AWB Chapter 59 Dequan suspects the Emperor poisoned him.
Chapter 59 Dequan suspects the Emperor poisoned him.
Sunlight streamed through the window and onto the soft bed, where Gu Liuli slowly awoke. Her fair face, as white as mutton-fat jade, was flushed slightly, as delicate and beautiful as a peach blossom in early spring. She gently lifted the covers and slowly opened her eyes, clear as autumn water.
Just then, a slight noise came from outside the door. It turned out that the maid Xiao Zhao had heard the commotion inside. She quietly pushed open the door and immediately saw that Gu Liuli was already dressed.
"Your Highness, you're awake! His Highness specifically instructed me to inform you that he has led the officials and the people to reclaim the wasteland!" Xiao Zhao quickly stepped forward and carefully helped Gu Liuli, whose legs were still trembling.
Gu Liuli smiled slightly and replied softly, "Yes, I understand. Xiao Zhao, I wonder if there's any food left? My stomach is growling loudly!" As soon as she finished speaking, her stomach seemed to understand its owner's words, letting out a loud rumbling sound, as if protesting that it had been ignored for a long time.
Xiao Zhao couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, her eyes full of teasing: "Yes, yes, I've already prepared it for you. It's been kept warm on the stove!" With that, she turned and walked towards the kitchen.
Gu Liuli watched Xiao Zhao's departing figure, her thoughts drifting away. She recalled the scene she witnessed when she first arrived; the heart-wrenching cries of the little boy remained vivid in her memory. At that time, the boy's father had tragically passed away, plunging the entire family into immense grief. Among the many weeping people, only a little girl, no more than ten years old, held the little boy's hand tightly, softly comforting him, "Little brother, don't be afraid, you still have your sister. No matter what happens, your sister will always be with you..."
When Gu Liuli witnessed this scene, memories of the past flooded back. Time rewound to the 21st century, when she too had a close, sisterly best friend. No matter what storms life brought, this friend had always steadfastly stood by her side, offering warmth and support. However, at this moment, Gu Liuli was filled with worry. Now, having learned of Gu Liuli's car accident, she didn't know how she was doing!
"Your Highness, please enjoy this while it's hot! It'll get cold if you delay any longer!" Xiao Zhao noticed Gu Liuli lost in thought and quickly reminded her softly. After all, His Highness the Crown Prince had specifically instructed that the food must be eaten while it was still warm.
Hearing Xiao Zhao's words, Gu Liuli came back to her senses, grabbed a small steamed bun, stuffed it into her mouth haphazardly, and mumbled indistinctly, "Xiao Zhao, after we finish eating, let's go out and see how those people are making progress in clearing the land!" After saying that, she began to chew heartily.
Xiao Zhao nodded obediently and replied, "Okay, Crown Princess." At the same time, she reached out and gently pushed the plate of steamed buns towards Gu Liuli.
Dequan was in turmoil, his thoughts a jumbled mess, making him incredibly agitated and uneasy. He kept pondering, secretly wondering: Had the Emperor already noticed something amiss? Or was the Emperor secretly plotting against him? These thoughts haunted him like demons, refusing to leave his mind.
Filled with suspicion, Dequan's legs felt as heavy as lead, but he still steeled himself and cautiously stepped into Chen Qi's residence. As soon as he entered, he rushed to where Chen Qi was, his face full of anxiety.
"Your Excellency, Prime Minister! You must save me!" Dequan gasped for breath, clutching Chen Qi's sleeve tightly, his voice trembling with tension. "I live in constant fear, always thinking the Emperor might have discovered something. And... and I'm worried he might poison me like he has with the others! In the palace, how dare I easily seek out the imperial physician! If the Emperor finds out, won't I die even faster?" With that, Dequan looked at Chen Qi with a face full of fear, his eyes filled with pleading and hope.
Chen Qi knew the importance of the matter, so he summoned a servant and instructed him to find a folk doctor without alerting anyone.
The servant was quick and soon brought the doctor back. The doctor was dressed in a plain robe, carrying a medicine chest on his back. He looked calm and composed as he entered the room, his gaze sweeping over everyone with the composure of a healer.
