"Who could have murdered the Imperial Concubine's father? If someone truly committed such a crime, I cannot protect them. I only beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and not wrong anyone else. As for Xingxi and Fuling's matter, I truly did not instruct Fuling to do so. Even if I truly wanted to do something evil, I would not use such dishonorable means!"
The Empress's knees buckled, and she knelt before Liu Heng, pleading her case with tears streaming down her face.
The two charges, one true and one false, left her unable to deny them and plunged her into a desperate situation.
"Your Majesty, please understand! It was all my doing. I instructed you to do the Fuling thing. I saw that the Consort was favored and dominated the harem, disregarding the Empress. So I thought of ways to humiliate her. It has nothing to do with Her Majesty the Empress! I beg Your Majesty to punish me and not to wrong Her Majesty!"
After taking the note from the Empress, Granny Zhou glanced at it herself and understood the gist of it. She knew that this was a conspiracy devised by the Consort for the Empress.
With Fuling dead, the Empress was now trapped. Whether she admitted it or not, she was already burdened with the blame. Now that Liu Heng was considering deposing the Empress, in order to exonerate her, Granny Zhou steeled herself and decided to sacrifice herself to clear the Empress's name.
The Empress was emotionally agitated and her mind wasn't quite clear. She was stunned when Zhou Mama suddenly took the blame for her. But subconsciously, the Empress felt that Zhou Mama's confession was even more inappropriate.
"hehe."
Liu Heng didn't believe Zhou Mama's story at all, thinking how cunning the Empress was. After the incident, Fuling took poison and didn't implicate her, and now Zhou Mama was taking the blame for her. When trouble comes, they always use those closest to them as scapegoats.
He felt even more strongly that the Empress was utterly cold-hearted and beyond redemption.
However, Liu Heng could not make this matter public in the first place, and because the Empress was involved with the previous dynasty and the Crown Prince, if the Empress were deposed, the situation would get out of control, so she could not be deposed for the time being.
"Since that's the case, and Granny Zhou has already confessed, then have her dragged out. The Empress's poor management of those around her is probably due to being too busy with palace affairs. From now on, she can rest in Kunning Palace, and the palace affairs will be managed jointly by the Noble Consort and Consort Ning. I hope the Empress will behave herself in the future."
No longer willing to waste her energy on the Empress, she pushed Zhou Mama forward, and that was that. But what the truth really was, they each knew in their hearts.
Liu Heng took the opportunity to interrogate Granny Zhou. Although it seemed that the matter was resolved, he would not let the Empress off so easily and took away her power.
Granny Zhou was dragged away, trembling all over, while the Empress sat down on the ground in a daze.
Although Liu Heng did not depose the empress, it was close enough. He took away her power and imprisoned her in Kunning Palace.
After leaving his final words, Liu Heng departed.
The Empress looked around blankly in the main hall. In that instant, she felt that she had lost everything, and there was no longer any comfort from Granny Zhou by her side. She burst into tears.
☆、78| 3.22|
When Lin Yuqiao heard that she would be in charge of palace affairs in the future, she was so shocked that she couldn't close her mouth.
"So this means I'm to take over the palace affairs from the Empress?"
She looked at Liu Heng with a bit of nervousness and a slight fear. Although she had heard that Xingxi's affair was arranged by the Empress, which made her even more disgusted with the Empress, in her heart the Empress was still the Empress. It was not right for a Noble Consort like her to overstep the Empress's authority and interfere in palace affairs.
"It's not just you, Consort Ning will also help you manage affairs. The Empress is not feeling well, so let her rest in Kunning Palace."
Liu Heng pinched her cheek and said calmly.
He was wary of letting the Empress, a woman of such deep cunning, continue to hold power in the harem. Liu Heng felt that he had already shown her exceptional favor by not deposing her, out of consideration for the Crown Prince.
"Oh, and Consort Ning too. Since the Empress is ill, it's only right that we lend a helping hand."
Lin Yuqiao wisely refrained from asking further questions. Since Liu Heng had made this arrangement, she would follow it. Besides, the Empress had an excuse about being ill, so she didn't need to worry too much.
Seeing how obedient she was, Liu Heng felt very relieved.
He knew what Lin Yuqiao was worried about. With the Empress still around, it wouldn't be good for a mere concubine like her to take over the power of the palace.
