Poison Takes Effect

In order to find out where the antidote was hidden and escape in one piece, it was important to understand what Empress Chen was planning.

Song Caitang furrowed her brows slightly as she tried to recall what she went through over the past few days, the clues she had gathered and what she had observed. Everything pointed to one thing – Empress Chen was planning something big and it was going to happen soon.

That was why Empress Chen had been so anxious to kidnap her, hoping to find the traitor in her team as soon as possible.

Song Caitang asked Consort Ping, “Are we in the palace now?”

Consort Ping nodded. “We’re in Lengquan Court, a walled residence within the West Palace. If you walk in from the entrance of the palace, it’ll take you an hour to get here. But if you can leap over walls, you only need to jump over two walls to reach the main street, Zhengyang Road.”

Zhengyang Road was a very wide road and it was the closest ordinary civilians could get to the palace. Because it was near the palace, they couldn’t set up businesses and all that, but a lot of people used that road.

Consort Ping was not suggesting that they leap over walls to get out, but she was telling Song Caitang any details she could, in hope it would be useful.

Song Caitang nodded as she stared at the floor to think.

After she had been kidnapped, she had been trapped in a room and she slowly figured out that she was probably within the royal palace. The most dangerous place was the safest place, after all. To Empress Chen, it was risky to keep her inside the palace, but as long as nothing went wrong, she had full control over what happened within the palace.

But on that stormy night, Song Caitang had been shifted to a different place.

When she woke up, besides a deaf and mute servant, nobody else came to the room, so she couldn’t get any clues from them. She initially thought that Empress Chen would have shifted her elsewhere, so she was surprised to learn that she was still within the palace.

That was…quite clever, actually.

If nobody came looking for her, all was well. It meant that nobody had given away any information, so nobody could find her. If someone came looking for her, that was fine. They would noticed that she had been moved elsewhere and they would start looking elsewhere too. They wouldn’t think that she was actually still imprisoned within the palace.

Song Caitang quickly sorted her thoughts out and continued asking Consort Ping, “What’s the atmosphere like outside the palace? Everything’s still peaceful?”

“Nothing special,” Consort Ping answered as seriously as Song Caitang asked her. “The emperor led more than a hundred officials to the royal cemetery to offer incense to his ancestors, so there are guards everywhere because they’re afraid that something bad might happen.”

Song Caitang’s eyes widened. “Wait. The ancestral ceremony is…TODAY?”

Consort Ping didn’t understand why she was so agitated and poured her a cup of tea to calm down. “Yes.”

After a cold gulp of tea entered her mouth and went down her throat, Song Caitang took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

She had been here for quite a long time, so she had lost track of time. On top of that, Empress Chen added some sleeping pills in her food from time to time, so Song Caitang would suddenly fall asleep and have completely no idea how much time had passed. She didn’t expect today to be the day of the ceremony!

So, Empress Chen might be executing her grand plan right now!

“Is…is anything happening outside?” She looked at the consort and sounded a little hoarse.

Consort Ping couldn’t help but think more seriously about the matter, but still shook her head. “Nothing at the moment. I didn’t get any message.”

As a prince who had made a name for himself through his martial arts prowess, as well as a prince who used to lead the troops, Prince Ping’s residence had a lot of information sources. The fact that the consort had not gotten any message yet meant that everything was still safe.

Song Caitang asked another question, “Then while you were walking through the palace, did you notice anything unusual?”

Consort Ping took some time to recall.

Song Caitang tried to help, “The royal guards, the soldiers guarding the palace walls, the eunuchs, the maids and servants… Any detail would be helpful!”

“Come to think of it… The head eunuch wasn’t around,” Consort Ping looked up at Song Caitang. “The elderly head eunuch, Hua Liu, is a trusted servant of the emperor. He started serving the emperor from the time the emperor was born and he’s an extremely loyal and capable person. The emperor should have brought such a person along each time he left the palace, but over the past few years, the emperor has left the palace before, yet he did not bring this eunuch along, leaving him to stay put in the palace. But today…I didn’t see him in the palace.”

