A Mistaken Marriage Match: Mysteries in the Imperial Harem

Chapter 69: Mourning

Haishi (modern timing: 9 – 11 pm) had passed and the Lan Yue Building was still brightly lit with candles. Zhuo Qing sat in the study, with a look of contemplation as she look at the handkerchief that was cut to several pieces and placed neatly on the table.

In these days, Fu Ling no longer come looking for her. From what Lou Xi Yan said, Qing Feng woke up the next day after fainting, after which she had been kneeling at Chu Xui Palace to accompany the child. Her current situation was unknown and Zhuo Qing also dare not hastily enter the Palace. The past few days she was thinking of ways to differentiate what the child's saliva consist of, but there was no chemical agents or equipment which made the difficulty even higher. Currently she was only able to determine that there was some composition of nitrite but the amount was not large. If there were some nitrite in the child's mouth, it meant that the possibility of death by poison would be significantly higher but this amount should not lead to death and she was unable to quantify the other chemicals.

That bowl of medicine was perhaps the key. If the dregs can be found...

Zhuo Qing was deep in thoughts when suddenly her shoulders got heavier before she recovered herself. When Zhuo Qing look over, Lou Xi Yan was smiling at her with some blame in his eyes. Zhuo Qing shrugged, the people here sleep around eight at night and for her it was too difficult to sleep this early.

Zhuo Qing got up and held onto the cooling hand that was placed on her shoulders and said with some grief, "I really cannot sleep..."

Lou Xi Yan shook his head reluctantly and did not speak as he took a dark coloured token from his robes and handed it over to her.

"This is?" This token was larger than the token that Qing Feng gave it to her and the carvings on it was beautifully detailed.

"The Emperor gave this token and allowed you to enter the Palace once every three days to accompany Qing Feng."

That's good. At least she was able to see Qing Feng's situation and if possible, also take a trip to the Medical Court.

Thinking about the Medical Court, Zhuo Qing pulled Lou Xi Yan to the table and pointed to the handkerchief that had turned colour due to some experiments and said, "Xi Yan, look at this. There are poison on the handkerchief. The child's death is definitely suspicious. Is it possible..."

Lou Xi Yan gently shook his head and sighed, "The Prince's body is already placed in the coffin and was buried in the Imperial Tombs yesterday."

What? Already buried? Zhuo Qing got a little angry, "How could Yan Hong Tian do that? Unless it was true that..." Feeling Lou Xi Yan's hand around her waist tightened as he said in a muffled voice, "The matter is now ended. Observe and wait."

Lou Xi Yan's tired voice made Zhuo Qing swallowed what she wanted to say and she place the token at the side of the study desk. Zhuo Qing pulled his hand over and asked as she take his pulse, "Very tired?"

For the past few months she had been studying up on Traditional Medicine and it was fortunate that she had the basic knowledge of medicine and could often have opportunities to communicate with famous physicians in the capital. After a few months, she was able to take some simple pulse.

Seeing Zhuo Qing focusing on taking his pulse, there was a smile on Lou Xi Yan's lips and answered lowly, "En."

Reading that his pulse was fairly stable, Zhuo Qing then released her hand. "Your body cannot withstand too much tiredness." Asthma can be considered a rich man's sickness and it would soon be spring, thus she was worried that he would have an asthma attack again.

"Yes Furen." Lou Xi Yan once again let her into his arms and whispered, "Didn't Furen just said that she cannot sleep? It is just as well as I am not too sleepy. It would be better to..."