The tea in the cup appeared perfectly normal.

Doctor Zhu observed carefully for a moment, then tilted the cup slightly to expose the bottom.

The bottom was smooth, with no residue.

He brought the cup close to his nose and sniffed, then asked Qi Shuo, “How is the Heir certain there’s poison in the cup?”

Qi Shuo indicated the fish bowl on the windowsill. “I poured a few drops of tea into it. An hour later, both fish were dead.”

“The Heir must wait a moment. I need to use instruments to determine what poison is in the cup.”

“No rush, Doctor Zhu. Take your time.”

Doctor Zhu opened the medicine chest he carried with him and took out long needles and other items. This examination lasted over an hour.

Doctor Zhu moved his stiff neck and came before Qi Shuo.

“Well?”

Doctor Zhu shook his head. “There are countless poisons in the world. This poison dissolved in water has its taste masked by the tea—it’s difficult to confirm what poison it is at the moment. However, I can determine this poison is not a violent one and won’t immediately claim a life.”

Qi Shuo’s face showed no disappointment as he asked, “What would happen if a person consumed it?”

“That’s where this poison is peculiar. If taken appropriately, this poison can have a heart-strengthening effect. But if taken improperly, it will instead cause irregular heartbeat, leading to death…”

Qi Shuo listened silently, his expression unchanged.

Instead, it was Doctor Zhu whose face showed something unusual as he asked in a low voice, “This poison was aimed at the Heir, wasn’t it?”

Qi Shuo nodded.

“Then the other party is taking advantage of the Heir’s ‘heart condition.'”

Whether Prince Jing’s Heir actually had a heart condition, Doctor Zhu naturally knew clearly. After this reminder, he said no more.

“Thank you for your trouble, Doctor Zhu.” Qi Shuo expressed his thanks and had Changning see Doctor Zhu out.

When Changning returned, Qi Shuo was still staring at the teacup in silence, lost in thought.

“Heir, was it cousin—” Changning ground his teeth in hatred, fire blazing in his eyes.

This cup had been cleared after the Heir finished lunch at the Princess Consort’s quarters. The poisoner could be none other than cousin!

Compared to Changning’s fury and disbelief, Qi Shuo appeared much calmer. He didn’t answer Changning’s question, but picked up the cup and walked outside.

Seeing this, Changning hurried to follow, discovering the Heir was heading to the Princess Consort’s courtyard.

Was the Heir planning to directly report this to the Princess Consort?

Changning was utterly shocked.

He had always thought the Heir was an especially reserved person!

When Qi Shuo arrived, he happened to run into Young Princess Qi Qiong, who had just returned.

“Elder brother.” Qi Qiong happily called out upon seeing Qi Shuo, not forgetting to show off a glass bottle. “Floral dew Ah Hao gave me—she made it herself.”

Qi Shuo couldn’t help but take another look at that bottle of floral dew.

The small glass bottle was a pale blue-green color, containing light pink floral dew inside, the hue gorgeous and captivating.

“I’ve tried it—it smells especially wonderful.” Qi Qiong was beaming, delighted to have received a gift to her liking.

Princess Consort Jing also smiled. “It’s indeed better than the floral dew we usually use. I didn’t expect Ah Hao to have such skill.”

It was just that she had only given one bottle to Qiong’er, so it would be awkward for her to ask for some.

“Dinner is probably still early—I haven’t seen your second brother’s shadow even now.” Princess Consort Jing, thinking Qi Shuo had come for dinner, complained about her younger son. “Once he goes out, his heart runs wild. Growing a year older for nothing…”

Qi Shuo listened quietly, knowing that though his mother complained, she was actually in very good spirits.

Her daughter and son celebrating their birthdays, her niece even specially leaving the palace to visit—how could her mood not be good?

What a pity that he would soon ruin his mother’s good mood.

Though he thought this, Qi Shuo didn’t hesitate. Once Princess Consort Jing finished speaking, he spoke up. “I didn’t come for dinner, but rather because I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?” Princess Consort Jing asked with a smile.

