Jie teaches the Immortal Sweeping Heaven’s Cultivation of All Heavens

Fortunately, not all the imperial physicians died; they were expelled from the Imperial Hospital.

Having survived the ordeal, these imperial physicians dared not linger in the capital and left with their families.

The Imperial Medical Academy has lost almost half its staff, creating many empty seats immediately.

Bian Xiuwen, being "honest," was promoted in his official position.

Now, he is able to get close to high-ranking concubines and the emperor.

The emperor's health was always taken care of by imperial physicians, but sometimes other imperial physicians were needed to check his pulse.

Bian Xiuwen became one of them.

Xiao Luzi: "Bian Xiuwen said that the Emperor was afflicted with a Gu poison. This Gu poison can drain a person's life force, making their body weaker and weaker. The imperial physicians couldn't diagnose the Gu poison and only thought that the Emperor was upset because of the Crown Prince's affair, which damaged his health. If he hadn't read one of the rare medical books you collected, he wouldn't have discovered the existence of the Gu poison."

Liu Dong: This Gu worm must have been given to the Emperor by the Imperial Concubine. But how could a woman in the harem obtain a Gu worm from Miao territory? The Song family has absolutely no connection with Miao.

Liu Tong: "I've asked you to keep an eye on the Imperial Concubine's side."

Xiao Luzi agreed.

Although Liu Dong is no longer the fourth prince, he still has people in the palace.

Liu Tong: "This time, the fifth brother is the biggest winner."

Three days later, Liu Dong finally regained her mobility.

He put on makeup and walked out of the courtyard.

At this time, the streets gradually returned to their lively state.

Liu Tong arrived at the Fourth Prince's residence. White lanterns hung at the gate, and the mourning hall inside had not yet been dismantled.

But not many people went to pay their respects; the gatekeeper was so bored he was yawning.

Ah, the world is so cold and indifferent, nothing could be more so.

However, the Duke of Song's mansion sent people to help with the funeral arrangements.

The Duke of Song did not appear in person; instead, a member of a collateral branch of the Song family came to help.

He stood at the Fourth Prince's residence for a while, then turned and left.

The gatekeeper glanced at them curiously before looking away.

Who is that person? I don't know them.

Liu Dong went to the restaurant he used to frequent when he was the fourth prince.

Although Xiao Luzi's cooking skills are excellent, she still needs to change things up occasionally.

Moreover, he has been keeping an eye on the Imperial Concubine these days and has been unable to come back on time to cook for Liu Tong, so he has been eating out.

The restaurant was doing very well, with a lot of customers.

This is because the food here is very novel and delicious.

Liu later learned that the restaurant belonged to the Fifth Prince.

The dishes are all adapted from modern recipes, with a rich variety of seasonings; it would be strange if they weren't delicious.

Liu Dong entered the restaurant, intending to find a table to sit at, but as her gaze shifted, she spotted several familiar figures.

It was the Duke of Song and the Fifth Prince.

Two others were members of the Song family, one of whom was Song Xuelan's biological father.

Did you get on board so quickly?

Liu Dong asked the waiter to take him to a private room, which was next to the Fifth Prince's room.

The restaurant's soundproofing was pretty good, but Liu Dong, with her keen senses, could still hear the sounds from next door.

This meeting was arranged by Song Xuelan's biological father.

With the fourth prince dead, the Song family had no choice but to find another partner.

As Song Xuelan's husband, the Fifth Prince became the Song family's best partner.

In fact, given the current situation, of the several adult princes, only the eldest prince and the fifth prince are still alive and well, while the youngest prince is only five or six years old.

The next candidates for crown prince are the eldest prince and the fifth prince.

The ministers began to choose a new master.

Compared to the fifth prince, who was a "spoiled brat," the eldest prince, who was a "reckless man," was more valued by the ministers.

Therefore, many people sought refuge with the First Prince, and his residence was bustling with activity. The Fifth Prince chuckled at this.

He truly didn't take the eldest prince seriously.

With such a high profile, doesn't he know he's already offended the emperor?
Song Xuelan's biological father spoke to the Fifth Prince very enthusiastically, as if he had become the spokesperson for the Song family.

A glint flashed in the eyes of the Duke of Song.

I had wanted to teach this guy a lesson before, but the plan was put on hold because of the Crown Prince's affair.

It now seems that a mere scolding isn't enough.

A hint of impatience flashed in the Fifth Prince's eyes.

His nominal father-in-law was the Duke of Song, not this clown.

So what if he's your biological father?
He even schemed against his own father, let alone the princess's father.

Fifth Prince: "Lord Duke, I have some matters to discuss with you. What do you think..."

Duke Song said to Song Xuelan's father, "You all go out first."

Song Xuelan's biological father: "Your Highness, son-in-law, can't I stay?"

The Fifth Prince smiled politely: "This is Lord Song, my father-in-law is the Duke of Song."

Song Xuelan's biological father was slapped hard in the face, his face turning both blue and red, and he was pulled out of the room by another member of the clan.

Only the two of them remained in the room. The Fifth Prince took out something and handed it to the Duke of Song.

The Duke of Song took it and was greatly surprised: "How did this thing end up in your hands?"

This is a token that only the direct descendants of the Song family possess.

Fifth Prince: "It was given to me by the Imperial Concubine."

"Why would the Imperial Concubine give you this token?"

Fifth Prince: "Because the Imperial Concubine has long been working with me."

Song Guogong: "..."

Even as the elder brother of the Imperial Concubine, the Duke of Song did not understand his younger sister.

Why would someone with a son like the Fourth Prince still collude with other princes?

The Song family has already paid a heavy price to support the fourth prince's ascension to the throne. If the fourth prince does not ascend to the throne, the Song family will be unable to continue paying the price.

Did the Imperial Concubine not consider her own family when she did this?
Liu Tong could understand the Imperial Concubine's thoughts.

This is a mother's revenge.

The Imperial Concubine hated the Emperor, and she also hated the Fourth Prince who had taken the title of her son.

She might even resent that he had long forgotten the Third Prince and turned to the Song family of the Fourth Prince.

However, she still left a way out for the Song family.

They persuaded the Song family to side with the Fifth Prince.

The Fifth Prince did not have much power in the court, and the Song family's allegiance to him allowed both sides to benefit.

When the Fifth Prince ascends the throne, the Song family will undoubtedly have contributed to his ascension.

After finishing her food, Liu Tong packed another portion to make dinner for Xiao Luzi.

Xiao Luzi came back very late, so the food could only be used as a late-night snack.

Xiao Luzi quickly finished his food and filled his stomach before reporting to Liu Tong about the situation of monitoring the Imperial Concubine.

The Imperial Concubine met someone today, a minor concubine in the harem.

This young concubine was the daughter of the magistrate of a small county in the south. The Gu worm was given to the imperial concubine by this young concubine.

Liu Tong: "The county magistrate's daughter? Even if she is the county magistrate's daughter, she couldn't possibly possess the Miao people's Gu worms. Send someone to the south to investigate this woman's background."

How did the high-ranking imperial concubine and the lowly concubine become entangled?
There's a conspiracy at play here, and it probably doesn't originate from within, but rather from outside.

Liu Tong disliked the emperor.

When Emperor Qianming dies, he will applaud and cheer.

But he didn't want to see the turmoil caused by Emperor Qianming's death, nor did he want to see the country and its people plunged into danger and misfortune. (End of Chapter)