Poisoned on the spot
The people in the palace didn't play many tricks. At least the wedding ceremony gave Pei Zhaoying the dignity that a princess should have. A dozen embroiderers surrounded her to measure her size, sew clothes, and discuss the most fashionable wedding dress styles. Fabrics, patterns, and ceremonial vessels were delivered to Xiefang Palace like water, regardless of the money.
Even the brocade used to embroider wedding shoes was a tribute, and it was a great fortune for wealthy and prominent families to be able to use it to make clothes.
However, the incident of the tampering in the medicine alone was enough to chill Pei Zhaoying's heart, and she was no longer willing to be kept warm by such dead things as gold, jade, and brocade.
Before the auspicious day of the wedding, it is necessary to meet with ladies of high rank and noble families, listen to their auspicious blessings, and pray for a harmonious and peaceful marriage.
The harem was empty, and Pei Zhaoying took this opportunity to take over the task of comforting and rewarding the officials' wives, which should have been done by the empress.
Pei Heng is best at squeezing the most out of a person.
"I wish your Highness and your husband a long and happy marriage." The first of the ladies was Mrs. Ye, a first-rank imperial consort. She was over seventy years old, with white hair and a kind face. They had lived together in harmony for a lifetime and had many children and grandchildren. It was said that such an elder would bring good fortune to the newlyweds.
Pei Zhaoying sat firmly in the main seat of the main hall, her long skirt dragging on the ground, making it inconvenient for her to move. She hurriedly stopped Old Lady Ye's greetings:
"Why does Old Madam Ye need to go through all this empty formalities? I wish you a long and healthy life, and everything goes smoothly for you. There's no one else like you in Daliang. It's a great honor for me that you can be here to pay your respects."
Old Mrs. Ye was given the front seat. After this elder with the highest seniority took her seat, other ladies and young ladies came to pay their respects in turn, saying different auspicious words.
The crane-shaped brass incense burner slowly exhales the fragrance of Lingling. It is spring, the windows and doors are wide open, and lamps are lit in the daytime. There is no need for the hall to be decorated with gold and jade, but it is bright and majestic.
Pei Zhaoying had discussed the situations of these officials' families with Qiluo in advance, and had some understanding of the circumstances of each family. He questioned each of them in a friendly manner, and the rewards he gave touched people's hearts, earning their sincere gratitude.
Especially Miss Sang, the granddaughter of the president of the Hanlin Academy, who represented the aristocratic family that dominated the dynasty. Pei Zhaoying took her hand and asked her a few questions about family matters.
The little girl was not as cunning as her grandfather. Every time they met, she was deceived by Pei Zhaoying's amiable and respectable aura. She would sit next to her and obviously regarded her as the eldest sister in the boudoir.
It is not easy to deal with such a situation, but Pei Zhaoying pretends to be calm.
Before meeting the guest, she heard Qiluo say something mysterious:
"His Majesty has shown great trust and respect for Master Xiao Bo recently. He summoned Master Xiao Bo to the Imperial Study early to speak. Your Highness, please bear with me. After the ladies of state have dispersed, Master Xiao Bo will surely come to Xiefang Palace."
She just smiled at the time, didn't blame Qiluo for being too talkative, and felt a lot more relieved.
Even though they didn't share the same room in the same square city, it didn't feel like a prison. Some people were so close to her that no matter how often they met, they were always within arm's reach.
During this time, Pei Zhaoying couldn't help but wonder about Xiao Bo's fluent answers, and laughed at the girls' jokes. She wondered if Xiao Bo was serious and methodical when discussing serious matters with Pei Heng, or if he was ruthless and overbearing...
"I arrived late, and the Queen Mother took pity on me and kept me a little longer. I'm sure the Princess Sister-in-law won't blame me."
Everyone was chatting happily when a bright yellow figure rushed into the hall. The palace maids outside wanted to stop it but failed.
The girl was very cute and lovely. Her hair was tied up in two buns with silk and hung with golden bells. They rang with every step she took, and the fragrance was overwhelming.
The sounds of laughter and joy were extinguished in an instant.
Pei Zhaoying frowned and covered her mouth. When meeting a distinguished guest, other women always used delicate perfumes, fearing they might offend. This woman showed no restraint at all, truly like her brother.
Qiluo scolded the palace maid on duty outside and blamed Xiao Caizhen for being unpunctual:
"How did you do it? Can you bear the consequences of disturbing His Highness?"
The girls all looked very unhappy. Miss Sang had suffered several losses at the hands of Xiao Caizhen. Seeing that she was still acting recklessly and disobeying the rules, she and the other girls avoided her sight and refused to look at her directly.
