Chapter 372: This is the Nine Black Gu
Over the past three years, Wu Yun's medical skills had advanced by leaps and bounds under the personal guidance of Divine Doctor Si.
As Divine Doctor Si often traveled abroad, many who sought treatment in Qingzhou had no choice but to turn to Wu Yun. Supported theoretically by medical texts compiled by Divine Doctor Si and practically by the numerous patients with complex and rare ailments who came to his door, Wu Yun's reputation spread rapidly throughout Qingzhou and its surroundings after he cured countless patients deemed incurable.
His life had been saved by Yun Chu.
Thus, upon receiving a letter from Yun Chu, he immediately rushed to the capital without delay.
Chu Yi brought him into the palace unimpeded and led him to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Gao Gonggong stood guard at the door and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, an hour ago, His Majesty coughed up blood again. There was no other choice but to administer medicine to suppress it. Currently, Princess Consort Zhuang is attending to His Majesty as he takes his medicine..."
Hearing this, Chu Yi's eyes darkened.
Prince Zhuang and Su Ziyue were inherently suspicious.
He pushed open the palace doors and strode inside, immediately spotting Su Ziyue seated beside the Dragon Bed.
Seeing him enter, Su Ziyue quickly stood up: "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince. His Majesty just drank half a bowl of medicine and is already feeling much better."
"Thank you for your trouble, Princess Consort Zhuang," Chu Yi said calmly. "You may withdraw now."
Su Ziyue glanced at the man in black standing behind Chu Yi, set down the medicine bowl, and left with her head lowered.
The two palace maids guarding the entrance reached out and closed the doors.
Chu Yi spoke: "Doctor Wu, first examine this bowl of medicine to see if there is anything amiss."
Wu Yun picked up the medicine bowl and sniffed it, then dipped his index finger into the liquid and carefully tasted a small amount on the tip of his tongue. He shook his head: "It's just ordinary medicine to dispel cold and relieve coughs. There's nothing unusual."
Chu Yi frowned.
Had he been overthinking it?
Wu Yun walked to the Dragon Bed, knelt on one knee, and placed his hand on the Emperor's wrist to check his pulse. After a while, he said, "It does appear to be a cold syndrome, but that's strange..."
He released the wrist, stood up, and lifted the Emperor's eyelids to forcibly examine his tongue coating. His expression immediately turned grave.
He said, "Your Highness, please remove His Majesty's inner garment."
Chu Yi complied, taking off the Emperor's yellow inner robe embroidered with flying dragons, revealing his chest.
Wu Yun retrieved a medicine bottle from his medical kit and applied a white ointment to the Emperor's chest. Black spots quickly emerged on the skin.
"One, two, three... seven, eight, nine!" Wu Yun's voice grew heavy. "His Majesty has been afflicted with the Nine Black Gu!"
Chu Yi was hearing this term for the first time, his face full of disbelief: "Sorcery and Gu poison are secret arts of the Western Regions. How could they have infiltrated the Great Jin royal family? Are you certain, Doctor Wu?"
Wu Yun nodded: "The Nine Black Gu is indeed a secret method of the Western Regions. It consists of one male and one female Gu, along with three young insects. The male and female form a pair, and the young Gu can control the mature insects. The female Gu takes a full month to implant. Only after the female Gu has been implanted for a month can the young Gu be produced... Given His Majesty's symptoms, he must have been poisoned for at least three to four months."
Chu Yi suppressed his inner shock: "Can this Gu poison be cured?"
"Of course it can," Wu Yun said, pointing to the Emperor's chest. "The nine small black spots on His Majesty's chest—each set of three represents one young Gu. Eliminate the three young Gu, and the poison will naturally be neutralized."
Chu Yi pressed further: "What about the female Gu? How is it cured?"
Wu Yun shook his head: "For some unknown reason, the female Gu is already dead."
