Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Double Poison

Hailan's illness appeared when she was six months pregnant.The situation at that time was no different from that of Yipin and Meipin.At first, she just gained a lot of weight. Because it was her first child, she thought it was edema. She drank a lot of winter melon soup to reduce swelling, but she didn't see any improvement, so she realized that she had really gained weight.When the first pink lines appeared on her body, she didn't take it seriously. It wasn't until the second, third, and countless lines appeared on her body that she cried out of fear.But before she had time to cry for a long time, she realized that something was wrong with her. Ulcers in her mouth popped up one after another, and she felt feverish, sweating profusely, and heart palpitations from time to time, as if she couldn't control it.And she suffered from insomnia and dreams all night. She woke up from a nightmare, and in a panic, she invited Concubine Mei, and found a possible meaning on her frightened face.

At that time, the emperor's mood had calmed down quite a bit, and he seldom cared about the people in the harem apart from pampering the nobles.After hearing about Hailan's illness, the emperor was also accompanied by Mr. Shu Gui to Yanxi Palace.Hailan cried until the pear blossoms were raining, and timidly took Meibi's hand and did not let go.Concubine Mei also touched her heart, and the two wept at each other, both deeply saddened. Ever since Concubine Jia gave birth to the fourth elder brother, the emperor thought everything was going well, and only hoped that Hai Lan would give birth to another elder brother, so that he could better forgive the murder of the sons in the womb of Concubine Yi and Concubine Mei, but he did not want to enter Yanxi Palace Gong, the imperial physician is still the same old story.The imperial physician's expression became extremely difficult, and said: "If you go back to the emperor, Mrs. Hai has indeed been poisoned by cinnabar and mercury. All the signs are the same as those of Empress Mei and Yi. Fortunately, Mrs. Hai was careful and found out. It's early, so everything is fine."

The imperial doctor was also cautious, and asked people to check and check again and again, and reported back: "Your Majesty, I have already checked the diet of Haigui and the candles and charcoal fires used by this person. The two empresses, Yipin and Meipin, are exactly the same. Fortunately, the weather is just cold, and the charcoal fires used are not much, and Haigui people don't like fish and shrimp, so they eat less, so the toxicity only enters the hair and skin, but does not damage the skin and heart pulse." The emperor held the hand of Hai Lan who was still in fear, and continued to comfort him: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, I'm here."

Concubine Mei's expression was very excited, her face was like a blood-red rose: "Who is it? Who is going to harm us?" She knelt down with a "plop", clutched the corner of the emperor's robe tightly, and cried, "Your Majesty, will you Could it be Ulanara? Is she going to kill someone again?" Hailan's mind was still clear, and she said with tears in her eyes, "Your Majesty, the Ulanara clan is still in limbo, so it must not be her." It was Shu Gui who said: "Your Majesty, my concubines have also heard that Ulanara poisoned Concubine Yi and Concubine Mei, which caused the dragon's birth. It's just that she is in the cold palace, how could anyone use it like her? Do you want to use this method to poison others again? Was it because the Ulanara family still had accomplices staying in the palace that day, or was the Ulanara family wronged by others, and the real murderer was proud of this method, so he repeatedly used it to murder the emperor's heir ? If the emperor does not find out, I am afraid that after Concubine Mei and Concubine Yi, Mrs. Hai and other concubines will be harmed by others."

Mrs. Shu Gui has always disliked interacting with concubines, but now she is talking in a calm and cold tone, just like a pair of cold green jadeite earrings swaying gently by her ears, sober and eye-catching. Li Yu was serving the emperor, and said softly: "I remember that the Ulanara family was murdered by human evidence with mercury and cinnabar. She desperately called for grievances, but there were all human and material evidence, and she couldn't refute it. Now that I think about it carefully , if she is really wronged, then she will be proud of the person who really murdered the emperor's heir. Thinking about it, this slave is really terrified."