Xiao Caizhen smiled and didn't care, she just found a place to sit down.
Unfortunately, Pei Zhaoying did not reserve a seat for her. Everyone in the hall was seated, and she was the only one left standing there, just like a servant, which made her angry.
After suppressing Xiao Caizhen's temper for a long time, Pei Zhaoying raised his eyes to examine her and spoke softly:
"Xiao County Lady, be careful with your words. The princess is married, so she has moved up one generation. I am not your equal, and I am worthy of addressing you as the elders and sisters of the Xiao family. How can you call me 'sister-in-law'? If this gets out, people will laugh at the Grand Marshal for his poor upbringing and neglect of discipline."
A low, mocking laugh echoed in clusters. Xiao Caizhen had offended every noblewoman in the capital, so it was no wonder that everyone felt a surge of joy at the moment of great revenge.
Xiao Caizhen's face flushed red and she almost trembled. She had already been isolated and said to be an uneducated bumpkin from the countryside. Pei Zhaoying must be deliberately criticizing her!
In the face of absolute suppression, she had no chips to stir up trouble. Tears filled her eyes and she thought, if only her biological brother was here.
"Come here, please take a seat." Pei Zhaoying finished her instructions before arranging Xiao Caizhen to sit down.
Not only was her ranking lower than that of the oldest, Mrs. Ye, but she was also below Miss Sang, completely being suppressed.
Xiao Caizhen pinched the soft flesh on her knees and held back her tears. This was the first time since she came to Beijing with her brother that she was not the most popular among the female relatives.
It seemed as if she had eyes on her back, and she could feel the piercing gazes. She didn't know how many people were secretly laughing at her for her shame.
She had come late on purpose, hoping to stand out from the crowd and win Pei Zhaoying's favor, but she ended up losing more than she gained. It was obvious that she was related to Pei Zhaoying!
Perhaps it is true that "people from the same family tend to live in the same house", Xiao Caizhen thought viciously that Pei Zhaoying was indeed as annoying as Xiao Bo.
Moreover, she fell in love with Pei Heng at first sight and was determined to marry the emperor, but Pei Zhaoying got ahead of her and married into the Xiao family first. As a result, no matter how she pestered the empress dowager these days, the empress dowager refused on the grounds that the Pei and Xiao families were already related, thus ruining her marriage.
Xiao Caizhen hung her hands in silence, tightened her palms, and wrote down each account.
Pei Zhaoying intentionally asked Xiao Caizhen to sit farther away, but he was still bothered by the overly strong scent of perfume on her body.
She had no choice but to ask Qiluo to open the window wider. Repeatedly punishing Xiao Caizhen would make her seem too harsh and would embarrass a weak woman.
Pei Zhaoying has always used both kindness and force to control her subordinates. She had already disliked Xiao Caizhen when she knew that she caused Xiao Bo to fall into the water. However, if Xiao Caizhen had not arrived late and behaved inappropriately, she would not have accused her of a "false crime". After all, Xiao Caizhen was the one who made the mistake first.
She was drowsy in the scent of cosmetics, and trying hard to keep a smile, she secretly looked at Xiao Caizhen twice more.
She is still a lovely and bright woman.
He looks more like Xiao Yucheng, and there is no similarity between him and Xiao Bo.
Their parents are obviously siblings and from the same family, but Xiao Bo's eyebrows and eyes are so delicate and clear that you can't forget them after just one look at him. He doesn't look like someone who came from the mortal world.
Pei Zhaoying smiled and took a sip of tea, and unexpectedly felt a fishy-sweet taste in her throat...
The imperial study was not far from Xiefang Palace, and the sound of laughter actually drifted over, allowing everyone in the palace to share in the joy.
Xiao Bo stood respectfully and replied to Pei Heng with a little more patience.
The young emperor did not want to be a complete puppet emperor. He was eager to break free from the control of any of the noble families, powerful ministers, and princes. He used his marriage relationship to test Xiao Bo and wondered whether he could be used for his own purposes.
The means are a bit too immature.
Xiao Bo pretended not to notice Pei Heng's little tricks and analyzed the court situation with him carefully, sentence by sentence.
"In troubled times, haste makes waste. Your Majesty must not act too hastily. Your Majesty, do you believe that the Grand Marshal controls the entire military by relying on that half-timbered talisman? The Grand Marshal rose through the ranks in the army from a centurion, and he is a man of many talents. The commanders of Qingzhou and Jizhou, among others, rose from obscurity to prominence under his patronage, and their lives depended on him."
