He smiled, but didn't say anything.

Su Liangdi is a clever woman. As for Yan Shi, she's just lazy.

Seeing that he smiled slightly, the Crown Princess felt much more at ease.

"It's getting late, let's bring some snacks. Let the younger sisters perk up," said the Crown Princess.

Someone answered and went to order the kitchen to prepare it.

The kitchen also prepares them, so it's not a hassle.

When the snacks were served, the imperial physician was also summoned.

After all, they weren't going to the palace to invite them; they were inviting those who weren't on duty. The imperial physicians' lodgings were easy to find.

It was Physician Huang who arrived. He had been here before.

After paying his respects, he didn't ask any further questions, but instead took Liu's pulse.

Liu had been kneeling the whole time, and it was only now that they told her to get up.

Liu kept muttering something and didn't seem to calm down at all.

The imperial physician not only took Liu's pulse, but also examined her tongue and eyes.

After a while, he stood up and said, "Your Highness, it seems like they've ingested something unclean."

"Poisoning?" Shu Chengfeng asked.

"No, it doesn't seem like a deadly poison. It's more like some kind of non-lethal herb that can make people's eyes glaze over, their tongues turn numb and white, and they may also talk nonsense and lose their minds," said Physician Huang.

"Hallucinations," Yan Nangui murmured to himself.

"What...what is this?" Everyone was shocked.

"I have heard that there are many mushrooms in the dense forests of southern Yunnan that can cause various hallucinations when eaten. Some other flowers and herbs also have this effect. However, these things are not highly poisonous, so silver needles are useless. Normally, the condition will improve once the effects wear off," said Physician Huang.

Shu Chengfeng glanced at Liu Shi a few times: "I understand. Physician Huang, please go and wait in the front courtyard."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave," Physician Huang hurriedly replied.

"Liu is seriously ill and doesn't need to come out anymore. The maids serving her aren't doing a good job either, so let's replace them."

Yin'e's face turned pale, but Liu Shi showed no reaction.

Shu Chengfeng stood up: "It's getting late, everyone should rest. I'm going back too."

The Crown Princess hurriedly got up to see him off.

After he left, the Crown Princess waved her hand and said, "Go back now. You don't need to pay your respects tomorrow morning."

Then everyone left one by one.

In the main courtyard, Shu Chengfeng said, "Interrogate them tonight."

It goes without saying who is being investigated.

Physician Huang is still waiting.

"Thank you for your trouble, Physician Huang. I called you here so late at night." Shu Chengfeng smiled.

"I dare not, this is what I should do," Physician Huang hurriedly replied.

"A member of the household has suddenly fallen ill; Physician Huang has truly worked hard. Yunji, reward him."

Physician Huang understood. This meant he was told to keep his mouth shut.

"Your Highness, I thank you for your generous gift," Physician Huang said hastily.

Who doesn't have their share of private matters in their backyard? So he wouldn't gossip.

After the imperial physician left, Yunji went to interrogate Yin'e and Qiao'e, whom he had beaten up during the day.

Liu has been sent back to her residence by the Crown Princess. This time, the door is sealed off, and apart from food and drink, she will not be coming out again.

At least, she won't be able to leave until the Crown Prince is certain she's truly innocent.

“Your Highness, it’s getting late. You should rest. There’s no rush to know about those things now,” said the eunuch Liu Cha, who came to serve you.

Shu Chengfeng nodded and went to sleep, but it was already late at night.

Fortunately, there is no morning court session tomorrow.

In the dungeon of the mansion, Yin'e and Qiao'e, who had been pulled from their beds, were locked together.

Qiao'e had already been delirious from fever during the day after falling into the water and being beaten. Now, she was trembling with fear, terror, and cold.

Yin'e, feeling guilty, was also trembling.

She looked at the instruments of torture outside and shrank back into the corner.

She knew perfectly well that this time there was no escape; death was inevitable...

She didn't want to endure those torture instruments before she died...

She had never known the Crown Prince's residence had a dungeon before... Looking at the instruments of torture and smelling the stench, she could almost see countless people being beaten bloodied and bruised here...

No, no, she can't stand it.

She squatted down and slowly reached out to pull the hairpin out of her hair.

Just as the clouds outside were gathering people, a scream was heard.

When I ran over, I saw that Yin'e had already pierced her throat with the hairpin...

Fresh blood was gushing out, clearly indicating that there was no hope of saving him.

"Go to hell!" Yun Ji kicked him angrily.

Qiao'e, who had fainted from fright, was tied up and interrogated.

But she really didn't know anything; all she could say was that Yin'e had a better relationship with her master.

Despite being put in torture devices and unable to extract any information from her, she was already on the verge of death from the torture.

Already ill, he was now clearly at his breaking point.

By the time Yun Ji knelt in the main courtyard, it was already dawn.

Shu Chengfeng only asked a few questions before ordering someone to give Yun Ji a beating.

He was ordered to interrogate, but instead the man committed suicide; this is dereliction of duty.

Yun Ji truly never expected that a girl could have such great perseverance!

After finishing the thirty-person team meeting, Yun Ji limped over and said, "I only managed to get a little bit out of her, which is that Liu Shi did indeed see that dress."

Even if Liu trusted Yin'e completely, she couldn't hide this from Qiao'e.

Since they're all together, they're bound to see each other.

I don't know about the other Qiao'e.

Now that we know this, the person who drugged her is the one who killed Han Chenghui.

As for Yin'e's death, Liu herself could not possibly know who had poisoned her.

That's considered a break.

"Yunji, was it unfair to hit you this time?"

"It was my dereliction of duty. I will certainly keep a close eye on things and will not let anyone cause trouble again," Yun Ji said.

"Alright, go and rest. You don't need to follow me today." Shu Chengfeng stood up; he still had to go to the palace to face His Majesty.

All these troubles in the household, in the final analysis, boil down to the struggle for favor.

This person, however, is indeed ruthless.

Han Chenghui is dead. Was it a frame-up by the chief physician or Ye Liangdi?

As for the Liu family, they were nothing more than pawns, utterly useless.

Yan Nangui slept until noon.

I woke up to hear that Liu had been imprisoned. Yin'e had committed suicide. Qiao'e had been sent away, but she was also very ill and probably didn't have many days left.

"That's amazing. One move and three lives are gone." Yan Nangui said, propping his head up with his hand.

"This... Aunt Liu won't get better?" Luo Kui was a little scared.

"Others are using her to try and harm the Crown Princess." Would the Crown Princess allow her to live?

Anyway, he's already locked up, he'll slowly die.

Luo Kui is still young and had never imagined experiencing these things before, so she is really scared now.

But then I thought, my wife is smart and capable. She won't get involved in these things.

"But who is this person? We've searched the entire manor; perhaps it's someone from outside? Your Highness is truly having a tough time. Surrounded by wolves, you have enemies both inside and outside."

"In just a few short months, we've lost two masters and several maids..." Chanyi sighed.

The bloodshed and violence in the Crown Prince's residence is truly terrifying.

But this isn't even the harem; the harem contains far more buried remains.

"This is the royal family," Yan Nangui said calmly.