Chapter 10: Evening Star Garden

"Heaven creates the primeval chaos, the hard and soft first interact, giving rise to difficulty, movement within danger, Water over Thunder (Chun)..."

Chen Ji vaguely remembered this seeming to be from the I Ching, but he didn't understand its meaning.

Even without understanding, he held Old Man Yao's Liu Yao divination in awe. Tonight's divination result was so ominous that even Old Man Yao felt he should keep his distance. What was the difference between him going and simply offering himself up for death?

He asked, confused, "Master, is it because my birth chart is strong enough?"

Old Man Yao thought for a moment and hummed in assent.

Chen Ji said helplessly, "But our three fellow apprentices share the same birth chart!"

Old Man Yao replied, "If something happens to the other two, who will pay me their tuition? You can't pay yours anyway, so you go. If you don't want to, that's fine too; pack your bags and go home."

Chen Ji pondered for a long time before saying, "Alright, I'll go."

Chun Hua led Chen Ji towards the main gate of the Prince's Mansion. As they approached the grand plaque above the entrance, two guards blocked them with long halberds. "Your waist tokens!" one demanded.

She showed her token. "This is a Prince's Mansion token. We've been asked to bring someone from the medical clinic."

The guards silently lowered their halberds. The vermilion gates slowly creaked open.

With their heads bowed, the two hurried through the vast, deep Prince's Mansion. On either side were tall red walls with grey tiles and two-story pavilions. Beneath the eaves, colorful paintings depicted four-clawed golden dragons holding fire-prevention pearls in their mouths.

Chen Ji nervously glanced at the solemn black-armored guards standing at attention or patrolling, their gazes like tigers' surveying their surroundings.

Chun Hua quietly asked, "Has Imperial Physician Yao told you about the rules of the Prince's Mansion?"

Chen Ji deduced that his original self likely didn't have the qualifications to enter the Prince's Mansion, and this was his first time. That's why she asked. "My master hasn't taught me yet," he replied, "Please, Miss Chun Hua, enlighten me."

Chun Hua explained, "When near Jing'an Hall and Mingzheng Hall, keep your head down and don't look around. When you see our Madam, don't speak carelessly; only answer what you're asked. Whatever you see or hear in the Prince's Mansion, you must never speak of it outside."

"Understood."

As they reached an archway, a procession of more than ten women approached them. They carried two wooden stretchers, each covered with white cloth.

These women were broad-shouldered and sturdy, likely the strong servants from the Prince's inner quarters.

As they passed each other, one of the stretchers swayed due to the uneven ground, revealing a slender, bruised hand dangling from beneath the white cloth. One of the women impassively tucked the hand back under the fabric as if nothing had happened.

The procession disappeared into the distance, its destination for the two bodies unknown.

Chen Ji said, "Miss Chun Hua, you must tell me what exactly happened and what that was just now."

"Our Madam had a miscarriage," Chun Hua said. "The two you just saw were maids from the Evening Star Garden who were beaten to death."

Chen Ji's heart tightened.

The inner quarters were brightly lit, with servants bustling to and fro in an endless stream, busy with unknown tasks. Everyone wore hurried and somber expressions.

Outside the Evening Star Garden, seven or eight maids were kneeling by a wall, crying and protesting their innocence. More than ten sturdy women, holding rattan canes, relentlessly whipped their backs. "Tell us, who touched Consort Jing's supper today! If you don't speak up, you'll all be beaten to death!"

Someone cried, "This servant truly didn't touch it!"

A strong woman angrily shouted, "Still not talking?"

With that, the strong woman shockingly grabbed a maid's head and slammed it against the wall, killing her instantly!

Chen Ji slightly turned his head away. Perhaps, if he handled things improperly tonight, this would be his fate too.

However, as he drew near the Evening Star Garden, he suddenly felt an icy current surge forth from the garden and flow into his body. This current was so immense, several times more powerful than the icy current he had felt from Zhou Chengyi earlier!

Wait, where did this icy current come from? Why was it here?

