“Beyond saving?” Shen Xihe responded with a question rather than an answer.

After brief contemplation, Xie Yunhuai said, “Three years ago, in Fengzhou’s Lin Feng County, I witnessed an old man save a child who was bleeding from seven orifices after consuming poisonous mushrooms.”

“Poisonous mushrooms!” Shen Xihe’s eyes narrowed. “Mo Yuan, go now and investigate Bian Xianyi’s whereabouts! Also, investigate the Imperial Medical Office’s physician apprentice!”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Princess, what exactly has happened?” Xie Yunhuai noticed something was amiss with Shen Xihe’s mood.

“I originally didn’t want to involve you in this matter.” Shen Xihe sighed softly. She hadn’t mentioned Xie Yunhuai to Emperor Youning while in the palace, and after leaving, she hadn’t informed Xie Yunhuai about the palace affairs, precisely because she didn’t want to implicate him.

Had she known it would turn out this way, she should have told Xie Yunhuai earlier about yesterday’s incident with Bian Xianyi in the palace: “Bian Dajia bled from seven orifices and died before me. Later it was confirmed she had deliberately taken poison. I couldn’t understand why she suddenly targeted me—it seemed, unlike her usual shrewdness and patience. Only today did I dare to guess that she might have faked her death.”

“Faked her death?” Xie Yunhuai didn’t understand.

The purpose behind a songstress faking her death.

“She and the Sixth Prince were in love. The Sixth Prince has now gone to Tianshan. Tianshan is vast and treacherous. What if the Sixth Prince also meets with an ‘accident’ in Tianshan?” Shen Xihe’s emphasis on the word “accident” was meaningful.

Xie Yunhuai showed slight surprise, then sighed softly: “If it’s truly as the Princess suggests, it’s indeed a rare depth of love.”

“Indeed.” Shen Xihe nodded in agreement.

She hadn’t thought of this possibility earlier for two reasons. First, Bian Xianyi’s manner of death had been too horrific, giving everyone the impression of being forced to death.

Thinking about it now, Bian Xianyi was a woman of exceptional beauty. Even though she didn’t place much importance on appearance, she still cherished her natural beauty. Among the thousands of lethal poisons in the world, why would she choose one so grotesque?

Second, Shen Xihe wasn’t someone who believed in love between men and women, so she hadn’t considered that Xiao Changyu, a prince who enjoyed all glory and wealth, could not only obtain Bian Xianyi but would also strive desperately to make her his official wife, and even be willing to abandon everything for her.

This depth of love was something Shen Xihe had never witnessed before.

Mo Yuan quickly brought back the physician apprentice who had taken Bian Xianyi’s pulse yesterday. He was just an ordinary imperial physician without rank.

“This humble one pays respects to the Princess. May I ask what the Princess requires?” The physician apprentice, Fang Yigong, asked respectfully.

The Princess had summoned him claiming physical discomfort, but he understood in his heart that he hadn’t earned the Princess’s trust yet. Summoning him for consultation was merely a pretext.

Seeing Fang Yigong standing alive before her, Shen Xihe knew he must be innocent, but still asked, “Was Bian Dajia’s poison truly beyond saving yesterday?”

Fang Yigong knew Shen Xihe was involved in yesterday’s events, so he answered very carefully: “Princess, with this humble one’s ability, there was no power to reverse heaven’s will.”

Shen Xihe sighed lightly: “As expected of Bian Xianyi.”

Bian Xianyi was just a dancer. Under normal circumstances, she might have been able to request one or two physicians of profound medical skill and high moral character, but when all the Imperial Medical Office physicians were gathered at the Eastern Palace, she could only employ ordinary physicians still in training like this.

Therefore, it was understandable that he couldn’t detect the irregularities in her pulse.

She had calculated every step. This way, she didn’t need to conspire with another person, adding another risk factor or requiring another harsh measure, which might have made people suspicious of her cause of death.

