The guards, their faces grim, swung their swords, knocking down stones that hurtled towards Shen Lixue. Unexpectedly, Shen Lixue moved like a ghost, instantly appearing before the two men. With a flick of her hand, silver light flashed, blood splattered, and the throats of the two guards were slit in an instant, her movements swift and decisive.
Seeing the guards lying heavily in the holly bushes with their eyes wide open, Shen Lixue breathed a sigh of relief. The two men were very close to her, and although they couldn't see her face, they could see her figure clearly. She couldn't let them live any longer.
In the distance, the rustling sound of friction rang out again, but the footsteps were so light they were almost inaudible. Oh no, the prince himself was coming after her. She was no match for him; it was best to run away.
Sheathed her dagger, then lightly leaped out of the holly bushes and silently made her way to Ganquan Palace.
As the sun set, Shen Lixue returned to Ganquan Palace bathed in the golden afterglow. She opened the window, leaped in, took off her outer garments and jewelry, went to bed, and slept—all in an instant.
Just as I pulled the covers up, a familiar, pretty female voice rang out from outside: "Why are you all standing outside? Where's Li Xue?"
"Your Majesty, the Princess Consort is resting." The crisp female voice belonged to Yan Yue.
"Li Xue is experiencing morning sickness and her complexion isn't good. She should eat small, frequent meals instead of just sleeping. It's time for dinner, and she needs to eat something. I'll go wake her up." Hurried footsteps sounded, as if Consort Li was about to force her way in.
"Your Highness, the Princess Consort doesn't like to be disturbed when she's resting..." Qiu He and Yan Yue advised, stopping Consort Li from taking her steps.
Shen Lixue knew that Consort Li was determined to break in, and Qiu He and Yan Yue couldn't stop her at all. If Consort Li wanted to see her, she would let Consort Li see her. Pretending to be sleepy, she mumbled, "What's all the noise about?"
Outside the door, Qiu He and Yan Yue perked up and announced loudly, "Reporting to the Princess Consort, it's Consort Li who has arrived..."
The tightly closed door was pushed open, and Consort Li, supported by a palace maid, hurried in. Her beautiful face was beaming with a bright smile, and her sharp eyes looked at Shen Lixue: "I've come to see Lixue."
Shen Lixue smiled, wondering if she had come to see if she had gone to Yonghua Palace to spy on her having an affair!
With a grateful expression, she said, "Thank you for your concern, Consort Li."
Consort Li stood in front of the bed and watched as Shen Lixue, wrapped in the quilt, slowly sat up. Her jet-black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, slightly disheveled, and her clear eyes were a little hazy, as if she had been sleeping for a long time and had not yet fully come back to her senses.
Could it be that the person who broke into Yonghua Palace and saw her secret wasn't Shen Lixue?
The Qingyan Palace was mostly inhabited by the emperor's concubines, who were all frail women and knew no martial arts. However, the person eavesdropping outside the window was highly skilled in martial arts and moved with great speed. When the prince threw his vase, he missed, and the trusted confidant sent to arrest him was also killed. Subconsciously, she thought of Shen Lixue, who knew martial arts, and hurriedly rushed here.
"Did Li Xue sleep well?" Consort Li asked with a slight smile, subtly probing.
The room was filled with barely audible footsteps. Out of the corner of her eye, Shen Lixue saw two palace maids from Yonghua Palace moving around the room discreetly, as if searching for something.
She sneered inwardly, but pretended not to know anything and smiled politely to Consort Li: "Your Majesty is very kind. Li Xue slept very well."
The inner room was small, and the search was quickly completed. Two palace maids came over, their eyes meeting slightly and their gazes shifting slightly, as they explained everything they wanted to report.
The slight solemnity on Consort Li's face vanished instantly. Shen Lixue had never been to Yonghua Palace before: "It's getting late. Would Lixue like to have dinner at my Yonghua Palace?"
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. Prince An said he would come to pick up Lixue for dinner, so I won't disturb you any longer." As soon as Shen Lixue finished speaking, Dongfang Heng strode in. His white brocade robes fluttered gently, and his handsome face made the world pale in comparison. The palace maids blushed and their hearts pounded. They lowered their heads and bowed, saying, "Prince An."
"Consort Li." Dongfang Heng glanced at Consort Li indifferently, walked past her and the palace maids, came to the bedside, picked up the outer robe from the bedside and put it on Shen Lixue: "It's getting cold, be careful not to catch a cold."
"This is the inner room, it's very warm." Even so, Shen Lixue still went along with his suggestion and put on her outer coat: "Have you finished taking care of everything?"
