Episode 192: The Ways of the World - Ghosts and Spirits
The night was as dark as ink. The carved pearwood screen door, adorned with gourd vines, was half open, allowing a cool breeze to enter the room. Despite the early August heat, the sudden chill sent a shiver down the spine. Inside the inner chamber of Shou'an Hall, several people were either sitting or standing. Old Madam Sheng lay flat on the bed, her eyes tightly shut, with dark circles deeply etched under them. Her complexion was pale with a faint yellow tint, and her once healthy cheeks had sunken in. In Minglan's memory, she had never seen her grandmother so frail and sickly before.
Madam Fang stood to the side in despair, looking lost and helpless.
Sheng Hong, like an ant on a hot pan, stood three or four steps away from the bed, staring unblinkingly at Imperial Physician Lin, who was taking Old Madam Sheng's pulse. After a long while, unable to bear the silence, he finally asked, "Imperial Physician Lin, my mother... how is she?"
Imperial Physician Lin slowly withdrew the four fingers of his right hand, stood up, and turned to Sheng Hong, saying, "The elderly lady needs proper rest, and it is not advisable for too many people to remain in the room. Lord Sheng, may I have a word with you outside?"
Sheng Hong quickly followed Imperial Physician Lin out. Minglan hesitated for a moment and glanced at Lady Hai, who was attending to Old Madam Sheng by the bed. Seeing Lady Hai smile, she said, "You should go and listen, Sister. I'll stay here." Minglan gratefully replied, "Thank you, Sister-in-law." Then she hurried out.
Once they reached the main hall, Changfeng was helping Sheng Hong sit at the head of the room. Lady Liu personally offered Imperial Physician Lin a bowl of tea, while Lady Wang repeatedly asked, "How is she?"
Imperial Physician Lin hesitated and said, "...Well, it's hard to say." At this moment, he noticed Minglan had come out, and his eyes flickered slightly as he stammered, "In any case, for now, her condition has stabilized." Sheng Hong breathed a sigh of relief and, full of gratitude, said, "Thank you for your efforts. Whatever is needed, please don't hesitate to ask. I will do everything I can." Imperial Physician Lin smiled and said, "Your filial piety is commendable."
Minglan slowly walked over and softly said, "My grandmother has always been in good health, doing well as usual. How could she suddenly fall ill like this, so quickly? Imperial Physician Lin, there must be some explanation." Madam Wang frowned and said, "It's already quite a disturbance to have summoned Imperial Physician Lin so late. How can you be so rude as to question him? The physician knows what he's doing."
Imperial Physician Lin smiled, "It's alright. A physician's heart is like that of a parent, and this is part of my duty." He then subtly shifted his body, as if unintentionally blocking Lady Wang and the others from seeing, and met Minglan's eyes, speaking gently, "The elderly lady is quite advanced in age, and her health isn't what it used to be. Her body is bound to have various issues. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what's wrong right now; it will take time to observe."
Minglan gazed at Imperial Physician Lin and slowly said, "You are right, Doctor. As they say, illness comes like a mountain falling..." She lightly dabbed at the corners of her eyes. "After all, my grandmother is quite old now..."
Madam Wang, satisfied, said, "Exactly. The health of the elderly is always unpredictable. We were planning to inform you early tomorrow morning, but the servants were too quick to speak and called you over in the middle of the night, making it seem like we can't take care of things ourselves." She turned to Imperial Physician Lin with a smile and added, "We've troubled you as well, disturbing your peace..."
Sheng Hong, noticing that Lady Wang was speaking out of turn, quietly reprimanded her, "Say less. The child is showing filial piety, and you're still talking like that!"
Sensing the awkwardness in the room, Lady Liu gently interjected, "Although it's not too late, since my sister-in-law is rarely here, why not stay the night? I've prepared a guest room, and you can settle in there shortly." She then turned to Imperial Physician Lin, "As for you, Doctor..."
Imperial Physician Lin waved his hand with a smile and said, "It's nothing. It's common in our profession to be called out at night. There's no need to trouble yourself, madam."
At that moment, Minglan suddenly spoke up, "Although Grandmother's condition has stabilized, she has not woken up yet. We would be much more at ease if you could stay the night, Doctor. If she worsens during the night, what will we do?"
Madam Wang frowned and was about to speak, but Sheng Hong quickly interrupted, "Exactly. We ask for your continued care, Doctor." He stood up and bowed slightly, as if to express his gratitude. Imperial Physician Lin, alarmed, quickly returned the bow. Although he held a sixth-rank official title, the Sheng family was highly distinguished, with powerful connections through marriage, and he did not dare act too proud. "No need for such courtesy," he said. After a moment of thought, he added, "In that case, I'll stay and administer a few acupuncture treatments to the old lady, and have a servant return to the medicine hall to fetch some medicine."
Minglan softly said, "Thank you, Doctor. I will have someone escort the servant to ensure he gets there safely."