"The great affairs of state are sacrifices and military campaigns. Your Majesty firmly holds the power of sacrifice. The majesty of heaven is vast, and heaven and man are in harmony. Now is the time for Your Majesty to carry out his grand plans."
"All these plans ultimately hinge on the word 'people'. Your Majesty, take good control of the Palace Guards and the Imperial Guards, and count those loyal to the royal family in the court. Show your favor soon, and you won't have to worry about a shortage of loyal ministers and capable generals in the future..."
Pei Heng nodded repeatedly, his eyes bright. Seeing that he showed ambitions far beyond his abilities, Xiao Bo looked away with a hidden sneer in his eyes.
The young emperor must have thought that sending a royal sister away in exchange for a loyal and useful person was a great deal.
What he hated most was people treating Pei Zhaoying as an object to be exchanged.
Pei Heng thought he was bribing him with an important position, but he was also using Pei Heng as a springboard for Pei Zhaoying to regain power.
Pei Heng was still not satisfied and wanted to talk more, but he heard the commander of the Palace Front Division outside, wearing heavy armor, hurriedly approaching, panting, pushing the door open, kneeling down and reporting bluntly:
"Your Majesty, something bad has happened! The Princess was poisoned and vomited blood in Xiefang Palace!"
"What!" Xiao Bo exclaimed before the emperor, his eyes panicking and unfocused.
Pei Heng was also shocked and frightened. He raised his hand and said that he would go over to check it out in person. After seeing Xiao Bo's shocked expression, he felt a little secretly happy. This marriage was indeed of great significance.
Pei Zhaoying initially felt unwell, but she tried her best to suppress it, taking a few more sips of tea in an attempt to suppress the discomfort.
Qiluo worriedly whispered, "Your Highness doesn't look well. Why don't you find a reason to send them away?"
Pei Zhaoying was about to give some instructions when he opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of black blood. He looked like his spine was pulled out and he slumped down on the table to the side. The screams of the female relatives rang in his ears.
The elderly Mrs. Ye was so frightened that she almost had a heart attack. She was gasping for breath, unable to move up or down, and almost fainted.
The women in the inner house had never seen such a scene before and were in a state of confusion. The brave Miss Sang shouted:
"Your Highness's lips are black and he's vomiting black blood. This is a sign of poisoning!"
Had someone poisoned the princess? Would they be poisoned together? The scene was in chaos.
Qiluo called anxiously beside him.
Pei Zhaoying's eyes were half-closed. The poison was so ruthless that before she could react, it had already violently penetrated her lungs. Her internal organs ached as if they were being roasted on fire. Everything in her field of vision was bent and deformed, and the shouts of the people around her were muffled and blurred...
In that nightmare, wasn't she ambushed by the Luo River and shot to death by thousands of arrows?... How could she have this disaster...
Her will to survive was constantly being eroded and damaged. She wanted to close her eyes, leave a mess behind, and escape from the misfortune.
However, within the palace, there are still people who stick together and never leave each other.
She couldn't leave that man alone and let him become a widower for nothing.
Pei Zhaoying used all her strength to give the order, her breath barely moving. Only a buzzing noise remained in her ears. She could hardly hear what Qiluo was saying, but she had to convey the order clearly and sternly.
"The murderer is among the ladies. Please move to the side hall and await investigation. You are not allowed to leave the palace until the murderer is apprehended. If you feel unwell, please call the imperial physician for treatment."
"Inform His Majesty and the Queen Mother separately. Please call the Imperial Physician immediately. My condition is solely under the care of Lu Yunqi of the Imperial Hospital..."
"...They are all the wives of important officials in the court. Protect them well and don't let any of them get hurt..."
The corners of his mouth felt hot, probably still bleeding.
I could feel her body being lifted up and down, placed on the bed, and repositioned.
All I saw was a hazy white light, and tears began to fall unconsciously.
Pei Zhaoying had an inexplicable experience with "death" in his subconscious. He tried his best not to close his eyelids from fighting. People have to hold on by one breath at the critical moment of life and death, otherwise if the breath is released, they will be taken away directly by the Ox-Head and Horse-Face.
She really doesn't want to die.
I couldn't hear the dripping of the copper kettle, and I couldn't tell the time. It took a long, long time... In my confused vision, a dusty figure finally appeared. He almost rushed to Pei Zhaoying's bed and held her hand.
Unfortunately, she was dying and could not sense what he said or the expression on his face.
She opened her mouth, but could not utter a word. A faint warmth came over her, forcefully driving away the coldness of the underworld and bringing Pei Zhaoying back to the world.
"Aying, I'm here. Hold on a little longer. Just think of it as being for me..."
