bestfiction Chapter 66, 9th Lifetime: ① The Mad Doctor and Poison Queen Ascends to Power and Seeks Revenge
Chapter 66, 9th Lifetime: ① The Mad Doctor and Poison Queen Ascends to Power and Seeks Revenge
Chapter Sixty-Six: Harem Hunting: The Mad Doctor-Poison Queen's Rise to Power and Revenge
Consort Shu's fiery temper exploded like a super rocket, bursting forth with a "whoosh." She trembled with rage, and the wind stirred by her skirt as she turned around seemed capable of igniting the surrounding air.
The expression on his face was twisted like a crumpled piece of paper, and he kept muttering, "I'm so angry! How can I swallow this?"
Looking at her disheveled appearance, Luo Qingci's lips curled up slightly, revealing a mocking smile. She thought to herself, "Hmph, you think you can compete with me with this little bit of skill? This harem drama has only just begun. You'll suffer a lot in the future."
"Your Majesty," Luo Qingci walked gracefully to the Empress, her voice as soft and sweet as honey, "Look, today's events are nothing short of a farce. It reminds me of what I saw in the Imperial Garden before, where a little monkey, oblivious to its own limitations, tried to snatch fruit from a bird in a tree. In the end, it didn't get the fruit and fell flat on its face, causing everyone to burst into laughter. Some people, just for the sake of showing off, don't even consider their own limitations, and end up making a fool of themselves, just like that little monkey."
Upon hearing this, the Empress was taken aback at first, then couldn't help but chuckle. She gently covered her mouth with her handkerchief, her eyes full of amusement: "Consort Yan, you have such a sweet tongue, but what you say makes sense. In this palace, one must act with more caution, lest one become a laughingstock like that impulsive little monkey."
The other concubines reacted in various ways. Some forced smiles and echoed her, their smiles more like cries, as if the muscles in their faces were protesting; others whispered among themselves, their eyes occasionally glancing at Luo Qingci with surprise and curiosity, as if they were re-examining this beauty who they had once considered an easy target.
A few days later, the palace was in an uproar. News of the eldest prince's strange illness spread like wildfire. It was said that the prince had a persistent high fever, was unconscious, and was talking nonsense. His condition was extremely critical.
The imperial physicians were extremely busy, using all sorts of precious medicinal herbs and strange prescriptions, but the prince's condition showed no signs of improvement.
Upon hearing the news, Luo Qingci's eyes lit up instantly, like twinkling stars in the night sky. She paced back and forth in the Jade Bamboo Pavilion, her hands behind her back.
He quickly calculated in his mind: "This is a golden opportunity. I can show my strength in front of the Emperor and also take this chance to deliver a fatal blow to Consort Shu. Hasn't she always used the First Prince as her capital to act domineeringly in the palace? This time, I will let her know who the real ruthless character in this harem is."
Thinking of this, Luo Qingci's lips curled into a confident smile, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes. She quickly tidied her makeup and attire, and with firm steps, headed towards the First Prince's palace.
Upon entering the Crown Prince's bedchamber, a strong, pungent medicinal smell assaulted the senses, causing one to wrinkle their brow. The Crown Prince lay on the bed, his face ashen, his lips cracked and chapped, his brows furrowed tightly into a deep frown, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. He looked extremely weak.
Consort Shu stood guard by the bedside, her eyes red and swollen from crying, like two ripe peaches. When she saw Luo Qingci enter, she instantly reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
She jumped up with a whoosh, her hair disheveled, and pointed at Luo Qingci's nose, cursing, "You jinx! What are you doing here? My son is so sick, and you still want to kick us while we're down and laugh at us? What are you up to!"
Luo Qingci remained calm and composed, her face still bearing that gentle and sweet smile, as if she hadn't just been scolded.
She walked gently to the bedside and said softly, "Your Highness, please don't be agitated. I was very anxious when I heard that the Crown Prince was ill, and I didn't sleep a wink all night. Although my medical skills are not as good as those of the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital, I enjoy studying medicine and have some knowledge of difficult and complicated diseases. Perhaps I can be of some help."
As she spoke, Luo Qingci extended her fair, jade-like, slender fingers and gently placed them on the eldest prince's wrist. She closed her eyes and began to focus intently on taking his pulse.