Qi Shuo set the cup, which had been concealed by his wide sleeve, on the table, deliberately keeping it far from Princess Consort Jing. He said calmly, “At lunch, cousin used tea in place of wine to toast me. I felt something wasn’t quite right, so I took this cup with me. I then tested the remaining tea in the cup and found poison.”

Princess Consort Jing’s face changed dramatically. “There’s poison in the tea?”

Qi Qiong reacted faster than Princess Consort Jing. “Cousin sister poisoned elder brother’s cup?”

Princess Consort Jing looked at Qi Qiong. “Qiong’er, what are you saying?”

Qi Qiong’s face was masked with frost. When she mentioned Sun Xiuhua, her tone was ice-cold. “Elder brother, why did Sun Xiuhua poison you?”

“Wait a moment—” Princess Consort Jing grabbed Qi Shuo. “Shuo’er, what exactly is going on? Why are you saying Xiuhua poisoned you?”

“I also want to know why cousin poisoned me.” Qi Shuo smiled bitterly.

Princess Consort Jing suddenly thought of something, her face instantly draining of all color. “What poison is it? How much did you drink—”

“Mother, don’t worry. I didn’t drink it.”

Princess Consort Jing breathed a sigh of relief, but the feeling of disbelief surfaced again. “Shuo’er, could there be a mistake—”

Qi Shuo’s tone was flat, yet every word fell like a heavy hammer, pounding on Princess Consort Jing’s heart one blow at a time. “This cup of tea was personally poured and handed to me by cousin. If she didn’t poison it, could it have been the maids serving you, Mother?”

“Impossible!” Princess Consort Jing rejected this without hesitation.

The maids who could serve in her room had their entire families’ lives in the Prince’s hands—they absolutely could not do such a thing.

“Mother, stop making excuses for Sun Xiuhua. What kind of person is elder brother—do you not understand? Would he falsely accuse Sun Xiuhua of poisoning?” Qi Qiong trembled with rage.

To think she had once sincerely treated Sun Xiuhua as a sister—who would have known she was actually a venomous snake!

Thinking of this, her eyes reddened. She threw her arms around Princess Consort Jing and sobbed. “Mother, if something had happened to elder brother, what would we have done!”

Her daughter’s ice-cold tears soaked her shoulder, falling like ice beads that made Princess Consort Jing’s heart ache. The feeling of dread came in waves like a tide, thoroughly washing away her affection for her niece.

Countless questions arose.

“Shuo’er, how did you sense Xiuhua had a problem?”

Qi Qiong also stared intently at her brother, clearly having the same question.

“Two days ago, the Crown Prince came to play chess with me. Mother, do you remember?”

Princess Consort Jing naturally couldn’t forget.

“The Crown Prince inadvertently revealed killing intent, which I detected.”

Princess Consort Jing was greatly alarmed. “Just because you beat him at chess, he wanted to kill you?”

What kind of mad dog was this?

Qi Shuo fell silent for a moment, his gaze profound. “I suspect the Crown Prince may have heard the rumors from when I was born…”

He certainly couldn’t say the Crown Prince coveted Ah Hao and happened to be someone driven mad by medicine.

Princess Consort Jing’s entire body shook, her voice turning hoarse. “What!”

“Mother, elder brother, what are you talking about?” Qi Qiong asked in confusion.

Princess Consort Jing grasped her daughter’s hand, recovering some composure, no longer doubting the Crown Prince’s reason for wanting to kill her eldest son. “Qiong’er, don’t ask so much. In short, the Crown Prince has murderous intent—that’s all.”

Qi Qiong nodded randomly, looking at her brother with worry.

“Not two days after detecting the Crown Prince’s killing intent, cousin suddenly came. When she used tea in place of wine to toast me, I always felt something wasn’t quite natural. To be cautious, I didn’t drink that cup of tea. I brought it back and poured a few drops into the fish bowl—both fish died. Afterward, I asked Doctor Zhu to examine it, and indeed the tea was found to be poisoned…”

Qi Shuo looked at his mother’s wooden expression and sighed inwardly. “Mother can test her—then you’ll know whether cousin has a guilty conscience.”