Ever since the seed of doubt called "chronic poisoning" was planted in her heart, the world in Lin Wanwan's eyes has completely changed.
She could no longer approach everything in the palace with the same detached, almost spectator-like attitude she used to have.
The immense malice lurking beneath the calm surface of daily life, like an invisible, cold net, enveloped the entire Kunning Palace, sending chills down her spine.
She began to uncontrollably doubt everything around her.
Does the respectful face of the eunuch who delivers the medicine every day conceal any unspeakable secrets?
In the imperial kitchen, where medicine is prepared, is there also a hint of conspiracy amidst the swirling smoke and cooking?
Even the white-haired, highly respected physicians of the Imperial Medical Academy, are the prescriptions they write truly life-saving remedies, or... death warrants?
Once doubt takes root, it will grow wildly.
Lin Wanwan found everyone she looked at suspicious.
She knew she was standing on the edge of a colossal conspiracy. This conspiracy was a hundred, a thousand times more terrifying than Consort Shu's provocations or the Empress Dowager's reprimands. It was a bottomless abyss of darkness, capable of swallowing everything.
If she makes one wrong move, she will be shattered to pieces and never be able to recover.
But she could not back down.
Because she and Xiao Che were already tied to the same boat.
We all prosper together, and we all suffer together.
If Xiao Che's life is truly consumed by this slow-acting poison, her fate as a powerless and disliked empress, brought to bring him good fortune, will certainly not be any better than his.
She had to do something.
The first and most crucial step in this operation is—evidence.
Without evidence, all her outrageous speculations were nothing but empty talk, mere madness. If she dared to rashly tell Xiao Che her speculations, she would not only fail to gain his trust, but he might also regard her as a madwoman trying to sow discord and disrupt the palace.
She needs to obtain concrete evidence.
The only evidence was hidden in the bowl of medicine he drank every day...
Lin Wanwan had a plan in mind.
The next afternoon, at the same time, under the same weather.
The young eunuch responsible for delivering the medicine appeared right on time at the door of the study in Kunning Palace.
He carried a black lacquered tray with a bowl of steaming, dark-colored herbal soup on it. The strong, bitter aroma of various herbs wafted in.
In the past, when Lin Wanwan smelled this scent, she would only feel sympathy.
Today, as she looked at the bowl of unfathomable medicine, she seemed to see the deadly tongue of a venomous snake.
Her heart began to race uncontrollably.
They've arrived.
The opportunity has arrived.
The young eunuch bowed and took small, hurried steps as he respectfully presented the medicine bowl to Xiao Che.
"Your Majesty, please take the medicine."
As usual, Xiao Che looked up from the memorial, his face displaying that familiar expression of resistance and impatience. The image above his head, "[The medicine is so bitter qAq.jpg]," also appeared on cue.
He picked up the medicine bowl, ready to drink it all in one gulp as usual.
Just then—
"oops!"
A not-too-loud exclamation came from Lin Wanwan, who was standing nearby.
Suddenly, as if her arm went numb, she accidentally knocked over the teacup in front of her. The full cup of warm jasmine tea spilled out instantly, splashing all over the table and dripping down the edge of the table onto the floor.
Not only that, but a few drops of tea splashed precisely onto the boots of the young eunuch who was carrying the tray and preparing to leave.
"Your Majesty!"
The palace maids, including Chun Tao, who were serving her, immediately panicked and rushed forward.
The little eunuch was startled and instinctively looked down at his shoes.
The entire study was thrown into brief chaos by this small accident.
"It's alright, hurry up and tidy up." Lin Wanwan said to everyone with just the right amount of annoyance and apology on her face.
The palace servants immediately began to scramble to clean up the mess. Some wiped the tables, while others cleaned up the water stains on the floor.
Lin Wanwan then picked up a clean handkerchief and, with an apologetic expression, walked up to the young eunuch.
"Look how clumsy I am, I've gotten your shoes all wet, please wipe them clean." She handed him a handkerchief.
"No, I wouldn't dare! This servant wouldn't dare!" The little eunuch was flattered and quickly waved his hand, taking out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe himself.
Lin Wanwan, who caused this "minor chaos," then walked to Xiao Che's side in a very natural and logical manner.
At this moment, Xiao Che had finished drinking his medicine and was putting the empty bowl back on the tray.
Lin Wanwan stared at the bottom of the bowl, where some medicine and dregs still remained, her heart pounding.
She couldn't just slam the medicine bowl shut; that would immediately arouse everyone's suspicion and alert the enemy.
She had to get what she wanted in the most natural and inconspicuous way possible.
So she gave Xiao Che a gentle smile.
"Your Majesty, let me do it."
As she spoke, she very naturally took the empty medicine bowl from the tray in the hands of the little eunuch who was still scrambling to fix the water stains on his shoes.
Her movements were fluid and seamless.
To outsiders, this was simply the Empress showing consideration for the Emperor by personally clearing away his dishes—nothing out of the ordinary.
No one felt there was anything wrong with it.
Even Xiao Che himself only glanced at her briefly before turning his attention back to the memorial, clearly not paying attention to this small detail.
Lin Wanwan held the still-warm medicine bowl, but her heart was already in turmoil.
She pretended to hand the bowl to Chun Tao, who was tidying up nearby. In the instant she turned around, her body blocked everyone's view.
Now!
Her other hand shot out from her sleeve with lightning speed. In that hand, she already held a neatly folded, clean white silk handkerchief.
With a swift and precise motion, she dipped the silk handkerchief into the bottom of the medicine bowl!
A small, dark brown, damp stain was instantly imprinted on the snow-white silk handkerchief.
It was a success!
Lin Wanwan's heart was practically leaping out of her throat.
She quickly tucked the silk handkerchief containing the "evidence" into her sleeve; the whole process took only a fleeting moment, so fast that it went unnoticed.
After doing all this, she acted as if nothing had happened and handed the empty medicine bowl, which she had "cleaned up," to Chun Tao, who had stepped forward.
"Take it to wash," she instructed calmly, her voice so steady that there was no trace of anything amiss.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Chun Tao took the bowl and respectfully withdrew.
The study quickly returned to its previous quiet state.
It was as if that little commotion had never happened.
Xiao Che continued reviewing memorials, and the palace servants performed their respective duties.
No one knew that in those brief moments, this seemingly frail empress had already accomplished a highly risky "switcheroo."
Lin Wanwan sat back down at her desk, picked up her brush, and pretended to continue copying the "Palace Rules".
But she couldn't calm her heart.
The hand she held hidden beneath her wide sleeves was tightly clenching a small, damp handkerchief.
She could clearly feel that her palms were covered in cold sweat from nervousness.
Her heart was still pounding wildly in her chest, almost deafening her.
She knew that what she was clutching in her hand was more than just a handkerchief stained with medicine.
That's evidence.
It is the key to uncovering a shocking conspiracy.
More likely... it's a matter of life and death for both her and Xiao Che, and even the future of this dynasty... a crucial factor!
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