Chapter 257: Mysterious Freak (2)

The woman glared at Qingfeng, roaring madly like last night: "It's her! It must be her who poisoned me! It's her who poisoned me!"

The woman rushed to the fence. Borrowing the faint sunlight, Qingfeng finally saw her appearance clearly. It was a face so pale that it had no color at all, and even her lips didn't have a trace of redness. Perhaps it was because she hadn't seen the sun for many years or because of long-term hunger, her hair was dry and sparse, and there was almost no hair above her forehead. The only thing on her entire face that could make people remember her was those eyes. Her bloodshot eyes were wide open, and the eyeballs seemed to be about to crack and fall out. The dark, gloomy pupils stared straight at you, as if piercing through your soul and looking elsewhere. That complex look, mixed with fear and hatred, made Qingfeng's hair stand on end even when seen in the daytime.

Qingfeng covered her chest with her hand, trying to stabilize her pounding heart. Unfortunately, the chaotic mood couldn't be appeased for a while. Even so, Qingfeng still suppressed her panic and stubbornly met the woman's gaze.

I don't know if Qingfeng's deliberately tough, cold eyes shocked the woman, or if she suddenly thought of something, the woman suddenly withdrew her hand, shaking her head while shouting fearfully: "I don't know anything, I don't know anything, don't kill me, don't kill me!" Holding her head with both hands, the woman tore at her hair, wanting to use it to cover her face, as if that way she could hide herself. Qingfeng could feel that she was surrounded by helplessness, fear, and panic. In the low shouts that trembled more and more, she hurriedly shrank back into the depths of the corner, buried her head between her knees, and kept muttering, "Don't kill me? Don't kill me?"

Although she had vomited a mouthful of blood just now, Qingfeng felt much more relaxed. The tightness that felt like a heavy stone pressing on her chest had been greatly reduced, leaving only the burning heat in her throat. Qingfeng was very curious about what made her so afraid. Leaning forward, Qingfeng asked tentatively, "Who wants to kill you?"

"It's her, it's her!" The fragmented muttering carried a suppressed cry. Qingfeng's beautiful brows furrowed slightly, and she continued to ask in a low voice, "Who is she?"

"She? She is?" The woman curled up in the corner, trembling. Qingfeng gathered her energy and listened carefully to the woman's intermittent whispers. Just as the woman said the person's name, the heavy cell door was suddenly pushed open by a savage force with a "clatter." Fortunately, Qingfeng had moved toward the fence to hear the woman's words clearly, so she wasn't hit by the cell door. However, the sound of the cell door slamming against the stone wall just happened to cover the woman's weak voice, and Qingfeng still didn't hear what she said.

The jailer stood at the door, looking at Qingfeng, who was sitting against the fence, and said sternly with a blank face, "Come out."

Qingfeng supported the fence and slowly stood up, asking, "Where are you taking me?"

"It's not your turn to ask questions here." Qingfeng stood still, and the jailer walked into the cell impatiently, grabbed Qingfeng by the collar, lifted her up, and threw her out of the cell door. Qingfeng couldn't bear the fierce force and fell directly onto the hard stone walkway. "Get up." The jailer's scolding echoed in the cold stone walkway, sounding hideous and terrifying. Qingfeng secretly gritted her teeth, endured the pain in her chest, and insisted on crawling up. She wasn't afraid of him, but she didn't allow herself to be dragged out like a dog.

Under the jailer's pushing and shoving all the way, Qingfeng walked with difficulty. Every step she took, her chest felt as if it were being torn apart. The sense of relief after vomiting blood faded, replaced by a pain more intense than any previous injury. Just when she really couldn't hold on and was about to collapse to the ground, she finally walked to the stone room where she had entered the Heavenly Prison last night.

In the stone room, a man dressed as a jailer was talking to an old man with a rather respectful attitude. The old man already had a full head of white hair, and his snow-white beard was almost growing down to his stomach. He looked quite old, but his ruddy complexion and straight waist and back showed that his body was very strong.

Seeing her walk out, the old man nodded to her gently and said kindly, "Young lady, please sit down."

Qingfeng was already unable to stand firmly. Before the old man finished speaking, she had already fallen into the chair. After resting for a long while, the old man just looked at her quietly without saying a word.

Her breathing gradually smoothed out. Qingfeng raised her head, looked at him, and asked guardedly, "Who are you?"

The old man laughed, stroked his long beard, and didn't take Qingfeng's suspicion and impoliteness to heart at all, replying with a good temper, "This old man is Huang Jiao, an imperial physician."

Imperial physician? A trace of doubt flashed in her heart, and Qingfeng didn't believe it. It was absolutely impossible for Yan Hongtian to invite an imperial physician for her. In this palace, there were probably more people who wanted her to die. Who sent him, and what did he want to do? Qingfeng's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and she asked coldly, "Who sent you?"

The old man shook his head helplessly, sat down opposite her, took out an exquisitely crafted dark red small pillow from the wooden box beside him, and placed it on the table. Without answering Qingfeng's question, the old man still said gently, "Young lady, please put your hand on the cushion."

