Upon hearing this, the Old Madam grew anxious and hurried over to Cui Lian's side to feel for her pulse.

After a moment, her brows knitted together tightly. "This is not good!"

"Mother, what on earth has happened?"

"Don't panic just yet. Let's go inside and talk."

"Yes!"

As they spoke, the Old Madam pulled Cui Lan along, and they walked quickly toward the house.

「...」

The Old Madam brought Cui Lan into the living room.

"Take a seat first. I'll go make some tea for you."

After pouring a cup of tea, the Old Madam handed it to Cui Lan and asked with a smile, "Cui Lan, what's happened to Cui Lian? Could she be sick?"

"Mother, I don't know. She just suddenly fainted at the doorway, and I didn't dare to move her. I was afraid I might wake her."

Hearing this, the Old Madam sighed. "Sigh, don't you worry. That child has always been clingy to me since she was little."

"I know, and that's why I've always treated her like my own daughter." As she spoke, she lifted the cup and took a sip of tea.

Suddenly, the Old Madam's eyes narrowed, and her expression froze.

Seeing this, Cui Lan was taken aback and quickly asked, "Mother, are you alright?"

The Old Madam took a deep breath, then looked up. "It's nothing. I just suddenly remembered I have something to take care of, so I need to go now."

"Take care, Mother!" Cui Lan quickly got up to see her out.

Watching the Old Madam's hasty departure, a sneer formed at the corners of Cui Lan's mouth.

「...」

"What? Cui Lian has contracted this strange illness as well?"

When night fell, the Old Madam was shocked to learn of this.

"How could this be? We never told her about it!"

"Old Madam, do you suspect Cui Lian?"

"Indeed. We had no idea that Cui Lian had also caught this mysterious disease."

"But she has always been by your side, serving you. How could you not know?"

"Heh!" The Old Madam laughed derisively. "Do you take me for a fool? If I had known, why would I have allowed her to remain by my side?"

"It must have been hard on all of you over the years. To tell you the truth, I raised Cui Lian from the time she was a palace maid, so I care for her greatly. This time, I had her go to the palace in place of Cui Hua in the hopes that she would take good care of herself. But who would have thought that she too would come down with this strange illness? Alas, heaven is jealous of exceptional talent!"

Hearing this, the butler quickly consoled her, "Madam, this isn't a case of heaven being jealous of talent. It is simply that Cui Lian's fortune is thin; this is her fate."

"Enough. Cui Lian has indeed suffered a great deal by my side all these years. I understand. Go and make arrangements for her to go to the palace with Cui Lan tomorrow morning."

"This old servant obeys!"

「...」

「The next morning.」

Cui Lian slowly opened her eyes. She smelled a familiar fragrance. Turning slightly, she saw Cui Yu lying beside her.

"Cui Yu, Cui Yu..." Cui Lian called softly a few times, but Cui Yu lay there as if in a dead sleep, completely unresponsive. "Cui Yu, Cui Yu..."

Seeing no reaction from Cui Yu, Cui Lian's anxiety grew. She quickly got up and shook Cui Yu, but she remained motionless, like a wooden statue.

How can this be? Could it be...

At that thought, Cui Lian's face turned pale. Could she, too, have caught the strange disease?

With this terrifying thought, Cui Lian shuddered and quickly reached for her own pulse. Moments later, her face filled with terror. "This, this... How can this be?"

Horrified, Cui Lian hastily grabbed a teacup from the table. There, on her wrist, was a startling red mark. The mark seemed to contain a poison that was spreading toward her veins. She quickly grabbed the water cup from the table and gulped it down.

"Mother, Mother!"

Suddenly, Cui Lian felt a churning in her throat and immediately rushed into the outhouse.

「...」

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..."

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..."

"Mother, what's wrong with you? Don't scare me like this!"

"Cui Lan..." the Old Madam uttered with difficulty.

Hearing this, Cui Lan quickly helped the Old Madam inside the house and opened the windows. "Mother, I'll call for a doctor right now! Everyone, come here!" Cui Lan laid the Old Madam on the bed and shouted loudly.

As her words fell, a group of men in black rushed over. They quickly examined the Old Madam, and then one of them said, "Miss, we are doctors from the Divine Physician Mansion. May I ask if the lady feels unwell anywhere?"

"I..." The Old Madam opened her mouth but could not say a word.

Seeing this, one of the men quickly stood up and said, "In that case, let us diagnose the lady!"

"Yes!" Cui Lan quickly agreed.

A moment later, the doctors gathered around the bed. After checking the Old Madam over, they all knelt before Cui Lan and said in unison, "Congratulations, miss. You have also contracted the strange disease."

"What? A strange disease?" Hearing this, Cui Lan looked at the doctors in shock.

At this, the Old Madam's pupils also involuntarily shrank. "What in the world is going on? How did Cui Lian contract this strange disease?"

"Old Madam, forgive our rudeness, but this is the bitter fruit of your own seeding!"

Hearing the doctor's words, the Old Madam's heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly asked, "What is going on? Explain it to me clearly!"

The doctor pondered for a moment before saying, "This strange disease originates from your blood, Old Madam. It seems there are toxins in your body, and your blood is different from that of an ordinary person."

"What?" The Old Madam was utterly astonished.

"Yes, and the toxin is extremely potent. If it isn't neutralized in time, it could endanger your life."

"I..." The Old Madam's face turned deathly pale in an instant.

"Old Madam, once this strange disease fully manifests, death is certain."

"What?" The Old Madam's eyes widened in shock.

"Yes," the doctor said, his face grim.

"Then, what must I do to completely remove this toxin?"

"It's simple. We just need to locate the source of the toxin in your blood."

"The source of the toxin?" Hearing this, the Old Madam quickly asked, "What should I do?"

"Old Madam, please roll up your sleeve first."

"Yes." The Old Madam hurriedly did so.

"This... this is the source of the toxin in your blood. We will now help you remove all of it."

After saying this, the doctor passed a dagger into Cui Lan's hands. He then produced a set of silver acupuncture needles from a medicine pouch and began to prick the Old Madam's arm.

Seeing this, Cui Lan was taken aback. She hadn't expected these doctors to actually come to detoxify the Old Madam. She was incredibly perplexed. According to all medical knowledge, Cui Yu should have been incurable, yet these doctors are now curing the Old Madam! Could it be that they had already detected the Old Madam's poisoning but deliberately concealed it and refused to help?

Thinking of this, Cui Lan hurriedly asked, "Doctors, why did you decide to save my mother?"

A faint smile appeared on the doctor's face as he replied, "The Old Madam is a valued guest of our medical hall. Naturally, we will do our utmost to treat her."

"Oh! So that's how it is," Cui Lan said with a slight smile.

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