Page 225

Hastening, she then picked up her medicine chest and made her way to the Kunning Palace.

At the Kunming Palace, the maidens were bustling about busily at this moment.

Grandma Gui and Grandma Zhu personally attended to preparing a side palace hall, directing a few eunuchs to carry the unconscious Wen Xi inside.

Upon Sun Bailong's hurried arrival, he learned that the poisoned person was not the queen. Instantly, a wave of relief washed over him.

Though he was unaware of the identity of the lady lying on the couch, upon seeing Empress Qi's solemn expression, he knew that this lady held great significance to Her Majesty the Empress.

Without delay, she took out a porcelain pillow for pulse diagnosis and began examining Wen Xi's pulse. The more she did, the more astonished she became, her two snowy-white eyebrows lifting high in surprise.

"The young lady has been poisoned by the rare and mysterious Wukui Seed from the Western Regions, a venom that is incredibly tenacious. To thoroughly cleanse the poison from her body would take at least a year or two, and it would require a great deal of precious natural treasures."

Seeing that Sun Bailong seemed familiar with this poison, Empress Qi's shoulders relaxed as she said, "Imperial Censor Sun, please save her. I will personally prepare any medicinal ingredients you need."

Upon hearing this, Sun Bailong was even more convinced of the Empress's concern for the young lady and promptly pledged his dedication to the task.

Empress Qi then turned her gaze to the lifeless girl on the bed and dismissed everyone else, leaving only Sun Bailong behind.

"I have one more request for Court Attendant Sun," Empress Qi said to Sun Bailong with a calm expression. "Please test if this child's blood can mix with the Emperor's and mine on your way."

The implications of her words...

Sun Bailong's eyelids twitched fiercely.

He was an astute eunuch who knew everything that went on in the palace, privy to many secrets. He naturally understood the hidden meaning in Empress Qi's words.

No wonder Her Majesty valued this young lady so much.

"At your service," Sun Bailong replied respectfully. "But about the Emperor..."

"I will speak to him personally," Empress Qi said, pausing briefly before continuing. "Don't worry, the Emperor won't hold it against you."

With that, she returned to the main hall to change into casual attire before heading to the Palace of Nurturing Heart.

Emperor Jia You had just finished listening to Wang Dehai's report when he was informed that the Empress had arrived. Seemingly guessing the reason for her visit, his gaze deepened as he said, "Hurry and invite her in."

As Empress Qi entered the room, the attendants were dismissed, even Wang Dehai. "Everyone, leave us."

In Qi Zhen's hand, she tightly held a string of jade Buddhist beads.

Emperor Jia Yu recognized them as the bracelet her mother had left for her. Whenever she felt uneasy, she would wear it.

He personally poured her a cup of tea and spoke warmly, "Empress, please sit down."

But Qi Zhen did not take a seat. Instead, she drew in a deep breath, preparing to kneel in obeisance.

Suddenly, a pair of hands firmly grasped her arms.

"Empress, there's no need for this," Emperor Jia Yu said gently. "Is it the child that was switched back then?"

Qi Zhen's breath hitched. She had long guessed that Emperor Jia Yu had uncovered everything –

Xiao Changjin was not the true Second Prince but the son of Prince Qiyuan, while the child that had been switched was likely a princess.

"I've known for a while that Changjin is Prince Qiyuan's son, and I assume the Empress has also guessed. I didn't mention it before because I don't hold the Empress accountable for the past mistake," Emperor Jia Yu explained. "Is the girl you brought back to the palace today our child? Wang Dehai mentioned that the Empress summoned Court Lady Sun to the Kunning Palace. Was the child unwell?"

"It's not an illness," Empress Qi's eyes glistened with tears. "She was poisoned by Xiao Fu. Xiao Fu kept her close and has been poisoning her for years. If the poison isn't treated, she might lose her life, perhaps not lasting more than half a year."

Emperor Jia You frowned. "What did Doctor Sun say?"

"Doctor Sun mentioned that the poison originated from the Western Regions and is highly resilient. It will take considerable effort to counteract it."

"Doctor Sun tends to downplay his confidence by ten percent, so if he says so, there must be a way to cure it." Emperor Jia You patted Empress Qi's hand, comforting her. "Does the Empress not know Doctor Sun's character?"

Indeed, both the emperor and empress were well aware of Sun Bailong's disposition.

Empress Qi smiled gently, pondered for a moment, then said, "I wish to have Doctor Sun examine Your Majesty's and the child's blood."

If the child truly was their offspring, according to the Xiao family's secret technique, their blood should blend seamlessly.

Emperor Jia You glanced at Empress Qi. After a long while, he chuckled. "There's no need to test me. If the Empress is worried, we can test your blood with hers."

Empress Qi wasn't actually worried; it was just that after the incident of the switched babies, the trust between her and Emperor Jia You had been on thin ice.

Not even the slightest matter could be concealed.

Emperor Jia You's words were meant to reassure her, expressing his trust in her. Empress Qi finally found an outlet for the breath she had been holding in.

"Back when Changjin lived in Phoenix Lane, there were rumors that the child and Changjin were mutually infatuated. But those were mere groundless whispers," Empress Qi explained with a smile. "The two grew up together and their relationship was akin to siblings. She has always regarded Changjin as her elder brother."

Hearing this, Emperor Jia You nodded and said, "The Crown Prince already has someone he loves deeply. Not long ago, he requested that I arrange their marriage. It was the first thing he asked of me after acknowledging his royal roots, and I couldn't bear to disappoint him, so I agreed."

Empress Qi was slightly taken aback and asked instinctively, "Which family's daughter?"

"The legitimate eldest daughter of Duke Cheng'an," Emperor Jia You replied slowly. "They have also pledged their love to each other in the past. The Crown Prince has never forgotten about this lady, which is why he came to me, hoping to rekindle their relationship."

It was that lady...

No wonder!

Inspectors from the Board of Censors had once discovered correspondence from the Rong and Shen families at Xiao Yu's residence. Logically, the Rong and Shen families should be in jail by now, awaiting interrogation.

Was the Emperor turning a blind eye to all this because of that lady?

It seems the Crown Prince is indeed determined to marry Miss Rong from that family.

Qi Zhen lowered her gaze. "This concubine has heard that Miss Rong saved many people in Yang State Prefecture and even rescued the Crown Prince from peril on multiple occasions. They have been through adversity together, which explains why the Crown Prince cannot forget her."