With New Year’s Eve approaching, the imperial palace blazed with colorful lanterns and gleaming jade pillars, presenting a scene of prosperity and peace. However, the Empress Dowager’s sleeping quarters showed a completely different atmosphere. The surroundings were filled with sobbing sounds, occasionally mixed with one or two sighs. Terrified palace maids knelt on the ground weeping, while the imperial physician sat heavily outside the vermillion bed curtains taking pulses, with Emperor Wen standing beside him, his brows perpetually furrowed. Everyone’s gaze was focused on the person lying within the vermillion curtains—flushed with fever yet unconscious.

The beautiful eyes that had been looking at her with smiles just moments before were now tightly closed, with no knowing when they might open again. But Yuanxi had no time for sighs and regrets. What worried her most at this moment was the safety of herself and the princess.

They had entered the palace in the morning and should have been the only outsiders the Empress Dowager had seen before collapsing. At that time, only the princess had remained alone in the hall. What exactly had happened when the Empress Dowager fainted was probably known only to the princess. If the Empress Dowager could wake up, that would be one thing, but if she couldn’t… Yuanxi’s heart raced wildly, not daring to think further.

The surrounding weeping sounds made her head throb. She raised her eyes and quietly spotted the princess in the crowd, her face deathly pale, almost crushing the brocade handkerchief in her hands. What exactly had happened between the Empress Dowager and the princess after she left? What was that slapping sound about? And why had the Empress Dowager suddenly fainted? All these questions swirled in her mind. If she couldn’t figure out the truth, she would be unable to prepare countermeasures for whatever might happen.

At this moment, the imperial physician finished examining the Empress Dowager’s pulse and carefully inspected the red rash on her wrists, frowning as he said, “The Empress Dowager’s symptoms appear to be orchid poisoning again.”

The current emperor was stunned, then roared furiously at those around him, “Who! Who brought orchids in here, knowing full well that the Empress Mother absolutely cannot touch anything related to orchids!”

The palace maids kneeling on the ground looked at each other through tearful eyes. Then one palace maid stepped forward, crying, “The teaching nanny had repeatedly instructed that the Empress Dowager would become seriously ill if she touched orchids, so we servants have always been extremely careful and could never have brought orchids in. But today Princess Rui’an brought Marquis Xuanyuan’s wife into the palace, and because of the princess’s noble status, we didn’t dare question them thoroughly. This is our fault—we deserve death.”

The current emperor’s rage had not subsided as he turned his gaze to Yuanxi and the princess. Only then did the princess come to her senses, hurriedly stepping forward, “In the year of Xinyou, the Empress Dowager suddenly fell unconscious for several days. The Imperial Medical Academy searched through all the records and tried many methods before discovering it was caused by smelling orchids in the room. Since then, orchids have absolutely never been allowed near the Empress Dowager. Although I am getting old, my memory is not poor. How could I possibly wear orchid-related accessories when coming to Changle Palace for an audience?”

She spoke with burning conviction, but Yuanxi felt her body growing weak. She had never heard about the Empress Dowager being unable to touch orchids. This morning in her room, she had left all matters of formal dress and makeup entirely to Nanny Li and An’he. Her mind was now in chaos, and she couldn’t distinguish whether she had worn any orchid-related accessories. But she clearly remembered that when the Empress Dowager was questioning her, she had touched the top of her head to show affection.

At this moment, the current emperor sighed heavily and turned to the imperial physician who was writing prescriptions, “How serious is Mother’s condition this time? When will she wake up?”

The imperial physician showed a troubled expression, “The condition is not too serious, but when she will wake up—this subject truly cannot guarantee.”

