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In the evening, after having dinner, Mu Junqi took Huixin and Ziyue for a walk in the Imperial Garden. Due to health reasons, she hadn’t been able to go out and enjoy herself these past few days. However, just as they reached the Evening Moon Pavilion, they spotted Consort Wang with a group of palace maids admiring the flowers not far away.
With a smile, Mu Junqi approached them. At that moment, Consort Wang also noticed her and hurried over to greet her, saying, “Empress, good fortune! It’s been a few days since we last met, and you still look so radiant.”
Mu Junqi simply smiled lightly at her words and looked curiously at the garden behind her, asking, “This garden is usually deserted in the evening; why is Sister Zhao Yi here to admire the flowers?”
Consort Wang covered her mouth with her handkerchief and chuckled before replying, “Your Highness may not know this, but the flowers in this garden are the most beautiful in the Imperial Garden. Those who don’t come here simply don’t realize its beauty.” She then gazed toward the garden.
Mu Junqi took a few steps in that direction and was greeted by a riot of colors from the blooming flowers. However, she was soon hit by an unusual odor that was distinctly different from floral scents, making her feel nauseous. She frowned and stepped back.
Consort Wang stepped forward a few paces and said, “Does Your Highness not like these flowers? I’ve heard that they are particularly difficult to cultivate. The Consort discovered them by chance and always comes here in the evening to admire them. Although their scent isn’t the best, it’s unique; the more you smell it, the more refreshing it feels.”
Ziyue, standing nearby, looked at Mu Junqi with delight and said, “Your Highness, since these flowers are so effective, should I move a few into the palace? That way you can relax and rest.”
Mu Junqi smiled brightly and replied, “That sounds nice; however, this smell is truly unbearable for me. If I bring them back, it might make it even harder for me to sleep.” She covered her nose with her handkerchief and frowned slightly in distaste. “Forget it; if Sister Zhao Yi likes them, she can continue enjoying them here. This smell is really too much for me,” she said as she led everyone away.
The next morning, outside the hall came the sound of a woman crying. Feeling somewhat irritated, Mu Junqi turned over. Being pregnant already made her mood inexplicably poor; now being woken up early only added to her discomfort. Angrily, she asked, “What’s happening outside?”
“Your Highness forgives us; it’s Zhao Yi’s maid who says her mistress has been vomiting and having diarrhea since early morning. The imperial physician can’t do anything about it, so she requests your presence,” Huixin outside the hall respectfully reported.
Mu Junqi felt puzzled but knew that human life was at stake. She had no choice but to call them in. After a short while of getting ready, she silently sat in the Phoenix Palanquin heading toward Consort Wang’s Xi He Palace.
Before even entering, she caught a strong smell of blood mixed with an unknown odor that invaded everyone’s breathing space. The scent nearly made Mu Junqi gag; Huixin quickly handed her a handkerchief to cover her nose as they walked inside.
As soon as she entered, she saw several imperial physicians frowning and standing to the side, seemingly discussing something. The serving maidens were all trembling with fear, and upon seeing her enter, they hurriedly came forward to pay their respects.
"Everyone, please rise. How is Consort Wang?"
"Replying to Your Highness, Consort Zhao has been poisoned. However, we still cannot determine what kind of poison it is. None of us have seen these symptoms before, but there is a strange smell in the air that resembles the scent of Euphorbia Tigeri."
"Euphorbia Tigeri? What is that?"
"Replying to Your Highness, Euphorbia Tigeri is native to the Western Regions and was later introduced to our country. However, it is said that Euphorbia Tigeri itself is toxic, so very few people cultivate it. I do not know how Your Highness came to plant such things here," a somewhat short imperial physician respectfully replied.
Mu Junqi was even more puzzled now; if Euphorbia Tigeri was toxic, how could Consort Wang have planted it?
Although she felt some confusion, she bypassed the physicians and lifted the curtain to enter the inner chamber. What met her eyes was a pool of blood on the floor; the entire room was filled with a bloody stench. At that moment, Consort Wang lay there with a pale face and tightly closed eyes, seemingly lifeless.
Ziyue and Huixin also frowned simultaneously and hurriedly pulled Mu Junqi out, saying awkwardly, "Your Highness, you are currently pregnant. This place is too contaminated; it’s not good for the prince. Leave this to the physicians; you can't help much here."
"Yes, Your Highness, it's better for you not to be in such a bloody place," Ziyue echoed.
Mu Junqi struggled to suppress her nausea. After hearing their words, she no longer insisted and walked out. It wasn't until she breathed in the fresh air that she felt alive again.
She ordered someone to bring out the physicians and said in a deep voice, "You must treat Consort Wang properly; nothing must go wrong. Remove all Euphorbia Tigeri from her chamber to prevent more people from being poisoned."
"We understand," they replied respectfully before withdrawing.
"Your Majesty, please don't blame this servant for speaking out. This matter must be related to Consort Qian; otherwise, how could someone who was perfectly fine yesterday end up like this today?" The personal maid of Consort Wang, Xiaorou, said tearfully.
Hearing her maid say this, Mu Junqi, sitting in the Phoenix Palanquin, asked in confusion, "Why do you say that?"
"Her Highness does not come from a high background and has always been cautious in the palace. However, ever since you arrived, she has dared to show herself. But a few days ago, she clashed with Consort Qian in Jinghe Palace, and surely she must hold a grudge to treat my lady like this," Xiaorou said softly while crying.
She was well aware of what had happened that day, but she couldn't help but wonder if Consort Wang was really the kind of person her maid described. However, with insufficient evidence at hand, she could only sternly say, "You should know the consequences of discussing others in this palace. If there is no evidence, do not gossip like this again. Do you understand?"
Upon hearing this, Xiaorou knelt on the ground and hurriedly said, "This servant deserves to die; I will never do it again. Please spare me, Your Majesty."
"Enough, get up. Take good care of your lady. If anything happens, just come to This Palace," she said calmly before instructing Huixin to have the eunuchs move to Tianming Palace.
As they walked along the way, Huixin looked at Mu Junqi with confusion and said, "Your Majesty, don't you find it strange? Yesterday Consort Wang was enjoying flowers in the Imperial Garden, and this morning she was poisoned by Euphorbia Tigeri. It all seems very odd."
"This is just a warning. It's obvious that there is something suspicious about Consort Wang's poisoning. The last person who saw her yesterday was me. If I'm not mistaken, someone will surely come forward to claim that I had a dispute with her," Mu Junqi said dismissively and even chuckled lightly after finishing her sentence.
Huixin and Ziyue looked at her with concern but didn't know what to say.
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