Chapter 18: The Imperial Physician’s Diagnosis

Faced with Xia Jiujiang’s question, Xia Chan responded quickly and loudly, “You deliberately schemed against me in the Guest Courtyard, hoping that when the family couldn’t find you, they would search the Guest Courtyard, and in doing so, my reputation would be utterly ruined!”

Xia Jiujiang couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Xia Chan frowned, “What are you laughing at!”

Suppressing her amusement, Xia Jiujiang replied, “I find it funny—perhaps you were still muddled from sleep and don’t realize that throughout the incident in the Guest Courtyard, I did everything I could to prevent the family from making a scene. I also stopped them from entering the room, so things wouldn’t become ugly. If I truly wanted everyone to discover your situation in the Guest Courtyard, why would I bother to do all that?”

“You…” Xia Chan was momentarily stunned by Xia Jiujiang’s retort.

Outside the Guest Courtyard, guests whispered among themselves, “That’s right, Her Highness kept telling the Xia family not to escalate matters, and she insisted that the bed curtains remain closed.”

“Her Highness has indeed been defending the Xia family’s reputation.”

“It doesn’t look like Her Highness tried to set up the Third Miss of the Xia family.”

“Could it be that the Third Miss is trying to shift the blame onto Her Highness out of shame, hoping she’ll take the fall?”

Hearing the murmurs outside, Xia Wentao’s face grew stiff. The tide of public opinion was the hardest to control, and he hadn’t expected Xia Jiujiang’s few words to turn the situation around so swiftly.

Xia Jiujiang taunted, “I recognized the garments on the floor as belonging to you, Sister Chan, but since the prince was with me the entire time, I knew the person in the bed could not be him. That’s why I tried to stop Father from making a fuss. If I truly intended to trap you, wouldn’t I have acted just like Father and made the matter known to everyone?”

Xia Chan faltered, her confidence wavering, and stammered, “You… You only pretended to stop the Xia family from escalating things. It was all a show. You know perfectly well that Father is upright and unyielding and would never let this go, so you faked your opposition to make yourself look innocent.”

Xia Jiujiang turned to Zhang Fu and said, “You claim I asked you to lend a hand in the Guest Courtyard, but how did that lead to you and Xia Chan ending up in bed together? If Xia Chan was truly unwilling, her reaction should have been to scream and cry, not to sleep soundly. When the bed curtains were drawn back, you were both fast asleep. That doesn’t look like unwillingness to me.”

Xia Chan, anxious to turn the tables, seized upon Xia Jiujiang’s words. “That’s because you drugged us! You used an aphrodisiac, causing both Zhang Fu and me to lose all reason—you truly have a vicious heart.”

This was a perfect example of hoisting one’s own petard—Xia Jiujiang had been waiting for them to raise the matter of being drugged.

Xia Wentao chimed in to support, “The Guest Courtyard was in an uproar, yet Chan and Zhang Fu were oblivious until the night guards doused them with cold water. If they hadn’t been drugged, it’s hard to explain.”

As long as Xia Chan and Zhang Fu’s predicament could be chalked up to a malicious scheme, Xia Chan might yet win sympathy, and the Xia family’s reputation could be salvaged. If it could be proven that Her Highness had orchestrated the plot, even if Xia Wentao couldn’t force the prince to marry Xia Chan, he could at least pressure him to divorce Xia Jiujiang.

Unperturbed, Xia Jiujiang asked, “Sister Chan, you’re quite certain you were drugged?”

Xia Chan shouted, “If I hadn’t been drugged, how could I have done something so shameful?”

Xia Jiujiang continued, “What about you, Zhang Fu?”

Zhang Fu, disgruntled, replied, “What else could Her Highness want to say? If I hadn’t been drugged, how could I have been so unaware? How could I have done such a thing to the Third Miss?”

No sooner had he finished than he turned tearfully to Jun Buwen, “Eldest Miss, you’re now the Princess Consort of Jin. Why would you scheme against the Third Miss and harm me as well? I beg Your Highness to see justice done for us!”

The Old Madam of the Xia family cast a contemptuous look at Xia Jiujiang and said, “Ah Jiang, things have come to this—why do you still try to argue your way out? Admit your mistake quickly, lest things become even more embarrassing once the evidence is clear.”

Xia Jiujiang replied coldly, “So their accusations are considered ironclad evidence now? In that case, the Li Kingdom needn’t bother with coroners or the Court of Justice; a single tongue is enough to determine guilt.”

The Old Madam snapped, “You! Very well, let’s see if there’s any law and order left! You’ve schemed against your own sister and ruined her purity—this, the Xia family will not let pass.”

Xia Jiujiang’s gaze turned icy. “Fine. Let’s see exactly how you intend not to let this pass!”

The Xia family’s faces twisted in anger. Xia Jiujiang had only just married, holding neither power nor influence. With a scandal of this magnitude, even the Prince of Jin could hardly suppress it. Yet, Xia Jiujiang still spoke so righteously.

Composed and unwavering, Xia Jiujiang walked to the doorway and addressed the crowd outside the Guest Courtyard. “Among those here today to celebrate Grandmother’s birthday, there must be imperial physicians present. Since my sister insists I drugged her and Zhang Fu, then I humbly request an imperial physician to examine them.”

The guests in the Guest Courtyard were astounded by Xia Jiujiang’s actions—her calm and unflinching demeanor in the face of a physician’s examination made her seem all the more trustworthy.

Xia Wentao narrowed his eyes, thinking she was only bluffing, trying to appear innocent and unafraid.

Imperial Physician Hu stepped out from the crowd and bowed to the Prince of Jin. “Your Highness, this official serves as an imperial physician. If the Xia family’s Third Miss and Zhang Fu were indeed drugged, a single examination will reveal the truth.”

Jun Buwen glanced at Xia Jiujiang, noting her poised and confident air, as if she held the outcome in her hands, and waved his hand. “Proceed.”

Imperial Physician Hu took the pulses of Xia Chan and Zhang Fu. Xia Chan’s gaze was resolute—she was certain Xia Jiujiang had drugged her, or she wouldn’t have been so insensible. As long as the imperial physician revealed the truth, Xia Jiujiang wouldn’t be able to clear her name, no matter how hard she tried.

Excitedly, Xia Chan said, “Wasn’t I affected by something like a love-incense? Quickly, tell everyone I was drugged!”

After finishing, Imperial Physician Hu approached the Prince of Jin and reported, “There are no traces of drugs in the bodies of the Xia family’s Third Miss or Zhang Fu.”

The moment he finished, the faces of the Xia family fell. A faint, mysterious smile curled on Xia Jiujiang’s lips; she had naturally ensured there’d be no evidence for the physician to find.

What Xia Jiujiang had used was a Gu worm, not incense. It vanished with the body’s sweat, leaving no trace to detect.

Jun Buwen had witnessed Xia Jiujiang use the Gu worm himself, yet even Imperial Physician Hu found nothing. Clearly, Xia Jiujiang’s mastery was profound, her command of Gu unparalleled.

Upon hearing the physician’s conclusion, Xia Chan screamed, “Impossible! How could I not have been drugged? You’re lying! Are you afraid of offending the Princess Consort, or fearful of the Prince’s retaliation, so you’re deliberately framing me? Or perhaps you simply lack the skill to discover it!”

Imperial Physician Hu, furious, retorted, “I have served in the Imperial Hospital for many years and treated countless high-ranking officials and nobles. If the Third Miss of the Xia family doubts my integrity or my abilities, you are welcome to summon the chief of the Imperial Hospital to examine you as well.”