Concubine Mei pondered for a moment, then opened her eyes wide and said: "Your Majesty, the concubine thought that it was Ulanara who murdered the concubine's child. But according to the appearance of Hai nobleman today, I am afraid that Ulanara is really wronged." It is unknown." Tears welled up in her eyes, and she was filled with grief: "It is not the most important thing for the emperor Ulanara to be wronged. But the emperor's heir died of injustice, and the emperor has to pay attention." Hailan was also weeping. There were ulcers on the corners of her lips. Every time she spoke, she felt the pain, with a "hissing" inhalation sound, which made people feel chills: "Your Majesty, what happened that day was like Ulana. If Lashi had an accomplice, he would not have confessed, and ended up in the cold palace alone. It can be seen that there must be someone else who is the mastermind, so he can be so skillful. But..." She hesitated for a moment: "The concubine can't help but be suspicious, Of all the testimonials that day, others can pay it back, but the most important one is the emperor's nobleman Shen, A Ruo, the former personal servant of the Ulanara family. Her words cannot be disbelieved. Therefore, the authenticity of this matter... "

Concubine Mei originally didn't like the frivolous look of Ruo after being favored, so she snorted softly and remained silent. Shu Gui said coldly: "Shen Gui is a nobleman because he betrayed his master, so his character is not very good! If Ulanara was really wronged, I think she was bought by the real mastermind. We can see." This word seemed to wake up the dreamer, Concubine Mei immediately changed color and said: "Your Majesty, Mr. Shen is very suspicious, you have to investigate carefully." The emperor gave a soft "huh", as if he didn't listen to these words at all, he just tucked the quilt for Hailan, and said gently: "You can take care of her at ease, I will leave you the best imperial doctors in the Imperial Hospital Meditation. Don't think about it, just leave everything to me."

The emperor stood up gracefully, and said tenderly to Concubine Mei's teary eyes, "I've been sad for so many years, don't hurt your eyes from crying, go back to the palace and rest quickly. Mrs. Shu, you too kneel down." After the emperor finished speaking, he helped Li Yu's hand to go out, got on the sedan chair all the way, and sat down in the study room of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and then slowly put down his handsome face.Li Yu was well aware of the emperor's temper, so he nudged his mouth to signal everyone to go down, poured a cup of hot tea by himself, put it in the emperor's hand, and said softly: "Your Majesty, drink some tea to calm down."

The emperor picked up the tea and sneered: "Calm down? My harem is so lively that it is so full of excitement that it can't even accommodate a single child! It's too late for me to watch the bustle, so there's no time to get angry!" Li Yu was so frightened that he dared not speak, the emperor drank all the tea in a fit of anger, and calmed down, he said, "The matter of Mr. Haigui being poisoned by others, you should spread the word on my behalf, and by the way, bring forward all the people who tried their best to testify against Ruyi back then. Check carefully."

Li Yu answered "yes", and then wondered: "But one of them is Mr. Shengui!" The emperor was contemplating, but he heard Xu An, the eunuch in the respect room outside, request to kowtow. Li Yu reminded: "Your Majesty, it's time to turn over the cards. However, if you feel troubled, you don't need to turn over today." The emperor said, "Then let him in." Xu An came in with the green card in his hands, knelt down respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, please turn over the card." The emperor's fingers slid across the dark green card like flowing water, without any sign of stagnation. He seemed to ask casually: " The brand of Concubine Xian used to be..."

