Wang Ruofu held the silver needles in her hand, her eyes narrowed slightly, and said coldly, "If I'm not mistaken, Granny Sun should be controlled by these silver needles, and..."
Wang Ruofu hesitated, looking at the incense burner burning on the bedside table. "The sandalwood incense in this burner can not only mask the smell, but long-term inhalation can also cause hallucinations. This is why the Empress Dowager did not notice anything unusual after being infected with the blood curse, and the people around her were even less able to notice anything unusual."
The Empress Dowager's condition was indeed as Wang Ruofu had described: she was dead inside, but her outward appearance remained as if she were still alive.
It would be difficult for someone other than a close friend or relative to notice anything unusual.
This is why Granny Sun did not reveal the Empress Dowager's unusual condition.
After listening to Wang Ruofu's explanation, Su Yan was a little confused. "But Senior Sister, what does all this have to do with Xu Xingjian?"
"Little Yan'er, do you know why Xu Xingjian left Chang'an?"
Su Yan shook her head, completely bewildered. "I don't know..."
"Xu Xingjian attempted to use drugs to turn living people into puppets, but Master Su discovered this, crippled his martial arts skills, and banished him from Chang'an."
After hearing what Wang Ruofu said, Su Yan was extremely shocked and stunned, not knowing how to react for a moment.
Based on their interactions over the past few days, Su Yan had a fairly good impression of Xu Xingjian.
Wang Ruofu's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up huge waves.
Wang Ruofu looked at Su Yan, his eyes filled with barely suppressed anger, and he subconsciously clenched his fists. "Little Yan'er, Xu Xingjian is the traitor who killed Master Su..."
Upon hearing this, Su Yan looked horrified, seriously doubting what she had heard. "Senior sister, you're not joking with me, are you?"
Wang Ruofu nodded firmly, "I couldn't understand why Xu Xingjian would appear in Chang'an before, but after seeing these silver needles, I know that the massacre of the Su family must be related to him."
At this moment, Su Yan's mind was a jumbled mess, and she couldn't make sense of it at all.
On the day the Su family was wiped out, Su Yan did not discover Xu Xingjian's whereabouts before she died, but now, in addition, the silver needles that originally belonged to her own father have appeared in his hands.
This is indeed highly suspicious.
Although things took an unexpected turn, Su Yan quickly calmed down and her mind raced.
If Xu Xingjian is indeed one of the masterminds behind the massacre of the Su family, as his senior sister said, then he must be connected to the Dark Moon Pavilion.
His presence in the palace at this time must be part of a secret plan.
The most urgent task is to capture Xu Xingjian as soon as possible.
Without the slightest hesitation, Su Yan said to Wang Ruofu, "Senior Sister, let's go to the Imperial Medical Bureau to arrest Xu Xingjian."
Wang Ruofu was quite surprised, "He's in the palace too?"
Su Yan nodded and told Wang Ruofu about her encounter with Xu Xingjian in the palace a few days ago.
After listening, Wang Ruofu immediately agreed.
"Then what are we waiting for? I've wanted to catch him for ages..."
After leaving Chang'an, Wang Ruofu not only reviewed cases in various places, but also did not give up investigating Xu Xingjian's whereabouts.
Unexpectedly, Xu Xingjian used a clever trick to sneak into the palace.
After Su Yan and Wang Ruofu agreed to arrest the person at the Imperial Medical Bureau, they did not stay in Renshou Hall any longer.
After making her decision, Su Yan looked at Jing Ning and said, "Princess, my senior sister and I are going to the Imperial Medical Bureau, so we'll be leaving now."
After saying that, Su Yan had only taken a few steps when Jing Ning stopped her.
"Su Yan, Lord Wang, please wait a moment..."
Jing Ning, who was listening to the two talking, did not understand what had happened, but judging from their expressions, it should not be an ordinary matter.
How could something like this happen without her involvement?
"Although I didn't understand what you were saying about Xu Xingjian or the extermination of the Su family, you are in the palace and cannot act rashly. Besides, it is already late, and you will be arrested by the palace guards if you wander around the palace."
Su Yan and Wang Ruofei had never lived in the palace, so they were unaware of the rule that people were not allowed to go out at night.
After listening to Jing Ning's words, Su Yan and Wang Ruofu exchanged a glance.
"Senior sister, it seems a bit difficult for the two of us to evade the palace guards. Perhaps we should find a suitable opportunity..."
Wang Ruofu immediately rejected Su Yan's suggestion, "No, Xu Xingjian is a suspicious man by nature. If we delay any longer, he may have already escaped."
The Empress Dowager's poisoning case concerns the foundation of the nation, and the palace has sealed off the news. As the imperial physician, Xu Xingjian naturally cannot leave. Currently, apart from the Surveillance Bureau, no one else knows about the Empress Dowager's poisoning.
Of course, the Xiao and Xie families already knew about it, but on the surface they were still observing, while in secret they had already begun to compete for it.
The fact that so many guards were deployed outside the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity indicates that the palace is still in the hands of the Empress.
However, barging into the Imperial Medical Bureau would certainly arouse suspicion.
Just when the two were at a loss, not knowing how to proceed with the next step.
Jingning suddenly volunteered, unable to hide her excitement, and said, "Although palace maids are not allowed, as a princess, the imperial guards in the palace wouldn't dare to do anything to me. So let me take you to the Imperial Medical Bureau!"
Su Yan and Wang Ruofu exchanged a knowing glance; this was indeed a feasible plan.
The three hit it off immediately and left Renshou Hall, heading towards the Imperial Medical Bureau.
Just as Jingning had said, the palace had increased its security along the way. The distance from Renshou Hall to the Imperial Medical Bureau alone required more than a dozen rounds of questioning.
Fortunately, with Jing Ning present, the Imperial Guards did not make things difficult for them.
Upon arriving at the Imperial Medical Bureau, all the imperial physicians were confined to the Imperial Hospital, including Xu Xingjian.
When Wang Ruofu saw Xu Xingjian again, he walked straight up to him and punched him hard.
The imperial physicians present were taken aback at first, then stared wide-eyed, eager to watch the spectacle.
Fearing that things would escalate, Su Yan dismissed all the imperial physicians and stored Xu Xingjian in the medicine storeroom.
Because Jing Ning was present, the other imperial physicians dared not step forward to inquire about the situation, and could only watch helplessly as Xu Xingjian was dragged away.
Upon arriving at the warehouse, Xu Xingjian neither struggled nor cried out, like a lamb resigned to its fate, simply looking at Wang Ruofu with a calm and smiling expression.
While Su Yan was pulling Xu Xingjian, she accidentally touched his wrist and unexpectedly felt his pulse.
An irregular pulse and deficiency of qi and blood are signs of a short lifespan.
Su Yan was very surprised and immediately shook off his hand.
Xu Xingjian seemed to have lost his balance. With a gentle flick from Su Yan, he knocked over the medicinal herbs on the shelf and slipped to the ground.
Seeing Xu Xingjian lying on the ground, Wang Ruofu did not hesitate to pull out a dagger, squat down, put the dagger to Xu's neck, and coldly questioned, "Tell me... is the Su family's matter related to you?"
Xu Xingjian looked at Wang Ruofu, who was full of anger, but showed no fear. Instead, he suddenly laughed.
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