Chapter 103: The Dragon Has a Reverse Scale

Imperial Physician Gao quickly arrived. Having spent many years navigating the complexities of the Imperial Medical Bureau, he fully understood the delicate nature of matters in the palace. Upon entering, he asked no questions, simply paid his respects, and then approached to take Chu Jinyao’s pulse.

 

With a silk cloth laid over her wrist, he began to take her pulse as Qin Yi stood watching nearby. After a thorough examination, Imperial Physician Gao rose and bowed to Qin Yi, reporting, “Your Highness, the Crown Princess’s pulse is calm, and there is no cause for concern. Although the Crown Princess has a naturally cool constitution, as long as her diet and habits are well-managed, it will not affect her ability to conceive.”

 

Hearing this, Chu Jinyao let out a long sigh of relief and glanced at Qin Yi. He understood the gesture, stepping out with Imperial Physician Gao to discuss matters privately and inspect other things.

 

After some time, Qin Yi returned. Chu Jinyao, who had been waiting in the inner chamber, immediately stood to greet him, asking, “Your Highness, what did the Imperial Physician say?”

 

“You were correct in your suspicions. The embroidery thread indeed contains something unusual. The thread was specially treated with powerful and lingering medicinal substances. Even after multiple washes, the effects remain. To mask the medicinal scent, they added a bit of fragrance.”

 

Chu Jinyao’s suspicions were confirmed, and for a moment, she didn’t know what to say. “It must have taken a particularly devious mind to come up with this method. It’s a shame that such intelligence was used only for harming others.”

 

Unexpectedly, Qin Yi did not respond right away. His expression grew uncharacteristically solemn as he gently guided Chu Jinyao toward the bed. “You’ve had a long day; get some rest early.”

 

Chu Jinyao was indeed exhausted. The whole situation with Empress Xiao Qi had left her physically and mentally drained. If she hadn’t been waiting for Qin Yi, she would have already fallen asleep.

 

She had already removed her hair ornaments and outer garments. Pulling the quilt over herself, she noticed that Qin Yi didn’t seem like he was going to sleep. “Your Highness, aren’t you coming to bed?”

 

“I still need to arrange a few things,” Qin Yi replied. “You rest first.”

 

Chu Jinyao could guess what Qin Yi needed to arrange. After discovering something so significant in Consort Lian’s clothing, this was an opportunity too great for Qin Yi to pass up. If he wanted to deliver a decisive blow to the Empress, there was a lot to prepare before unveiling this evidence.

 

As she lay in bed, watching Qin Yi busily going about even at this late hour, Chu Jinyao felt a pang of guilt. “Your Highness, these matters are supposed to be my responsibility. You’re already busy with state affairs during the day. I feel terrible that I can’t help ease your burdens, and now you have to worry about the affairs of the inner palace as well.”

 

“This is not just a matter of the inner palace. You uncovered Empress Xiao Qi’s scheme, which is a great achievement in itself. Leave the rest to me; you don’t need to concern yourself with it.”

 

That made sense. The next steps would involve reeling in the net and striking back, and who better to handle that than someone as experienced as Qin Yi? Chu Jinyao smiled, “Your Highness, when the time comes and you take action, be sure to let me know.”

 

“Why?” Qin Yi raised an eyebrow.

 

Chu Jinyao laughed, “Because I played a part in this too, and I don’t want you taking all the credit. I have to keep an eye on you!”

 

Qin Yi couldn’t help but chuckle at her words. He looked at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of helplessness and affection. “Alright.”

 

Qin Yi understood that Chu Jinyao wanted to stay involved because she didn’t trust him to go through it alone. Under normal circumstances, such a sentiment might be viewed as a lack of trust. Yet, far from being offended, Qin Yi felt a sense of tenderness toward her.

 

Seeing him agree, Chu Jinyao’s eyes curved into a smile. “I knew you wouldn’t do that, Your Highness. You’re far too just. By the way, what do you think we should do about Consort Lian?”

 

“You’re asking me?” Qin Yi raised an eyebrow.

 

Realizing her misstep, Chu Jinyao quickly clarified. After all, Consort Lian was still the Emperor’s concubine, and discussing her like this was inappropriate. Chu Jinyao sighed, resigned to explaining her intent: “What I meant was, Consort Lian’s clothes likely contain the highest concentration of these substances, and she just lost her child. If we want to convince the Emperor, she is our strongest witness. However, if we need more evidence, we’ll have to ask her for her clothes. How should I approach this?”

