The queen is sober in the world, and she is winning every step of the palace fight.

"Then perhaps it is due to the occasional influence of the weather?"

The queen immediately made up another reason and stopped targeting Concubine Xian.

It is obvious that they have given up on making a fuss about the dishes.

The virtuous concubine stepped forward and helped the palace maid pass the handkerchief to the empress dowager to wipe her face, while mocking:

"The Empress is even able to diagnose the Empress Dowager's illness? It shows that the saying 'long illness makes a doctor' is quite true!"

"Xianfei, the Queen Mother is feeling unwell, but you are just busy arguing with me..."

Before he finished speaking, the emperor seemed to be reminded.

He ordered: "Where is the Imperial Hospital Chief? Treat the Empress Dowager as soon as possible!"

Doctor Wen hurriedly led several subordinate medical officers from their seats and stepped forward.

The palace maids escorted the empress dowager to the back hall, followed by the imperial doctors, and the empress, the virtuous concubines and some high-ranking concubines also followed to serve.

Prince Rui and his wife wanted to catch up, but were stopped by the Emperor:

"Sixth brother, you and your wife will stay ahead and look after them for me."

"But the Queen Mother..."

The emperor's eyes were cold.

Prince Rui lowered his head and dared not say anything more.

The emperor comforted his ministers with a few words and invited the two eldest princesses of higher seniority and several old princesses of the princely generation to go to the back hall to visit the empress dowager.

A birthday party full of problems was suspended just like that.

All the ministers and nobles in the hall did not dare to leave, so they sat where they were waiting for news, whispering to each other and discussing privately.

"how?"

In the back hall of Xianyue Palace, the Queen Mother exhaled, leaned weakly on the couch and closed her eyes to rest.

The emperor asked the imperial doctors about the results of their examination.

Several imperial physicians took turns taking the patient's pulse and examining him. After a low discussion, Imperial Physician Wen stepped forward and reported:

"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has a weak pulse, a greasy white coating on her tongue, and is frail. This is due to her body's daily alternating hot and cold, intense heat and cold, and a combination of looseness and blockage. With this kind of constitution, if she were to suddenly use emetics, even a small amount, she would vomit uncontrollably, damaging her vital energy."

After hearing this, Concubine Xian said, "Doctor Wen, please tell me directly and simply, what happened to the Empress Dowager?"

Doctor Wen was still considering his words.

A younger imperial physician behind him spoke first, "In our humble opinion, the Queen Mother has been taking inappropriate medications for quite some time, causing some issues with her health. Furthermore, she may have consumed emetic drugs or food today, which conflicted with her vomiting."

The virtuous concubine's face turned cold.

Lan Zhaoyi quickly spoke for her:

"You'd better explain yourself clearly! The dishes for today's birthday banquet were prepared long ago by the Empress. They are all beneficial foods for the body and mind. How can there be anything that induces vomiting?"

The Queen explained in a gentle voice, "Although I have decided on the menu, I have been recuperating from illness recently. I am unable to manage the ingredients used in the kitchen and who will cook."

The virtuous concubine raised an eyebrow and said, "Queen, please don't rush to put the blame on me. The Queen Mother is in distress. It would be best to ask the imperial physician to prescribe medicine and treat her as soon as possible."

Doctor Wen was already writing a prescription quickly.

The younger imperial physician asked for permission to help the Empress Dowager press acupuncture points to stop vomiting.

The emperor allowed it.

The imperial physician stepped forward and pressed on the empress dowager's hands, wrists, and the back of her head for a few moments.

After a while, the Queen Mother's yellow and gray complexion improved.

His half-closed eyes opened and he said he didn't feel as sick as before.

"what's your name?"

"Your Majesty, I am Zheng Miao. I was recommended to the Imperial Hospital by Qingzhou Prefecture last month."

"Excellent recommendation. Cao Bin, send two imperial fans to the Qingzhou prefect as a reward."

The emperor's expression softened. He rewarded the person who recommended him and asked Zheng Miao to check the dishes at the birthday banquet to see if there was anything wrong.

Imperial Physician Zheng Miao was ordered to go out.

