Drunk Bamboo

Fu'an Palace

Hua Qinming brought Luo Qi and Xiao Bingxin to pay their respects to the Imperial Concubine.

"Get up, it's good to show your kindness. The palace and the outside world are not peaceful these days, so you should go into the palace less often."

The imperial concubine knelt in front of the Buddha statue, clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and worshiped the Buddha devoutly.

His thin lips moved slightly, and his tone was calm, making him sound like a recluse who was detached from the world and so cold that he didn't seem like a human.

"Yes." Luo Qi and Xiao Bingxin stood up and responded respectfully, not daring to say more.

"I am fasting today. Breakfast is ready. The two princesses can go and have breakfast first. Ming'er will stay."

As soon as the Imperial Concubine finished speaking, the palace maid Xuan'er led Luo Qi and Xiao Bingxin away.

In the room filled with the aroma of incense, only the Imperial Concubine and Hua Qinming were left.

"Mother, do you have something to tell me?"

"Has the Ginkgo issue been dealt with?"

The Imperial Concubine spoke calmly, with no emotion visible on her face.

"The Impermanence Powder has been given to Han Jian. Ginkgo is seriously injured and his internal organs are damaged. He will die of a serious illness within ten days. Even the imperial doctors in the palace cannot find out what is wrong."

Ginkgo was in Han's house, and Hua Qinming had already given the poison to Han Jian.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to be a kind person, it’s just that he is not qualified to be a good person.

After Ginkgo leaves, he will treat her family well and will not let her sacrifice be in vain.

“Impermanence Powder is colorless and tasteless, and its toxicity cannot be detected even with a silver needle. But once it enters the mouth, it is fatal. The five internal organs fail and there is no medicine to cure it.” The Imperial Concubine slowly opened her eyes, her gaze was cold.

She had a smile on her lips. This was the poison she developed, the poison she was most proud of.

The Nanjiang tribe lives deep in the mountains, and all their daily necessities come from nature, making them self-sufficient.

The undulating mountains block the connection with the outside world, but also provide rare plant herbs.

Almost everyone in the Nanjiang tribe knows common herbs and poisons, and the Imperial Concubine is well versed in this.

"The poison my mother developed cannot be cured by anyone in the world."

Seeing her happy, Hua Qinming agreed. Only when talking about poison could the mother smile.

He hoped that his mother could always smile like this.

It would be great if I could smile like this at him.

As Hua Qinming was thinking, the smile on the imperial concubine's face disappeared.

Very short.

His expression turned cold and his tone became even colder: "The emperor came a few days ago and asked me to remind you to stay within your means and not to have any unreasonable expectations."

"Does father suspect mother?" Hua Qinming looked at her nervously.

The Imperial Concubine slowly raised her eyes, then quickly lowered them again, fiddling with her Buddhist beads with her fingers.

"Don't worry about me. I've been by his side for almost twenty years. I know him better than he knows himself. Don't meet with Han Jian in the near future."

"Yes."

Hua Qinming bowed in response.

He has always been cautious in his words and actions, and only recently met with Han Jian several times in Daci Temple. Unexpectedly, he was discovered by people in the palace.

His eyes suddenly turned cold and stern.

After all these years, my father still doesn't believe him.

No, he doesn't trust anyone.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, the Imperial Concubine continued, "We must finish what we have started. The Crown Prince's affairs were initiated by him, and he should also be in charge of the follow-up."

"Thank you, mother, for your advice." Hua Qinming replied.

He had no intention of getting involved.

Even if he did nothing, it was still him who did it.

Because in the eyes of outsiders, Han Jian is his.

"The emperor is old and likes to be lively. He only has one grandson, the crown prince. You have already started a family, so it's time for you to have a child."

"I have been weak since childhood, I am afraid that my offspring will be ..."

Hua Qinming doesn't want children yet.

There will be no children either.

Because he didn't sleep with anyone.

The Imperial Concubine interrupted him before he could finish his words, "Princess, you are dignified and steady. Luo Yuan is deeply loved by the Emperor. The Emperor will probably like the child she gives birth to."

He looked stunned.

His face was even paler.

