When Consort Lin arrived at Shuixiang Garden, the Empress was already there, her expression grim.
The servants throughout Shuixiang Garden all had red-rimmed eyes, looking as though they were heartbroken over their mistress’s condition.
As Consort Lin walked past Dingxiang, the maid deliberately took a step back.
Ziyan happened to catch the scene.
She had never expected the mistress of Suxin Courtyard to be so calculating—bold enough to scheme even against women of higher rank.
Walking up to Erya, Consort Lin put on a concerned expression.
“Erya, what happened to Sister Jiang? We haven’t seen each other for only two days. How did she become so seriously ill?”
As she spoke, she glanced inside.
Jiang Yunshu lay on the couch, her face deathly pale, even her lips drained of color. She looked as though she were hanging on by a thread, while the imperial physician sat beside her taking her pulse with a grave expression.
Consort Lin was secretly puzzled.
How did she suddenly become this sick?
Could someone else in the palace have made a move against her?
Well, considering how much resentment she’s attracted, it wouldn’t be surprising.
Looking at Jiang Yunshu in such a miserable state filled her with satisfaction.
Erya wiped the corner of her eye and replied softly,
“Reporting to Your Ladyship, my mistress had already been feeling unwell these past few days. She had no appetite, couldn’t sleep at night, and has visibly lost weight.
“Last night, after she went to bed, she never woke up again. No matter how much this servant called for her, she simply wouldn’t wake.”
Hearing this, Consort Lin’s face turned pale with apparent alarm. She stepped closer, her voice trembling.
“Sister Jiang, you must take good care of yourself. You have to recover soon.”
The Empress shot her a sidelong glance, thoroughly irritated by her false concern.
“Consort Lin, the imperial physicians are examining Consort Jiang. Why are you making such a commotion? You’re disturbing her rest.”
Having been reprimanded, Consort Lin hurriedly lowered her head and retreated to one side.
“Yes, Your Majesty. This concubine was wrong.”
The Empress turned toward the physician.
“Imperial Physician, how is Consort Jiang? What exactly is wrong with her?”
The physician’s face was heavy with concern. He shook his head helplessly.
“Your Majesty, please summon another imperial physician to examine her together with this humble official.”
Though confused, the Empress agreed and immediately sent someone to notify the Emperor as well.
Not long afterward, Imperial Physician Lu from the Imperial Medical Academy arrived. Together with Imperial Physician Qin, the two spent a long time examining Jiang Yunshu, whispering quietly to one another afterward.
At that moment, Chu Yi also arrived.
His expression was extremely unpleasant.
The affairs of the court were already overwhelming, and now problems had arisen in the imperial harem as well. Coupled with the anger that had been building inside him, his face was dark enough to send chills through everyone present.
Even the Empress grew nervous.
“The physicians are still examining her, Your Majesty. There are no results yet. Please don’t worry. Consort Jiang is blessed by fortune. She will surely pull through.”
Chu Yi’s icy gaze locked onto the physicians.
“If you can’t determine what’s wrong with her, every one of you will be beaten to death.”
Imperial Physicians Lu and Qin trembled violently.
In the end, it was Imperial Physician Qin who stepped forward. Kneeling flat on the ground, he said in a trembling voice,
“Your Majesty, after repeated examinations by both myself and Imperial Physician Lu, we have confirmed that Her Ladyship’s pulse is highly unusual. There are signs of blocked circulation… and signs of poisoning.”
“Blocked circulation? Poisoned?”
Chu Yi’s voice was as cold as the frost of midwinter.
Even in the warm weather of the fifth lunar month, the physician broke into a cold sweat, carefully wiping his forehead with his sleeve.
“Y-Yes… From this humble official’s examination, Her Ladyship appears to have consumed substances that react adversely with one another, resulting in both poisoning and internal blockage.”
“Substances that react with one another?”
The Empress murmured thoughtfully.
“All the meals in the harem come from the Imperial Kitchen. They would never purchase ingredients that are incompatible with one another.
“Imperial Physician Lu, must such substances be ingested? Could prolonged exposure also cause this?”
Imperial Physician Lu suddenly looked enlightened.
“That is indeed possible!”
Chu Yi immediately understood.
“Search!”