He came back soon with a dish of vegetarian tofu soup called "Penglai Yunhai" and reported that a few thinly shredded melon stems were mixed into the golden thread mushrooms.

The melon stem is a commonly used emetic.

The chopped melon stems and golden mushrooms are boiled into the soup. The two are extremely similar and it is really hard to tell them apart if you don’t look closely.

Zheng Miao brought in the dish that was on the Queen Mother's table, and he also checked the "Penglai Yunhai" on several other tables nearby, and found that none of them had melon seeds added.

The virtuous concubine angrily ordered the palace servants, "Hurry and go to the kitchen to ask who made this dish and whose hands it was before it was served. Also, the maids and eunuchs who serve the empress dowager must be questioned!"

The queen was standing by, feeling puzzled.

Since the dishes that Concubine Xian replaced were never served, who added this emetic?

Things were not as planned. The Queen thought for a moment and stopped the maid of Concubine Xian who was about to go to do the work.

"Let Gong Zhengsi investigate."

"The Queen doesn't trust me?"

"Xianfei, this birthday banquet is organized by you, so it's better to avoid suspicion."

The emperor was impatient: "Shut up and leave the empress dowager alone! Cao Bin, order the Palace Justice Department to investigate!"

The Queen and the Concubine fell silent and behaved themselves.

But everyone has their own thoughts.

The eldest princess and the old princesses present watched silently, no one daring to speak at this moment. Everyone knew very well that after this birthday banquet, the situation in the palace would probably change.

I just don’t know whether the east wind will prevail over the west wind, or the west wind will prevail over the east wind!

"Sister, Sister Qiu, thank you so much for standing up for me just now. A friend in need is a friend indeed. I am deeply touched."

Fei Wan’s position was not high enough, so she did not go to the back hall and sat next to Wu Xiangrong.

Qiu Changzai was sitting in the back.

The three of them talked affectionately.

Wu Xiangrong helped Fei Wan to tuck her loose hair in place. "Sister Zhao, why are you saying such polite things? Since we're close friends, if we don't help each other when we encounter problems, then we'd be nothing more than fake sisters. Have you eaten? Are you hungry? If you don't mind, have some of this on my table. It's all hot!"

Qiu Changzai quietly reminded: "Sister, the imperial physician just checked the dishes and I'm afraid there's something wrong. It's okay for us, but Sister Zhao is weak, so she'd better not eat anything carelessly."

"Oh, that's right! You're really careful, that's great!"

Wu Xiangrong pinched Qiu Changzai's cheek casually.

Qiu Changzai was pinched so hard that she lowered her head in shame.

Fei Wan Chao Qiu often smiles.

Qiu Changzai's performance today was a bit unexpected.

A timid and cautious person actually stood up and spoke for her on such an occasion. He is indeed a grateful person.

Please show more respect to Qiu Changzai in the future.

A few people, along with everyone else in the hall, were waiting boredly for news about the empress dowager.

Fei Wan felt an angry stare from time to time, but when she raised her eyes, the other party had looked away as if nothing had happened.

That is King Rui.

There were also many curious visits, coming from all directions.

That was the scrutiny and assessment of her by everyone in the hall.

Fei Wan was calm and composed, not showing any discomfort at all.

Let people watch and talk about it.

In the future, as she becomes more successful, more people will watch her and praise or criticize her.

In comparison, today's turmoil and attention are nothing!

"My lady, Imperial Physician Liu has been summoned to the back hall."

The maid quietly reported the latest news.

"Ask him to see the Queen Mother?" Fei Wan was puzzled.

Isn’t Doctor Wen in the back hall with several medical officers?

Immediately, the nobleman Zhongqingbo from the Queen Mother's family suddenly left the table and followed a royal eunuch to the back hall.

The maid whispered, "I don't know the specific reason, but I know His Majesty got very angry and summoned Doctor Liu."

Oh, really?

I'm afraid he's not just angry about what happened today.

Fei Wan warned those who were trying to find out information to be careful, and that it would be better to find out no information than to alarm anyone.

Then, he waited leisurely.

Doctor Liu had "molested" her before. Is he about to be in trouble?

I'm really looking forward to it!