Chapter 79: Closing the Net Part 2

Adding other ingredients to the original medicine was not unheard of; every household in the Imperial Capital had such schemes. Disgust showed on Wei Xiao’s face. She turned and left the inner room, standing at the doorway to say directly, “Zi Jin, invite your prince back—and keep the Wise Noble Consort here.”

Wei Xiao had forcibly kept the Wise Noble Consort, knowing full well this was the mess she had dumped on her. She could not let her face these demons and ghouls alone. Taking the physician and the bowl of tainted medicine, she hurried to the front hall.

In the room, Xun Changqing pressed her lips together. It seemed things had blown up. But now, the ones with headaches were Xun Yi and Qin Jingyu—it had nothing to do with her. Gazing at the empty room, she lay back down on the bed. She needed to recover her strength to face Xun Yi when he came to probe her condition.

………………………………………………

The people from the Prince’s Mansion had entered the palace twice in succession, disturbing Xun Yi so much that he could not focus. Hearing the words “Ning’an County Princess” only made him more irritable. He abandoned the official he was discussing state affairs with and rode back to the mansion himself.

Many servants gathered outside the front hall, craning their necks and looking nervous. The steward hurried to greet the prince as he strode through the gate and explained, “Something happened in the princess’s courtyard—the medicine was tampered with. The County Princess happened to discover it and insisted on keeping the Wise Noble Consort here to investigate.”

The border issues had already kept him up day and night; now the inner residence was on fire too. Xun Yi’s head throbbed even more. He replied stiffly, “What business is it of hers what happens in this king’s mansion?”

Xun Yi’s voice boomed with force, audible from several zhang away. The servants scattered in panic. Inside the hall, the few seated there heard every word clearly. The Wise Noble Consort, in the seat of honor, twitched her lips involuntarily and lifted her teacup to hide her smile.

Qin Jingyu’s deathly pale face eased slightly. She rose to welcome Xun Yi.

Hearing this, fury surged in Wei Xiao’s chest. She shot a glance at the Wise Noble Consort, who was watching the show, then slammed her teacup down. Standing, her dark eyes fixed two cold beams on Xun Yi’s extremely ugly expression as she said displeased, “The affairs of the Pingnan Prince’s Mansion are your problem. Your inner residence burning has nothing to do with me. But since it concerns Xun Changqing, I have no choice but to intervene. I don’t want A’ci’s child, whom she raised for six hard years, to die here.”

Steward Yuyin saw Wei Xiao’s unrelenting stance and decisively retreated a few steps, dismissing the crowd and positioning himself at the door to await orders.

Hearing Xun Changqing’s name, Xun Yi’s momentum deflated inexplicably by half. He turned to Qin Jingyu. “What exactly is going on?”

Qin Jingyu shrank back in fright, her eyes dimming as she said softly, “Your daughter-in-law truly does not know. The County Princess brought the physician to the princess and came out saying there was something wrong with the medicine. Your daughter-in-law knows nothing else.”

Her words absolved her completely, adding a touch of frailty that made the Wise Noble Consort set down her teacup, her expression cooling slightly. Qin Jingyu did have some tricks; Xun Yi would surely spare her out of pity for her lost husband.

But Wei Xiao paced up to her and sneered a few times. “Does the Heir Apparent Consort mean that I am framing you on purpose?”

Xun Yi frowned, sensing something fishy inwardly, but Wei Xiao was not one to make baseless trouble, and Qin Jingyu was too scared to speak further. He said, “What did the physician say? Does the medicine contain poison?”

The question was rather foolish—if there were no poison, why would she be confronting him here? Wei Xiao sat back down and said flatly, “It won’t kill, but it won’t let her live either. A few more doses, and the Pingnan Prince’s Mansion can hold another funeral. Never mind the rumors outside—whether legitimate or illegitimate, whether truly yours or not—better prepare the coffin first.”

Having grown up in the depths of the palace and stayed by the Previous Emperor’s side from childhood, her words carried a vicious, haughty edge.

Rumors had reached the Pingnan Prince’s Mansion too, but they had not penetrated Tangqing Courtyard yet. Xun Yi thought he had suppressed them so Xun Changqing would not know, but Wei Xiao’s words reminded him: if mishandled, there would be endless waves. Besides, Xun Changqing already knew.

The Wise Noble Consort interjected mildly, “As for the rumors outside, leave them be for now. But both matters target Changqing—it is inevitable. Your Highness should first investigate who tampered with the medicine. The mansion used to be very clean. That girl Changqing doesn’t understand these things; Your Highness should pay more attention. After all, an unmarried young girl without a mother to protect her—it is not easy to survive in such a deep residence.”

Qin Jingyu stood there expressionless, but her arm now gripped the nearby low table. These words clearly targeted her: the mansion had been clean before because there was only one mistress, managed by the steward. Now with them added, and the steward under her, it implied she had acted in the shadows.