When Father Tang said these words, his face was dead - serious. Mei Qingxue couldn't help but nod. Indeed, this matter was far from simple. Someone had so easily managed to introduce the poison into Concubine Yue's courtyard and shift the blame directly onto her. Did they think Mei Qingxue was a fool? This was clearly a trap set by someone. But who could it be? This definitely needed a thorough investigation. She would never let anyone who harmed her or her family go unpunished. If she found out the culprit, she would surely make them pay.
"Father, there's definitely something fishy about this!" Somehow, her words now carried such an air of authority. It was simply overwhelming.
"Aren't you making flower tea? Let this old servant have a taste," Father Tang said with a beaming smile as he looked at Mei Qingxue. He was growing fonder and fonder of this quirky little girl. She was so different from ordinary girls.
Well, didn't he just say he didn't want to drink tea? How could his mind change so quickly? This was the typical eunuch's fickleness! Mei Qingxue silently scoffed at him in her heart.
"Since Father wants to drink, it's an honor for Qingxue's flower tea. Please wait a moment, Father," Mei Qingxue said, then quickly turned around to brew a cup of plum blossom tea. This was her favorite, and she always had plenty on hand.
A white porcelain teacup was brought over and placed beside Father Tang.
"Please enjoy your tea slowly, Father. I'll ask the kitchen to prepare some snacks later," Mei Qingxue said with a cute smile.
"Snacks won't be necessary," Father Tang thought to himself. He had tasted all kinds of snacks in the palace. Even the snacks the Emperor didn't want ended up with him. He doubted the snacks in the Sixth Prince's Mansion could be better than those in the palace.
Mei Qingxue seemed to see through his thoughts. She playfully blinked her big eyes and said, "Father Tang, these are the unique snacks of the Mei Mansion. You won't find them in the palace!"
"Really? Not even in the palace? Then this old servant must have a taste," Father Tang was intrigued by Mei Qingxue's words. Like a child, he quickly changed his mind.
"Father, weren't you here to check if our prince was poisoned to death by me?" Mei Qingxue finally got to the point.
"How could that be? You little rascal. You've been waiting to catch me with your words. To tell you the truth, I'm here on the Emperor's orders. The Emperor also hopes that the Sixth Prince will be fine. He just couldn't bear to see the prince suffer, so he sent me here," Father Tang explained.
Mei Qingxue nodded. She understood the Emperor's feelings. If even the biological father couldn't bear to see his son, how could she, as a wife, be any more courageous? She was the one who was suffering the most! After all, this was her husband. If he died, she would become a widow.
This Emperor was, in a sense, an unqualified father. If she were sick, her father would surely rush to her side in an instant. How could this Emperor send someone instead of coming himself?
Mei Qingxue silently condemned the Emperor in her heart a hundred and eighty times.
"Father, I'll pack the tea and snacks for you. But let's check on the prince taking his medicine first," Mei Qingxue thought to herself. Fifty - fifty chance. She was willing to take the risk based on her nine - life bad luck...
"This old servant is here for that very reason. Let's go," Father Tang saw that there was no trace of hesitation on Mei Qingxue's face. He thought this girl was truly magnanimous. If something happened to the families of the other two princes, there would surely be wailing and crying. He had seen it all before. Now, he had an even higher opinion of Mei Qingxue.
"Father Tang, to be honest, I'm scared too. But I can't just do nothing because of my fear. If I do nothing, the prince will just be waiting for death in half a year. As long as there's a glimmer of hope, I'm willing to give it a try. And it's a fifty - fifty chance! Father Tang, I don't ask for much. I just want him to live. If even the Lord of the Underworld doesn't grant this wish, then he's blind! I'll torture him so much that he'll wish he was dead," Mei Qingxue said through gritted teeth as she looked at Father Tang. If the Lord of the Underworld really took Du Guqing's life this time, she would make him pay tenfold and turn his Underworld Palace upside down.
"Achoo, achoo... You little brat, you're scolding me again," someone in the Underworld Palace sneezed one after another. "Really, scolding me again. What have I ever done to you? Fine, I'm magnanimous and won't argue with you. That Du Guqing still has years to live. I won't take his life even if I'm asked to. What's going on this time? Is that girl crazy? Forget it..." The person rubbed his nose. It was better not to think too much. As long as this troublesome girl didn't come and cause trouble, he would be grateful!
"You little imp," Father Tang tapped her head a few times with the handle of his whisk. "What does that medicinal herb look like?" Father Tang was also curious to see what the legendary thing looked like.
"It's black and looks like a lump of sheep dung," Mei Qingxue said, comparing the size with her hands. Her expression and movements were extremely cute.
Father Tang liked Mei Qingxue even more. The more he looked at her, the more he liked her. It was a pity that he couldn't just take the daughter of General Mei as his adopted daughter. What a shame... Thinking of this, a hint of sadness flashed across Father Tang's face.
