Song Xibai quickly asked Wei Hong to bring the box over.
Wei Hong had washed the box several times; the small octagonal porcelain box had no fragrance whatsoever.
"If only Granny Fang were here, she would know where this thing came from after she has been in the palace for so many years."
Song Xibai muttered to himself.
She knows absolutely nothing about the things made in the palace!
The Crown Prince didn't think it was difficult at all, and simply said, "Then just have Granny Fangqi come over."
"Making such a big fuss might arouse suspicion."
Song Xibai hesitated.
The crown prince, however, had no such concerns.
Just as he was about to send someone to relay the order, Yue Zhuangtou arrived.
Yue Zhuangtou stood on the porch outside the house without going inside, his attitude very respectful.
Song Xibai had a good impression of him; he was polite, obedient, and wouldn't make decisions on his own.
Only after the Crown Prince gave the order did the head of Yuezhuang enter.
"Have any messages been sent back from the people we placed in the Prince of Wu's residence?"
"Yes, Master, but it's similar to usual, with nothing unusual," Yue Zhuangtou replied.
Then, before the Crown Prince could ask any questions, Song Xibai spoke up first: "Commander Yue, could you have someone investigate the relationship between Consort Lin and Hongxiu?"
"Aunt Lin?" Yue Zhuangtou was taken aback, then remembered who she was. "She's been confined to her quarters for months and hasn't left the house. What could she possibly be doing?"
"Just because it's not possible now doesn't mean it wasn't possible before. Go and investigate first! If you find anything, then report back."
Song Xibai's voice was gentle, but her tone was firm.
Yue Zhuangtou no longer questioned it.
He slightly raised his head, glanced at the face powder box in Song Xibai's hand, and paused for a moment.
Song Xibai keenly noticed the change in his expression, and with a thought, she handed the powder box to him.
"Commander Yue recognizes this?"
Yue Zhuangtou nodded.
“I have seen a box that is exactly the same as the one you have.”
Song Xibai was overjoyed and quickly asked, "Where did you see it? When?"
Even the crown prince couldn't help but show a look of surprise.
After thinking for a moment, Yue Zhuangtou spoke.
"It must have been found among the belongings of the late Consort Rong more than two years ago."
This answer truly surprised both Song Xibai and the Crown Prince.
"The late Consort Rong... was she the Zhaorong Consort?"
Song Xibai's eyes widened considerably.
It's the case that implicated her father!
Song Xibai never expected that she would hear about the events of that time again here.
"Are these Consort Rong's belongings?"
She muttered to herself.
The Crown Prince frowned slightly: "I remember now, after Consort Rong died, her personal belongings were all sent to the Imperial Household Department for disposal."
"Yes, I was investigating something else at the time and was hiding in the Imperial Household Department when I saw it," Yue Zhuangtou said. "It's strange, Consort Rong didn't have any infectious disease, but all her personal belongings were burned. I was very puzzled at the time and pretended not to know, so I asked the head eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, and I was scolded as a result."
When Yue Zhuangtou went to the Imperial Household Department, he disguised himself and impersonated someone else. He stayed there for less than two months without arousing suspicion.
Song Xibai was still deep in thought.
The Crown Prince then asked, "Was Consort Rong's perfume box also burned?"
"It should be that the eunuch in charge at the time even privately remarked that the ingredients in this perfume were extremely precious, worth a thousand gold pieces per ounce, and it would be a pity to destroy it like this."
Song Xibai suddenly raised her head: "What's the name of that perfume powder? What are its ingredients?"
Yue Zhuangtou's face scrunched up.
"I don't know anything about this. I only vaguely remember that it was called something like Jade-faced Peach Blossom."
"Jade Peach Powder... is an ancient beauty recipe made by grinding more than a dozen kinds of spices. The raw materials include precious spices such as musk, ambergris, and sandalwood. Peach blossom juice or plum blossom juice may be added to enhance or change the fragrance depending on the individual."
Song Xibai muttered to himself.
She saw this in an ancient book.
Spices are actually a type of medicinal material, so there are several books about spices in her family's collection, and even several recipes for spices.
However, Song Xibai never liked this stuff; the fragrance was too strong, and her nose was too sensitive to handle it, so she only looked at it and didn't study it in depth.
At that moment, these words suddenly came to her mind.
And a footnote above this passage.
"The ancients considered whiteness to be beautiful and tried various raw materials for making powder, eventually developing a perfect ratio of lead powder. It was very popular in the capital during the previous dynasty."
The crown prince found it strange to hear her muttering to herself.
"Lead powder?"
Song Xibai pursed her lips: "Lead powder is poisonous."
The prince was startled and instinctively looked at the box.
"Could it be that Consort Rong died from this poison?"
Song Xibai sighed: "It's a pity that everything is destroyed. Even if we suspect something, there's no evidence."
The symptoms of lead poisoning begin with loss of appetite and nausea, followed by dizziness, headache, and slowed reaction. Later, pain begins to spread throughout the body, especially abdominal pain.
At that time, Consort Rong—no, she was only a Zhaorong at the time—received a great deal of attention after her pregnancy was discovered.
The symptoms of pregnancy are somewhat similar to the initial symptoms of lead poisoning, so she naturally didn't notice.
But Song Xibai didn't understand.
If she really was poisoned, her father couldn't possibly not have noticed!
For the first time, Song Xibai felt that she might not know her father that well.
She had asked about what happened back then, but her father always glossed over it and never brought it up.
Song Xibai originally thought that her father didn't want to bring up this painful matter, but now it seems that it's not that simple.
She bit her lower lip and decided to have a serious talk with her father.
Then, Song Xibai looked at the Crown Prince.
"Your Highness, could you please have someone invite my father over? I need to speak with him."
The prince jumped up suddenly, glancing nervously at her abdomen.
"Where do you feel unwell? I'll go and call someone right away!"
Song Xibai quickly pulled him back: "I'm fine, I just have something else I want to ask my father."
The prince breathed a sigh of relief and held her hand tightly.
"Very well, I will send someone to invite them right away."
Looking at the two of them, Yue Zhuangtou's expression shifted slightly, and his gaze involuntarily fell on Song Xibai's stomach. Suddenly, he understood a lot.
The Crown Prince hurriedly led him to the front courtyard, summoned a guard, and instructed him to take the token back to the Imperial Hospital to fetch someone.
The excuses are all ready: the Sixth Prince is still lying in the guest room!
I originally wanted to call Granny Fangqi over, but now I don't need to.
After that, Song Xibai was preoccupied and had no appetite, which made Wei Hong very anxious.
After nightfall, the guards returned, accompanied by Song Siyuan.
As Song Siyuan, carrying a medicine box, was helped off his horse by the guards, he couldn't help but rub his thigh.
He thought to himself: This guard is rushing so fast, could it be that something has happened to the Sixth Prince?
This is a very troublesome situation. If he fails to cure the Sixth Prince, his punishment will be much more severe than it was two years ago.
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