Chapter 280 Fear

Chapter 280: Fear

"Miss, what exactly is wrong with you?" Fang Zhou asked tearfully.

How could she not be afraid? She was terrified.

Qiu Heng did not hide the truth from Fang Zhou: "Don't cry. Go find Xue Han and tell him I've been poisoned. Ask him to quietly bring a reliable doctor..."

Hearing Qiu Heng say she had been poisoned, Fang Zhou felt as if a heavy hammer had struck her heart, causing excruciating pain.

But she did not lose her composure. She immediately nodded: "I'll go find Master Xue right away. Miss, you must hold on."

Qiu Heng gave Fang Zhou a very faint smile: "I can hold on. Go, and be careful."

Fang Zhou wiped her tears and ran out quickly.

The streets were crowded with people and bustling with traffic. Fang Zhou first found Hu Si, then met Xue Han.

"Master Xue, our young lady has been poisoned. Please help find a reliable doctor and bring him to her quietly..."

"What, the red bean cake was poisoned?" Hu Si blurted out in shock.

Xue Han's face changed instantly. He stumbled slightly as he stood up, but his voice remained steady: "Hu Si, take Fang Zhou back first. I'll go fetch Uncle Xu."

"Wu Qingzhou came with me, so Commander Hu doesn't need to escort me. The young lady's intention is not to draw attention to the fact that she sought out Master Xue."

Xue Han didn't have time to respond to Fang Zhou; he strode out quickly.

After being busy for months and finally getting some leisure, Uncle Xu was lying on a bench in the courtyard, basking in the sun, when the door was suddenly pushed open with force.

Seeing the young man stagger in, Uncle Xu's mouth twitched.

Here comes another job. He really owed this kid.

"What now—" The rest of Uncle Xu's words turned into a curse as Xue Han lifted him up with one arm: "You little brat, put me down!"

Only after he had placed Uncle Xu on the horse did Xue Han have time to explain: "A Heng has been poisoned."

The steed galloped, the autumn wind howling in their ears. The young man's trembling voice was especially clear to Uncle Xu: "Uncle Xu, A Heng has been poisoned. I'm so scared..."

Uncle Xu stopped cursing, then cursed even louder: "Idiot, go back! I didn't bring my medicine box!"

The horse neighed sharply and turned around. When Uncle Xu rushed into the house to grab his medicine box and returned, he saw the young man clutching the reins, his eyes red, desperately trying to contain his panic.

Uncle Xu sighed inwardly but maintained a calm demeanor: "Let's go."

He had to stay calm; otherwise, this kid would fall apart.

Fang Zhou stood guard at the back gate of the Yongqing Earl's Mansion, gripping the doorframe tightly.

"Sister Fang Zhou, are you waiting for someone?" the gatekeeper asked politely.

The gatekeeper was much older than Fang Zhou, but most servants in the mansion referred to the most influential senior maid of the Sixth Miss as "Sister Fang Zhou."

Fang Zhou nodded. When she saw Xue Han leading someone into the long alley, she quickly waved.

The gatekeeper recognized Xue Han and was startled: "Master Xue—"

Fang Zhou reached out and covered the gatekeeper's mouth, then took a handful of loose silver from her pouch and pressed it into his hand: "Don't say anything, don't ask. The Sixth Miss will reward you handsomely later."

The gatekeeper, holding a handful of loose silver, fell into a dilemma.

Why was Master Xue using the back door?

A secret meeting with the Sixth Miss? But didn't the entire capital know that the Sixth Miss and Master Xue were a perfect match? There was no need for secrecy, right?

Well, then it wasn't a secret meeting; it must be business. The Sixth Miss's business couldn't be interfered with by a mere gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper silently convinced himself and pocketed the silver.

It was noon. Fang Zhou led the way, avoiding the occasional servants they passed, until they reached Lengxiang Residence.

