Chapter 68 The truth comes out: only the usurper's wife, who usurped her brother's widow—such a rebellious act…
Pei Muwei picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip of the leftover cold tea from last night, and the dark undercurrent in his phoenix eyes gradually subsided, revealing a lazy smile, like a satiated wild beast.
He held a teacup, calmly observing the flustered Empress Dowager.
The woman initially threw the handkerchief into the charcoal stove with a look of disgust, but only after seeing the flames engulf it did she feel at ease enough to wash her hands. She repeatedly rubbed her slender, white fingers in the basin of water until her fingertips turned red before stopping. Then, she tiptoed to take the enamel incense box from the sandalwood stand, and used silver chopsticks to pick up two or three incense balls and place them into the gilded dragon-shaped incense burner.
As wisps of smoke rose from the incense burner, the sweet and rich fragrance of pear blossoms filled the entire room, quietly masking the last wisp of enchanting musk.
Chu Yueyuan turned around and saw the man with smiling phoenix eyes, and her jade-like face tightened: "Pei Qing seemed quite relaxed afterwards."
Pei Muwei stepped forward, took the woman's slender hand, and kneaded her fair wrist, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Before and after, Your Highness contributed the most."
How could Chu Yueyuan not understand the deeper meaning of his words? The blush that had just faded from her cheeks returned, and she pretended to be calm and changed the subject: "Last night... how did Minister Pei manage to keep the Emperor asleep?"
"Your humble servant inquired with Imperial Physician Zhao about massage techniques that can help with sleep."
This seemingly ordinary sentence perfectly illustrates the meaning of "love me, love my dog".
Chu Yueyuan was slightly dazed. She looked down and saw the man lift her hand, his well-defined knuckles gently massaging the sore spot on her wrist.
When they first met, they were simply taking what they needed from each other. She coveted his power and influence, while he desired her obedience and understanding. Now, her schemes against him remain unchanged, but he has long since become excessively indulgent towards her.
The entanglement between the emperor and his minister had long since become chaotic.
Chu Yueyuan's eyes flickered slightly. She took a deep breath and spoke calmly, "At the flower arrangement banquet a few days ago, several ladies inquired about Pei Qing's marriage with me and even brought their daughters to my presence..."
She paused slightly, then continued, "There are a few outstanding ones, such as the youngest daughter of the Zhaoqing Marquis. She is seventeen years old, with a beautiful face and a gentle and charming personality. Her flower arranging skills are also exquisite. I asked Eunuch Wang to place that vase of flowers on the sandalwood desk in the Qin Zheng Hall. Did Minister Pei see it?"
After hearing these words, the regent, who had been so cheerful just moments before, suddenly turned cold, his eyes filled with a dark, brooding intensity.
The fingers gripping her wrist were no longer as gentle as before, as if they wanted to see how hard her bones were.
His voice was cold and clear: "Your Majesty, I have not noticed the vase on the desk. If any noblewomen in the court ever inquire about my private affairs from the Empress Dowager, I request that Your Majesty hand them over to Lord Lin, who will arrest them as spies and imprison them for strict interrogation."
Chu Yueyuan: ...
She simply cut to the chase, looking up to meet his sharp gaze, and earnestly advised:
"In the capital, amidst the flourishing of beauty, Pei Qing is in the prime of his life, with a bright future ahead. Why then cling to this withered willow of mine? I have no illustrious family background to lend you wings, and my status as the late emperor's wife will only bring you public criticism... leaving you with the infamy of forcibly taking your widowed sister-in-law's place. I truly do not understand why the throne must belong to me?"
Pei Muwei stared at the little empress dowager's upturned porcelain-white face. The woman's cheeks were still flushed, and she hurriedly raised all the sharp thorns on her body.
He narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly, and repeated her words with a soft laugh:
"Yes, why must the throne be held by Your Highness..." Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly pulled the woman into his arms, as if to prove his obsession with action. Even if she stabbed him until he was covered in bloody holes, he would not let go.
