Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

Li Ruoyue entered the palace, her mind racing. As she followed the eunuchs to the Empress's chambers, she pondered this sudden change. In her previous life, the Emperor had only Empress Kun, and the harem had been relatively stable. But now, while she had been in the northwest, the Emperor had actually named the eldest prince's mother Empress Kun. This undoubtedly signaled the beginning of a fierce battle for the crown prince's position, and it was sure to be extremely intense.

"Could it really be because of my rebirth that things have changed?" Li Ruoyue was filled with doubts. She knew very well that her rebirth was already a variable, and the chain reaction triggered by this variable might have just begun.

Soon, Li Ruoyue arrived at Empress Kun's chambers. A depressing atmosphere permeated the chambers, and the maids and eunuchs worked cautiously, fearing even the slightest noise. Li Ruoyue entered the inner chamber and saw the Empress lying on the bed, her face as pale as paper, her eyes dim and lifeless.

She stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said, "I am Li Ruoyue. I heard that Queen Kun was unwell, so I came to treat her." The Queen nodded slightly and said weakly, "You try..."

Li Ruoyue gently grasped Queen Kun's wrist and began to carefully feel her pulse. Her pulse was disordered, her Qi and blood were deficient, and there seemed to be a stagnant Qi lingering within her body. Li Ruoyue's heart trembled. This condition seemed complex, but it wasn't incurable; it just required careful management.

However, during the treatment, Li Ruoyue keenly noticed the flickering eyes of the surrounding palace maids and eunuchs, as if they were deliberately observing her every move. She knew that everyone in the palace had their own agenda, and she was afraid that her treatment had already embroiled her in an invisible struggle.

Just as Li Ruoyue was concentrating on Empress Kun's condition, she heard a sudden commotion outside the door. A palace maid hurried in, announcing in a panic, "Your Majesty, Empress Shufei is here." Li Ruoyue's heart trembled, and before she could react, Empress Shufei had already walked lightly into the bedroom.

Concubine Shu had a delicate face, but her eyes held a subtle sharpness. She looked at Li Ruoyue and said with a half-smile, "Oh, so this is the folk doctor the Emperor sent to treat my sister? He looks so young, I wonder how skilled he is."

Li Ruoyue knew that Concubine Shu was testing her, so she said calmly, "Your Highness, although I'm young, I've practiced medicine for many years. I will do my best to treat Empress Kun."

Concubine Shu sneered, "Hmph, I hope you're not just a name. If you can't cure Empress Kun's illness, Emperor Qian will not let you off easily."

Li Ruoyue was unhappy, but she remained calm. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will do my best. However, while I am treating you, I hope Your Majesty can ask unrelated people to leave for the time being to avoid interrupting you."

Shufei's face changed slightly, and she was about to explode, but she heard the queen say weakly: "Sister, just let her rest assured and receive treatment..." Shufei could only snort coldly and left the bedroom with the palace maids.

Li Ruoyue watched Concubine Shu leave, realizing that the palace was far more complex than she had imagined. Not only did she have to cure the Queen's illness, she also had to carefully navigate the complex palace situation. A single misstep could lead to ruin.

Li Ruoyue took a deep breath, gathered herself, and continued treating the Empress. She inquired in detail about Empress Kun's diet, daily routine, and symptoms, gaining a clearer understanding of her condition. Empress Kun's illness, in addition to physical weakness, was primarily caused by chronic worry and anxiety. A heart disease requires a heart medicine, and a complete cure is no easy task.

After a moment's thought, Li Ruoyue wrote down a prescription and instructed the palace maids to prepare it according to the recipe and give it to the empress on time. She also suggested that Empress Kun walk around the garden more often to relax and unwind, which would also help with her recovery.

However, Li Ruoyue knew her every move in the palace was closely watched. As soon as she left Queen Kun's chambers, word of her treatment spread throughout the palace. While some concubines remained calm on the surface, they secretly engaged in their own calculations.

Upon hearing the news, the eldest prince's biological mother, the newly appointed Jade Consort, paced back and forth in her palace. She was worried that the Queen's improved condition would affect her son's future, and she was also curious and wary of Li Ruoyue, the folk doctor who suddenly appeared.

"Go, find out the background of this Li Ruoyue and whether she has any contact with the ministers in the court." The concubine said to the nanny beside her. The nanny took the order and left.

Meanwhile, Concubine Shu was also discussing countermeasures with her confidants. "How dare Li Ruoyue act so arrogantly in front of me? If she can truly cure Empress Kun's illness, she'll be difficult to deal with in the palace." A fierce look flashed in Concubine Shu's eyes.

A trusted palace maid hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty! Perhaps we can find a way to tamper with her medicine to make Empress Kun's condition worse. By then, she won't be able to explain herself even if she has a hundred mouths." Upon hearing this, Concubine Shu's eyes flashed with a sinister smile. "We'll do as you say, but we must do it in secret."

