The Foolish Agent

Chapter 79

"I'm sorry! I was so excited to find my senior brother and see that he was alright that I forgot you were waiting for me."

"Is Qingfeng alright?"

Ying thought she had misheard! Then why did they rush here at all costs?

"It's nothing, I already met with him." She nodded affirmatively. Leng Jie understood Ying's feelings and continued:

"I still can't understand what Master meant by 'come quickly to save my senior brother'? Or maybe it's a potential crisis?"

"Xiao Jie, why are you running so fast?" Qingfeng called softly as he caught up. He landed beside Xiao Jie and greeted Ying with a fist and palm salute.

"Shadow! Long time no see!"

"Are you really alright?" Ying patted Qingfeng on the shoulder and said, "Although I feel a little sorry for Xiaojie, it's alright since you're okay!"

"What's wrong with Xiaojie?" Qingfeng asked, puzzled.

Because they had let their guard down, a patrol of guards approached, and they were only then noticed. But then a sharp-eyed guard also spotted them and, from where they were hiding, questioned them sternly:

"Who goes there? Show yourself!"

Qingfeng immediately pulled Leng Jie into his arms, shielding her in front of Ying. He coldly rebuked the guards:

"roll!"

"The Crown Prince?" The guard recognized Qingfeng's voice and asked incredulously. Good heavens! He'd actually caught the Crown Prince, a veritable living devil, having an affair! Wasn't this going to cost him his life? Immediately, all the guards, realizing what was happening, knelt down, trembling and begging for mercy:

"Your Highness, spare me! I did not mean to offend you! I..."

"Get out!" Qingfeng shouted impatiently again before the guard could finish explaining.

It was still just one word. But the volume increased, and so did the dangerous aura it carried. The guards were immediately terrified and scrambled out of the room.

This scene suddenly reminded Leng Jie of her time in Jinghe Palace, where the palace servants were also afraid of Qingfeng. She couldn't help but joke:

"Senior brother, I've noticed that you command the same respect in every palace! Look at how scared they are, like they're being chased by a ghost."

As she spoke, Leng Jie had already subtly slipped out of Qingfeng's embrace.

"You're still just as mischievous as ever!" Qingfeng retorted with a laugh. Then he turned to Ying and asked:

"Ying, what did you say happened to Xiaojie?"

"It's nothing!" Leng Jie replied before Ying could respond. She then added:

“Senior brother, the way Brother Ying and I entered the palace tonight is not a good way to stay. It would give others a handle against us. Let’s go back to the inn for the night and then formally enter the palace to pay our respects to His Highness the First Prince tomorrow.”

Qingfeng did not insist on keeping them; instead, he stated in an undeniable tone:

"I'll go with you!"

"Ugh! Why did he follow me out?" Leng Jie quickly replied.

"This isn't appropriate! Aren't you supposed to be helping your father detoxify?"

“He won’t die in one night.” Qingfeng replied coldly as soon as his father was mentioned. Then he said gently, “The capital is not peaceful right now. I’m not at ease leaving you alone. Besides, the palace is not the place to talk. I have something important to discuss with Ying outside. Let’s go!”

As he spoke, he took the lead and flew onto the roof, heading out of the palace. Leng Jie and Ying followed suit.

Back at the inn, I could finally speak my mind without restraint.

"Qingfeng just said he had something important to tell me?" the impatient Ziying asked first.

Qingfeng nodded in agreement:

“A few days ago, envoys from Xiping came to Beifeng. They wanted Beifeng to send troops to attack Jinghe at the same time as them.”

Leng Jie and Zi Ying exchanged bewildered glances! They hadn't expected Xi Ping to have gone ahead of them. Leng Jie immediately asked:

Did Beifeng agree?

Zi Ying also cast an eager glance.

"While the Emperor was hesitating, he and the Empress were suddenly poisoned yesterday. Moreover, the poisoner was extremely skilled; none of the imperial physicians in the palace could identify the poison."

"You can't find anything either?" Leng Jie asked in astonishment.

Qingfeng lowered his eyes and nodded in response:

"Yes, I can't identify what kind of poison it is either. I've just temporarily suppressed its toxicity with my internal energy."

"Was it the Second Prince who poisoned him? He wants to cooperate with Xiping and seize the throne as well?" Leng Jie asked knowingly.

Qingfeng suddenly looked up and asked in surprise:

"Didn't you just arrive today? How did you know?"

After repeating what Leng Jie had overheard that night about the conversation between the imperial concubine and the palace maid, she concluded:

"Actually, palace intrigues are all pretty much the same everywhere. In Jinghe, the crown prince has returned to vie for the throne, and it's normal for you to have a second prince competing with you, the eldest prince. Besides, in Xiping Kingdom, their princes are also fighting tooth and nail for that throne. The key question now is, are you really willing to compete with them for the throne?"

