Reborn, the daughter of the Marquisate went crazy

Facing the Third Prince's piercing scrutiny, Xie Qingli calmly stepped forward and bowed gracefully. She bowed her head slightly, her voice respectful yet tinged with embarrassment, "Your Highness, I originally intended to accompany the Empress Dowager, but upon reaching the palace gates, I suddenly felt a cramping stomachache. It's truly...unspeakable, so I had no choice but to return in a hurry to find a clean room."

Her ears were slightly red, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito's. "By the time I emerged from the purification room, the Empress Dowager's procession had already departed. The palace is strictly governed, and I dared not wander about without permission. I could only wander briefly in this courtyard."

The Third Prince narrowed his eyes slightly, and his gaze wandered over Xie Qingli for a moment. Seeing that she looked calm, he slightly dispelled his suspicion.

Suddenly, a young eunuch hurried in, knelt down and said, "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager, Imperial Physician Han from the Imperial Hospital requests an audience. He has something important to report!"

Xie Qingli's heart suddenly tightened. Doctor Han? Could it be that Han Jun? What a narrow road for enemies!

The Third Prince saw the Queen Mother nod slightly from the corner of his eye, and then he said in a deep voice, "Announce."

As the palace door opened, Han Jun followed the young eunuch with his head lowered, bowing as he entered. His posture was humble, but the moment he crossed the threshold, his eyes were as sharp as a knife, taking in the entire situation inside the palace.

He took two steps at a time and staggered to the center of the hall. He knelt on his knees with a thud, his forehead slamming heavily on the cold blue bricks. "Your humble servant, Han Jun, pays homage to the Empress Dowager and His Royal Highness the Third Prince!"

The voice was hoarse and raspy, like a blunt knife scraping gravel. The Third Prince's brows knitted slightly, and he tapped his fingertips lightly on the armrest. "What do you want to report?"

Han Jun suddenly looked up, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Xie Qingli, a crazy hatred burning in his eyes.

Memories gnawed at his nerves like a venomous snake. That day, he had intended to poison Young Master Wuwang, but he had been tricked. Although his master promptly detoxified him, after two weeks of recuperation, his health deteriorated. His right hand trembled constantly, making it difficult for him to even hold a needle. His voice was completely ruined, no longer as clear as it once was.

Later, the master carefully examined him and discovered that he was also infected with another chronic poison. After working for more than ten days, he finally found an antidote. However, although the poison was removed, the damage to his body was irreversible, and he could no longer give acupuncture.

The master knew he was eager for revenge, but Young Master Wuwang's poison skills far surpassed his own, so he advised him to stay out of the spotlight and not confront him head-on. Months ago, the master went straight to the pharmacy, hoping to concoct a rare and deadly poison to avenge him.

But today, when he heard that Prince Wuwang had entered the palace to treat the Empress Dowager, how could he contain himself? While wandering outside the Cining Palace, he saw with his own eyes a familiar figure climbing over the wall. It was the enemy he had been thinking about killing day and night!

How could he let go of such a good opportunity?

"Your Highness!" Han Jun pointed a trembling finger at Xie Qingli and shouted, "I saw it with my own eyes. This person just sneaked over the wall and sneaked into the Cining Palace. He must have some ulterior motive!"

Xie Qingli's heart suddenly tightened. She had just hurried back from the Imperial Garden and, seeing no one around, had just climbed over the wall to get in. How could she have expected to be caught by this guy?

There was no expression on her face, but there was a faint smile at the corner of her lips. Her eyes met Han Jun's gaze calmly, as if she was watching a clumsy farce.

The Third Prince's eyes darkened, a chill rising in them, and he said in a cold voice, "Master Wuwang, do you have any explanation?"

"Your Highness, I understand." Xie Qingli brushed his sleeves unhurriedly, his eyes lightly passing over Han Jun, and he said with a half-smile, "A few months ago, this man caused trouble at Miaoxin Hall, publicly insulting me and calling me a fraud. I diagnosed him with a severe poison and wanted to treat him, asking only for him to apologize publicly before I would prescribe medicine to save him. But he claimed to be a doctor and accused me of being alarmist."

She paused, her tone growing softer, yet each word piercing. "Unfortunately, his anger caused the poison to take effect prematurely. Now, instead of reflecting on his mistakes, he harbors a grudge and even slanders me today."

She raised her eyes slightly and looked at the Third Prince, her eyes full of calmness: "If Your Highness does not believe me, you can send someone to investigate what happened that day. The truth will be determined by the public."

Upon hearing this, Han Jun's face suddenly turned red as blood, and the veins in his neck bulged. He pointed a trembling finger at Xie Qingli, his voice almost squeezed out from between his teeth: "You, you clearly poisoned me! Besides, what does what happened that day have to do with today? I saw you climb over the wall with my own eyes, how can you quibble!"

Xie Qingli raised his eyebrows slightly and was about to speak when he suddenly heard a muffled "thump".

The eunuch holding the flowerpot knelt upright, his forehead touching the ground. His voice was shrill and trembling. "Your Highness, Your Majesty, please understand! This servant, this servant, is willing to testify! This young man has never left the palace. I have been following him since he came out of the purification room. I only followed him quietly because I saw he was unfamiliar and did not look like a palace noble."

He fell to the ground, his body shaking like a sieve, but he still continued with courage: "I dare to guarantee with my life that this young man has never climbed over the wall!"

Xie Qingli lowered her eyes to look at the young eunuch kneeling on the ground, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. In a flash, she suddenly understood: could this be a hidden chess piece planted by Chu Yuncang in the Cining Palace?

The Third Prince looked at the frightened eunuch with great interest and asked calmly, "What's your name? Where did Young Master Wuwang go just now?"

"Your Highness," the young eunuch stammered, "I am Ping An, the one who sweeps the front yard. This young man seems to be visiting the palace for the first time. He is curious about everything and is even examining the carved stone lions on the pillars."

Upon hearing this, the Third Prince glanced at Xie Qingli meaningfully. Xie Qingli dropped his eyes at the right moment, a hint of embarrassment flushing across his fair cheeks.

Ping An secretly glanced up at Xie Qingli, then hurriedly lowered his eyes: "Later, the young master seemed to be attracted by something and walked straight to the wing room behind the side hall. When I saw him trying to enter Eunuch Xing's room, I hurried forward to stop him. Eunuch Xing has always been most averse to others approaching his residence."

"But this young man insisted on smelling a wonderful fragrance and insisted on finding out what it was." He pointed at the potted flower and his voice suddenly became lighter. "Fortunately, this treasure is placed by the window. The window is half open and can be reached with just a stretch of the hand."

The eyes of everyone in the hall were immediately attracted by the strange flower. After sniffing it carefully, they found a clear and sweet fragrance floating in the hall.

The Third Prince looked at Xie Qingli and said gently, "Sir, what is the secret of this thing?"

Xie Qingli gently raised her bare hands and placed the flowerpot steadily on the table. Her voice was cold and clear: "This flower is called Han Xin Lan. It loves the cold weather and grows on the snow-capped mountains of Linyuan Beidu. If it weren't for the dead of winter, it would have no chance of surviving in Shengjing City."

As she spoke, she pointed at the leaves of the Hanxin Orchid: "These leaves are a holy detoxifier and can even prolong life. However, the petals are poisonous, and the stamens are even more toxic."

She raised her eyes to look at the Queen Mother, her gaze clear, "The symptoms of poisoning Her Majesty previously were exactly the same as those recorded in the book for poisoning by the petals of the Hanxin Orchid."