Imperial Physician Lin cupped his hands in salute and said, "I'll go write a prescription." Lady Liu, already prepared, quickly had someone bring over ink and a brush. Physician Lin wrote swiftly, and in no time, the prescription was finished. Sheng Hong took it and saw that most of the medicines were mild and without any strong or targeted effects. He furrowed his brow but, seeing the calm expression on Physician Lin's face, hesitated for a moment and decided not to question him.
After the servant left with the prescription, Physician Lin turned and went back into the inner room to check on Old Madam Sheng.
Minglan said, "It's late tonight. Father and Mother, you should both rest early. Third Brother, you should go home too." She then went over to hold Lady Liu's hand and added, "Third Sister-in-law just finished her confinement period not long ago, and she mustn't overexert herself."
Sheng Hong said, "You should rest too. Your eldest sister-in-law is taking care of the old lady..."
Minglan suddenly began to cry and said, "Since childhood, Grandmother has carefully nurtured and taught me, with kindness as deep as the sea. But now that I'm married, I can't stay by her side day and night. Moreover, Eldest Sister-in-law has to care for the young nephew as well. Please allow me to stay with Grandmother tonight, as a small way to show my filial piety."
Sheng Hong thought for a moment and said, "Very well. You can take care of the old lady tonight." He then glanced at Madam Wang and added, "From now on, let your mother handle Grandmother's medicine and care, so you can rest assured."
Madam Wang's expression darkened, and she bit her lip—when the grandmother was ill, it was indeed the daughter-in-law's duty to take care of her, not the granddaughter-in-law's.
Sheng Hong went back into the inner room and spoke to the unconscious Old Madam Sheng for quite some time, advising Mama Fang and the others to take good care of her, rambling on without conclusion. Minglan smiled and said, "Father, why don't you go rest? Don't you have court tomorrow?" Sheng Hong stroked his beard and chuckled, "Even if I take a day off, it's no problem at all."
Minglan's demeanor was gentle, her affection evident in her words: "Father is getting older now, and there are things for the disciples to handle. Grandmother has me here, and you are the pillar of the family; please don't tire yourself out."
Sheng Hong found her words very pleasing and felt quite touched. After Minglan gently urged him several times, he finally led Madam Wang and the others back.
As he watched the group leave in a grand procession, Minglan slowly withdrew her smile, her eyes turning cold, her expression icy. She said in a serious tone, "Mama Fang, secure Shou'an Hall inside and out. Don't let anyone move around or inquire."
Mama Fang responded in a low voice. Minglan then walked straight into the inner room, fixed her gaze on Imperial Physician Lin, and said, "Imperial Physician Lin is highly trusted by our lord, so I won't beat around the bush. I just want to ask one thing: what exactly caused the old lady to fall ill?"
Imperial Physician Lin seemed to have been waiting for this question. He stood up and said softly, "Madam, please understand. The old lady... is indeed quite mysteriously ill. Since the afternoon, she has been experiencing severe abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and occasional spasms. This..." He hesitated for a moment.
Minglan urged, "Doctor, please feel free to speak."
"It doesn't seem like typical illness; rather, it resembles... it resembles... poisoning."
Minglan felt a sharp pain in her heart and took a deep breath, leaning on the chair as she slowly sat down. "Can you be certain, Doctor?"
"Well..." Physician Lin hesitated. "I have about seventy to eighty percent confidence, but I can't guarantee it. If we could investigate what the old lady ate today, we could confirm a bit more."
At that moment, Mama Fang also entered and was taken aback by what she heard. Minglan asked, "What did Grandmother eat today?" Having served under Old Madam Sheng for ten years, she was well aware of her habits. Since becoming a widow, Old Madam Sheng had been dedicated to her religious practices for decades, maintaining a very regular and restrained diet and never indulging in excessive food or cold dishes, making it relatively easy to investigate this matter.
Mama Fang said angrily, "I also find this symptom strange. The old lady is such a strong person; how could she suddenly fall ill like this?!" In Shou'an Hall, there were only a few people, and the food was almost all bought separately. Mama Fang knew very well, "Today, the old lady only had breakfast and lunch, and the portions weren't large. Since it's hot now, food spoils easily, so I didn't let the servants eat the leftovers; they were all thrown into the slop bucket, and they're still there now. But... the taste..."
Minglan raised a hand and said solemnly, "The meals Grandmother usually eats are all prepared by us, so let's take it slow for now. Besides the two meals, did Grandmother eat anything else today?" The maids in the small kitchen had been with Old Madam Sheng for decades, their livelihoods tied to her, so she decided to hold off on suspecting them for the moment.
Mama Fang thought for a moment and replied, "In recent years, the old lady has developed a greater liking for sweets. There's a seasoned master at Jufangzhai who makes a unique lotus seed pastry that is a delicacy in the capital, and the old lady loves it dearly. Unfortunately, this master only makes it twice a month, and the old lady always sends someone to wait and buy it..."
As she spoke, fear began to creep into her expression.
Minglan urged, "Hurry up and say it."
Mama Fang's sweat began to pour down. "Earlier this year, the old lady said that our brother Qu was growing up and should learn proper manners, so she had him go and pay respects to Father and Mother every day. The Madam was very pleased to see her grandson and took the initiative to handle this task, sending someone to wait at the door of Jufangzhai before dawn to buy freshly made snacks to present to the old lady..."
