"Prince Jing can go to Bai Xing Lin for treatment, but this matter concerns the imperial family's reputation and cannot be known to outsiders. You must ensure strict secrecy."
Lu Qing Wan's rapidly spinning mind went blank for a moment.
Her furtive eyes glanced at Emperor Jing You, who was sliding further into the quilt on the couch. Did this emperor possess telepathy?
How could it be that just as she was considering using Prince Jing to her advantage, he had already cut off her escape route?
While she was filled with myriad thoughts, her outward demeanor remained one of utmost respect. "This commoner obeys His Majesty's decree."
Emperor Jing You weakly closed his eyes and began to dismiss Feng Qing Heng and Prince Jing. "Very well, since the illness is clear, you may both withdraw. I am tired..."
Feng Qing Heng and Prince Jing bowed and withdrew without the slightest hesitation.
Lu Qing Wan stood to the side, and even without raising her head, she could feel two gazes fixed upon her, filled with suspicion and vigilance.
However, this was a critical moment for choosing a crown prince. Emperor Jing You might decide on the heir at any moment.
At such a time, neither Feng Qing Heng nor Prince Jing wanted to anger Emperor Jing You. Thus, despite their myriad doubts about Lu Qing Wan, they suppressed them and withdrew.
Lu Qing Wan watched them leave and then approached Emperor Jing You to take her leave. "If Your Majesty has no further commands, this concubine will also depart."
As soon as she finished speaking, she was already preparing to leave, but Emperor Jing You suddenly spoke. "You claimed that Prince Jing's detoxification process was too complicated, hence you could not cure him when he went to Bai Xing Lin.
Prince Chen must have come to you for the antidote to the lovesickness蛊, right? Did you not realize then that Prince Chen had been drugged with infertility medicine?"
Lu Qing Wan was slightly startled. "Does Your Majesty know that Prince Chen was once afflicted by the lovesickness蛊?"
Emperor Jing You glanced at her, his voice weary. "Xi Wu wanted to protect you, and he was also petty. He never mentioned this matter to me."
Lu Qing Wan understood. Emperor Jing You had said before that he had investigated her, so it was not surprising that he knew about the lovesickness蛊.
She then calmly replied, "Replying to Your Majesty, Prince Chen was drugged with the infertility medicine no more than ten days ago, and he also took the antidote."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Jing You's eyes snapped open. "Are you certain that Prince Chen was drugged with the infertility medicine no more than ten days ago?"
Lu Qing Wan looked directly into his eyes and firmly replied, "This concubine is certain. Moreover, this concubine can also confirm that the dosage of the infertility medicine and the antidote taken by Prince Chen were controlled with extreme precision. Only someone familiar with the properties of herbs could achieve such a feat."
Emperor Jing You stared at her intently for a long moment. "Do you know what you are saying?"
"This concubine certainly knows what she is saying. Prince Chen and this concubine do indeed have past grievances. This concubine knows what Your Majesty suspects."
Lu Qing Wan thought for a moment and then said boldly, "To dispel Your Majesty's doubts, this concubine might as well reveal another secret to Your Majesty. This may allow Your Majesty to carefully weigh which of Prince Chen and Prince Jing is more suitable to inherit the throne."
Tang Xiao's eyes widened in alarm. He could hardly believe that Lu Qing Wan would bring up the matter of succession so openly in front of Emperor Jing You.
Then, he was even more shocked to hear Lu Qing Wan say, "Your Majesty's contraction of the wound tetanus and the delay in diagnosis by this concubine until the following day's Heavenly Mandate was because Shen Ci and Meng Tang had not found any clear wounds on you.
Later, when this concubine examined Your Majesty, I discovered a needle mark on Your Majesty's lower back. The tetanus virus was transmitted to Your Majesty through that needle mark.
Your Majesty, please think carefully, who could have used a poisoned needle to transmit the virus to you that day without being discovered?"
Emperor Jing You, who had earned the title of a wise ruler during his reign, was naturally not foolish.
After a brief contemplation, he understood Lu Qing Wan's implied meaning. "Are you suggesting, Prince Jing?"
Lu Qing Wan shook her head. "This concubine cannot say for certain. Your Majesty was the one who experienced it; you are the one who can say for sure."
Emperor Jing You remained silent, his hawk-like eyes fixed on her, as if trying to pierce through her.
Lu Qing Wan said no more. She curtsied, said, "This concubine takes her leave," and departed the Wei Yang Palace.
Feng Qing Heng, in league with Consort Ye, had administered infertility drugs to the imperial male lineage. Prince Jing did not hesitate to have Emperor Jing You contract tetanus when he was physically weak. Both were individuals who would stop at nothing to seize the throne.
However, there were only these two potential heirs left in Da Qian. The decision of who would be chosen depended entirely on their future fortunes and Emperor Jing You's own judgment.
Lu Qing Wan tilted her head to look at the sky, which was filled with dark clouds, much like the murky atmosphere of Shangjing City at the moment.
Tang Xiao had picked her up when she arrived, and naturally, he was also seeing her off.
As the carriage left the palace, Tang Xiao asked Lu Qing Wan in a deep voice, "Princess Consort, why did you tell His Majesty about Prince Jing's actions?"
If Lu Qing Wan had not informed Emperor Jing You, Feng Qing Heng might have been disqualified from the succession solely on the grounds of the infertility drug.
"Who knows?"
Lu Qing Wan leaned against the carriage wall, staring blankly at the intricate patterns on the opposite wall. "Perhaps, seeing how His Majesty doted on Feng Xi Wu like a son, I couldn't bear for a rift to form between them because of me."
As she spoke, she felt a flicker of uncertainty. "You say, with His Majesty, is there a difference between me telling him about Prince Jing, and your master telling him?"
What if Emperor Jing You was as naturally suspicious as other emperors? Would she have done more harm than good, inadvertently harming Feng Xi Wu?
While Lu Qing Wan was lost in thought, Tang Xiao's voice reached her. "Princess Consort, please rest assured. There has never been mutual suspicion between His Majesty and the Prince.
Moreover, you are the Prince's Princess Consort. What you say naturally reflects what the Prince says. His Majesty will not be unduly suspicious."
"That's good."
Lu Qing Wan nodded inwardly, then suddenly remembered something. "My little pet is still in the Imperial Garden. Li Su has been looking for it for several days without success.
If you have time, please help me find some. If you have even more time, you can send it to the manor."
"Is the Princess Consort referring to a black cat and a snake?"
"Yes, but the black cat has been found. The snake has not. What, have you seen it?"
Lu Qing Wan was not worried about the Teng Snake getting truly lost, but rather that it might be provoked and transform, creating an unexplainable situation.
"I heard a few days ago that some imperial consorts were frightened by a snake in the back palace. A group of people tried to catch it but failed. This subordinate guessed it must be the Princess Consort's beloved pet."
Tang Xiao shook his head with a wry smile. "Even if this subordinate saw your pet, I probably wouldn't be able to catch it. Does the Princess Consort have a way to make it submit to my control?"
"This was indeed my oversight. Teng Snake is not skilled in other things, but it is quite intelligent. Ordinary people cannot catch it."
Lu Qing Wan took out a small porcelain jar. "Inside are its favorite pills. Take this to the Imperial Garden, and it will surely crawl in on its own.
When you do, tell it that you are taking it to me, and it will naturally stop struggling."
"Can the Princess Consort's pet understand human speech?"
Tang Xiao was astonished.
Lu Qing Wan did not boast. She merely smiled. "Why don't you try and see?"