Hua Zhu Yu tried to bear with the pain as she raised her head to look at Xiao Yin. His handsome face was filled with concern as he gazed down at her.
The imperial doctor took her pulse and asked: “Miss, can you tell this official what you have eaten these past few day?”
“Dan Hong’s meals are all taken care of by Hui Xue. Hui Xue, come here and tell Doctor Yang Yu what Dan Hong has eaten these past few days.” Xiao Yin commanded.
Hui Xue quickly came forward and told the doctor. After listening to Hui Xue, Doctor Yang Yu pondered for a moment before asking “Besides those dishes, did you eat anything else?”
Hua Zhu Yu furrowed her brows as she was sure that there was nothing wrong with the dishes she had eaten. The poison was undoubtedly related to the bangle on her wrist. If not, before arriving at the banquet, Xiao Yin would not have reminded her to wear it.
This bangle must be related to Concubine Ye, but she didn’t completely understand. Concubine Ye poisoning a nobody like her, no matter how much Xiao Yin favored her, this crime wasn’t enough to topple the Ye family!
“No. Can you please tell me what type of poison it is, will I die?” Hua Zhu Yu worriedly asked as she lifted her hand to tightly cling onto the doctor’s sleeve.
The crisp ringing sound of the bells on her bangle rang out and echoed in the quiet hall, becoming very noticeable.
Naturally, the doctor’s attention was attracted towards the bangle on her wrist as he furrowed his brow and asked “Miss, this bangle, you just recently worn it right?”
“This bangle is something this prince gave Dan Hong last night, it’s something Imperial Mother left behind for this prince,” Xiao Yin said in a low voice.
“Your Highness, may this official take a look at this bangle?” asked Doctor Yang Yu.
“Doctor Yang Yu, there’s definitely nothing wrong with this bangle, unless you’re saying Imperial Mother wanted to harm her future daughter-in-law?” Xiao Yin calmly said as he took off the bangle from Hua Zhu Yu’s wrist.
Doctor Yang Yu examined the bangle and he caught whiff of a strange fragrance emitting from the bells. A strange expression formed on his face as he turned towards the Northern Emperor and said, “Your Majesty, Miss Dan Hong is not feeling well not because she is drunk but because she got poisoned by Tương Tư Cổ!”
After listening to Doctor Yang Yu, Hoa Zhu Yu suddenly felt another surge of strange energy heating her body, making her panic as her chest trembled uncontrollably.
Xiao Yin ah, you are too ruthless!
In the end, what kind of poison is Tương Tư Cổ, for you to heartlessly poison me with.
As if he could sense her excruciating pain, Xiao Yin’s hold on her waist tightened as he looked down at her.
“Tương Tư Cổ? What kind of poison is that?” asked the Northern Emperor as he furrowed his brows.
“Tương Tư Cổ is a type of ancient seducing poison usually planted on a woman’s body. When the woman is initially poisoned, symptoms do not occur until two days later. Miss Dan Hong got poisoned because the poison was placed in the crevices of these bells on this bangle. The bell emitted the poison which came into contact with her skin and eventually entered her body. His Highness said that he gave her this bangle last night so her symptoms should not have occurred today, but because Miss Dan Hong was drinking a lot of wine, it triggered the poison to act early. Whenever this poison is triggered, it would be like she’s been spiked with aphrodisiac. Even if it is triggered before it should, whenever it is triggered, she only needs to spend a night with a man, and this poison will transfer to the man. This poison may not cause serious harm to the female, but it is a fatal poison for men.” Doctor Yang Yu held up the bangle towards the Northern Emperor. The ringing sound of the bells was frighteningly loud inside the silent hall.
After listening to Doctor Yang Yu’s explanation, Hua Zhu Yu finally understood. Hurting her was not enough to overthrow the Ye family, only the crime of harming the crown prince was able to.
“Then according to you, that person poisoned Dan Hong because they wanted to harm the crown prince?” someone raised their voice to ask.
“That’s right, if the crown prince unexpectedly passed away, Miss Dan Hong would be the most likely suspect. The poisoner has surely thought this through! Your Majesty, please thoroughly investigate this matter,” said another official, most likely Xiao Yin’s supporter.
Above the burning furnace, light smoke rose, enveloping the face of the Northern Emperor. His stern face gazed towards Concubine Ye and his eyes gradually darkened.
“I did not expect, in the end, you still won’t let Yin Er be…” said the Northern Emperor in a calm but cold, low voice.
“Your Majesty, I didn’t do this. You bestowed me that bangle and wasn’t it just two years ago when you told me to return it to the crown prince? These past two years, this bangle has stayed by the crown prince’s side, how could I have poisoned it? That kind of poison, how could it still be effective after two years? It must be the crown prince, he poisoned it to frame me!” Concubine Ye knelt down and said in a woeful voice full of grief.
“Don’t think I’m ignorant, as long as there’s a source of nourishment in those bells, ancient poisons can survive for several years! You say Yin Er poisoned those bells? He cherish that girl so much that despite the danger, he participated in the Snatching Snow Lotus Event for her. You think he will poison someone he went through all that trouble to chase? I had known earlier you couldn’t tolerate Yin Er, but I didn’t think you would be so cruel. This time Yin Er had gained great merits so you want to take his life!” said the Northern Emperor in a piercing voice.
Hua Zhu Yu did not clearly hear the subsequent words as the Tương Tư Cổ began to act to its fullest potential. She bit her arm till she bled before she felt clear-minded again.
She knew Xiao Yin’s scheme had succeeded.
“Doctor Yang Yu, quickly speak, does this ancient poison have an antidote?” Xiao Yin tightly grabbed onto the doctor’s sleeve and anxiously asked.
“Your Highness, this type of ancient poison does not have an antidote for the woman because it does not cause any serious harm. As long as she is able to endure this night, she will be completely fine. But if Your Highness does not want her to suffer through the pain, then you have to give her the antidote yourself. You have to take the antidote and then spend a night with her, then she will be fine.” Doctor Yang Yu solemnly said.
Hearing this, Xiao Yin tightly held Hua Zhu Yu in his arms and paid his respects to the Emperor before urgently leaving.
As they left the hall, Hua Zhu Yu felt the cool breeze on her skin, comforting her. But in the blink of an eye, that unspeakable heat and pain surged in her body once again.
This poison is really ferocious.
Her vision blurred and it seemed as though her soul had left her body, like this body no longer belonged to her.
“Your Highness crown prince, are you satisfied with Dan Hong’s performance tonight? My promise is completely fulfilled right?” Hua Zhu Yu lips lifted up in a lazy smile, as she asked while heavily gasping for breath.
These past few days during the festival, Xiao Yin wholeheartedly devoted his time to her, making everyone think that she was the person he loved the most. Then in front of everyone, he gave her that bangle, but he … he was the one that poisoned her himself.
In the end he had succeeded, overthrowing the most important figure, Concubine Ye. And his most important chess piece was her, completely falling into his plan.