"So, this time the snacks were also sent by the Madam?" Minglan's voice trembled slightly.
Mama Fang panicked and said, "There hadn't been any problems for several months!"
Minglan stood in shock for a while and quickly called for the maid to bring the leftover snacks.
"It is indeed poison," Dr. Lin said, his face turning pale. "But it's not like arsenic or other common poisons. It's a juice extracted from ginkgo buds; just a small amount of the concentrated sap from dozens of pounds of buds can be fatal."
Ginkgo is edible, but the buds are not, so this technically falls under food poisoning, which cannot be detected by silver needles. Dr. Lin pointed to the large remaining portion of the snack and said, "Fortunately, since it's hot today, the snacks are sweet and greasy, and the old lady didn't eat much. If she had eaten more, even a deity would have a hard time saving her."
Minglan trembled as she asked, "Is there still a chance for salvation?"
"First, we'll use medicine to induce vomiting, then we'll give her a few acupuncture treatments, and only then can we slowly use soup and medicine to detoxify," Dr. Lin pondered. "But the old lady is quite old, and her body is not as strong as a younger person's. She might not be able to endure it…"
Minglan clenched her fists tightly, cold sweat pouring down her forehead. Suddenly, she bowed deeply and said, "I'll rely on you, Doctor!"
Despite the fact that the Gu Marquis's wife standing before him was younger than his own daughter, Dr. Lin hurriedly returned the greeting, saying, "It's my duty." To be cautious, he also suggested checking the food in the slop bucket, and Madam Fang instructed someone to accompany him.
As they stepped out of the inner room, Minglan held her neck high and stood in the hall, while behind her, Mama Fang followed with tears streaming down her face. "...That heartless… My lady, what… what shall we do?"
Minglan steadied her trembling body and smiled gently at Cuiping, saying, "Cuiping, you're always attentive. For the next few days, please keep a close watch on the old lady and assist Dr. Lin."
"Sixth Miss, don't worry. I'll be careful," Cui Ping said, wiping her tears.
In the past few days, Ru Lan had accompanied Old Lady Wen to the countryside to visit relatives. The magpie had taken the eldest daughter along, so Ru Lan had given her and Xi Juan a few days off to visit their family. Cui Ping's parents were originally companions of Old Lady Sheng, so she had to come to Shou'an Hall to pay her respects and catch up with some old friends.
Who would have thought that such a situation would arise? The entire room was thrown into chaos. It was still Mama Fang who remained calm, saying that she was no longer a member of the Sheng family and that she could go to the Hou residence to report the news without needing to observe any formalities.
Seeing Cui Ping enter the inner room quietly, Ming Lan turned around and said, "Mama Fang, please keep an eye on everyone in Shou'an Hall. Not a single detail about this situation should leak out."
Mama Fang's eyes flashed with hatred as she said coldly, "Whoever dares, I'll immediately cut out their tongue!" Saying this, she turned and left.
Ming Lan took out a small plaque from her sleeve, rubbing it slowly in her palm, and said to Xiao Tao, "You know there are several doors in this mansion, right?"
Xiao Tao swallowed hard and nodded, "I know. There are a total of five places: the front gate, the back gate, the side door next to the front gate, the side door for vehicles on the west side, and oh, there's also a small door at the end of the garden by the pond in the back." She was from the countryside and had always been lively and active. Since everyone saw her as young and somewhat silly, they allowed her to roam around the mansion, and she likely knew all the nooks and crannies of the Sheng residence.
Ming Lan handed her the plaque, and Xiao Tao took it in a daze, looking at her in confusion.
"Go find the Tu brothers," Ming Lan said with a stern expression, enunciating each word, "Lead the guards from the mansion and open the main gate. Block the Sheng residence from the inside! Not a single person is to be let out!"
Xiao Tao, always bold and straightforward, puffed out her chest and said, "Don't worry, Madam. I'll go right away."
Once Xiao Tao left, Lu Zhi, standing nearby, couldn't help but shed tears. "Madam, could it be that the old lady…"
She didn't dare finish her sentence.
Ming Lan stood in front of the Luohan bed, supporting herself on the bed frame, staring blankly at the old peach wood prayer beads on the table. Next to them lay a shining red sandalwood fish drum, a treasured item of the old lady that had been used for decades.
She slowly flipped it over and noticed several faint white marks on the bottom of the fish drum—those were from a winter when she was seven years old. She had been leaning over this small table to practice writing, and when she got off the bed, the mattress had tripped her, causing both her and the small table to fall. The old lady had turned pale with fright, and without checking anything else, she had picked her up and comforted her, saying not to be afraid.
Ming Lan looked at the white porcelain tea bowl on the small table, filled with rage, a surge of pent-up anger almost bursting from her chest.
Feeling the urge to act, she immediately hurled the tea bowl out with great force, and it crashed against the wall, shattering into countless pieces. She exhaled heavily and muttered, "Bastard!"