With a loud “bang,” the current emperor had already swept the paper and inkstone from the table, glaring at the imperial physician who was already trembling with fear, “Fool! You are the chief of the Imperial Medical Academy, yet you don’t even know when a patient will wake up. What use are you to me!” He cast a cold glance over everyone in the room who were already scared out of their wits, calling out, “Liu An, investigate thoroughly for me. Who exactly brought orchids into this room? I want to see who has such audacity to harm the Empress Dowager right under my nose.” With that, he swept his robes and sat in a chair, his remaining anger unabated as he glared at everyone before him, seemingly determined to get an answer tonight.

Liu An was the chief eunuch who had served by the current emperor’s side for many years. He knew that although His Majesty was usually gentle and tolerant, he was most filial. The Empress Dowager’s collapse had truly touched His Majesty’s reverse scale. He secretly wiped the sweat from his forehead, quickly bowing forward to receive the decree, then called several elderly nannies to come in, instructing them to search carefully in every corner of the room and on everyone’s person. Since this was the current emperor’s decree, both the princess and Yuanxi were included in the investigation.

After everyone had busied themselves for a while, a nanny approached Yuanxi and sniffed around her head for a long time. Her face showed a hesitant expression, but thinking this matter was of grave importance, she turned and knelt before Zhao Yan, “Your Majesty, Marquis Xuanyuan’s wife seems to have applied hair oil made from orchids…”

As soon as these words were spoken, not only did Yuanxi stumble back several steps in shock, but even the current emperor frowned, fixing his suspicious gaze firmly on her. The kneeling palace maids secretly breathed sighs of relief, but the atmosphere in the room became even more tense. Finally, the current emperor withdrew his suspicious gaze and instructed the imperial physician, “Go examine whether Marquis Xuanyuan’s wife really has orchid hair oil on her head, and whether this is what caused Mother’s unconsciousness.”

The imperial physician wiped his sweat, stood up and walked to Yuanxi’s side, saying softly, “Madam, please don’t blame me. For the sake of the Empress Dowager’s phoenix body, this old man must offend you. Please allow this old man to examine.”

Yuanxi’s mind was completely blank as she numbly pulled out a strand of hair and placed it in the imperial physician’s hand. The imperial physician sniffed it, then wiped the Empress Dowager’s hand with a cloth and compared them. Finally, he knelt before the current emperor again, “If this subject has not judged incorrectly, Marquis Xuanyuan’s wife indeed has orchid hair oil on her head, and the Empress Dowager’s hands have the scent from the madam’s hair. She may have accidentally brought it to her nose, causing this poisoning.”

Yuanxi finally regained a trace of clarity and quickly grasped her trembling hands, kneeling straight down, “This subject did not know of the Empress Dowager’s taboo and inadvertently applied orchid hair oil. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!”

The princess also looked terrified and quickly knelt down to plead together, “This subject also erred by failing in her duty to remind. If Your Majesty wishes to punish, please punish this subject as well!”

Zhao Yan looked at the two of them, his expression unreadable. After a long while, he said coldly, “Although it was an unintentional mistake, it still concerns Mother’s phoenix body and safety. I cannot simply let you go. So please, Aunt and Madam, remain in the palace temporarily until Mother awakens, then we’ll make arrangements.”

Yuanxi’s head shot up, her ears ringing. She had never imagined that this palace visit would encounter such a calamity. This meant she and the princess were essentially under house arrest in the palace. What would happen in the future was probably unpredictable to anyone.

Outside the window, night gradually deepened. The lanterns under the eaves of the marquis’s mansion swayed constantly in the wind. A man dressed as a eunuch was hurriedly led through the main gate, around several gardens, into the brightly lit flower hall.

Inside the flower hall, after hearing the message, Xiao Du stood up in shock and asked, “What? You say the princess and my wife must stay in the palace for several more days? Why is this? What has happened in the palace?”

The eunuch showed an embarrassed smile, “His Majesty only sent this humble one to bring word to the marquis. This humble one knows nothing else.”