Her expression was calm and serene, and her eyes radiated a reassuring confidence. Compared to the timid and soft-spoken girl she had been before, she was completely different.
A moment later, Luo Qingci slowly opened her eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them, like a cheetah spotting its prey.
She cleared her throat and said slowly, "The Crown Prince's illness appears to be a common cold, but in reality, he has been poisoned by a very insidious, slow-acting poison. This poison is extremely rare, with mild toxicity, only causing a slight flare-up each day, like a tiny insect lurking in the shadows, silently eroding the Crown Prince's body. Over time, the Crown Prince's body has become increasingly weak, leading to his current severe symptoms."
Upon hearing this, Consort Shu's face turned as white as a sheet of paper. She swayed and almost lost her balance, her eyes filled with terror: "You...you're talking nonsense! How could anyone dare to poison the prince? Are you deliberately framing me?"
Luo Qingci let out a cold laugh, a laugh as chilling as the wind in a cold night, making one's spine go cold.
Her gaze, like a sharp dagger, pierced directly at Consort Shu: "Your Highness, why are you so agitated? Is there something you're hiding? Everyone in the palace knows that the First Prince is your precious darling. If someone wanted to target you and poison the First Prince, wouldn't this be the most direct and effective way?"
Consort Shu was so angry that she trembled all over, waving her hands wildly in the air, her fingers pointing shakily at the Luoqing porcelain.
She screamed incoherently, "You...you wicked woman, you're slandering me! I'm going to tell the Emperor and have him do justice for me, to tear you, you vixen, to pieces!"
Just as the two were arguing fiercely, the Emperor strode in. His face was as gloomy as the sky before a storm, overcast and chilling. Clearly, he had overheard their conversation.
"What exactly happened?" The Emperor's voice was deep and authoritative, as if carrying an invisible pressure that made everyone present feel a tightness in their hearts and dare not breathe.
Upon seeing this, Luo Qingci immediately knelt down with a thud, her movements fluid and elegant. She recounted the entire story in detail, neither humble nor arrogant, her words clear and logical, which drew repeated nods from the Emperor.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor's expression grew even more unpleasant. He turned his head, his gaze piercing as he looked at Consort Shu, and coldly asked, "Consort, what do you have to explain?"
Consort Shu knelt on the ground with a thud, tears and snot streaming down her face, crying pitifully: "Your Majesty, I am innocent! It must be Consort Yan who is jealous of me and deliberately framed me. She is a scheming vixen who wants to use this opportunity to suppress me. Your Majesty, you must investigate thoroughly and do justice for me!"
Luo Qingci remained calm and composed. As if by magic, she pulled a delicate little bottle from her sleeve, held it high in her hand, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, this is what I just found in the First Prince's medicine residue. The remaining powder inside is the same ingredient of that slow-acting poison. As long as we have it tested by the imperial physicians, we will know whether it is true or not."
The emperor took the bottle, examined it carefully, and his face instantly turned ashen, like a powder keg about to explode.
Enraged, he roared, "Guards, take this to the Imperial Hospital and have them examine it immediately! There must be no error! If there is even the slightest falsehood, I will hold you all accountable!"
Soon, the imperial physicians' examination results came back, and the irrefutable evidence confirmed Luo Qingci's claim. The emperor was furious and slammed his fist on the table.
The table shook violently, and teacups clattered to the floor. "How dare you! How dare you commit such a treasonous act right under my nose! Guards, throw Consort Shu into the Cold Palace! Investigate this matter thoroughly and find the mastermind behind it all. No one should be let off the hook!"
Seeing the despair in Consort Shu's eyes as the guards dragged her away like a dead dog, Luo Qingci felt no pity. She stood up, a victorious smile on her face.
That smile exuded a chilling, domineering aura, as if declaring to the entire palace: "This is just the beginning. Those who have harmed me and my family will not escape my grasp! I will show you that the only consequence of offending me is death!"
After this incident, Luo Qingci's position in the palace became even more secure. She was still the beautiful and sweet-smiling Yan Meiren, but everyone knew that she was no longer the weak woman who could be bullied at will.
Like a rose with thorns, she is beautiful yet dangerous. In the treacherous imperial harem, she marches step by step toward the pinnacle of power, writing her own legend with her wisdom and methods.