Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 215 Chaos
The hall suddenly fell into chaos.

The Empress Dowager abruptly stopped holding her prayer beads, her face grave as she uttered a low, solemn command.

"Summon the imperial physician immediately..."

"Yes!"

A young eunuch hurried away.

Xue Sui gazed at Lu Xi's trembling fingertips, then with a slight sway of her wide sleeves, she stepped forward and knelt down, placing her fingertips on Empress Xie's wrist.

"Where is Your Majesty feeling unwell?"

Empress Xie's brows furrowed into a tight knot, cold sweat pouring down her face. She forced herself to shake her head and said, "It's alright... Don't let my presence disrupt the festive banquet."

Xue Sui glanced at her face, paused slightly when taking her pulse, then thoughtfully pinched her Neiguan acupoint and slowly kneaded it.

"Your Majesty's pulse is normal, but she has been overworked and has some internal heat disturbing her mind. She needs to rest and recuperate..."

As she applied pressure with her fingertips, Empress Xie's pale face visibly regained color, and her breathing gradually calmed down.

She gently raised her eyes and waved her fingers lightly, "Perhaps I'm too tired from managing the palace banquet, and I feel palpitations and dizziness for a moment. I'll be fine after resting for two days after the banquet."

Xue Sui smiled and said, "Your Majesty has worked hard for the Great Liang. Please take care of your health."

Lu Xi stared longingly at Xue Sui.

Seeing her gracefully retreating, about to return to her seat, he couldn't help but frown.

"Everyone says that Consort Xue is a highly skilled physician with many methods to cure diseases and save lives, but Your Highness is being so perfunctory..."

"Your Majesty is wise. There are imperial physicians on duty in the palace, and I dare not offer medicine without authorization."

After saying this, Xue Sui calmly took out a small celadon bottle from his purse.

"This medicine calms the mind and soothes the spirit. If Your Majesty does not mind, you may carry it with you to dispel impurities..."

Speaking of foul air, she glanced at Lu Xi almost imperceptibly.

Empress Xie gladly accepted it: "Thank you for your trouble."

Lu Xi unconsciously stroked the bracelet on her wrist, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Princess Ping Le had predicted she was stepping into the trap.

Empress Xie gently opened the bottle cap, took a sniff, and immediately felt a subtle fragrance lingering in the air, which cleared her mind.

She placed the porcelain vase in her sleeve and said with a smile, "I acquired a piece of kesi fabric the other day. Its vibrant colors are perfect for a young lady like you. Why not bestow it upon the concubine to make a winter coat?"

Xue Sui quickly declined, curtsied in gratitude.

"This humble woman is of lowly status and of uncouth appearance; I fear she may sully Your Majesty's gift..."

"What are you saying? The beauty of a concubine is rarely seen in this world." Empress Xie smiled and gestured for her to rise.

Xue Sui then straightened his robes and thanked him.

At that moment, an announcement was suddenly made from outside the palace.

"Princess Tuya has arrived..."

Everyone's eyes immediately turned to the palace gate.

This princess, who came from afar as a bride, is the most mysterious saintess of the Kingdom of Xiz and the new favorite of Emperor Chongzhao...

But she has never left the palace since she entered it, and the emperor has exempted her from the formalities. Why is she here to join in the fun today?

Everyone stared at her curiously, their eyes glued to her, not daring to blink.

Several women from Siz entered gracefully. The woman at the front had her face covered by a light veil, with a ruby ​​pendant on her forehead dappling her eyes. She wore a moonlit silk dress, and the flowing sleeves released a subtle fragrance. Her exquisite figure was faintly visible in the candlelight. Two maids beside her also jingled with their jade pendants.

"May Your Majesty the Empress Dowager live a long and prosperous life, and may the Empress enjoy peace and good health. We respectfully wish the entire palace joy, happiness, and lasting blessings."

The Empress Dowager nodded slightly. "Please take a seat."

Princess Tuya gracefully took her seat, while Consort Xiao stared intently at the vibrant color, her nails digging deeply into her palms.

"Princess Tuya's dance is so beautiful that it's famous throughout the capital. She only performs for His Majesty. It wouldn't be right not to add some enjoyment for the Empress Dowager, would it? Why not take advantage of today's Mid-Autumn Festival to let us feast our eyes on her beauty..."

These words were a veiled compliment, comparing Tuya to a court musician.

Forcing her to perform a dance and make her please the dignitaries in public is truly degrading...