“Turn Shuixiang Garden upside down. Anything even remotely suspicious is to be brought before me for the imperial physicians to inspect.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Wang An immediately dispatched men to conduct the search, then gathered every eunuch and palace maid from Shuixiang Garden into the courtyard to await inspection.
Consort Lin watched everything unfold from the side, enjoying the spectacle.
So someone really was trying to kill Jiang Yunshu.
Why didn’t they simply finish the job?
If I were the one making the move, I certainly wouldn’t have shown any mercy.
After quite some time, a eunuch hurried over.
“Your Majesty! This bracelet was found in a maid’s quarters. This servant noticed that it appears extremely valuable, and its fragrance is rather unusual.”
Chu Yi fixed his gaze on the pale purple bracelet, inhaling its peculiar scent.
“Imperial Physician Lu, examine it.”
The physician immediately accepted the bracelet with both hands, lifted it to his nose, and took a careful sniff.
His expression instantly darkened.
“Your Majesty… this bracelet is poisonous!”
A cold gleam flashed across Chu Yi’s eyes as he swept his gaze over the kneeling servants in the courtyard.
“Whose is it? Drag the owner in.”
Wang An immediately ordered Dingxiang to be brought over.
Watching from the side, Consort Lin’s heart lurched violently.
She nearly lost control of her expression, but reacted just in time. Hidden beneath her flowing sleeve, she dug her fingernails hard into her own palm, barely managing to compose herself.
They can’t possibly trace this back to me.
Don’t panic… don’t panic…
Dingxiang was dragged before Chu Yi.
She trembled uncontrollably. The moment she saw the Emperor, her whole body shook like a leaf in a storm.
Without warning, Chu Yi kicked her violently.
She cried out in agony.
“Ah! Your Majesty, spare me! Spare me! What crime has this servant committed? Why is Your Majesty treating this servant this way?”
His thin lips curved slightly, his eyes filled with murderous brutality, as though he wanted to tear her to pieces with his gaze alone.
Imperial Physician Lu held up the bracelet.
“Have you been wearing this bracelet every day while serving Consort Jiang?”
Looking at the bracelet, panic filled Dingxiang’s eyes. Her face was twisted in pain.
After biting her lip for a long moment, she nodded.
The physician lowered the bracelet.
“Then that’s it.
“The fragrance on this bracelet comes from the Tuoluo Flower, a plant native to the border tribes. Its scent is unique. It has aphrodisiac properties—but it is also highly poisonous.
“When combined with many foods, it creates a toxic reaction. Because this maid wore the bracelet daily while attending Her Ladyship, the poison gradually seeped into Her Ladyship’s body.
“Then, a few days ago, Her Ladyship happened to eat crystal cakes. The ingredients used to make those cakes react directly with the Tuoluo Flower, producing an extremely deadly poison.”
The moment he finished speaking, Chu Yi seized the teacup beside him and hurled it.
It struck Dingxiang squarely in the face.
Her skin split open instantly, and bright red blood streamed down her cheeks.
Terrified and helpless, she frantically shook her head.
“I didn’t! I never meant to harm Her Ladyship! I only wanted to gain His Majesty’s favor! This bracelet isn’t poisonous! Your Majesty, please investigate!”
Chu Yi strode forward in an instant and seized her by the throat.
“Gain my favor?”
“What are you?”
“You think you’re worthy?”
Never before had Wang An seen Chu Yi this enraged.
He also understood exactly why the Emperor’s fury was so overwhelming today.
He quickly said,
“Your Majesty, this bracelet is extraordinarily rare. A mere palace maid could never have obtained such an item on her own. I’m afraid someone else must be behind this…”
Chu Yi narrowed his eyes.
“Take her to the Directorate of Punishments. Interrogate her thoroughly.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Dingxiang let out a shrill scream.
“I didn’t do it! I’ve been wronged! Her Ladyship framed me because she was afraid I’d gain His Majesty’s favor! I’ve been framed!”
Her desperate cries echoed endlessly throughout Shuixiang Garden.
Consort Lin felt as though she were standing inside an ice cellar, her entire body frozen.
Yet on the surface, she still had to pretend to be deeply worried about Jiang Yunshu.
Steadying herself, she said,
“Imperial Physician Lu, now that the cause has been identified, please treat Sister Jiang immediately. Her health has always been delicate. We mustn’t delay any longer.”
As she spoke, Chu Yi’s gaze swept lightly over her.
“Which palace are you from?”