He lifted the woman's fair chin with his long fingers, his dark eyes fixed on her, and said lazily, "Perhaps it is because I inherited this rebellious spirit from the Emperor Emeritus, but I feel that only acts of usurping a subject's wife and taking my brother's widow, which are contrary to human ethics, can arouse my interest."
Chu Yueyuan was speechless for a moment.
He's a madman, he's absolutely insane!
Faced with a madman, Chu Yueyuan could no longer reason with him. She couldn't very well advise the Regent to seize the wife of one of the court officials in order to free herself.
Just then, a clear child's voice came from outside the study:
"Mother!"
Xiao Yun, dressed in a bright yellow nightgown, rubbed his sleepy eyes and staggered in.
Chu Yueyuan quickly broke free from the man's embrace. She strode forward, squatted down, and carefully examined Xiao Yun's complexion. She saw that his complexion was rosy, and his dark eyes were clear and bright, no longer the scarlet look he had when he was in a frenzy.
She asked cautiously, "Yoona, do you feel unwell?"
Xiao Yun rubbed his stomach and said in a childish voice, "Mother, I'm so hungry!"
Chu Yueyuan raised her hand to stroke the hair bun on his forehead and smiled gently: "Your Majesty, I will have someone prepare breakfast. His Majesty was ill yesterday, so it is not advisable for him to eat anything too sweet or greasy today. How about some millet porridge for breakfast?"
Xiao Yun nodded obediently. He turned his head and saw the Regent behind Chu Yueyuan. Suddenly, he pouted in dissatisfaction, and tears welled up in his eyes.
Chu Yueyuan's heart skipped a beat, thinking that Xiao Yun was about to have another outburst because he remembered the Regent Prince capturing him yesterday.
With teary eyes, Xiao Yun looked at Chu Yueyuan and asked in a wronged tone, "Mother, do you no longer love your son?"
Chu Yueyuan was completely confused: "Of course, the Empress Dowager loves His Majesty the most..."
"Then...then why does Mother sleep with the Regent instead of with me?"
Chu Yueyuan: ....
She racked her brains for a moment, then said softly, "Your Majesty is brave, fearless, unafraid of the dark, unafraid of ghosts, and dares to sleep alone, right?"
Upon hearing these words, Xiao Yun immediately wiped away the tears in his eyes and proudly puffed out his chest: "Yes, I'm not afraid of anything!"
His dark eyes darted around, and he opened his mouth wide in surprise: "Does Mother mean that the Regent is too timid to sleep alone?"
Chu Yueyuan felt the man's gaze was like a thorn in her back, but she remained calm and said, "A gentleman does not speak ill of others. His Majesty would not reveal the Regent's secret, would he?"
"Don't worry, Mother, I won't tell anyone outside."
“Then Yoon-ah can’t tell anyone about the Queen Mother and the Regent sleeping together…” Her voice trailed off as she said the last few words.
Xiao Yun nodded as if he understood: "Your subject understands. If word gets out, everyone outside will know that the Regent is afraid of the dark and dares not sleep alone!"
Chu Yueyuan smiled and pinched his chubby little face, praising, "Your Majesty is so clever!"
Six-year-old children are innocent and romantic, and at the same time eager to learn. Sometimes, the more you try to cover things up, the more it will arouse their curiosity to get to the bottom of things. It is better to divert their attention.
Xiao Yun thought he knew the Regent's secret, and as expected, he stopped worrying about the fact that the Regent slept with his mother.
Thinking that even the imposing Regent had shortcomings compared to him, Xiao Yun was both happy and smug. He imitated Confucius in the Zishan Hall, stroking his smooth chin and saying with great pride, "Ahem, going forward, the Regent must show some courage in front of the Empress Dowager!"
He also wanted to sleep with his fragrant mother!
Faced with the young emperor's admonition, the powerful regent showed a rare humility.
Pei Muwei's lips curved slightly, his long fingers slowly twirling the sandalwood prayer beads on his wrist. His gaze lingered on the woman's deliberately turned face, and he said meaningfully, "Your Majesty's teachings are correct. From now on, in front of the Empress Dowager, this humble subject should be even more 'bold and reckless'..."