However, she still accepted his arrangements and trusted him to handle the rumors and opposition from the previous dynasty. She put aside her worries and disregarded her reputation; this wholehearted reliance and trust moved Liu Heng deeply.
She and the Empress were two completely different kinds of people. In his presence, she was a pure, innocent woman, with only him in her eyes and heart. The Empress, on the other hand, was nominally his wife, but her heart was filled with a lust for power and rampant scheming, fearing that she might not get even the slightest bit less from him.
As for the Chengen Duke's Mansion, Liu Heng has already found out that it was Wang Heqing who instructed someone to contact the biological mother of the current Viscount Chen Liang, the second wife of Master Lin. The two sides colluded to cause Master Lin's death.
Although Liu Heng had no goodwill towards Master Lin and didn't even bestow any honors upon him after his death, he wouldn't allow the Cheng'en Duke's Mansion to act lawlessly. Although he had suppressed this matter and couldn't openly punish them, he still held a grudge in his heart.
As for the second wife of the Lin family, Liu Heng secretly had people collect evidence and impeached the second master of the Lin family for favoring his wife over his concubine. He then took the opportunity to dismiss the second master of the Lin family from his post, and his second wife was also sold off.
Because the current Viscount Chen Liang was born to a concubine, the Chen Liang family was demoted again and was thus erased from the list of prominent families in the capital.
As for Consort Ning, although Xingxi's plan did not succeed, the Empress's power in the palace was taken away, so it can be said that her plans were not in vain.
Originally, Consort Ning wasn't entirely confident; she was only gambling on a 30% chance of success. If Xingxi had successfully implemented her plan, she wouldn't have allowed Xingxi to give birth to a prince or princess as she wished.
That was another key element in her plan. She would then devise a scheme to cause Xingxi to miscarry and make Lin Yuqiao take the blame.
The crime of plotting against the imperial heir is no small matter. Even if Liu Heng lets her go, the Empress will seize this opportunity and not let her off easily. Not only will Lin Yuqiao lose her chance to become a Noble Consort, but the fact that the Third Prince had such a vicious intention to plot against the birth mother of the imperial heir will also be an indelible stain on his record.
Unfortunately, her plan failed before it even got to the first half, which left Consort Ning feeling very regretful.
However, she had already calculated every step, so even if the plan failed, she wouldn't be held responsible, which was nothing to worry about.
She first spread rumors in the palace, influencing the Empress's thinking and leading the Empress to instruct the Cheng'en Duke's Mansion to kill Master Lin. She had also arranged for Aunt Fuling to be a pawn. Everything was under her control.
Now that she can still intervene in palace affairs, her efforts haven't been in vain. However, since Lin Yuqiao escaped this time, she still needs to take action.
"Let Yan'er begin her operation outside the palace."
Consort Ning instructed a eunuch to deliver a message to Liu Yan, instructing him to proceed with the next steps.
There's no turning back now that the arrow has been released. The mother and son have already taken one step forward, and there's no stopping them. It's all or nothing.
Consort Ning stood by the window, watching the cold wind sweep through the hall, feeling a sense of desolation in her heart.
If she doesn't fight and continues to endure quietly in the palace, she can naturally live a peaceful life. But in that case, at most she will become a queen dowager after Liu Heng passes away, following Liu Yan to his fiefdom.
She was unwilling to spend her whole life in such repression and forbearance. She was also unwilling to let her son always be suppressed.
Those people—the Empress, the Imperial Concubine, Liu Kang, Liu Feng—only relied on their better birth to live a life of unparalleled glory and pride. Meanwhile, they had to cower and remain forever subservient.
Why should I?
Wealth and status here are never something you can wait for; you have to seize them. Consort Ning knew that those who resided in Kunning Palace were merely the mistresses of the harem, while only those who lived in Cining Palace were the most honored women in the world.
How could she possibly lose this gamble, a bet she had wagered half her life's blood?
Next, Consort Ning and Lin Yuqiao each took charge of half of the palace affairs, and the Empress "fell ill" and recuperated in Kunning Palace, so their greetings were also suspended.
"Consort Ning is quite perceptive."
