Front courtyard.
Consort Qi had arrived in splendid attire, seated in the place of honor, with Mo Qianhan sitting in the chair to her left.
During the Late Emperor's lifetime, Consort Qi had enjoyed his favor for many years. Though forty years of age, she looked like a noblewoman barely past thirty, her figure pampered into plump, graceful curves.
She exuded wealth and luxury from head to toe!
Only the trace of venom between her brows shattered all that dignified beauty.
By the time Chu Fengge arrived at the front courtyard, Bai Ruoshui was already there.
Chu Fengge glanced at Bai Ruoshui's back. A strong medicinal smell wafted from her—clearly she had treated her wounds before coming.
Hongling knelt in the courtyard, denouncing Chu Fengge's crimes: "Imperial Concubine, every word I say is true. The Young Heir was poisoned after eating the sweet cakes the Princess Consort gave him. The Cousin, to save the Shizi, carved flesh from her own body to serve as a medicinal catalyst, yet the Princess Consort slandered her for poisoning the Shizi and even injured her body."
"How outrageous!" Consort Qi slammed the table hard, her sharp eyes fixed on Chu Fengge as she shouted in fury, "Someone, seize Chu Fengge and give her twenty heavy strokes of the rod!"
The senior maids who had accompanied Consort Qi from the palace instantly surged toward Chu Fengge…
Working together, the maids forcibly pressed Chu Fengge down onto a wooden bench. Two eunuchs stood on either side of her, raising their rods high.
Just as the rod was about to come down on her, Chu Fengge's mind stirred. She lifted her head to look at Consort Qi and cried out loudly, "Consort Qi, are you dissatisfied with the Late Emperor's decree?"
Consort Qi shot to her feet from her chair, a flicker of panic crossing her face.
Even though the Late Emperor had been dead for three years, whenever something concerning him was mentioned, Consort Qi still felt a reverent fear of that departed man.
She pointed at Chu Fengge and raged, "You dare speak of the Late Emperor? Not only did you conceive before marriage, you harmed the manor's heir the moment you entered the Prince's Manor. I have every right to bestow death upon you."
"Yes, Chu Fengge failed the Late Emperor's high expectations. But while the Late Emperor was alive, he knew I was with child before marriage, yet he did not revoke the decree—he insisted that His Highness the Prince Regent honor the marriage contract. Why is that?"
Why?
Because of that damned mother of hers…
In any case, she hated Chu Fengge to the bone—especially that face, identical to her mother's.
While the Late Emperor was alive, he had once told her that Qianhan was the most like him among his sons, and so he had betrothed that woman's daughter to his son.
"You may be shameless, but my imperial family's word is iron—a sovereign's word is no jest," Consort Qi said heavily.
Chu Fengge gave a low scoffing laugh and looked at Mo Qianhan, who sat to the side watching the show. "Yes, quite right—a sovereign's word is no jest. But on our wedding day, based solely on a single sweet cake I gave the Shizi, the Prince Regent insisted I was the one who poisoned him. Without even investigating the source of the poison, he repeatedly tried to kill me in secret. I'm tough—I didn't die."
"And today, Consort Qi, less than three days after I entered the household, you make such a grand spectacle of pressing charges against me. Is this not proof that the Prince Regent's Manor and you, Consort Qi, are dissatisfied with the Late Emperor's imperial marriage decree? I even have reason to suspect that, out of dissatisfaction with his decree, you secretly poisoned the Shizi yourselves, pinned the crime on my head, and used it as an opportunity to eliminate me—so you could install the Princess Consort of the Regent of your choosing."
Mo Qianhan's hand clenched suddenly around his wine goblet!
This woman… showed not a shred of remorse…
Damnable!
Consort Qi was thoroughly enraged by these words: "You… you… spouting such slanderous nonsense! Someone, seize… seize…"
"Ah!" Consort Qi suddenly clutched her waist and let out a pained cry.
Nanny Zhang hurried forward to support her. "Imperial Concubine, has your old ailment flared up again? Please sit down quickly. Someone, fetch the medicine for the Imperial Concubine at once!"
Imperial Physician Li Liang took a black pill from inside his robe, came before Consort Qi, and placed the pill in her mouth. "Imperial Concubine, take it quickly."
Ignoring the pill's bitterness, Consort Qi hastily chewed it up and swallowed it down.
Chu Fengge looked up at Consort Qi.
Cold sweat beaded at her temples, and although her face was covered in a thick layer of rouge and powder, her complexion looked no better for it—a faint sallow hue was visible beneath.
Just now, when the physician had walked past her with the medicine, Chu Fengge's sensitive nose had caught the scent of the pill.
The pill contained amber, malva seeds, talc, reed root, tangerine peel, licorice root, and more…
Ingredients that dispel dampness and phlegm, promote blood circulation and dissolve stasis, and relieve pain.
Setting aside these ingredients, the pill itself was fine. But…
Chu Fengge detected another peculiar medicinal ingredient in the pill!
The Medicine God's spatial dimension suddenly sent out a signal, and Consort Qi's internal anatomy rapidly appeared in her mind. She saw stones in Consort Qi's kidneys.
As it happened, after taking the medicine, Consort Qi showed no improvement—instead, she moaned softly, unable to bear the pain.
Seeing that something was wrong, Mo Qianhan could no longer remain seated.
He rose and walked over to Consort Qi, demanding, "Physician Li, why has your medicine had no effect? The Imperial Concubine is still in great pain."
Imperial Physician Li Liang stepped forward and bowed with cupped hands. "Do not be anxious, Your Highness. The Imperial Concubine suffers from a chronic ailment. I fear the dosage must be increased before the attack can be stopped."
With that, he took out another pill. Just as he was about to administer it to the Imperial Concubine, Chu Fengge's voice came from behind him: "Quack!"