Chapter 33: All the Bad Things

Emperor Chengwen frowned, "What pearl powder?"

The head maid pursed her lips and hesitated for a while before saying, "Yesterday, Concubine Xi sent a box of pearl powder here, saying it was a gift from the Emperor. Concubine Li was originally fine, but she tried the pearl powder this morning and something went wrong. If the Emperor doesn't believe it, you can ask the imperial physician. The imperial physician just checked and confirmed that there is indeed something wrong with the pearl powder."

Emperor Chengwen then turned his gaze to the imperial physician beside him, his eyes gradually becoming stern.

"What's going on?"

The imperial physician also had a bitter look on his face, but he did not dare to lie to the emperor.

So he could only bite the bullet and honestly say based on the facts he knew: "Your Majesty, I did check the pearl powder before you came. In addition to the powdered pearls, it also contains a small amount of... Arisaema powder. Arisaema is poisonous. If it comes into contact with the skin, it can cause redness, swelling and itching at best, or disfigurement at worst. Fortunately, Concubine Li only used a little less this morning, so the injury to her face is not serious."

Chu Ran knelt in the crowd, lowered his head and listened silently.

What does this mean?

Could it be that Concubine Xi deliberately added something into the pearl powder she gave to Concubine Li in order to disfigure her?

This is possible. Concubine Li was favored by the emperor because of her beauty. If Concubine Li lost her pretty face, she would definitely fall out of favor. At that time, Concubine Xi would have the final say in the entire harem.

But, is it really that simple? What were those two eunuchs he accidentally saw that day plotting?

Just as Chu Ran was thinking, the angry voice of Emperor Chengwen echoed throughout the room like a thunderclap, "Someone! Ask Concubine Xi to come over!"

At this point, all the other palace servants in the room were driven out, including Li Dingning.

Li Dingning didn't care that much. He just knew that his mother was fine. Li Dingning didn't care about anything else and just dragged Chu Ran away.

As Chu Ran was about to leave, he caught a glimpse of Concubine Xi, who was walking quickly towards him with an anxious look on her face.

Chu Ran heard about what happened later from others.

It is said that after Concubine Xi came, the emperor questioned her whether she had added arisaema powder to the pearl powder. Concubine Xi cried and cried, saying that she was not innocent and that she could not have done such a thing. No matter what the emperor said, Concubine Xi refused to admit it and even wanted to hit her head against a pillar to prove her innocence. In addition, there was only physical evidence but no witnesses, so it was impossible to confirm that Concubine Xi had really done it. The emperor was afraid of wrongly accusing Concubine Xi, so the matter had to be dropped.

However, after this incident, the emperor went to Zixia Palace less often, but came to Qiluan Palace more often.

Before going to bed at night, Chu Ran also reported to Li Fu the latest happenings in Qiluan Palace.

"Do you think Concubine Xi did it?" Chu Ran asked Li Fu.

Li Fu said: "I don't know."

"If it wasn't Concubine Xi who did it, it couldn't be that Concubine Li poisoned herself, right? She was too cruel to herself."

It's not Chu Ran's fault for thinking this way. It's not uncommon for a thief to cry out for help. Maybe Concubine Li is the thief, and she used a trick of self-torture to deliberately frame Concubine Xi.

But it's also unlikely.

Chu Ran had stayed in Qiluan Palace for several months after all, and he felt that Concubine Li did not look like a scheming person.

Who could have poisoned him?

Chu Ran couldn't figure it out, but if it was really someone else who did it, then it must be intended to frame Concubine Xi. So the person who did it must be someone who had a grudge against Concubine Xi.

Thinking of this, Chu Ran said: "Empress Xi has done so many bad things. I don't know if she has offended a lot of people secretly. Maybe it was her enemies who did it."

"Yeah." In the silent night, Li Fu suddenly responded.

Chu Ran turned his head and looked at Li Fu beside him, "You also think my guess makes sense, right?"

Li Fu turned over, wrapped himself tightly in the quilt, closed his eyes, and said, "It's getting late, go to bed quickly."

"oh."

Chu Ran also closed his eyes, and after a while, he fell asleep.

But it was not until Chu Ran fell asleep that Li Fu opened his eyes again. His eyes were dark and deep, like a bottomless abyss in the endless darkness.