Chapter 201 Uya: I'm familiar with this poisoning method

Hesheli listened without showing any expression on her face.

She remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle.

"Take action? Easier said than done. What can I use to take action? With you, Granny, and a few useless servants? Or with the few connections in the family that are no longer effective?"

She raised her eyes and looked at the old woman, her gaze cold and aloof.

"With the Emperor about to bestow titles upon the six palaces, I'll at least get a concubine rank, and my influence might improve slightly then. At this time, you want me to provoke the concubines under the Empress's jurisdiction and have designs on the imperial heir? Do you want me, this pawn, to die even faster?"

Her tone grew colder, carrying a sense of finality.

"Go back and tell them that I won't take any action before the grand investiture. I want to live, and I don't want to follow in my sister's footsteps. If the family is truly dissatisfied with me and thinks I'm useless..."

She paused, her tone tinged with sarcasm.

"Why not go to the trouble of selecting someone who isn't useless and sending her into the palace, so she can get rid of the Empress directly? Wouldn't that be more satisfying? Just ask them if they still have the ability to do that now?"

Upon hearing this, the old woman turned pale and quickly replied.

"Master! It might not be appropriate to relay these words back like this..."

"What's wrong with it?"

Hesheli interrupted her, her tone calm but carrying a sharp, defiant edge.

"I'm just a useless piece of trash, aren't I? Granny, from the day you were sent to the palace with me, your life has been tied to mine. If I live, you can enjoy your old age in comfort; if I make a move and the Empress notices and kills me..."

She stared into the old woman's eyes.

"Do you think the Empress will let go of my old acquaintances who know me inside and out? And what good will come of it for you?"

She leaned forward slightly, exuding a sense of pressure.

"What methods does the Empress use? Haven't you seen them clearly in the past two years? With our current manpower, to put it bluntly, we're not even enough to fill a gap in the Empress's teeth. To touch Ma Jia's family now? To cross the Empress's bottom line, whoever does is destined to die a horrible death!"

The old woman was stunned by her words. Recalling the rumors in the palace about the Empress's iron-fisted rule, she finally sighed and lowered her head.

“Master…you are right. This old servant was confused. I will consider these words and convey them back in a more tactful way.”

Seeing that she had taken it to heart, Hesheli relaxed her expression, leaned back in her chair, and waved her hand.

"Okay. Go take care of it. Remember, our own well-being is more important than anything else."

"Yes, this old servant understands."

The old woman bowed and quietly left the bedchamber.

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Several days later, at Yonghe Palace, in the West Annex Hall.

As night fell, a dim palace lantern was lit inside the hall.

Uya leaned against the soft couch by the window, her expression seemingly calm, but a suppressed excitement flickered in her eyes.

Zhu Xi approached silently, bowed before the bed, and softly reported back.

"Master, the matter... has been taken care of."

Uya paused slightly in the handkerchief she was holding, then looked up at her with an astonishingly bright gaze.

"Oh? Tell me more about it."

Zhu Xi leaned closer, his tone filled with genuine admiration.

"This servant never expected that Your Majesty could come up with such a... ingenious method. You instructed me to have the people in the laundry department mix the medicine into a special grease and apply it to Consort Qi Jia's undergarments without anyone noticing. This method... is truly undetectable. After the clothes are washed, that tiny trace is completely invisible."

Uya was indeed somewhat pleased with herself.

She naturally wouldn't mention this method of transmitting poison through objects, slowly eroding the body.

It was Li Guiping's careful guidance when he forced her to pledge her allegiance.

"Methods are static, but people are dynamic; a good method is one that can be put to use."

Uya changed the subject, a hint of caution flashing in her eyes.

"What I care more about is whether the people you found can keep their mouths shut. This matter cannot tolerate the slightest mistake; it must be clean from beginning to end."

Zhu Xi felt a chill run down his spine and hurriedly nodded solemnly in response.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I found a young palace maid in the laundry department who is in charge of washing the clothes of noble ladies. She is from my hometown and her family is poor. I not only promised her money, but also promised that when Your Majesty is promoted in the future and needs to add people to your service, I will find a way to transfer her to Yonghe Palace to serve you. She is clever and knows that this is an opportunity to climb the social ladder. She will not reveal anything."

Zhu Xi paused for a moment, then added.

“I simply gave her the powder and told her that it was just a common way to teach someone a lesson. She didn’t know what kind of medicine it was.”

Uya was pleased with Zhuxi's thorough handling of the matter.

Her mood grew increasingly cheerful, as if she could already see Qi Jia Shi growing increasingly haggard and eventually dying.

"It's just a palace maid's future, nothing special. Her Majesty the Empress has spoken, predicting that I will have a son, and that I will conceive next year. The grand conferment is just around the corner. Although the rank of concubine is hard to attain, with the imperial offspring in my womb, a promotion is inevitable. At that time, the number of people serving me will naturally increase. I will find a way to pull some strings and transfer your fellow townsman here to keep her under my watchful eye, so that she won't have to wander outside. I'm always worried about her."

Her tone was calm and confident, every word radiating confidence in the glorious future that was within reach.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xi's face showed gratitude.

"This servant thanks you on her behalf for your kindness. With your words, I am completely relieved."

Uya nodded slightly, but her expression became serious as she gave instructions.

"However, Zhuxi, it is not time to relax yet. Qi Jia is an impatient person. If she is even slightly unwell, she will immediately summon the imperial physician. You must keep a close eye on the movements in the East Annex, especially the imperial physician's medical records. If you hear any talk of scheming or assassination, you must report to me immediately."

Her voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable authority.

"Yes, I understand."

Zhu Xi's heart tightened, knowing full well that this matter was no small thing.

Once someone notices something amiss, or the imperial physician discovers a flaw when examining the clothing.

The catastrophic consequences of such exposure would be far beyond what the master could bear.

"This servant and Xiao Gu will keep a close watch at all times, and will report to you immediately if there is any disturbance."

Uya leaned back on the cushion, gazing out at the deep night outside the window.

“Very good. So, what we need to do now is to wait quietly...and watch how our good neighbor grows weaker day by day and eventually dies suddenly.”

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The next day, at Chengqian Palace, in the morning

Lady Tongjia, dressed in a lake-blue palace gown, stood at the palace gate, frequently looking towards the palace road.

His eyes held an undisguised anxiety and anticipation.

Today is the day her mother is ordered to enter the palace to visit her.

Time seemed to pass extremely slowly, and every breath was an ordeal.

It wasn't until the figure of the leading eunuch appeared at the end of the palace road, followed by a familiar woman dressed in the dignified attire of an imperial consort, that the journey continued.

Tongjia's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, her nose tingled, and her eyes instantly reddened.

It's the kind of bittersweet feeling that comes after experiencing countless grievances, fears, and isolation, finally seeing your closest and most dependable loved ones.

"Mother!"

Before Madam Tong could get close enough, she called out urgently in a tearful voice.

Their feet involuntarily moved forward to meet him.

Madam Tong also quickened her pace, grabbed her daughter's outstretched hands, and carefully looked her up and down.

Although her makeup was exquisite, the lingering fear and exhaustion between her brows could not be hidden from her biological mother's eyes.

A pang of pain shot through my heart, but I forced myself to suppress it, my tone a perfect blend of reproach and soothing.

“Oh dear, my good daughter, you’ve already been bestowed the title of Consort by the Emperor himself, how come you’re still acting like you’re still in the palace, crying all the time and making the palace servants laugh at you.”

Tongjia held her mother's hand tightly, as if grasping at a lifeline, and choked up as she spoke.

"Mother, it's so good that you're here... I've missed you so much."