Princess Tuya was not angry; she simply rose calmly and gave a slight bow.

"As the Empress Dowager commands."

Empress Dowager Chengqing smiled kindly, "Then you may dance as you please, and let me and all the noble ladies broaden our horizons."

Princess Tuya curtsied and said, "Yes."

The clear and melodious music began.

Princess Tuya twirled into the air, her dance as graceful as flowing clouds. Her face was partially veiled by a light gauze, appearing hazy and indistinct. When she finished, the crowd cheered. With a flick of her wide sleeves, she gracefully returned to her seat, not speaking to anyone, her expression indifferent and aloof, as if she were detached from everything.

It is truly mysterious and unpredictable.

All eyes in the hall fell on her.
The Empress Dowager summoned Tuya, "Princess, why don't you remove your veil and let me see the splendor of this beauty from the Western Regions?"

"Your Majesty, I have been practicing at Mount Ulan since childhood, and according to the teachings, I am not allowed to show my true face to others."

Her voice was clear and melodious, like a spring.

Listen closely, and it sounds like the clear echo of a mountain stream, or the crisp chill of a snow lotus just beginning to bloom.

"A sacred mountain?" The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow and asked with interest, "I've heard that the gods on the mountain know the secrets of heaven and can predict human fortune and misfortune?"

Princess Tuya gently shook her head, "The saintess of Xiz has always only concerned herself with divine matters, not with worldly affairs."

The Empress Dowager paused slightly, then stopped asking questions, her expression growing colder.

"You may return to your seat."

Seeing this, Empress Xie picked up her teacup and took a sip. Just as she was about to speak to smooth things over, she suddenly felt dizzy, the candlelight in front of her flickered and blurred, and a ringing sound filled her ears...

The teacup in his hand slammed to the ground with a thud.

The people inside the hall gasped in surprise.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, what's wrong..."

Lu Xi hurriedly helped the Empress up, his anxious voice laced with a deliberately raised shrill tone.

Empress Xie clutched her chest and shook her head in displeasure.

Lu Xi suddenly turned around and pointed at Xue Sui.

"Consort Xue, there must be something wrong with the medicine you gave Her Majesty!"

Xue Sui sneered.

Her flustered demeanor showed no trace of any attempt to frame someone. How could Ping Le be at ease? Could Lu Xi, a pampered young lady, not give herself away when doing such a thing in front of everyone?

Her gaze fell on Lu Xi's guilty face. "Miss Lu must be confused. It was Miss Lu who served Her Majesty the tea, and Miss Lu was by Her Majesty's side the whole time. How can you blame me?"

Lu Xi's face flushed red. "You must have tampered with something when you got close just now..."

He then anxiously tried to explain, "Perhaps there's something strange about the bottle."

“Second Miss Lu…” Empress Xie grabbed her wrist, shook her head, and forced her eyes open. “I just suddenly felt dizzy, there’s nothing serious, you don’t need to make wild guesses…”

"Your Majesty, please take care of yourself and don't frighten me." Lu Xi squatted down and held Empress Xie's arm, her fingertips suddenly tightening slightly, feeling a little strange.

Ping Le said that this poison was colorless and odorless, extremely toxic, and would kill someone in less than half an hour.

But she had been drugging her for so long, and although Empress Xie looked unwell, she was only somewhat weak. She could still speak and calm everyone down, showing no signs of being fatal...

She was filled with doubt and unease.

"Your Majesty, how are you feeling now?"

Empress Xie shook her head.

Xue Sui walked slowly closer, dipped his fingertips in the tea on the ground, and when he looked up, his eyes seemed to be filled with ice.

"May I be so bold as to ask if the bracelet Miss Lu is wearing today is made of agarwood, a tribute from Nanzi?"

Lu Xi's expression changed slightly, and he covered his bracelet.

"What is it, so what is it not?"

Xue Sui said calmly, "Your Majesty's ginseng tea contains snowmelt grass, which clashes with agarwood. No wonder Your Majesty felt uncomfortable upon smelling it."

Amidst gasps from the entire hall, Lu Xi retreated in a panic, saying, "This humble woman has never heard of such an absurd claim. It seems that Consort Xue is all talk and no action, possessing neither real talent nor knowledge of pharmacology."

Xue Sui: "Since Miss Lu is well-versed in pharmacology, how could she not know the risks involved? Could it be that she did this on purpose?"

Lu Xi was furious.

"You're talking nonsense—"

Her eyes were bloodshot, and she suddenly lunged at Xue Sui.