Chen Qi stepped forward and whispered to the doctor, "Please examine this eunuch to see if there are any signs of poisoning, but please do not make a sound." The doctor nodded slightly and then walked up to De Quan. De Quan looked at the unfamiliar doctor in front of him, a hint of hesitation and unease flashing in his eyes, but he dared not resist because he was afraid of the poison taking effect.
The doctor sat down beside Dequan, first taking his pulse, then gently placing his fingers on Dequan's wrist. He closed his eyes and pondered for a moment before carefully observing his complexion and tongue coating. Dequan felt uneasy under the doctor's gaze and couldn't help but ask, "Doctor, am I... am I poisoned?" The doctor didn't answer immediately, but only frowned slightly. This subtle movement made Dequan's heart leap into his throat.
After a long while, the doctor slowly opened his mouth and said, "Sir, judging from your pulse, although it is slightly irregular, there are no very obvious symptoms of poisoning. However, in my opinion, you seem to be constantly worried and overthinking, which has led to poor blood circulation in your body. If this continues for a long time, it will cause great harm to your health!"
After hearing these words, Dequan was stunned for a moment. Then, the look of fear on his face did not completely disappear. He muttered to himself, "But I always feel very uncomfortable all over my body. Maybe that poison is too strong, and even you couldn't detect it at first?"
Standing to the side, Chen Qi pondered for a moment, then said to the doctor, "Sir, please prescribe some medicine to calm the mind so that my father-in-law can recuperate properly. As for the poisoning, I'll trouble you to carefully consider and decide on the prescription again." The doctor nodded in agreement and then walked to the table next to him, picked up a pen, and began to write down the prescription.
Not long after, the doctor finished writing the prescription.
Chen Qi hurriedly took out a large sum of money as a reward and handed it to the doctor. He repeatedly instructed the servant beside him to personally escort the doctor out and to make sure that no one else knew about this.
After everything was arranged, Chen Qi turned to Dequan with gentle eyes and softly comforted him, "Dequan, just relax for now. Since the doctor said there were no signs of poisoning, it's very likely that it was caused by your own excessive tension and anxiety."
"But we must be even more careful in our future actions." Dequan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and nodded, saying, "The Prime Minister is right, but the Emperor's recent behavior is strange, and I am truly worried."
Chen Qi frowned slightly, gazing intently out the window, pondering to himself: Could it be that the Emperor has truly sensed something and begun to take action? It seems he must hasten his preparations, just in case. Thinking this, he turned to Dequan and said, "Keep a close eye on the Emperor's movements in the palace. Report any suspicious activity immediately." Dequan quickly replied, "Yes, sir, rest assured, I will be on the lookout."
In a secluded corner deep within the palace, a guard responsible for secretly monitoring Dequan appeared silently like a ghost. He quickly approached Xiao Han, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Your Majesty, Eunuch Dequan has just gone to the Prime Minister's residence. According to my observations and inquiries, Eunuch Dequan seems to suspect that you know something and is worried that you might poison him, so he specially asked Chen Qi to find a doctor from the common people."
Xiao Han sat on the dragon throne in the imperial study, his right hand gently holding a memorial. His face was expressionless, and his tone was as calm as a still pond: "Hmm, I see. So, what exactly did that folk doctor say?" As he spoke, his gaze remained fixed on the memorial before him, but his mind had already wandered elsewhere—at this moment, he was concerned about whether the medicine given by Gu Liuli would be diagnosed by this folk doctor.
Upon hearing the emperor's question, the guard hurriedly and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, I personally heard the folk doctor say that after some examination, he found that the flow of qi and blood in Eunuch De's body was not quite smooth, but there were no signs of poisoning!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Han's lips curled up slightly, a hint of smugness creeping into his heart. It seemed the medicine Gu Liuli had given him was indeed extraordinary! This poison could so cleverly conceal its traces, inducing a deep sleep without the victim's knowledge—truly astonishing. Thinking this, he waved for the guards to leave, then turned to Eunuch Fu standing nearby and instructed, "Once Eunuch De returns to the palace, summon him to see me immediately!"
Eunuch Fu bowed and agreed, knowing full well what the Emperor's actions meant—it was clear that the Emperor was about to start putting Dequan in a difficult position!