Chapter 358 – The Mysterious Queen Xuan

Chapter 358 - The Mysterious Queen Xuan

"But who knows if Queen Xuan has been reincarnated? If not, how would she feel watching her enemy raise her child every day, while that child shamelessly calls that enemy 'Mother'?"

Everyone was astonished by these words.

The elders had their doubts, but without evidence, they had all whispered about it in the past and eventually let the matter rest with time.

Zhang Zhao Yuan froze. "Does Her Excellency the Virtuous Queen have proof for such accusations? If not, slandering someone with such viciousness is unacceptable. This concubine cannot accept it."

Her face contorted with anger, and her gaze turned cold as she stared at Yun Li.

It seemed that this matter was one she could not tolerate, as Yun Li was going too far.

The crowd glanced back and forth between Yun Li and Zhang Zhao Yuan, confused but eager to witness the drama unfold.

Yun Li sneered. "What you think of me is none of my concern. You're merely a Zhao Yuan, while I am a First Rank Virtuous Queen. Even if I were to speak out of turn deliberately, it would only be a slip of the tongue. If Empress Dowager scolds me, I will accept it. As for you, do I care about your feelings? When Queen Xuan passed away, did you care about her emotions?"

"Men leave behind their names, and geese leave behind their cries. Every action leaves traces. Do you really think that everyone connected to Consort Xuan from those days is gone?" Yun Li sneered. "There's always a hint or two of evidence. Just like when you falsely accused Her Majesty the Empress of harming the Crown Prince. Look, even after all these years, the truth was still uncovered, wasn't it?"

"Enough," the Empress said, appearing to intervene but actually supporting Yun Li. "Without any proof, it's not proper to talk about such matters. However, since there are suspicions about Consort Xuan's death, it would be best to investigate thoroughly."

This 'since' was quite telling.

In the end, it was only Yun Li who had brought up the matter; no one else had suspected anything.

Yun Li smiled. "Thank you, Your Majesty. If we can uncover the truth, it would be a form of justice for Consort Xuan. She was the first person to bear a child for His Majesty after he ascended the throne, and the first to give birth to an imperial prince through the imperial selection. It would be unjust for her to have died unfairly."

Yes, no one truly cared about Consort Xuan.

No one had fought for her innocence after her wrongful death.

All were using her, some for her demise, others for her vindication.

None were more noble than the other, but the consequences were indeed different.

Of course, Concubine Zhang could not stop the Empress from pursuing the investigation.

It was clear that Concubine Xian had done this on purpose.

She was forcing her to react, hoping she would reveal her true intentions.

But understanding this didn't change the situation in any way.

After the morning greetings were over, everyone was filled with gossip.

Those who were uninformed sought answers, while those with a little knowledge engaged in discussions.

With Yun Li's intervention, Zhang Zhaojun was now metaphorically placed on a burning fire.

Any move she made would be unfavorable.

How could the Empress let her off?

Considering the previous incident where the Empress was falsely accused, would she not bear a grudge?

Although she didn't speak of it, now that she was investigating this matter, she would undoubtedly exert her influence.

After all, as Yun Li had said, not everyone who served Empress Xuan back then had perished.

However, it was implausible that there was no trace left behind after she had been ill for so long.

Back then, those people had kept quiet, simply because the matter didn't concern them, and they dared not speak up.

But where there was great reward, there would always be fearless men.

Yun Li was willing to pay, and she promised to protect their lives, regardless of what they divulged.

To be honest, Princess Wei Xian's promises still held value.

It was at this moment that Hua Shiwei stepped forward, seeking out Yun Li on her own initiative.

She came straight to the point. "This concubine is aware that Your Highness is investigating the events of that year. Coincidentally, in my Qiu Lan Pavilion, there is an eunuch who once served Empress Xuan. He once found some medicinal herbs, soaked in water, at the location where Empress Xuan used to reside. They were one of the ingredients in the medicine Empress Xuan consumed back then, and he discovered them right outside the room where her medicine was prepared."

Yun Li raised an eyebrow. "Very well, I understand."

She didn't inquire why Hua Shiwei had chosen to share this information with her, and Hua Shiwei left promptly after speaking her piece.

However, it was evident to all that her intervention couldn't have been merely an act of justice.

With this lead, Yun Li asked the Mandarin Duck to invest in further investigation, now with a clearer direction.

After inquiries around, the consensus was that Princess Xuan's illness back then shouldn't have been fatal.

It had started as a minor ailment, nothing that should have taken her life.

Yet, it persisted and refused to heal. The imperial physicians were not neglectful; after all, she was the mother of the second prince, despite being out of favor.

Several prescriptions were changed, and every effort was made, but still, her condition remained unalleviated.

With this new clue, Yun Li went straight to the Empress.

Since Flower Eunuch had sought her help, she didn't reveal his involvement.

She claimed it was through her own investigation. In any case, the palace servant had been compensated.

Upon hearing this, the Empress ordered someone to retrieve Princess Xuan's medical records from the Imperial Medical Institute and summon the physicians who had treated her back then.

This matter is easily handled. Even if Concubine Zhang was once Empress De, it would have been impossible for her to directly alter the imperial physician's medical records and prescriptions.

Therefore, these items were brought here untouched.

Comparing them, one can tell that the ingredient mentioned by Shiyi Huà was the main herb in the prescription.

It was likely the primary herb in a formula given to her during the intermediate stage of her illness.

Recalling those times, the imperial physician said, "Empress Xiaoyu's illness back then was indeed peculiar. The medicine didn't seem to work, and our medical skills were not adequate. Yet, there were cases where patients didn't improve despite taking medicine. But it was rare for someone like Empress Xiaoyu, whose condition was initially mild, to not respond to treatment."

Yun Li asked, "What if the main herb in a prescription is missing?"

The imperial physician was taken aback. "This... If the main herb is missing, the medicine will naturally be ineffective. Although the secondary herbs do have some effects, they mostly need to work in conjunction with the main herb to be fully effective. If the main herb is not consumed over an extended period, while only the other herbs are taken, the condition might worsen."

The imperial physician was astute and now understood. "From what you're saying, I do recall that Empress Xiaoyu's illness wasn't severe at first. However, she didn't recover despite the strong medicine prescribed. Such potent medications can be detrimental to the body. And yet, it still didn't work. If the main herb in that medicine was also absent... it would have only harmed her body."

The queen furrowed her brows. "So it was like that? What about the two people who attended to Empress Xiaoyu back then?"

There was another incident in the palace that year: Meng-shi had given birth prematurely.

Back then, she was a queen of chaos, even the Empress feared her.

When Xuan Fei passed away, it was precisely when she was giving birth.

Then, she lost her child, and all eyes in the palace were on Lady Meng's belly. At the same time, Concubine Zhao was also pregnant, and it was believed that these two high-ranking concubines were the ones to bear the emperor's children. Nobody paid much attention to the unpopular Xuan Fei.

Looking back, it was indeed a cleverly chosen moment by Lady Zhang...

Thinking now, she was indeed a woman of means.

"Your servant recalls that they were both taken by Lady Zhang. One later married out of the palace, and the other died from an illness. I've already had someone investigate the one who married, but she doesn't know the specifics. However, it can be said that Xuan Fei's death was suspicious."

"It's too late, too late, wouldn't you agree?"