 

Qin Yi had initially intended to be stern, but when he thought about what Chu Jinyao had done today, he couldn’t help but feel a mixture of amusement and exasperation. “You’ve certainly become quite capable. Just look at the things you’ve been up to today.”

 

Chu Jinyao was a bit embarrassed, but considering all the more awkward things she’d done in front of Qin Yi, this seemed minor in comparison. She laughed it off. “Alright then, I’ll figure something out tomorrow. I can’t afford to alarm her, but I also need to explain things clearly to Consort Lian. It’s no use letting that poor laundry maid take the blame.”

 

In reality, Chu Jinyao could have ignored the matter. Eunuch Qian had handled everything cleanly, and no one would have connected Consort Lian’s missing garment to the Eastern Palace. But if she did that, the maid would likely be punished. Qin Yi gazed at Chu Jinyao, once again realizing how rare and precious she was. “You even think about others. But she’s just a palace maid.”

 

“Right is right.” Chu Jinyao shook her head, clearly disagreeing but too tired to argue the point. Seeing that she was still wide awake, Qin Yi reached out and gently covered her eyes. “Enough, don’t think about it anymore. Just go to sleep.”

 

Chu Jinyao’s eyelashes fluttered against his palm, causing her to giggle. “It tickles! Alright, I’ll really sleep now.”

 

“Mm, I’ll be right outside.”

 

That statement filled her with an overwhelming sense of security. Knowing that Qin Yi was nearby and within her reach if she needed him, Chu Jinyao finally relaxed and closed her eyes.

 

Moments later, as her breathing became steady, the tenderness on Qin Yi’s face gradually disappeared, replaced by a cold, determined look.

 

For many years, Qin Yi had suspected that Empress Xiao Qi was responsible for the lack of children in the Imperial Harem. However, as the rightful Crown Prince, he was wary of getting involved in the inner workings of the harem, knowing full well that even he couldn’t easily intervene in those matters. Furthermore, fewer imperial offspring meant less threat to his position, which had allowed him to remain a passive observer.

 

But now, Qin Yi had changed his mind. If Empress Xiao Qi dared target Chu Jinyao, it was a different story. His future children would come from Chu Jinyao. From the moment she entered the palace, long before she even considered the matter of offspring, Qin Yi had meticulously ensured that everything within the Eastern Palace was tightly controlled, particularly the food and medicine.

 

In the past, he might have let it slide. But now, with a wife and the prospect of children, Empress Xiao Qi had crossed a line. The time had come to deal with this poisonous tumor.

 

Qin Yi had gathered ample evidence of Empress Xiao Qi’s various schemes over the years, but it surprised even him to learn that her primary tactic involved tampering with the clothing. His expression grew increasingly cold. The fact that something like this had happened under his watch, within the Eastern Palace, filled him with rage.

 

Though he had suspected Empress Xiao Qi of committing various small offenses over the years, this time she had almost succeeded.

 

Qin Yi’s expression remained calm, but the dangerous aura surrounding him was unmistakable. He gazed at Chu Jinyao’s serene, beautiful face as she slept, her trust in him so complete.

 

Despite the storm brewing within him, Qin Yi’s movements remained gentle. He softly kissed her forehead and quietly stood up, walking out of the room.

 

Once outside, Qin Yi looked up at the sky. The night was dark and pure, but his eyes gleamed with a darkness even deeper than the heavens above. Murderous intent flickered within them.

 

A dragon has its reverse scale—touch it, and death follows. Clearly, Empress Xiao Qi did not understand this principle.

 

—

 

The tension between the Eastern Palace and the Empress was palpable, a fact well-known throughout the inner palace. Though the atmosphere in the summer palace was more relaxed than in the main palace, and there was more interaction between the inner and outer court, word of the conflict slowly began to spread beyond the palace walls.

 

The affairs of the inner palace and the court were often intertwined, and many of the officials who had accompanied the imperial family had already caught wind of the rumors surrounding the witchcraft incident. But because the issue had not escalated publicly, and no culprit had been identified, it remained a matter confined to the inner palace, causing little upheaval in the court. Nevertheless, Empress Xiao Qi’s frustration mounted with each passing day. She had carefully orchestrated her plot for so long, only to watch it unravel completely. Now, she had only created trouble for herself.