"Almost. I've instructed the kitchen to prepare many of your favorite dishes. You can have your meal when we get back to the manor." Dongfang Heng helped Shen Lixue tie her sash, carried her to the dressing table, picked up a wooden comb, and gently combed Shen Lixue's slightly messy black hair without any hesitation. His movements were so gentle that the palace maids blushed and their hearts raced with envy and jealousy.
Consort Li's gaze flickered unnaturally. Was this some kind of deliberate display of affection in front of her, now that she had married an old man? How annoying! She forced a smile and said, "Prince An and Li Xue are returning to their residence for a meal, so I will not disturb them any longer. Farewell."
Shen Lixue had never been to Yonghua Palace. Someone else was spying outside the window. She had to find that person as soon as possible, otherwise, she and the prince would be in trouble.
The moment she turned around, Li Fei suddenly felt an intense itch on the back of her hand. She couldn't help but scratch it, and her sharp fingernails broke a small patch of skin, releasing a wisp of dark blood with a strong, foul odor.
She was suddenly startled. What was going on?
An intense itch spread from the back of her hand to her arm and then to all her limbs. She was so itchy all over that she couldn't help but scratch wildly through her clothes. Pieces of her clothes were torn, and the dark blood that flowed out soaked her clothes. A foul stench quickly filled the room.
Consort Li was unbearably itchy and screamed, rolling around on the ground. The palace maids were all startled and hesitated, not daring to approach. Chaotic cries of alarm echoed in the inner room: "Your Highness, Your Highness, what's wrong?"
The ear-piercing sound was so loud it hurt the eardrums. Shen Lixue frowned and coldly ordered, "What are you standing there for? Go and fetch the imperial physician. You lot, hold onto Consort Li's hands and feet tightly, don't let her hurt herself."
"Yes, yes, yes!" The flustered palace maids suddenly realized what was going on. One of them quickly ran out of Ganquan Palace, while the other maids carried Consort Li to the bed and tightly bound her hands and feet.
Consort Li was unbearably itchy all over, wailing and struggling desperately. The once smooth bed was now a mess, and the clean sheets were stained with dark blood. A foul stench filled the air, making people want to vomit.
Shen Lixue stood in front of the dressing table, looking at the suffering Consort Li, her eyes as cold as ice: This is Consort Li's own doing, no wonder she's not to blame.
She was pulled into a warm embrace, her waist tightened. Looking up, she met Dongfang Heng's deep, obsidian-like eyes. Their gazes met, as if to say, "What have you done?"
Shen Lixue blinked and whispered, "It was Consort Li who tried to harm me and my child, so I gave her a little lesson."
Dongfang Heng's gaze suddenly sharpened, a storm brewing deep within his eyes: "Will she die?" To dare harm his wife and child is an unforgivable crime.
Shen Lixue glanced at the suffering and blood-covered Consort Li: "It depends on the doctor's skills and her fate." If the doctor is skilled and arrives early, Consort Li can survive. If the doctor arrives late and his skills are poor, the poison will attack her heart, and she will naturally be beyond saving.
"When did you poison her?" After Dongfang Heng entered the inner room, he didn't see Shen Lixue make a move, so the poison must have been administered before he arrived.
“It was an hour ago. To be more precise, Zi Mo put the poison in Consort Li’s bed. She was naked and making love with a man for so long, of course she would be poisoned.”
Shen Lixue's light words were like a thunderclap, startling Dongfang Heng into a deep gaze: "What did you say? Consort Li was making love with a man in Yonghua Palace?"
When the emperor favored his concubines, they would be sent to his bedchamber after bathing and changing. He rarely favored them in their palaces. Even if he did, it would be at night. The person who was making love with Consort Li in Yonghua Palace just now was definitely not the emperor.
"I also heard Consort Li call him Your Highness..." The emperor's cuckoldry was quite peculiar, with his son having an affair with his father's woman. However, since they were all from the Eastern royal family, even if Consort Li had a child in the future, it would still be a descendant of the royal family, not a bastard.
Your Highness! Dongfang Heng's gaze sharpened once more. The son of the Qingyan Emperor was actually having an affair with his concubine. Anything could indeed happen in the palace!
Dongfang Heng had no interest in the sordid affairs of the palace. Just then, the imperial physician entered the inner chamber, and the empress was also disturbed. He did not ask any further questions, but glanced indifferently at Consort Li, who was tied to the large bed and was constantly writhing and wailing. She was vicious and deserved her punishment.
The imperial physician took her pulse, pried open Consort Li's mouth and fed her an antidote pill, then took out some ointment for treating her wounds and ordered the palace maids to apply it to her.
The palace maids held down Consort Li's arms and legs tightly, enduring the strong stench, their brows furrowed as they quickly applied ointment to her. Gradually, the medicine took effect, and Consort Li calmed down and fell into a deep sleep.
The Empress glanced at her horribly injured body and asked in bewilderment, "Imperial Physician, what happened to Sister Li?"