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Yeh Hsiao-Han shook her head. "The poison is too strong. The one who poisoned him is determined to take his life. This kind of deadly poison likely has no antidote."
Her guess was correct; Liu Yuan had never intended to show mercy from the very beginning.
Gu Bei's expression darkened. He was destined to confront Murong Jing, and given their opposing positions, this was unavoidable. However, he had never imagined that their conflict would end in such a manner.
"Liu Yuan!" Gu Bei lifted Liu Yuan off the ground with one hand. "As a court criminal, you refuse to repent and even harm the prince! Do you know your crime?"
Liu Yuan's expression was maniacal as he shouted, "What crime do I have? You all forced me into this! If it weren't for your relentless pressure, how could I, Liu Yuan, have fallen to this state?"
He struggled wildly, trying to reach Gu Bei, but before he could make a move, the guards pinned him down. "This is what you deserve! Opposing me leads to this outcome! If I can't live, neither will you!"
"Enough! What’s the point of wasting words with a lunatic like him?" Yeh Hsiao-Han stepped forward, grasping Gu Bei's hand and instructing the guards to take Liu Yuan into custody for trial.
Yeh Hsiao-Han turned back to look at Gu Bei and saw the sorrow etched on his face.
Just yesterday, they had been drinking together, and now in an instant, that person had departed from this world, leaving them forever separated by life and death. This pain was something only those who had experienced it could truly understand.
Yeh Hsiao-Han knew that during their time working together, Gu Bei's relationship with Murong Jing had softened considerably; they seemed like two ordinary good friends. Now faced with such a tragedy, Gu Bei must be heartbroken.
After all, this wasn't the first time such a thing had happened. In the past, Gu Bei had also lost brothers and friends due to the treachery of enemies. That incident remained a shadow in Gu Bei's heart to this day.
The death of Murong Jing cast a heavy shadow over everything.
Yeh Hsiao-Han could only advise, "There are unforeseen circumstances; not everything can be predicted. None of us wanted this to happen. Please don't be too sad."
Gu Bei remained silent; he didn't want to lie.
With a sigh in her heart, Yeh Hsiao-Han imagined stepping on Liu Yuan, crushing him like a producer, tying him up with a rope, and letting him fly away like a kite.
This unfortunate incident had come at a time when Gu Bei had finally made some progress, no longer drowning in past guilt and pain. Now, with this turn of events, all of Yeh Hsiao-Han's efforts in psychological healing seemed wasted.
"Let’s go check on the Empress Dowager; she is the one most affected by this." The Empress Dowager's love and indulgence for Murong Jing were known throughout the capital.
Her son, whom she had raised with such care, had died right before her eyes; the Empress Dowager would likely be on the brink of emotional collapse.
There was no way to bring back the dead, but at least she wanted to do her best to protect those who were still alive.
Yeh Hsiao-Han didn’t harbor much resentment toward the Empress Dowager. Although their positions and interests differed, beneath it all, the Empress Dowager was simply a mother who loved her children.
It just so happened that she lived in the inner palace, leading a life far more tumultuous than that of an ordinary housewife.
Upon arriving at the Empress Dowager's chamber, they found it eerily quiet, devoid of any sound. Yeh Hsiao-Han and Gu Bei exchanged glances, sensing something was off. Even if the Empress Dowager were still unconscious, there should at least be courtiers and an imperial physician present.
"Let’s go in and take a look!"
They held their breath as Gu Bei led the way, with Yeh Hsiao-Han following closely behind as they ventured inside.
Before them lay not the thrilling scene they had imagined, but rather an unsettling atmosphere they had not anticipated.
The Empress Dowager sat before the bed, cradling a pillow in her arms, gazing intently at another pillow on the bed, her face radiating maternal bliss.
Yeh Hsiao-Han and Gu Bei were momentarily at a loss, hesitant to disturb the situation, and glanced over at the Court Lady nearby.
They noticed that the Court Lady's eyes were red, as if she had been crying. Upon seeing them enter, her nose twitched, and tears began to flow uncontrollably.
She moved slightly, which startled the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager lifted her head slightly, displeased. "What’s wrong with you? Why are you making noise again? Haven't I told you that the Prince is asleep? Don't wake him!"