Song Caitang narrowed her eyes slightly.

A trusted, capable eunuch that wasn’t brought along recently, yet wasn’t in the palace today…

Such a person fell into two possible categories. Either the emperor didn’t trust him and didn’t want to bring him along, or the emperor trusted him the most, so he purposely left him behind to help him keep an eye.

Regardless of which scenario it was, the emperor was not following his usual way of doing things. That meant that something was going to happen today, and that the emperor himself was making a move too!

Regardless of whether it was because he was just wary of Empress Chen or not, chaos was guaranteed today!

Empress Chen must have already made her move.

If the empress was really the one betraying the country, then what else would she be doing now? Clearly, she was leading a rebellion to overthrow the emperor!

For an empress of a nation to make such a decision, where she not only wanted more money but to actually overthrow the emperor, it meant that she either harbored a deep grudge against the emperor, or it was for love or a child. A deep grudge had been ruled out because the emperor had not done anything to disgrace her. Zhao Zhi and the crown prince had concluded that she was not having an affair with someone either, since it would be impossible to completely hide an empress’ affair. Or perhaps she had had someone else before, but it was way too long ago, so it wouldn’t matter anymore.

So, it was most likely to be for the sake of a child.

On the night of the raid on Beiqing Mountain, Nanny Liang, who had midwife skills, had appeared likely because she was helping Empress Chen with childbirth. Empress Chen might really have given birth to a child, just that this child was not Prince Ling.

As for the fierce battle, foreigners and newborn baby that Linglong had witnessed, it might have been because some people were fighting over this child…

Song Caitang quickly sorted out all the thoughts in her mind. Choosing this date was probably not a coincidence, it was planned a long time ago. Kidnapping her was not planned, but it had to be done, because Empress Chen realized there was a traitor in her camp and she couldn’t afford to have any on the team. If any information about what she was planning leaked, she would be killed.

Song Caitang had accused Nanny Sun of being the traitor because she guessed that Empress Chen suspected Nanny Sun. Song Caitang didn’t feel guilty about that, since Nanny Sun must have committed a lot of crimes as a trusted servant of the empress. Besides, Song Caitang had been caught in a life and death situation, so she had to do what she could to stay alive. Besides, given how suspicious Empress Chen was, she might have sentenced Nanny Sun to death anyway.

As for why the empress didn’t kill her…

Song Caitang felt that it was likely because Empress Chen wanted to use her to threaten Zhao Zhi. After interacting personally with her, she found that Song Caitang was very clever and should not be kept alive, but if the empress killed her there and then… If her treasonous plan failed, she wouldn’t have any trump cards left.

And so, Empress Chen got Consort Ping to come here.

If Consort Ping was truly loyal to the empress, she would get this job done properly. Zhao Zhi was brought up by the consort, so besides using this as a way to get rid of a thorn in her flesh, she could make use of Consort Ping to put Zhao Zhi on the spot and force him to surrender to her.

And even if Consort Ping was just acting in order to protect Zhao Zhi, that was fine as well. The empress had captured the woman that Zhao Zhi loved, so Consort Ping would certainly come, and she would eat the poisoned pills the empress had given her.

At least one of them had to die.

Empress Chen had set up an amazing plan. She had thought of everything.

Thankfully, there was this unknown traitor, so Empress Chen had left this one avenue open. And this was both Consort Ping and Song Caitang’s opportunity to get out of this alive!

This antidote had to exist.

Empress Chen had gone with the emperor to the royal cemetery and was carrying out her coup there, so it was definitely very messy and dangerous right now. Empress Chen couldn’t be sure who would eventually win yet, so she wouldn’t use this trump card until necessary, and she wouldn’t bring the antidote along.

