Chapter 678 Lies and Provocation
By the end, the Empress Dowager's entire body, including her voice, trembled uncontrollably.
Li Sanqi hated her to the core, so how could he not hate her father?
What about the Empress? Does she hate the Empress?
The Empress was aware of the fact that she was sent to marry a foreign ruler!
Li Sanqi looked at the Empress Dowager with a profound and inscrutable expression, smiled slightly, and said in a playful tone, "Grandmother, guess!"
After saying that, he pulled the Empress Dowager's hand down and left the Empress Dowager's palace without looking back.
"Li Sanqi! You bastard! Come back and explain yourself to me! Li Sanqi!..."
The Empress Dowager's hysterical screams came from behind, startling the palace maids and nannies who had been sent outside the hall beforehand, who rushed in to check the situation.
After leaving the Empress Dowager's palace, Li Sanqi put on a wronged expression and wiped away tears as he walked to the Imperial Study to find Emperor Xiaozhao.
Naturally, she complained to Emperor Xiaozhao about the injustice she had suffered!
When the Empress Dowager learned that Emperor Xiaozhao was unwell, she also wanted to inform him!
Of course, most importantly, she wanted everyone to know that she had fallen out with the Empress Dowager!
Sure enough, not long after she left the Empress Dowager's palace, news of her falling out with the Empress Dowager spread throughout the entire palace.
Consort Liu Hui, who had been suffering from a lack of leadership, finally saw a glimmer of hope.
The Empress's path is blocked, and with Li Sanqi's influence, the Emperor's path is also impossible.
Now we could try the Empress Dowager's route.
If the Empress Dowager could intervene, success would surely be achieved quickly.
Just as Consort Liu was overjoyed, Li Sanqi also arrived at the Imperial Study.
"I heard you had a falling out with your grandmother?" Emperor Xiaozhao looked at Li Sanqi with a puzzled expression. "Aren't you and your grandmother the closest of friends? How could you have started arguing?"
Upon hearing this, Li Sanqi immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness: "Your subject is guilty!"
Emperor Xiaozhao frowned slightly. "What happened?"
With red eyes, Li Sanqi said in a panic, "Grandmother learned from some source that Father was unwell and inquired about it from me. Father had already given instructions, so I naturally dared not tell Grandmother the truth."
"My grandmother then scolded me. She said, she said..."
Emperor Xiaozhao's face darkened. "What did you say?"
Li Sanqi glanced at Emperor Xiaozhao with concern before hesitantly speaking, "Grandmother also said that if Father is unwell, he should make plans as soon as possible. Grandmother also told me to remind Father that it is time to... to establish a Crown Prince!"
After saying that, Li Sanqi lay prostrate on the ground, trembling, and dared not raise his head.
Sure enough, the next moment, she heard something hit the ground beside her.
"I'm fine! I'm perfectly healthy! I've just caught a strange illness! The imperial physicians all say I'm in good health, what is she trying to do?..."
After his initial rage subsided, Emperor Xiaozhao coldly ordered Liu Xin, "Go and investigate who leaked the information."
"Also, have someone keep a close eye on the Empress Dowager's palace and see who she's been associating with lately."
"Yes, this servant will take care of it immediately." Liu Xin replied tremblingly and quickly left the imperial study.
As soon as he stepped out of the room, he wiped the fine beads of sweat from his forehead.
Seeing that Emperor Xiaozhao's anger had subsided, Li Sanqi raised his head and asked for permission: "Father, I just had a disagreement with my grandmother, so I will not go to the palace for the time being. I don't want my grandmother to be unhappy to see me."
Emperor Xiaozhao glared at her, annoyed. "Are you afraid that your imperial grandmother will keep bothering you with questions about me, putting you in a difficult position?"
Li Sanqi smiled ingratiatingly, "Father is wise. Indeed, nothing escapes Father's eyes."
"Very well, then you can stay here in the mansion." Emperor Xiaozhao nodded indulgently in agreement.
"Thank you, Father!" Li Sanqi smiled sweetly. "I knew it, Father loves me the most!"
"Perfect timing! I've also brought the Night Breath Incense that Doctor Mu developed for Father Emperor. It'll be enough for Father Emperor to use for two months."
As he spoke, Li Sanqi stood up, took out two small bottles hidden in his bosom, and placed them on the imperial desk.
Emperor Xiaozhao picked up the medicine bottle, opened one, brought it to his nose, and smelled it. He immediately felt refreshed.
"That Dr. Mu is indeed truly skilled. Later, you shall reward her handsomely on my behalf."
"Your subject obeys the decree." Li Sanqi responded respectfully, then after a moment's thought, cautiously suggested, "Father, is it really not possible to let Physician Mu come into the palace to examine your pulse?"
"Perhaps if Doctor Mu were to take a look at your strange illness, he could really cure it?"
"I know you are filial, but once Physician Mu enters the palace, my illness will no longer be a secret."
Emperor Xiaozhao sighed and did not continue speaking.
It wasn't that he was avoiding medical treatment, but rather that the matter was of great importance.
If even Doctor Mu is unable to cure his strange illness, and the matter becomes public knowledge, he will face immense pressure and coercion.
Most importantly, he couldn't trust a miracle doctor who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
It wasn't that he didn't trust her medical skills, but rather her character. If someone like that wanted to do something to him, he would be completely defenseless.
Moreover, all the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital had examined his pulse and said that he was in good health and had no abnormalities.
Since you are healthy, why take the risk?
As for the Night-Breath Incense that Doctor Mu prescribed for him, he had it examined by the Imperial Medical Academy. The main ingredient was Night-Breath Incense, and the other dozen or so ingredients were all common and harmless medicines.
Unfortunately, even with all the ingredients known, no matter how hard the Imperial Medical Academy tried, they were still unable to recreate the same medicinal effects of Night-Breath Incense.
Therefore, he could only allow Li Sanqi to bring medicine into the palace from Doctor Mu for a long time.
Seeing Emperor Xiaozhao's resolute attitude, Li Sanqi did not press the matter further. Besides, she did not truly want Doctor Mu to enter the palace to treat Emperor Xiaozhao.
She said this simply to show Emperor Xiaozhao her filial piety.
"Alright, if there's nothing else, you can leave the palace now." Emperor Xiaozhao waved his hand to shoo him away.
Li Sanqi obediently bowed, took his leave, and withdrew.
After that day, Li Sanqi never went to the palace again. She stayed in her own residence, preparing for the matter of finding a husband for her son-in-law.
While Li Sanqi remained secluded at home, Wei Jia's arrangements for the Qian family matriarch finally began to bear fruit.
Half a month has passed since Old Mrs. Qiao passed away and Qiao Qinghe and others went to pay their respects.
The matter of mourning for the brothers Qiao Jingyao and Qiao Jinglian has also been settled.
Three days ago, the two brothers set off from Beijing to escort the coffin back to their hometown and send the remains of Old Madam Qiao back to her ancestral home in Jiangnan for burial.
The news of the sudden death of the Qian family matriarch also reached Qiao Qinghe's ears this morning.
When she heard the news, Qiao Qinghe was not surprised, after all, it was something she had arranged.
However, she was very curious about how Wei Jia had managed to do it.
So he asked the servant who came to report the news, "What did the Qian family say about Old Madam Qian's death?"
The servant quickly replied, "The news released by the Qian family is that the old lady caught a cold due to the changing seasons, but her condition worsened and she died."
Qiao Qinghe scoffed and waved her hand, dismissing the servant.
"Madam, how exactly did the old lady of the Qian family die?"
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