Xiao Du was so anxious his eyes blazed with fire. He couldn’t help stepping forward aggressively. The eunuch was intimidated by his imposing presence and, remembering many rumors about this man, was immediately scared pale. He retreated while saying in a trembling voice, “This humble one is just a messenger and truly knows nothing. Please don’t make things difficult for this humble one, my lord!”

Seeing him frightened to this extent but still unwilling to say another word, Xiao Du realized further questioning would be useless. He could only sit down resentfully, irritably waving his hand and shouting, “Get out!”

The eunuch felt as if granted amnesty, quickly bowed and turned to run out fast, afraid that staying even a moment longer would result in being devoured alive by the man before him. Xiao Du sat alone in the hall for a long time, dozens of thoughts turning in his mind, but his heart remained chaotic as tangled hemp. Finally, he called a hidden guard in and said in a low voice, “Go to Scholar Luo’s mansion and ask him to meet at the old place.”

The hidden guard departed with the order. Xiao Du turned his gaze toward the sky that had already darkened like spilled ink, clenching his fists tightly as he silently prayed, “Mother, Xi’er, you must be safe!”

Beyond this expanse of ink-black night sky, under the glazed tiles of the imperial palace, Yuanxi and the princess were being led into Furong Pavilion in Yikun Palace to rest.

Yuanxi numbly allowed the palace maids to lead her into the inner chamber. Looking up, she saw everything gleaming with pearls and jade, brilliantly lit, but her gaze remained fixed on the heavily guarded soldiers at the entrance. As the door gradually closed, Yuanxi lowered her head, her heart filled with chill.

The current emperor had specifically arranged for her and the princess to stay together, probably for the convenience of having guards watch them. Yuanxi secretly slipped some silver to dismiss the palace maids serving in the room. Just as she was about to ask the princess about what had really happened in the hall, the princess glared at her angrily, “You knew that palace matters require extreme caution with no room for error. Why didn’t you come ask me?”

Yuanxi opened her mouth to say something but finally just lowered her head without making a sound. In their current situation, what use was there in arguing about who was right or wrong? They needed to think of a way to escape from the palace as quickly as possible.

After the princess’s anger subsided, she asked softly, “Mother-in-law, can you tell me what really happened in the hall after I left?”

The princess’s face stiffened, then she suddenly glared at her fiercely, “Why are you asking these things? Are you suspecting me?”

Yuanxi quickly shook her head, “I just feel the Empress Dowager’s illness came rather suspiciously. Now we’re both trapped, our lives hanging on His Majesty’s whim. I just want to know all the details of this matter so we can prepare countermeasures if other changes occur.”

The princess stared at her for a long time before slowly turning away, “After you left, the Empress Dowager and I chatted about some private matters that aren’t suitable to tell you. Later, as she talked more excitedly, she covered her mouth with her handkerchief and laughed for a while, then who knew she would suddenly collapse.”

She didn’t mention the slapping incident at all. Although Yuanxi understood the princess wouldn’t tell her everything, she still felt somewhat disappointed. If what the princess said was true, the Empress Dowager had probably really been poisoned by accidentally touching the orchid hair oil on her head and inhaling it. The crime of accidentally harming the Empress Dowager was inescapable.

The bright palace lanterns around them kept swaying, making Yuanxi feel dizzy. She pinched her nails, trying to stay somewhat alert, but finally began to feel panic and helplessness. When she came to her senses, the princess had already called the palace servants outside to prepare the bed, extinguished the lights, and was ready to sleep.

Yuanxi stared blankly for a moment, then finally sighed and returned to her own room. But when everything around her darkened, she clearly felt that she was trapped in these layers of palace walls. Perhaps she would never see Xiao Du again. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t fall asleep, only listening to the water clock dripping in the room, trying hard to suppress the desolation in her heart.

Just as she was drowsily tossing and turning, she suddenly noticed what seemed to be a figure standing before the dim bed curtains. She rubbed her eyes, confirming she wasn’t dreaming. Just as she was about to cry out loudly, the person suddenly reached out and gripped her throat tightly…