The imperial physician's gaze was grave: "Your Majesty, it seems that Consort Li has been poisoned by some kind of poison."
The Empress's gaze sharpened: "Someone poisoned her?"
"Not necessarily." The imperial physician stroked his beard and said mysteriously, "Consort Li's poison seeped in from the surface. She must have accidentally come into contact with a poisonous plant, which caused the poisoning."
It wasn't intentional poisoning! The Empress's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, eased slightly: "How is Sister Li now?"
"The poison has been neutralized, and her life is no longer in danger. However, the poison was very special, and her injuries were also severe, so she may be left with scars." The imperial physician's tone was low. He had done his best. The poison was very strong and special, and he was truly powerless to help if he hadn't treated it immediately.
"Thank you for your help, Imperial Physician."
The Empress turned to the palace maids of Yonghua Palace, looking down at them with a sharp tone: "How have you been taking care of Sister Li?"
"Your Majesty, please forgive us." The palace maids of Yonghua Palace knelt down one after another, their bodies trembling, and said in a trembling voice, "Consort Li likes to stroll in the Imperial Garden during the day when she has nothing to do. We are of lowly status and do not know where there is danger, so we could not stop her."
The Imperial Garden is planted with many flowers that bloom all year round. It is a good place for the concubines in the harem to go when they are bored. Consort Li is young and married to the emperor who is nearly fifty years old. She has no children and her life is extremely boring. She often goes to the Imperial Garden to enjoy the flowers and pass the time.
"How dare you talk back." The Empress's cold gaze swept over the kneeling palace maids: "So many of you were with her and you're all fine, why is it that only Sister Li was poisoned?"
"This..." The palace maids lowered their heads and bit their lips. "Your Highness, we are of lowly status and dare not touch anything in the Imperial Garden. Your Highness may pick flowers and grass." The implication was that Consort Li was poisoned while picking flowers, not that they had deliberately failed to protect their mistress.
"So, I've misunderstood you?" The Empress's eyes narrowed slightly, the majesty and coldness in them sending chills down one's spine.
The palace maids trembled with fear, kowtowing repeatedly and begging for mercy: "Your Majesty, spare us! Your Majesty, spare us!"
"Your Majesty, there are many kinds of flowers in the Imperial Garden. The palace maids do not know medicine, so of course they dare not disturb Consort Li's elegant pleasure of picking flowers. Fortunately, Consort Li is not in any danger. Why don't you forgive them for now and let them make amends?"
As the head of the six palaces, the Empress is responsible for investigating and dealing with any incidents involving her concubines. Consort Li was inexplicably poisoned, which was due to the palace maids' failure to take good care of her. It was not wrong for her to punish them. However, Shen Lixue was targeting Consort Li and did not want to involve these innocent palace maids.
The Empress glanced at Shen Lixue's slightly protruding belly, and her expression softened. Dongfang Heng and Shen Lixue were both her juniors and outstanding members of the Qingyan royal family. She would listen to their advice to some extent.
Turning back to the palace maids, the Empress's expression remained stern: "The Princess Consort of Anjun pleaded for you, so I will not pursue your responsibility for now. Go and take care of Consort Li. If you make the same mistake again, I will not forgive you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress, thank you, Princess Consort of An." The palace maids thanked her profusely, hurriedly stood up, and rushed to the bedside to take care of Consort Li.
The Empress turned to look at Shen Lixue, her gaze loving: "Are you feeling alright?"
Shen Lixue smiled politely: "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. It's late, so I'll take my leave." She had witnessed Consort Li's tragic end and could leave the palace without any worries.
"Be careful on your way." As night deepened, the Empress no longer tried to keep the two. After saying goodbye, Dongfang Heng gently put his arm around Shen Lixue's shoulder and slowly walked out of Ganquan Palace.
The bright lights illuminated the palace as if it were daytime, but there were few pedestrians on the bluestone path. Qiu He and Yan Yue followed at a distance, making sure there were no outsiders within ten meters. Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow: "Consort Li is lucky to have survived the poisoning. However, her wounds will leave scars after they heal." No man would like a beauty covered in scars with not a single patch of good skin.
"Do I need to take action?" Dongfang Heng tightened his grip on Chen Lixue's arm without realizing it. Daring to scheme against his wife and children was unforgivable.
"No need. After this incident, Consort Li will surely learn her lesson and dare not scheme against me again." Killing Consort Li with a single blow would be too lenient. Letting her live a life worse than death, covered in scars, would be the greatest punishment for her.
Dongfang Heng didn't speak again, his strong arms tightening once more. He trusted his little wife; she said she wouldn't kill Consort Li, so he wouldn't kill her for now. He would wait until she said she wanted to kill her before he took action.