“Yes! Xiaojie is right. The saying ‘the imperial family is ruthless’ truly applies everywhere. Being born into an imperial family means that fratricide is inevitable. So, you don’t need to take it to heart,” Ziying said suddenly with realization.

Qingfeng shook his head and replied:

“I have never considered them as family, nor have I ever wanted to compete with anyone for that branded position. In the three years I have been here, I have never interfered in court affairs. But it seems they have no intention of letting me go. In fact, not only the emperor and empress were poisoned, but I was poisoned too! That is why I did not keep you in the palace. This palace is far more complicated than the Jinghe Palace. The factional struggles within are intricate and complex. I have lived here for three years, and I still do not have a single person I can trust.”

Like a gentle breeze, Qingfeng casually dropped a bombshell. It instantly stunned Ying and Leng Jie! What were they just saying? Right, they questioned their master's deduction. But things changed too fast!

"Don't worry, I've suppressed the poison. As long as we can find an antidote within three months, everything will be fine," Qingfeng said with a smile, reassuring them upon seeing their shocked expressions.

Ying suddenly grabbed Qingfeng's shoulder excitedly and said:

"Didn't you just ask me what happened to Xiaojie? I'll tell you now. Twenty days ago, she suddenly received a message from your master via carrier pigeon, ordering her to come to the Beifeng Palace immediately to rescue you. So, disregarding her sword wounds and the Emperor's advice, she rushed to Beifeng that very night after receiving the message. Along the way, her sword wounds healed and reopened three or four times. But she never once asked to stop. We had just arrived in the evening when she rushed into the palace to inquire about your whereabouts. We were relieved to see that you were alright. We thought your master had miscalculated! But now, it turns out your master was right."

"Xiao Jie is wounded by a sword?" Before Zi Ying could finish speaking, Qing Feng had already pulled Leng Jie over and asked excitedly:

"Let me see where you're injured? Who hurt you?"

Leng Jie pointed to the wound on her right rib, shrugged, and smiled, "It's just a minor injury, it's completely healed now." She paused, then suddenly asked seriously:

"Aren't you a miracle doctor? Isn't poisoning your specialty? How could you let someone poison you without your knowledge?" Without saying a word, she grabbed his arm and took his pulse.

"No need to take it anymore, the pulse is completely undetectable. Otherwise, those imperial physicians wouldn't be helplessly waiting to die," Qingfeng said calmly.

"Tell me, what are the symptoms when poisoning occurs?" Leng Jie asked earnestly.

Seeing Xiaojie's extremely serious attitude, Qingfeng, though not holding out much hope, still replied cooperatively:

"Our situations are all different. The emperor's condition is the most serious. After dinner last night, he suddenly had such shortness of breath that he almost suffocated. Later, he also developed symptoms such as muscle tremors, numbness in his hands and feet, and weakness in his limbs."

The Empress had been experiencing headaches, insomnia, forgetfulness, and slight tremors in her fingers and tongue for two months. It wasn't until this morning that she began experiencing symptoms similar to the Emperor's…”

Hearing this, Leng Jie seemed to have a clue, and she interrupted Qingfeng, giving the order directly:

"Sit down, then open your mouth and shout!"

As a renowned physician, Qingfeng naturally understood the principles of observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation used by doctors. Therefore, he obediently stepped back to sit in the chair and, following Leng Jie's instructions, opened his mouth and said, "Ah!" Leng Jie held up a lamp in one hand and used the other to carefully examine Qingfeng's slightly thin chin. Then she slowly concluded:

"Mild oral mucosal ulcers, loose teeth, swollen gums, and bad breath. Fortunately, there are no obvious bluish-black lines on the gums. However, these symptoms, along with the symptoms you just mentioned for the emperor and empress, basically confirm that you are all suffering from heavy metal poisoning. However, you and the empress have chronic poisoning, while the emperor's condition should be acute poisoning."

"What are heavy metals?" Xiao Jie actually recognized this poison. Qingfeng asked in astonishment.

"You don't know what 'metal' means, do you?" Leng Jie blurted out, surprised by Qingfeng's question. She then saw Ying looking at her, equally puzzled. It seemed the term "metal" didn't exist in this era. So she explained in simpler terms:

"Lead, mercury, cadmium, antimony, selenium, arsenic, barium, and chromium are all heavy metals. And everyone has a certain amount in their body. But once it exceeds the standard, it becomes toxic. And based on your symptoms, you most likely have mercury poisoning."

Although Leng Jie thought she had explained things quite simply and clearly, to Qingfeng and Ying, it was still like she was speaking gibberish; they didn't understand a word she said. However, they finally knew the name of this poison was mercury. Qingfeng decided not to press the issue further and instead get to the heart of the matter:

"Then how do we cure this poison? Xiaojie must know, right?"

