Chapter 153 This victory can't be hidden anymore...
Surprisingly, the idea for this plan was initially proposed by the unassuming Gan Tang.
The inspiration came from the night they lined up to have their pulses taken by Doctor Bian.
After her conversation with Bishu, Gantang still harbored some doubts. A few days later, she noticed that His Highness wasn't as lively and outgoing as usual. Upon closer observation, she saw that His Highness would sometimes hold his forehead when no one was looking.
It seems like I'm not feeling well.
Gan Tang initially wanted to step forward and ask His Highness to take care of his health.
But before she could even utter the words, she suddenly realized something.
These past few days, Doctor Bian has been asking about everything in great detail and taking everyone's pulse carefully. Quite a few people have indeed been found to have some ailments and have been given medicine to nourish their bodies. Did His Highness really not tell Doctor Bian about his discomfort?
From what day did Your Highness begin to feel unwell?
The divine physician took everyone's pulse one by one. Was His Highness really frightened that day? Thinking about it carefully, that reason is actually a bit far-fetched. Could it be...?
After remaining silent, Gan Tang eventually found His Highness and privately shared her guess.
It wasn't even the New Year yet when she heard His Highness's encouraging tone, tinged with amusement: "Incredible! Now that you've guessed it, Gan Tang, you should also keep an eye on things."
"So it really was..." Gan Tang's breathing quickened slightly. She hadn't expected that someone would actually dare to plot against a prince.
Gan Tang paused for a moment, not yet expressing her suspicions: "Your Highness, if we can't find out, taking the initiative to do something might be helpful."
When they talked with Bishu, they mentioned that it was difficult to avoid mentioning the lowly eunuchs, maids, and servants in the main courtyard. They were usually inconspicuous, silently acting as cogs to keep the main courtyard running, but if His Highness were to have an accident and no clues could be found... Gantang would worry that something had been overlooked.
Of course, all of these suspicions are based on one premise: that the person who poisoned the person was from the Prince's residence, not an outsider.
So Gan Tang didn't say it out loud, but volunteered to try to do something.
After that day, Gan Tang, like every palace maid diagnosed with a minor ailment by Doctor Bian, would secretly go to the palace physician or buy medicine outside the palace. After buying it, she would secretly brew it in the backyard without anyone knowing. After brewing it, she would take an extra step and sneakily smuggle it to the window behind the main courtyard.
Each time, the prince's two personal eunuchs would cover for her, their cooperation was seamless.
This behavior continued until the Lunar New Year.
Qi Chengming described this as "entrapment." He didn't know if it would work; with no leads, it was just a risky gamble.
Until New Year's Eve.
Qi Chengming noticed that his health bar had dropped another bar.
—He had already taken the medicine from the system store and fully recovered his health!
What happened today?
There were so many things to do on New Year's Eve, and it was chaotic. Did the person behind the scenes think he wouldn't notice, so they poisoned him again?
Qi Chengming was not angry but pleased, his heart sinking back into his stomach.
What he feared most was that the poison was given to him when he was out, and that he had ingested it without anyone noticing. In that case, even with the system's cheat-like abilities, Qi Chengming would be unable to investigate at all.
However, Dr. Bian proved that this was a chronic poison that could be administered through contact with him without going through his mouth. Now that the other party has taken action again, it means that the dose of this chronic poison obtained through contact is very small and requires long-term administration.
OK.
Qi Chengming secretly instructed Song Gu to urgently investigate the events of that day and identify any anomalies. He also reminded Gan Tang to be vigilant. As for Qi Chengming himself, after his tacit interaction with Gan Tang that day, he stopped covering his forehead and occasionally pretending to be ill. Instead, he watched the Nuo dance with great interest, performed the ancestral worship with high spirits, and happily finished his meal with everyone.
He appeared more energetic and healthy than usual throughout the entire process.
And it was only the second day...
"You couldn't hold back so quickly, huh?" Qi Chengming looked down at the little palace maid who was being held on the ground and sighed softly. "I thought the person behind it would be more composed."
If Prince Rui realizes his mistake, secretly takes medicine to improve his condition, and then tries to orchestrate a conspiracy, what will the people behind the scenes do?
Qi Chengming didn't expect anyone to take the bait so quickly.
It's like fishing with a straight hook, it's incredibly easy.
—This is a palace maid in the main courtyard. Qi Chengming didn't know her name at first, only that she came from the palace.
Just now, when Qi Chengming noticed her from afar, he asked Song Gu to check on her recent situation.
Xiao Tao was one of the maids who served Qi Chengming in the main courtyard. Every few days, when Qi Chengming was washing up or getting dressed, she and the other maids would come in to serve him.
She had always been well-behaved and had never made any unusual moves. The only time she bought mercury ointment to kill insects and remove toxins was when she first arrived in Liuzhou last year, as she was not used to the environment. Since the palace maids needed these from time to time, mercury ointment was not a rare or unusual medicine.
Qi Chengming only heard this much at the time, and Doctor Bian, who had come with him, suddenly changed his expression and felt enlightened.
Mercury ointment, mercury, precious poison.
Because members of the royal families of several dynasties in the past enjoyed consuming elixirs and medicines made from mercury, each batch required large amounts of gold, silver, and rare materials to produce. Over time, this substance came to be known as "noble poison," meaning a poison commonly ingested by people of high status.
But over the years, mercury has become no longer expensive and has instead become an ordinary medicine; only its name has been preserved.
...Your Highness has been poisoned by a noble poison!
In other words, people may not be sure whether Xiao Tao was the one who did it, but the source and type of the poison have been determined.
Of course, this is easy to confirm.
