The queen is sober in the world, and she is winning every step of the palace fight.

"I've been recuperating for the past few days, and recently I've been worried about His Majesty's health, so I've neglected to manage the harem. Why, do you treat me as if I don't exist and just start quarreling and causing trouble?"

Empress Yan was furious, and Concubine Chen and Madam Zhang, who was in the same palace with her, quickly knelt down to apologize and explain.

One said she stole my things, and the other said she was sneaky and slanderous. The red lacquer carved string that was dug out from under the bushes was presented to Empress Yan.

Linglong, who was beside Queen Yan, recognized it at a glance. This was one of the items that the Queen Mother had given as a reward to the harem a while ago.

"Well, Concubine Chen, you just casually buried the bracelet given by the Empress in the ground. Are you dissatisfied with the Empress? No wonder you came back angry today. I greeted you, but you ignored me. How has the Empress wronged you? Why do you blame her so much?"

Madam Zhang did not miss the opportunity and immediately accused him.

Under Empress Yan's angry gaze, Concubine Chen turned pale and stammered, unable to speak clearly.

Queen Yan asked Madam Zhang to leave.

Interrogate Concubine Chen privately.

Linglong used threats and inducements, and soon, Concubine Chen confessed everything, saying that she had obtained the pearl necklace from He Shuangying, but accidentally discovered that there seemed to be something wrong with it.

Naturally, Fei Wan's advice was concealed.

She just said that she wanted to find out whether He Shuangying was secretly harming her and deliberately drugged the beads before giving them to her.

"Empress, I dare not express my dissatisfaction with you. I asked around the palace and found that some of the gifts given to the sisters had the same scent as this bracelet, while others did not. I cannot understand why, and I am not sure there is anything wrong with this bracelet. I was upset, so I was annoyed when I returned to the palace and did not hear Madam Zhang's greetings.

Although I wasn't sure, I felt it was still unacceptable, so I had it thrown under a tree and buried. Later, I felt uneasy and wanted to dig it out and throw it farther away, but it was taken away by Madam Zhang. I was just panicking, but Madam Zhang clearly had bad intentions. The same thing happened with He Shi. I felt sorry for her and wanted to get close to her, but who knew she was a venomous snake, and she actually put poison on the bracelet. Your Majesty, please understand. I have no intention of disrespecting you! Truly!"

Queen Yan raised her eyebrows.

Is that so?

Let Linglong check it immediately.

Linglong called her trusted imperial physician.

The imperial physician took the beads, carefully identified the smell, and reported that it was the smell of Lulu grass.

This substance combined with angelica can cause menstrual disorders in women, and long-term use can lead to infertility risks. After hearing what the imperial physician said, Yan's back sank like water.

After sending the imperial physician away, Empress Yan told Concubine Chen to stop kneeling.

"Get up. This isn't your fault. You're just too impetuous to try and gain favor with He. Aren't you happy serving Concubine Zhao?"

Concubine Chen was very embarrassed, but she didn't dare to say that she was serving Concubine Zhao, so she had to keep bowing her head and admitting her mistakes.

Empress Yan said, "Danggui is often used in the beauty and blood nourishing medicines used by the ladies of the palace. Snow Muscle Flower God Pills, Jade Dust Fairy Paste, White Phoenix Pills, Yangrong Yiqi Pills...at least half of the prescriptions prepared by the Imperial Hospital contain angelica. What a clever idea! Lulu grass has a faint scent, unnoticeable to most people. But if you ask the Imperial Physician for some tonic medicine on a regular basis and combine it with angelica, you'll be in for a treat without even realizing it."

Lady Chen, I don’t blame you for being rude today. I want to thank you for making such a fuss, which reminded me.

But you must remember, I have always been upright and honest, not a villain like Zheng who secretly harms other people's offspring. You said you were investigating whether He was harming you, but in fact you harbored suspicions about me. You'd better put aside this thought as soon as possible!"

Concubine Chen quickly confessed her guilt and apologized profusely.

Empress Yan asked her to report which concubines among those who were out and about today were holding rewards that smelled of Lulu grass.

