Changchun Palace

  Zhou Yi Huan waited until Jia Li Yan had dismissed the palace staff before lowering her voice to ask, "I've already sent 'Hua' in on my end, how's it going on your side?"

  Jia Li smiled complacently and patted her chest, saying: "Don't worry, I'm not an idiot either. This little thing can still be done well."

  "You'd better be careful. Don't get caught by others. If you're caught, I won't be able to save you." Zhou Yihuan advised.

  "Hmph, this is a trivial matter that I can handle with ease. The imperial kitchen isn't just for the empress, my aunt has also arranged for someone to 'mix' in. Tomorrow will be the day I make my grand move." Jia Lianxiao smiled smugly as her 'secret' plan was about to come to fruition.

  "Since that's the case, I'll feel at ease then. Tomorrow will be a test of your performance. I'll head back first to avoid raising suspicions."

  "Go ahead, go ahead. You're just a coward who's afraid of everything. Afraid of this and that. Since you've cooperated with me up to this point, what are you still afraid of? Afraid of being exposed?" Jia Lixian asked coldly.

  "You're overthinking it." Zhou Yi Huan said: "The harem is a terrifying place, it's best to be cautious in all things. Take care of yourself, I'm leaving."

  Having finished speaking, she gave Jiali a simple bow and then retreated out.

  Jia Lianyuan gazed at the charming figure with a cold smile, her heart seething with hatred as she gritted her teeth in silence: "Once I've gotten rid of Yan Xijun that 'woman', I'll come back for you."

  Hmph, the women in the harem are not simple at all. You're plotting against me, I'm plotting against you, even our cooperative partners are being harmed. Plotting and scheming back and forth, in the end it's unclear who's been plotted against by whom.

  Today's Ganquan Palace is more lively than any other day. The imperial physicians in the palace are almost all gathered together. The eunuchs and palace ladies are standing at the gate of the palace. The emperor and empress, the two most noble masters, are sitting anxiously in the side hall. From time to time, a few mournful cries come from the main hall.

  "Your Highness, you must hold on. Snow Lian tightly grasped the master's hand. "Master, you absolutely cannot have anything happen to you. The Emperor and Empress are in the side hall praying for your safety. So you must pull through."

  Wen Qin grasped the master's hand on the other side, her eyes already brimming with tears. She choked back a sob and said: "Master, you'll definitely be fine. All the imperial physicians in the palace have come. You must hold on."

  Yan Xijun was now in so much pain that she couldn't even speak. Waves of deadly pain were coming from her lower abdomen. She furrowed her brow and gritted her teeth, biting tightly on her lip, but still couldn't resist the pain emanating from there.

  Listening to the words of the two closest maids beside her. She didn't even have time to respond to them. Even forcing a smile was difficult.

  Wen Qin looked at the master's painful face, her heart was extremely distressed. Her complexion had turned pale and transparent. Those rosy lips had been bitten by her until they bled.

  "What's wrong with you, master? Why does your stomach hurt at this time?"

  "Master Physician, what's going on with the master?" Xue Lian couldn't help but ask the physician. The old physician, who was the best in the imperial palace, was taking the master's pulse and his face grew increasingly solemn, making her more and more uneasy.

  "What's going on with Imperial Physician?" Xue Lian asked again when she saw that Chen Imperial Physician didn't respond to her question.

  Chen Taiyi suddenly stopped taking the pulse, but instead turned his gaze to the face of the person on the 'bed'. After a while, he asked: "What did Empress De eat today?"

  "It's all the same as usual." Yuki hurriedly listed out all the food that Master had eaten today.

  Chen Taiyi thought for a moment, then picked up the paper and pen, wrote out a prescription, handed it to Xuelian, saying: "This is the prescription, quickly take it to the imperial kitchen to find someone to decoct the medicine. After it's done, immediately bring it back for Empress De to drink."

  Xue Lian hurriedly went out of the door to find someone.

  Chen Taizhen looked at the person on the "bed" with pity, sighed, shook his head and carried his "medicine" box out of the main hall, heading towards the side hall.

  The Empress Dowager rushed forward as soon as Imperial Physician Chen entered the side hall, anxiously asking: "Imperial Physician Chen, how is Consort De? What's her condition?"

  "Alas." Doctor Chen sighed, took a step forward to the emperor's side, bowed and said: "I report to Your Majesty and the Empress, this time Concubine De may be in trouble."

  "Imperial Physician Chen, what exactly do you mean by that?" Empress Yan hastily walked up from behind, her eyes wide with anxiety as she stared at Imperial Physician Chen.

  "What's wrong? Could it be that the child in your belly..." Empress Yan dared not think further, she was truly afraid of accepting this calamity.

  "Director Chen, quickly tell me what's going on." Chu Yixuan said hastily.

  "Empress De has been poisoned. The poison is very potent. Not only has it permeated her entire body, but the imperial son in her womb cannot be saved either." Doctor Chen pronounced the verdict without emotion.

  "What... How could this be." Empress Yan turned pale and fell back into her chair, looking as if she was the one who had been poisoned.

  Chu Yixuan coldly glanced at the empress and then asked Chen Taifu: "Isn't there any chance of saving her?"

  "The old minister is incompetent." Chen Taiyi knelt down on the ground. "I don't have the ability to save the young prince, nor can I remove the poison from her body. Now we can only rely on 'medicine' to counteract the poison in her body and maintain her life. The poison in her body, I also have no way to eliminate."

  "Get up." Chu Yixuan calmly ordered Chen Taizhen to get up. His hand, hidden in his sleeve, was shaking, revealing his tension and panic. He really hadn't expected things to turn out like this. He had thought that the women in the harem only wanted the child in her belly to die, but instead they also wanted her life.

  Chu Yixuan stood up and coldly instructed Empress Yan: "Empress, as the mistress of the harem, I order you to thoroughly investigate this matter with full authority. Do not let off any criminal. You must give my unborn son an explanation."

  The Empress Yan had regained her composure by then. She gritted her teeth and said, "Your Majesty, please be at ease. I will definitely conduct a thorough investigation and not let anyone off the hook."

  Who is so bold as to cut off her beautiful dream? And also dare to harm people under her eyelids. She will not let any of them go.

  Chu Yixuan saw that his goal had been achieved, so he politely said: "Then I'll trouble the empress."

  "I will go in and take a look at De Fei now." Chu Yixuan said, then left the side hall.

  Lu Zhong quietly followed behind his master, his expression unchanged on the surface, but in his heart he secretly thought: Your Majesty, are you pleased now? Half of your goal has been achieved. Is this the outcome you desired?

  Actually, since he knew that De Fei was pregnant, he did not agree with the master's plan. However, the master insisted on his own way, and he had no way to stop him.

  Chu Yixuan went to see Yan Xikun when she had already taken her medicine and fallen asleep.

  Looking at her pale and bloodless little face, he still felt a twinge of guilt in his heart. Originally, he was capable of protecting her, but instead, he tolerated the transgressions of others.

  In the end, he still had to hurt her. He also had no choice. For Xue Er's sake, he had to be ruthless.