Chu Yueyuan pretended not to hear anything and ordered the palace servants waiting outside the study to serve the meal.
Soon, the carved octagonal table was filled with exquisite dishes. The imperial kitchen had specially cooked the rice porridge until it was soft and smooth, and served it with several side dishes made from seasonal fresh vegetables, as well as several steaming baskets of crab meat buns, crystal dumplings, and so on.
During the meal, Xiao Yun noticed that Granny Xu's hands were wrapped in gauze and asked her with concern what had happened.
Granny Xu said with kind eyes, "It was this old servant's carelessness that caused me to hurt my hand."
Xiao Yun served Xu Mama a bowl of porridge and said in a childish voice, "Then Mama, eat first, eat more, and your injury will be better after you're full."
Seeing that Xiao Yun had no recollection of what happened when he fell ill, Chu Yueyuan asked him if he remembered the matter of Lady Du entering the palace.
"Of course I remember, my maternal grandmother brought me golden milk pastries, and she also took me fishing in the Imperial Garden... but I can't quite recall what happened after that..."
"Does Your Majesty still remember how you felt when you met your maternal grandmother?"
Xiao Yun tilted his head and thought carefully for a while, then said in a childish voice, "Every time I see my maternal grandmother, I feel very happy, um... so happy that my body feels like it's floating!"
Chu Yueyuan's eyes flickered slightly, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on the silver chopsticks in her hand, hurriedly asking, "Is it because of the golden milk pastry that Grandmother brought? Did Your Majesty feel very happy after eating the golden milk pastry?"
Xiao Yun nodded, then shook his head, unable to explain it clearly for a moment. He only said that he felt very comfortable when Du was by his side.
Seeing that she couldn't get any answers, Chu Yueyuan lost her appetite. Just as she was about to put down her silver chopsticks, the man beside her picked up a crystal dumpling and placed it on her plate.
Pei Muwei stared at the little empress dowager's pointed chin, his thick eyebrows furrowing slightly: "Your Highness lives on air and dew. If you fall ill, wouldn't that be giving others an opportunity?"
Yes, if she fell ill, Lady Du would surely use the excuse of caring for the Emperor to frequently enter the palace. Thinking of this, she tried to cheer herself up and picked up a crystal dumpling from the plate and put it in her mouth.
Unfortunately, her wrists were sore and painful that the slippery crystal dumplings fell from her trembling silver chopsticks several times. In the end, even Pei Muwei couldn't bear to watch and picked up the crystal dumplings for her, bringing them to her lips.
Chu Yueyuan opened her red lips and took a bite of the dumpling. She looked up and saw Xiao Yun covering her mouth and chuckling at her.
"Hehe, your son can eat by himself now, but Mother still needs to be fed!"
Children's innocent words caused the palace servants in the warm pavilion to suppress their laughter, each one hurriedly lowering their heads and trying their best to hold it in.
Chu Yueyuan's ears suddenly turned red, but the Regent Prince, who was standing to the side, seemed not to hear Xiao Yun's joking and picked up a crab roe bun from the bamboo drawer and held it to her lips.
"I'll just have some porridge." She picked up the porcelain bowl in front of her and took small sips of the porridge.
According to the usual routine, Xiao Yun should have been sent to Zishan Hall for lessons after breakfast. However, Chu Yueyuan had not yet figured out the cause of Xiao Yun's madness and dared not let him leave Fengqi Palace, lest he be branded as a master murderer at such a young age.
Xiao Yun was overjoyed to learn that he didn't have to go to Zishan Hall today. He led a few eunuchs to play with spinning tops under the shade of the trees in front of the courtyard.
Pei Muwei wanted to make up for the issues discussed at yesterday's court meeting. Before leaving, he told Chu Yueyuan that he would have Lin Mu send a message as soon as there was any progress in the investigation of the Ghost Market.
"How about... I go with Minister Pei to the Hall of Diligent Governance? If I don't show myself, I'm afraid the rumors outside will get even worse."
"If the ministers press you about the Emperor's condition, how will Your Highness respond?"
