Seeing her coughing violently, Zhuyao got up, lowered the bed curtain, then turned around and left the palace hall. She invited in the imperial physician who had been waiting outside.
Then she ordered Shihua and the others to go and fetch the emperor.
Just as Shihua was about to leave, Xianshu stepped forward and said, "I'll go. You go to the small tea - room and boil a kettle of hot water. We might need it."
At these words, Zhuyao, who was extremely anxious, gave a sharp look, and her chest heaved uncontrollably.
At a time like this! Xianshu still wanted to show off in front of the emperor.
"Xianshu, you go boil the water. Shihua, go and fetch the emperor!"
She coldly tossed out these words and then turned around and walked back into the palace hall.
Xianshu's face froze. Without saying a word, she went to the small tea - room.
Just as Shihua was about to go and fetch the emperor, she saw the emperor already at the palace gate.
"How is your mistress?" There was still the look on Di Yunjian's face that he had just shown in Fengzao Palace.
Seeing Shihua, he immediately asked.
"Your Majesty! Our mistress has been resting on the couch since she came back from Fengzao Palace. Just now, Sister Zhuyao rushed out and told this maid to fetch Your Majesty. It seems that her condition has worsened..."
Shihua trembled inside and didn't dare to delay. She quickly replied.
Di Yunjian's face darkened again, and his fists clenched tightly, making a creaking sound.
He let out a cold snort and walked into the palace hall. Just as he reached the door, Xianshu, who was carrying the freshly boiled hot water, came straight at him and almost bumped into Di Yunjian.
Di Yunjian frowned and dodged. In a hurry to see Shu'er, he didn't argue with her.
When he lifted the beaded curtain, he saw the vague figure on the couch. He heard the desperate coughing, and faintly saw the high and trembling belly, which made his heart skip a beat.
Suddenly, his mind went blank. He just strode over and knelt down halfway, taking her hand.
"Shu'er, Shu'er, where do you feel uncomfortable?"
Di Yunjian's heart was in his throat. He grabbed the imperial physician's hand and roared in a low voice, "Hurry up and feel her pulse!"
The imperial physician responded tremblingly and began to feel Yan Qingshu's pulse.
The pulse was deep, weak and floating. The force of the pulse, which had been like beads rolling under his fingers, had weakened a lot.
The imperial physician was shocked and quickly felt it again.
He was extremely startled and quickly got up and knelt down.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! Concubine Zhen's pulse is weak and floating. It seems that the concubine has been greatly frightened and there is a sign of a miscarriage! Acupuncture is needed to protect the fetus!"
The imperial physician replied in a trembling voice, shaking like a sieve.
Di Yunjian's heart skipped a big beat, and the surging anger got stuck in his throat.
"I don't care what method you use. You must protect Concubine Zhen!"
He suppressed his voice and scolded.
At this time, a hand stretched out from behind the curtain, "Liulang..."
His heart seemed to be grabbed by a big hand, and it hurt badly. He held the thin hand and lifted the bed curtain, seeing the pale face of the person on the couch.
"Liulang..."
Yan Qingshu, with a pale face, gave him a weak smile and then coughed again.
With this cough, the red mark on her neck was exposed to the emperor's eyes. It was the mark left by Concubine Yan's pinching in Fengzao Palace.
Sure enough, Di Yunjian's eyes became even darker. There seemed to be a violent storm brewing in his eyes, which made people tremble with fear.
"Don't talk. Just lie down quietly." Di Yunjian reached out and gently stroked her cheek. Seeing the red mark on the corner of her mouth, he frowned.
"Shu'er, what's wrong with the corner of your mouth?"
Yan Qingshu shook her head, "I felt itchy and burning on my lips last night. When I got up this morning, it was all red. I think it's because of too much internal heat."
The imperial physician who was preparing for acupuncture felt a pang of uneasiness.
Since Concubine Zhen was pregnant, the meals prepared by the imperial kitchen were all medicinal diets specially written by them. The chili peppers used for flavoring were added one by one. There should be no problem of getting internal heat at all.
Thinking like this, the imperial physician said again, "Your Majesty, would you mind if this subject takes a look?"
