He raced all the way.
The eunuchs guarding the gates of the various palaces had already become adept at removing the thresholds when the little prince came flying over on his little dog cart.
Thus, traveling together, Qu Dubian arrived directly outside the Hall of Purple Zenith.
The voices chasing and calling him were still quite far behind. Qu Dubian jumped off the little dog cart, holding the steamed egg custard, and walked to the entrance.
Eunuch Bao guarding the door of the Hall of Purple Zenith rubbed his eyes, confirming he wasn't seeing things: "Seventh Highness?! How did you get here!"
Qu Dubian handed over the egg custard in his hands, "Hold this for me first, thank you."
Struggling to climb over the threshold, he took the custard back and went straight in, calling out: "Father Emperor! Father Emperor! I came to see you!"
Emperor Chongzhao, who was having his meal: "?"
He looked up to see a short turnip with a bun hairstyle exploded into a spiky ball rushing in, those dark, black eyes blinking, clearly up to some mischief.
The scene felt somewhat familiar. Emperor Chongzhao saw him approaching with a bowl, "Did you come all the way from the Palace of Eternal Trust to beg for food at my place? Didn't I already order the Imperial Kitchen to prepare separate meals for you these past few days?"
"No, no."
Qu Dubian caught his breath, patting his little heart, "Here, this is for you."
Emperor Chongzhao raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing it.
This brat would be doing well if he usually didn't snatch food from his bowl, and now he's sharing what's in his own bowl with others?
He chuckled and said, "You must have missed me."
Otherwise, why call him Father Emperor instead of Your Majesty?
Qu Dubian: "..."
Not even a gold miner could dig up such a narcissistic piece of work.
He desperately resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Just which ancestor gave him the confidence to say something like that with such composure!
"Father Emperor, have a taste. Noble Lady Chu made this egg custard for me. It smells really good, even better than your incense."
"Better smelling than my incense? Can an egg custard grow flowers?" Emperor Chongzhao took the bowl of custard. The eunuch tasked with testing the food immediately stepped forward.
Qu Dubian yanked the custard back, held it to his nose, and took several deep breaths.
"Father Emperor, let me smell it again..."
Emperor Chongzhao found it amusing: "Are you going to let me eat it or not?"
"I will, I will."
Qu Dubian nodded repeatedly and handed it over again. Just as Emperor Chongzhao was about to eat, he changed his mind once more, sniffing it at his nose.
Like a little puppy.
Emperor Chongzhao: "Little Seven, stop playing. I still have memorials to review later."
So the little son reluctantly gave him the custard. This time, before it even reached Emperor Chongzhao's hands, the child quickly pulled it back to his own nose, greedily sniffing.
Each time he changed his mind faster, each time revealing more fervor and a child's uncontrollable craving.
Upon closer look, it was as if he were bewitched.
A sliver of chill crept up Emperor Chongzhao's back. Even the most foolish person should sense something was wrong. He grabbed Qu Dubian's hand, forcibly snatched the custard away, and said in a deep voice, "Little Seven!"
Qu Dubian reached out urgently, "Dad! Good daddy! Give it to me, let me smell it once more, just once more. It smells so good, so good..."
He even called him 'Dad,' showing just how much he wanted it.
Emperor Chongzhao's expression darkened further. Amidst Eunuch Yu's exclamation, he lowered his head to smell it. The cold custard only had a faint fishy smell; he couldn't smell anything else.
But he remembered his little son's sense of smell seemed naturally sensitive, far exceeding ordinary people. Last time, he could even smell the bloodstain on his clothes and vomit, and could identify a big black moth by its scent.
He restrained his son with one hand and held the custard high with the other, his cold gaze falling upon it.
"Summon the imperial physicians!!"
Eunuch Yu hurried off to carry out the order.
Just after he left, Eunuch Bao came in to announce, "Your Majesty, Noble Lady Chu requests an audience."
Emperor Chongzhao: "Let her in."
The closer Noble Lady Chu walked, the more she could hear the Seventh Prince's cooing and pleading inside. She adjusted her breathing and facial expression. It seemed the Seventh Prince had eaten the custard she gave, and His Majesty wouldn't let him have too much...
She only hoped His Majesty hadn't touched it.
Passing the screen outside, Noble Lady Chu smiled gracefully, about to perform the ritual greeting when she saw the scene inside and Emperor Chongzhao's icy gaze.
Her head spun, her face turning deathly pale.
Emperor Chongzhao slammed the custard bowl heavily onto the table, scooped up his son who was flapping like a chick, held him firmly in his arms, keeping him away from that bowl of custard.
His tone was light: "The food from the Palace of Eternal Trust certainly suits Little Seven's taste."
Noble Lady Chu barely maintained her composure, "It was all prepared by the servants. Nothing is too meticulous for His Highness's food. Your Majesty, is there something wrong with this custard?"
Emperor Chongzhao: "Why doesn't my consort try it herself?"
Immediately, a eunuch scooped out a portion from the custard bowl, brought a new spoon, and presented it to Noble Lady Chu.
