Do Not Offend the Reborn Wicked Wife-Chapter 513: Spy?

"Why would Father say such a thing?"

Qi Junji was somewhat bewildered. Was this about Empress Qiao or his biological mother?

He remembered that when his mother died, he was only three years old. Now, twenty-nine years had passed in the blink of an eye, and all he had of his biological mother were memories from dreams.

Qi Yun said, "See for yourself!"

Lost in thought, Qi Junji took the handwritten letter. As he read the first few lines, his hand began to tremble slightly from excitement.

"Mother!"

After reading the letter, he let out a mournful cry. Was it truly so? Was it truly so?

His mother considered her status to be humble and unable to provide him with position, so she chose to end her life and entrusted him to Empress Qiao?

"Father, was this letter personally written by my mother?"

"I remember Zhen Pin’s handwriting clearly; it’s definitely hers."

Instantly, Qi Junji could no longer suppress his inner grief. Tears poured out like springs, and he knelt to the ground.

"Mother, you... did all this for your child... It’s my unfiliality... I’ve never offered incense to you all these years..."

While Qi Junji was wailing, over on the other side, Empress Qiao slowly knelt down: "Your Majesty, I am guilty! I deliberately concealed this matter from Ji’er to prevent him from grieving, which almost caused a major disaster—it was my fault!"

What disaster? Clearly, it was said that someone used this matter to slander her!

Empress Qiao’s reversal was truly well-played. She suddenly showcased her benevolent and charitable side thoroughly, moving anyone who didn’t know her true nature.

Qi Yun naturally took advantage of the situation and praised her virtuous and benevolent actions. He stepped forward, helped her up, and said with a light smile:

"Empress, how could you say such a thing? The Imperial Palace has been managed under the Empress’s leadership for years, always diligent and meticulous. Now someone wants to slander and frame, I absolutely won’t allow it!"

"Your Majesty, it doesn’t matter if I am wronged, but someone wants to use this to drive a wedge between us and our child—this kind of tactic makes me feel fearful."

"I understand. This matter will be thoroughly investigated, Empress, you don’t need to worry!"

"Thank you for your grace!"

"Ah—"

Suddenly, a palace maid screamed aloud on the side, and everyone immediately followed her frightened gaze. It turned out that the blood on the forehead of the maid who had died there was gradually turning black.

"What... what’s happening?"

"A ghost, it must be a ghost! It must be causing trouble; otherwise, how would good person’s blood turn black?"

"My gosh, it’s terrifying!"

Some timid palace maids and eunuchs were shouting. Qi Yun knew the situation was playing out as imagined, so he quickly summoned the imperial physician and forensic doctor to examine the scene.

"It’s poison; this is some kind of poison! When she was alive earlier, we couldn’t tell, but now, clearly it’s poison, something unheard of, never before seen!"

Shen Chong glanced at the maid’s darkening blood and immediately made the determination.

Shen Chong, being one of Qi Yun’s men, carried significant authority in his words. Empress Qiao lowered her eyes slightly, but there was a flash of pride within them.

Consort Li was returning to the palace and would certainly retaliate against her, so Empress Qiao had long set someone to watch her closely.

A couple of days ago, she received word that Consort Li was investigating the true cause of death of Consort Shu and Zhen Pin.

Both events were very covertly executed by her, with Consort Shu’s death even done using Empress Dowager Xue’s hand.

However, better safe than sorry.

Though she sat upon the throne for years, she had no offspring, making her position unstable, with many concubines eyeing her rank.

To consolidate her power, she schemed to kill Zhen Pin and took her son, Qi Junji!

By rights, no one should know about these matters, and she had even lured Zhen Pin into writing the letter, ensuring everything was flawless.

Yet, that vile Consort Li relentlessly pursued her, and had even begun to find clues.

What to do?

Fight poison with poison!

First, using possession in dreams, expose this old affair. Then, let that maid identify herself, subsequently when everyone thinks she’s doomed, bring out the letter personally written by Zhen Pin back then.

In this manner, the alleged rumors would collapse on its own.

In the future, if Consort Li wishes to attack her with this incident again, it would be utterly impossible.

"Do you know what poison it might be?"

Everyone’s attention was drawn to the maid’s corpse, naturally no one noticed the pride in Empress Qiao’s eyes.

Realizing the severity, Qi Yun needed confirmation from Shen Chong.

Shen Chong replied, "I do not know, but undoubtedly it’s quite a potent poison! Moreover...not akin to any poison from the Central Plains!"

Qi Yun nodded and inadvertently glanced at Li Qingmu, matching it to the prior answers he was given.

"Then let’s investigate, investigate thoroughly, and see who is causing chaos in My harem!"

"Yes!"

"Your Majesty, I request to conduct a thorough investigation of the harem, assuming the mastermind hasn’t erased the evidence yet; we should act swiftly!"

Zhao Mengran stepped forward, bowed, and said.

This decision was risky, as the harem consisted of the emperor’s women and if nothing was found, it meant facing impeachment.

But for the sake of resolving this case, Zhao Mengran couldn’t consider these aspects now.

"What does the Empress think?"

Qi Yun asked Empress Qiao, and feeling pleased her scheme was successful, she maintained calmness and respectfully said, "Everything is at your discretion, Your Majesty!"

"Good, then proceed quickly with the search!"

Upon Qi Yun’s words, the Imperial Guard immediately mobilized and turned the harem upside down.

"Madam, rest assured, everything is ready."

Aunt Zhen Shu stepped forward and whispered softly in Empress Qiao’s ear, who nodded subtly.

While investigating the harem took some doing, with the numerous guards, within just half an hour, someone came hurriedly bringing a brocade box.

"Your Majesty, the servant discovered a brocade box in Lady Li Fei’s side hall!"

The guard spoke up and secretly glanced at Consort Li.

Consort Li’s expression faintly changed; she vaguely remembered nothing about this brocade box, but perhaps it’s something from the side hall, which she rarely tidies?

Due to this small doubt, she didn’t immediately rebuke, and instead watched helplessly as the guard opened the box, revealing a white jade bottle inside.

"Your Majesty, within the box there’s a medicine bottle labeled ’Ten Miles of Flowers.’ The servant doesn’t know what this is!"

"Ten Miles of Flowers?" Qi Yun furrowed his brows slightly and turned to several imperial physicians by his side, "Does anyone know what this is?"

"Your Majesty, this... I haven’t heard of it!"

"I haven’t heard of it either!"

"Ten Miles... Ah, this might be the Beiliang Secret Medicine. I was fortunate enough to hear about it once; this medicine is quite mysterious with properties ever-changing. As rumored, conditions like day and night vary, winter and summer differ, the living and the dead differ. This medicine can control minds, can kill with a single word, very potent..."

A physician suddenly spoke, but before he finished, Yi Pin sharply exclaimed, "Oh dear, how powerful! Oh my, it’s the Beiliang Secret Medicine, never leaked outside—how did Lady Li have such medicine? Could it be... Lady Li, is a Beiliang spy?"

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