But retreating further was useless. He watched as Doctor Yan was escorted into the hall by the crowd, his breathing growing heavier. He lifted his feet to walk outside, but after only a few steps, he ran headlong into Lianqiao and involuntarily stopped.

“What is it?” he asked, his tone not very pleasant, and then thought of his mother. If Lady Fan were still here, things wouldn’t have developed to this point—she always had ways to extinguish his father’s fury. But then he thought of Han Zhengqing’s revenge, and resentment toward Lady Fan spread through his heart. If she hadn’t been so ruthless back then, Han Zhi could still be of use to him now. He was much more useful than that waste Wei Yansheng. If Han Zhi hadn’t died, then naturally Han Zhengqing wouldn’t present one face while secretly using this to frame him.

Lianqiao had been terrified of Lady Fan in the past and wasn’t particularly afraid of Prince Dongping, but seeing Prince Dongping’s current appearance, she couldn’t help but hesitate again, her eyes showing timidity as she carefully lowered her head to report: “Your Highness, Nanny Qi requests an audience.”

Nanny Qi… Zhou Weiqi’s originally rigid gaze slowly moved, and his feet had already automatically reacted, beginning to walk outside: “When did she enter the palace?”

At this time, Nanny Qi could actually enter the palace?! How did she manage that? Thinking this far, his heart couldn’t help but sink again. Entering the palace at this time—if the Imperial Guard found out, she’d inevitably be dragged away for interrogation. What if something was revealed during such an interrogation? Harboring these chaotic thoughts, he walked faster and faster, finally reaching Fan Liangdi’s bedchamber. After sitting down, he looked at Nanny Qi with an unpleasant expression: “What are you here for?!”

Back when he’d gone to ask Nanny Qi what Fan Liangdi had instructed when she died, it was Nanny Qi who said Fan Liangdi had mentioned sending a letter to Han Zhengqing. That was what made him think of approaching Han Zhengqing. Thinking of this, the anger in his heart continuously surged upward.

Nanny Qi felt her scalp go numb under his gaze, and her legs went soft as she knelt on the ground: “Your Highness, Vice Minister asked me to enter. I’ve been waiting since this morning until now…”

In other words, Nanny Qi had entered the palace before the Crown Prince was poisoned. Zhou Weiqi’s expression worsened, his heart bristling with unease, his voice rising several degrees: “What did he have you come in for?!”

“It’s about Marquis Jinxiang!” Nanny Qi hurriedly straightened her back and looked at Zhou Weiqi hesitantly: “Marquis Jinxiang sent a letter back and had Vice Minister deliver it to you.”

This was something they’d done habitually before, except the recipient had changed from Fan Liangdi to Prince Dongping. Hearing the three words “Marquis Jinxiang,” Zhou Weiqi’s eyebrows twitched. He reached out to take the letter, shook it open to glance at it, and his expression grew increasingly worse.

The letter was blank. There was nothing inside, not a single word.

Gripping the paper, his hand applied so much force that his veins bulged and his fingernails had turned white. Sitting in his chair, his expression was ugly. What did Han Zhengqing mean by sending such a sheet of paper?!

He straightened up to question Nanny Qi when Nanny Fang rushed hurriedly into the hall from outside to tell him: “Your Highness! His Highness the Crown Prince is all right now!” Her voice was loud, making Zhou Weiqi’s ears buzz.

The white paper in his hand floated lightly to the ground, and he looked at Nanny Fang with blank terror, opening his mouth but ultimately not uttering a single word.

Nanny Fang swallowed and didn’t notice his ashen expression. In her heart, His Highness the Crown Prince was Prince Dongping’s last pillar of support and absolutely couldn’t have an accident. Now that the Crown Prince was fine, naturally it was excellent news.

Prince Dongping’s throat moved as he swallowed with difficulty, his eyes widening: “He’s all right?”

Nanny Fang saw that his expression was off and immediately restrained her previously jubilant demeanor: “Not exactly all right, but Doctor Yan said he might wake up. He said if he can wake before tomorrow evening, there shouldn’t be any serious problems.”

Zhou Weiqi’s throat ached, and drawing a single breath felt like being stabbed with needles. He didn’t react for a long time, like a wooden puppet.

Nanny Qi looked at him, then at Nanny Fang, so frightened that her teeth chattered audibly. She softly called out “Your Highness,” and seeing Zhou Weiqi look toward her, her voice grew even smaller: “Marquis Jinxiang… also has words for me to convey to you.”

Zhou Weiqi’s patience had reached its limit, and his nerves were strung as tight as a bow drawn to release. With Nanny Qi’s words, the string in his mind snapped with a crack. He was as agitated as a caged lion, shouting at Nanny Qi: “Then why didn’t you say so earlier?!”

Nanny Qi was so frightened by his shout that her liver and gallbladder felt torn apart. Her hands pressed against the ground as she trembled. This time she spoke everything in one breath: “Marquis Jinxiang said you shouldn’t be afraid, that you’re not necessarily finished.”

Zhou Weiqi gave a cold laugh, his gaze fixed tightly on her without relaxing for a moment. As expected, it was Han Zhengqing! As expected, it was Han Zhengqing! He was like a wounded wild beast, giving a muffled grunt, his tone full of resentment: “Why does he want to harm me! Why!”

Nanny Fang listened in confusion but knew something was wrong. She alertly fell silent and stood to the side.

Nanny Qi nearly knocked her head into the mirror-bright floor tiles, cold sweat streaming down along the tile cracks: “The Marquis also said… also said you can push the responsibility onto His Highness the Grand Prince before the Crown Prince. His Highness the Crown Prince will believe it.”

Zhou Weiqi was about to lose his temper when he heard Nanny Qi’s voice, barely audible, say again: “That, that food taster—he will also confess that the ginseng was sent by His Highness the Grand Prince, which is why he didn’t taste it…”

Zhou Weiqi froze in place. He completely couldn’t understand what Han Zhengqing wanted to do anymore. What exactly did Han Zhengqing mean? Vexed and confused, looking at Nanny Qi made his anger flare: “Is there anything else? Say it all clearly in one breath!”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Nanny Qi kowtowed repeatedly, her entire body prostrate on the ground: “The Marquis said you needn’t worry, that he won’t move against you. He said if you do as he says, nothing will happen to you. You just tell His Highness the Crown Prince that the ginseng was the Grand Prince’s plot to frame you. His Highness the Crown Prince will believe it…”

Zhou Weiqi grew even more confused. He stood up and paced back and forth restlessly in the room, pondering whether Han Zhengqing’s words were true or false. Han Zhengqing had said before that he absolutely bore no grudge against his mother, yet didn’t he still trick him into giving his father a poisoned ginseng? Now Han Zhengqing was saying he could claim Zhou Weizhao sent the ginseng—who would believe such words? He absolutely couldn’t get past his father’s scrutiny…

Nanny Qi seemed to see through his hesitation and shrank her neck again: “The Marquis said you needn’t worry. His Highness the Crown Prince has no choice. He will certainly push it onto His Highness the Grand Prince. Even if he wants to find trouble with you, that will be a matter for later. But later… you’ll be his only son…”