Upon hearing her words, Empress Qi immediately flew into a rage.
"This incense was specially prepared by me for the Empress Dowager; it's an incense that helps with sleep. Why is it being called poison by you? Do you mean I would poison the Empress Dowager?"
Luo Zhiwan never expected that the agarwood was placed here by Empress Qi. However, this agarwood was not a poison, but just a kind of incense that could help with sleep.
The emperor also chimed in,
"The Empress is right. She has taken good care of the Empress Dowager all these years. How could she possibly poison the Empress Dowager on purpose? Luo Zhiwan, don't talk nonsense."
Zhiwan hesitated for a moment, then began to explain.
"Your Majesty, agarwood does indeed have the effect of aiding sleep and calming the mind, but if used improperly, if a weak person smells it for a long time, or if the air is filled with this fragrance, and the room is poorly ventilated, it will cause the person to fall into a deep sleep."
"Nonsense."
Clearly, Empress Qi was already somewhat irritated by Luo Zhiwan's prediction. Fearing the Emperor's wrath, she continued to berate him:
"Luo Zhiwan, don't talk nonsense. We use this agarwood in our palace, so why aren't we in a coma like the Empress Dowager?"
Luo Zhiwan raised her eyes, meeting her gaze without flinching, and then spoke.
"This agarwood is indeed a good thing, but if it is mixed with other colorless and odorless substances, it is difficult for ordinary people to detect it..."
As she spoke, getting closer and closer to the truth, Empress Qi's face turned ashen. Yan Zhi, standing beside her, nervously clenched her fingers together, trying to hide her inner turmoil.
However, Luo Zhiwan did not continue speaking after saying this.
Having just learned that Empress Qi had placed incense in the Empress Dowager's room, causing the Empress Dowager to remain unconscious, she guessed that Empress Qi had done this on purpose.
But she couldn't guess her purpose in doing this. Could it be to get the Luo family punished by the Emperor?
That doesn't make sense!
Although she had a few verbal conflicts with Empress Qi in Phoenix City, she wouldn't be so petty as to use that to harm the Luo family, would she?
If Empress Qi simply didn't want the Empress Dowager to wake up, then it would be a palace intrigue drama, which she didn't want to get involved in. Right now, she just wanted to get away as quickly as possible and leave this place.
So she stopped halfway through her sentence.
If she were to reveal the secret of this incense at this moment, even if the Emperor punished Empress Qi, people around Empress Qi would come after her, including Leng Chuchen and Leng Chuyang. I heard that she also has two daughters.
She couldn't afford to offend either of them, so it was best for her to wake up the Empress Dowager first and get out of there as soon as possible.
At this moment, Granny Zhen suddenly shouted,
"Empress Dowager, you're awake?"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor strode toward the bedside, and Empress Qi quickly followed.
At this moment, Rouge approached Luo Zhiwan and asked in a low voice,
"Have you discovered something, young lady? Why don't you tell me?"
Clearly, she was testing her.
Luo Zhiwan quickly shook her head.
"I'm just a doctor, what could I possibly discover? I only smelled the scent of agarwood. I suppose the Empress didn't know that agarwood can both help and harm people, which is why the Empress Dowager used it by mistake. As long as the Empress Dowager wakes up, everything will be fine."
Rouge's tense nerves relaxed a little, but Luo Zhiwan's heart jumped into her throat at that moment.
Judging from her fingers and the way she walks, this Rouge is clearly a martial arts expert. It seems she was right to stop talking in time; she can't cause any more trouble for her family.
At this moment, the Empress Dowager had already sat up in bed. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the Emperor.
"What's going on? I feel like I've been sleeping for ages, why are you all here?"
Upon seeing the Empress Dowager suddenly awaken, the Emperor immediately bowed with delight and inquired.
"Mother, how are you feeling? Are you dizzy? Do you still want to sleep? Is there anything wrong with your body?"
The Empress Dowager blinked a few times and then pointed to the plate of pastries on the table.
"Granny Zhen, I'm hungry."
Hearing this, Granny Zhen happily hurried to the table, took the plate of pastries, and handed it to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager picked up a pastry, took a bite, and nodded as she ate.
"Hmm, I haven't eaten in a long time, my stomach feels empty."
Seeing this, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief, except for Empress Qi and Rouge, whose expressions were rather unpleasant.
The Emperor turned to look at Luo Zhiwan and instructed Leng Chuchen:
"Luo Zhiwan has cured the Empress Dowager's illness. Chen'er, in accordance with my previous decree, release the Luo family members from the capital immediately."
Upon hearing this, Zhiwan smiled with relief, and Leng Chuchen nodded happily in agreement.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will take care of it immediately."
After saying this, he nodded slightly to Luo Zhiwan, who, unusually, gave him a smile.
They had barely left Changshou Palace when Rouge chased after them.
"Your Highness, I have a few words to say to Miss Luo on behalf of the Empress."
Leng Chuchen hesitated for a moment, while Luo Zhiwan nodded decisively.
"Alright, Your Highness, please wait for me for a moment."
After saying that, she followed Rouge to the side and said, "Miss Rouge, do you have something to say?"
Rouge called her over, there must be something on her mind. She also wanted to know from Rouge the real reason why the Empress had given the Empress Dowager a sleeping potion.
Rouge looked at her with displeasure.
"Miss Luo, your medical skills are very high. If possible, you would probably live a good life in a different place. In order to protect your family's safety, I hope you will not have any further entanglements with the Crown Prince, and do not dream of climbing the tree to become a phoenix. You cannot climb this tree. Even if you force your way up, you will break halfway. Do you understand?"
These words jolted Luo Zhiwan awake from her daze.
It turns out that Empress Qi wanted to harm the Luo family because of Leng Chuchen.
She suddenly laughed, a laugh so serene.
"Please tell the Empress that I never want to see Leng Chuchen again in my life, nor do I want to have any more entanglements with the royal family. The Emperor has already issued an edict forbidding me from entering the capital, and I will not come here again. Please rest assured."
After leaving those words behind, she grinned dismissively, then raised her chin, glanced at the azure sky, and felt a sense of clarity in her heart.
Walking out of the palace, Leng Chuchen asked softly:
"Go back to Phoenix and continue running the clinic?"
"I haven't decided yet."
"Then... can I come visit you when I have time?"
"No need. From now on, we are like strangers. You go your way and I'll go mine. Please don't come looking for me again and don't cause me any more trouble."
Her words immediately darkened his face, and his heart sank to the bottom.
But he could say nothing. What else could he say besides wishing them a safe and peaceful life?
Leng Chuchen led her to the Ministry of Justice to open the prison and personally escorted Luo Tianhe and the others out.
Before leaving, Luo Yiming went to Leng Chuchen's side. Leng Chuchen bent down, picked him up, and looked at him with reluctance.
"Yiming, I hope to see you again in the future."
Yiming nodded, then leaned close to his ear and whispered:
"Uncle Chen, I have a secret that I've never told you."
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