise.
She hadn’t intended to drink it in the first place, and now that the System had given its assessment, she certainly wouldn’t.
However, even if Concubine Zhou was anxious, she probably wouldn’t have offered her a problematic medicinal soup right from the start.
So, this soup was originally meant for Concubine Zhou herself.
“Concubine, it wouldn’t be good for me to drink this fertility soup. If there’s something harmful in it, you’d be suspected of trying to harm me.”
Yun Shu smiled as she refused, directly tearing off the veil of pretense.
If it had been the young mistress who asked her to drink the soup, she couldn’t have spoken so bluntly.
But since Concubine Zhou was almost on the same level as her and had no authority to punish her, she could be this straightforward.
It was like dealing with a colleague of equal rank—once something happened, you could refuse outright without worrying too much about saving face.
“What! I kindly offer you this fertility soup, and you actually think I’m trying to harm you!”
Concubine Zhou immediately said angrily,
“Bring another bowl here. I’ll split the soup and drink half of it myself. That should put your mind at ease.”
Yun Shu’s lips twitched.
Sorry, not even a little bit.
Concubine Zhou’s lack of intelligence made Yun Shu reluctant to beat around the bush. She said directly,
“Concubine, why not find a physician outside the mansion to examine this soup and the medicinal residue? If there’s no problem, I’ll drink it. It would also help you rule out any danger.”
“A physician outside the mansion? Do you suspect the mansion physician is also involved?” Concubine Zhou thought Yun Shu was being overly suspicious.
“The mansion physician checks your wellness pulse every three days. If the soup is problematic, he certainly can’t escape responsibility,” Yun Shu explained.
“Concubine, what Miss Yun Shu says makes sense!” Peach Blossom quickly chimed in.
Concubine Zhou also felt uneasy after hearing Yun Shu’s words.
But the feeling of being led by Yun Shu at every step was truly infuriating!
She felt stifled and humiliated.
Nevertheless, she followed Yun Shu’s suggestion and sent Peach Blossom out of the mansion secretly with the medicinal residue.
An hour later, Peach Blossom returned, her expression grim and serious.
“Reporting to the concubine, there’s saffron in this. Long-term consumption can lead to infertility…”
“What! How despicable!” Concubine Zhou stood up, her face pale,
“Yun Shu, come with me to the young mistress! Let the young mistress find out who’s trying to harm me!”
As the one who exposed the matter, Yun Shu naturally couldn’t avoid it. She agreed and followed along.
Wutong Yuan.
“Last night, the Heir Apparent favored Yun Shu twice?
Is that true?” Liu Ruozhu asked.
“Reporting to the young mistress, it’s true,” Matron Qin replied softly, carefully observing the young mistress’s expression.
“This Yun Shu truly has some tricks up her sleeve, making the Shizi break the rules for her repeatedly.”
Liu Ruozhu’s face turned cold, and her voice chilled as well.
“Young mistress, if Yun Shu really becomes pregnant, I’m afraid she won’t be someone who stays in her place.”
Matron Qin added quietly,
“When the time comes, perhaps we could keep the child and remove the mother…”
“She’d have to get pregnant first,” Liu Ruozhu waved her hand, cutting off the rest of Matron Qin’s words, and said instead,
“Assign Hong Ling to Concubine Guo’s side. I want to see what tricks Hong Ling has up her sleeve.”
Matron Qin acknowledged the order and flattered with a smile,
“Young mistress is wise. Since she was nearly crushed by Yun Shu in one go, she’s bound to take action.”
Liu Ruozhu wasn’t the least bit pleased by this flattery.
Today, her monthly cycle had arrived again, confirming that she wasn’t pregnant.
Raising a hand to touch her flat stomach, Liu Ruozhu let out another deep sigh.
Watching the concubines below squabble was merely a daily diversion.
After all, the Shizi's temperament was clear—he valued rules and propriety, cared little for feminine charms, and was certainly not the type to dote on concubines and neglect his wife.
His exceptions for Yun Shu were solely for the sake of heirs.
Thus, all she cared about was when she herself would finally conceive.
Just then, the matron guarding the door came to report,
"Young Mistress, Concubine Zhou is outside seeking an audience. She says someone poisoned her fertility tonic!"
"Let her in!" Liu Ruozhu's expression shifted slightly as she spoke sharply.
She prided herself on her methods of managing the inner household. For the sake of the Heir Apparent's heirs, she had always had the mansion physician examine their wellness pulses every three days.
How could such a major oversight still occur!
Moreover, she also took the fertility tonic daily. Could her own decoction also be tainted?
Liu Ruozhu's face grew increasingly pale.
If the medicine was indeed problematic, it could only mean the mansion physician was at fault!
Yet his deed of sale was in her hands, and she held his entire family under her control. The consequence of his betrayal would be the death of his whole family!
How could he dare?!
"Summon the mansion physician, Concubine Guo, and all the maids and matrons from their courtyards at once!"
Liu Ruozhu said coldly, her voice icy.
At that moment, Concubine Zhou entered the room weeping, knelt on the floor, and cried mournfully,
"Young Mistress, you must uphold justice for this servant! Someone added saffron to my fertility decoction, and I don't even know how long I've been drinking it…"
"How did you discover the problem with the medicine today?" Liu Ruozhu interrupted her crying sternly, focusing only on the key issue.
"It was Yun Shu…" Concubine Zhou then recounted what had just happened.
Liu Ruozhu's gaze turned to Yun Shu. Seeing her calm and proper demeanor, she felt increasingly that this maid was no ordinary person.
"Yun Shu, you did well. You shall be credited for this," Liu Ruozhu said.
"Thank you, Young Mistress," Yun Shu curtsied in gratitude.
Before long, Concubine Guo hurried over, bringing with her the medicine bowl and dregs to be examined by the Young Mistress.
She, too, drank the fertility tonic daily. Upon hearing that Concubine Zhou's medicine was tainted, she felt a chill run through her, terrified that she might also have fallen victim.
"Young Mistress, it's terrible!"
Not long after Concubine Guo arrived, the matron sent to fetch the mansion physician rushed back, her face pale, and said,
"Young Mistress, when the mansion physician learned he was being summoned because of Concubine Zhou's medicine, he told this servant to wait outside while he went to fetch something from his room.
But after waiting a moment and seeing he hadn't returned, this servant went in to check. He… he had taken poison and killed himself!"
Hearing that the mansion physician was dead, Yun Shu was also shocked.
Who was the master behind the mansion physician, that he would willingly go to his death without even a struggle, and without regard for his family?
With the mansion physician dead, the trail went cold. It struck Liu Ruozhu like a sudden thunderclap overhead.
Filling her with both shock and fury!
"All of you may return for now. This matter is not simple. I will report it to the Shizi and the Madam, and seek their joint decision."
Liu Ruozhu said coldly, her voice heavy.
"Young Mistress, because of this poisoned medicine, will this servant never be able to conceive again?"
Concubine Zhou wept, tears streaming down her face, feeling as if her future was shrouded in darkness.
If she remained childless forever, she would have no one to rely on in this mansion when she grew old.
"I will invite an outside physician to the residence to examine your pulses and help you recuperate."
Liu Ruozhu suppressed her annoyance and spoke to comfort Concubine Zhou,
"There's no need to be so pessimistic. Perhaps the medicinal decoction was only taken for a few days, so it might not be a serious issue."
Concubine Zhou was not comforted at all and continued to sob while wiping her tears.
Concubine Guo was also weeping beside her.
Liu Ruozhu was equally vexed and had no patience for their incessant crying. She waved her hand, signaling for them to leave quickly.