Chu Yueyuan leaned against the carved door and blinked her clear eyes: "I can pretend to be stupid, or at worst... I can cry. Those elders are very concerned about appearances and would be too embarrassed to make things difficult for a widow like me."
The sun was shining brightly outside. The woman wore a light blue silk dress with gold fluttering butterflies, her black hair was tied up, and she simply wore a gold-threaded sandalwood hairpin inlaid with cicada and jade beads. She looked like the most graceful butterfly in the flower garden. The sunlight shone on her eyebrows and eyes, and her long eyelashes trembled gently. When she looked up, her eyes, which were shimmering with water, were full of concern.
Pei Muwei's brow twitched slightly, his gaze lingering on her for a long time. At this moment, he suddenly understood those foolish rulers who neglected their country and state for the sake of beautiful women.
He raised his hand and gently touched the red mark under the woman's eyelid, his voice low and deep:
"Your Highness, please remember to apply the medicine."
Watching the man's departing figure, Chu Yueyuan still felt the lingering warmth of his fingertips on her cheek. The touch was like a vine that had grown out of nowhere, unknowingly entwining itself around her heart.
———
Around noon, Chu Yueyuan had Xiao Yanzi deliver tea and snacks to the Qin Zheng Hall.
About half an hour later, Xiao Yanzi came running back, panting, and hurriedly told him in detail what he had seen.
It turned out that when Prince Anxian heard the rumors that the young emperor had suddenly suffered from hysteria, he summoned several respected senior ministers and members of the royal family, and they all knelt outside the Hall of Diligent Governance, insisting on seeing the emperor to clarify the rumors.
The regent refused the request from Prince An-hyeon and his ministers, citing the young emperor's lung abscess and the need for isolation.
However, many officials still did not believe this explanation and insisted on going to the Zichen Palace to check on the emperor's condition. Just as the officials were making a scene, Imperial Physician Zhao rushed over and presented the emperor's pulse diagnosis to the civil and military officials.
Zhao Qiming wore a thick white mask, revealing only a pair of bloodshot eyes. He coughed violently from time to time, which frightened the officials who were looking closely at the pulse diagnosis. They hurriedly covered their mouths and noses with their sleeves and retreated as if they had seen a plague god.
For a time, no ministers clamored to visit the young emperor anymore.
Finally, the vermilion gates of the Hall of Diligent Governance swung open to both sides, and the Regent, dressed in a black python robe, emerged. The man exuded an aura of decisiveness and ruthlessness. When his sharp phoenix eyes swept over the crowd, the ministers who had been speaking so eloquently just moments before fell silent as if their throats had been choked.
The regent informed his ministers that the young emperor needed to rest for a period of time and would appear at the Deer Cry Banquet next month.
Seeing that the Regent had personally made a promise, the ministers wisely stopped pressing the matter. Those who were to enter the hall to discuss matters tidied their clothes and filed in, while the officials on duty returned to their respective offices. In just a short while, the solemn atmosphere outside the hall was restored.
Xiao Yanzi's throat was parched from talking, so Yu Luo brought her a bowl of water and said with a smile, "Last night, I lit the lamp for Imperial Physician Zhao. All the windows in the side hall were wide open. Imperial Physician Zhao stayed up all night to finish compiling the medical records, and his eyes were as red as a rabbit's..."
Chu Yueyuan's tense nerves finally relaxed after half a day.
It turns out the regent had planned this all along; no wonder he looked down on her tearful and whiny methods.
She gently shook the silk peony fan in her hand, turned her head to look out the window, and saw Xiao Yun standing on a sandalwood stool, his upper body half-submerged in the five-foot-diameter enamel-painted fish and algae patterned water vat. He was excitedly stirring the water with a fishing net, startling several koi carp into darting away, the splashing water droplets sparkling in the sunlight.
Biluo and Baoluo gripped the back of his dragon robe tightly on either side, afraid that their little darling might accidentally fall into the water vat.
"Let's catch fish! Let's catch fish!"
Xiao Yun's carefree laughter echoed outside the window, but Chu Yueyuan's brows furrowed, and the worry in her eyes remained.