Having found the cause of Qingfeng's illness, Leng Jie's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled back into place. She replied with ease:

"You've come to the right person! Actually, your condition is mild. Just drink a large bowl of milk three times a day, morning, noon, and night, and avoid any food containing mercury. It shouldn't be long before it's gone. But it will be a bit more troublesome for your father and mother. After all, there aren't any readily available medications here. But first, give them plenty of milk and egg whites, that's essential. As for other medications, I'll have to think about it and see if I can concoct one."

"So your master really is a sage! It seems all the hardships Xiaojie endured on the journey weren't in vain. Now that Qingfeng is alright, can we go back tomorrow? We need to hurry back so the Emperor can prepare a strategy to deal with the alliance between Beifeng and Xiping!" Ying exclaimed excitedly upon hearing that Qingfeng's problem had been resolved so quickly.

“Yes! Brother Ying, you should go back first! It’s always good to be well prepared, no matter what.” Leng Jie nodded in agreement.

"Aren't you coming back with me?" Ying asked immediately in surprise. That wouldn't do; if he went back alone, the Emperor would skin him alive.

“The Emperor of Beifeng is currently hesitant, and that's probably why the Second Prince is so eager to harm his father. If we can cure the Emperor's poison now and find evidence to expose the Second Prince's conspiracy with Xiping to poison his father, then even if Beifeng doesn't become an enemy of Xiping, they won't be able to form an alliance with them, right?” Leng Jie analyzed earnestly.

Qingfeng returned in the first place precisely to stop this war. However, he hadn't expected to be fighting alongside Xiaojie now. He nodded in agreement: "Xiaojie is right. I also think we must stop their alliance. I'll try my best to persuade the old emperor. The second prince, because he married Princess Xiping, has a very close relationship with the fifth prince of Xiping. If they discover that an antidote has been found for the old emperor's poison, I fear they will soon stage a coup. If he becomes king, then this war will be inevitable. Therefore, we need to consider this matter carefully!"

Chapter 111 The Blunder

After a night of discussion, Ying refused to go back first no matter what, so Leng Jie and Zi Ying both stayed. Leng Jie officially entered the Beifeng Palace as Qingfeng's junior sister, and Ying as Leng Jie's bodyguard.

The following morning, Qingfeng led the two of them back to Qingfeng Palace through a side gate of the palace. During the day, Qingfeng Palace seemed much the same as it had been the night before—equally silent. They walked from the entrance into the main hall without seeing a single palace servant.

Back when she feigned madness, there were at least two eunuchs in the Eastern Palace, right? But there wasn't a single one in this Prince's Palace. This is just too unbelievable! Leng Jie couldn't help but ask in bewilderment:

"Senior brother, don't you have any servants in Qingfeng Palace?"

"There were quite a few originally, but I dealt with them all yesterday," Qingfeng replied calmly.

"Is it because of your poisoning?" Although the matter was obvious, Leng Jie still asked.

Qingfeng nodded and replied, "Yes, although I can't figure out what kind of poison it is, I'm certain that it was put in their food. So, in a fit of anger, I exiled all those servants to the army."

"You'd rather miss an opportunity than let it slip by, you really know how to handle things! No wonder those guards were so afraid of you last night." Leng Jie smiled, pursing her lips.

"However, do you think rumors might spread in the palace tonight that the Crown Prince is having a secret rendezvous with an unknown woman late at night?"

Sigh! A woman is always a woman! No matter how strong a woman is, she can't escape her gossipy nature. Zi Ying sighed inwardly as she looked at Xiao Jie.

"They wouldn't dare!" Qingfeng shook his head and said. He then proceeded to describe the surrounding environment to them:

“I set up a simple formation in the courtyard yesterday, so ordinary people can't get in anymore. I'll tell you the incantation to enter and exit later. Now, let me show you where we live. Since it's just the three of us here now, you can stay next door to me.”

As they spoke, the three of them passed through a beautifully crafted, narrow corridor and a garden filled with rocks, arriving at a side hall of Qingfeng Palace. This was the master's bedroom. Leng Jie and Ying each chose a room next to Qingfeng's main room to stay in.

Then Qingfeng led them through the structure and layout of the entire Qingfeng Palace. Leng Jie looked at the vast courtyard, wondering how long it would take to clean it all. Finally, she couldn't help but ask:

"Senior brother, are you really not planning to have servants?"

"Doesn't Xiaojie like peace and quiet?" Qingfeng asked in return. Seeing her pout and not reply, Qingfeng smiled and said:

"Even if I don't want them, it's not my problem. The old man already instructed the Imperial Household Department yesterday to find me a new batch of servants from outside the palace. They should arrive around noon!"

"That's more like it. Look at this big yard, someone has to clean it!" Leng Jie said, pointing casually at the yard. Then she added with a smile:

"However, the meals for the three of us, plus the Emperor and Empress, are none of their concern. I'll take care of them all myself."