It Was Rare to See the Empress Dowager Supporting the Empress

“Silence! Drag her out!” The Empress Dowager shut her eyes in anger, refusing to look at Zhao Lan any longer.

Zhao Lan’s eyes reddened as she let out a series of cold laughs.

“Meng Rouhui! You ingrate! I did all those filthy things for you...”

The Empress Dowager’s expression darkened. “Gag her!”

“Gagging me won’t cover up all the filthy things you’ve done, will it? Meng Rouhui! Mmph, mmph...” Zhao Lan thrashed wildly, but the guards still dragged her out by force.

“Aunt...” Meng Siyu carefully tried to comfort her. “How can you take a servant’s words to heart? We can deal with her later.”

A trace of pain crept into the Empress Dowager’s eyes. She had meant to keep Zhao Lan locked in the Palace Punishment Court for a while and spare her life, but now she couldn’t let her live.

“Mother...” A white figure slowly approached.

At noon, the Empress had been graceful and resplendent. Now her beautiful eyes were dim, and not a trace of color remained in her face. She looked so frail and sickly that anyone—man or woman alike—couldn’t help but feel pity for her.

“Why have you come out?” The Empress Dowager rose to support her.

It was rare to see the Empress Dowager supporting the Empress. Sheng Yanhuan was used to it, but everyone else found it astonishing.

Meng Siyu was jealous to the point of madness.

Her eyes widened like saucers, and she nearly lost control of her emotions.

“Mother, could you ask Head Physician Liu to take Chunwan’s pulse? This consort can prove that she really did taste the food.”

“All right, all right. Head Physician Liu, go and take her pulse.”

The Empress Dowager personally helped the Empress to a nearby chair before sitting down herself.

“Your Majesty, you’ve only just recovered. I’ll see that everything is handled properly.”

Sheng Yanhuan shook her head gently. “Mother, this consort also wants to know who tried to harm her. This consort is carrying the imperial child—the Emperor’s only bloodline. Unless we find the culprit, this consort won’t be able to sleep in peace.”

The Empress Dowager nodded. “Then speak up if you feel unwell. Don’t push yourself.”

Sheng Yanhuan lowered her eyes and obediently agreed.

Head Physician Liu said, “Your Majesty, the maidservant has been afflicted with a strange poison. It’s somewhat similar to the poison in the Empress’s body, but even more potent. It seems there are two kinds of poison.”

“Two kinds of poison?” Sheng Yanhuan’s lashes trembled.

Noticing her expression, the Empress Dowager asked, “Your Majesty, do you know something?”

“This consort had no appetite at dinner and didn’t eat anything. Perhaps... someone poisoned both lunch and dinner?”

Meng Siyu’s gaze darkened. “Your Majesty, think carefully. The people from the Imperial Kitchen are about to arrive.”

Sheng Yanhuan slowly lifted her eyes and smiled faintly at her.

“Then let’s wait until the people from the Imperial Kitchen arrive. Head Physician Liu, please help Chunwan neutralize the poison.”

“I will do everything in my power.”

“The Prince Regent has arrived—”

Qi Mohan’s expression was cold and detached. His black cloak was beaded with the night’s rain, its damp chill piercing to the bone.

“Your Majesty, it’s late. Is there anything that can’t wait until tomorrow?”

The Empress Dowager furrowed her brows, unable to conceal her distaste.

“Your Highness, if it weren’t urgent, I wouldn’t have summoned you. Please sit. I have something to ask you.”

Qi Mohan gave a slight nod, swept his robes aside, and sat down.

He was exceptionally handsome, and quite a few consorts couldn’t help letting their gazes linger on him.

The Emperor was unconscious, and no one knew if he would ever wake. If they could win the Prince Regent’s favor, that might not be a bad thing.

But after watching him for a long while, they saw that his eyes seemed fixed on the Empress Dowager. He didn’t so much as glance at them, the imperial consorts.

The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes. “Your Highness, you saw the Empress today. Did you notice anything unusual?”

Only then did Qi Mohan’s gaze fall on Sheng Yanhuan.

