Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 57: Slapped in the Face Publicly

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Slapped in the Face Publicly

The Old Madam and Second Madam both fell ill during the hour of the ox.

Although it was already deep into the night, quite a few guests, especially male guests, were still keeping vigil in the mourning hall.

Lu Xingzhou was there as well.

When Nanny Wu turned pale and came to seek him out, saying the Old Madam and Second Madam were suddenly plagued by unbearable stomach pain, he didn’t hesitate and immediately called upon Hospital Director Hu, who was also keeping vigil in the same mourning hall.

On most days, Lu Xingzhou wouldn’t have been able to invite this esteemed director. Wasn’t today a stroke of fortune?

Hu was there assisting the Liu Family and the Marquis Yong’en, and in consideration of the Marquis’s reputation, followed Lu Xingzhou to the courtyard where the women and children rested.

Madam Liu and Madam Lu also dropped their urgent matters and rushed over.

While the current dynasty emphasized the separation of men and women, it was not as severe as the previous one—especially when it came to seeking medical treatment.

Madam Liu arranged for several maids and older servants to guard the courtyard and porch. If any women stepped out, they would be informed of the situation and could choose to stay in their rooms to avoid any potential embarrassment.

The Old Madam and Second Madam were writhing on the bed, tormented by pain and crying out incessantly.

Hospital Director Hu, relying on his years of medical experience, deduced that the two had most likely eaten something that upset their stomachs.

He first inquired about their evening meals.

The Second Madam clutched her abdomen and said, "I didn’t eat much... just the dishes from the household..."

The Old Madam had her own separate kitchen and couldn’t have eaten the same food as the Second Madam. However, the Old Madam often shared her meal with Nanny Wu. Since Nanny Wu was fine, it indicated the food wasn’t the problem.

Madam Lu asked, "Sister-in-law, did you and Mother eat anything else afterward?"

The Second Madam endured the pain and tried to recall, "Os... Osmanthus Cake... just the plate of Osmanthus Cake on the table!"

At these words, Madam Liu’s expression changed.

Did something from the household cause them to fall ill?

The Osmanthus Cake had long been eaten, leaving only a few crumbs and scraps on the plate.

Madam Lu held the plate and approached Hospital Director Hu, "Master Hu."

Hospital Director Hu did not immediately respond to Madam Lu. His expression was peculiar. He checked the Old Madam’s pulse repeatedly, then turned to check the Second Madam’s pulse.

"Father! Mother!"

"Elder Brother! Sister-in-law!"

Lu Lingxiao and Second Master Lu arrived as well.

Lu Xingzhou rebuked his son, "Where have you been? Why are you only showing up now?"

Lu Lingxiao opened his mouth but hesitated, embarrassed to admit he’d gone looking for Meng Qianqian after finishing his tasks but hadn’t found her.

"Lingxiao, come here and hold the lamp for Hospital Director Hu." Madam Lu called her son over from beside Lu Xingzhou.

"Yes, Mother."

Lu Lingxiao picked up the oil lamp from the table and approached the bed, "Hospital Director Hu, how are my grandmother and second aunt doing?"

Hospital Director Hu withdrew his hand, "Madam Liu, could you please send a maid to fetch Master Zuo?"

Master Zuo was also a director at the Imperial Hospital, his medical skills comparable to Hospital Director Hu’s.

Madam Liu hurriedly sent a maid to fetch him.

Lu Lingxiao asked, "Master Hu, is my grandmother and second aunt’s condition severe?"

"This..."

Hospital Director Hu hesitated, "Let’s wait for Master Zuo to arrive before discussing it."

Master Zuo arrived swiftly, checking the Old Madam’s pulse while remarking, "What kind of illness could stump even you..."

Halfway through his sentence, he paused.

This pulse...

Hospital Director Hu exchanged a look with him, as if saying, "Now you understand why I called you over?"

Lu Xingzhou clasped his hands respectfully, "Esteemed directors, what illness afflicts my mother? Please, speak freely!"

Master Zuo stated plainly, "To be honest, Madam Lu... shows signs of a pregnancy pulse!"

His words landed like a thunderbolt, leaving everyone stunned and their brains buzzing!

What did he just say?

A pregnancy pulse?

The Old Madam is pregnant?

She’s a sixty-some-year-old woman!

Has the world turned upside down?

Second Master Lu stared wide-eyed, looking from his stepmother to his own wife, and muttered, "Then... my wife..."

