novelaction Chapter 1878 The Old Butler's Reprimand
Chapter 1878 The Old Butler's Reprimand
When Cheng Feng and Shang tide arrived, Zhong Siyu made room for them at the head of the bed.
Cheng Feng touched Wan Lianxing's hand and softly called out, "Uncle, it's me, Cheng Feng! Shang tide and I have come to see you!" Cheng Feng's voice choked with emotion as he spoke.
Wan Lianxing's eyes were not open, but his hand moved slightly, as if he was comforting Cheng Feng and telling him that he was alright!
Seeing that the man reacted, Cheng Feng was secretly delighted. "Uncle, you'll be alright. The imperial physicians are here! Your nephew is taking care of you by your bedside. You'll get better soon..." Because his voice choked up, Cheng Feng couldn't finish his sentence.
Shang tide was even more direct, bursting into tears, "Uncle, it's my fault! Those mushrooms were poisonous, and I only just found out! Uncle, get up and scold me! I'm the culprit who made you eat poisonous mushrooms!"
Just as Shang tide was about to lose control of her sobs, Cheng Feng suddenly said, "Wife, don't cry yet. Your uncle seemed to have sighed just now!"
"My uncle can sigh?"
Shang tide didn't know that this person's fingers could still move. What was presented to her was the appearance of a dead person who was breathing but not exhaling. This person was obviously not far from death, otherwise Shang tide would not have cried so loudly!
"Yes, I heard it!" Cheng Feng's tone was somewhat certain. He had heard it clearly; the sigh was very soft, almost imperceptible, but Cheng Feng's keen senses had picked it up. Moreover, Cheng Feng knew that his uncle's mind was perfectly clear, and that the slight twitch of his finger just now was definitely not accidental; it was a way of comforting him. Now Cheng Feng felt more confident, believing that his uncle definitely wouldn't die! He turned to ask the imperial physician and the old steward behind him, "What's my uncle's condition now? Has he been given any antidote?"
The old steward answered him. He stepped forward and whispered, "When we sensed something was wrong, we sent someone to fetch the imperial physician. However, we have some experience. When the Emperor felt unwell, he said he was poisoned. To prevent the toxin from being absorbed further, we gave him rice vinegar to induce vomiting and also gave him a laxative to empty his stomach and intestines. After the imperial physician arrived, he used silver needles to protect the Emperor's meridians, preventing the toxin from spreading. That mushroom is very poisonous. How could your palace kitchen be so careless! If it hadn't been handled properly today, your uncle's life would have been in your hands."
The old steward's tone turned reprimanding at the end, his aged and stern face appearing even more authoritative. This was the first time he had reprimanded the young couple, and his expression was very stern. Cheng Feng and Shang Xi felt guilty. This was just how they were; if it had been anyone else who had prepared poisonous mushrooms for the Emperor, they would have been executed and their property confiscated by now. The couple had been panicked on their way here, fearing that Wan Lianxing would die from the poisonous mushrooms. Now that they knew Wan Lianxing's poisoning was under control, they were filled with self-reproach and guilt.
Shang tide's tears never stopped. Hearing that Wan Lianxing had been rescued in time, it was as if she, Shang Xi, had survived a calamity herself. However, there was nothing wrong with saying that. If the Emperor had been poisoned to death by her, her life would have been over. Shang Xi regretted her actions deeply. She confessed, "Old Steward, I know I was wrong. I was negligent!"
If you should bow your head, then bow your head; if you should admit your mistake, then admit it. Who told you to cause such a big mess!
The old housekeeper was both angry and helpless. "Didn't you even taste the dishes when they were cooked?"
Shang tide shook her head. She was confident, so she didn't taste the food while cooking. Cheng Feng was lucky. When he wanted to taste it, Shang Xi stopped him. Seeing Da Yan wolfing down the food, Cheng Feng thought the dish couldn't be too bad. In the end, it was Da Yan who was poisoned, while Cheng Feng escaped unscathed.
Shang tide asked again, her voice trembling with tears, "Will my uncle be alright?!"
The old butler glared at him: "What do you think!"
Shang tide dared not say anything; she just wanted to hear a word of affirmation, a word that would put her mind at ease.
At this moment, Zhong Siyu patted Shang tide's arm, "His Majesty is blessed with good fortune. The imperial physician said that the poison in His Majesty's body has been brought under control and will not spread further. With just a little care, he will recover!"
"It's all my fault. I'm the one who harmed my uncle. I deserve to die!"
At this moment, Cheng Feng suddenly thought of something: "Wife, don't cry. There were twelve people eating today. You and I are fine, but my uncle was poisoned. What about the other nine?"
Upon hearing this, Shang tide's tears stopped instantly. Yes! Shang tide and Cheng Feng didn't eat the poisonous mushrooms, but what about the others? The Emperor's life is precious, but so are the lives of others. Shang Xi's legs went weak, and she scooped Cheng Feng up.
The old butler snorted, "You didn't check the ingredients before cooking, and now you're scared?"
This was the first time Shang tide had felt so helpless. She sobbed, "What am I going to do?" Could she have caused someone's death because of a plate of food?
The Emperor handled the situation promptly and demonstrated considerable experience, but what about the others? Could they be so lucky?
At this point, Cheng Feng also felt that things were extremely bad. "Should I send people to ask from house to house?"
The old steward snorted again, "You two are the ones who caused the trouble today! Didn't you even check the food before cooking for the Emperor? If anything happens to the Emperor, do you two even care about your lives? However, this isn't entirely your fault. It's my fault as a servant for not being diligent enough. I thought you two were reliable, and I let the Emperor eat the food without checking it. I never expected you two to be so unreliable. In the end, it's all my fault! I deserve to die!" At this point, the old steward became even angrier, angry at himself, and tears streamed down his face. "Once I've taken good care of the Emperor, I'll go back to my hometown to farm. I'm too old and useless to serve the Emperor anymore!"
Wan Lianxing sighed almost imperceptibly from the bed, and Cheng Feng sighed as well, "Why are you going back to your hometown! It's our fault, whether it's killing or punishing us, it's our problem. What does it have to do with you! Besides, is this the time to talk about this? How are Suiying, Suixing, and their attendants? How serious is their poisoning? Are they in any danger?"
The old butler glared at Cheng Feng. "The three of them are all fine. Because the princess's cooking is terrible, they didn't eat a single bite of her dishes! They escaped a disaster!"
Cheng Feng and Shang tide breathed a sigh of relief at the same time, completely ignoring the princess's comment about how bad her cooking was. As long as they were safe and sound, they would be able to sleep soundly with a smile from now on!
"What about the two generals?"
Mentioning this, the old steward was furious again. "You two are really something! You poisoned two generals! Do you even know what generals are? They are the pillars of our Fengqi Kingdom, the golden beams that hold up the seas of our Fengqi Kingdom. They are the backbone of our nation, protecting the safety of our country and holding the reins of victory and defeat on the battlefield. And now, after a trip to your palace, they've both been knocked out! You two are truly something else!"