Xiao Yi lowered his head in contemplation for a moment, then raised it.
“If the worst should happen, Grandmother’s place would be the safest of all!”
Su Xian was stunned.
But she quickly caught on.
What Xiao Yi said was right.
Though the Empress Dowager didn’t involve herself in affairs, her status alone carried weight.
No one would dare to barge in and cause chaos.
Seeing that Su Xian understood his meaning, Xiao Yi set down his teacup.
“Don’t worry too much. Get some rest early.”
“Duoduo has put a great deal of effort into helping you recover.”
“Don’t let her hard work go to waste.”
“I still have matters to attend to. Rest now.”
With that, Xiao Yi pushed his wheelchair and headed out.
Su Xian saw him to the door and watched him leave before turning back.
Yunxiao, waiting at the entrance, pushed Xiao Yi toward the outer study.
“Have Ling Yu come see me,” Xiao Yi ordered.
“Your Highness, Ling Yu is already waiting for you in the study,” Yunxiao replied.
“I sent word to him before entering the palace.”
Xiao Yi nodded.
In the prison of the Imperial Guard, Duoduo only turned her head back after Xiao Yi’s figure had completely disappeared.
Her gaze inadvertently swept over the prisoners nearby.
She noticed an old man with a sharp, piercing stare fixed on her.
Duoduo looked away and sat back down in her spot.
Having eaten her fill, her mood had improved considerably.
Lüdou leaned against Duoduo and whispered,
“Princess, when will the Prince come to take you out?”
Lüdou had originally thought Xiao Yi’s visit meant he would bring Duoduo out.
Instead, he came and left.
Lüdou was deeply disappointed.
Duoduo shook her head.
“I can’t leave!”
“If I leave, my suspicion will only grow!”
“Then Father will be even harder to clear.”
Duoduo understood very well.
Consort Li’s target was never her.
It was the Prince of Pingyang’s mansion behind her!
So she couldn’t act rashly and give Consort Li a handle to exploit.
Earlier, Xiao Yi had whispered in Duoduo’s ear,
“If you want to leave, Father will take you out right now!”
At first, Duoduo had longed for Xiao Yi to take her away.
But when she actually heard him say those words, she suddenly didn’t want to go.
She couldn’t hold her father back!
From her conversation with her father, Duoduo had a keen sense that the Emperor must have a plan in reserve.
If her father rescued her recklessly, he would certainly fall into someone’s trap.
Then all the groundwork her father had laid would go to waste.
What was a few days in prison, after all?
Compared to the back courtyard of the Song mansion, this was better.
At least here, the roof didn’t leak or let in the wind.
And there wasn’t any hunger.
“The Princess is right.” Nanny Li chimed in from the side, overhearing their exchange.
Lüdou fell silent.
She didn’t understand all the complicated schemes, but whatever Duoduo said, that was what it was.
After all, she had been in worse places than this.
“Princess, that man next to us looks so fierce!”
Lüdou felt a gaze fixed on them from time to time.
Duoduo glanced over.
“It’s fine. The bars are between us; he can’t do anything.”
Lüdou pressed closer to Duoduo. “Why does he keep staring at us?”
Duoduo closed her eyes. “Go to sleep. When you’re asleep, you don’t know anything.”
Lüdou laughed at Duoduo’s words.
That phrase was what they had said most often back in the Song mansion.
Whether they were hungry or cold, sleeping made everything unknown.
As long as they woke up the next day, it would be another good day!
Lüdou wrapped her arms around Duoduo and closed her eyes too.
The Minister of War waited until Duoduo and her maids had all shut their eyes before shifting his gaze away.
He looked at his sons and grandsons beside him, his expression dark and vindictive.
His ears were sharp; he had caught bits of the exchange between the Prince of Pingyang and his daughter.
The Emperor had collapsed!
What a just punishment!
If only he would die—that would be even better!
A new emperor’s ascension would bring a general amnesty. Then his whole family might have a chance to live.
Even if not all of them, at least one or two of his grandsons could survive.
He swept his gaze over each of his grandsons.
He refused to accept it!
True, he had embezzled military funds, but it wasn’t his idea.
He had only been following orders.
In the end, he alone had ended up in such a miserable state.
And he had dragged down his family.
The Minister of War cast another glance at Duoduo.
He knew this was his only chance.
If he could seize it, there might still be a glimmer of hope.
Otherwise, his whole family would simply wait for death in this prison.
With that thought, the Minister of War lifted his prison uniform, revealing the inner garment beneath.
He gritted his teeth and tore off a piece.
Then he spread it on the ground, bit his finger, and began writing frantically on the cloth.
The torchlight in the corridor crackled, its flame flickering.
In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Eunuch Li took a bowl of medicine from a young eunuch’s hands.
Walking to the bedside, he said softly, “Your Majesty, it’s time for your medicine.”
The Emperor on the bed opened his eyes.
Smelling the strong medicinal odor, he gently shook his head.
“Take it away.”
Eunuch Li looked troubled. “Your Majesty, this medicine was prescribed by Imperial Physician Li to strengthen your health.”
“He said it must be taken while hot to be effective.”
The Emperor closed his eyes for a moment and waved his hand at Eunuch Li.
Eunuch Li dared not press further and turned to set the bowl aside.
Suddenly, someone burst in.
“Don’t drink it! The medicine is poisoned!”
Eunuch Li was so startled that the bowl in his hand wobbled.
Instantly, half the medicine spilled onto the ground.
“Prince Rui, how dare you barge into the Hall of Supreme Harmony without permission!”
“Guards! Escort Prince Rui out!”
Seeing the Emperor on the bed remain motionless, Eunuch Li shouted toward the entrance.
Prince Rui rushed over, pulled a silver needle from his sleeve, and plunged it into the medicine bowl.
“I was worried about Father. I just caught the maid who was brewing your medicine.”
“She confessed that this medicine is poisoned!”
After waiting a moment, Prince Rui withdrew the needle.
The needle remained gleaming, without a trace of discoloration.
Prince Rui froze in confusion. “Why hasn’t it changed color?”
Eunuch Li placed the bowl back on the table.
“Prince Rui, the palace gates were locked long ago. How is it that you haven’t left the palace by now?”
Prince Rui was still stunned.
“How could it not change color? It was clearly supposed to be poisoned?”
“What went wrong?”
He leaned in to smell the medicine. “Could this be a different bowl?”
Just then, Eunuch Li saw the Emperor slowly open his eyes.
“Your Majesty, you’re awake?”
Eunuch Li hurried over and helped the Emperor sit up.
When Prince Rui heard Eunuch Li, he turned around with a face full of surprise.
“Father! You’re finally awake!”
Prince Rui saw the Emperor on the bed, his majestic gaze fixed on him.
