Suddenly, a deep, magnetic voice resonated firmly within the bedchamber.
"Your Majesty, since the imperial physicians are at a loss, why not let Princess Jinshu try? If you are uneasy about staking her life alone, then add this humble subject's life as well. Should she fail to cure the Emperor Emeritus, I am willing to be held accountable alongside Princess Jinshu!"
"…"
"…"
Everyone wore expressions of utter disbelief.
To stake one's life on a princess sent for marriage alliance who knows nothing of medicine—Prince Ling must truly be out of his mind!
Emperor Jiaqing's gaze fell upon Zongzheng Ling, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes, unnoticed by all before it vanished. He spoke gravely, "Since Prince Ling has spoken, Jinshu, do your utmost to treat the Emperor Emeritus."
"Father, she knows nothing of medicine! You cannot—"
"Silence!"
Ao Jing attempted to protest but was cut off by Emperor Jiaqing's sharp rebuke, forcing him to sulkily close his mouth.
He would see what tricks this woman was playing tonight.
If she failed to cure his imperial grandfather and was sentenced to death by his father, he could just marry the Grand Tutor's granddaughter as his principal consort instead.
And as for this Prince Ling—he had long disliked him. Trusting a fool like Bai Jinshu was truly a path to self-destruction.
The Empress said nothing, but upon closer observation, one could see her face had turned ashen with fury.
Already dissatisfied with Bai Jinshu as her daughter-in-law, she was now seething with anger, wishing she could immediately expel this incompetent, attention-seeking fool from the chamber.
Bai Jinshu paid no heed to the reactions around her, though she felt puzzled by Zongzheng Ling's inexplicable trust. Now was not the time to dwell on such matters. With the Emperor finally relenting, she dared not waste time and quickly approached the Emperor Emeritus's bedside to examine him once more.
With so many eyes watching, clearing the room was impossible. She couldn't use the instruments from her Medical System and had to rely on traditional medicine to diagnose the likely type of poison, the extent of its spread, and its potency. Though she couldn't be entirely certain, she was confident she could at least temporarily preserve his life.
After a thorough examination, Bai Jinshu had a plan in mind and switched the previously prepared antidote for another.
However, this antidote required injection, and with everyone behind her craning their necks to watch, she had no way to conceal her actions.
"How is it, Jinshu?"
The Imperial Noble Consort stood nearby, watching clearly, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on Bai Jinshu, her breath nearly stilled with tension.
"Don't worry, Grandmother."
Bai Jinshu intentionally pulled her slightly aside, using her own body to partially block the view of the onlookers. Then, she swiftly produced the antidote, rolled up the Emperor Emeritus's wide sleeve, disinfected the area, and administered the injection in one fluid motion.
All of this, the Imperial Noble Consort witnessed clearly, her heart pounding with fear.
Bai Jinshu had guessed correctly.
The Imperial Noble Consort was a clever woman. With just a slight tug from Bai Jinshu, she understood her intention.
Though she harbored many doubts, she cooperated without showing any sign of abnormality.
Especially when she saw Bai Jinshu insert such a large needle into the Emperor Emeritus's flesh, she was nearly frightened out of her wits but managed to suppress any sound.
Ao Jing did not see Bai Jinshu's movements and took two steps forward, just in time to see her lowering the Emperor Emeritus's wide sleeve. He frowned, about to ask, when Bai Jinshu's voice came first.
"I have already administered medicine to the Emperor Emeritus. If nothing unexpected happens, there should be no immediate danger to his life."
Bai Jinshu concealed the fact that the Emperor Emeritus was not suffering from a sudden illness but had been poisoned.
In this palace, poisoning the Emperor Emeritus was no easy task. Moreover, she did not believe that none of the many Imperial Physicians could detect the poisoning. Therefore, there must be hidden circumstances behind this matter.
Her only concern was saving lives; she did not want to get involved in too much.
Upon hearing that the Emperor Emeritus was temporarily out of danger, everyone remained skeptical, still convinced that such a thing was simply impossible.
At Emperor Jiaqing's signal, several Imperial Physicians hurried forward to verify the situation—checking the pulse, examining the pupils, testing the breath, and listening to the heartbeat. After a series of examinations, the expressions of the Imperial Physicians shifted slightly.
The pulse indeed seemed stronger than before, and the breathing appeared to have stabilized.
However, whether he would survive was still too early to say.
"Your Majesty, it appears that the Emperor Emeritus's condition has somewhat improved. However, we do not know what medicine the Princess Consort of Jing administered, so it is difficult for us to make a judgment at this time. Nevertheless, we believe it is still too hasty to declare that the Emperor Emeritus is out of danger."
One of the Imperial Physicians turned to report to Emperor Jiaqing. His words, both explicit and implicit, still carried criticism toward Bai Jinshu, suggesting that she had recklessly administered unknown medicine to the Emperor Emeritus. While the surface seemed to show improvement, it was uncertain whether it was merely a temporary rally before the end.
The other Imperial Physicians all echoed his sentiments.
Emperor Jiaqing frowned, his gaze cold and stern as he looked at Bai Jinshu and asked, "What medicine did you give to the Emperor Emeritus? Can you inform the Imperial Physicians?"