If the last time was Zhou Chengyi's wronged spirit clinging to him because he helped Yun Yang and Jiao Tu capture Jing Dynasty spies, then the people who died in the Evening Star Garden this time had no connection to him. So why was there an icy current entering his body again?

Chen Ji frantically pondered. The surge of icy currents must have some hidden commonality. Only by finding this commonality could he understand what these icy currents truly were.

Who did this icy current come from? This question was crucial.

Before he could fully understand, Chun Hua turned back and urged him, "What are you dazed for? Hurry and keep up."

Chen Ji quickly followed. The wide Evening Star Garden contained rockeries and water features. The main building in the courtyard was a two-story pavilion, and climbing roses were planted outside, their green vines winding up the building, looking exceptionally elegant after being pruned.

The exquisite tranquility within the garden stood in stark contrast to the living hell outside, making even the rose vines appear eerily sinister.

Just then, they heard a woman's hoarse, furious voice from inside the pavilion: "Earlier, our Madam already felt that the bowl of bird's nest was off. She miscarried just two hours after drinking it, so someone must have poisoned her! When the Prince returns and finds his flesh and blood gone, he will surely kill!"

As her voice faded, Chun Hua urgently called from downstairs, "Madam, the person from the medical clinic has been brought."

"Come up quickly," a gentle woman's voice said. "Let him examine Consort Jing to see if she was poisoned."

Thump, thump, thump, thump, Chen Ji followed Chun Hua up the wooden stairs.

Inside the room on the second floor, a translucent gauze screen partially obscured a bed. A middle-aged woman sat gracefully on a grand armchair outside the screen. She wore a plain silk robe embroidered with gold thread, and a decorative feather hairpin adorned her hairbun. Her expression was one of concern as she looked towards the screen, and her voice was gentle. "Consort Jing, there's no need to worry. There's plenty of time; you'll surely conceive again."

From behind the screen, Consort Jing's voice was weak. "Thank you for your concern, Consort Yun."

In a corner of the second floor, a black cat and a white cat were scuffling, leaving loose fur all over the floor. Yet, no one paid them any attention, as if deliberately allowing them to fight.

The black cat was small, and during the fight, its head took dozens of kicks, almost knocking the life out of it.

However, as Chen Ji stepped onto the stairs, the black cat suddenly broke free from the white cat and stared intently at Chen Ji's sleeve, sniffing. It tried to approach Chen Ji, but the white cat unexpectedly pounced again, wrestling it back into the corner.

Chun Hua had now brought Chen Ji onto the second floor and spoke towards the screen, "Madam, the person from the medical clinic is here. Let him examine you."

At this, a fierce woman looked at Chun Hua and angrily demanded, "Where is Imperial Physician Yao? Why have you brought a mere wet-behind-the-ears boy?"

Chun Hua, frightened, immediately knelt on the ground and said with a sobbing voice, "Imperial Physician Yao insisted that tonight was extremely ominous and unsuitable for going out. I even invoked the Prince's name, but I couldn't persuade him to come."

The fierce woman's face darkened. "The Prince's own Imperial Physician, yet the Prince's Mansion cannot summon him? This Imperial Physician Yao puts on quite the airs!"

Consort Yun frowned and said, "I know Imperial Physician Yao likes to consult omens, but his refusal to come tonight is a bit unreasonable. When the Prince returns from Jiangnan, I will certainly report this matter to him truthfully. If the Prince's Mansion cannot command the Imperial Medical Institute, then the institute might as well not exist."

The fierce woman asked, "So what about tonight? Are we just going to let it be? What about our Madam's condition!"

Consort Yun looked troubled. "The Prince is not here right now, and Imperial Physician Yao is a seventh-rank official. Ultimately, we must wait for the Prince to return and make the decision."

The fierce woman said in a low voice, "It couldn't be that you, Consort Yun, hinted for Imperial Physician Yao not to come, could it?"

Consort Jing, from behind the screen, quickly said, "Chun Rong, you must not be disrespectful to Consort Yun!"