Xu An hurriedly said: "Concubine Xian has been abolished as a commoner, and her green head card has long been discarded." The emperor gave a soft "hmm": "How long will it take to make a new green card?" "Soon, very soon." Xu An sensed something, smiled apologetically, raised his head to look at the emperor's expression, blinked and said, "Does the emperor mean to be the green-headed concubine Xian again? " The emperor shook his head and said: "I just said it casually." His finger rested on the green-headed card of "Shen Guiren", and he flipped it over lightly. The aftertaste of the "click" made Li Yu frown, and immediately smiled apologetically. Said: "The emperor hasn't seen nobleman Shen for a few days." The emperor sat down again, looked at the ink-colored sky that was gradually darkening outside, and lazily said: "Yes. These days are spent with Mr. Shu Gui, and the sixth palace should be exposed to rain and dew, so go for a walk more." Li Yu was a little puzzled: "The emperor just asked the servants to investigate the matters related to Concubine Xian, so be careful..." The emperor said indifferently: "A slave is a slave, and a noble man is a noble man." He thought for a while: "Ama Guiduo, the noble man, has made great achievements in water control, and this autumn's flood has been blocked by him a lot. If officials in the south know How much thought should I save if I don’t know the way to control the water.” Li Yu smiled and said: "Didn't the emperor order Shengui's Ama to compile the water control method into a book? The book was written in the imperial case early this morning. I think there are too many excerpts, and you haven't seen it yet, Your Majesty." .” The emperor's eyes lit up slightly, and he immediately smiled and said, "I'll watch it when I have time. You go and tell Lord Shen to get ready to pick you up." Li Yu bowed to leave, and the emperor took out a copy of "Water Harnessing" from under the mountain of books, carefully flipped through two pages, and silently held it in his hand with a slight smile on the corner of his lips. For several days, the emperor rested in Aruo Palace, and for a while even the favored nobleman Shu was indifferent. Everyone said that the favor of nobleman Shen is deep and lasts for a long time, which is a rare blessing.On the other hand, rumors began to spread faintly in the palace. Speaking of the emperor's mention of Concubine Xian again, he might have to spare her from the cold palace. When the news reached Leng Gong, Ruyi just laughed it off, took back her wrist from the pulse pillow, and said with a smile, "Is everyone really so suspicious?" Jiang Yubin smiled and said, "The palace is a place where rumors gather and disperse, so people will naturally care." "Then am I not miserable? I am involved in right and wrong again?" Jiang Yubin smiled calmly and said, "Why did you ever leave the little master? The more miserable the place is, the more life there is to be found and unknown." He took out a pack of medicine from the medicine box and handed it to her: "This is the pack of medicine. The good medicine to cure all diseases, the young master can try it." Ruyi took it with a smile: "Then thank you very much, I just want to lend you a good word." In the afternoon of this day, it was a rare sunny day.It was almost late autumn, and it was rare to have such a refreshing autumn day. The sky was a translucent blue, as crystal clear as a fine blue emerald.Ji Xin took the last two meals with different dishes from the hole in the wall, and brought them over to eat with Ruyi. What was delivered was a simple vegetarian meal, not meaty. Although the master and servant were used to eating, the dishes delivered this day were bitter melon and bean sprouts, which Ruyi had never liked.She picked up a few chopsticks and lost her appetite, so she ate two mouthfuls. She shook her head and said: "It's almost winter, and you bring such cold bitter gourd and bean sprouts. Wouldn't it hurt you to eat them?" After a few mouthfuls of rice, he got up and sent the plate out of the hole in the wall. Just when Xin stood up, she felt a throbbing pain in her chest, and her breathing became blocked, as if her mouth and face were covered by a wet towel, and she couldn't breathe.She was flustered for a while, and turned around, only to see that Ruyi looked like she couldn't vomit, her complexion was ashen and black as if covered with a layer of black veil. Su Xin knew that it was not good, and became more and more speechless in a panic, but Ruyi was vigilant, although she clenched her throat in pain, she swung the bowl down on the plate with the last bit of strength. Ling Yunche and Zhao Jiuxiao were full of wine and food, and were sitting under the warm sun picking their teeth.Zhao Jiuxiao saw that the edges of Ling Yunche's boots were frayed, and a thread was torn on the skirt of his clothes, so he couldn't help laughing at him: "Your childhood sweetheart, little sister, hasn't been here for so long, and you seem like no one cares about you anymore." The clothes are torn and no one mends them, and the shoes are torn and no one sews them, you are pitiful." Ling Yunche rubbed his feet, and