"..."
Noble Lady Chu took it and openly tasted a mouthful.
"It's a bit cold. It's better when hot. Your Majesty?"
Emperor Chongzhao merely glanced at her, saying nothing more. Noble Lady Chu suppressed the urge to spit it out, swallowed it, and stood in the hall, feeling awkward and out of place.
"Want to smell! Want to smell!"
The little son tucked under his arm was still making a fuss.
Emperor Chongzhao: "Find a clean cloth, soak it in ice water."
The attending palace maids immediately prepared what he requested. Emperor Chongzhao pressed the icy cloth against the lower half of Qu Dubian's face.
The icy sensation startled him.
"More clear-headed now?"
Qu Dubian had been pretending all along. He sullenly covered the icy cloth, glanced at Ye Xiaoyuan and Wen Xiaochun in the hall—both were watching him nervously.
He lifted the cloth, smiled, and winked.
Ye Xiaoyuan was somewhat reassured.
For a while, only the occasional dissatisfied whimpers of the Seventh Prince could be heard in the Hall of Purple Zenith. Not long after, Imperial Physician Yang and Imperial Physician Qiu hurried in carrying their medicine boxes.
"Your humble servants pay respects to Your Majesty."
"Rise. Examine that bowl of custard."
Noble Lady Chu: "Your Majesty! I-I tasted this bowl of custard. There's nothing wrong with it."
Emperor Chongzhao: "We'll see after the examination. Little Seven is not acting normally."
Noble Lady Chu, on the verge of tears: "Does Your Majesty not believe me?"
Emperor Chongzhao: "Are you questioning my decision?"
His tone was the same as before, but Qu Dubian could tell his cheap dad was growing somewhat impatient.
Noble Lady Chu immediately fell silent, twisting her fingers, praying desperately in her heart. The powdered shell of the Wangye fruit was a thing from the Southern Ning Kingdom. Although the Great Zhou strictly prohibited it, the imperial physicians probably hadn't encountered it much... She had used a very small amount. It wouldn't be discovered.
It definitely wouldn't.
The two imperial physicians accepted the order. First, they took a bit of the custard and touched it to the tips of their tongues.
Imperial Physician Yang: "It seems... there's a slight astringent taste."
"It's a bit like a spice used to mask the fishy smell of eggs," said Imperial Physician Qiu. "May I ask, Your Majesty, what was His Highness's reaction just now?"
Emperor Chongzhao: "He was very... obsessed with this bowl of custard, kept smelling it. I could barely hold him back."
Qu Dubian poked his head out: "It smells so good! None of the egg custards I've ever eaten smelled as good as this one, so I thought of bringing it for Father Emperor..."
As he spoke, he looked at the custard with greedy eyes, his nose twitching.
Emperor Chongzhao pressed down his little son's restless head, forcefully pushing it down.
The head popped up again; he pushed it down again.
"He seems a bit better now. Earlier, it was somewhat frightening."
The two imperial physicians stepped aside to confer.
Obsession, fragrant, peculiar, astringent... Imperial Physician Qiu suddenly remembered that Noble Lady Chu's family home was near Baojiang Lane, close to the Nanning Kingdom.
His heart gave a lurch. He looked up at Imperial Physician Yang and saw the same grave expression on the other's face.
"Imperial Physician Yang, do you have any mugwort leaves with you?"
"I have some. It should be enough."
Imperial Physician Yang took out the mugwort leaves, ground them into powder, and poured a portion into the steamed egg custard. After stirring, the custard directly turned a dark purple.
His lips trembled involuntarily. The sinister methods of the inner palace were truly this vicious!
By now, Noble Lady Chu's face was as pale as paper.
Emperor Chongzhao: "Poisoned?"
Imperial Physician Yang cupped his hands, suppressing his indignation. "Reporting to Your Majesty, there is only one substance in this world that reacts when mixed with processed mugwort powder. That is the Madness Leaf fruit from the Nanning Kingdom!"
The Nanning Kingdom had once suffered from the harm of this fruit, its national power declining rapidly. It had improved somewhat in recent years after a change of emperor. Spies from the Nanning Kingdom had attempted to use the Madness Leaf fruit to corrupt officials of the Great Zhou. Fortunately, it was discovered in time. Emperor Chongzhao nipped the source in the bud, declaring the Madness Leaf fruit an absolutely forbidden substance, prohibited from circulation.
He had seen with his own eyes the corruption and harm the Madness Leaf fruit inflicted on people—
It was sheer madness!
Qu Dubian chose that moment to speak. "Madness Leaf fruit? Can it make food taste better?"
His young son's voice reached his ears. Emperor Chongzhao recalled how obsessed the boy had been with that bowl of egg custard just moments ago. A chill ran through his entire body, followed by towering rage.
How many meals of this custard, or rather, how many meals from the Palace of Eternal Trust, had his little seventh son eaten? Was he already addicted?
