Because of the matter with the poisoned wine, Luo Qinghan had not been able to close his eyes the entire night.
He had to investigate the source of the poisoned wine and silence everyone present to prevent this matter from leaking out, lest a scandal arise of imperial brothers slaughtering one another to fight for the position of heir to the throne.
As for the Eldest Prince, Luo Yechen, as the person directly involved in this case, he was courteously escorted back to his own residence.
Before the truth was fully investigated, Luo Yechen could not take a single step out of his mansion.
By the time Luo Qinghan finished handling all of this, the sky outside was already bright.
Eunuch Chang advised him to rest for a while.
Luo Qinghan pinched the space between his brows, his voice a bit low and hoarse from the lack of sleep.
“How is Virtuous Consort Xiao?”
“The imperial physician said that because she was rescued in time, Virtuous Consort Xiao is no longer in grave danger. Next, she only needs to recuperate well for a period of time to fully recover.”
Luo Qinghan decided to go see Virtuous Consort Xiao.
In order not to disturb Virtuous Consort Xiao’s rest, Luo Qinghan did not let Eunuch Chang make a sound, and they entered Qingge Palace silently just like that.
When they walked to the door of the bedroom, they happened to hear Xiao Xixi say that sentence—
“I knew long beforehand that the cup of wine was poisoned, yet I still drank it. It has nothing to do with the Crown Prince.”
Luo Qinghan’s footsteps paused.
Eunuch Chang, who followed closely behind, had his expression change slightly. He waved his hand, and the maids and eunuchs behind him immediately retreated tactfully.
Inside the bedroom, Xiao Xixi was explaining to Baoqin.
“Last night, I saw that the Eldest Prince’s forehead was dark and dark clouds hovered over his head; it was clearly a face of bad luck. Especially when he handed the wine over, I saw that the dark clouds above his head were so black they were almost dripping with water. My intuition told me that there might be a problem with that cup of wine. I snatched the wine over and sniffed it, and I indeed smelled the scent of poison.”
Baoqin looked completely puzzled. “Why didn’t this servant see any dark clouds on the Eldest Prince’s head?”
“That’s because you haven’t opened your Heavenly Eye. Because of my unique fate, I was born with my Heavenly Eye opened. I can see these things with just a glance.”
Seeing that Baoqin still looked like she did not quite understand, Xiao Xixi continued to explain.
“Think about it. If the Crown Prince had really drunk that cup of poisoned wine last night, whether the Crown Prince died or not, the crime of poisoning the Crown Prince would have fallen onto the Eldest Prince’s head. Even if he didn’t die, he would have to lose a layer of skin. Isn’t this just about to suffer immense bad luck?”
Baoqin realized suddenly. So that was what “dark clouds hovering over the head” meant!
She snorted, “Then he deserved it. Who told him to try to poison the Crown Prince?!”
Xiao Xixi shook her head. “Things are not as simple as you think. Even if the Eldest Prince were any stupider, it would be impossible for him to poison the Crown Prince in public. It’s not like he doesn’t want to live anymore.”
“You mean, the Eldest Prince was framed?”
“Perhaps.”
Baoqin frowned. These conspiracies and intrigues were truly not something a minor maid like her could understand.
She turned to ask, “Since you knew the wine was poisonous, why did you still drink it?”
Outside the door.
Luo Qinghan knitted his brows, harboring the exact same confusion in his heart.
Since she clearly knew it was poisonous, why did she still drink it?
He heard the woman inside the room say in her usual lazy tone.
“I have to protect him.”
“My constitution is very unique; ordinary poisons cannot harm me. But the Crown Prince is different. He is just an ordinary person. If he drank that cup of poisoned wine, even if he didn’t die, he would lose half his life.”
“I cannot let him be harmed. I must protect his safety.”
Baoqin was still puzzled. “You could have directly told His Highness the Crown Prince that the wine was poisonous.”
“The Crown Prince would not believe me.”
“How could that be? You are one of His Highness the Crown Prince’s people. You wouldn’t harm him.”
Xiao Xixi shook her head. “You don’t understand.”
Inside the imperial palace, let alone the person sharing one’s pillow, even parents, brothers, and sisters could ruthlessly deal a fatal blow.
Luo Qinghan, as the Crown Prince, was the common enemy of all the princes.
He was the target of public criticism.
He could not believe anyone.