remembered that the insoles in the shoes were given by Ruyi, so he was a little reluctant, and drew back his feet and glanced at him: "Poor? Isn't it just like you." Zhao Jiuxiao shook his head and said: "That's different. I don't dream. I can't imagine the women in the palace. They don't look back after climbing high branches. They are darker than crows in the sky. I can't afford to provoke them." Sorry." The two were talking, but they heard the sound of bowls and plates shattering inside, and they were both startled. They quickly got up and asked "what's the matter" twice, but no one answered.Jiuxiao also learned something wrong, he opened the lock and said: "Go in and have a look, I will guard here." Yun Che heard that the voice came from Ruyi's room, and for a moment, he couldn't avoid suspicion, so he rushed in, only to see the cups and plates on the ground were messed up, the bowls and plates were broken all over the place, and there were broken porcelain pieces everywhere.Both the master and the servant were lying on the table, out of breath, and their faces were frighteningly black.Ruyi was still breathing, and said weakly, "Imperial doctor...Jiang imperial doctor...help!" Yun Che's face turned pale with fright, and he didn't know what they had eaten, so he didn't care what happened, first poured a large pot of warm water for the two of them, and patted their backs vigorously.Ruyi pushed his hand weakly, panting and urged: "Go! Go!" When the news reached the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the emperor was sleeping soundly at noon.Li Yu got the buffalo, saw the bright yellow curtain hanging down inside, but Shen Gui was accompanying him, he hesitated for a while, wondering if he should go in and report.While hesitating, he saw two servants from the Palace of Yanxi Palace hurrying over, saying: "Eunuch Li, it's not good, something happened to Mrs. Hai." Li Yu also panicked at this moment, he hurriedly opened the door and went in, regardless of nobleman Shen being by his side.Seeing him frizzy and pushing the door in, Mr. Shen Gui felt a little displeased, so he said coldly, "Li Yu, you are getting better at working. The emperor is asleep, so you dare to barge in like this." Li Yu hurriedly said: "Responding to nobleman Shen's words, something happened to Yanxi Palace, so the slaves should hurry up and report it." A Ruo used to be jealous that Hailan and her old master Ruyi were close, now she heard this, she curled her lips and sneered and said: "There can be something serious, if you don't feel well, just ask the imperial doctor, the emperor is not a cure-all Miracle doctor. Let me tell you the truth, the emperor did not sleep very well these two nights, and finally fell asleep after drinking calming soup in the afternoon, and now you are disturbing me again, I see how courageous you are!" Hearing that the people in the tent were breathing evenly, Li Yu obviously slept soundly. He kowtowed his head in a timid and humble manner, but his voice was a little louder: "Forgive your sins, I'm sorry, I'm not a slave. Xiao, it really happened for a reason. The Leng Palace reported that Ulanara was dying of poisoning, and Yanxi Palace also said that mercury and cinnabar were added to the spices of Haigui, which hurt the jade body. There are frequent accidents in the palace, and the slaves really dare not No return." A Ruo waved the silk in his hand, and smiled lightly: "You are too indiscriminate in distinguishing right from wrong. In the cold palace, the Ulanara clan died as soon as he died. What is it worth? I'm afraid it will be dirty if you talk about it." The emperor’s ear. As for the nobleman Yuhai, just pass on the imperial doctor. There is nothing more noble than the emperor in this world, and you are guilty of disturbing the emperor because of such a trivial matter!” Li Yu wiped the sweat from his brow silently, lowered his head even lower, but showed no intention of retreating.A moment later, a corner of the bright yellow Five Dragons Piercing Clouds embroidered tent was lifted up, and the emperor's voice was heard very clearly: "Li Yu, wait for me to get up." Li Yu's lips raised a faint but steady smile, and he agreed with his mouth, and moved his hands and feet with incomparable agility.Lord Shen's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly put on a smile and went to help. The emperor blocked his hand calmly, and said slowly: "Kneel down. You don't need to come to me these days." A Ruo hurriedly knelt down, her eyes flustered: "The emperor forgives the sin, the emperor forgives the sin, I don't know what I did wrong, so I ask the emperor to speak clearly." There was a cold smile on the corner of the emperor's mouth, and his eyes were as cold as an ice abyss: "You have been wrong about many things from the very beginning, did you start to make mistakes today?" A Ruo only felt hairs on her back, as if the stitches of the carefully embroidered fragrant-colored satin on the clothes were dense and strong, and the crimson rose stitches were stabbing her back one by one. body.No, no, after so many years, how could the emperor still know.Sure enough, the emperor said