Concubine Chen reported the truth.

"...Empress, could He Shi have drugged so many people's belongings? How did she do it, and how did she get the Lulu grass? I heard it's just a wild grass, used in some folk remedies, but imperial physicians don't usually use it, do they?"

Empress Yan nodded. "You've been very thoughtful. It's not easy for her to get the medicine or administer it, which is why you suspected me before."

Concubine Chen was embarrassed.

"Go, stand in the courtyard with Madam Zhang and listen to the palace rules before you leave, so you don't forget the rules next time and cause trouble or quarrel."

Concubine Chen hurried down.

Madam Zhang was waiting outside, and the two of them stood obediently at the bottom of the stairs, listening to the disciplinary nanny of Fengming Palace read out the palace rules aloud.

After a while of cold wind, he thanked me and left.

After returning home, although they disliked each other, they didn't dare to quarrel anymore and went back to their rooms.

Empress Yan ordered people to secretly check the Imperial Hospital and the Imperial Pharmacy overnight to see who had been in contact with He Shuangying recently.

Fei Wan, who was sitting in Chunxi Palace, soon learned of all these developments.

Fei Wan now has spies everywhere, and most of the movements in the palace are known to them.

Xiang Yi said, "As long as the Queen is willing to investigate, she will be able to quickly find out where He got the medicine from. Our plan is about to succeed."

Fei Wan nodded.

She did not intend to hide it from Queen Yan, but the matter involved He Shuangying's secret meeting with the emperor, and the fact that she reviewed the memorials on his behalf could not be made public. Even if she had formed an alliance with Queen Yan, she could not reveal it easily.

Friendship is friendship and should not be confused with doing things.

Then he ordered Xiang Yi: "Keep having people keep an eye on the pharmacy. Stop He from coming before the emperor these two days to make her anxious."

It also makes the emperor feel itchy because he can't get what he wants.

The reason for all this effort wasn't to deal with He Shuangying. The small shrimp wasn't worth mentioning, but the big fish that would soon be drawn out by the shrimp was something to look forward to.

……

The quarrel between Concubine Chen and the Empress's rebuke became a hot topic of conversation the next day. Another topic of conversation was the concubines' fundraising for Empress Yan and Xie Weizhou's army.

Queen Yan was secretly busy investigating the pharmacy, and openly, she was busy counting and collecting everyone's donations.

Two days had already passed by the time the individual contributions from each palace had been sorted out, recorded, and a preliminary exchange estimate had been made.

That night, Empress Yan took the records to the emperor for discussion and asked him to make a final review before the donations were distributed.

“I donated quite a bit.”

The emperor flipped through the booklet casually and nodded in approval.

Queen Yan smiled gently, as if nothing unpleasant had happened between them, and she was still a virtuous queen.

"Your Majesty, you want to honor Concubine Hui and Marquis Xie. How dare I, along with the sisters in the palace, not take this seriously? We've all donated our most valuable possessions. I've checked, and none of the items are of concern to the boudoir. They can be circulated freely, Your Majesty, rest assured. After your review, I'll have the Imperial Household Department take the items and exchange them for gold and silver to provide the two armies with additional armor and clothing, allowing the soldiers to share in the emperor's grace."

"Very good, you did it well."

The emperor approved and was about to end the conversation.

He still wanted Fei Wan to help review the memorials and summon He.

But Empress Yan kept talking, picking out the best items donated by the concubines and reporting them to the emperor one by one.

After half an hour, the emperor became impatient and sent the man away, saying that he had to deal with government affairs.

Queen Yan came out of Chenqian Palace with a sneer on her face.

Your Majesty is really anxious!

She had already found out that there was a eunuch in the imperial pharmacy who secretly provided medicine to He Shuangying.

But it’s not just Lulu grass powder.

She also found out that there was another kind of spice medicine that was used to promote clear weather!

Recently, He always sneaks into Chenqian Palace at night.

Queen Yan personally waited on the road last night and saw it all.

Just didn't alert the enemy.

She wants to catch the criminal red-handed!