Zhen Pin paced back and forth in the hall, her face a mask of shock.
"No way, Her Ladyship would poison Consort Xian so openly?"
Zhen Pin couldn't believe it, yet the facts were undeniable. It wasn't as if Liu Xianfei would poison herself.
Upon hearing the news, Emperor Qi and the Empress immediately went to Liu Xianfei's palace.
While her favor from the Emperor was often negligible, now that the Sixth Prince had just been dispatched on an errand, his mother was poisoned within the palace.
It seemed more like a targeted attack on him rather than Liu Xianfei, and Emperor Qi was furious!
He ordered a thorough investigation into who was behind this scheme. Soon, the imperial physicians discovered a large quantity of Furong cakes in Consort Xian's vomit, identifying them as the culprit behind her poisoning.
Suspicion immediately fell upon Noble Consort Wei.
Before long, Noble Consort Wei was summoned, her face etched with bewilderment. Upon entering, she was met with the grim expressions of the Emperor and Empress, while Liu Xianfei lay pale and weak on the bed.
"Your Majesty, Empress, this concubine greets you."
"Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"You visited Consort Xian today. Was there anything amiss?" Emperor Qi asked directly, his eyes fixed on Noble Consort Wei, as if afraid to miss even a flicker of expression.
She, however, appeared remarkably composed. Looking directly at Emperor Qi, she stated,
"Nothing was amiss. It is just that this concubine also heard that Consort Xian fell ill after eating Furong cakes made in this palace's kitchen. Therefore, I have already detained all ingredients and staff from the small kitchen. Your Majesty and the Empress may question them at any time."
With those words, she distanced herself from the matter. Yet, any discerning observer knew that within her own palace, evidence could easily be destroyed. Thus, whether an investigation proceeded or not made little difference.
"Your actions make it difficult for this Empress and His Majesty. We do not wish to believe that anything from your hands would be poisonous, but if Consort Xian had not received timely treatment, she might have been beyond saving. Therefore, regardless, you are still somewhat implicated. For now, you shall reside in Hanzhang Palace until everything is clarified."
What was presented as advice was, in reality, house arrest. Who among those present could not discern this? Noble Consort Wei looked at Emperor Qi, wondering if years of marital affection could not earn her a single word of trust.
Alas, until the very end, she heard no word from Emperor Qi.
There is no sorrow greater than a heart that has died, and death itself comes second.
She was indeed arrogant and overbearing, and could not tolerate others, but what she did, she did; what she did not do, she did not do. She admitted to disliking Consort Xian and deliberately forcing her to eat that quantity of Furong cakes.
But to say she poisoned them, she denied it.
Even a fool would not be so blatant as to provide concrete evidence, but Emperor Qi's mind worked in a different direction, believing in the strategy of feigning retreat to advance, or appearing to refuse while secretly desiring.
It was possible she was counting on everyone assuming she wouldn't be foolish enough to act so directly, thereby deflecting suspicion from herself. It was not impossible that she had found an alternative method.
Thus, Noble Consort Wei received no word of retention from Emperor Qi as she turned to leave.
Recalling her "reckless behavior" in recent days, Noble Consort Wei found it utterly laughable.
Liu Xianfei, lying on the bed, was clearly still suffering from the lingering effects of the poison and was restless in her sleep.
Emperor Qi and the Empress stayed for a short while before departing. Before leaving, they assigned two capable medical women to the side hall, in case of any emergency requiring immediate treatment.
Fortunately, after vomiting three or four more times, she finally expelled all the poison. However, her body was significantly depleted as a result. Her usual practice of strict abstinence had not allowed for much recuperation, and this ordeal left her severely emaciated within just a few days.
The palace maid attending her remarked,
"It's fortunate that His Highness the Sixth Prince is not in the capital. If he were to see you like this, he would be heartbroken."
Mention of her only son brought a faint smile to Liu Xianfei's lips. She was not as ethereal as a secluded orchid, but she possessed a certain delicate charm. She had not come from a high-ranking family, nor were her looks or talents outstanding. For years, she had grown accustomed to being an invisible presence in the harem. If not for this incident, her usual disposition would have been to endure it.
"You too, making such a commotion. Now the entire palace is watching us. This is not good for the Prince."
His safety while away was paramount. If her actions in the palace provoked jealousy and led to the Sixth Prince being targeted, that would be truly dangerous. This was why she had shown so much forbearance towards Noble Consort Wei; she did not want him to be harmed.
"Your Ladyship, she poisoned you, intending to kill you. Why do you still show her leniency? In my humble opinion, you should have directly accused her of poisoning you, so that His Majesty could see what a venomous heart she has!"
Liu Xianfei weakly shook her head.
"Noble Consort has the backing of the Wei family and the favor of Prince Li. How easy do you think it is to bring her down? Even if I had died today, His Majesty might not have taken action against Noble Consort Wei. Therefore, your efforts have been in vain."
She coughed a couple of times. Her frequent vomiting in the past few days had left her stomach uncomfortable and had also affected her throat, causing her to cough whenever she spoke too much. The palace maid beside her immediately brought a cup of warm water to moisten her throat.
"Your Ladyship is benevolent. You have never struck or scolded us maids, which is why we cannot bear to see you bullied like this."
"It's alright. We've managed for so many years, haven't we? Always remember, the less attention I attract here, the safer the Prince will be, do you understand?"
"Yes, Your Ladyship."
After the mistress and her maid spoke for a while, Liu Xianfei's strength clearly gave out. After taking her medicine, she drifted back into a deep sleep.
The palace maid who had been attending her, upon returning to her room, removed her earring. Unbeknownst to anyone, the bead of the earring was hollow, and inside it was the poison that had afflicted Liu Xianfei. After thoroughly cleaning the powder from the earring and restoring it to its original state, even if the Dali Temple investigators arrived, they would find no trace of her involvement.
In Yongle Palace, the Empress was clearly more at ease with Noble Consort Wei's confinement. The headache that had plagued her for days seemed to have vanished as if she had taken an elixir. After dismissing everyone, the accompanying嬷嬷 whispered to her,
"Your Ladyship, rest assured. Our people in Noble Consort's palace have taken action. Within a month, she will be driven to madness!"
A mad Noble Consort was a crucial piece in their game.
After Duke Wei was attacked and lost an eye, he began a frenzied retaliation against the First Prince's faction. Several individuals they had placed in the court had either died mysteriously or found their paths to advancement blocked. While the emergence of new officials might not significantly impact their overall strategy, these repeated incidents showed a blatant disregard for them.