Song Caitang started to think, if she were Empress Chen, where would she go if this whole operation failed? What would she do?

If this was a plan that had been hatching for a long, long time, she wouldn’t want to admit defeat easily. She would try to stall for time, because if she had time, she could turn things around. And a good reason to stall for time was…the antidote wasn’t with her!

But where would the antidote be?

Where would Empress Chen have hidden it?

Her eyes lit up. “Inside her own palace.”

The empress was a woman of high status, but she was also limited in movement. She seldom had the chance to leave the palace and spent most of her time in this compound. And anyone who had spent long enough in the same place would eventually know it inside out… Perhaps all of Empress Chen’s communication channels and connections to the outside world were secretly hidden within the palace! Once Empress Chen got back here, she could find a chance to fight back!

Even if the only thing she had prepared was a secret passageway, at least she would be able to escape!

If that was all true… “The antidote has to be within the palace!”

They just had to search for it!

Song Caitang took hold of Consort Ping’s hand. “Bring me to Empress Chen’s room!”

The most dangerous place was the safest place. Empress Chen was the type to do such a thing.

Consort Ping did not hesitate for even one moment. “Come with me!”

The good part about Empress Chen executing her plan today was that she had taken pretty much all her trusted servants and subordinates along with her. Nanny Sun, the one with the most power within the palace, had been killed, while Consort Ping was both an aristocrat and someone known to most palace servants as one on good terms with the empress, so she faced virtually no resistance as she led Song Caitang into the empress’ chamber.

Even if someone tried to stop them, they would feel afraid and would immediately retreat after the consort snapped at them.

In no time, Song Caitang and Consort Ping got into the empress’ chambers and they began to search the place.

Everything had gone well so far.

But…Consort Ping still couldn’t hold up against the poison in her body. Her chest suddenly hurt and she threw up a mouthful of blood. The poison was taking effect.

Song Caitang felt her heart drop.

She ran over to help Consort Ping to lie down. “Hang in there, I’ll find it in no time!”

Just as she was about to run off again, Consort Ping grabbed her hand.

Consort Ping’s smile was elegant and calm. “Don’t bother anymore. I don’t have much strength left, so I just…want to take the time to talk to you.”

Song Caitang’s brows were tense. “We can always talk after I find the antidote!”

“I’ve not really had a good talk with you yet, so I don’t want to have any regrets when I die.” Consort Ping refused to let go of Song Caitang’s hand. She exhaled deeply, adjusted her breathing, then continued speaking slowly, “Do you hate me so much that you won’t even grant me such a small wish?”
Song Caitang frowned. “You’re not going to die.”

“If heaven is on my side, you wouldn’t have to do so much,” Consort Ping held onto Song Caitang’s hand tightly and just continued talking, “You are very clever, but you aren’t wary enough of others. When you first led Empress Chen into a trap, she didn’t realize it. But once she realized it…of course she had to get rid of you. But thankfully, she remembered me. At least out of this mother and daughter pair, one of us will live…”

Song Caitang’s heart ached as she listened to Consort Ping, but Consort Ping was very weak, so she didn’t dare to pull too hard at her hand. She had to let Consort Ping hold onto her and find a chance later.

“I don’t think you know about this yet, but Lu Yuxue was one of Empress Chen’s. She did so many nasty things to you during this time…”

Song Caitang was a little surprised, since it was true that she didn’t know about it. But it wasn’t hard to see how that happened.

She noticed that Consort Ping was breaking out in sweat, so she pulled a handkerchief out and dabbed the sweat away. “After she came back with Millet’s Dream and Zhao Zhi left, you realized what happened and started suspecting her?”

“That girl was only in her teens, and she thought she was the most intelligent person in the world?” Consort Ping sounded a little smug, “All the little tricks she played were all tricks that I’ve seen and heard about so often, tricks that even I’ve tried before.”

After that, she sighed deeply and shut her eyes.

