Lu Qing Wan smiled, "Consort Yu is not bad either. His Majesty has always been fair to everyone in the harem for so many years, and the imperial consorts have been cautious and meticulous.
Unlike you, who has only been ennobled for a few days and is already on equal footing with His Majesty."
Her words were laced with veiled accusations, pointing out that Consort Yu did not understand protocol. Consort Yu could no longer tolerate it.
"Regent Consort has sharp eyes. But this is Weiyang Palace, not the Regent's manor.
His Majesty hasn't said anything about me, yet you, a sister-in-law, are interfering in marital affairs. Aren't you stretching your hand too far?"
...
The two exchanged barbs, neither willing to back down.
Emperor Jing You was getting a headache from their bickering, "Fu An, go fetch my calming pills.
Tang Xiao, immediately summon the Minister of the宗正寺 (Imperial Clan Court), and have him retrieve the Imperial Family Jade Register from the Hall of Supreme Harmony..."
It sounded as if he was annoyed by Lu Qing Wan and Consort Yu's argument and was using official matters to interrupt them.
Lu Qing Wan, however, inexplicably felt that Emperor Jing You was doing it intentionally. After some thought, she couldn't figure out his purpose.
Emperor Jing You was also just pulling her leg, chatting aimlessly.
"You and Xi Wu haven't even been married for half a year, and Xi Wu has already fallen ill. You've had a hard time these days."
What was with this sudden emotional outpouring?
Besides, didn't she know that Feng Xi Wu was not ill?
But Consort Yu was still present, so Lu Qing Wan could only feign a stoic, pained expression, "Your Majesty must not say such things.
I am of humble origins and have a bad reputation. It is truly an upward climb for me to marry the Prince.
Moreover, the Prince's illness is not intentional. Your Majesty has also taken such good care of me. I am already content."
Emperor Jing You sighed, "I don't know if Xi Wu's illness can be cured. My own health is deteriorating. If something were to happen, the Great Qian Empire still needs Xi Wu to protect it!"
"Hmm?"
Lu Qing Wan was completely bewildered. Why was he cursing himself out of the blue?
As she was pondering, Emperor Jing You suddenly clutched his chest and coughed violently, his face turning red with the effort.
Consort Yu, sitting obediently beside him, kept asking, "Your Majesty, are you alright, Your Majesty..."
Repeating the same phrase over and over. Lu Qing Wan found it irritating. She walked over and patted Emperor Jing You's back a few times, which temporarily eased his coughing.
"Your Majesty, have some water."
Fu An and Tang Xiao had both been sent away by Emperor Jing You, so Lu Qing Wan had to play the role of a servant.
Unexpectedly, after taking just one sip, Emperor Jing You suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.
Consort Yu, who had been sitting obediently, seemed to have anticipated this. She immediately let out a shrill scream, "Guards! The Regent Consort is trying to murder His Majesty!"
After shouting this, she shoved Lu Qing Wan hard. However, she didn't budge.
Lu Qing Wan stood her ground, unmoving, as if rooted to the floor beside Emperor Jing You.
She blinked in surprise, then sharply questioned, "Regent Consort, why are you doing this?
You can't even take care of the Regent Prince properly, causing his illness to worsen. Can His Majesty, as the Regent Prince's brother, not say a few words to you?
Why must you harm His Majesty to this extent?!"
She shook Emperor Jing You's arm vigorously, talking to herself, her acting was too good.
Frankly, Lu Qing Wan almost couldn't resist raising her eyebrows in confusion.
However, it was an act, and who couldn't act?
She gathered all her strength and shouted with full vigor, "Quick, someone! His Majesty is bleeding! Summon the imperial physicians!"
Her voice, comparable to a dolphin's high pitch, stunned Consort Yu into silence.
All her accusations and attempts to frame Lu Qing Wan were swallowed back as she stared at Lu Qing Wan's performance in bewilderment.
Lu Qing Wan continued to shout at the top of her lungs, "Quickly summon the imperial physicians, His Majesty is spitting blood!"
After shouting, she emulated Consort Yu and shook Emperor Jing You, "Your Majesty, are you alright? If anything happens to you, how will I explain it to the Prince?"
She had successfully followed in Consort Yu's footsteps, leaving Consort Yu with nowhere to go but to stand awkwardly.
However, Lu Qing Wan's participation in this idiotic drama with Consort Yu was not solely to disgust Consort Yu.
While exchanging acting with Consort Yu, she quickly examined Emperor Jing You and, at the same time, released Teng She to find Da Bai.
Since Emperor Jing You had just vomited blood and Consort Yu was eyeing her menacingly, she decisively chose to use her space laboratory to examine him.
The examination, however, left her aghast.
No wonder the space laboratory hadn't detected any toxic substances.
Emperor Jing You was not poisoned at all; instead, a needle had been inserted into his blood vessels.
The thin silver needle was moving within Emperor Jing You's body. The vomiting of blood was because the needle had folded inside, piercing a blood vessel in his internal organs.
Normally, a needle penetrating the body would cause unbearable pain, and Emperor Jing You should have discovered it immediately.
However, Lu Qing Wan had recently given him a pain-blocking medicine, which led to Emperor Jing You being almost killed by a tiny silver needle without realizing it.
"Your Majesty!"
A group of people rushed into Weiyang Palace in alarm. Leading the way was Tang Xiao, followed by a crowd of court officials.
From Prime Minister Wen to Prince Nan and Duke Pei, all the high-ranking officials were present.
Tang Xiao anxiously asked, "Consort, what is going on?"
"It's her!"
Consort Yu urgently accused Lu Qing Wan, "His Majesty blamed her for not taking good care of the Regent Prince, so she held a grudge and poisoned His Majesty!"
Emperor Jing You had already fainted. Among those present, only Lu Qing Wan and Consort Yu could be seen.
Consort Yu struck first, and as she wished, everyone's minds were preemptively prejudiced. Doubting glances fell upon Lu Qing Wan.
Duke Pei was the first to speak, "Regent Consort, regarding Consort Yu's accusation, what do you have to say for yourself?"
Lu Qing Wan ignored him and only instructed Tang Xiao, "Find a stretcher and carry His Majesty back to the dragon couch. Try to avoid bending or folding His Majesty's body."
"Yes, Consort."
Tang Xiao responded and turned to carry out Lu Qing Wan's orders.
However, Duke Pei directly blocked his path, "Commander Tang, the Regent Consort is currently a suspect in harming His Majesty. Are you still going to take orders from her?"
Tang Xiao met Duke Pei's gaze with composure, "This subordinate only knows that with so many people present, only the Consort is trying to save His Majesty.
On the other hand, Duke Pei, you are so eager to condemn the Consort. In your eyes, is convicting the Consort more important than His Majesty's life?"
Duke Pei, being rebuked by a mere guard commander, immediately turned red in the face, "You..."
Before he could utter his curse, Prime Minister Wen spoke, "Enough, Duke Pei. Commander Tang is correct. The Emperor's safety is paramount in all matters.
Regardless of why His Majesty vomited blood, at least, to leave him to faint on the chair without care is not what we, as his subjects, should do.
Whatever needs to be discussed can wait until Commander Tang has escorted His Majesty back to his couch."