The house wasn't s.p.a.cious, but the items decorating it were exquisite. All the furniture was made using high-grade redwood. Although palace lanterns hung in the corners, the place was still dim. From a sandalwood burner with an interlaced floral design of green peony leaves, smoke from burning incense rose in spirals. There was a faint, rotten stink within the incense smell that could not be detected without a careful sniff.

Elderly Lady Zhou brought Ye Jiuge in front of a beaded hanging screen that led to the interior room. The beads were strung together using thumb-sized Southern Pearls, and they shone with a gentle glow under the effects of the light. They were extremely luxurious. Imperial Consort Xi certainly led an exquisite life, likely due to her n.o.ble birth.

Elderly Lady Zhou did not show Ye Jiuge in immediately. Instead, she bowed in front of the beaded hanging screen and said, "Imperial Consort, Eldest Miss Ye has arrived."

"Okay, you may take your leave!" A beautiful voice came from inside the room.

"Yes." Elderly Lady Zhou bowed and left quietly.

Ye Jiuge stood in front of the beaded hanging screen, feeling awkward because she did not know whether to enter. Fortunately, Imperial Consort Xi spoke up after a short pause.

"Eldest Miss Ye, I've heard that you are notorious in the capital for your uselessness. How did enlightenment dawn on you suddenly?"

Although Imperial Consort Xi's words were unkind, her voice was soft and gentle, so Ye Jiuge could not get angry.

"The people in the capital misunderstood me," Ye Jiuge replied coolly. Her background could not be investigated, and it would be better to leave it a puzzle for people to guess.

Imperial Consort Xi laughed softly. "Ha, ha. Your reply is comparable to Great Master Yun's style"

"You've seen my grandfather before?" Ye Jiuge asked curiously. According to her calculations, her grandfather should have already left the capital by the time Imperial Consort Xi had fallen ill.

"I saw Great Master Yun once in the Emperor Temple. Unfortunately, he had to attend to an emergency and only gave me one pill before leaving. I waited for his return for many years in the Emperor Temple but to no avail," Imperial Consort Xi said with faint resentment.

At that time, her heart had been ashen, and she had merely been waiting for death to arrive. After giving her hope, Great Master Yun had disappeared for over ten years. She had looked forward to his return, day after day. The ordeal had been intolerable.

"Imperial Consort Xi, can you tell me more about the specific circ.u.mstances back then?" Ye Jiuge had been investigating her grandfather's whereabouts for so long, and she had finally obtained some useful clues. As such, she was very excited.

"No." Imperial Consort Xi laughed and said, "Unless you can treat my illness."

"Okay."

Ye Jiuge had only planned to use eighty percent of her efforts when she arrived, but now, she was willing to put in a hundred and twenty percent.

"Then, please enter!" Imperial Consort Xi beckoned.

Ye Jiuge lifted the beaded hanging screen and walked into the room. The lighting inside was even dimmer. Only two palace lanterns engraved with images of beauties were lit at the entrance. The engraved beauties glowed under the candlelight, and their vermilion-colored lips were especially striking. The incense smell was also stronger, and its thickness could bring tears to one's eyes. Of course, the rotten smell was also more intense.

Imperial Consort Xi sat beside a table. She wore a pink cotton yarn skirt, and her figure was lithe and graceful. Although she sat there unmoving, she gave off a gentleness and elegance comparable to that of a young lady.

Ye Jiuge had heard that Imperial Consort Xi was adept at dancing. Her Wind Spiritual Power allowed her to dance lightly and gracefully. Those who had seen her dance undoubtedly wors.h.i.+ped her as a G.o.ddess. At the moment, her face was covered with a veil that only revealed a pair of beautiful limpid eyes, which looked like lakes in the spring. They reflected a radiance that could intoxicate anyone.

"Have a seat!" Imperial Consort Xi called out to Ye Jiuge in a soft, gentle voice.

Ye Jiuge sat in front of her. The rotten stench hidden beneath the incense's fragrance became even stronger. It was clear that the stink was coming from Imperial Consort Xi.

Without changing her expression, Ye Jiuge said to Imperial Consort Xi, "Imperial Consort, can you please extend your arm so I can feel your pulse?"

"Of course."

Imperial Consort Xi placed her arm on the table, revealing a tender and white jade-like wrist. Her wrist felt soft and smooth and was more well-maintained than a young lady's hand. Ye Jiuge calmed herself down and felt Imperial Consort Xi's pulse. She had a slow pulse, as though something was firmly suppressing it. This type of pulse was only found in the elderly whose five viscera and six bowels had begun to deteriorate. It was the pulse of a dying person.

"The other hand."

Ye Jiuge felt Imperial Consort Xi's other wrist. She had not expected the other hand's pulse to be quick and regular, like the sound of horses' hooves. It was unheard of for one person's two hands to have completely different pulses.

"Eldest Miss Ye, can you discern anything from this?" Imperial Consort Xi asked indifferently.

There wasn't a hint of expectation in her tone; it was clear that she did not really trust Ye Jiuge.

"Imperial Consort Xi, can you remove your veil so that I can take a look at your face?" Ye Jiuge said.

She already had a conjecture in her heart, but she needed to verify it.

"No." Imperial Consort Xi refused unenthusiastically. "Unless you can tell me what my illness is. If not, you may go."

"Imperial Consort, you have been poisoned," Ye Jiuge said without any hesitation.

"That is impossible." Imperial Consort Xi shook her head and kept her hand. She said coldly, "At first, I thought that I was poisoned as well, but I have visited Spiritual Doctors all over the world and eaten many antidotes and medicines. All of them said that I am afflicted with a strange illness and not poisoned."

"That is because they cannot identify the root of the poison," Ye Jiuge said a.s.suredly.

"Ha, ha!" Imperial Consort Xi laughed before she continued with a sarcastic tone, "These Spiritual Doctors included your grandfather! Even he said that I was not poisoned. Are you refuting your grandfather's diagnosis?"

That makes things awkward! Ye Jiuge often announced that she had inherited her grandfather's medical expertise. If she were to reject her grandfather's opinion, wouldn't that be a slap to her own face?

She thought about it for a while before saying, "My grandfather is more experienced than me, and he must have his reasons for his diagnosis. I am unable to see him now, so I cannot verify his opinion. However, from my point of view, you have been poisoned."

Imperial Consort Xi was momentarily silent before she laughed softly and said, "Actually, your grandfather did not even have the time to feel my pulse before he left."

Ye Jiuge was very curious about the situation. However, judging from Imperial Consort Xi's att.i.tude, she would not tell her anything right now. As such, she could only say helplessly, "Imperial Consort, it is of the utmost importance to determine the exact cause of illness during treatment. If I had not been straight with you, wouldn't I have prolonged the state of your illness?"

"If you weren't forthright, you wouldn't be worthy of being Great Master Yun's granddaughter or treating my illness," Imperial Consort Xi replied coolly.

These were tests that she had set for Ye Jiuge. Imperial Consort Xi had experienced way too many disappointments over the years, and she did not wish to be let down again.