Chapter 36: The Truth Revealed (Part One)
Although Qin Ruoyang had witnessed the girl's death with his own eyes, he did not object aloud. Since an examination was to be conducted, so be it—he was also curious to see whether this young lady was truly as calm as she appeared.
The imperial physician standing at a distance was none other than Physician Shen, the very same who had treated Lu Junfan’s leg.
Qin Ruoyang, courteous and respectful, bowed to Physician Shen. The physician wiped the cold sweat from his brow and, stumbling with every step, edged closer, timidly hiding behind Qin Ruoyang. His frightened gaze dared not meet An Ran’s eyes.
He had long heard of An Ran’s formidable reputation—the Prime Minister’s son’s leg had been broken by her own hands. Now, seeing her in person, having just witnessed her swift movements and her ruthless handling of Steward Qin, he felt this young girl was both exceedingly capable and dangerously merciless. He had no desire to get any closer to her.
An Ran offered a gentle smile, radiant as the brightest star in the vast night sky. Stroking Snowball’s little head, she pouted at the elderly physician, her face the very image of innocent girlishness. Yet in her heart, she had already considered every possible outcome of what was to follow.
An imperial physician? It seemed fate had intervened in her favor; even the heavens stood on her side.
“Young Master Qin, your house steward has accused me of poisoning one of your maids. Faced with his so-called ‘witnesses and evidence,’ I am at a loss for words and fear being wrongly charged. Now that such a skilled imperial physician is present, let him examine the matter—perhaps he can clear my name.”
Qin Ruoyang’s smile did not falter. What a formidable young lady, he thought. Though she claimed to be afraid, her bearing was calm, her words clear and orderly—not a hint of fear about her. If he had not seen her so effortlessly block those poisoned arrows, her outward appearance alone would never have revealed such hidden strength. Clearly, he had made the right decision.
“Physician Shen, please proceed with the examination.”
“Yes… yes, of course!” Physician Shen hurriedly set down his medicine chest, knelt beside the maid, and took out two silver needles from his kit. He inserted one into the girl’s throat and another into her stomach, then retrieved a vial of medicinal liquid from his box. After a short while, he withdrew the needles—both had turned black. He quickly immersed them in the liquid, and the brown solution gradually darkened until it was as black as ink.
Physician Shen stared intently at the liquid, nodded slightly, and donned a pair of gloves to begin examining the maid’s body.
Under the blazing sun, everyone’s foreheads were beaded with sweat, their cheeks flushed. All eyes were fixed on the physician’s every move, their attention unwavering. Even Qin Fu forgot to cry out, his eyes bulging like copper bells as he watched Shen’s hands, his heart nearly forgetting to beat.
An Ran observed Physician Shen’s every action and found it secretly amusing. This imperial physician seemed more like a coroner, so well-prepared was he with his tools for examining the dead.
What An Ran did not know was that, although Xianyue was a progressive land, it was still far more traditional than Night Moon. The imperial physicians who treated the royal family, especially the noble ladies, were required to wear these thin gloves before taking a pulse, lest they offend the dignity and reputation of their exalted patients.
Thus, gloves and medicinal solutions were standard equipment for all imperial physicians—not, as An Ran thought, because they played the role of coroners. If that were truly the case, the palace would be overrun with corpses.
More than half an hour passed. Other than a few barks from Snowball, the garden was so silent that the fall of an embroidery needle could be heard. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Physician Shen’s final verdict.
He finished tidying up, removed his gloves, glanced at Qin Ruoyang, then looked somewhat uneasily at An Ran. But when he spoke, his voice was as clear and loud as a bell: “This maid did indeed die of poisoning. The poison is known as Lovesickness Grief.”