His whole life has been in the hands of his mother. Is his child going to be born like this too?

And then live in the deep palace like him, neither human nor ghost?

His mother gave birth to him and raised him, so he would leave everything for her, which could be considered as repaying her kindness.

可孩子… …

The Imperial Concubine glanced at him and said without question: "Gao Yin has prepared the medicine for you. Remember to take it with you when you leave the palace."

"...Yes." Hua Qinming lowered his eyes and responded softly.

His eyes were hollow and lifeless.

On the other side, Luo Qi and Xiao Bingxin were sitting at the dining table.

Xiao Bingxin glanced at the light white porridge and side dishes. Even though they were tasteless, she picked up a pancake with vegetable filling.

At this moment, she remembered the barbecue sandwiches she had eaten in the West, and how delicious they were.

But staying in China was her choice. She had the prince, so nothing else mattered.

For the prince, she can do anything.

His eyes were full of energy again, and he inadvertently glanced at Luo Qi, who was sitting upright without picking up his chopsticks.

"Mother asked us to eat first. Are you waiting for the prince?" Xiao Bingxin had a mocking look in her eyes.

"I'm not hungry. Let me eat first, sister." Luo Qi smiled gently.

"Princess, you have to eat even if you are not hungry. Even the prince obeys mother's words. It may be possible to please the prince in the mansion, but it is useless here with mother."

"I didn't try to please the prince, my sister is overthinking it."

Xiao Bingxin hated Luo Qi's gentle appearance the most. No matter how she ridiculed, mocked, or said bad things, Luo Qi always laughed it off and didn't care about anything.

Luo Qi clearly didn't want to be the princess, but was granted marriage by His Majesty. She tried every possible means, but in the end she was only a concubine.

There was jealousy, envy, and even some hatred in Xiao Bingxin's eyes.

Ironically, the two people who disliked each other were the ones who knew each other's inner secrets best in Prince Wen's palace.

It was also because of this that Xiao Bingxin dared to reveal her true nature in front of Luo Qi.

"I heard that Lord Luo is now the vice-prime minister of the dynasty and is deeply trusted by my father. My sister has such a powerful father, so the prince will definitely value her even more." Xiao Bingxin said this with gritted teeth.

"Father is loyal to his duties. Your Majesty is the supreme ruler, and whoever he appoints is for the benefit of Rao Kingdom. All officials, regardless of their rank, have their own duties and are indispensable. General Xiao guards the western frontier and protects the stability of Rao Kingdom's borders. I admire him from my heart." Luo Qi said indifferently.

"What do you mean?"

Xiao Bingxin thought she was mocking her and said viciously.

"Zhongdu is rich and prosperous, with dazzling flowers, but it is not as vast and free as the western frontier. I envy my sister for having lived there, and I admire General Xiao for having fought on the battlefield."

The situation in the court is complicated, and a high position is not necessarily a good thing.

Luo Qi only said this in her heart.

Chun'er, who was standing behind Xiao Bingxin, came from Fu'an Palace. Luo Qi didn't dare to say anything careless.

Ever since she married into Prince Wen's mansion, she has kept all her worries to herself.

A few months in the palace seemed like decades, and suddenly, she could understand many things that she couldn't understand before, and some people became more and more difficult to understand. For example, the prince, for example, the imperial concubine.

She just hoped not to bring trouble to her father, so she had to be more careful in her life.

Xiao Bingxin actually saw envy in Luo Qi's eyes.

The Western Frontier, that was where she escaped from, but it was also the place Luo Qi longed for.

envious?!

ridiculous!

"You are just feeling sour grapes. The prince is isolated and helpless in the court, so it would be more appropriate for him to have Lord Luo's help." Xiao Bingxin retracted her gaze and mechanically put the porridge into her mouth.

It’s amazing that even someone as skilled as Hua Qinfeng fell off a cliff and nearly lost his life, let alone the already frail prince.

The smile on Luo Qi's face suddenly stopped, and her tone was slightly cold: "Your Highness is loyal and devoted to His Majesty, so how can you say that he is isolated and helpless? Sister, please don't say this again, lest others hear it and implicate Your Highness for no reason."

"you……"