Sheng Xiyan grabbed Xuan Ling's collar and panted softly, "Your Majesty... purses and sachets are the easiest to hide medicine in..."
Empress Duan took a step forward with forced composure, the pearls on the phoenix hairpin in her hair swaying violently. "My dear Concubine, I'm afraid you've smelled it wrong. Your Majesty, I don't smell any musk."
"Your Majesty, there's no need to say more." Xuan Ling interrupted coldly, "We'll know once we investigate."
At this time, Ruyi retreated stealthily, her fingers already hooked on the string of Queen Duan's sachet.
Sheng Xiyan suddenly stood up: "Ruyi! What are you holding in your hand?"
"Your servant..." Ruyi's face turned pale, and the sachet fell to the ground with a "pop".
The chief of the guards stepped forward and poured out the contents of the sachet - dried roses and jasmine mixed with a few slender fennel leaves.
"Your Majesty, please understand!" Empress Duan said sharply, "It's just an ordinary sachet..."
Sheng Xiyan looked at the fennel grass and said, "Compendium of Materia Medica states that long-term use of this herb can cause miscarriage..."
She suddenly raised her eyes and asked, "The Queen doesn't know?"
Empress Duan stumbled back, her nails painted red digging deep into her palms: "This palace... This palace really doesn't know..."
Ruyi kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, this belongs to me. I didn't know that fennel can cause miscarriage. I deserve to die..."
With just one sentence, Queen Duan was completely cleared of all charges.
Sheng Xiyan couldn't help but admire the loyalty of this palace maid.
"Drag this bastard away." Xuan Ling's voice was like ice. "Beat him to death."
Empress Duan pleaded, "Your Majesty, Ruyi is my maid-in-charge. I made no mistake. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy."
Xuan Ling's words were full of hidden meaning: "Queen, is this sachet hers or yours?"
Empress Duan was so frightened that she knelt on the ground, "I really don't know, Your Majesty is well aware."
In this way, Ruyi was dragged away and beaten to death, becoming her scapegoat.
Half an hour later, in the Yangxin Palace.
The gilded incense burner emitted a fragrance that could nourish the pregnancy. Sheng Xiyan nestled in Xuan Ling's arms, letting him caress her pregnant belly over and over again.
"Are you still scared?" Xuan Ling kissed the top of her head. "That sachet..."
"I felt that the sachet was suspicious, so I did it on purpose." Sheng Xiyan raised her little face with a sly smile.
"Actually, that amount won't hurt the child, but I have to expose it in public to scare the Queen."
Xuan Ling suddenly tightened his arms, his jaw set in a sharp line. "Jingren Palace is already full of secret guards, keeping a close eye on the Queen. As long as there is evidence, I will arrest her immediately."
He suddenly lifted her face and said, "Yanyan, promise me that you won't take any more risks... You must discuss everything with me, okay?"
"Hmm," Sheng Xiyan agreed, leaning close to his ear and whispering, "Xuanlang, guess...why did the Queen choose to use the sachet today?"
She grabbed his hand and pressed it against the bulge of her belly. "Because it's been more than nine months, these triplets... could be born at any time..."
Xuan Ling sucked in a breath of cold air, then suddenly picked her up and carried her towards the dragon bed: "From now on, as soon as I finish my morning court session, I will stay by your side."
The candlelight cast the overlapping figures of the two people on the twelve-panel kesi screen.
"Husband, there's no need to be so nervous. Don't be afraid..." Sheng Xiyan knew that Xuan Ling was more nervous about giving birth than she was.
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