Before she knew it, a soreness came from her lower back. Shen Lixue gently rubbed it and walked slower and slower.
Dongfang Heng keenly noticed her sluggish movements and glanced at her: "Does your back hurt?"
Shen Lixue nodded, her eyes flickering, looking somewhat guilty.
Dongfang Heng glared at her helplessly, stretched out his long arm, picked her up in his arms, and scolded, "From now on, if there's anything to do, let Zimo do it. You just sit quietly and don't rush to join in the fun."
She really has the leisure to travel from Ganquan Palace to Yonghua Palace to watch live sex shows.
“Okay.” Shen Lixue used her lightness skill to run from Ganquan Palace to Yonghua Palace, and then from Yonghua Palace back to Ganquan Palace. The distance was quite far, and her movements were too fast. Although she did not affect the fetus, she consumed a lot of physical strength, which is why her back ached when she walked.
Walking behind, Qiuhe and Yanyue both blushed and lowered their heads, thinking to themselves, "Prince An and Princess An are so loving. They are so intimate even on the road. Although it is dinner time and there are not many people around, we two little maids are still people. Prince An and Princess An seem to treat us as if we are invisible."
As night deepened, a chilly wind blew by. Shen Lixue wrapped her slender arms tightly around Dongfang Heng's neck and asked, "Heng, what have you been busy with lately?"
Dongfang Heng has been leaving early and returning late every day lately. He leaves before Shen Lixue wakes up in the morning and returns after she falls asleep at night. The two haven't had a proper conversation for several days.
"He's busy with important matters of state," Dongfang Heng summarized succinctly.
Shen Lixue pouted: "It's very mysterious, can't I reveal it?"
Dongfang Heng smiled faintly: "It's not particularly mysterious, it's just related to western Hunan..."
"Prince An, Princess Consort." A familiar male voice rang out, interrupting Dongfang Heng's words.
Shen Lixue looked up and saw a young man of sixteen or seventeen years old walking towards them. His light purple python-patterned robe indicated his noble status as a prince. A jade pendant hung at his waist, crystal clear. His warm and handsome face still had a touch of childishness. He was the fifth prince born to the empress.
"The Fifth Prince is returning to the palace so late." Dongfang Heng's voice was as indifferent as ever.
The Fifth Prince grinned and waved the food box in his hand: "I went to Zuixianlou and bought the lotus flower cake that Mother Empress loves the most."
"The Fifth Prince is truly filial." Shen Lixue smiled. The Crown Prince was busy with state affairs all day long and rarely visited the Empress. The Fifth Prince was not yet an adult and still lived in the palace. With him by the Empress's side, she was truly blessed. "Her Majesty the Empress should still be in Ganquan Palace."
"Ganquan Palace?" The Fifth Prince frowned. "Grandmother is in Yongning Palace. What is Mother doing in the empty Ganquan Palace?"
"Something happened to Consort Li. The details are too complicated to explain in a few words. The Fifth Prince will find out when he arrives at Ganquan Palace." Shen Lixue knew the whole story of Consort Li's incident, but she couldn't say it outright. She told the Fifth Prince to ask the palace maids himself.
"Thank you, Princess Consort. I'll head to Ganquan Palace now. Please be careful on your journey." The Fifth Prince strode forward with a smile, carrying the food box. As he brushed past Shen Lixue, a faint, fishy stench drifted on the wind.
Shen Lixue was taken aback and glanced at the Fifth Prince. She saw him striding forward with a smile on his face and his eyes slightly narrowed. With a flick of his slender white finger, a silver needle shot out and knocked the jade pendant off the Fifth Prince's waist.
She leaped down from Dongfang Heng's arms, stepped forward, and picked it up. The jade pendant, emerald green, bore the insignia of the Qingyan royal family, exuding nobility and grandeur. However, a faint, fishy odor wafted through the air, marring its beauty. She frowned slightly, then relaxed her expression: "Fifth Prince, you've dropped your jade pendant."
The Fifth Prince stopped, looked at his empty waist, scratched his head sheepishly, walked back, and took the jade pendant: "Thank you, Princess Consort."
"You're welcome." Shen Lixue smiled sweetly, like a hundred flowers blooming. Her cool gaze swept over the Fifth Prince's long neck, her pupils narrowing slightly as she subtly probed, "Fifth Prince, next time you buy pastries, go earlier so you don't miss your mealtime. The Empress will be distressed."
The Fifth Prince chuckled, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and lowered his voice, saying, "I spent the whole afternoon playing outside the palace and lost track of time. I bought some pastries to cheer up Mother and escaped punishment. Hehe, don't tell Mother."