Because Consort Ning took the initiative to let Lin Yuqiao choose the palace affairs to manage, and acted as if she respected the Noble Consort above all else, Jiang Mama had some goodwill towards her.
"She's the real old fox."
Lin Yuqiao pouted. Although palace affairs were numerous and complicated, all the institutions and expenditures within the palace had established rules, and no matter who was in charge, they were all executed according to established procedures. Therefore, it didn't matter who was in charge of which matter.
Consort Ning was merely making a gesture; she didn't suffer any loss at all.
"The Imperial Household Department is in charge of the procurement and distribution of all expenses in the palace. It's a very lucrative position. Why did you give it to Consort Ning?"
Jiang Mama, who had been happily watching the Imperial Household Department, was puzzled when Lin Yuqiao gave it to Consort Ning.
"What's the point of getting fat? Just follow the established rules. Consort Ning won't get any benefits. Besides, the head of the Imperial Household Department is His Majesty's man, and the Empress has managed palace affairs for so many years. She must have a few confidants. We must follow the rules and not give the Empress any leverage."
Lin Yuqiao wouldn't even dare to think about embezzlement. Besides, she wasn't short of money, so there was no need to take the risk. It was better to leave it to Ning Fei; that way, she could save herself some trouble.
"Is Chief Steward Chen Huang one of His Majesty's men?"
Jiang Mama was indeed unaware of this news and wondered how Lin Yuqiao knew it.
“I sent Mangxia to sound out Wei Jiang. He’s someone close to His Majesty, so he must know some of these secrets.”
Ever since Lin Yuqiao discovered that Wei Jiang had taken the initiative to show her goodwill, she had been quietly extending her leg to him and maintaining a good, mutually beneficial relationship with him.
Although they dared not openly conspire together under Liu Heng's nose, she could always use Wei Jiang, such an important person.
"Oh, I see."
Hearing Lin Yuqiao's words, Granny Jiang finally calmed down. Since that was the case, getting involved with the Imperial Household Department wouldn't bring any benefit, so it wouldn't be a loss to delegate this tiring work to Consort Ning. Besides, Consort Ning didn't know the head steward was His Majesty's man, so she could do her a favor.
After getting the job, Lin Yuqiao became busy and her life became much more fulfilling.
According to palace regulations, princes could no longer live with their mothers after the age of six and had to live in separate palaces. Originally, Lin Yuqiao was extremely reluctant for Mengmeng to move out and tried her best to delay it. However, as the year drew to a close and she became busy with palace affairs, Liu Heng took the opportunity to let Mengmeng move out.
However, even after living alone, Mengmeng still studies with Guaiguai every day after school, staying until dinner before returning to her palace. In other words, only her sleeping place has changed, which was also Lin Yuqiao's request.
She thought that Mengmeng was still a child, and no matter how mature she was, she couldn't live without her parents' care. Letting that little child be independent was simply too much to ask. Without her watching over her, she would worry even more if Mengmeng ate something that wasn't good, or if it was too cold or too hot.
"So what? I started living alone when I was six. And Mengmeng is almost seven now."
Liu Heng dismissed her concerns. Mengmeng wouldn't move out until the end of the year, and she was almost seven years old. Boys should be independent; it wouldn't do for her to always rely on her mother.
"I can't bear to part with my adorable baby!"
Ignoring Liu Heng's explanation, Lin Yuqiao hugged Mengmeng and kissed him hard on the cheek, making Mengmeng blush and struggle in her arms. Only when Liu Heng couldn't stand her "bullying" his son like this and came to Mengmeng's rescue did she let go.
"Haha, my adorable baby."
Seeing her brother's embarrassed state, Guai Guai clapped her hands and laughed loudly. Meng Meng glared at her and she hid behind Liu Heng, but she was still laughing so hard that she was doubled over.
"My darling is also my precious baby!"
Finally letting go of Mengmeng, Lin Yuqiao grabbed Guaiguai and forcefully kissed him. Although Guaiguai is almost three years old, he is still a chubby little thing, with fat arms and legs, like a round winter melon.
After squeezing and kneading the winter melon in her arms, Lin Yuqiao felt refreshed. It was so much more comfortable squeezing her youngest son; she loved the chubby little guy the most.