So while the palace maid was peeking through the crack in the door, Qi Chengming activated the system.
He was surrounded by the names of talented people, some visible and some hidden. The visible names were those closer to him, while the hidden names were those further away.
but……
Qi Chengming looked around.
At this moment, only the two groups of people were in this secluded backyard.
In other words, Qi Chengming had memorized all the names of the people and they were displayed on the talent list, distributed according to distance.
—Except for Xiaotao.
Qi Chengming clearly selected the list from the palace before bringing everyone out. At that time, he was certain that everyone on the list belonged to his base, but now [Xiao Tao] has disappeared from the list.
Based on this alone, Qi Chengming understood.
It's likely that Xiao Tao was the one who poisoned him. The ingredients she used didn't need to be from outside the manor, or anything particularly rare. She simply needed to find a way to use the medicines she had accumulated, for example… by soaking them in Qi Chengming's washbasin or somewhere else over time.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, I'm innocent!" the little palace maid pleaded repeatedly, trembling like a leaf in fear.
"I haven't said what it is yet." Qi Chengming paused for a moment, feeling as if he had choked on his words.
This child seems a bit slow.
Isn't this an admission of guilt without being asked?
He looked up and met Gan Tang's gaze. The head palace maid frowned in annoyance, looking somewhat hesitant.
Yes, now they have to consider another possibility.
Such stupid behavior... and the method involved. If this wasn't staged, is there no one behind Xiao Tao instructing her? Qi Chengming really finds it hard to doubt that someone behind the scenes would dare to entrust such an important matter to Xiao Tao.
This young girl seems completely unsuitable for doing such dirty work. She couldn't hold back her words and even blurted them out.
But Qi Chengming did not let his guard down. He waved his hand, signaling the Imperial Guards to take the man away for interrogation and get to the bottom of things.
—There was a veteran in the Imperial Guard who was very good at interrogation, and we relied entirely on him.
The farce is over.
Doctor Bian hurriedly took his leave: "Your Highness, I have some ideas, I'll go and study the prescription first."
There has never been a known cure for this poison since ancient times, but Doctor Bian would not be discouraged. He had a vague idea and was now eager to think about it. Every minute he spent developing the antidote would improve His Highness's health.
Qi Chengming dismissed the others, leaving only Xiao Dezi to guard the area, while he and Gan Tang slowly strolled back to the main courtyard.
"Your Highness, I didn't expect it to be Xiao Tao..." Gan Tang apologized guiltily, "It was this servant who failed to manage the main courtyard properly, please punish me, Your Highness."
"Don't rush, it's not too late for you to apologize after the truth comes out." Qi Chengming stopped the topic, it was too early to say anything now.
"I'll take away their mercury ointment as soon as I get back," Gan Tang decided. Although the medicine was effective, it was better to switch to another medicine at this critical moment. First, she would collect this medicine and then thoroughly search the main courtyard to find out how many places were suspicious and isolate any poisonous substances.
"I'll stay in the backyard for now." Qi Chengming had no objection to this.
Fortunately, he had the system's health bar; otherwise, if he had transmigrated directly, he would have been dead many times over. Even if he had laid low and developed well in the early stages, he wouldn't have been able to defend against assassinations or poisonings later on.
Next... on one hand, we need to investigate Xiaotao, and on the other hand, we need to see if there is any mastermind behind this, and whether this small incident will stir up some snake in the back.
...
This is the breathtaking scene at the very beginning of the new year.
After Qi Chengming and his men hastily dealt with the situation, they outwardly acted as if nothing had happened, happily immersed in the New Year's atmosphere. The entire Prince's mansion remained completely unmoved.
Yes.
Overwhelmed by the pressure, the Xingjun Temple hastily sent someone to the Prince's Palace for help.
Your Highness, something terrible has happened! The offerings brought by the people have flooded the Star Lord Temple!
"Flooded?" Upon receiving the news, Song Gu was filled with doubt, finding it hard to believe that such a large estate converted into a Star Lord Temple... couldn't accommodate the offerings?
That must have meant a huge influx of people to the Xingjun Temple.
A chill ran down Song Gu's spine as he thought of the new emperor's paramount concern for order. He quickly called out to Steward Hua, "Go quickly, go up the mountain and check! Take the Imperial Guards on duty today. We absolutely cannot let anything happen to the people!"
After giving his instructions, Song Gu went back to find the prince.
This matter is beyond his control; the specifics of how to handle it are up to their new ruler.
Qi Chengming repeated, equally bewildered, "Flooded??"
But he was only stunned for a moment before calming down, stroking his chin and giving an idea: "Have someone distribute all the things to the sales hall."
Upon careful consideration, Qi Chengming was somewhat aware of the changes he had made in ancient times.
His comparison of himself to the modern People's Liberation Army was somewhat of an exaggeration, but the people genuinely loved and appreciated him, or perhaps they were more pragmatic, seeking blessings or connections. These factors all contributed to their fervent worship of certain items.
"Next time it's Chinese New Year, I'll know how to handle the first day." Song Gu was still a little shaken.
Qi Chengming's expression shifted slightly upon hearing this, but he remained silent.
That's hard to say. It's uncertain whether they'll still be in Liuzhou next year. We'll still have to celebrate the New Year differently each time.
Now that the New Year is over, will people in the court be talking about him?
With this in mind, Qi Chengming kept a close eye on the letters coming from Beijing.
And Kyoto.
As he had expected, someone did indeed openly expose the Second Prince, also known as Prince Rui, for his various misdeeds at the grand court assembly on the first day of the new year…
They suddenly launched an attack.
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Author's note: Bonus chapter.
Preparing for the final stage before returning to Beijing!
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