On Empress Rong’s body — it was the same scent that had lingered at the scene when her wet nurse had been burned to death.

And last night, when she had been taken away by the black-clad figures, those figures had carried this very same scent on them.

Was it merely a coincidence — or was there, behind all of this, a vast and shadowy organization at work?

In that brief moment of distraction, Empress Rong and Matron Qin had already devised their countermeasure.

“My dear Jiu’er, I am quite fond of you as well. Let this palace give you a small trinket — see whether you fancy it.”

The moment Empress Rong finished speaking, Matron Qin immediately signaled to the attendants below with a glance.

Shortly, someone entered carrying a delicate wooden box. The box was of modest size, with a one-way opening at the top — large enough to fit a hand through.

But the sounds from within, Feng Jiu’er had already identified clearly: a snake.

This vicious woman — she actually intended to use a snake to test her!

“Jiu’er, this is a pet this palace keeps. It is quite tame and won’t bite. Take it out and have a look.”

Empress Rong kept her gaze fixed on Feng Jiu’er’s unruffled eyes, a faint smile resting at the corner of her lips.

Feng Jiu’er knew: if she refused to take it, Empress Rong would certainly see through her act of playing the fool.

But if she did reach in… well, a snake was genuinely rather frightening!

Matron Qin narrowed her eyes, watching Feng Jiu’er just as intently: “Well? You even refuse Her Majesty the Empress’s gracious gift?”

Feng Jiu’er smiled: “Her Majesty has given Jiu’er something fun to play with — alright!”

She actually reached her hand into the box!

Empress Rong’s face was a picture of shock. Matron Qin looked equally disbelieving.

Outside just now, Feng Jiu’er had not behaved like this at all — and any ordinary person could plainly hear that there was a snake inside the box.

And yet Feng Jiu’er had actually, truly, put her hand in.

If anyone still claimed she wasn’t a fool — who would believe them?

“Your Majesty, what is it in there? Jiu’er… ah, it hurts!”

Feng Jiu’er let out a sudden shriek of pain, and in an instant her hand was yanked back out. Something black came flying with it, flung outward — and it shot straight toward Empress Rong on her jade seat.

“Your Majesty, watch out!” Matron Qin was fiercely loyal to Empress Rong — seeing something hurtling toward the Empress, she threw herself forward to shield her.

Empress Rong had already seen clearly what was flying at her. It was a jet-black venomous snake!

That wretched Feng Jiu’er!

“Ah! It hurts, it hurts!” As though startled out of her wits, Feng Jiu’er bolted out of Xuanhua Palace at full speed, heedless of anything in her path.

Matron Qin deflected the snake away from herself, and the guards rushed over — only after a great commotion did they manage to recapture it.

But on the back of Matron Qin’s hand, two distinct fang marks had already appeared.

“Your Majesty…” Matron Qin’s legs gave way beneath her, and she crumpled to the ground with a heavy thud.

Empress Rong froze — then immediately cried out in a sharp voice: “Someone come! Summon the Imperial Physicians, summon them now!”

She looked toward the doorway — Feng Jiu’er had already vanished far into the distance, her screams fading with her.

Empress Rong’s fury was seething. A woman like this — and people still said she wasn’t a fool?

Matron Qin had insisted she was only pretending — and now here was this girl, scared completely out of her mind, running amok through the palace.

Xuanhua Palace was situated closest to His Majesty the Emperor’s Yuxiao Palace. If that crazed girl ran in that direction and startled the imperial presence, how on earth would any of this be explained?

“Quickly! Bring Feng Jiu’er back to this palace!” Empress Rong demanded urgently.

“Yes!” Several guards received the command and set off in pursuit at full speed.

By now, Feng Jiu’er had long since burst out through the main gates of Xuanhua Palace and was already racing in the direction of Yuxiao Palace.

Just as she charged through the doors of Yuxiao Palace — before the guards there could move to stop her — ahead of her, a composed and elegant figure drifted unexpectedly into view…