Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard Chapter 71.2

Infected with Gu (2)

T/N: I had to change the chapter title to fit the translation; Gu is a mythical type of parasitic bug that's used in stories, many times it's tied to witchcraft, because it can be used to control the human body. 

"Previously, when I fell ill, it was precisely this girl that saved me." Meng Old Madam said, "Last time, when you had gone to see me, didn't I tell you it was a little medicine god? It's precisely her."

"The imperial physicians all say they didn't have a way to save you, yet unexpectedly such a small child like her saved you." The Grand Empress Dowager said, "But Meng Gu also knows medicine. She has examined this grieving one, even she wasn't able to make out the cause."

"Since the girl is here anyways, just let her have a look for you." Meng Old Madam worryingly looked to Grand Empress Dowager.

"Then have a look." Grand Empress Dowager couldn't bear to reject Meng Old Madam, thus nodded in agreement.

"Girl, come and examine second sister." Meng Old Madam waved her hand at Du Xiao Li, indicating for her to go over.

Du Xiao Li went before them and said, "Forgive this subject for overstepping*." With that said, she grabbed Grand Empress Dowager's wrist and began taking her pulse. After a while, she put her hand down and retreated back two steps.

(T/N: Not sure if I need to explain---but just in case; the phrase is similar to 'excuse me', the meaning here is that for someone of her status to touch the Grand Empress Dowager is considered overstepping proper etiquette.) 

"Girl, how is it? Is second sister's body alright?" Seeing Du Xiao Li's tense expression, Meng Old Madam asked.

Grand Empress Dowager looked to Du Xiao Li's appearance, guessing that she might have discovered something yet didn't dare to say, thus opened her mouth, "If there's any problem, there's no harm in you saying it."

"Yes." Du Xiao Li looked to Grand Empress Dowager and said, "Grand Empress Dowager's pulse appear very steady, but after careful consideration, it also seems somewhat problematic." 

"What problem is there?" Meng Old Madam asked.

"Does Grand Empress Dowager often feel chest pain and short of breath lately, moreover can't stand to hear noise, and every day must smell osmanthus flower fragrance in order to feel a little better?" Du Xiao Li asked.

"Yes." Meng Gu who was to the side replied. "That's why we had the servant girls and guards in the palace all transferred away, and moreover, had this place classified as a forbidden palace. No one is allowed to enter. Only Meng Old Madam would occasionally come to chat with Grand Empress Dowager."

"Apart for this, does the Grand Empress Dowager also feel lack of appetite, and in addition, when forced to eat a little of something will always feel nausea?" Du Xiao Li continued.

"Second sister, is it really like this?" Meng Old Madam looked to the Grand Empress Dowager and nervously asked.

The Grand Empress Dowager closed her eyes and helplessly nodded. This was something she's been hiding all along. Unexpectedly, this girl exposed her immediately.

"No wonder you body has been getting increasingly worse lately, losing this much weight." Meng Old Madam said, "Girl, since you know second sister's condition, quickly treat her!" 

"Is Grand Empress Dowager poisoned?" Meng Gu asked. Her medical skills were considered passable, but her poison skills were so-so. Recently, she wasn't able to detect any problems, that's why she suspected that Grand Empress Dowager was poisoned. 

Du Xiao Li shook her head and said, "Grand Empress Dowager isn't poisoned, but rather infected with gu."

"What!?" As soon as they heard gu, everyone in the room all cried out in shock. Rather, it was the Grand Empress Dowager that was still somewhat calm. 

"Girl, are you certain?" Meng Old Madam's expression instantly turned grave and asked in a serious tone.

"Certain. This subject has overstepped." Du Xiao Li came before the Grand Empress Dowager and pulled up her right sleeve, pointing to the streaks of faint white lines on her arm and saying: "This is the marking that would only appear after getting infected with gu." 

"But, didn't gu arts only exist over in the southwest Miao borders? Second sister recently has always stayed in the imperial palace, how can she get infected with gu?" Meng Old Madam said in disbelief. 

"This afraid will have to properly investigate the people of the inner palace." Du Xiao Li said.

"What kind of gu is this gu? What should we do to get rid of it?" Meng Gu asked.

Turns out it was gu, no wonder she wasn't able to detect it.

"Grand Empress Dowager is probably infected with the silkworm gu. This kind isn't a particularly high level gu. They just thought of a way to get the gu eggs into Grand Empress Dowager's body, then using her body as a bed, slowly nurture the gu into maturity. Afterwards, have it raised in the body. Normally, it won't have too big of an affect, just would make one be unable to handle noise and like quietness. But once the gu grows up and is awoken, it'll very quickly nibble away at the body. All the way until the body dies will the gu finally die. This kind of gu doesn't have any connection to the gu master. Once it enters the body, it'll survive based on instinct." Du Xiao Li explained. 

"This scary!" Meng Old Madam covered her own chest and said, "Girl, quickly get rid of the gu for second sister." 

"Getting rid of this gu is very simple, but right now isn't possible." Du Xiao Li shook her head.

"Why?" Meng Gu asked.

"Just now I already said, this kind of gu is very low level and isn't controlled by the gu master, so we can just force the gu out of the body. But this gu has already lived inside Grand Empress Dowager's body for this long. If we rashly force it out, afraid Grand Empress Dowager's body won't be able to bear it. Moreover, right now is when this gu is the most excited. Forcibly having it forced out of the body, afraid will cause it to resist, harming Grand Empress Dowager's body in the process." Du Xiao Li replied. 

"Then what to do?" Meng Old Madam asked.

"This osmanthus flower scent is precisely the most important factor in provoking the gu. That's why, in the next few days, Grand Empress Dowager cannot inhale this osmanthus flower scent, so as to let this excited gu slowly calm down. Afterwards, also need to nurse Grand Empress Dowager's body in this period." 

"But regardless of what, whatever master eats will all get thrown back up. This way, how can we nurse master's body?" Meng Gu worryingly said.

"I will think of a way to suppress the gu, let it reduce its influence on Grand Empress Dowager's body. Afterwards, we can additionally use some relatively less stimulating but also nourishing foods to adjust Grand Empress Dowager's body. However, with these, as long as we can guarantee that Grand Empress Dowager's body can handle it, we can force out the gu. The actual nursing will take place after the gu is force out." Du Xiao Li said.

From the moment Grand Empress Dowager agreed to Du Xiao Li taking her pulse until now, she's not spoken a word, only calmly observing Du Xiao Li, watching her and Meng Old Madam, as well as Meng Gu, discuss her condition. Seeing her confident look, she can't help but slightly nodded her head. 

"Second sister, since you can't smell osmanthus flowers, then you can't live here." Meng Old Madam said.

Everyone in the palace all know, Grand Empress Dowager very much likes osmanthus flowers and planted many osmanthus flower trees in her palace. Furthermore, for the sake of winning her favor, nearly every flower garden in the imperial palace all had osmanthus flower trees. 

"Master, how about moving to the estate outside the city?" Meng Gu said, but before anyone could say anything, she herself rejected this idea, "Won't do, that estate also has many osmanthus flower trees."

"Knowing that second sister likes osmanthus flowers, the estates outside the city, regardless of which one, nearly all have osmanthus flowers growing. Right now is precisely the period for osmanthus flowers to bloom. Where can we go to find a place without osmanthus flowers?" Meng Old Madam said.

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