When the maid on duty saw Fang Zhou bringing two men over, her eyes went wide, but she asked nothing. Once they entered, she quickly closed the courtyard gate.

Guarding the house door was Qing Luo.

"How is the young lady?"

Qing Luo's eyes were red: "The young lady is lying down."

Fang Zhou gave Xue Han a slight nod: "Master Xue, please come in."

Xue Han reached out and steadied himself on the doorframe before stepping inside. He saw Qiu Heng leaning pale-faced against the bed.

"A Heng, how are you?"

Qiu Heng glanced at Fang Zhou, who withdrew and guarded the door.

Qiu Heng gave Uncle Xu an apologetic smile: "I'm sorry to trouble you again, Uncle Xu."

"Spare the small talk. A Heng, what poison were you given?"

"I don't know."

Uncle Xu's expression grew serious: "You don't know?"

"The poison was in the tea. I induced vomiting, and now I don't feel anything..." Qiu Heng explained the situation clearly.

Uncle Xu checked her pulse and examined the vomit.

Xue Han asked nervously: "Uncle Xu, how is she?"

Uncle Xu stared intently at Qiu Heng: "Are you sure you were poisoned?"

"I'm sure."

"There's no trace in the vomit. Did the tea have any peculiar smell when you drank it?"

"There was a fresh, fishy smell..." Qiu Heng tried to recall, then a flash of insight came: "It was like mushroom soup—"

"And do you feel any discomfort now?"

Qiu Heng shook her head: "Only the discomfort from repeated vomiting. No other symptoms for now."

"A fresh, fishy smell, and no symptoms yet... It's most likely water that had been soaked with poisonous mushrooms!"

Without further ado, Uncle Xu quickly wrote out a prescription and handed it to Fang Zhou to decoct, then explained: "There is a type of poisonous mushroom. After ingestion, symptoms may not appear for a day—vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea... Then for a day or two, it seems to improve, before finally worsening to death. It's easily mistaken for an acute gastrointestinal illness..."

Xue Han felt as if his heart was breaking: "Uncle Xu, can... can it be cured?"

"If it's really this mushroom toxin, the dose in a cup of palace tea should be small. A Heng induced vomiting and took other measures before symptoms appeared, so the chance of recovery is still pretty good." Uncle Xu said candidly, taking out a set of silver needles from his medical case. "I need to use acupuncture to induce vomiting and diarrhea on A Heng. Xue lad, please step outside for now."

Xue Han gave Qiu Heng a deep look, then turned and left.

Soon after, Uncle Xu came out and stood with Xue Han in the courtyard.

Boiling water, decocting medicine, cleaning up filth...

The two silently watched the maids and older servants of Lengxiang Residence bustling in and out.

"Uncle Xu," Xue Han called out, unable to suppress his trembling, "Will A Heng be alright?"

Unlike Xue Han who seemed about to collapse, Uncle Xu was much calmer, admiration clear in his eyes. "A Heng acted promptly to save herself. Besides inducing vomiting, she likely also took an antidote."

Xue Han clenched his fists tightly.

A hand landed on his shoulder and patted it gently. "She will be fine."

Hearing this affirmative answer, Xue Han stepped back, his back hitting the rough tree trunk, and the chill throughout his body began to fade.

Uncle Xu let out a barely audible sigh.

Seeing Xue lad's state, if anything happened to A Heng, he'd likely lose the will to live.

How could a young girl have gotten into such trouble?

Uncle Xu looked with an unreadable expression toward the doorway, but did not voice the question.

Someone who had once been an imperial physician knew all too well that knowing too much wasn't wise.

It gradually grew dark.

Fang Zhou came out, unable to hide her fatigue after a busy afternoon. "Doctor Xu, can you stay at Lengxiang Residence tonight?"

Xue Han nodded without hesitation. "We'll stay."

Uncle Xu, though a bit odd in recent years, was after all a grown-up, and finally remembered to ask, "Do the elders in your family know about this?"