 

Her bad mood made her irritable, and no one in the palace dared challenge her. Even if they were scolded, they meekly accepted it, keeping their heads down in silence.

 

Finally, after venting her frustration, Empress Xiao Qi felt her anger subside a little. Stirring her bowl of chilled porridge, she suddenly remembered something. “Where is the Crown Princess? Why hasn’t she come to pay her respects today?”

 

Lanyu had noticed the same thing. Typically, the Crown Princess would have arrived long ago, yet today she was conspicuously absent. An uneasy feeling crept into Lanyu’s heart, but she forced herself to remain calm. “Perhaps she was delayed on her way.”

 

 

At that very moment, the Emperor stared in disbelief at the scene unfolding before him. “Qin Yi, what is the meaning of this?”

 

The Emperor, uninterested in governance, spent his days indulging in pleasure. He was preparing to take one of his new concubines out for an outing when Qin Yi unexpectedly blocked his path.

 

“Your Majesty, I have something to report. I ask for your time.” Though Qin Yi’s words were courteous, his actions left no room for negotiation. After speaking, he cast a glance at Xiao Linzi, who promptly stepped forward with several palace maids carrying trays.

 

The Emperor looked on, dumbfounded, as the maids entered with their offerings, followed by Consort Lian. Frowning, the Emperor asked, “What is all this?”

 

The palace maids knelt before him, heads bowed low, as one of them respectfully addressed the Emperor. “Your Majesty, ever since Consort Lian tragically lost her child, we have uncovered something suspicious.”

 

Standing tall and composed, Qin Yi watched, while Chu Jinyao stood silently by his side. Consort Lian’s tear-filled eyes gazed at the Emperor, her delicate beauty magnified by her sorrow. As the Emperor scanned the group, a growing sense of unease gripped him. He instinctively resisted this feeling, knowing that once the maid opened her mouth, the balance of power he had come to rely on might be shattered.

 

His face darkened as the ominous silence stretched on. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally spoke. “What suspicion?”

 

The maid lifted the red silk cloth covering the tray, revealing its contents with a clear and firm voice. “Your Majesty, these are Consort Lian’s garments. After the miscarriage, I took the liberty of inspecting them to identify the culprit. Upon examining the embroidery on her inner garments, I detected an unusual scent. I sought advice from the Imperial Medical Bureau, where it was confirmed that the threads had been treated with a special mixture containing musk, safflower, and other substances harmful to women. Prolonged exposure to such items can harm a woman’s reproductive system, while for pregnant women, it can cause abdominal pain, bleeding, and even miscarriage.”

 

The Emperor’s expression darkened completely. Though not a wise ruler, he was no fool. He could easily comprehend the implications. Not only had someone tampered with Consort Lian’s clothing, but it was also highly likely that similar methods had been used on the other concubines. And hence, there were so few imperial offspring.

 

The insidious nature of this plot was too shocking to contemplate.

 

His face black with rage, the Emperor’s voice was cold as he commanded, “Summon the Imperial Physicians.”

 

The senior Imperial Physicians soon arrived. After examining the garments and smelling the treated embroidery thread, their faces showed a mixture of shock and fear. They could barely muster the courage to speak. At the maid’s urging, they carefully examined Consort Lian’s recent clothing and found the same harmful substances.

 

The Emperor’s fury was palpable. No one dared to speak or even breathe too loudly. Only Qin Yi remained calm, meeting the Emperor’s gaze with an unwavering expression. “Your Majesty, someone tampered with Consort Lian’s clothing—not just hers, but likely others as well. Soon after, the Fourth Prince was lost. Then, rumors spread throughout the palace that the Eastern Palace could not tolerate the birth of another imperial son. Someone even planted a witchcraft doll in the Eastern Palace. Your Majesty, this is a grave matter involving witchcraft, the Eastern Palace, and the death of an innocent life. I implore Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly.”

 

The Emperor’s face was inscrutable, his silence speaking volumes. The situation felt eerily familiar, echoing events from just a few months ago.

 

The tension was thick as the hall fell into a heavy silence. Outside, the sharp voice of a eunuch suddenly pierced the air, like a blade slicing through still waters, shattering the tense quiet within the hall: “The Empress has arrived!”