Sun Xiuhua hadn’t slept well for several consecutive days. The dark circles under her eyes couldn’t be covered even with powder. When she heard that the Crown Prince had come, her heart seized with dread.

She was completely in the dark about the outside world from within the Eastern Palace, utterly unable to get any news. If the Crown Prince was coming at this time, something must have happened to her cousin, right?

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

The Crown Prince walked past her and sat down in a chair before speaking: “Come here and speak.”

Sun Xiuhua kept her eyes lowered and couldn’t see the Crown Prince’s expression, but her instincts told her something was wrong.

She walked over in small steps and raised her eyes to look at the Crown Prince, only to see a gloomy, overcast face.

“Did you really put the poison in the tea that day?”

Sun Xiuhua’s heart sank as she quickly nodded: “I really did!”

“Did you watch with your own eyes as Qi Shuo drank it?”

“Yes, I didn’t even blink. I watched my cousin drink down most of the tea.”

“Then why is Qi Shuo perfectly fine?” The Crown Prince reached out and yanked Sun Xiuhua in front of him, his eyes turning red. “Not only is he fine, he even has the energy to take women out to play everywhere!”

He had been constantly hoping for news of Qi Shuo’s death, but all he heard instead were reports of Qi Shuo dallying with Second Miss Lin.

It truly infuriated him to death!

Sun Xiuhua was grabbed by the collar by the Crown Prince, making it somewhat difficult to breathe: “Your, Your Highness, didn’t you say that poison wouldn’t take effect immediately? Perhaps it needs another day or two—”

“I know how that poison works better than you do!” The Crown Prince grasped Sun Xiuhua’s throat with one hand and increased the pressure. “Tell the truth—were you too afraid and didn’t actually poison Qi Shuo at all?”

Sun Xiuhua’s face suddenly flushed red as tears streamed down: “I, I really did put the poison in the tea… I wouldn’t dare disobey Your Highness’s intentions…”

The Crown Prince released his hand. Sun Xiuhua collapsed to the floor, clutching her throat and coughing.

“You’d better not have lied to me.” The Crown Prince gave her a cold glance and strode away.

The beaded curtain clattered wildly. In an instant, the Crown Prince’s figure had vanished. Sun Xiuhua sat on the ice-cold floor, crying silently.

For the first time, she felt regret.

She wasn’t afraid of the deep palace walls or the open and covert struggles, but she hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to be a madman.

The Crown Prince endured for another two days. When he heard that Prince Jing’s Heir had taken his future Princess Consort out horseback riding, he could bear it no longer.

“You wretch, did you actually poison Qi Shuo or did you give him a strengthening tonic?”

That sickly Qi Shuo could actually go horseback riding now!

“You’ve been deceiving me all along, haven’t you?” The Crown Prince expertly locked his hands around Sun Xiuhua’s throat, his eyes bloodshot.

Sun Xiuhua quickly couldn’t breathe and instinctively clawed at the Crown Prince’s hands: “Your… Your Highness… I haven’t deceived you… I can’t breathe…”

Only when her eyes rolled back did the Crown Prince release his grip, kicking her far away before storming off in fury.

Sun Xiuhua hurt so much it took her a long time to recover. She supported herself against a chair leg, gasping for breath in great gulps.

A palace maid carefully approached: “Selected Attendant—”

Sun Xiuhua’s entire body shuddered as she instinctively shrank back.

“Selected Attendant, let this servant help you up.”

Sun Xiuhua let the palace maid help her onto the bed, her eyes vacant as if her life force had been drained away.

The Crown Prince returned and took five-colored powder to ease his mood, then found an opportunity to leave the palace.

He had to see with his own eyes exactly what was going on with Prince Jing’s Heir!

The Crown Prince deliberately waited on the route they had to take and indeed waited for Qi Shuo and Lin Hao, who were leading their horses in this direction.

“Royal brother, what a coincidence.”

“Where is Your Highness headed?” Qi Shuo asked politely.

“Just returning from the Western Garden. Didn’t expect to run into you, royal brother. Are you two out for an outing?”

Qi Shuo nodded with a smile: “I caught a chill a few days ago and was cooped up at home the whole time. Now that I’m feeling much better, I brought A’Hao out to have some fun.”