After moving to Tiren Pavilion, Mengmeng adapted very well, and Lin Yuqiao often nagged the people serving him, afraid that her son would be mistreated. She had been relieved, but after the New Year, Mengmeng suddenly fell ill, especially coughing incessantly at night.
The imperial physician diagnosed it as just a cold, but Mengmeng's cough persisted for several days after taking the medicine, which worried Lin Yuqiao. She feared that if the cough continued, it might develop into pneumonia.
Mengmeng has been well cared for by her all these years and rarely gets sick, so when Lin Yuqiao was worried, she blamed Liu Heng for Mengmeng's illness.
"It's all your fault. Mengmeng is so young and you left him to live alone in Tiren Pavilion. It's so cold and lonely with no one to take care of him. Now he's sick and he's recovering so slowly."
Liu Heng touched his nose, feeling quite helpless. The person in front of him was clearly being unreasonable, with red eyes and pounding his chest, making it impossible for him to explain himself.
“I’ve already reprimanded all the people who serve Mengmeng. Those who should be punished have been punished. It’s just a cold, don’t worry too much.”
The imperial physician checked her pulse daily and diagnosed her with a cold based on her symptoms, so Liu Heng wasn't worried. Mengmeng had always been healthy, so a minor illness wasn't a big deal; colds are never easy to cure completely, are they?
However, even after half a month, Mengmeng's illness did not improve. Her body became weaker and weaker, and she often coughed so badly that she could not breathe. She could no longer even go to the study room to listen to lectures.
"You quack doctors, do you even know how to cure diseases?!"
Lin Yuqiao hugged her son, watching him cough so hard he couldn't speak. Her heart was breaking, she was practically going crazy, wishing she could immediately take Mengmeng back to the modern world to see a doctor.
☆、79| 3.22|
"Mother, cough cough... I'm fine."
Mengmeng gently tugged at her mother's sleeve, gesturing for her to lower her head, and wiped away the tears on her face.
"How is my little one?"
He hasn't seen Guai Guai for quite a while because he's been sick. I bet he's going to cause a ruckus in Yanqing Palace with his little temper.
"Sweetie, are you missing your little brother?"
Lin Yuqiao held Mengmeng's hand, her heart aching with unbearable sorrow, but she forced a smile to suppress her emotions.
Mengmeng is such a lovely and sensible child; he is her greatest surprise and her deepest concern in this life. He is the best son, but she is a failing mother. She would give anything for Mengmeng's peace and happiness; she would rather be sick in her son's place than watch him helplessly like this.
"My little one can't see me, he must be making a fuss about his mother every day, right?"
Hearing Lin Yuqiao's words, Mengmeng nodded. He knew without even thinking that during the time he hadn't been urging Guai Guai to study, Guai Guai definitely hadn't been studying properly.
"Yes, I look for you every day. Guai Guai misses you too. Meng Meng, get well soon."
Watching Mengmeng finish his medicine, Lin Yuqiao gently patted his soft hair and encouraged him.
Because she was worried that Guai Guai would catch a cold, Lin Yuqiao hadn't let him see Mengmeng. But Guai Guai had been closest to Mengmeng since childhood, and now that he couldn't see him, he couldn't eat or sleep well every day. The first thing he said when he opened his eyes and before he went to sleep was, "Can I see my brother today?"
Now, Guai Guai also looks listless, her chubby face drooping listlessly all day, unlike her previous energetic self, which worries her as well.
Watching Mengmeng close his eyes and fall asleep, Lin Yuqiao gently leaned down and pressed her forehead against his. Feeling his breathing, which was sometimes light and sometimes heavy, she suddenly felt uneasy.
In her memory, a cold usually has a cycle, and it would gradually get better after ten days at the latest, even without medication. But Mengmeng is taking medicine now, and her condition is getting worse, which is simply abnormal.
But the key issue is that the imperial physician couldn't diagnose anything. She had her medicine and diet closely monitored every day, and there were no problems at all. What's going on?
After leaving the house, Lin Yuqiao met with the imperial physician again.
"The Third Prince's Qi is stagnant due to cold, which has led to numbness and disease. The pathogenic factors have invaded his lungs and defensive Qi, and his condition is difficult to reverse. He needs to recuperate and strengthen his body."
