Chapter 266 Crisis and Opportunity

Consort Yu could hardly believe it. She picked up the knife and poked at it over and over, but there was still no sign of the medicine bottle.

At this point, she finally realized that there was no antidote in the roasted duck.

"Tell Chen Qi to get in here!"

Chen Qi entered quickly, his gaze subconsciously sweeping over the shattered roasted duck on the table, and he respectfully said, "Your Majesty is looking for this servant."

"Chen Qi, did you personally bring this roasted duck back from Taoranlou today?"

Chen Qi's heart skipped a beat, and he replied meekly, "Yes."

Consort Yu stared at Chen Qi with a scrutinizing gaze for a moment, then asked, word by word, "Was it the one that the waiter at Taoranlou gave you at the beginning?"

Chen Qi's heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat instantly broke out.

Does Your Highness know that the roasted duck you just bought fell on the ground, so you went and bought another one?

That's impossible. The roasted duck at Taoranlou is almost identical in size, taste, and color. How could Your Majesty know that it has been replaced?

Besides, even the Empress didn't see what the first duck looked like.

Thinking about it, Chen Qi wanted to deny it.

Everyone in the Jade Palace knows that the Imperial Concubine's moods are unpredictable. What if the Imperial Concubine thinks the first roasted duck brought bad luck?

"This servant girl—"

"Chen Qi," Consort Yu said expressionlessly, looking at the eunuch before her, "Think carefully before you answer me."

Chen Qi subconsciously looked up and met Consort Yu's cold, deep eyes. A tremendous fear, like an invisible hand, gripped his heart tightly.

“This servant—” he opened his mouth, like a fish pulled ashore, “This servant was carrying the roasted duck that I bought from Taoranlou when I was bumped into by a fleeing thief, and the roasted duck fell to the ground… This servant had no choice but to buy another roasted duck…”

Consort Yu grabbed Chen Qi by the collar and asked sternly, "Where is the roasted duck that fell to the ground?"

Faced with the furious Consort Yu, Chen Qi was momentarily stunned.

It's just a roasted duck; if it falls on the ground, you can just buy another one. Why is the Imperial Concubine so fixated on that roasted duck? She's even convinced that the roasted duck he brought back wasn't the same one.

Unless there's something fishy about that roasted duck.

A chill surged from his heart, quickly flowing to his limbs and bones, instantly clearing his mind.

That's right. The Imperial Concubine enjoys the utmost favor, eating delicacies from land and sea and drinking fine wines. Even if she loves roasted duck, how could she still crave it every month?

There must be something more to the roasted duck than just something to eat, which is why the Imperial Concubine was able to discover that the roasted duck had been switched.

Realizing this, Chen Qi's face turned ashen, wishing he could remain oblivious forever.

He knew there was something wrong with the roasted duck, and the Imperial Concubine directly asked him about it, proving that she didn't care that he would find out.

Why not care? Because the dead don't reveal secrets.

Chen Qi went from kneeling to sitting up, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

Consort Yu kicked him in the face, but her voice was not loud: "I'm asking you, where is the roasted duck that fell on the ground?"

"It was...it was stolen by a beggar..."

Consort Yu leaned against the screen, feeling exhausted from the intense shock of her raging anger: "Very good, you did a good job."

"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me!"

"Guards, gag him and drag him away."

Soon Chen Qi was gagged and dragged away. Consort Yu swept the roasted duck off the table, kicked two brocade stools away, and sat down on the chaise longue as if exhausted.

That bastard poisoned her with a strange toxin that would flare up on the fifteenth of each month, requiring her to take an antidote monthly to suppress the poison.

They wouldn't give her the chance to accumulate the antidote. If they took the roasted duck containing the antidote and then went to buy another one, it would naturally be just an ordinary roasted duck.

Desiring to obtain this month's antidote—Consort Yu closed her eyes, concealing the hatred within them.

She knew very well that only by personally meeting that bastard could she ensure she obtained the antidote. Losing the antidote would make him suspect she had deliberately done it to get more, and he would need to confirm her loyalty.

Loyalty is utter bullshit!

If Consort Yu had some loyalty when she first entered the palace, after being the most favored consort in the harem for several years, with even the Emperor of Great Xia obeying her every whim, how could she not resent being controlled by others?

Having tasted the power, all she wanted was to tear those who tried to boss her around to pieces.

Damn antidote!

Consort Yu slowly opened her eyes and called out, "Qingdai."

A palace maid with only delicate features entered: "Your Highness."

"Go to Taoranlou tomorrow and see Qingfeng for me."

When a secret is known by many people, it ceases to be a secret. The only person in the palace who knows her identity is Qingdai, Qingfeng's sister, who possesses the antidote for her.

To outsiders, Qingdai was her palace maid, but in reality, she was a lowly person who monitored her daily and relayed messages for her when necessary.

You slut! You slut! You slut!

Consort Yu was filled with resentment, but she remained outwardly calm.

Although she couldn't touch that vile woman, there were countless people in the palace for her to vent her anger on.

"Isn't Your Majesty going in person?"

Consort Yu slowly wiped her hands with a silk handkerchief: "I also want to see your brother in person, but Qiu Heng killed someone in Yu Chen Palace and was imprisoned in the inner prison. If I leave the palace at this time, it will be too conspicuous. You don't want others to suspect me, do you? Especially the Imperial City Guard, who has never stopped investigating spies. Xue Han, who is in charge of the Imperial City Guard, and Qiu Heng are a couple in love."

Qingdai did not refuse again.

In the suburbs, in ordinary residential houses.

Xue Han sat on a recliner in the courtyard, getting drowsy from waiting, when he finally heard the creak of the door opening.

He quickly stood up and strode toward Uncle Xu, who was coming out of the pharmacy.

"Uncle Xu, how is it?"

"You brat, don't you even ask if Uncle Xu is hungry or thirsty?" Uncle Xu said with a laugh.

Xue Han picked up the teapot on the table in the courtyard, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to Uncle Xu: "Uncle Xu, have some tea."

Uncle Xu took the tea and drank it all in one gulp. He wiped his mouth and placed the empty porcelain bottle in Xue Han's hand: "It's an antidote to suppress the toxins."

"Suppress?" Xue Han's eyes flashed. "So that means it can't be eradicated and needs to be taken on time?"

Uncle Xu laughed: "You're quite perceptive."

Just as I expected!

Xue Han gripped the porcelain bottle tightly, his heart pounding.

Someone in Taoranlou is controlling Consort Yu with this antidote pill, making Consort Yu's identity as a spy beyond doubt.

A spy who needs medication to control his position and holds a high post would probably not be content with that.

This is the opportunity that he and Aheng can seize.

"Uncle Xu, can you figure out the formula for this antidote pill?"

Uncle Xu glared at him: "You brat, do you think I'm a god?!"

"I was just asking," Xue Han said sheepishly. "Then I'll head back now."

Uncle Xu waved his hand dismissively. Seeing that his eyes were downcast and he looked pitiful and dejected, he said irritably, "If we had more antidote pills, we might be able to study it slowly."

"Thank you, Uncle Xu."

Xue Han bowed deeply to Xu Boshen, left the courtyard, untied the reins of his horse, and had just mounted when a rider galloped towards him.

Seeing the person rushing towards him, Xue Han's expression changed slightly: "Hu Si, what happened?"

(End of this chapter)