Chu Yi suddenly understood.The one who administered the Gu poison to His Majesty was Li Jinghua.
No wonder during the birthday banquet that day, His Majesty showed boundless indulgence toward Li Jinghua and even intended to banish Consort Yun to the cold palace—it was all the Gu poison at work.
He frowned, "Since Li Jinghua was the mother Gu, why would His Majesty, who was infected with the male Gu, have her beaten to death?"
"This Nine Black Gu has a crucial condition: all those infected must have an emotional bond with the male Gu, whether it be familial love, romantic affection, friendship, or even pity. As long as there is emotion in the heart, the Gu poison takes effect." Wu Yun finished dressing the Emperor, "Next, I need to draw a drop of His Majesty's finger blood as a catalyst to develop the antidote. I request the Crown Prince's assistance."
His master's medical texts recorded this secret Western technique, which his master's master had spent over twenty years researching. The records were extremely detailed, but it would take some time to prepare.
Wu Yun took out a silver needle from his medicine chest, while Chu Yi held the Emperor's hand, ready to draw blood.
He pondered: since an emotional bond was required for the Gu worms to activate, the range of suspects was quite narrow.
Moreover, since the poisoner was Li Jinghua, those who ingested the child Gu must have some connection to her. A thorough investigation would surely uncover them.
Just as Wu Yun's silver needle pierced the Emperor's finger, the person on the dragon bed suddenly awoke with a start.
"What are you doing!"
The Emperor yanked his hand back violently.
Wu Yun only managed to collect three or four drops of blood before the hand broke free.
He hurriedly stored the blood and knelt in salute.
"Father has awakened." Chu Yi knelt on one knee, "Your son presumptuously drew blood to develop an antidote for Father. I beg for Father's forgiveness!"
The Emperor's voice was icy cold, "What antidote?"
"Your Majesty has been poisoned with Gu. The so-called cold symptoms were actually meant to conceal the fact of Gu poisoning." Wu Yun raised his head, "We need to use the blood of the infected person as a catalyst to develop the antidote. Please extend Your Majesty's index finger..."
"The one who poisoned Father was Li Jinghua." Chu Yi spoke slowly, "She is dead, and the mother Gu has died too, but there are still three child Gu. Father will be manipulated by the child Gu into acting against his true intentions. We must detoxify as soon as possible."
"What?!"
The Emperor burst into violent coughing.
He remembered when Li Jinghua was still alive, she had personally prepared a meal for him and fed it to him with her own hands. Was that when he was poisoned?
Although that was the fake Li Jinghua, she had been with him for thirty years. She had deceived him for thirty years and even poisoned him?
What in this world was still worthy of trust!
"Cough, cough, cough, cough!"
The Emperor coughed violently, accidentally knocking over the medicine bowl on the table.
The hall doors were pushed open, and Su Ziyue and Gao Gonggong rushed in one after another.
"Uncle!" Su Ziyue knelt by the bed, holding her skirt, "Why is Uncle's hand bleeding? Quick, someone, bandage His Majesty's wound!"
Chu Yi's cold gaze fell upon Su Ziyue.
His father had never visited the Anding Su family, yet he treated Su Ziyue with exceptional favor. Moreover, Su Ziyue had considerable influence when speaking before His Majesty.
It was highly likely that Su Ziyue carried a Gu worm inside her, exploiting His Majesty's lingering sentiment toward the Su family to activate the Gu.
And since Su Ziyue was Chu Rui's principal consort, could Chu Rui harbor the second Gu worm?
Who, then, carried the third Gu worm?He said coldly, "His Majesty needs medical treatment. Princess Consort Zhuang, please withdraw."
Su Ziyue lifted her gaze to look at the Emperor.
The Emperor covered his chest and coughed several times before speaking slowly, "Ziyue shall remain to attend to my illness. All of you may withdraw."
A murderous intent surfaced in Chu Yi's eyes.
Su Ziyue could not be allowed to remain.
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