Chapter 271 Lush Greenery
Jiang Huan has never disliked Liu Shuyao.
She even thought that one day in the future, she would treat Liu Shuyao as a friend, just like she had won over He Ling.
But today, Liu Shuyao's attitude made it impossible for her to give her heart.
Moral blackmail can happen once and then again. If something is done in a way that doesn't meet her expectations, it becomes a ticking time bomb.
Having said all that needed to be said, Jiang Huan glanced at Liu Shuyao and said no more.
She turned to leave, but Liu Shuyao called her back again.
"etc……"
Jiang Huan paused slightly, but did not turn around.
Liu Shuyao struggled, staring at Jiang Huan's back. The hand that had once gripped Jiang Huan's wrist tightly was now hidden under the quilt.
Her hand groped under the brocade quilt and finally grasped a small, cold porcelain bottle.
It was a bottle of deadly poison that would kill instantly upon contact with blood. She had originally thought that if Jiang Huan refused, she would have no choice but to let the only person who knew her secret die.
But at this moment, Jiang Huan's words and the cold touch of the poison bottle in her sleeve stimulated her senses, and Liu Shuyao was struggling internally.
Finally, those tightly clenched fingers loosened helplessly.
That's all.
Jiang Huan is right; every choice she made was her own.
It wasn't because I felt sorry for anyone, nor was it an attempt to threaten them.
That was her pride, her upbringing, the foundation upon which she had built her reputation over the years.
How could she abandon her most prized conscience for that twisted madness?
Liu Shuyao slowly closed her eyes, and peace returned to her heart.
"These are my heartfelt words today. I thank Your Majesty for your guidance. I will not see you out."
Jiang Huan, backlit, nodded slightly in response, then took a step and did not linger.
News of Liu Shuyao's incident spread quickly. After her failed attempt to drown herself, her palace came under close surveillance.
Huo Lin'an's eyes and ears planted in various places were not just for show.
Shortly after Liu Shuyao confronted Jiang Huan, a shadowy bodyguard silently infiltrated Liu Shuyao's bedchamber.
His actions went unnoticed, and the bottle of poison that Liu Shuyao had hidden under her pillow was easily found during the search.
The Imperial Study.
Huo Lin was reviewing memorials when suddenly a shadow silently knelt on one knee before the imperial desk.
"emperor."
Huo Lin did not look up, nor did he stop writing; he simply responded with a faint sound.
The guard continued to report, speaking steadily: "I found this item under Consort Liu's pillow in her bedchamber."
As he spoke, he presented the items he had found in Liu Shuyao's palace.
"Upon examination, this substance was found to be extremely toxic, capable of causing death upon contact with blood, and even a small amount can be fatal."
Huo Lin's pen hovered over the memorial for a moment before finally being put down.
He picked up the poison bottle, tracing the smooth porcelain surface with his fingertips, his eyes unfathomable.
Liu Shuyao's act of drowning herself in the lake out of shame and indignation was already an extreme measure, but now she is secretly keeping such a deadly poison in the palace?
What was she trying to do? Was she overwhelmed with shame and wanted to commit suicide? Or was she harboring resentment and plotting against others?
"Have you found out the source?" Huo Lin's voice was unreadable.
The guard lowered his head: "The origin of this poison is extremely secretive, and its production method is special. It is not a medicine stored in the palace. The source has not yet been traced, but the person who could access Consort Liu's palace and hide the poison so secretly has narrowed down the possibilities."
"In addition, during the investigation, I also discovered that the Empress Dowager had planted spies in Consort Liu's palace, and they have been exchanging messages with Cining Palace quite frequently recently."
Huo Lin's eyes suddenly turned cold: "The Empress Dowager really never has a moment's rest."
He recalled what happened before Liu Shuyao fell into the water; it was none other than the Empress Dowager's doing.
Since that's the case, then he can't be blamed.
