Chapter 149 Mastering the Sesame Gu

The Prince Ning Residence was located on Huanhuaxi Street. It was not a newly built estate; its white walls and red tiles showed some mottled signs of age. Prince Ning, however, was particularly fond of this rustic charm imbued with a sense of history. The gardens were filled with exotic plants and rare herbs, all of which were varieties brought from the bitter climes of Hancheng.

Hancheng was inherently freezing, yet these plants were able to bloom even in the biting cold after being transplanted to the capital. Such darker-toned flora were uncommon in the capital, imparting a unique and fascinating ambiance. Originally, Lady Jing had planned to host a flower-viewing banquet after arriving in the capital, but she never expected to encounter such a crisis.

Lady Jing had been waiting for a long time. Well-preserved, she lacked the stunning, dazzling beauty of the palace consorts, but possessed a quiet and refined elegance. When she saw Xia Jiujiang appear, her anxious expression almost drove her to drop to her knees before Xia Jiujiang.

With a haggard voice, Lady Jing pleaded, "Princess Jin, you have finally come. I beg you, please save my son."

It was evident how deeply Lady Jing worried over Prince Ning's injuries, having truly raised him as her own flesh and blood.

Xia Jiujiang held a newfound respect for Lady Jing. It was said that the former Empress Hui had been kind-hearted, gentle, serene, and adept at forming good affinities with others. When Lady Jing had first entered the palace and was framed for theft, she was rescued by Empress Hui. To repay that kindness, Lady Jing had willingly forsaken the Emperor's favor and her status as a mother, choosing instead to remain by Prince Ning's side.

Regrettably, the inner court was a place of treacherous scheming, and gentle souls were ill-suited for it. Thus, Empress Hui had been branded as the deposed consort who poisoned the late Emperor—though that accusation of poisoning likely warranted re-examination.

Returning to the matter at hand, Xia Jiujiang said, "Take me to see Prince Ning first."

Lady Jing turned to the woman behind her and said, "Xiaoyuan, Junmo is saved now. You won't have to weep tears of blood every day anymore."

Noticing Xia Jiujiang's stunned expression, Lady Jing introduced her: "This is Tian Xiaoyuan, the wife my son properly married through formal rites and ceremonies—the Princess of Ning."

Xia Jiujiang was somewhat shocked; she hadn't expected the rumors to be true!

According to the tales, when Prince Ning was gravely injured in the wilderness of Hancheng, a country girl saved his life. Stricken with amnesia at the time, Prince Ning lived alongside the country girl in the countryside for a year. Once his wounds healed, he promised the country girl that he would certainly return for her.

Year after year passed, and the villagers advised the woman to stop waiting, wondering how a man of such celestial grace could possibly fancy a simple village girl. The country girl fell gravely ill. Yet at that very moment, Prince Ning arrived arrayed in wedding robes, riding a white horse, and accompanied by a grand bridal sedan carried by eight bearers to take the country girl as his bride...

This was the stuff of countless stories told by street-corner storytellers. Xia Jiujiang figured the tale must have been embellished by the narrators—the poignant romance of devoted lovers was always a crowd-pleaser. Though every version of the tale differed, some tragic and others lamenting cruel twists of fate, she suspected that the romance between Prince Ning and this Tian Xiaoyuan must have been fierce and unforgettable.

Princess of Ning Tian Xiaoyuan was not a frail beauty. On the contrary, she had a round face with a touch of youthful chubbiness, making her rather adorable. Although her eyes were somewhat red and swollen, it was clear she had wept bitterly over this recent period.

Displaying proper etiquette, Tian Xiaoyuan greeted them: "Prince Jin, Princess Jin."

To Xia Jiujiang's surprise, Lady Jing's attitude toward Tian Xiaoyuan was remarkably warm; she raised no objection to Prince Ning marrying a country girl. Even though Prince Ning had been banished to Hancheng, he was, after all, an imperial prince.

Xia Jiujiang walked straight toward the inner chambers, while Tian Xiaoyuan and Lady Jing walked together, supporting one another. It seemed Lady Jing harbored no obsession with matching social status and was exceedingly fond of Tian Xiaoyuan. Away from the capital, this family lived in peaceful harmony, though it remained to be seen what tempests awaited them upon their return to the capital.

Entering the inner chamber, Xia Jiujiang saw a pale-faced man lying on the bed. He possessed a tall, lean, and straight posture, and his cascading dark hair resembled a heavy stroke of ink in a painting, lending his sickly appearance a touch of scholarly refinement.

Xia Jiujiang glanced sideways at Jun Buwen, wondering why all the men of the Jun family were blessed with such striking looks.

Jun Buwen walked up to Xia Jiujiang, gently turned her face back toward Junmo, and remarked with uncanny telepathic harmony, "This Prince knows that your husband is the most handsome of all, but please focus on the patient."