Ping Le said that Xue Sui had a brand on her lower back that could prove she was a Xiz spy; if she could just strip off her clothes in court, the crime could be confirmed.

No one expected Lu Xi to suddenly launch an attack.

In the chaos, Xue Sui's back slammed into the dragon pillar, and Lu Xi grabbed her fiercely and scratched her frantically.

In a flash, with a soft tearing sound, Lu Xi ripped open the gold-embroidered outer garment, revealing a faint old scar below the shoulder blade—

Lu Xi's exclamation pierced through the commotion in the hall. "My God, why does she have such horrific scars on her body..."

All eyes were fixed on Xue Sui.

The air seemed to freeze.

The noble ladies had never witnessed such a horrifying scene before, with their clothes torn in public...

Even more horrifying were the scars on Xue Sui's body...

They couldn't believe that the dignified concubine of Prince Duan was such a despicable person...

Where did these scars come from? What kind of person is she?

Lu Xi gripped Xue Sui's sleeve tightly, her tone growing increasingly sharp, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty the Empress, do you still remember that theft case uncovered by the Ministry of War? That female spy seduced the Minister of War, stole the secret firearms blueprints of the Shenbi Battalion, and then mysteriously disappeared after being interrogated—I've heard that the female spy had a branding mark left on her waist by the Ministry of War during questioning—"

"Witch!" Consort Xiao suddenly stood up, her red nail polish practically stabbing Xue Sui's nose. "I saw the brand on the waist of the Ministry of War spy three years ago with my own eyes..."

The hall fell into a sudden, deathly silence.

The affair of Narcissus, a spy, shocked the court and the public at the time, and had remained unresolved for a long time; everyone knew about it…

Stepping through the iron shoes, there is nowhere to find it, and it takes no effort to get it.

The crowd looked surprised and fearful.

Lu Xi looked indignant and pointed at Xue Sui with righteous indignation.

"Sixth Master Xue, Consort Xue, what else do you have to say?"

Xue Sui: "That depends on what Miss Lu wants to hear."

Before Lu Xi could speak, the newly enthroned Consort Xiao had already pointed at Xue Sui and launched the first attack...

"What a cunning spy! You managed to escape last time, but let's see where you run this time..."

Xue Sui stared into her eyes and slowly placed his hand on her waist.

There were no men in the hall, only women. No one expected that after she smiled, she would suddenly and gently pull off half of her sleeve and outer garment, and with a turn of her slender waist, reveal a large expanse of skin on her back to everyone.

"The brand Your Majesty spoke of, could it be this peony?"

Lu Xi's expression changed.

Where the brand should have been so menacing, the skin was smooth as jade, and among the petals outlined in gold ink, a lifelike peony was hidden.

Consort Xiao was speechless with surprise, her face turning pale as she stared at her smile, feeling a rush of blood to her throat and her vision blurring.

"Why did the brand on your waist turn into a peony?"

"I've disappointed Your Majesty." Xue Sui straightened her clothes and smiled gently.

“I am not a brand, but a scar…”

After saying that, he turned his head to look at Xue Yuechen.

“I was injured in an accident last time and was left with an unsightly scar. My sister took pity on me and specially asked a female painter to paint it with gold ink.”

Lu Xi: "You're lying!"

Xue Sui: "How could Miss Lu know my injuries better than I do? Could it be that you were the one who injured me?"

Lu Xi: "You..."

Empress Dowager Chengqing's gaze swept between the two of them before finally settling on Xue Yuechen, who sat silently.

"Princess Consort Duan, shall you speak?"

"Your Majesty..." Xue Yuechen clenched her palms, forcing herself to put on a proper smile, "Your Majesty can testify. When Consort Wan was assassinated at the palace, my sister shielded her with her own body, leaving this scar... I couldn't bear to see her weeping in front of the mirror every day, so I specially asked an artist to paint this."

“Grandmother, I can also testify.” Wen Jia stepped forward and knelt in the hall, her expression resolute, and stood up. “That day, on the way to the palace with Consort Wan, we were ambushed by Xiz assassins. It was Consort Xue who—disregarded her own safety and saved me and Consort Wan…”

After saying that, she looked coldly at Consort Xiao.

"Those so-called Xiz assassins were later proven to be assassins raised by the Xiao family, and the Consort's elder brother, Xiao Jing, died tragically in prison as a result..."

Everyone gasped.