A teacup was hurled directly at her. Emperor Chongzhao roared in anger, "How dare you! You dare use a forbidden substance to poison a prince?!"
The hall fell deathly silent, palace servants kneeling everywhere.
Noble Lady Chu's shoulder ached from the impact. She staggered back a few steps and collapsed to the floor. "No, I didn't! I didn't!! I didn't know, your servant didn't know about this! It was all the people in charge of the small kitchen!!"
When Emperor Chongzhao's killing intent arose, his speech became lighter and faster than usual. "Your maternal family oversees Baojiang Lane. Your younger brother was recently imprisoned for smuggling Madness Leaf fruit. And you still dare claim you have nothing to do with this?"
He strode forward, but a sudden wail erupted from within his embrace.
"You're so scary, wu wu wu..."
In the midst of his fury, having completely forgotten he was still holding his young son, Emperor Chongzhao: "..."
He looked down.
The little child in his arms, whether from crying or fright, had his entire face flushed red.
He hastily handed the child over to the two imperial physicians, instructing them to take him to the Western Warm Pavilion for a thorough examination. Once Qu Dubian left, Ye Xiaoyuan and Wen Xiaochun followed, with Eunuch Bao going along to keep watch.
The main hall suddenly felt much emptier and colder.
Emperor Chongzhao said coldly, "Search the Palace of Eternal Trust. Leave not a single corner untouched."
Eunuch Yu: "This servant will see to it immediately."
He simultaneously glanced at Noble Lady Chu, collapsed on the floor, and shook his head.
Noble Lady Chu's fate hung by a thread.
Outside, the large black dog lying down watched the comings and goings, a few low whines escaping its throat. It seemed somewhat anxious, gazing towards the Western Warm Pavilion where Qu Dubian had gone.
-
Western Warm Pavilion.
Qu Dubian lay sprawled on a small desk, letting the two imperial physicians take turns checking his pulse. "There's nothing wrong. It was just the first time I smelled that fragrant scent. It's so strange, none of you could smell it..."
Ye Xiaoyuan frowned deeply. "Your Highness, that is no good thing. If you ever smell it again in the future, you must stay far away."
Qu Dubian: "Nanny, don't worry. Besides that bowl of egg custard, I haven't eaten any of Noble Lady Chu's food."
Imperial Physician Yang: "One or two servings of Madness Leaf fruit won't cause addiction. To develop a mild addiction, one would need to consume it for at least three or four days."
Hearing this, Wen Xiaochun finally felt relieved about the small amount of custard he had eaten.
Thank goodness he was fine. Otherwise, he certainly wouldn't be able to stay by His Highness's side.
Looking at Qu Dubian's flushed little face, he asked softly, "Does Your Highness feel any other discomfort?"
Qu Dubian touched his face and his head. "I feel a bit dizzy."
Imperial Physician Yang examined him carefully and said thoughtfully, "The young prince has a weak constitution and has suffered a fright, leading to a slight fever. It's nothing serious. I will prescribe some medicine."
Ye Xiaoyuan's heart ached. His Highness had only just recovered for how long? Now he had to take medicine again.
"Thank you for your trouble, Imperial Physician."
Imperial Physician Yang waved his hand. After confirming Qu Dubian had no other issues besides the fever, he went out to report to the emperor.
Qu Dubian felt his own forehead, genuinely puzzled, and asked the simulator, "I can get a fever? I didn't activate a simulation."
Simulator: [...]
Simulator: [All humans can get fevers. The cause of this fever is the host's weak constitution and riding in the dog cart in the cold wind too many times. The simulator can convert spontaneously occurring illnesses of the host into simulations. Does the host wish to convert?]
[The host has already experienced Level One and Level Two fevers. Experiencing Level Three can unlock a new type of illness and unlock the Horse Stance Daily Check-in. The simulator will gift the host the 'True Qi Circulation Diagram' from the first part of the 'Art of Prolonging Life'.]
For the same type of illness, there are at most only three simulation opportunities per level to prevent the host from point-farming. Unlocking new types is important. But even more important was—
"The True Qi Circulation Diagram!"
Qu Dubian's spirits soared. He had been worrying about having a secret manual but not understanding it. Having a circulation diagram would help immensely. Combining the two could aid his comprehension.
Wait. He asked warily, "Why are you being so generous this time?"
Simulator: [To increase the host's survival probability within the inner palace.]
Qu Dubian: "..."
Quite pragmatic.
After all, if the simulator hadn't warned him this time, he might have truly fallen into the trap. The simulator could warn him about poisons and other dirty tricks, but if someone were to use sheer force to suppress him, he wouldn't be able to resist.
All fear stems from insufficient firepower.
Qu Dubian had originally planned to choose Level One, just to go through the motions, but with the benefit of the simulator's True Qi Circulation Diagram offered, he decisively chose Level Three.
The duration was tentatively set for four days.
After all, he was in the Purple Palace Hall, and he wasn't sure when he could finish writing this particular "thesis."
But this time, he wasn't in a hurry. He would strive for a high score.