Xie Yunhuai knew Shen Xihe was concerned about Bian Xianyi using her as a means of escape. After some thought, he said to Fang Yigong: “Physician Fang, I have some knowledge of medicine. Might I inquire about Bian Dajia’s pulse conditions and symptoms from yesterday?”

Fang Yigong was only in his twenties. Before he entered the Imperial Medical Office, Xie Yunhuai had already left the capital, so he didn’t recognize him. He could only look toward Shen Xihe, awaiting instructions.

“Tell everything you know from yesterday to Doctor Qi,” Shen Xihe commanded.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Physician Fang, this way please…”

Xie Yunhuai knew Shen Xihe still needed to question Mo Yuan about Bian Xianyi’s whereabouts, so he used this opportunity to lead Fang Yigong outside.

“Princess, Bian Dajia has been prepared for burial but not yet sealed in her coffin. However, since she died from poison, her corpse has already decayed, becoming unrecognizable,” Mo Yuan reported.

“Watertight,” Shen Xihe nodded. This was the final reason why Bian Xianyi had chosen such a horrifying poison.

The poison was rare, and no one knew the symptoms after poisoning. Her appearance before “death” had been so horrifying that when her body rapidly decomposed after one day of “death,” no one found it suspicious.

The person was dead, without evidence. What Shen Xihe knew was merely conjecture. She couldn’t examine the corpse—that would be disrespectful to the dead.

She didn’t care if people said she was overbearing. Rather, she knew that examining the corpse now wouldn’t reveal any useful clues. She had ultimately realized one step too late.

“Princess.” At this moment, Xie Yunhuai stepped in. “After hearing the physician’s account, I suspect Bian Dajia’s poisoning might just be superficial.”

“Superficial?” Shen Xihe walked over gracefully, her long dress trailing behind her as she held her silk wrap.

“Yes. Regarding the poisoned child that day, I happened to be present and learned a thing or two. This kind of poison requires immediate treatment. Given that Bian Dajia was poisoned in full view of everyone in the palace, it would take until at least deep night before someone could secretly help her. The treatment would be too late.”

Xie Yunhuai analyzed while looking at Shen Xihe: “Therefore, she likely didn’t take mushroom poison, but rather another type that could withstand delay. As for bleeding from the seven orifices, it wasn’t caused by toxins, but rather someone had already performed acupuncture on her. This person’s acupuncture skills were exceptional. Even I couldn’t achieve such a level.”

“It must be someone from the Imperial Medical Office’s acupuncture department.” Bian Xianyi hadn’t left the palace.

This kind of manipulation needed to be performed that day. The Imperial Medical Office’s acupuncture department had only about fifty people. Excluding those who weren’t present yesterday and those gathered at the Eastern Palace, not many remained.

“That can be investigated.” However, this wasn’t what Xie Yunhuai wanted to investigate. “If my deduction is correct, she can’t leave the capital for now. She needs this person who performed acupuncture on her to continue treatment for three days. One slight mistake and she’ll barely be able to move.”

“Investigate. I must catch her,” Shen Xihe ordered Mo Yuan.

She had worked so hard, enduring so much torment to nurse her body back to health. Bian Xianyi, for her selfish purposes, had destroyed a month and more of her efforts, leaving her in her current state.

Although Xie Yunhuai repeatedly said he could help her recover, Shen Xihe wasn’t discouraged, but she understood the opportunity Xie Yunhuai took great comfort in.

If Bian Xianyi dared to do this, she must be prepared to face the consequences!

While Shen Xihe continued investigating along this line, at night, Xiao Huayong’s reply also reached Cui Jinbai’s hands.

Although it was only three characters, it was enough for Cui Jinbai to understand Xiao Huayong’s intentions. He immediately sent word to Tianyuan. Tianyuan could move very conveniently within the palace, especially in the Imperial Medical Office where they had their people.

Soon they also discovered how Bian Xianyi had deceived everyone.