Consort Yun smiled. "It's alright. Chun Rong is just concerned about you, my sister. How about this: since someone from the Imperial Medical Institute is already here, let him examine Consort Jing first."

Consort Jing softly said, "Very well."

The fierce woman, Chun Rong, looked at Chen Ji and said coldly, "What are you standing there for? Hurry and examine Consort Jing!"

Chen Ji lowered his head and remained silent.

He had no idea how to examine a patient...

Moreover, at this moment, the most important thing wasn't diagnosing. Whether he diagnosed correctly or incorrectly, trouble would ensue.

Seeing him remain silent, Governess Chun Rong immediately became furious. "Examine her!"

Chen Ji thought for a long time, then finally, with a distressed expression, cupped his hands in a salute and said, "My apologies, Madam. I have only studied medicine for two years. First, my time with my master has been short, and second, my skills are not yet perfected. I truly do not know how to determine if Consort Jing has been poisoned. For this matter, I fear my master will have to come. I will return now and try to persuade him, to see if I can invite him here."

Governess Chun Rong angrily cursed, "You don't even take a pulse and you say you don't know? Drag him out and beat him to death! Imperial Physician Yao is a seventh-rank official and cannot be touched, but a mere young apprentice should be no problem to execute, right? This will also teach the Imperial Medical Institute what happens to those who neglect their duties!"

As she spoke, four sturdy women rushed up from downstairs, their footsteps thudding on the wooden floor. They grabbed Chen Ji and began dragging him away to be beaten to death.

His hair became disheveled, his wooden hairpin fell to the floor, and his clothes began to tear under the strain.

Consort Yun picked up her teacup, took a light sip, and paid no attention. In the eyes of nobility in this era, an apprentice's death was just that—a death, not worth wasting words over.

"Wait, let me finish speaking," Chen Ji struggled to say. "Although I am not proficient in medicine, if Consort Jing was indeed poisoned, I am willing to find the true culprit!"

The second floor suddenly fell silent, with only Chen Ji's heavy breathing audible.

Consort Yun put down her teacup, glanced sideways, and curiously scrutinized Chen Ji. "Oh? You have such an ability?"

She re-examined the disheveled young man, feeling that he no longer looked like a mere apprentice; his eyes were becoming increasingly calm.

Chen Ji asked with extreme speed, "May I ask how many months pregnant Consort Jing was?"

From behind the screen, Consort Jing softly replied, "Five months."

Chen Ji said, "At five months, the fetus is already formed. If someone used a potent poison to harm the fetus within a few hours, the mother would also die! There is no poison in this world that harms only the fetus and not the pregnant woman!"

The principle of abortifacients is to reduce progesterone in the body and induce uterine contractions, forcing the expulsion of pregnancy tissue. For such drugs to take effect within a day, they must be used on a fetus within three months.

The remaining causes for a five-month miscarriage include: first, reproductive organ diseases in the pregnant woman, such as uterine malformation; second, systemic diseases in the pregnant woman, such as influenza, pneumonia, or organ failure; third, external force impact; and fourth, severe emotional fluctuations in the pregnant woman, such as extreme sadness or fright.

Chen Ji asked, "Consort Jing, have you experienced any physical discomfort in recent months?"

Governess Chun Rong responded, "Our Madam was very healthy before, only experiencing some loss of appetite in recent months. Earlier, when Imperial Physician Yao examined her, he said it was just normal pregnancy symptoms."

Chen Ji did not take Old Man Yao's words as a reference. He had read the general principles of medicine and knew that even a highly respected imperial physician could not transcend the limitations of their era.

He continued to ask, "Consort Jing, have you recently suffered any external impact, or experienced severe emotional fluctuations?"

Governess Chun Rong sneered, "What nonsense are you talking about? Our Madam is of noble birth; how could she experience such things you speak of? If you're just trying to stall for time, waiting a little longer won't be as simple as being beaten to death."

Chen Ji suddenly declared, "Since none of the above apply, then it must be poisoning! But it was definitely not poisoned tonight; it was caused by long-term poisoning!"

"Hm?"

"Are you certain?"