Physician Chen was the most skilled pediatrician in the Imperial Hospital. Although he was a little sweaty from Lin Yuqiao's yelling earlier, he still insisted on his diagnosis and gave the old explanation.
He examined the Third Prince's pulse many times a day and found no other abnormalities. It was just that the cold had weakened his body, and the Third Prince's weakness had aggravated his condition. This cycle of cause and effect had led to the current situation. This was the physician's opinion, and he had no objection even to His Majesty.
Despite his compassionate heart, he had seen too many children die young in this day and age, and he was not particularly surprised by the high mortality rate. He had seen many people succumb to a simple cold.
"Is the medicine you prescribed even right for her? Why is Mengmeng's condition getting worse the more she takes it?"
Lin Yuqiao now has extremely little faith in the imperial physician's abilities. Anyone who sees Mengmeng getting worse with each dose of medicine would inevitably have some doubts.
She even had people check the bedding and clothes around Mengmeng, as well as everything in the entire hall, to confirm that it wasn't caused by external objects, so it could only mean that the medicine was wrong.
Physician Chen was terrified by her words and broke out in a cold sweat. The Consort's accusation sounded very serious. Would she suspect that he had done something wrong?
"Your Majesty, we take turns checking your pulse every day, and we also discuss the changes with the chief physician and others when we change the prescriptions."
Physician Chen felt a pang of bitterness and quickly spoke up to explain, not wanting to be unjustly blamed. According to palace regulations, he wasn't the only one who came to take the Third Prince's pulse each day; at least three people did.
Moreover, although the imperial physicians respected Physician Chen, they were all involved in diagnosing the Third Prince's illness. Regarding the diagnosis of the Third Prince's cold and the arrangement of the prescription, all the imperial physicians around him shared the same opinion. They were just as worried as the Third Prince's condition, which was not improving.
Besides, everyone's physical condition is different. Some people die the day after drinking cold water at night, and there are precedents for this. Who knows, maybe feng shui or fate plays a role.
The saying "extreme intelligence is bound to bring misfortune" has existed since ancient times, and the Third Prince was exceptionally gifted, his precocious talent renowned to all. Fate is a mysterious thing; no matter how intelligent you are, if you don't have the right destiny, there's nothing you can do.
Since the imperial physician had found no problems, Lin Yuqiao couldn't do anything more. She could only try her best to take good care of Mengmeng and keep looking on the bright side, waiting for her to recover slowly.
Liu Heng was also very concerned about Mengmeng's condition. He had to see the imperial physician's pulse diagnosis and prescriptions every day, and he couldn't understand why Mengmeng's condition would worsen after just a cold.
"What use are you useless trash to me!"
Lin Yuqiao had just questioned Physician Chen, and Liu Heng, after summoning someone, threw the inkstone at him.
The entire Imperial Medical Academy can't even cure a common cold. What kind of reputation does that make? What can they possibly do?
Seeing His Majesty's thunderous rage, Imperial Physician Chen knelt on the ground, trembling with fear. The chief physician and other accompanying imperial physicians behind him also knelt down, and everyone remained silent.
One of the younger imperial physicians, kneeling behind, mustered up his courage and glanced up. He was Physician Chen's assistant and had been taking the Third Prince's pulse with Physician Chen for some time, so he had some ideas.
This young imperial physician, surnamed Wang, had only recently entered the palace through the Imperial Medical Academy's rigorous examinations. His medical skills were mediocre, and he held little influence within the Imperial Medical Academy. However, he was fond of studying poisons.
The Third Prince's symptoms were indeed those of a cold, but they were worsening daily, suggesting a weakening of his body. He knew of several types of toxins that could cause bodily deterioration, some of which were mild and undetectable by pulse diagnosis alone.
However, there is currently no strong evidence to support this speculation. The reason why the court judge and Physician Chen have ruled out this idea is that the Third Prince's daily food, clothing, and everything he can come into contact with have been inspected. The Imperial Concubine also keeps a close watch on him, leaving no loopholes.
Furthermore, at the Imperial Concubine's request, they even inspected the Third Prince's inner chamber, examining all the furnishings and items inside, including the incense burner, but found nothing amiss.
Therefore, he couldn't be certain that the Third Prince was the victim, because he had never found a way for the Third Prince to come into contact with the poison, and there was no evidence to corroborate his claim.