Meanwhile, Li Ruoyue returned to her temporary residence in the palace. Seeing her return, Luzhu hurried forward to greet her, "Miss, you're back. Did you encounter any trouble with Queen Kun?" Li Ruoyue smiled helplessly, "I did encounter some trouble, but I've dealt with it for now. However, there are undercurrents in the palace, so we must be more cautious."

As she spoke, Li Ruoyue fell into deep thought. She knew she had been drawn into the vortex of palace intrigue. Her only hope of escaping unscathed was to quickly cure Empress Kun's illness and win the Emperor Qian's trust. However, in the process, she faced a formidable challenge: how to discern and dispel the hidden machinations.

Over the next few days, Li Ruoyue visited Empress Kun's chambers daily to check on her condition. After taking the medicine she prescribed, Empress Kun's condition improved slightly, her complexion gradually regaining some color, and her spirits were much better than before. However, Li Ruoyue felt a subtle unease. She felt as if a pair of eyes were watching her from the shadows, ready to attack at any moment.

That day, Li Ruoyue arrived at Empress Kun's chambers as usual. As soon as she entered, she noticed something strange about the atmosphere. Empress Kun lay in bed, her brow furrowed, her face a look of pain. The palace maids gathered around the bed, panicked.

Li Ruoyue was startled and rushed forward to check. She took Queen Kun's pulse again, and it was even more chaotic than before. Her condition, which had been improving, had suddenly taken a turn for the worse. Li Ruoyue was puzzled. She had been taking the medicine correctly for the past few days, so why had Queen Kun's condition suddenly worsened?

At this moment, hurried footsteps were heard outside the door. Emperor Qian hurried over with a group of imperial physicians. With a gloomy expression, Emperor Qian looked at Li Ruoyue and asked, "Li Ruoyue, why did Empress Kun's condition suddenly worsen? What medicine did you give her?"

Li Ruoyue was extremely anxious. She quickly said, "Your Majesty, the medicines I prescribed are all targeted. This shouldn't happen. Please allow me to investigate carefully."

However, before Li Ruoyue could take any action, the chief physician, Doctor Wang, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, we have just examined the medicine residue that Queen Kun took and discovered that it contains a forbidden drug. It is this drug that caused Queen Kun's condition to worsen."

Li Ruoyue's heart sank, she knew that someone was framing her from behind. But she was at a loss for words, as Emperor Qian was furious and wouldn't listen to her explanation.

"Bold Li Ruoyue, you actually dared to use forbidden medicine in Queen Kun's medicine. What is your intention? Come, throw her into the Sky Prison!" Emperor Qian gave an order, and the guards immediately stepped forward to take Li Ruoyue away.

Just when Li Ruoyue was completely desperate, Lu Zhu suddenly stood up and said, "Your Majesty, please give the young lady a chance to find out the truth. The young lady has been practicing medicine for many years and has never made a mistake. There must be something fishy about this matter."

When the Emperor Qian was angry, Baili Xi also hurried over. He saluted the Emperor Qian and said: "Your Majesty, Li Ruoyue is an upright person with superb medical skills. She has done her best to treat the Queen this time. I implore Your Majesty to give her a chance to investigate this matter thoroughly. If it is really her fault, I am willing to be punished with her." Besides, Li Ruoyue is the daughter of Marquis Li, and he will definitely not do anything that will bring disgrace to his family.

Emperor Qian pondered for a moment and said, "Alright, I'll give you three days to find out the truth. If you can't find the mastermind within three days, you, Li Ruoyue, will be severely punished!"

Li Ruoyue was grateful for Baili Xi's trust and support. She gritted her teeth and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will find out the truth within three days and clear my name."

Li Ruoyue knew she had little time left. She quickly calmed herself down and began to carefully recall every detail of her past few days in the palace. Suddenly, she remembered the strange behavior of Concubine Shu when she visited the Empress's chambers that day, and she immediately became suspicious. But this was just a suspicion; she needed solid evidence.

Li Ruoyue decided to start her investigation with Queen Kun's medicine. She carefully examined the residue again and discovered that the forbidden medicine hadn't been mixed in during her own preparation, but had been secretly added later. Therefore, the most likely culprit was the person responsible for decoction and delivery.

Li Ruoyue immediately found the maid who had been in charge of decocting the medicine that day. After some questioning, threats, and inducements, the maid finally revealed the truth. It turned out that it was Concubine Shu's trusted maid who had found her and threatened her to add the forbidden medicine to Empress Kun's medicine, promising her a generous reward and the opportunity to leave the palace.

Furious, Li Ruoyue brings her maid to the Emperor and reveals the entire truth. The Emperor, enraged, demands: "How dare Concubine Shu be so bold as to frame an innocent person! Someone, summon Concubine Shu to an audience!" A palace conspiracy is about to unfold. Can Li Ruoyue successfully resolve the crisis? And how will she navigate the increasingly complex situation at the harem?