Di Yunjian nodded and made way.
The imperial physician lifted the bed curtain and saw the red mark on the corner of Yan Qingshu's mouth. He seemed to be thinking.
He took out a silver needle and said, "Your Highness, Concubine Zhen, please forgive me."
After saying that, he slowly inserted the needle into the acupoint on the tiger's mouth of Yan Qingshu's left hand.
After taking out the needle, he was shocked to see that the silver needle had turned black.
"Your Majesty! This silver needle has turned black!"
As soon as the words fell, the palace hall suddenly fell silent.
Di Yunjian stared intently at the black - colored silver needle. The veins on his forehead bulged, and his face was so gloomy that it seemed that ink could drip from it.
Seeing this, the imperial physician shrank back timidly and didn't dare to say another word, for fear that he would be dragged out as soon as he opened his mouth.
Di Yunjian took a deep breath. After returning from the palace retreat, he had deployed guards inside and outside Guanghan Hall. It was impossible for outsiders to reach in and poison someone.
It could only be someone in this palace.
It seemed that there was a traitor in the palace.
Di Yunjian turned his head and looked at Yan Qingshu, who was a little nervous.
"Liulang... I'm scared." Her eyes were red, and tears fell one by one, disappearing into her black hair.
Di Yunjian felt a pang in his heart. He reached out and wiped away her tears, "Don't be afraid. I won't let anything happen to you."
After saying that, he turned his head and looked at the imperial physician, ordering, "Go and find out what kind of poison it is."
The imperial physician nodded hurriedly in agreement.
Di Yunjian called in Li Dahai.
"Secretly surround Guanghan Hall for me. Not even a mosquito is allowed to fly out!"
"Then search every corner of Guanghan Hall for me. Find out exactly where the poison was placed!"
Hearing that Concubine Zhen had been poisoned, Li Dahai didn't hesitate at all. After saluting, he went to make the arrangements.
Di Yunjian stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, lost in thought.
Through the thin bed curtain, Yan Qingshu watched him standing in front of the window, against the dim sky.
She lowered her eyes and closed them.
A patient should just be a patient. She had made all the arrangements.
Li Dahai led his men to search Guanghan Hall under another pretext. When they reached the small tea - room, there was only Xianshu inside.
Seeing that she was making tea, Li Dahai thought it would be a good opportunity to send her away and search the small tea - room. So he said, "Miss Xianshu, please go and serve His Majesty a cup of hot tea."
Hearing this, Xianshu naturally agreed.
She took out the tea leaves that His Majesty liked to drink from the cabinet with ease, poured out a small handful into the teacup and poured boiling water into it.
Li Dahai felt strange. Usually when His Majesty came to Guanghan Hall, it was usually Miss Zhuyao who served the tea. How did Miss Xianshu know His Majesty's preference for tea?
"Father - in - law Li, is the tea at 80% heat okay?" Xianshu deliberately showed off and asked before making the tea.
Li Dahai came back to his senses and nodded.
"Yes, 80% heat."
He didn't say anything more. He watched Xianshu enter the inner hall and then led the little eunuch to search the small tea - room.
They found nothing.
Just when Li Dahai was at a loss, a little eunuch came over mysteriously to report.
"Father - in - law, I saw this in the side room..."
Saying that, the little eunuch opened the paper package. Inside was bright red cinnabar.
Li Dahai frowned and rubbed the cinnabar between his fingers.
Just as he was about to say something, another little eunuch came over and also took out a paper package mysteriously.
"Father - in - law, we found this in the charcoal brazier used in Guanghan Hall..."
Saying that, he opened the paper package. Inside was silver - colored charcoal ash. On closer inspection, there were many burnt particles in the charcoal ash.
Normally, the charcoal used by high - ranking concubines was red silk charcoal and silver silk charcoal. There should never be such things.
Li Dahai's eyes shifted. He put the things away and said, "Come with me to the main hall to report."
As soon as he finished speaking, he was about to lead the little eunuchs in.
Then they heard an angry roar from inside, a deep voice mixed with anger.
"Presumptuous——"