The teacup shattered the moment it hit the ground. Feng Xi Wu, lying on the dragon couch, seemed startled, trembled, and slowly opened his eyes.
Li Yang was overjoyed. "Wang Fei, Wang Ye is awake!"
"Don't be so loud."
Lu Qing Wan rushed to Feng Xi Wu's side, touching his wrist. "Bring the ginseng soup."
Li Su handed her the prepared ginseng soup, which Lu Qing Wan took steadily.
While feeding Feng Xi Wu the ginseng soup brewed with several potent medicines, she instructed him.
"Your蛊毒 (gu poison) has been resolved. With His Majesty in charge, you need not worry. Rest well and don't let my efforts go to waste."
Feng Xi Wu weakly blinked his eyes, his thin lips parting slightly. "There is a hidden traitor by my Imperial Brother's side."
Lu Qing Wan paused. "I understand. I will report anything to His Majesty. You should rest first. Staying alive is paramount."
Feng Xi Wu gave a weak smile and then slowly closed his eyes.
Lu Qing Wan turned to look at Emperor Jing You. "Your Majesty, Wang Ye is still half-conscious but is concerned. Look..."
Feng Xi Wu had pointed out a traitor by Emperor Jing You's side as soon as he woke up. Yet, Emperor Jing You showed no anger. In fact, he let out a sigh of relief at Feng Xi Wu's awakening.
"Confine Long Fu to the Imperial Prison and interrogate him with severe torture.
Also, closely monitor Xu Guo Gong, Pei Guo Gong, and all other ministers who were involved in Concubine Ye's entry into the palace.
Investigate their connections with Prince Ning, Prince Jing, and Prince Chen."
Tang Xiao acknowledged and left. Lu Qing Wan saw how seriously Emperor Jing You took Feng Xi Wu's information. Before she could relax, she noticed Feng Xi Wu's touch was alarmingly hot.
"Wang Ye has a fever. Bring cotton cloths and strong wine, the stronger the better."
Li Jin jumped up. "This subordinate will go immediately."
As he exited, he brushed past Li Yang, who was holding a pigeon.
"Wang Fei, is the pigeon acceptable?"
Lu Qing Wan blinked, almost forgetting the task she had assigned Li Yang.
"Doctor Shen, place this pigeon in front of that pot of Lily of the Valley and observe its reaction."
Concerned for Feng Xi Wu's life, Shen Ci did not dare to delay. He took the pigeon from Li Yang and went to the outer room.
Emperor Jing You pondered for a moment and asked Lu Qing Wan, "Is Xi Wu's fever serious?"
"It's a residual effect of chronic poisoning. It's not too severe. With careful care, it will be manageable."
Although Lu Qing Wan claimed it wasn't serious, her gaze followed Shen Ci's departure. "But this is no excuse for those who harmed him to go unpunished.
If that Lily of the Valley indeed has issues, how does Your Majesty intend to deal with it?"
Just as she spoke, the sound of something shattering came from the outer room. The pigeon cooed, its cries rapid and sharp. In moments, its sounds ceased.
Immediately after, there was a thud, the sound of something heavy falling. "Doctor Shen, what happened?"
Li Jin's surprised voice was tinged with panic.
Lu Qing Wan dashed out in three quick steps and saw Shen Ci lying on the ground, convulsing, with dark blood already oozing from his lips.
The pot of Lily of the Valley had fallen to the floor, scattering shards of pottery and soil everywhere.
The pigeon brought for the experiment lay on its side, its head twisted, dead.
Li Jin, holding something, was a step too slow. Seeing Lu Qing Wan emerge, he let out a sigh of relief and moved to help her.
Emperor Jing You and the others in the sleeping quarters also heard the commotion and came out. However, before they could approach Lu Qing Wan, she stopped them. "No one come closer."
These few words, however, were filled with a tension and fear that was immediately palpable.
The crowd froze in place. Lu Qing Wan then spoke in a low voice, "This pot of Lily of the Valley, from the plant to the soil, is entirely filled with potent poison."
As she spoke, she injected Shen Ci with an antidote serum and forced an antidote pill into his mouth.
Casually, she pulled over a stool, used its leg to push Shen Ci further away, and then poured a bottle of sulfuric acid onto the soil. A peculiar odor filled the Weiyang Palace.
Li Jin stood by, licking his lips. "Wang Fei, may this subordinate enter now?"
Standing on the threshold, his legs were getting sore!
"No."
His pathetic plea was cruelly denied by Lu Qing Wan. "Place the wine jars on the ground and push them over to me. Also, bring more jars of strong wine, aged vinegar, and mugwort..."
She requested a large number of items. "From now on, if anyone wishes to live, do not touch anything in this room without authorization."
Meng Tang poked his head out from the sleeping quarters. "Master, Wang Ye is still running a fever..."
"Give him an antipyretic injection, then wipe him down with strong wine."
Lu Qing Wan picked up the strong wine Li Jin had brought and tossed it to Meng Tang, who fumbled to catch it.
"I, I'm supposed to wipe Wang Ye down?"
What if I'm scared?
Lu Qing Wan glared at him. "Otherwise? Who do you want to wipe him down?"
Meng Tang hugged the wine jars and looked to his left. Although Li Su was the Regent's guard, he wouldn't dare let a young maiden wipe down the Regent in front of their master.
He looked to his right. Ugh... having the esteemed Emperor of Da Gan wipe down the Regent while he watched was a scenario too horrifying to contemplate.
Clutching the wine jars, he turned timidly. "Wang Ye, it's not that this humble servant wishes to offend you, but the situation forces my hand..."
Inside the sleeping quarters, Feng Xi Wu was being touched by someone other than Lu Qing Wan without his knowledge.
Outside the sleeping quarters, Lu Qing Wan was boiling mugwort and aged vinegar in a砂锅 (sand pot) until it bubbled vigorously. She also tirelessly sprayed strong wine into every corner.
She walked over to Shen Ci, puffed out her cheeks, hesitated for a moment, and then set the spray bottle aside. She then pulled over several armchairs and placed them together. The crowd inside and outside the sleeping quarters was bewildered by her peculiar actions.
Lu Qing Wan, however, calmly grabbed Shen Ci by his collar with one hand and his ankle with the other, lifting him and placing him onto the four joined armchairs.
She clapped her hands and turned to spray more strong wine for disinfection.
Li Jin despairingly covered his face. He exchanged a look with Tang Xiao, who had rushed back after arranging the tasks Emperor Jing You had assigned.
Tang Xiao moved his lips and voiced his true feelings. "I think, if Doctor Shen knew what he went through, would he think it would be better to just die?"
Li Jin: ...
Indeed, I'm not the only one thinking this.
Despite their internal monologues, both men diligently guarded the inner door of the Weiyang Palace.
Therefore, although the palace maids caught a whiff of the intriguing scent emanating from Weiyang Palace that day, they could not ascertain what exactly had transpired within.
All they knew was that after that day, the Emperor, who had always been frugal, replaced all the furnishings in Weiyang Palace and left the windows open in the biting winter cold.
Of course, this was all in hindsight.
At that time, within Weiyang Palace, Emperor Jing You suppressed the urge to cover his nose and returned to Feng Xi Wu's side.
Looking at his brother, who had been touched by the old man Meng Tang, he offered a heartfelt prayer. "Xi Wu, you must wake up quickly, quickly, even faster..."