Tang Zhuyun took Cui Xiaoqiu's pulse, her brows furrowed.
"Mother, what's wrong? Did you eat something bad?" Yanran asked anxiously.
Tang Zhuyun said, "It doesn't seem like it."
"Huh?" Yanran was startled.
Cui Xiaoqiu, could he have a terminal illness?
He's still so young!
"Mother!" Yanran was almost in tears. "It's not something I ate that's bad, it's some kind of illness! It can definitely be cured, right? There definitely won't be any aftereffects."
Seeing her reddened eyes, Cui Xiaoqiu said softly, "Don't cry, I'm fine."
He actually feels okay right now?
Apart from feeling a little weak, I didn't feel anything else.
Tang Zhuyun said in a deep voice, "Have someone bring me the clothes you wore to the examination hall and all the things you brought. I want to check them."
She felt that Cui Xiaoqiu's illness didn't seem to be caused by food, but rather by environmental pollution, and it should be a slow process.
Her expression changed when she saw the incense burner.
"Mother, is there something wrong with the incense?" Yanran had already vaguely sensed something by following Tang Zhuyun's gaze.
At this moment, Madam Cui had remained silent but with her brows furrowed, suddenly spoke up, "What could be wrong with incense? I prepared it; would I harm my son?"
Old Madam Cui, "You may leave now."
Because Princess Tang Zhuyun was present, Old Madam Cui also came.
Madam Cui had no choice but to leave.
Tang Zhuyun pinched a tiny bit of incense ash between her fingertips, smelled it, and said confidently, "The problem lies with the incense."
Madam Cui's face instantly turned a deep shade of liver. "You, I... I didn't!"
"Insolence!" Old Madam Cui's face changed drastically. "How can you be so rude with Her Highness the Princess in front of you?"
Who are you talking to, me, or her!
Don't you have any manners?!
Old Madam Cui was unusually furious.
She knew that Madam Cui had never liked Yanran and was afraid that Cui Xiaoqiu and Yanran would get close.
That's fine, as a mother, I hope my son will find a gentle and obedient wife.
But whether they liked it or not, could the Cui Family's social standing compare to that of the Prince's mansion?
Does disliking the two children's interaction justify neglecting the princess?
Who gave this idiot the guts!
Moreover, who doesn't know about the Consort of the Prince of Jin's medical skills?
Now that their own child is sick, people are giving the Cui Family face by coming to visit them.
Madam Cui, you're really asking for it!
This foolish woman has utterly disgraced the Cui Family.
Moreover, Consort of the Prince of Jin had no reason to lie. If this matter were investigated further, it would most likely be found that Madam Cui had made a foolish mistake.
That incense is most likely problematic.
She ruined three years of her own grandson's life!
Old Madam Cui felt like she could tear Madam Cui's heart apart.
Tang Zhuyun didn't seem to mind much, and said calmly, "Someone added something extra to this incense. There might not be any symptoms at first, but it's normal for the body to be unable to withstand it after three days. As for what exactly it is, Madam can have someone else check it."
She didn't make her point very clearly, leaving it to the Cui Family to investigate on their own.
Old Madam Cui thanked her repeatedly and then inquired about Cui Xiaoqiu's condition.
"It's alright," Tang Zhuyun uttered softly.
She also felt a tightness in her chest.
Madam Cui's foolishness delayed the child's development.
The person who must be feeling the most pain right now is Cui Xiaoqiu.
This child had a burning desire to make something of himself, but...
Yes, he's still young; he'll have another chance in three years.
But he could have done it this year...
Yanran smiled through her tears, "It's alright, it's alright. Cui Xiaoqiu, you scared me to death!"
Cui Xiaoqiu forced a smile, "I'm fine. That incense, actually, wasn't given to me by my mother; I replaced the one she gave me, thinking this one was better..."
Madam Cui looked at him in disbelief, then rushed over and said, "Why did you change it! I told you, I bought it for a lot of money, how could there be a problem? You, you really don't understand your mother's good intentions at all!"
Tang Zhuyun couldn't listen any longer. "Madam, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. Yanran, let's go!"
Go, go, go quickly! Make room so that Old Madam Cui can teach that idiot Madam Cui a good lesson!
Tang Zhuyun had finally reached her breaking point!
Cui Xiaoqiu is so pitiful.
He buried his dreams, his heart was bleeding, yet he wore a smile. He was trying to protect his mother, but in the end, he was stabbed twice by her.
This child is living a very tiring life.
This is a mother you can't seem to get over no matter what, yet you can't sever ties with her.
I don't know what kind of commotion the Cui Family caused, but after Yanran returned home, she asked Tang Zhuyun, "Mother, Cui Xiaoqiu really alright?"
"Um."
Yanran breathed a sigh of relief, but a hint of sympathy returned to her face. "Cui Xiaoqiu is so pitiful."
Tang Zhuyun: Am I not pitiful?
She's extremely upset right now.
The thought of Yanran possibly marrying into the Cui Family in the future made her chest ache.
I never imagined that the worst person I've ever encountered in my life would be my in-laws.
Tang Zhuyun kept a stern face and didn't reply.
No, she doesn't agree to this marriage.
Even if Cui Xiaoqiu were a god descended from heaven, she wouldn't want such a troublesome mother!
Yanran sighed, "Cui Xiaoqiu, how will you ever get married?"
Tang Zhuyun:???
She deliberately held her breath and said, "If you can't marry him, can't you marry him to fill the hole?"
Yanran's eyes widened. "No way! I'm not getting married!"
Tang Zhuyun actually breathed a sigh of relief.
Okay, fine, I won't get married.
Marrying into the Cui Family is out of the question!
"With his mother acting like this, who will marry Cui Xiaoqiu after people find out?" Yanran added, "Anyway, if someone I know were to marry him, I'd be worried for them. But if I tell the truth, wouldn't I be letting Cui Xiaoqiu down? Sigh, he's having such a hard time."
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
Never mind, it has nothing to do with her.
"I need to find a way to comfort him," Yanran sighed.
Cui Xiaoqiu suffered a double blow.
I failed the exam; my own mother is to blame.
Old Madam Cui told Madam Cui to get out, then looked at her own grandson and said, "Did you know beforehand that your mother was deceived?"
Whether she was overthinking it or not, she now suspected that Cui Xiaoqiu had deliberately fallen into the trap.
After this incident, Madam Cui probably wouldn't dare to interfere in his affairs again.
After all, Cui Xiaoqiu has a "previous record," which is why Old Madam Cui has this question.