Chapter 131 Setting up a stage for a performance, unexpectedly rescuing someone from a difficult situation.

The first prescription was handwritten by her. Comparing the handwriting, she had no way of denying that it was just an ordinary prescription for regulating her constitution.

The second prescription, however, was one she had prepared long ago, a rubbing sent directly from the system.

Since Princess Yong broke the contract and refused to acknowledge it, she wanted to shift all the blame onto her.

Why should she care about a one-time friendship?

Ji Qingwu looked up and stared straight ahead, saying, "That day at Hanshan Temple, my elder sister, out of consideration for my close friendship with the Princess, specially invited me to come and treat her. I only gave the Princess a prescription for conditioning her body."

She emphasized that she had only given one, and continued, "The princess has been unable to conceive for many years and is eager for a son. It is understandable that she might have used the wrong method in a moment of confusion in order to give birth to a legitimate son of the royal family as soon as possible. But why do you have to smear me?"

As she spoke, her eyes reddened and her lips pressed tightly together, as if she was trying her best to suppress her grievances.

"Furthermore, regardless of where the prescription came from, if the Princess Consort did not consult the physician in the manor to verify it before administering it to the Prince, then the person who administered the medicine was the Princess Consort herself. If we are to hold someone accountable, wouldn't you bear the greatest responsibility?"

That makes sense. In the end, it was Princess Yong who took the medicine; it was her own fault.

Regardless of where the prescription came from, Tao Wanyin was the most guilty.

The Empress Dowager nodded thoughtfully.

His expression towards Princess Yong was filled with deep dissatisfaction, but considering the child in her womb, he had to suppress his anger.

The Empress Dowager comforted her, saying, "It seems that Qingwu meant well."

Aside from the last time she talked back to her, you can tell from the two incidents where she saved Yuanheng from falling into the water and Qingyun from falling off the cliff that she is a kind-hearted and good girl.

At this moment, Yinxiang, who was standing behind Tao Wanyin, gently touched her elbow, reminding her of something.

The two women, mistress and servant, stared at each other for a moment before Tao Wanyin turned to look back at the Empress Dowager.

"Mother, I was misled by Ji Qingwu. It was because she harbored resentment towards the Prince that she wanted to use me to make the Prince lose his lineage."

Ji Qingwu's eyelashes fluttered a few times, and tears welled up in her eyes.

“I have no grudge against Prince Yong, and he is my own cousin. Why would I harbor resentment towards him? Why would I be so cruel to him?”

Tao Wanyin said, "Your subject once asked Xiao Ningzi, who is by the Prince's side, and the incident at Yu Cui Lou happened on the night Ji Changyan was arrested. The Prince and Ji Qingwu were together at that time."

The Empress Dowager was also shocked upon hearing this: "What does it mean to stay in one place?"

"that is--"

Ji Qingwu's expression also changed, and she interrupted sharply, "Your Highness, you can't just say things you didn't see with your own eyes."

Tao Wanyin touched her belly and looked at Ji Qingwu, who was no longer as delicate as before. Her gentle expression turned into contempt.

After recovering her health using the first prescription, she was initially grateful to the highly skilled physician, Miss Ji. However, after being reminded by her maid, Yinxiang, they noticed something strange.

Why would Ji Qingwu go to such lengths to help her?

Just because she was Ji Qingrong's close friend, he still wanted to curry favor with her, the Princess Consort of Yong. It's laughable that she was in a difficult situation in the Prince's mansion, and who would care about her, a princess consort in name only?

Later, she bribed a servant in the prince's entourage and unexpectedly learned that Ji Qingwu had actually spent the night with Prince Yong on the dragon boat...

She's just like all of Prince Yong's other women! Ji Qingwu is only trying to use her.

But Tao Wanyin still used the second prescription.

Only by conceiving a child can her situation be changed. Even if she has made a mistake, Prince Yong and the Empress Dowager will still show leniency for the sake of the child in her womb.

Once the melon ripens and falls to the ground, ten months later, she will have been credited with giving birth, and even the biggest mistake will seem smaller.

Tao Wanyin calmly replied, "Every word I have said is true. If Your Majesty does not believe me, you can summon Xiao Ningzi for questioning. If all else fails, you can ask the Prince."

The Empress Dowager remained silent with a sullen face, while Aunt Fanghua stood behind her, not daring to move or offer any further advice.

A sense of unease welled up inside Ji Qingwu.

Unexpectedly, Tao Wanyin had the ability to find out what happened that night. What will the Empress Dowager do when she finds out...?

While things were in turmoil inside the hall, a sound came from outside the door.

"Mother!"

When the Empress Dowager heard the call, she looked over and her expression softened instantly.

Upon seeing the person in the peach-red palace dress, Ji Qingwu felt even more anxious; the person who had come was not the one she had expected.

Last time, Princess Huachang came to the rescue, but this time, someone else is just making things worse.

The Empress Dowager sighed and said, "Qingyun, why did you come here? Your knee is still injured. Why are you getting up and walking around instead of resting in bed?"

Princess Qingyun pushed aside the eunuch who was blocking her way and walked in, saying with displeasure, "Mother, I heard that something happened at my third brother's residence, and I was anxious to come and see."

Actually, she had heard that Ji Qingwu had entered the palace, and she couldn't stay in bed any longer, so she decided to come and see for herself. But she was stopped at the door, and after eavesdropping on the conversation inside for a long time, she learned that this incident had happened at the Yongwang Mansion.

Ji Qingwu met the princess's gaze and saw the princess wink at him playfully.

Princess Qingyun has indeed suffered a lot these days. Her face looks much thinner and her lips are pale and bloodless, but her eyes are brighter than before.

Ji Qingwu really couldn't understand what this little princess was thinking, why she was even giving him flirtatious glances.

Princess Qingyun plopped down next to Ji Qingwu.

She said dismissively, "Mother, I just overheard something about my fifth cousin and third brother spending the night together at the door. That's impossible."

The Empress Dowager said, "Why is it impossible?"

Princess Qingyun said, "Mother, have you forgotten? Fifth Cousin had her eye on my husband before and was still heartbroken. How could she have developed feelings for Third Brother?"

"Don't you think so, Fifth Cousin?" He winked at her again.

Ji Qingwu forced a smile, and said the two words with great difficulty: "Is... right?"

Although she didn't know why Princess Qingyun had suddenly appeared and spoken up for her, she couldn't be happy about this way of getting out of trouble.

Ji Qingwu felt that Li Chengxun and Prince Yong were like...

One is sugar stained with mud.

From afar, it still exudes an alluring sweet fragrance, beckoning people forward; but upon closer inspection, it has long been corroded by the filth and grime of the world.

Another one is simply sugar made from sludge.

They deceive the world by pretending to be candy, possessing only outstanding appearance and family background, but all that is gold on the outside and rotten on the inside, merely a facade.

She didn't want to have anything to do with either of those two men again.

But there was no better way at the moment, and she could only hope that Princess Qingyun's words would be enough to let the matter drop.

The Empress Dowager was not bothered by Qingyun's words and pressed on, "Your Highness, is this true or not?"

Tao Wanyin was still hesitating whether or not to reveal the truth, but seeing the Empress Dowager's displeased expression...

She said directly, "Mother, you can investigate as you please. I also heard from Xiao Ningzi that Ji Qingwu was drugged with a potent aphrodisiac that night. Ji Changyan personally took her to the Prince's dragon boat. To save her life, the Prince...spent the night with her. Afterwards, she did not receive any official title, which is why she harbored resentment towards the Prince."

The first part was what she heard from the servant, and the second part was her guess.