Lian Chun, who was guarding the courtyard gate, saw Xiang Wu carrying a food box and quickly gave Lian Dong under the eaves a look. She then turned around and greeted her with a smile: "You've brought the medicine for the old lady and the young lady again, which saves us the trouble of making the trip."

Her voice unconsciously grew louder, and she didn't know if the people inside could hear her through the heavy curtain.

Li Shiyue, who was in the inner room, saw Chunling and Liandong come in to report the news, and immediately covered the things on the bed with Old Madam Xu's brocade quilt.

After Old Madam Xu closed her eyes and lay down, she got out of bed, put on her embroidered shoes, and went back to lie down in the gauze-covered wardrobe.

"Don't come any closer. Just stay with your grandmother. You still have to put on an act."

After glancing at Xu Yunci, who was about to follow, Li Shiyue quickly covered herself with the blanket after speaking.

Taking the handkerchief from Chunling, she leaned against the headboard, her eyebrows and eyes lowered, her gaze filled with worry, and her pale face made her seem truly terminally ill.

Xu Yunci didn't say anything. He was just worried that she would run away without her shoes, but he ended up getting yelled at instead.

Seeing the smile still on his lips, Old Madam Xu couldn't help but chuckle and scold softly, "You're just like your old man."

After saying that, Madam Xu closed her eyes, pretending to be still asleep.

The curtain was lifted, and a gust of cool air seemed to follow. Xiangwu, carrying a food box, was taken aback when she entered, not expecting Xu Yunci to be there.

As usual, she put down the food box containing the herbal medicine, but couldn't help glancing at it one last time before leaving.

As soon as everyone left, Li Shiyue hurriedly came over from the green gauze cabinet, still wearing her clothes.

Seeing Xu Yunci help Old Madam Xu sit up, she opened the food box and poured the two bowls of medicine into the potted plant.

A moment later, Granny Chang came in again carrying a food box. This was the medicine that Zhao had prescribed, which the two of them drank every day.

As for what Xiangwu brought from the kitchen, that was just for show.

Xu Yunci didn't stay long. After leaving Shousong Hall, he went straight to Songyuan, where Chang An had been waiting for a long time.

“These days I have been following her. This girl is not very careful. She did not leave the mansion, but someone chiseled a small hole in the corner of the wall at the west side gate at some point.”

“This servant saw that the person who helped her was a lame old man who was very familiar with this street. He almost shook this servant off until he entered the side gate of the Changping Marquis’s mansion.”

"This servant suspects that the poisoning of Miss Biao and the old lady is most likely related to the woman surnamed Fu. As for what role Consort Fu played, we have no idea."

Xu Yunci tapped his index finger lightly on the table and said thoughtfully, "Consort Fu wouldn't be so stupid as to steal from her own things, even though she is born stupid."

"Those who were watching Miss Fu discovered that her maid had been entering and leaving the Prince Zhao's residence in a very secretive and suspicious manner."

Chang An thought for a moment and then told the truth: "The Prince Zhao's mansion is very quiet. I heard that the Prince Zhao spends his time at the mansion either tending to flowers or playing with birds. He is very leisurely."

The Marquis of Changping's residence... The Prince of Zhao's residence...

Xu Yunci was lost in thought. The maid had already confessed everything. Now he was just waiting for Xu Lingyu to find out what was going on in the Pixiang Palace so he could go and complain to the Emperor.

Two days later, the Crown Prince went straight to the Jingzhao Prefecture after the morning court session, his face serious: "Pixiang Palace is unlikely to be the answer. Should we look for another way?"

“The Pixiang Palace is too clean, and your elder sister can’t do anything about it.”

Xu Yunci thought for a moment, tracing the patterns on the thumb ring with his fingertips: "Then I'll request an audience with the Emperor. I have a certificate here that the Fu family has no choice but to acknowledge."

He endured for more than just two or three days. He had someone carry the maid and went directly with the Crown Prince to the Funing Palace to meet the Emperor. He didn't forget his father, the Duke of Rongguo.

Xu Yunci looked furious, rarely showing such anger, which surprised even the Emperor.

"How did you all get here together?"

To be honest, the Emperor has recently had some minor issues with Xu Yunci. The rumors circulating in the capital about him obtaining the imperial decree for marriage are just another slap in the face for him.

"Your subject wishes to file a complaint against the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Changping, Fu, for poisoning my elderly mother and my niece, the Princess of Yichang County."

Duke Rongguo took the lead in kneeling down, and Xu Yunci did not hesitate to kowtow directly, indicating that he was on the same side as his father.

"Wait, you and your son have come to file a complaint against me? Who is it?"

The emperor's eyes widened, and he almost fell off the dragon throne.

The Crown Prince, standing to the side, reminded them, "Madam Xu and the Princess of Yichang have been ill for almost half a month. In fact, they have been poisoned, and the poison came from the palace."

"presumptuous!"

The emperor's face was gloomy. During his reign, he was the most benevolent and kind, and what he hated most was the jealousy and rivalry among the women in the harem and the disloyalty and injustice among the court officials.

Not to mention it's something that can kill people.

"Your Majesty, I also want to accuse the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Changping, Fu, of maliciously slandering me and the Princess of Yichang. The eldest daughter of Fu had her maid bribe a storyteller with silver to say that the Princess of Yichang is a despicable person, an orphan who brought death to her own relatives, and is unfit to be the Princess."

"This trip and this action are undoubtedly an attempt to challenge the authority and will of the emperor, and clearly show a lack of willingness to submit."

"The poison that harmed my grandmother and the Princess of Yichang was sent from the Imperial Concubine's Pixiang Palace. I hope Your Majesty will investigate thoroughly."

After speaking, Xu Yunci kowtowed and bent down again.

The Duke of Rongguo blinked, realizing that they hadn't mentioned this in the carriage. His expression changed; however, the Marquis of Changping's family dared to bully the Xu family, truly thinking they were pushovers whom anyone would want to take advantage of.

"Summon the Imperial Concubine first, and have Miss Fu wait in the side hall."

As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, Eunuch Gao led Consort Fu, who was dressed in luxurious clothes, into the room.

Her hair was styled in a full bun, the gold ornaments obscuring her dark locks. Her eyes immediately fell on the Xu father and son kneeling in the center, and a flicker of unease stirred within her.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings."

Consort Fu curtsied and withdrew her gaze, wondering what could possibly be the reason for summoning her at this hour.

Ironically, after Chunhui was married off to a distant place, she, a noble consort, not only had to live under the command of the crown prince's concubine, but also lost favor with the emperor.

"You really don't know?" the Emperor asked in confusion. In truth, he couldn't be completely without affection for Consort Fu, the woman who had been by his side for many years.

Consort Fu looked up in confusion, somewhat puzzled: "Your Majesty, I do not know. If I am guilty, please tell me."

"Your Highness may not know, but why not ask your dear niece, who dared to poison someone from the Rongguo Duke's mansion?"

Xu Yunci had already stood up, glanced at Consort Fu who looked puzzled, and kindly offered a reminder.

"My grandmother and my bride are still lying at home. I would like to ask my grandmother and bride when they offended the Marquis of Changping's family, that they would resort to such a vicious method as poisoning?"