Him? Was he really here to treat her? Looking at the old man again, he was always as calm as water, his eyes like a quiet lake, and the peaceful aura on his body made people close to him feel peaceful. Qingfeng still had doubts in her heart, but she still slowly stretched out her hand. Her chest was very painful, and it had reached the point where she couldn't hold on. If there was no doctor to treat her, she would really die.

The old man gently placed his hand on Qingfeng's wrist. Qingfeng could clearly feel his hand stiffen. Looking up, his face also became heavy. Qingfeng understood in her heart; it seemed that her injury was very serious.

The old man took her pulse for the time it takes to burn half an incense stick. The two jailers standing on the side looked at each other. Qingfeng's heart also became colder and colder. Just when she was about to withdraw her hand, the old man finally made a move. He stood up silently, put the small pillow back into the wooden box, carried the wooden box on his back, and prepared to leave.

"Young lady, rest more."

"Hey?!" Qingfeng thought he would at least say something to her, but the old man only left a faint sentence and hurried out of the Heavenly Prison, not even looking at her again.

The old man left just like that, and Qingfeng was taken back to the cell by the jailer. Leaning against the cell door, Qingfeng stared blankly at the small window shrouded in the sunset glow. This was the only place where she could see the scenery outside the window. At this moment, the sunset should be filling the sky, but unfortunately, the small window couldn't bring warmth to this gray and cold prison. Under the warm spring sun, it was still cold here, just like her mood at the moment.

Huang Jiao, what was his purpose for coming today? And who sent him? Was Yan Hongtian locking her here to let her fend for herself or to kill the chicken to warn the monkey? Was her eldest sister safe now? Would Yan Hongtian let her go? Could Lou Xiyan protect her? There were countless questions and worries in her heart, and Qingfeng felt suffocated by this feeling of helplessness.

Footsteps came from outside the door again. Qingfeng hurriedly moved to the side, afraid that the cell door would suddenly open and hit her. Her current body could no longer withstand any tossing.

The jailer did stop in front of the cell, but he didn't open the door. He just passed a bowl of ink-black soup through the small opening at the bottom of the cell door, placed it heavily on the ground, and shouted, "Drink it quickly."

What is this? Qingfeng carefully picked up the bowl and looked at it. The dark soup was as deep and black as ink. Lowering her head and smelling it lightly, the heavy herbal smell carried a faint fishy smell. It should be a bowl of medicinal soup. Was it sent by Huang Jiao? He left without saying a word and specifically sent the medicinal soup. What was his intention? Qingfeng remembered the woman's strange reaction when she vomited blood at noon. Could it be that someone had died of poisoning in front of her?

"Hey?" Qingfeng called out softly toward the other side of the cell. The dark shadow in the corner moved and shrank into the deeper corner.

This medicine? Could it be poisonous? Staring at the ink-black medicinal soup in her hand, Qingfeng closed her cold eyes, raised her hand, and splashed all the medicinal juice onto the stone wall in the corner. The ink-black medicinal juice flowed down the stone wall bit by bit, and the medicinal smell permeated the small cell, lingering for a long time.

Imperial Garden

The sunset was gradually falling, and the red clouds filled the sky. The warm afterglow shone on the beautiful flowers, plating a layer of beautiful gold on the spring flowers that were in full bloom. Unlike the shyness under the nourishment of the morning dew, the flowers at this moment were showing off their charm to the fullest. The scenery in the Imperial Garden was naturally beautiful, but unfortunately, not everyone was qualified to appreciate it, and those who could pick flowers in this flower cluster and return to the palace were even fewer.

Beside the dripping peonies, a woman in purple was holding flower scissors, carefully cutting a cluster of peonies that had just bloomed. There was a faint smile on her beautiful face. The white jade palace token hanging on her waist showed that she was not an ordinary palace maid, but a personal female official. Only masters with a rank of concubine or above in the palace would have female officials by their side. Although female officials were still servants, their status in the palace was higher than that of ordinary ladies and beauties.

A small palace maid holding a flower basket stood quietly behind the woman in purple, carefully observing the surroundings. After confirming that there were only the two of them in the vast garden, she leaned forward and said in a low voice, "Sister Shui Xin, I found out that Imperial Physician Huang went to see Qingfeng at noon today."

Cutting a light pink peony, Shui Xin asked, "Which Imperial Physician Huang?"

"Huang Jiao."

Huang Jiao? Shui Xin's hand cutting the branches paused slightly, and doubt flashed through those clear eyes. "Who invited the imperial physician for her?" Huang Jiao was the imperial physician for the late emperor, with superb medical skills, and was deeply trusted by the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. Usually, he only studied pharmacology at home and rarely went out for consultations. Who could invite him to treat Qingfeng? Could it be the Emperor?

Although Shui Xin's face didn't change, the smile at the corners of her mouth had gradually faded. Yiyue hurriedly replied, "This servant has inquired, it was not sent by the Emperor. But this servant really doesn't know who invited Imperial Physician Huang to see her."

Not the Emperor? Yiyue's words not only didn't make Shui Xin's face relax, but instead made her brows furrow tightly, "What illness does she have?"

"After Imperial Physician Huang took her pulse, he left in a hurry and didn't say anything. The medicine sent over was also sent by Imperial Physician Huang's medicine boy himself. I don't know what medicine it is, and I don't know what illness she has."

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 258 =====