If his assumption is correct, the Third Prince's health gradually weakened, which led to his cold lingering and even worsening.
To achieve this effect, one must have been exposed to toxic substances intermittently on a daily basis. Moreover, since there are no signs of poisoning in the pulse or body, the dosage of the poison must be very small, and the person being poisoned must be frequently exposed.
But now we can't find anything out. Maybe his guess is wrong.
Because he was a young and inexperienced new imperial physician, Physician Wang hesitated to speak his mind in public several times. He thought it over carefully, realizing that if he couldn't find evidence to support his words, he would offend Physician Chen and the head of the academy, and he would also be guilty of a crime.
While Mengmeng continued to be sick, Guai Guai finally couldn't bear it any longer and went on a hunger strike for a day in protest, insisting that Lin Yuqiao agree to take him to see Mengmeng.
"Brother is sick and needs to rest. Be good and don't bother him. If you behave well, he'll get better soon."
Holding her son and rubbing his chubby face, Lin Yuqiao said with some exhaustion.
"No, I want to see my brother!"
This little boy is so stubborn, nothing could sway him. He just wants to see Mengmeng. He won't listen to reason, and he can't understand it. He's convinced that Lin Yuqiao will give in.
"Fine, fine, I can't stand you anymore. It's a deal, you can only stand outside the door, say hello to your brother through the door and then leave."
Because she was afraid of infecting the boy, Lin Yuqiao didn't dare let him into the house, and could only let the two brothers talk from a distance.
But Guai Guai was really not well-behaved at all. When he got to Meng Meng's house and heard his voice, Guai Guai got anxious.
He always ate well and was a chubby three-year-old with quite a bit of weight. He twisted his body vigorously and suddenly broke free from his wet nurse's arms, running quickly into the house on his two chubby little legs. The nanny couldn't catch him.
"You silly child!"
Lin Yuqiao was sitting by Mengmeng's bed when she saw him suddenly rush in, with the wet nurse and nanny chasing after him.
She quickly went over and hugged him, trying to carry him out, but the boy struggled too much. Even with two or three nannies holding him down, he kept twisting and howling like a pig being slaughtered.
"Let the little one stay and say a few words to me."
Mengmeng's face was a little pale, and her already thin physique made her even thinner with clearly defined features. She struggled to get up and looked at Lin Yuqiao pleadingly.
He hadn't seen his younger brother in a long time and missed the chubby boy very much.
Since Mengmeng never makes requests normally, this time when she looked at Lin Yuqiao with her round eyes, Lin Yuqiao's heart softened instantly, and she couldn't bring herself to refuse.
Lin Yu-Chiao said that the wet nurse should hold the chubby baby tightly and stand far away from the bed, right next to the charcoal stove. This was the bottom line.
"You only have a moment. Get well soon, Mengmeng, then you can play together however you want."
Mengmeng smiled and nodded, indicating her understanding. Although Guai Guai was still unwilling, seeing Mengmeng smile, she blinked her eyes, which still had tears clinging to them, and smiled back at Mengmeng.
"Why isn't my brother better yet?"
Guai Guai found it strange. He had been sick before and couldn't go out to play, which made him feel very uncomfortable. But after drinking a few bowls of bitter medicine, he recovered quickly. Why did his brother need so long?
"You'll be better soon. Be a good boy and listen to your mother. Don't be naughty. Don't forget to review the 'Li Weng's Rhyming Dictionary' that I taught you before. When I'm better, you have to recite it for me."
Mengmeng knew that Guai Guai always cared about him, and he was very touched. He didn't usually play with him much and was always forbidding him from doing this or that, but Guai Guai didn't distance himself from him because of it, which made him feel very warm inside. It was a pity that the two couldn't get any closer, otherwise he wouldn't have dodged when the chubby boy pounced on him this time.
However, Mengmeng's expression of affection is also introverted, just like Liu Heng's. She is even more demanding when it comes to expressing her love for Guaiguai.
The two talked for a while, and as they were talking, they suddenly started coughing.
"What's wrong, baby?"
Lin Yuqiao felt extremely regretful and quickly asked the wet nurse to take Guai Guai out, worried that he might have been infected so soon.
Guai Guai's face turned red, and she coughed, but she still didn't want to be carried out, so she immediately started howling, coughing and gasping for breath.