The Court Lady quickly wiped her tears and stood quietly with her head bowed.
Yeh Hsiao-Han and Gu Bei exchanged glances, unsure of how to react. The Empress Dowager's demeanor was far from normal!
However, when the Empress Dowager caught sight of them, she smiled and greeted them warmly.
"Miss Yeh, you're here! Come in! Just in time—these two little rascals can only behave when they're asleep. They just had a fight over a piece of candy; it's truly exasperating."
Though she complained, there was no hint of displeasure in her tone; instead, it carried a sense of joy. Her voice was low, as if afraid of waking the two 'children' sleeping beside her.
Yeh Hsiao-Han observed everything before her and began to piece together the situation. It seemed that the Empress Dowager had recently suffered a significant blow that she could not accept, leading to a disarray in her mental state.
In this ancient time, perhaps it could be called Madness.
After encountering the Empress Dowager, Yeh Hsiao-Han confirmed her suspicions. The Empress Dowager's memories seemed to drift back many years, to a time when Murong Jing and Shangyang Princess were just little children.
Back then, they were like two fledglings with tender yellow beaks, surrounding the Empress Dowager and playing joyfully all day long. At night, they would nestle under her thick wings to rest.
The Empress Dowager continually reminisced about that time, likely because it was the happiest period of her life.
It wasn't that her memory was deteriorating; rather, it was disordered, so she could still recall some present events. For instance, she remembered the Court Lady beside her and also Yeh Hsiao-Han.
"Miss Ye is exceptionally intelligent; I took a liking to her at first sight and even considered arranging a marriage for her with the Prince. What a pity..." the Empress Dowager said with a smile, but suddenly her expression faltered: "What a pity? Why can't it happen? Doesn't the Prince like Miss Ye?"
She gazed blankly at the pillow on the bed, then looked down at her own arms and threw the pillow away: "This is not my Prince! What have you wicked villains done to my son? Return my child to me!"
The Court Lady, holding back tears, stepped forward to hold onto the Empress Dowager, softly trying to soothe her, but it had little effect. In her frenzy, the Empress Dowager possessed an alarming strength, nearly throwing the maid off.
Yeh Hsiao-Han quickly approached, opened a jar, poured some liquid onto a handkerchief, and covered the Empress Dowager's mouth and nose.
Before long, the Empress Dowager ceased struggling and fell into a deep sleep.
"It's just a calming medication; there are no side effects and it won't harm her body. Don't worry," Yeh Hsiao-Han hurriedly explained in response to the maids' panicked expressions.
After settling the Empress Dowager onto the bed, Yeh Hsiao-Han began to inquire about the situation from the maids. The information she received was much as she had anticipated.
After witnessing the death of Murong Jing, the Empress Dowager had collapsed emotionally and found it difficult to accept reality. She fainted, and when she awoke, she had become this way.
This kind of psychological ailment is the hardest to treat; whether it can be cured is one thing, and the time required for treatment is another. In any case, it is not easy.
After explaining some precautions to the palace maid, Yeh Hsiao-Han felt that there was nothing more she could do here. The Courtier and the Imperial Physician were both present, more professional than she was.
On the way back, Yeh Hsiao-Han relayed the situation to Gu Bei. Gu Bei clenched his fists, remaining silent.
Yeh Hsiao-Han did not force him to accept her advice but instead gave him space to heal on his own. She gently reached out her hand and held Gu Bei's, reminding him that he didn’t have to bear it all alone.
No matter how arduous or difficult it may be.
Gu Bei felt warmth in his heart and grasped her hand in return.
The news of the Empress Dowager's madness quickly spread throughout the palace and reached the Palace of the Empress, where the predecessor emperor's consorts resided.
"I never expected that the Empress Dowager would fall to such a state," Liu Consort said as she gazed toward the direction of the palace, feeling a pang of sympathy in her heart.
It was perhaps a lament akin to "the death of a rabbit brings sorrow to the fox." Liu Consort addressed the palace maid, "Back then, we were both vying for status—one as Queen and the other as a favored concubine—refusing to yield to each other."
She forced a mocking smile. "Look at the outcome now: the Empress Dowager has gone mad, and I cannot even recognize my own flesh and blood. This palace, which everyone envies, has shed its layer of splendid skin; what remains beneath?"
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