“Royal brother is in such fine spirits.” The Crown Prince glanced at Lin Hao and nearly lost control of his expression.

This was truly seeing a ghost—even if Qi Shuo hadn’t been poisoned, how could his complexion be even better than it was days ago?

“Would Your Highness like to come sit at the Prince’s manor?”

“No, it’s getting late. I should return to the palace. We’ll get together another day.” The Crown Prince said, then seemed to suddenly remember: “The Dragon Boat Festival boat excursion—royal brother will attend, won’t you?”

Qi Shuo smiled slightly: “My health has been quite good lately. I should be going.”

The Crown Prince’s eyelids twitched as he forced out a smile: “Then I’ll see you then.”

After the Crown Prince left, surrounded by a group of guards, Lin Hao laughed softly: “A’Shuo, did you notice? The Crown Prince was about to be angered to death by you.”

Qi Shuo glanced at the departing group and said in a low voice: “The Crown Prince is about to lose control of his emotions.”

Such a Crown Prince was like a powder keg—toss in a single spark and he would explode.

“A’Shuo, on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the Crown Prince will very likely make another move against you.”

“Don’t worry. The Crown Prince may find himself too preoccupied to act.”

The Crown Prince returned to the Eastern Palace and vented by smashing things, then ordered Wang Fu: “Prepare another dose of that poison. This time, I will handle it personally.”

In the blink of an eye, it was the Dragon Boat Festival.

Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, not only would the common people have various celebrations, but the imperial family would also hold dragon boat lake excursion activities.

Early that morning, hundreds of officials and nobles gathered in the hall to accompany Emperor Tai’an to the Western Garden.

Among the vast crowd were also Prince Yuliu and Princess Lingque, the royal siblings.

The Empress Dowager declined to participate, citing physical fatigue, so naturally Princess Yi’an had to stay behind to keep the Empress Dowager company. From the harem, only Noble Consort Zhuang, Consort Jing, and the young princess accompanied Emperor Tai’an aboard the dragon boat.

“Your nation’s dragon boats are truly magnificent.” Seeing the dozen or so enormous dragon boats moored on the boundless blue waters of the lake, Prince Yuliu praised sincerely.

Though Yuliu wasn’t bad, the territory was just too small—some aspects inevitably fell short.

Emperor Tai’an was in a good mood hearing these words and laughed: “Since the Prince has come all this way, you can experience the Great Zhou’s Dragon Boat Festival customs firsthand.”

Everyone boarded different dragon boats according to their official rank and status. Those who could board the same dragon boat as Emperor Tai’an were either key ministers from various departments, top-tier nobles, or imperial family members like Prince Jing.

“Everyone, please sit.” After Emperor Tai’an sat down, he raised his hand slightly.

The sounds of drums and stringed instruments rang out as beautiful palace maids dressed in court attire entered in a line, placing fine delicacies and wine before everyone.

The dragon boat began to move. A gentle, refreshing breeze surged in, making people feel relaxed and happy.

Following a call of “Bestow the rice dumplings,” strings of zongzi were presented.

Emperor Tai’an smiled: “Eating zongzi during the Dragon Boat Festival is essential. Prince, try them and see if they suit your taste.”

The zongzi, not much larger than lychees, were bound with colorful silk threads—small, delicate strings that were quite delightful.

Prince Yuliu peeled open the rice dumpling leaves and ate one in a single bite, praising profusely: “Delicious.”

The honey bean and red date zongzi were indeed delicious, but his lavish praise was also because his royal sister had recently stolen away the Great Zhou’s Prince Consort—his attitude had to be somewhat softer.

After finishing the zongzi, he took a sip of wine and savored it carefully: “This is… calamus wine? In our Yuliu, we mostly drink realgar wine.”

The Crown Prince couldn’t help but interject: “Realgar wine has a somewhat strange taste.”

Emperor Tai’an shot him a sharp look, and the Crown Prince shut his mouth.

“Come, all my ministers, drink this cup together for health and prosperity.”

Everyone raised their cups in unison: “We wish Your Majesty health and prosperity.”

Afterward, everyone toasted one another, and the atmosphere grew increasingly lively. The Crown Prince saw that the time was about right and unobtrusively made his way toward Qi Shuo.