To everyone's surprise, behind the two figures was Shen Mu, the head of the Imperial Hospital. (Grandfather of Shen Yuhe)
Cui Zhining was feeling extremely smug. He had managed to step on the Crown Prince and avenge his son.
Before his smile could fade, he met Shen Mu's imposing eyes. Involuntarily, his heart skipped a beat, and his hands and feet began to tremble.
Although Shen Mu was in his seventies, he had sharp ears and bright eyes and was highly respected.
The Emperor was a bit confused for a moment. "So you're here too, Lord Shen?"
Shen Mu stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Your Majesty, I am guilty of negligence. Please punish me!"
The Crown Prince and Cheng Simian didn't rush to speak.
Cheng Simian didn't even spare a glance at Concubine Lan.
The Emperor was puzzled. "Why do you say so, Lord Shen?"
"Your Majesty, please take a look."
Shen Mu took out a prescription from his sleeve. Li Luxiang took it and presented it to the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, earlier, I went to inspect the medicinal materials in the Imperial Pharmacy. I found that some of the medicinal materials on this list were missing. When I checked the records, there was no registration for getting these herbs. I asked the young eunuch guarding the Imperial Pharmacy and learned that Imperial Physician Cui took these herbs around noon without recording it."
The Imperial Hospital had very strict regulations regarding the management of medicinal materials.
What herbs were taken, when they were taken, and for which master they were taken had to be clearly and detailedly recorded.
Cold sweat quietly dripped from Cui Zhining's forehead. His eyes involuntarily glanced at Lu Siming.
Lu Siming showed no expression, but his face was even paler than before.
"Around noon?"
The Queen seemed to recall something and looked at Cheng Simian. "Mianmian, did you leave the palace around noon today?"
Cheng Simian understood the Queen's intention of emphasizing the time. "Your Majesty has a good memory. I had lunch with Princess Lingyang and was then summoned by Concubine Lan to the Fragrant Pavilion for questioning. After leaving the Fragrant Pavilion, I stopped by your place for a while. It was exactly around noon when I left the palace gate."
When she first entered, the Emperor had been looking at her with scrutiny and suspicion.
After hearing her words, the Emperor began to have doubts in his mind.
The girl in front of him was calm, confident, and generous. She had detailed every move of hers.
If she had really boasted and threatened Concubine Lan, why wasn't she a bit nervous when summoned for confrontation?
Was it because she was strong - willed and good at acting, or was she simply innocent and fearless?
He looked at the prescription in his hand. "Lord Shen, what symptoms does this prescription treat?"
Shen Mu sneered silently and glanced at the trembling Cui Zhining.
"Your Majesty, it was Imperial Physician Cui who took these herbs. Let him explain."
Cui Zhining's tongue seemed to be tied. "Your Majesty, I had a lot of things to do today. I was in a hurry to get the herbs and forgot to record it. It was my dereliction of duty. Please don't blame Lord Shen..."
"Cui Zhining!"
The Crown Prince spoke up. His voice was very low, but the aura he exuded was terrifying.
"Why don't you answer Father's question but try to divert his attention? Or is there something fishy about this prescription that you dare not tell its effects?"
The Emperor quietly noticed that Lu Siming's face was extremely pale, and Concubine Lan began to tremble again.
The anger in his heart was about to burst out of his chest. He suddenly closed his eyes and didn't open them until a while later. He stared at Cui Zhining severely.
"Lord Shen, you tell me!"
"Your Majesty, if one drinks the medicine according to this prescription, they will feel palpitations, tremble, and their whole body will turn cold. If the dosage is large enough, it will even lead to unconsciousness. At first glance, it looks like the symptoms of fainting from shock."
Shen Mu's voice was deep and resonant.
Concubine Lan gasped in horror. Her face turned death - white, and she froze in her seat like a statue.
She didn't dare to look at the Emperor's face. She only felt the chilling aura emanating from the Emperor, hitting directly at her face.
Only then did the Queen slowly speak up. "Your Majesty, do you still need to ask Mianmian what she said to Concubine Lan?"
The Emperor remained silent, and the air pressure around him dropped sharply.
What was the need for confrontation?
A single prescription had revealed the true faces of Concubine Lan and her son.
What Cheng Simian had said to Concubine Lan no longer mattered.
Lu Siming raised his eyes and met the Crown Prince's gaze in mid - air.
It was like a silent confrontation.
Lu Siming had never expected that the Crown Prince would investigate the Imperial Hospital.
By now, even if he tried to excuse himself, Father would no longer trust him.
The Emperor was not so easy to deceive.
He could only give Cui Zhining a look, signaling him to take all the blame alone.
When Cui Zhining saw Lu Siming's look, his heart sank.
This time, he had gambled his entire fortune and life.
He had fantasized that once the Second Prince succeeded in seizing the throne, he would be a meritorious official, able to restore his son's official position and make the Cui family dominate the Imperial Hospital.
But now that the matter had been exposed, the Second Prince wanted him to bear the guilt alone!
"Cui Zhining has an evil heart and lacks medical ethics. As the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will not be straight. Guards, dismiss him from his position in the Imperial Hospital and expel him from the palace. No one from the Cui family shall practice medicine for life!"
The Crown Prince's heart sank.
Why did Father only hold Cui Zhining accountable?
This was a joint conspiracy to frame Mianmian. Father was a man with a deep mind and had seen so much intrigue in the harem. Couldn't he see through it?
Cheng Simian quickly hooked his finger, indicating that he should say nothing.
Cui Zhining was sweating profusely. He didn't even dare to let out a plea for mercy and was dragged out of the palace hall like this.
Concubine Lan was trembling with fear, afraid that she would be the next one.
Unexpectedly, the Emperor just gently helped her up and sighed. "Lan'er, you've been frightened. Guards, spread the edict. Concubine Lan has served me for many years and given birth to the Second Prince for me. Over the years, she has been diligent, respectful, and has always respected the Queen. She is an example for all the concubines in the harem. I hereby promote her to Imperial Noble Consort."
This sudden promotion and favor shocked everyone.
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, there had never been a precedent of promoting a concubine to Imperial Noble Consort while the Queen was still alive.
Concubine Lan couldn't believe it either.
Only the Queen, as if having expected this, gave a calm smile.
"Congratulations, Sister."
Only Cheng Simian saw a faint trace of sadness and loneliness deep in her eyes.
Concubine Lan was in a daze for a while before she happily knelt down to thank the Emperor.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The Emperor then turned to look at Lu Siming with a gentle gaze. "Ming'er, you were born prematurely eight months early and have been in poor health since childhood. The northern border is cold, and your body can't bear it. Leading troops is also hard work. How could your mother bear to let you suffer? You stay in the capital and take good care of your health. Just don't invite a quack like Cui Zhining again."
The last sentence was full of implications.
A chill instantly ran down Lu Siming's spine.
"Your son will remember Father's teachings!"
"Alright, I'm tired. Queen, I remember there's a dish of crab - roe tofu in your palace. It's extremely delicious. I haven't eaten it for a long time and miss it a bit. I'll go to your palace for dinner tonight."
The Queen knew very well that this was just a little consolation after the event.
Her heart was cold, but her smile was warm.
"Your Majesty, please. I'll order them to prepare it right away."
...
The Crown Prince and Cheng Simian didn't take the carriage.
On the long palace path, their two figures were stretched long.
Sometimes close, sometimes far.
"Mianmian, I will never treat you the way Father treats Mother."