pdf-ebookys Chapter 904 Let the Closest Person Test the Poison
Chapter 904 Let the Closest Person Test the Poison
The atmosphere in the main hall had become tense and frozen at some point. Eunuch Qi stood to the side, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Qiao Lian'er asked, "I wonder if there are any snacks left that I presented to His Majesty?"
"I ate a small portion, but after feeling unwell, I stopped eating."
"Your Majesty, may the imperial physician examine the remaining snacks?"
"I have looked at it, but I can't see the problem."
Qiao Lian'er understood the emperor's meaning: he didn't see the problem, but there was a problem. There are many poisons in this world that kill silently and are undetectable. Even until death, doctors cannot find the cause or prescribe the right medicine.
“Your Majesty, I have a way to prove my innocence,” Qiao Lian’er said.
"You said."
“The snacks I presented to Your Majesty last time were mixed together in cans and had no outer packaging. It is impossible for me to have tampered with any of them, and the other parts were unaffected.”
"Therefore, I suggest that these snacks be divided among several people. If none of them have any problems, it means that my snacks are clean."
The emperor nodded slightly: "Alright, we'll do as you say."
"I have another request. This matter must not be known to anyone. Otherwise, the person who wants to smear me will definitely try to make the people who eat the snacks develop the same symptoms."
"I will test it on the people closest to me, even they themselves don't know."
"If they have any problems, you will be responsible."
"I understand."
"Okay, get up."
The Emperor ordered, "Eunuch Qi, grind those snacks into powder, mix them into the desserts, and send them to the Crown Prince and the four Imperial Concubines."
When the emperor mentioned the title "Crown Prince," he raised his eyelids and glanced at Qiao Lian'er's expression.
He knew that the Crown Prince and Qiao Lian'er were close, but the Crown Prince was well-behaved and Qiao Lian'er was loyal and devoted, sharing a lot of his troubles, so he didn't mind.
If there was something fishy about Qiao Lian'er's snacks, and they were sent to the Crown Prince, Qiao Lian'er couldn't possibly have been completely oblivious.
But she was very calm about it.
Either he is truly innocent, or he is faking it and hiding it too well.
Over the years, the emperor had interacted with Qiao Lian'er and knew that she was a person who did not easily show off her abilities.
Therefore, he will wait for the results before making a final judgment.
When Eunuch Qi saw Qiao Lian'er off from the palace, he clearly looked relieved.
“Princess Zhenguo’s move is truly brilliant. You should endure this grievance for now, and once the truth comes out in a few days, the Emperor will be at ease, and you will be at ease too.”
Qiao Lian'er's space was limited; otherwise, she could easily diagnose the emperor's condition.
Even so, she wouldn't use it now, because she's still a suspect and hasn't proven her innocence. If she heals the emperor first, it would only solidify her guilt.
"Eunuch Qi, is the Imperial Hospital completely out of options?"
Eunuch Qi sighed: "Alas, we've invited all the retired imperial physicians in their seventies and eighties. Who can compare to them in terms of experience? They just can't find the cause of the illness, so they can't prescribe the right medicine. The medicines they prescribe for the Emperor are all to replenish vital energy."
"Once Princess Zhenguo is alright, could you come up with a solution for me? That would be a great service."
Qiao Lian'er neither denied nor agreed.
She took out a thousand-tael silver note from her sleeve and stuffed it into Eunuch Qi's sleeve.
"Oh dear, how can this be? Princess Zhenguo, please take it back quickly." Eunuch Qi genuinely didn't want it, so he took out the silver note and was about to return it to Qiao Lian'er.
Qiao Lian'er firmly pushed it back: "I am extremely grateful for Eunuch Qi's help this time. This is just a small token of my appreciation. Eunuch Qi must accept it."
Otherwise, if someone helps you once or twice, it's considered repaying a favor from before, and they won't be so diligent afterward. If you want to keep someone loyal for a long time, you have to rely on continuous benefits.
Eunuch Qi solemnly put the silver note into his sleeve and said, "I will always remember the kindness of Princess Zhenguo."
Qiao Lian'er returned to the Qiao residence, where Pei Shijiu was waiting for her in the East Warm Pavilion.
He paced anxiously inside, his brow furrowed.
This was the first time Qiao Lian'er had ever seen him so nervous.
Seeing Qiao Lian'er enter unharmed and breathing normally, his tense expression relaxed.
Hearing that the emperor had summoned her, and having received a secret report that Prince Jin had gone to the palace to expose her to the emperor, he knew that she was being suspected.
The emperor has always valued and trusted her. In the past, when he summoned her to court, it was always to discuss important matters. But this time, it was to interrogate her.
How can he feel at ease?
"How was it?" Pei Shijiu blurted out.
Qiao Lian'er explained the situation in the palace, but Pei Shijiu's brows were still furrowed.
She can defuse this storm, but she has no clue who the person hiding behind it is.
Otherwise, even if they escape unscathed this time, there will be a next time. The enemy is in the shadows, while they are in the open, putting them at a disadvantage.
"It must be related to that masked man. I've been investigating for a while, but I haven't found anyone whose physical characteristics match yet."
"Once the masked man is identified, we can further investigate who is behind him."
"It can't be rushed," Qiao Lian'er said. "You came back so quickly, has the situation in Tianhe Prefecture been resolved?"
"Someone hired a sorcerer specializing in the Five Elements to perform magic and release poison, causing the soldiers in the camp to become mentally unstable. After being stimulated, the camp was thrown into chaos."
Upon hearing the words "camp bombing," Qiao Lian'er's heart tightened. If it happened on a large scale and couldn't be contained, the entire camp would be ruined.
"Fortunately, the few Five Elements sorcerers we found, although they couldn't deal with Huo Xiu, were enough to handle this danger. We brought one of the enemy sorcerers back alive."
The two looked at each other, and a moment of silence fell over them.
That person stirred up chaos in the Tianhe Prefecture camp and made preparations a month in advance, all to make Qiao Lian'er a suspect in poisoning the emperor today. He can be described as cunning and scheming.
"I'll go back and question her carefully. I'll relay any news to you immediately." Pei Shijiu felt as if a dark cloud had fallen over her heart. She was still a suspect, and there was no clue about the person behind her.
There's no guarantee when the other side will make another move, so the situation is quite serious.
Watching him hurry out of the warm pavilion, Qiao Lian'er sat down and slowly took a sip of her cool tea.
This time, perhaps it's a test from God, because she's had it too easy before.
The sorcerer was hung on a metal frame, his tendons and tongue severed, so he could no longer use his invisibility spell.
"Who ordered you to do this?"
Pei Shijiu stood in front of him, an open sheet of paper in his hand.
"The names of all the noble families in the capital are listed here. Your fingers can still move to some extent. Just point to the name of whoever made this."