Her gaze suddenly sharpened, and she channeled her internal energy, leaning in to press her ear against the wall.
The hushed conversations within the hall immediately flooded her ears.
"This matter is most peculiar. I fear someone can no longer bear to wait and has already made a move. This is for the best; it will be even more advantageous for us."
This voice belonged to the Empress.
Feng Yin Wan wondered from what angle the Empress could describe the word "advantageous" as "more." Her brow furrowed slightly before she heard Ye Ting Zhu speak again.
"Mother, my body seems to be experiencing some anomalies recently."
"Oh?"
Upon hearing this, the Empress's expression turned grave for a moment. She immediately beckoned him closer.
"Come here, let me examine you."
Ye Ting Zhu stepped forward, and as the Empress unrolled his sleeve and looked for a few moments, her complexion suddenly changed.
"This is not good!"
In an instant, her expression became even more somber than before.
Su Xi, standing nearby, clearly understood this exclamation and immediately moved closer with concern.
"Your Majesty, has the poison within the Great Prince relapsed?"
The Empress did not answer, her face remaining grim for a moment. She furrowed her brow forcefully. "Fetch that medicinal pill."
Su Xi paused slightly upon hearing this, a hint of hesitation on her face.
"Your Majesty, this pill is exceedingly difficult to find. We have searched for many years and only have this one. Moreover, the Hundred Wood Spirit Rhinoceros has yet to be obtained. If we use this pill rashly, it may not only fail to suppress the poison but also plunge the situation back into a passive state."
"I can no longer concern myself with that!"
The Empress held Ye Ting Zhu's hand, her face bordering on frantic.
"My son's body is nearing its end. We have failed to obtain the Hundred Wood Spirit Rhinoceros on several occasions. If we continue to procrastinate, I fear that before we can gather the means to save him, Zhu'er's life will be lost!"
Although Ye Ting Zhu was the legitimate eldest son, he was born with deficiencies.
At first, she had believed it was due to the influence of her own medicinal poison, that he had not developed properly in the womb. It wasn't until he suddenly fainted at the age of three and the toxins manifested in his body that she realized it was not merely a "deficiency" but something that person had left within her!
Even though she had entered the palace and become Empress, enjoying endless favor, she had been designed by that person from the very beginning!
For many years in the palace, she had racked her brains solely to preserve Ye Ting Zhu's life. The so-called secluded residence at Fu Xiu Temple was merely a pretext, a superficial excuse to conceal the truth.
This time, bringing Ye Ting Zhu back to the capital was because, firstly, the poison in his body had become uncontrollable and required a new solution, and secondly, the Hundred Wood Spirit Rhinoceros, presented by the Northern Kingdom, was precisely the last item she needed.
She had initially thought that once the item reached the palace, obtaining it would be effortless. However, time and again, there had been repeated mistakes, even attracting the attention of the Xuanmen sect…
And these detestable individuals insisted on opposing her at every turn, which was utterly infuriating!
Gritting her teeth in hatred, she spoke in a low voice, "Go and fetch it!"
"Yes."
Su Xi nodded and quickly retreated. It was during this brief silence that Feng Yin Wan turned her head, her eyes meeting Ye Ting Lan's, an expression of surprise evident.
Their suspicions were correct. The ones who had previously plundered the Hundred Wood Spirit Rhinoceros were indeed the Empress's people.
What surprised her even more were the next two sentences—
Ye Ting Zhu also had toxins within his body, and the Empress was seizing the Hundred Wood Spirit Rhinoceros to prolong Ye Ting Zhu's life…!
How could this have remained unknown for so many years?
If the Empress was to be believed, what kind of poison was within Ye Ting Zhu's body? Could it be related to Chen Chen's?
And… who was the one who administered this poison into his system?
Too many questions swirled in her mind, and Feng Yin Wan found herself momentarily unsure which one to ponder first.
Her thoughts still adrift, a gentle weight landed on her shoulder. Her gaze met those dark, deep eyes, and Feng Yin Wan snapped back to reality, her thoughts instantly focused.
She raised her eyes and looked back into the hall, just as Su Xi returned with the medicinal pill.
The moment the green box was opened and the appearance of the pill within was revealed, her beautiful eyes widened again.
The medicinal pill the Empress had sent Su Xi to fetch was the Purple Ginseng Profound Pill!
The Purple Ginseng Profound Pill, which had been purchased at a sky-high price of one hundred thousand gold taels at the clandestine auction in Jiang Zhou, was actually in the Empress's possession!
Almost instantly, a thought surged into her mind.
The Empress was the villain she had been searching for!
As her thoughts returned, a squadron of guards passed by the entrance of Chang Le Palace. The lights within the hall dimmed for a moment, and then, Ye Ting Lan's low voice sounded.
"We should be going back."
Returning after a mere half-hour absence, the sleeping potion placed at the entrance before their departure remained undisturbed, and no one had entered the hall.
Feng Yin Wan gathered her belongings and sat down on a chair in the outer chamber.
"What are your thoughts, Your Highness?"
They had gone together for their reconnaissance earlier, and just as she had heard the conversation, Ye Ting Lan had heard it too. Now that they were within the palace, she wished to hear his opinion.
Sensing that she already had a plan, Ye Ting Lan's brow twitched almost imperceptibly as he parted his thin lips.
"To eliminate the remnants, one must uproot them completely. Now that she is confined to the palace, it presents an excellent opportunity for you."
The palace was heavily guarded, with not only his people but also Ye Ting Yan and Ye Ting Yu's men keeping watch.
The Empress had no martial arts skills; escaping silently was virtually impossible. Furthermore, her ambitions extended far beyond this, and she would undoubtedly remain put in Chang Le Palace.
As long as she was there, the bait would be in place. Feng Yin Wan only needed to keep an eye on Chang Le Palace, root out the other remnants, and the task would be as simple as waiting for the rabbit to bump into the snare.
Indeed, upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Feng Yin Wan's face, her thoughts aligning with his.
However, after only a moment, her gaze lifted again, and she looked steadily at Ye Ting Lan, the corner of her lips curving.
"This alone is not enough. I want the Hundred Wood Spirit Rhinoceros as well."
Since the Great Prince's illness was the Empress's Achilles' heel, the Hundred Wood Spirit Rhinoceros was an invaluable piece of bait. Once thrown out, the Empress would certainly take the hook.
With both baits deployed, it would be far more effective. She was eager to see how deep the water in this palace truly ran.
Ye Ting Lan understood her intention and immediately nodded. "I will give it to you."
In truth, even if it weren't for bait, he had the same idea.
But Feng Yin Wan would never know.
The next day, when Jiang Ru Mo arrived, Ye Ting Lan gave him a few instructions. Within a day, the news that the Hundred Wood Spirit Rhinoceros could save the Emperor had spread throughout the palace.
The incident began when Eunuch Gao entered to deliver medicine, and after the Emperor drank it, he showed a faint reaction. The Emperor's subsequent words, with Ye Ting Lan's tacit approval, grew and amplified. By the time the news reached the Empress, it had transformed into a different narrative.
"Imperial Physician Jiang adjusted the prescription for the Emperor's medicine today, adding a small amount of the Hundred Wood Spirit Rhinoceros. After the Emperor drank it, he became momentarily clear-headed. Seeing Prince Mo and Concubine Wan attending to him at his bedside, he even praised them."
His gaze subtly swept across her face. The eunuch continued, "The Emperor had always been very fond of Prince Mo. Looking at the current situation, the choice for the heir apparent will likely fall upon him…"