With a trace of timidity, Lady Jing asked, "Princess Jin, can the Gu-poison on Prince Ning be cured?" She was terrified that Xia Jiujiang might give her a disappointing answer.

"Let me examine him first," Xia Jiujiang replied.

With a swift motion, Xia Jiujiang rolled back the sleeves of Prince Ning's robe, revealing densely packed black spots that had already spread up his arm.

Princess of Ning Tian Xiaoyuan gasped in shock: "Earlier... during the day, it was still confined to his wrist! How has it already reached the base of his arm?"

An understanding dawned on Xia Jiujiang. She turned and asked, "Where was Prince Ning eating before he was poisoned?"

Perplexed, Lady Jing answered, "He was eating right at home... and then he suddenly collapsed..."

Shaking her head, Xia Jiujiang said, "That can't be right. Lady Jing, think carefully. When Prince Ning first showed signs of abnormality, where was he eating?"

Xia Jiujiang's absolute certainty left Lady Jing puzzled: "Was it not here at the Prince Ning Residence?"

"Prince Ning has indeed been poisoned," Xia Jiujiang stated, "with Sesame Gu."

Confused, Lady Jing asked, "Sesame? Can sesame seeds have Gu-poison?"

Xia Jiujiang explained, "These Gu worms are tiny and black. After infection, a dense cluster of spots resembling sesame seeds breaks out across the body, which is why it is called Sesame Gu. Once this Gu crosses the shoulder and enters the heart straightaway, not even the celestial immortals could save him."

Lady Jing's face instantly turned ashen: "It's all my fault! If only I had listened to Xiaoyuan earlier, believed that Prince Ning was poisoned, and invited Princess Jin here sooner, none of this would have happened."

Princess of Ning Tian Xiaoyuan comforted Lady Jing, saying, "Mother, please do not blame yourself."

Looking at Tian Xiaoyuan with sudden surprise, Xia Jiujiang asked, "You understand medicine?" Judging by Lady Jing's implication, Tian Xiaoyuan must have some medical knowledge to have realized that Prince Ning was not merely ill, but poisoned by Gu.

Tian Xiaoyuan smiled and replied, "I grew up in the countryside and know a smattering of herbs and medicinal plants, as well as many folk remedies. Whenever Junmo had a minor fever or ailment back then, I would prepare medicinal meals for him. But against Gu-poison, I am quite helpless."

Xia Jiujiang found that this Tian Xiaoyuan suited her tastes quite well. Having an interest in herbs made them kindred spirits. Xia Jiujiang inquired, "Did you plant the wisteria flowers in the courtyard?"

Tian Xiaoyuan nodded. "Yes. I heard the capital has many mosquitoes and bugs. Wisteria flowers have a strong scent that insects dislike, so I brought quite a few wisteria seeds to plant around the estate, hoping to keep the mosquitoes and bugs at bay."

It seemed Tian Xiaoyuan possessed genuine competence; otherwise, Prince Ning would never have fallen for her.

Xia Jiujiang smiled. "I inspected the flora in the Prince Ning Residence and noticed the wisteria. Sesame Gu detests wisteria above all else. Therefore, Prince Ning was not poisoned here at his residence. In fact, thanks to the wisteria in the courtyard, their scent slightly suppressed the spread of the Gu worms; otherwise, Prince Ning would already be dead."

A lingering sense of terror gripped Lady Jing. "When Xiaoyuan wanted to bring these plants to the capital, I thought it was just troublesome—is there anything the capital lacks? But now, it seems we owe everything to Xiaoyuan."

"This was only my duty. But if he wasn't poisoned at the residence, where could it have been?" Princess of Ning Tian Xiaoyuan frowned in deep thought. "Could it have been at the Xiangrui Restaurant?"

Xia Jiujiang's voice rose sharply: "Xiangrui Restaurant?"

A memory stirred in Lady Jing's mind. "Prince Ning heard that the Eight-Treasure Duck at Xiangrui Restaurant was famous, so he went to try it. That very afternoon, he returned looking somewhat pale. At the time, I didn't think much of it, and Prince Ning said he had simply caught a chill and would be fine after resting. If his condition first started acting up, that must have been when..."

Ming Ning Ziyue and Jun Buwen had arranged to meet at Xiangrui Restaurant, and yet Prince Ning had also contracted Gu-poison there. Could it be that the envoys from the Southern Kingdom were the ones who poisoned him... But why would the Southern Kingdom's envoy target Prince Ning?

Jun Buwen's expression grew heavy. For Prince Ning to be targeted the moment he returned to the capital suggested that someone within the Southern Kingdom envoy's delegation was secretly colluding with an imperial prince, using Prince Ning as a pawn in their plot.