There was a look of regret and pity on her face.

Song Caitang lowered her gaze. “You really did care very much for Miss Lu in the past, didn’t you?”

“She lost her parents at a very young age and was abandoned by the rest of her family. She was such a lovely little girl, of course I would feel for her,” Consort Ping spoke like she had seen too many tragedies in her life. “But sadly, she didn’t want to continue on the right path. She had become used to the wealth and status that came with a prince’s household, so she didn’t even care for a man from an influential family or a court official, but only had eyes for Zhi’er. But she wasn’t truly in love with him, so how could I allow them to be together?”

But because Empress Chen had managed to tempt Lu Yuxue into joining her camp, the situation in the household became more and more difficult to manage. Consort Ping could not chase Lu Yuxue out, so…she had to chase Zhao Zhi away. The best would be to make him angry all the time, so that he wouldn’t come home and wouldn’t meet anybody living in the house. That way, he wouldn’t be able to develop any feelings for Lu Yuxue.

Consort Ping didn’t explain all that, but Song Caitang understood.

It didn’t even take a genius to figure that out. Given Consort Ping’s character, it was only natural for her to come up with such a plan.

“But you miss him too, don’t you?” Song Caitang couldn’t help but sigh. “When you miss him dearly, you’d find a reason to make him march home angrily, to force him to argue with you. When he yells and kicks the table and chair energetically, you’re actually very happy inside, right?”

Doing that would also give Lu Yuxue a chance to perform. The more Consort Ping needed Lu Yuxue to comfort and advise her, the more highly Lu Yuxue would think of her position in the house.

Not only could doing this keep the peace in the house, it also allowed the consort to see her beloved son whenever she missed him.

Song Caitang felt that Zhao Zhi might have been willing to do that…possibly because deep down, he missed her too.

Consort Ping looked up at Song Caitang and her smile brightened, “Looks like you really know him best. After putting up this act for such a long time, I’ve almost begun to believe that we’re really on bad terms… COUGH COUGH! COUGH COUGH!”

Consort Ping went into a coughing fit, and despite using her hand to cover her mouth, blood still seeped out between her fingers.

She stared at the blood on her palm. “I’m afraid…I won’t make it, and I don’t intend to.” She sighed, then smiled endearingly at Song Caitang. “I’ve been living for other people all my life, and now, I can finally do something for myself.”
She was referring to how she had chosen to protect Song Caitang by not feeding her poison.

Song Caitang’s eyes reddened and her voice trembled nervously, “Wasn’t it for Zhao Zhi’s sake?”

Consort Ping had given her entire life to Zhao Zhi. She had become his mother before she even turned twenty and she did not have any children of her own. She only loved and cared for Zhao Zhi, she put in all her effort to educate him, to protect him. Everything she did was for his sake. She had chosen to save Song Caitang only because she was the woman whom Zhao Zhi loved and she couldn’t bear to see Zhao Zhi sad.

“No, it was for myself.” Consort Ping’s smile was sweet and elegant. “With this tiger constantly prowling by my side, I’ve done many, many things that I really didn’t want to but had to. I wasn’t able to protect both of you and only brought you harm… I’ve almost forgotten what I was like before.”

“I should have been someone who admired a young woman like you, someone who doesn’t live for others and shines on your own. I would have wanted to save you and protect you, because…you remind me of how I was when I was younger.”

“I’ve not been able to have the things that many women want in life, so I don’t know how it feels like to have it. I’ve heard about them in operas and read it in books, but that’s another person’s account and I’ve not been able to experience it for myself. I’m old and I’ve missed my chance, but I don’t want you to miss your chance.”

“Once all this is over, have a few children with Zhi’er. If possible, have a little girl who’s just like you, with a round face, a round head, large eyes that sparkle, a quirky mind who makes everyone around her love her dearly. Will you do that?”

“Song Caitang, I’m so happy to have known you.”