The Hall of Mental Cultivation was silent in the afternoon, the warm charcoal fire making one drowsy.
Ye Tinglan was too entangled with the ministers to get away, so the task of feeding the Emperor his medicine fell to Jiang Rumao. He had just finished taking the Emperor's pulse and serving him the medicine before leaving.
Behind the screen, Chief Eunuch Gao was having a young eunuch shave the Emperor. The faint rustling sound seemed particularly hypnotic, and Feng Yinwan, whose eyes were already half-closed, felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her.
"Bang—"
Suddenly, there was a toppling sound, and Feng Yinwan was instantly startled awake from her light sleep.
As soon as she opened her eyes, the terrified voice of the young eunuch inside reached her ears.
"Eunuch, Your Majesty... What's wrong with Your Majesty?"
Chief Eunuch Gao, who had been supporting the Emperor's body from behind, leaned over upon hearing this. The moment he saw the Emperor's face, which had turned a dark, purplish hue, he was immediately alarmed.
"Not good, Your Majesty has been poisoned!"
"Poisoned?!"
Upon hearing this, the young eunuch trembled, and the razor in his hand fell to the ground. Before he could even react, Chief Eunuch Gao's reprimand rang out.
"What are you standing around for! Go quickly and chase after Imperial Physician Jiang, he shouldn't have left the palace yet!"
"Yes... Yes!"
The young eunuch answered, then scrambled out on hands and knees. Feng Yinwan, hearing the commotion, came over and was almost hit by him as he rushed out.
"Consort..."
His face was pale and he was flustered. Feng Yinwan frowned slightly at the sight and waved her hand, "Go quickly."
Entering the hall, she saw Chief Eunuch Gao helping the Emperor lie down. The bright yellow bolster made the Emperor's dark and purple face even more striking.
These symptoms were indeed poisoning.
Feng Yinwan's forehead twitched inexplicably, and a bad premonition immediately surged through her.
Not long after Jiang Rumao had left, the young eunuch ran at full speed and managed to intercept him before he left the palace.
As the two of them returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Chief Eunuch Gao had already tidied up the mess on the floor. Seeing Jiang Rumao, he quickly stepped forward.
"Imperial Physician Jiang, quickly take a look, Your Majesty has been poisoned."
Jiang Rumao hurried to the bedside. After examining the Emperor's condition, his expression immediately became solemn.
"When did Your Majesty begin to feel unwell?"
The young eunuch was facing the Emperor and knew best. Receiving a glance from Chief Eunuch Gao, he immediately spoke.
"Just now, Chief Eunuch Gao and I were shaving Your Majesty. Everything was fine, but then Your Majesty suddenly..."
He didn't finish his sentence, as Jiang Rumao had already turned his attention to inspecting the surroundings.
"After I left, did Your Majesty consume anything else?"
The two shook their heads truthfully, "No, Your Majesty fell asleep again after drinking the medicine. He wasn't very clear-headed and didn't consume anything else."
Jiang Rumao's expression tightened again upon hearing this. His gaze fell on the empty bowl nearby, and he immediately stepped forward to pick it up.
This was the bowl from which the Emperor's medicine had just been served. Because they were shaving the Emperor, it hadn't been removed yet.
Seeing him rub his fingertip over the residual dregs at the bottom of the bowl, and then bring it to his nose to smell, Chief Eunuch Gao's brows furrowed tighter, and he cautiously asked.
"Imperial Physician Jiang, what exactly is going on?"
Jiang Rumao put down the medicine bowl, his voice slightly choked, "This medicine has been tampered with."
"What!"
The two were instantly shocked.
Chief Eunuch Gao was the first to recover and immediately spoke.
"This medicine was brought directly from the Imperial Kitchen after it was brewed. It was constantly guarded by the Imperial Guards, so there shouldn't be a problem!"
The eunuchs responsible for brewing and delivering the medicine were all personally chosen by him and were absolutely reliable. Moreover, there were carefully selected Imperial Guards to supervise, a double assurance. There really shouldn't have been any problems.
Furthermore, after the medicine was delivered, he had personally inspected it and confirmed it was not poisonous before sending it into the hall.
From the door to inside the hall, these few steps... only Feng Yinwan had handled it.
With this thought, Chief Eunuch Gao's heart suddenly tightened, but before he could react, the unrestrained clamor from outside the hall reached them.
Ye Tingyu and Ye Tingyan had entered the palace at some unknown time, followed by several ministers and a host of private soldiers. As if calculating that Ye Tinglan was not present, they blocked the entrance to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, insisting on entering.
A guard rushed in from the entrance and reported urgently to Feng Yinwan and Chief Eunuch Gao.
"Consort, Chief Eunuch Gao, the Second Prince and the Fourth Prince are bringing private soldiers to forcibly break into the hall. Our manpower is limited and we may not be able to resist. What should we do now?"
Private soldiers entering the palace and forcibly breaking into the hall were both capital offenses of rebellion.
The Emperor had just had an accident, and immediately after, Ye Tingyu and Ye Tingyan were at the door of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. This display clearly indicated they were prepared.
It seemed that conflict was inevitable today.
A cold glint flashed in Feng Yinwan's eyes, and she decisively ordered, "Go find the Prince and have him mobilize the Imperial Guards into the palace."
Daring to brazenly attempt a coup, Ye Tingyu and Ye Tingyan must have been well-prepared. The Imperial Guards had just undergone a purge, losing nearly half their strength. They were likely no match for them now.
"Yes."
The guard, possessing martial arts skills, answered and then climbed out through the rear window of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Almost the moment he left, the hall door was forcefully broken open. Ye Tingyu and Ye Tingyan's men swarmed in, instantly surrounding the hall.
The young eunuch had never seen such a scene and was so scared he cowered behind them, trembling.
After all, Chief Eunuch Gao was an old hand who had served before the Emperor for decades. Although his face showed a moment of alarm, he still managed to compose himself and said.
"Second Prince, Fourth Prince, what do you intend to do?"
Ye Tingyu and Ye Tingyan walked out from the back as the crowd parted.
Ye Tingyu's hand had been injured by Ye Tinglan that day, and two of his fingers were still bandaged. He glanced at them and said without politeness.
"Chief Eunuch Gao, I heard that someone in the palace intended to harm His Majesty by poisoning him. Therefore, I have specially come with my second brother to rescue him. Where is His Majesty? Is he well?"
Before he finished speaking, he saw the Emperor on the couch. A flash of emotion flickered in his eyes, and he exclaimed in alarm.
"Your Majesty has indeed been poisoned! Damn it, quickly apprehend this traitor!"
The direction he pointed to was clearly towards Feng Yinwan.
The soldiers were about to act upon hearing this. Chief Eunuch Gao's heart tightened, and he immediately shouted.
"Presumptuous! Who dares to draw a weapon in front of the Emperor!"
Ye Tingyu's eyes narrowed at this, and he looked at him with a hint of ruthlessness. "Chief Eunuch Gao, are you trying to stop me from apprehending the culprit who harmed His Majesty?"
He had long heard that this eunuch had been close to Ye Tinglan recently, and now it seemed to be true.
Since he had already sided with Ye Tinglan, he could naturally not be kept alive!
Ye Tingyu directly grabbed the saber of a nearby guard and drew it, pointing the blade at them and slashing it through the air.
"It is our duty to apprehend the traitor! Guards, capture her for me! Anyone who dares to obstruct will be treated as an accomplice!"