Today, the Regent has temporarily quelled the doubts of the officials, but there is only one month left until the Deer Cry Banquet. If the truth about Xiao Yun's madness is not found before then, it will be like a sharp sword hanging over their heads, its cold light chilling to the bone, ready to fall at any moment.
Jin Tong came out of the study carrying a burner of stale incense, her tone puzzled: "Your Highness dislikes the scent of incense on books and never burns incense in the study. Why did you decide to burn the pear-shaped incense in the tent today?"
Thinking of what happened that morning, Chu Yueyuan's ears turned slightly red. She picked up her tea and took a sip, pretending to be calm as she said, "I saw the enamel incense box on the bookshelf and, on a whim, put a few pieces into the burner."
Jin Tong poured the remaining ashes from the incense burner into the vine-covered flowerpot, and casually mentioned, "Just now, the Emperor praised the fragrance of this incense, saying that the fragrance in the Zichen Palace bedroom was too strong, and that he felt more and more energetic at night. He ordered me to change to this kind of incense."
What is said without malice may be taken to heart by the listener.
Chu Yueyuan's heart stirred slightly, her gaze fixed on the ashes Jin Tong had poured into the flowerpot. A thought suddenly surfaced in her mind, causing her to blurt out:
Why did you pour the lingering fragrance into the flowerpot?
Jin Tong explained, "If I were to take the leftover incense ash outside the palace to dispose of it, firstly, the wind would blow it everywhere, and it might easily get into my eyes. Secondly, pouring the ash into the flowerpots is not only convenient, but it also kills insects and nourishes the flowers..."
In an instant, Chu Yueyuan felt the fog in her mind dissipate, and all the clues became clear and unambiguous.
A sharp glint flashed in her eyes, and she suddenly grabbed Jin Tong's wrist, whispering, "Call Yu Luo and the others, and go to Zi Chen Palace immediately to fetch all the flowerpots from the Emperor's bedroom. Be careful in handling this matter, and don't let a word of it leak out."
Jin Tong was startled by the woman's solemn expression and quickly nodded vigorously: "Your Highness, rest assured, this servant knows what to do."
After Jin Tong left, Chu Yueyuan ordered Xiao Yanzi to summon Imperial Physician Zhao.
When Zhao Qiming entered the East Warm Pavilion of the Phoenix Perch Hall, he saw more than a dozen pots of colorful flowers on the Eight Immortals Table.
He bowed and said, "Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty..."
Before he could finish his greeting, the young empress dowager interrupted him urgently: "Imperial Physician Zhao, no need for formalities! Come here quickly and take a look at the incense ash in these flowerpots. Is there anything wrong with it?"
Zhao Qiming bowed and accepted the order. He first asked Jin Tong for several bowls of water, which he then arranged on the table. He took out a small porcelain bottle from the medicine box, poured the medicine from the bottle into the water, and then scooped a small spoonful of incense ash from the flowerpot into the bowl. The water in the bowl became cloudy, but there was nothing unusual.
Zhao Qiming's expression remained unchanged after examining several flowerpots using this method. However, when he took a small spoonful of incense ash from a pot of roses blooming like fire, his expression suddenly turned serious. When he sprinkled the incense ash into the bowl, the clear water in the bowl immediately rippled and turned into a bowl of bloody water, filling the room with a pungent smell of rust.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager...where did you find these incense ash?"
Chu Yueyuan gripped the fan handle tightly: "Is there something wrong with this incense?"
Zhao Qiming nodded solemnly: "Even though the incense pills have been burned to ashes, the poison of the Hero Flower within them is hard to neutralize. This substance, when mixed with the medicinal liquid I prepared, caused a mutation."
Just as Chu Yueyuan had predicted, the poison that drove Xiao Yun mad was not hidden in his food, but was added to the incense burner he lit every night before going to bed.
Previously, she had ordered people to turn the Zichen Palace upside down, checking everything from clothes and food to items that Xiao Yun came into contact with daily. They even checked the incense used in the palace, but at that time they only checked the unused incense pills.
Unexpectedly, the truly problematic incense balls had long since been burned and secretly poured into flowerpots by someone with ulterior motives, thus destroying the evidence.