After comforting the worried Mengmeng, Lin Yuqiao quickly took Guai Guai back to Yanqing Palace and also summoned the imperial physician.
"Did you catch a cold?"
Lin Yuqiao watched as the imperial physicians took turns checking her pulse, her heart pounding with anxiety. One patient wasn't even better yet; if another one joined the fight, she'd go crazy.
"No, the Fourth Prince's physical condition is normal."
After examining her pulse, tongue, and eyes, Physician Chen confirmed that Guai Guai was alright. Moreover, after returning to Yanqing Palace and crying, Guai Guai stopped coughing.
After hearing Physician Chen's diagnosis, Lin Yuqiao finally felt relieved.
At this moment, a young imperial physician behind Physician Chen suddenly spoke up, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, but I have a question. I wonder where in the room the Fourth Prince suddenly started coughing?"
Imperial Physician Wang had recently been preparing to abandon his initial guess. Even if he wanted to rise in the ranks, he couldn't rely solely on his speculations; without evidence, everything was in vain. However, the sudden onset of symptoms in the Fourth Prince gave him a glimmer of hope.
He happened to know of a medicine called Gelsemium elegans, which could gradually weaken a person's body without causing poisoning, only causing some irritation to the respiratory tract and trachea. These symptoms matched those of the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, so it couldn't be a coincidence.
“He didn’t move inside the house. I didn’t dare let him get too close to Mengmeng either. He just stood by the charcoal stove, which was quite close to the door.”
Lin Yuqiao didn't understand the imperial physician's meaning and subconsciously replied.
Charcoal stove?
The problem actually lies with the charcoal!
They had inspected the charcoal stove before, and even opened the lid to look at the golden charcoal inside. At the time, they didn't find anything unusual, but they didn't look at it closely either.
Who would have thought that they would hide Gelsemium elegans in charcoal?
Physician Wang suddenly realized, and his body trembled with excitement. Ignoring Physician Chen's icy gaze, he tightly grasped Physician Chen's hand.
"Lord Chen, I understand, I understand!"
He disregarded his own opinions and told Physician Chen and Lin Yuqiao his guesses.
Lin Yuqiao felt a pang of anxiety upon hearing this. Sure enough, Mengmeng's illness was extraordinary.
Regardless of whether it was true or not, he immediately led people to Tiren Pavilion to bring Mengmeng back to Yanqing Palace.
After entering the room, Physician Wang went straight to the charcoal, extinguished the half-burnt charcoal, and began to examine it. Physician Chen and the others nearby also gathered around to examine it together.
They assumed that Gelsemium elegans was dark yellow, odorless, and non-toxic, and that traditional testing methods couldn't detect its toxicity. Meanwhile, the smokeless, odorless, and priceless gold-threaded charcoal used by noblewomen in the palace was also golden, making it truly difficult to distinguish between them.
Doctor Wang's forehead was covered in cold sweat as he held the still-warm gold-threaded charcoal, his hands trembling slightly. Whether he could become famous overnight depended on this gamble.
Holding the large piece of charcoal with complete concentration, Physician Wang examined it carefully and was suddenly delighted to discover something.
The columnar charcoal in his hand could actually push out a cylinder from the inside. Inside an irregular cylinder, another cylinder was carved out, which was equivalent to two parts nested together.
It was difficult to detect the abnormality with the naked eye. If it weren't for the irregular shape of the gold wire charcoal that was half-burned, which made him notice it, he wouldn't have been able to spot it if it were a complete gold wire charcoal.
After pushing out the cylinder, Physician Wang discovered that the surface of the charcoal was not smooth to the touch and had a faint smell of wild pea soup.
The person who set up this scheme ground the Gelsemium elegans into powder, removed the core of the charcoal, mixed the powder with the tang of dandelion seeds, applied it to the charcoal, and then stuck it onto the outer skin.
The soup was a bit sticky. If the charcoal hadn't burned off most of its stickiness and allowed the piece inside to be pushed out, he wouldn't have noticed it.
Because such a secretive method was used, relying on the burning of Gelsemium elegans powder with gold thread charcoal to spread the virus, Mengmeng's symptoms remained very mild. In addition, the cold itself caused her to cough, so no clues were discovered.