The butterfly hairpins in her hair were gone. Her black hair was simply tied into a bun, and she wore a white fox-fur cloak. With her eyes lowered, she looked even paler and more delicate. Just a few hours ago, she had been a blooming peony; now, she seemed utterly withered.

Qi Mohan’s lips dipped slightly as he said coldly, “Nothing unusual. I only spoke briefly with the Empress about the palace candidates before we parted.”

The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes and sized him up.

When she’d first met this Marquis of Pingle, he’d made a decent impression. His looks and bearing had even made her worry that he might rebel. But after he took over state affairs, her younger brother had complained to her again and again, saying that beneath that handsome exterior, he was so foolish he ought to be replaced.

From then on, she’d understood perfectly well that Qi Mohan had nothing but a handsome face; he was otherwise utterly useless.

Her younger brother was the Chancellor, second only to the Emperor and above everyone else. He could never be wrong about a person. Perhaps... she had been overthinking it.

“Then there’s nothing more to discuss. You may leave.”

Qi Mohan pursed his lips, picked up his teacup, and sipped the plain tea.

“I came all this way in the middle of the night. I’ll have a cup of tea before I leave.”

The Empress Dowager frowned in distaste. “Do as you please.”

“Your Majesty, the people have been brought.”

Two people were dragged in. They were beaten black and blue, and without the faint hope of survival, they would have wished to pass out at once.

“Tell me. Who poisoned the Empress?”

Their faces were deathly pale as their gazes wandered among the consorts.

Miao Ke’er lowered her head, her fists clenched tightly.

Meng Siyu smiled faintly and soothed them in a gentle voice. “Don’t worry. As long as you tell the truth, I’ll guarantee your safety and that of your families.”

Sheng Yanhuan lifted her eyes, and they lit with a strange brightness.

Qi Mohan didn’t miss that look. His heart sank slightly; he could almost guess what was going on.

“It... it was...” The two exchanged a glance. They had already reached an understanding.

“It was Consort Miao! Consort Miao ordered us to poison her!”

“That’s right! We didn’t want to do something so vile, but Consort Miao threatened our families’ lives. We had no choice but to poison her!”

“Bang—” The Empress Dowager slammed her hand on the table and sprang to her feet, pointing at Miao Ke’er, who stood at the front.

“So, Consort Miao! You’ve committed a monstrous crime! You dared to poison the Empress and the imperial heir? What do you have to say for yourself?”

Miao Ke’er smiled and calmly walked up to them.

“I do have a few things to explain.” Her gaze settled on the smiling woman beside the Empress Dowager, then shifted to Sheng Yanhuan’s colorless face. The smile on her lips grew wider and wider.

“This consort did poison her, but this consort used only one kind of poison—and it won’t take effect for three days. It couldn’t possibly be the poison used today! This consort only needed to use the most potent poison. Why would this consort use two kinds?”

Sheng Yanhuan’s lips curved faintly as her gaze shifted between Miao Ke’er and Meng Siyu.

One strike exposed two culprits. How interesting.

A flash of realization struck the Empress Dowager, and she suddenly looked at Meng Siyu.

Only her good niece had the means to come and go from the Imperial Kitchen and bribe the imperial chefs.

Miao Ke’er’s poison had probably been enabled by her as well. Otherwise, that country girl, with no connections or backing, could never have managed to poison anyone.

“Enough, Consort Miao. Since you’ve admitted it, accept your punishment. The Emperor dotes on you and wouldn’t bear to have you torn apart by five horses or beheaded. A cup of poisoned wine or a white silk cord—then you can be on your way.”

For an instant, Sheng Yanhuan’s expression went blank.

Poisoned wine. Dismemberment. Strangling.

Even now, she still remembered the suffocating feeling of being strangled.

Miao Ke’er panicked. “Your Majesty, I haven’t finished!”

The Empress Dowager waved a hand. “Take her away.”

Qi Mohan set down his teacup, a cold smile tugging at his lips.

“Consort Miao seems to have something to say. Your Majesty, why not hear her out?”