in a hesitant tone: "The affairs of the cold palace are human life anyway, not to mention that Mr. Haigui is pregnant with the dragon descendant of my emperor's heir, and you are so indifferent to the life of the emperor's heir? Zhenyuan I thought you were straightforward and lively, with a quick mind, but I didn't expect that there were so many indifference and viciousness hidden in your heart!" A Ruo was scolded until her knees became weak, and she collapsed on the ground, but her heart was full of surprises. It turned out that it wasn't because of that incident.Fortunately, not for that. The emperor asked Li Yu to put on the Shanghai blue gold-lettered Tuanfu casual clothes for him, buttoned up the jade-colored buttons, and gave A Ruo a disgusted look: "Go out!" Li Yu just smiled submissively, watching A Ruo help the palace maid Xin Yan stumbling out, and couldn't help but glance at the emperor with admiration.Serving the emperor for so many years, he is not ignorant of the emperor's temperament, but also knows better than others what is under the favor of Mr. Shen Gui all these years.It was too late for the emperor to show his disgust only today. So he asked respectfully: "Then where is the emperor going first?" The emperor's brows were slightly startled, and he said: "Of course it is Yanxi Palace." The Palace of Yanxi Palace was in chaos, and Hailan cowered in fear at the corner of the bed, weeping and refusing to touch everything.The palace people knelt on the ground, the emperor walked in from the crowd, hugged her, and said softly, "What's the matter?" Ye Xin knelt the closest, and said: "Your Majesty, since the last time, our little master has been careful enough, and has sent someone to check carefully on the diet, who knows that when the servant wants to pour out the incense ashes in the incense burner today, he finds that There are some foreign objects inside. The slaves dare not neglect, and asked the imperial doctor to look at it, only to find out that someone had mixed cinnabar into the young master's benzoin." The emperor's expression was so ugly that he was about to burst, and he said coldly: "Have you found out who did it?" Hailan sobbed and lay in the emperor's arms, her temples were disheveled from crying, and the few pink pearls scattered in her hair made her look haggard and unbearable to look at. The emperor was frightened and angry, he patted her on the shoulder comfortingly and said, "Don't be afraid, I will definitely investigate thoroughly, and no one will hurt you again." Hailan sobbed and said: "That person deliberately framed the emperor's heir, and the concubine's palace was already on guard. She dared to use another method to poison. It is really audacious. Your majesty, tell the concubine who is trying to harm our child?" ?who is it?" The emperor said softly: "Fortunately, the maid beside you discovered it early, but you should not worry about it when you are pregnant. I will leave this matter to Li Yu to investigate." Li Yu resoundingly agreed: "Yes. This servant will definitely do his best to investigate and give the emperor and nobleman Hai an explanation." The emperor said a few words of comfort, and then said: "So many things happened in the harem, I have to go see the queen. The restlessness in the six palaces is also her fault." Hailan was about to get up to see her off, but the emperor hurriedly held her down and said, "Take a good rest and don't tire yourself out. I will come to see you at night." The palace people sent the emperor out, and the emperor saw that there were no people from Yanxi Palace following him, so he said in a low voice: "What happened in the cold palace?" Li Yu hurriedly said: "According to the imperial physician's report, it was poisoned by arsenic. Fortunately, the common people of the Wulanala family and the Xinxin didn't eat much for lunch, so the poisoning was not serious. In addition to the imperial physician Jiang Yubin, the servants also sent The two imperial physicians went to watch together, in case of accidents." The emperor praised: "You have done a good job. Ruyi was poisoned, and something happened to Hailan here. The two happened at almost the same time. It seems that Ruyi couldn't order someone to do it." He sneered: "It seems that I Just after some rumors were released, some people lost their temper. But I never thought that they could lose their temper to such an extent that they wanted to kill people to silence them." Li Yu looked at the emperor's expression, and said cautiously: "The emperor also feels that these years...she has been wronged?" The emperor's eyes were a little anxious, but his tone was still calm: "I'm going to see her." Li Yu hurriedly said: "It's a taboo in the cold palace, the emperor is rich in gold and precious in jade, so you can't go there." The emperor smiled lightly and said: "Others can go to the cold palace to kill and set fire, but I can't even go to see it? Last time when the cold palace was on fire, I also went, this time it's just a step further in, so what's the matter?" Li Yu knew that he couldn't be persuaded, so he had to help the emperor into the sedan chair and went to the cold palace.