Furthermore, adults have a higher tolerance to the drug and usually don't react to the smell of charcoal smoke, at most experiencing a slight dryness in their throats. Only the Fourth Prince, being young, experiences a more noticeable adverse reaction to this somewhat irritating smoke.
After Physician Wang discovered the problem with the gold thread charcoal, Lin Yuqiao had someone inspect all the gold thread charcoal in Tiren Pavilion.
Finally, she discovered that half of them had been manipulated, while the other half were normal. She was horrified by how meticulous the person who orchestrated this scheme must have been.
Next, Mengmeng returned to Yanqing Palace, his original palace, to recuperate, and his prescription was changed.
After being richly rewarded by Lin Yuqiao, Physician Wang also received a reward from Liu Heng. He was immediately promoted from the lowest rank of fifth-grade physician to fourth-grade physician and continued to treat Mengmeng. He was no longer Physician Chen's assistant, but the chief physician, which showed that his future was bright.
When Liu Heng learned that Mengmeng had been framed, he was furious. He could accept the power struggles in the harem or the infighting among the concubines, but to have such a vicious attack on his own offspring was his Achilles' heel.
The investigation went down layer by layer, and everyone involved was brought to the interrogation room, where all nine dark rooms were packed with people.
Only those of the rank of concubine or above, or princes and princesses, were allowed to use gold-thread charcoal in the palace. Every month, the Imperial Household Department would send people to deliver it to each palace, and the remaining stock was stored in the Imperial Household Department's storeroom.
Since the remaining gold thread charcoal in the Imperial Household Department's storeroom was normal, it can be confirmed that this tampered gold thread charcoal was specifically targeted at the Fourth Prince, and the problem lies with the people in the Tiren Pavilion.
Furthermore, producing defective gold wire carbon on a large scale also takes time; it's a delicate process.
Despite a rigorous court hearing, none of the personnel responsible for adding charcoal and managing the warehouse at Tiren Pavilion exhibited any unusual behavior. Furthermore, each person had time records to prove that disassembling and assembling the gold-thread charcoal took time, and none of them had spent that much time handling it.
After the Imperial Household Department sends the quota, the eunuchs of the Tiren Pavilion will make a list, lock it in the storeroom, and the eunuchs who guard the storeroom will work in shifts of five hours a day. They will only stay outside the storeroom, and the key will be kept by the steward.
The steward also needed to register before entering the warehouse. He remembered exactly when and who had been to the warehouse.
Each time the eunuchs who were responsible for adding charcoal received the gold-thread charcoal, there was a designated person to supervise and record the process, in order to prevent anyone from stealing the gold-thread charcoal and selling it to the palace.
How could something have been added to perfectly good charcoal? Lin Yuqiao and Liu Heng sat facing each other, pondering this question after reviewing the court records.
If the problem didn't originate at the Tiren Pavilion, all the other charcoal from the Imperial Household Department was perfectly fine. It was normally kept locked in the warehouse, and its use was strictly recorded and distributed according to quantity. Even the Imperial Household Department's purchases of charcoal followed established procedures, with the weights meticulously recorded and reconciled in the accounts.
For a time, no fault could be found, and the entire investigation reached a stalemate. The interrogation officers continued to torture everyone, but they couldn't extract any useful information.
☆、80| 3.22|
To tamper with so much charcoal in the palace would be too conspicuous and extremely difficult. To do it without anyone noticing would require someone with extensive connections and influence. Lin Yuqiao felt a chill run down her spine.
Who would be so deliberately trying to harm Mengmeng? Is it targeting her or Mengmeng? She couldn't think of a solution for the moment, but she knew that if something happened to Mengmeng, the first beneficiary would be the Empress.
After all, the Empress had managed palace affairs for so many years, and she always had connections and confidants. Especially since she had suffered a great loss because of Xingxi's incident, it was perfectly normal for her to want to plot against Mengmeng to get revenge on her.
However, Lin Yuqiao always had a strong feeling that this scheme was very elaborate and did not seem to be the work of the Empress.
Although the Empress was quite shrewd, she had been the most powerful woman in the inner palace for many years, and she had a strong sense of superiority in terms of status.
Her status destined her to receive the most and the highest rewards without much effort.
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