As soon as Zhao Yuancheng left the court, he heard that the imperial concubine was unwell. He didn't even have time to change into his court clothes and went straight to Yongfu Palace.

When they arrived at Yongfu Palace, the queen's warm sedan also stopped at the door.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you."

"No need to be polite. Why did you come here if you are not feeling well?"

The Queen's face was solemn. "Your Highness is not feeling well. I am really worried about you."

Zhao Yuancheng nodded, "The Queen is thoughtful."

After saying this, the two of them walked towards the imperial concubine's warm room, one in front and one behind.

When she heard the announcement from outside that Zhao Yuancheng had arrived, the imperial concubine's tears flowed like pearls from a broken string as she struggled and threw herself towards the emperor.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

Zhao Yuancheng passed the crowd and walked to the imperial concubine. Seeing her pale face, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised. "How could she be so sick out of nowhere?"

The imperial concubine burst into tears but could not utter a word.

Zhao Yuancheng held the imperial concubine in his arms and asked the imperial physician coldly, "What exactly is going on?"

Doctor Xun knelt and kowtowed, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine's persistent abdominal pain is due to continuous consumption of extremely cold foods. Furthermore, I discovered safflower and red peony root in the pregnancy-maintaining medicine the Imperial Concubine usually uses. These two herbs have the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, but they should be used with caution on women. I just asked Miss Shuqing, and she said that the Empress has been taking this pregnancy-maintaining medicine for half a month, and these two herbs have been mixed in with the Empress's medicine. Now the Empress's body is severely damaged, and the bleeding will not stop. It will be even more difficult for her to have children in the future."

Zhao Yuancheng scolded him, "How do you do things at the Imperial Hospital? How could the Imperial Concubine's pregnancy medicine be mixed with these things?"

"Your Majesty is well aware that the pregnancy medicine the Imperial Concubine took did not come from the Imperial Hospital, but was obtained by the Empress herself from outside the palace."

After hearing these words again, the imperial concubine was so sad that she almost fainted, but this time it was clearly her own fault.

Zhao Yuancheng's expression grew increasingly grim. Shu Qing immediately knelt on the ground and pleaded, "Your Majesty, our Empress's pregnancy-maintaining medicine was indeed obtained from outside the palace, but before taking it, she had it examined by Imperial Physician Lin, who said there was nothing suspicious about it. Imperial Physician Xun also examined it just now. It seems this extremely cold substance must have been put in there by someone else. Please, Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, please help our Empress."

The Queen asked in a deep voice, "In that case, was this medicine brewed in your Imperial Hospital, or in the small kitchen in the palace?"

"Your Majesty is afraid that the Emperor will worry, so she dares not make it public."

"Then it must have been brewed in her own palace." The Queen turned her head to look at Zhao Yuancheng, her eyes darkening. "Your Majesty, I believe that the person who could put this dirty thing into the medicine without being discovered must be someone in the Imperial Concubine's own palace."

Zhao Yuancheng solemnly ordered Zhu Yu, "Immediately conduct a thorough investigation of all the people in Yongfu Palace."

“Yeah.”

——

Huayang Palace.

While Fu Qianyu was still having breakfast, Lingyun reported what she and Baozan had found in Huayang Palace yesterday.

"Your Majesty, I found something in the secret compartment of your bedroom closet. Haining has some medical knowledge and has checked it out. It is arsenic and some vile spices."

Fu Qianyu glanced at what Lingyun was holding and said slowly, "Concubine Rong was the most favored concubine during the late emperor's reign, but even as a favored concubine, her life was a precarious one."

"What about these things?"

"Bury them all."

"Yes." Lingyun nodded in agreement and then talked about the new arrivals in Huayang Palace. "Your Majesty, the Shanggong Bureau sent people over. I only asked them to do some cleaning and washing. The ones who served us personally were still the ones who served us in the East Palace back then."

Fu Qianyu took a bite of the meatball and smiled with satisfaction, "I am always at ease with what you do."

Not long after, Xiang Yue came in through the curtains, "Your Majesty, Eunuch De is here."

Peirong was a little surprised. "What is he doing here so early in the morning?"

Fu Qianyu had already put down her chopsticks and told Xiang Yue, "Please ask him to come in."

The curtain was lowered and then raised again. Xiao Dezi came in bowing and said, "Your servant pays respects to the Empress Zhaoyi."

"No need to be polite." Fu Qianyu smiled slightly. "It's so early in the morning, but what instructions does the emperor have?"

Xiao Dezi's expression was not very good. "In reply to your Majesty, the Emperor requests that you go to Yongfu Palace immediately?"

Fu Qianyu narrowed her eyes, "What happened?"

"Since this concerns the Imperial Concubine, I cannot say much. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Fu Qianyu's eyes darkened. "I understand. I'll go there right away."

"I'll take my leave."

After Xiao Dezi left, Lingyun and Peirong hurried to help Fu Qianyu wash and change clothes. Peirong was a little worried, "I heard that the imperial concubine was not feeling well. Why would they ask you to go there when there was nothing wrong?"

Fu Qianyu looked at herself in the mirror, feeling vaguely uneasy. "What exactly is going on? You'll know when you get there."

When they arrived at Yongfu Palace, Liu Zhaoyi and Xia Jieyu also came. Neither of them spoke. After a brief greeting, they went straight to the imperial concubine's inner palace.

But as soon as he entered the yard, he saw the palace maids who usually served the imperial concubine kneeling on the ground, with bruises on their faces, obviously they had just been tortured.

When they entered the hall, Zhao Yuancheng and the queen were sitting there, and a palace maid was kneeling below.

The palace maid trembled all over. She looked up at Fu Qianyu and then immediately lowered her head.

"I pay my respects to the Emperor and the Empress."

"Why are you here too?" Zhao Yuancheng looked at Liu Zhaoyi and Xia Jieyu with some displeasure.

Concern could not help but show on Liu Zhaoyi's face: "I heard that the Imperial Concubine was unwell, so I came to see her."

"Well, you're so thoughtful. Let's all sit down first."

After thanking her again, Fu Qianyu had not yet sat down when she looked up and saw the imperial concubine running out of the bedroom with disheveled hair like an evil ghost.

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