Chapter 174 Borrowing a Knife

A fleeting look of undisguised panic crossed the official's face!

He glanced around instinctively, his eyes meeting Liu Wenyuan's for a fleeting moment before quickly looking away. He then hurriedly explained, "Your...Your Highness, please understand! This...this official only ground the ink. What's in my fingernail is probably just...ink powder!"

"Is that so?" Shen Qingci smiled upon hearing this.

She carefully folded the white paper stained with black powder and handed it to Qin Yun beside her. Her voice was calm, but it carried a chilling undertone: "Whether it is black powder or some kind of nasty poison, once I hand it over to Physician Li for a thorough examination, it will naturally become clear."

Having said that, she didn't even glance at the official whose face had already turned ashen. Instead, she coldly ordered the Imperial Guards beside her, "Take this man, and everyone else who was in the hall just now, to the next hall and keep a close watch on them!"

Liu Wenyuan's face was already extremely ugly!

Chu Jichen was just under his watchful eye.

Shen Qingci, using the pretext that Chu Jichen had been poisoned, decided to put them under guard.

How similar this scene is!

However, this time, the tables have turned, and they are the ones being watched over!

"Your Highness!" He stepped forward, attempting to raise an objection, "You..."

"Is Your Excellency the Prime Minister implying that I, the Princess Consort, am not qualified?" Shen Qingci scoffed, interrupting him rudely, her eyes sharp as knives. "Or is it... Your Excellency the Prime Minister, that you are in such a hurry because... you are the mastermind behind poisoning the Regent?"

"How dare you!" Liu Wenyuan roared.

"I'm being presumptuous?" Shen Qingci met his gaze without flinching. "Who's being presumptuous here?!"

“If you have a clear conscience, you will naturally have nothing to fear from investigation! If Your Excellency is truly innocent, why are you here to prevent me, the Princess Consort, from thoroughly investigating the real culprit?”

Where was the slightest trace of her usual gentle and virtuous demeanor at this moment?

Those crimson phoenix eyes were filled with an almost manic ruthlessness and determination, like an enraged tiger ready to fight its enemy to the death!

Looking at her like this, Liu Wenyuan felt a sense of apprehension!

He was unsure whether Shen Qingci's so-called "Shen family private army" had been secretly brought into the capital, or even into the palace, by her or Chu Jichen.

Chu Jichen's fate is currently unknown, and although the situation is unclear, it seems to be very favorable to him.

If Chu Jichen is truly dead, then the Great Zhou Dynasty will truly fall completely into his hands.

If he were to confront Shen Qingci, this madwoman, head-on right now, what if... what if she really didn't care and ordered those hidden private soldiers to kill him on the spot... then it would truly be a loss for him!

Liu Wenyuan quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind, and in the end, he forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart.

He sneered and flicked his sleeve, saying, "I've done nothing wrong and I'm perfectly upright! I'm naturally not afraid of your investigation! Let's get out!"

Having said that, he took the lead and led the other officials, whose faces were equally grim, out of the side hall.

Watching their departing figures, Shen Qingci quickly turned back and walked to Physician Li's side, her voice filled with urgency and worry: "Physician Li, how is the Prince...?"

Physician Li slowly shook his head.

"What he was poisoned with was not some kind of immortal-slaying powder."

A knowing glint flashed in Shen Qingci's eyes.

She sneered, "I knew it! What 'Immortal-Slaying Powder'? That imperial physician... he's probably one of Liu Wenyuan's men!"

"Whether the so-called antidote he just took out is truly an antidote or a poison that will actually worsen Chu Jichen's condition, we are afraid... it's still unknown!"

Fortunately, she acted decisively and did not allow the imperial physician to feed Chu Jichen the medicine.

She took a deep breath and looked at Physician Li: "What kind of poison has the prince been poisoned with? Is there any antidote?"

An unprecedented solemnity appeared on Physician Li's face.

He remained silent for a long time before slowly shaking his head.

"Forgive my poor eyesight, but this poison... I have never seen it before, and it is not recorded in any of the medical books I have read before."

"But Your Highness, rest assured," he quickly reassured her upon seeing Shen Qingci's pale face, "I have just used silver needles to seal Your Highness's heart meridian, temporarily halting the spread of the poison. I will find out the source of the poison as soon as possible and find a way... to concoct an antidote."

Shen Qingci's heart trembled violently.

She forced herself to nod, her voice hoarse: "Then... I'll have to trouble Physician Li."

Now, she has no choice but to trust the Imperial Physician Li, whom Chu Jichen respects.

Without saying another word, Physician Li went around the screen, took out several ancient books that were already yellowed from his medicine box, and quickly began to read them by candlelight.

Shen Qingci walked to the bedside, reached out, and gently grasped Chu Jichen's still icy hand.

Feeling the faint warmth from his palm, her panicked heart finally calmed down a little.

She instructed Yuanbao, who was standing beside her, "You guard this place well, and do not allow anyone to approach! This princess... is going to investigate personally who poisoned this, and how they did it!"

She walked quickly outside, but as soon as she reached the palace gate, Yuanbao, who had somehow chased after her, quietly tugged at her sleeve.

Shen Qingci frowned: "What's wrong?"

A very strange expression appeared on Yuanbao's face.

He winked and made faces at Shen Qingci, gesturing for her to come closer.

Shen Qingci's heart stirred, and she did as she was told, bringing her ear closer.

Yuanbao spoke rapidly in a voice softer than a mosquito's buzz: "Your Highness! Just now... just now, there was a fluctuation of energy behind that hidden door at the back of the palace! Your subordinate... your subordinate even smelled the ambergris scent that belongs only to His Majesty!"

"It must be... His Majesty, secretly coming through the hidden door to check on the Prince's situation!"

A sharp glint flashed in Shen Qingci's eyes!

She immediately asked, "Are there still our people lurking around watching?"

"Don't worry, Your Highness!" Yuanbao nodded emphatically.

Shen Qingci's eyelashes began to tremble violently uncontrollably.

She slowly raised a cold smile.

“Since… there are guards protecting him, the prince’s absolute safety can be guaranteed.”

"Then His Majesty...if he wants to see, then let him...see to his heart's content."

"Only when he sees Chu Jichen in this precarious state, with his life hanging in the balance, will he truly believe that Liu Wenyuan... has already harbored rebellious intentions!"

"Only by using him as a weapon can we deal with Liu Wenyuan!"