"Father Tang, what's wrong?" Mei Qingxue noticed the change in the old man's face and asked with concern.
"Nothing, nothing," Father Tang quickly regained his normal expression and his steps became a bit heavier. He was old. This kind of glory wouldn't last long. He didn't know what the rest of his life would be like.
He had to plan for himself. But although he had met many people, the girl he had taken a fancy to was a princess. How could he dare to speak up? He could only find excuses to see her a few more times. To be honest, he really liked her and wanted to take her as his adopted daughter, but she was out of his reach. It could only add to his sorrow!
As he thought, Father Tang followed Mei Qingxue in the direction of the Qingxue Pavilion.
The Qingxue Pavilion was simply furnished. There were no luxurious decorations, which was in stark contrast to the mansions of the princesses of the First and Third Princes. With Mei Qingxue's family background and status, such a simple layout was unexpected. This Sixth Princess was truly extraordinary.
The old eunuch knew more in his heart. He decided that as soon as he got back, he would submit a resignation letter to the Emperor. When he was old, he would come to the Sixth Prince's Mansion to spend his remaining years. Having this quirky girl as a companion would surely bring more fun.
Alas, he didn't know if the Emperor would agree to his request. Maybe not. Most likely, the Emperor would send him to a temple or give him a cup of poisoned wine. His previous thought was just a vain hope. It was good for an old man to have a vain hope. If there was no hope at all, he would be close to death. In any case, he knew clearly that his current glory wouldn't last forever.
Alas, he couldn't help but sigh silently in his heart.
Seeing the Sixth Prince on the bed, who had become so thin that he was almost unrecognizable, Father Tang also thought of his own fate. He didn't dare to hope that the new emperor would let him live, because he knew too much. No matter who the new emperor was, they would only use their own people.
Thinking of this, his expression became even more solemn. "The Sixth Prince is a lucky man. This old servant believes that you'll be fine!"
He wouldn't let the adopted daughter he had taken a fancy to become a widow. But in his heart, he was really worried about Mei Qingxue. After all, there was only a fifty - fifty chance that the medicine would work!
"Thank you, Father. This king also wants to live," Du Guqing said weakly. His eyes fell on Mei Qingxue's hand, where there was a small black object.
Mei Qingxue glanced at Du Guqing, and her gaze also landed on the medicine in her hand.
"Xue'er, is this it? Give it to me," Du Guqing asked Mei Qingxue for the Gelsemium elegans actively. He was also a bit nervous in his heart. He was afraid that he would pass away without leaving a child for Xue'er, leaving her alone in this world to suffer. This was what he couldn't bear the most.
Mei Qingxue felt a heavy weight in her heart. She didn't know how much of the medicine he should take or what would happen after he took it. The thing in her hand was as heavy as a mountain, and she could hardly bear it. Her body swayed slightly.
"Princess..." Du Guqing noticed her abnormality and gently called out.
Mei Qingxue looked at him, then came to her senses. She nodded at him, poured half a bowl of water, and then placed the black lump in Du Guqing's palm. "If you don't want to, forget it. The outcome is uncertain. I'm afraid..."
"Isn't this just treating poison with poison? Xue'er, what are you afraid of? It's me taking the medicine, not you," Du Guqing deliberately said in a relaxed tone, but how could he not be worried in his heart?
"That's exactly why I'm worried! You bastard!" Mei Qingxue wanted to get angry, but with Father Tang present, she held back. She didn't allow Du Guqing to say anything nonsense.
Du Guqing looked at Mei Qingxue affectionately, then quickly put the Gelsemium elegans into his mouth, chewed it a few times, and swallowed it. Mei Qingxue quickly handed him the water.
Now Father Tang was also so nervous that he didn't dare to say a word. He clenched his hands tightly, and his palms were slowly filled with sweat. Fine beads of sweat also appeared on his forehead.
Time passed by second by second. In a blink of an eye, half a stick of incense had passed. Mei Qingxue and Father Tang's two pairs of eyes were fixed on Du Guqing, but he showed no reaction at all.
The more this was the case, the more Mei Qingxue felt like she was being roasted on a fire. She was extremely anxious. As time went on, she became even more nervous, and her eyebrows were tightly knitted together.
"You've already taken it. There's no turning back now. Why are you still so nervous? Your nervousness is making me nervous too," Du Guqing saw her nervousness and wanted to comfort her.
Mei Qingxue's expression became even more solemn, and her eyes were slightly red.
Du Guqing looked at his wife's anxious face. He couldn't bear to joke anymore. He looked at his wife's face intently. "See? I'm fine," he said, and was about to give Mei Qingxue a smile.
But just as the smile was half - formed, there was a "puff" sound, and a large mouthful of black blood spurted out of his mouth.