The night before Xiao Yun went mad, he stayed at Fengqi Palace. Without the incense pills he usually used, the poison in his body could no longer be suppressed, which is why it suddenly flared up the next day.
Chu Yueyuan was led to connect all the events by Jin Tong's casual remark, and guessed that there was something wrong with the incense pills in the Zichen Palace.
She said coldly, "Imperial Physician Zhao, please examine this again."
Jin Tong stepped forward and handed a folded plain handkerchief to Zhao Qiming.
Zhao Qiming carefully unfolded the handkerchief, and saw a little vermilion scented powder in the center. He picked up a little with two fingers, put it under his nose and sniffed it. He immediately frowned and concluded: "Although there are several strong floral scents masking the smell, there is still a distinct rusty smell. It must have been mixed with Hero Flower."
Chu Yueyuan's face was as cold as frost, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she finally could not suppress the anger in her heart. She raised her hand and smashed the gold-threaded peony fan on the ground.
With a "crack," the fan ribs broke and the fan surface shattered.
She gritted her teeth and said, "A vicious woman who's worse than an animal..."
The crimson face powder in this handkerchief was the very one she had found in the hidden pocket of Du's sleeve.
That day, Xiao Yun vomited all over Du Shi. Jin Tong led Du Shi to a side hall to change into a new set of clothes. Before leaving the palace, Du Shi was still thinking about her dirty clothes and insisted on taking them with her to clean.
Jin Tong loathed Du Shi, so she lied and said that the clothes had been sent to the laundry department. In fact, she planned to burn Du Shi's clothes after she left to vent her anger.
Fortunately, she was busy with other matters at the time and forgot about it for a while. It wasn't until Chu Yueyuan brought it up again that Jin Tong remembered that the clothes that Du Shi had changed out of that day had not been cleaned. She quickly took the dirty clothes and searched them carefully. Finally, she found these strange perfume powders in the lining of the sleeves.
No wonder Xiao Yun wouldn't recognize anyone after his attack, and only Du Shi's presence could bring him back to his senses; it turns out she was hiding a drug that he could become addicted to.
What audacity! What meticulous planning! What a wicked heart!
Zhao Qiming picked up the broken fan from the ground, placed it respectfully on the table, and said gently:
"Your Majesty, the Hero Flower is indeed addictive, but His Majesty inhaled it slowly through incense, so the toxicity is much less than if he took it directly. I previously tested His Majesty's Dadun acupoint on the sole of his foot with a silver needle, and the needle did not change color, indicating that His Majesty has not been poisoned for long. As long as he stays away from the poisonous incense in time and takes herbal medicine for one or two years, the toxins in his body can be completely eliminated and he can recover his health."
Chu Yueyuan's eyes lit up. She excitedly stepped forward, grabbed Imperial Physician Zhao's hand, and asked repeatedly, "Is Imperial Physician Zhao telling the truth? How confident are you?"
The woman's hands were soft and delicate, her steps graceful and graceful, and a sweet fragrance of pear blossoms wafted from her as she approached.
Zhao Qiming's face turned bright red, even redder than his bloodshot eyes. He took a few steps back, bowed, and said, "Your subject dares not speak recklessly, but I am absolutely certain."
Chu Yueyuan's biggest worry has finally been resolved.
Xiao Yun's life has just begun. If he becomes addicted to drugs at this age, it will be like immersing a seedling in a poisonous swamp. For the next few decades, let alone flowering and bearing fruit, even sprouting branches and leaves will be a luxury. He can only wither and rot in the poisonous swamp for the rest of his life.
She said gratefully, "If Imperial Physician Zhao can cure His Majesty, I will bestow upon you ten bushels of pearls and a thousand acres of fertile land, and I will ask the Regent to issue an edict to promote you to the head of the Imperial Medical Academy."
Zhao Qiming maintained a respectful bow, his prominent ears, exposed outside his official hat, were so red they looked almost bleeding, and his voice was firm and sincere:
"Your Majesty, I dare not covet rank and emoluments; I only wish that Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager... may live a life of peace, joy, and freedom from illness and disaster..."
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