That night, dark clouds gathered and thunderstorms raged.
Chu Fengge's clothes had long been soaked through by the rain, clinging to her body, and faint traces of bright red blood could be seen seeping through her dress.
By now, a full four hours had passed since Consort Qi had been carried to Baoxiang Pavilion.
After taking Li Liang's medicine, Consort Qi had not improved—instead, her condition had worsened.
Over these hours, she had suffered terribly from her illness, until she could no longer relieve herself, and could not even swallow her medicine.
Her temper grew increasingly violent, and because of the excruciating pain, Consort Qi's groans grew louder and louder, nearly dissolving into hysterical wailing.
Chu Fengge, kneeling in the courtyard by the Prince Regent's order, could not fail to hear Consort Qi's cries.
As the Princess Consort of the Regent, she had no fondness for Mo Qianhan or Consort Qi, but as a physician, saving lives was a doctor's foremost duty.
Her Medical God System kept alerting her, urging her to go in and save Consort Qi, but a group of guards stationed in the courtyard made it impossible for her to approach Consort Qi's room.
After another quarter of an hour, Consort Qi's wailing fell silent.
Chu Fengge guessed that Consort Qi must have fainted.
……
Chu Fengge struggled to her feet from the ground, enduring the violent pain wracking her body, and walked step by step toward the Imperial Concubine's room.
A guard immediately reached out to block her, saying, "Princess Consort, His Highness has ordered that you kneel in the courtyard until the Imperial Concubine wakes."
"If I kneel here until I die, the Imperial Concubine won't get any better either."
Chu Fengge's voice was loud enough for everyone inside the room to hear.
The door creaked open.
Hongling, supporting Bai Ruoshui, came out from inside.
Bai Ruoshui said with a grief-stricken face, "Sister-in-law, the Imperial Concubine is unwell and in terrible pain. Please stop provoking Cousin's displeasure. If you hadn't repeatedly defied the Imperial Concubine today, she wouldn't be suffering like this."
Chu Fengge gave a cold laugh, shot Bai Ruoshui only a chilly, disdainful glance, and walked right past her.
Seeing this, Hongling instinctively reached out to block Chu Fengge, then cried out, "Oh no, Princess Consort, you—"
Before Hongling could finish, Chu Fengge flicked a needle from her fingertip, striking her acupoint.
Hongling instantly lost her voice.
At the same moment, Mo Qianhan also emerged from inside.
Seeing Chu Fengge standing at the door, his brows knitted tightly, and he demanded irritably, "Chu Fengge, who told you to get up? Until my Imperial Consort Mother recovers, don't think you'll have any comfort. Someone—"
"I know Your Highness is furious with me right now, that you'd love nothing more than to cut me down with a blade. But if I die, will that restore the Imperial Concubine's health?"
"You all assume I harmed the Imperial Concubine, yet none of you look for the root of the problem. Even if she hadn't come to the Prince's Manor today, her illness would have flared up within days."
"The Imperial Physicians from the palace and the skilled physicians of the manor have all examined her, yet her condition shows no improvement. Has Your Highness never suspected that her medicine was tampered with? Her illness is already very grave—she could die at any moment from organ failure."
The moment Chu Fengge finished speaking, Bai Ruoshui's eyes reddened as she wiped her tears and said in a delicate voice, "Sister-in-law, the Imperial Concubine only scolded you a little. You needn't curse her to death."
"Shut up!" Chu Fengge said coldly.
Mo Qianhan also barked, "You're the one who should shut up! My Imperial Consort Mother is like this because of you, and you still dare to argue."
"I'm not making excuses. Let me ask you, Your Highness—all those medicines that were sent in, did the Imperial Concubine drink them? Has her condition improved after drinking them? Did you not hear the Imperial Concubine's wailing just now? She is already in such agony that she cannot relieve herself, and the pain has even made her faint. Has the Imperial Physician come up with any remedy to ease the Imperial Concubine's suffering?"
Despite her disheveled appearance, Chu Fengge's face carried a hint of sternness.
Mo Qianhan's brow furrowed as he thought of his Imperial Consort Mother's anguished wailing.
He had never seen his mother in such a wretched state.
"What does that have to do with you? Don't tell me that if the Imperial Physicians can't do it, you can? Are you going to use your pathetic medical skills to save my Imperial Consort Mother?"
"Since the Imperial Physicians are helpless, why not try anything—even treating a dead horse as if it were alive?"
"Bang!" Mo Qianhan slammed his fist against the door!
Chu Fengge's words had undoubtedly struck a nerve.
It made him feel that Chu Fengge was treating Consort Qi's life with contempt.
Just then, Nanny Zhang's cries came from inside the room: "Imperial Concubine, Imperial Concubine, you can't leave us…"