He raised his eyes and looked at the guard: "Tell Prime Minister Liu about the discovery of the poison and the Empress Dowager's informant. Remember, make it look like Prime Minister Liu himself went to great lengths to find out."
A knowing glint flashed in the guard's eyes: "I understand. I will make sure he knows everything he needs to know."
Huo Lin nodded in satisfaction.
Let Prime Minister Liu know that his daughter almost died a violent death, and with Prime Minister Liu's shrewdness, he will naturally understand who the biggest mastermind behind it is.
Whether Liu Shuyao hid the poison herself or someone else gave it to her is no longer important.
Importantly, this was enough to become the fuse between Prime Minister Liu and the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager wanted to stir up trouble in the harem, so he let her taste the bitterness of being betrayed.
He can borrow this knife from the Prime Minister's residence; it'll be perfect.
As for Liu Shuyao...
Such an unstable element must not be allowed to exist in the imperial harem.
"By imperial decree," Huo Lin's voice was icy cold, "Consort Liu has behaved improperly before the Emperor and has shown no remorse. She has also been found to be possessing forbidden items. She is hereby stripped of her rank as a consort and immediately transferred to the Jingxin Nunnery in the suburbs of the capital for spiritual practice. She is not to return to the capital without an imperial edict."
"Yes," Wang Degui quickly replied.
The news spread like wildfire, quickly reaching every corner of the harem.
Inside the Weiyang Palace, Jiang Huan was lost in thought, staring at a cup of tea, the rising steam blurring the emotions in her eyes.
After Xiao Zhao finished reporting in a low voice, the hall fell into a brief silence.
Upon hearing this final decision, Jiang Huan paused slightly in the hand holding the warm porcelain cup, then sighed softly.
Whether it's a quiet nunnery or a place of quiet contemplation, a place of ancient Buddha and solitary lamps, far removed from the troubles of the world.
For her, this might be the best ending.
It's better than dying in the deep palace, or having your misdeeds exposed later and suffering an even worse fate.
But how long can those deeply buried secrets be concealed?
Jiang Huan shook her head, shaking off these chaotic thoughts. This was not something she should worry about, nor was it something she could change.
At dinner time, Huo Lin arrived at Weiyang Palace as usual.
His expression appeared calm, but there was a hint of weariness between his brows.
[It's still most comfortable here with her; just looking at her makes all my worries disappear.]
[Those troublesome people and things are finally dealt with. Today, she should keep me company.]
Hmm, I wonder what delicious food the kitchen has prepared tonight.
Jiang Huan had already prepared the meal, and when she saw Huo Lin arrive, she had someone bring out the dishes she had prepared earlier.
However, as the dishes were served one by one, Huo Lin's hand holding the chopsticks gradually stopped, and the expression on his face slowly changed from expectation to doubt, and finally froze into bewilderment.
The stir-fried spinach was vibrant green, the garlic-flavored bok choy was glistening with oil, the cucumber salad was crisp and refreshing, and there was even a bowl of light winter melon and barley soup with a few goji berries floating in it...
Looking around, the table was full of vibrant greenery, with not a trace of meat, not even a speck of meat.
Huo Lin: ...
He blinked, even wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him from reviewing all the memorials.
He subtly shifted his body and looked at it again from a different angle.
Yes, it's still a lush green expanse.
[Is today's menu a little too refined and unconventional?]
[What heavenly law have I broken? Why am I being fed grass?]
Where are my braised lion's head meatballs? My crispy chicken? My sweet and sour pork ribs?
He raised his head and looked at Jiang Huan: "Is today's meal a little too bland? I don't recall that I ordered a fast?"
Jiang Huan gave Huo Lin a meaningful look, and upon hearing this, she directly placed a piece of spinach in his small bowl.
"I noticed that Your Majesty has been very busy with state affairs lately, and seems to be a bit irritable. Excessive liver fire is not good, so I specially prepared some light and cooling dishes. Your Majesty should eat more of them."
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