Master Zuo nodded, "She also has a pregnancy pulse."

Second Master Lu staggered, nearly collapsing! He hadn’t shared his marital duties for months, so where did his wife’s pregnancy pulse come from?

The Second Madam protested, "Second Master! I am not—"

Whether or not she could deny it was one thing, but the Old Madam being over sixty and long past childbearing age made pregnancy implausible, even if she’d sought a lover.

Still, logic aside, if such news spread, their reputation would be ruined.

The Old Madam’s expression shifted between red and green. To be diagnosed with a pregnancy pulse in front of juniors and outsiders was the height of disgrace!

Master Zuo stroked his beard and pondered aloud, "Don’t be too hasty. A pregnancy pulse is merely a pulse characteristic and doesn’t necessarily mean actual pregnancy. It could also be caused by mistakenly ingesting certain drugs."

Hospital Director Hu took the plate from Madam Lu, sniffed it closely, frowned, and handed it to Master Zuo.

Master Zuo sniffed it as well and looked at the oil lamp in Lu Lingxiao’s hand, "May I trouble you?"

Lu Lingxiao brought the oil lamp closer.

Only crumbs and scraps remained in the plate, but upon closer observation, traces of dark brown powder mingled with black sesame seeds could be faintly discerned.

"Was there something wrong with the Osmanthus Cake?" Lu Lingxiao frowned.

Madam Liu frowned in displeasure, "General Lu, our Liu family must have made thousands—no, tens of thousands—of Osmanthus Cakes, yet no one else has fallen ill."

Lu Lingxiao hesitated to reply.

Master Zuo remarked, "The dosage is small, and the scent has dissipated. It’s hard to distinguish whether it was indeed medication at this moment."

Madam Lu remained calm, asking, "Nanny Wu, you’ve been in the room all this time. Where did this plate of Osmanthus Cake come from? Whose hands did it pass through?"

"I... I..." Nanny Wu couldn’t answer.

Madam Liu snorted, "Fell asleep, didn’t you? So asleep you didn’t notice the food being tampered with!"

Nanny Wu retorted, "At your Liu family’s place, didn’t notice tampering, and now you want to blame us?"

Madam Liu was incensed, "You—"

Lu Xingzhou didn’t stop Nanny Wu, because he needed answers too, and Nanny Wu’s seemingly impudent remarks voiced what he wanted to say.

Such an enormous disgrace must surely be sabotage. Otherwise, the Lu family’s reputation would be ruined.

Amid heated arguments, voices were heard from the doorway.

"Huh? Why are you here? Looking for the toilet?"

"No."

"You’re okay?"

"Why wouldn’t I be?"

"You ate the Osmanthus Cake. Didn’t your stomach act up?"

Lu Linglong had just woken up to discover the Osmanthus Cake was gone. Assuming Meng Qianqian had eaten it, she cheerfully decided to go find her—to watch her suffer.

"Linglong, what are you saying?"

Lu Lingxiao stepped out, his expression icy.

Lu Xingzhou wanted to stop him, but it was too late. Lu Lingxiao seized Lu Linglong’s wrist and glared at her furiously, "What did you put in the Osmanthus Cake?"

Lu Linglong frowned, "Brother... You’re hurting me..."

Lu Lingxiao’s voice turned cold, "Speak quickly! Or I’ll have you expelled from the family today!"

Terrified, Lu Linglong choked and responded indignantly, "Just a little laxative! It won’t kill anyone. Let me go!"

"Where did you get the laxative?"

"Nanny Wu’s!"

Nanny Wu instinctively pulled out a bottle from her sleeve. She uncorked it and glanced inside, her face twisting in shock!

Madam Liu sneered, "One’s your Lu family’s nanny, and the other’s your Lu family’s young lady—surely this matter has nothing to do with the Liu family now?"

Anyone could argue that laxatives were planted due to negligence in Liu family management, but a case where the Lu family internally sabotaged itself didn’t fall on the Liu family!

At that moment, the Old Madam and Second Madam no longer felt stomach pain, but their complexion began to change oddly.

Lu Xingzhou sensed something and hurriedly reached for the bottle, but he was too late.

Meng Qianqian snatched the bottle and handed it to Master Zuo and Hospital Director Hu, "Masters, could you examine what medicine this bottle contains?"

The Old Madam’s face turned ashen, "No! Don’t examine it!"