Pei Heng angrily waved his sleeves:
"How dare someone poison the palace! We must investigate this thoroughly!"
The Queen Mother kept her distance. She was old and was very cautious about these things. She was most concerned about her own son:
"Emperor, please take care of yourself. Don't get too angry."
Xiao Bo's shoulders trembled, his face buried in Pei Zhaoying's palms, tears falling without a trace.
When he raised his face again, he was meticulous, calm and composed, and he was once again the cold-faced judge of the Dali Temple who was stern and never spoke a word.
Xiao Bo looked directly at the Queen Mother, his eyes empty and numb:
"Empress Dowager—forgive me for speaking frankly, but this matter concerns not only the safety of the eldest princess, but also the lives of Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager. Today, in full view of the public, the thief was able to quietly poison Your Highness. I'm afraid they will attack you and Your Majesty next."
The Queen Mother was immediately aware of the stakes, and the fear of her life hanging by a thread during the palace coup returned. The Queen Mother burst into tears and pulled Pei Heng's sleeve:
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you must catch this thief! This thief wants to harm us, mother and son! He wants to make me suffer forever!"
Pei Heng's face was gloomy and he had no time to comfort her.
Lu Yunqi, relying on the skills inherited from her ancestral medical books, rose from commoner to become a member of the Imperial Hospital. Unknown to the public, she was commissioned for the first time to save a life under the watchful eyes of the Emperor and Empress Dowager. Pei Zhaoying's condition was critical, and she was so nervous that she could not control her movements. She practically rolled over and scrambled to force Pei Zhaoying's body with every available antidote, then used acupuncture needles to force out the remaining poison.
"Doctor Lu, how is His Highness?" After finishing the acupuncture, Xiao Bo grabbed a piece of Lu Yunqi's sleeve tightly.
The cold deathly look in his eyes frightened Lu Yunqi.
He had made up his mind that if Pei Zhaoying died here for no apparent reason, he might as well burn down this dirty place and give her peace.
"Master Xiao, please be patient. His Highness is strong-willed and still conscious. He can swallow. Unlike other poisoned people, he has not lost his ability to swallow and is unable to take medicine. His life is currently safe... However, this poisoning has destroyed the foundation he has built during these days of recuperation, and it is extremely detrimental to the recovery of his legs."
Lu Yunqi spilled the beans, spilling everything she knew, carefully watching the Emperor and the Empress Dowager's expressions. What if... what if the master of the Forbidden City had poisoned her... wouldn't they take her, the one who'd seen through the secret, along with them?
Lu Yunqi pulled Xiao Bo's sleeve and winked at him, signaling him not to leave her alone.
The tears were hot and wet Pei Zhaoying's hands.
She didn't know where the water came from. It was hot at first and then cold. It accumulated in the palm of her hand and formed the smallest lake in the world.
Perhaps Lu Yunqi's painstaking treatment had taken effect, and she moved her fingers.
The slight movement did not escape Xiao Bo's eyes. He carefully circled her hand, leaving her space to move, but also afraid that she would disappear.
The Queen Mother was so grief-stricken that her legs went weak. Pei Heng felt that he would suffer if his teeth were cut off, so he ordered the commander of the Palace Front Department to take people to thoroughly search the palace and leave no poison behind.
Qiluo knelt beside the bed and shed tears:
"Your Highness ate and drank as usual today. Everything he ate and used was tested for poison and samples kept. I really don't know who that thief is and how he could have done such a poisonous act..."
Pei Zhaoying was sweating all over, his hair was wet in clumps, and his face was as pale as paper. He regained some consciousness, his mind was clear, but he was unable to speak and was anxious.
His fingers moved anxiously twice in Xiao Bo's palm.
Xiao Bo tapped her delicate nails and said, "Rest assured, I'll find the murderer."
Then, Xiao Bo stood up and knelt before the emperor, begging for permission to conduct a thorough investigation.
He did not fly into a rage. Compared to the grand fanfare of the Palace Front Division, he was able to see the big picture from the small details and immediately came up with a direction for investigating the case.
He didn't understand why an unexpected disaster that had never happened in his previous life would mercilessly befall Pei Zhaoying.
His reasoning is actually very simple.
Anyone who wants to harm Pei Zhaoying must die, no matter their position or status.
"Your Majesty, my opinion remains the same as it did before Your Highness fell unconscious—the murderer is among the ladies-in-waiting in the side hall."
"The murderer's poisoning method was very clever, and he thought he hadn't missed anything, but the traces left by the swallow were too obvious a coincidence."
"I beg Your Majesty to hand over the prisoner to me for interrogation!"
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