The death of Xiao Jing was a hidden pain that the Xiao family did not want to face, and a taboo that the palace servants dared not mention in front of Consort Xiao.

Wen Jia spoke slowly and deliberately, each word like a knife stabbing at Consort Xiao's heart.

The noblewomen dared not look directly at Consort Xiao's gloomy face.

Consort Xiao trembled all over, inexplicably recalling the ear that had been sent from the Eastern Palace...

My heart aches as if it's being torn apart, as if it's bleeding.

"You shameless hussy, don't think you can get away with this by changing your tactics—"

"Today, I'm going to skin you alive..."

She gritted her teeth and sneered, making a move to approach and examine Xue Sui's floral painting...

however……

Before she could even touch Xue Sui, she swayed, suddenly clutched her chest, and let out a wails as black blood spilled from the corner of her mouth. Before she could cry for help, her limbs began to convulse uncontrollably, and she fell straight backward.

With a clang, the golden hairpin fell to the ground.

The sound of jewels mingling with intermittent sobs pierced the air within the hall...

The candlelight dimmed.

Consort Xiao collapsed to the ground, trembling as she pointed at Xue Sui.

"You...you...plotted to murder me..."

Change can happen in an instant.

The noblewomen turned pale with fright, and the ladies of high birth were so frightened that they stammered.

In their panic, some people knocked over tables and tumbled delicacies and jade cups to the ground. Others covered their mouths with handkerchiefs, but could not suppress the screams that rose and fell.

Someone cried out, "Quickly, where is the imperial physician? Why hasn't the imperial physician come yet? Her Majesty is vomiting blood..."

"Report——"

"Your Majesty - Your Majesty -"

The shrill announcement shattered the festive atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.

The eunuch scrambled and stumbled into the East Hall.

"Your Majesty! The Imperial Concubine... the Imperial Concubine is bleeding from all seven orifices..."

The palace banquet immediately descended into chaos.

Emperor Chongzhao, his dragon robe fluttering, strode swiftly across the messy ground.

Li Huan and Li Zhao followed closely behind, accompanied by palace attendants carrying lanterns. Their hurried footsteps created a cacophony of soft sounds on the ground, and an atmosphere of tension was palpable.

"My beloved consort—" Emperor Chongzhao knelt down and lifted Consort Xiao up, his fingertips stroking her face.

Consort Xiao's eyes trembled, and terrifying blood vessels appeared in the whites of her eyes.

"Your Majesty...save...your concubine..."

Aside from gurgling sounds coming from his throat, he could no longer speak...

Only her hands remained, gripping Emperor Chongzhao's robes tightly. Her face was bluish-purple, her pupils were unfocused, and blood seeping from the corner of her mouth stained the gold-embroidered hem of her robe, making her resemble a blooming datura flower.

Emperor Chongzhao embraced her, his eyes red and swollen: "Imperial Physician! Imperial Physician!"

The imperial physician staggered in, his fingertips trembling as he took the pulse for a moment, then suddenly knelt down, his face ashen.

"Your Majesty... Consort Gui has been poisoned, her internal organs have been invaded, and I... I am a poor physician, unable to save her. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

Everyone inside the hall fell silent, not daring to utter a sound.

Lu Xi's face turned deathly pale. She gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, her legs weak, and leaned against the dragon pillar. It took her a moment to regain her senses.

"Consort Xue, aren't you skilled in medicine? Why don't you come and see Her Majesty?"

Xue Sui then slowly stepped forward, lightly touching the side of Xiao Guifei's neck with his fingertips, and flipping open Xiao Guifei's lifeless eyelids with his other hand.

"This poison is extremely insidious. The Imperial Concubine's pulse has stopped. Even if the Great Golden Star were to arrive, it would be of no use..."

Lu Xi swayed, almost unable to stand.

The sight of Consort Xiao bleeding from all seven orifices perfectly matched Princess Ping Le's description of the horrific state caused by poisoning.

She couldn't understand why the Empress was fine, but Consort Xiao suddenly died...

A puppet blinded by ambition, though wicked, is still a young woman who has never killed anyone.

Lu Xi was completely flustered and unable to control the out-of-control situation. He silently retreated to Madam Lu's side, a far cry from his composed demeanor before the banquet.

"Second Miss Lu!"

Xue Sui called out to her, lowered her eyes to wipe her fingertips, slowly raised her head, and asked coldly:

"Have you had snakeberry juice on your hands?"

Two in one! Happy May Day! May you have great fortune and prosperity!