Chapter 23: Reporting Back

The Emperor was accustomed to listening to others with only half an ear, keeping his own counsel regarding the other half. However, after the collective assurances of the imperial physicians, the words of Nanny Song, and Wen Qiao’s earlier demonstration of her medical expertise—which had so quickly alleviated the Empress Dowager’s migraine at the birthday banquet—he chose to trust her.

He could not help but marvel at where Wen Qiao had acquired such medical skills, but he set that curiosity aside for the moment. Dr. Zhang, the source of the poison, remained kneeling on the floor, trembling so violently that cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

With Wen Qiao now fully in charge of the Empress Dowager’s care, Xiao Zheng felt a weight lift from his shoulders, allowing him the composure to interrogate Dr. Zhang.

"Head Physician Zhang, what a remarkable talent you have. I placed you in charge of my mother’s health precisely because I feared for her well-being. I believed you to be the most skilled in the Imperial Medical Institute, yet you have given me such a tremendous 'surprise.' If I hadn't appointed you out of filial piety, would you have dared to engage in such deceit if I had entrusted you with the health of the Emperor himself?"

Dr. Zhang was too terrified to speak. Had he been tasked with the Emperor’s health, he would never have dared to be so reckless. He had hitched his wagon to the Empress, clinging to her power to secure the position of Head Physician. He had only dared to toy with the Empress Dowager’s life because the Empress had promised him great rewards.

The Empress Dowager had never favored the Empress, and their interactions were merely polite facades. Furthermore, the Empress Dowager’s reach within the palace was vast; she knew of the Empress’s every move. Because the Empress Dowager would not shield her—and often embarrassed her publicly—the Empress harbored deep resentment.

Having previously harmed several concubines' children, the Empress had been exposed by the Empress Dowager to the Emperor, resulting in two years of confinement. Now that she had finally emerged, she felt she had to eliminate the Empress Dowager to clear the path for further schemes. With more princes in the palace, the Crown Prince’s position felt threatened—especially since the Fifth Prince had begun his studies alongside him. No one could fathom the Emperor’s true intentions, and the Empress would not tolerate such hidden dangers near the Crown Prince.

When the Empress Dowager had first discovered these schemes, she had been cautious, but she had eventually grown bold enough to intervene—most notably when she had saved Noble Consort Cheng and her twins, a move that fueled the Empress’s hatred. The Empress had clearly not anticipated a variable like Wen Qiao. She had assumed that by placing Dr. Zhang in charge and gaining the Emperor’s trust, no other physician would intervene. She could not have foreseen that Wen Qiao, despite not being an imperial physician, would diagnose the Empress Dowager’s true condition at a single touch. Now, not only was Dr. Zhang panicking, but the Empress would surely be terrified once the news reached the Fengqi Palace.

However, as the Empress Dowager remained unconscious and the Cining Palace was in a state of crisis, the Emperor held his tongue. He merely stared at Dr. Zhang, who shook even more violently.

Soon, the palace maid returned with the decocted medicine. Jiang Cong’an followed, reporting that the medicine was safe. Only then did the Emperor allow it to be served. Yet, Wen Qiao suddenly intervened, causing the maid to freeze and tremble before kneeling before them.

"Do not be afraid," Wen Qiao said. "I am merely being cautious. If the herbs were tainted at the source, the medicine would be compromised even if the decoction process was supervised. Bring it here; let me examine it first."

The maid hesitated, kneeling stubbornly and stammering, "This servant has served in the Cining Palace for years and is loyal. I personally oversaw the gathering of these herbs; there is no way anything impure could have been mixed in."

Her resistance only confirmed Wen Qiao’s suspicions. The Emperor, sensing the deception, darkened his expression. "If Qiao says to bring it, you bring it. Why the hesitation? Is there truly a problem with this medicine?"

At the Emperor’s command, the maid was so startled that she dropped the bowl, shattering it and spilling the medicine. Wen Qiao understood everything. The Emperor slammed the table and stood up.

"I am sitting right here, and yet someone dares to reach into the Cining Palace? If I were away, would you all turn the world upside down and poison the Empress Dowager? Guards! Drag this maid away and beat her to death!"

The wrath of an emperor is a terrifying thing. Because the maid had not acted alone, everyone involved in the preparation of the medicine was dragged away and executed. The hall fell into a fearful silence.

"Uncle," Wen Qiao said, "the medicine was definitely tainted. Since it is spilled, I cannot verify it further. Let me take Huaping and Daiqiao to gather the herbs myself. I will watch them personally."

The Emperor granted his permission, and Wen Qiao hurried to the Medical Institute. The sun had yet to set, and she moved quickly. She brought Huaping and Daiqiao—who were from the Empress Dowager’s own household and had no conflicts of interest—to ensure the task was done right.

At the Medical Institute, the young attendant was suspicious of the new faces. "Who are you to gather medicine for the Empress Dowager? You have no proof of identity. I cannot just let you take medicine from the palace stores!"

Wen Qiao realized the attendant was stalling, likely fearing exposure. "I have no time for your nonsense. The Empress Dowager is unconscious. If you do not give me the herbs and her condition worsens, will you be responsible? You know the previous batch was poisoned, don't you? Step aside, or I will gather them myself."

The attendant tried to block her, but Wen Qiao, having spent years helping her grandmother in their village, possessed a surprising amount of strength. She grabbed the attendant by the collar and flung him aside. Huaping and Daiqiao watched in stunned silence.

Wen Qiao wasted no time. She moved with practiced efficiency, gathering the necessary herbs according to her own prescription, packed them, and hurried back. The attendant, left on the floor, scrambled away, terrified, contemplating whether to flee the palace entirely.

Back at the Cining Palace, Wen Qiao decocted the medicine herself, using a new pot to ensure no prior tampering. She watched it every second. Once satisfied, she administered the dose to the Empress Dowager.

"Hmph," the Emperor muttered. "Some people’s hands reach very far—not just into the Cining Palace, but into the Medical Institute as well. I shall see exactly what they think they are doing."

He had suspected the Empress from the start, as it was she who had recommended Dr. Zhang. The corruption of the medical attendant only confirmed the depth of the rot. Money truly could make the devil turn the mill, even for a crime as grave as treason.

"Empress, oh Empress," he thought, "do not let me down."

Wen Qiao remained by the Empress Dowager’s side, ensuring the medicine was taken. The Emperor watched from the sidelines, his trust in Wen Qiao now absolute.