Chapter 651: Bear To

　　Zuo Mingxi shook his head. “No.”

　　Shangguan Wan sighed regretfully. As expected…

　　“Haven’t you been giving Father medicine all along? Why hasn’t he shown any signs after so long?” Shangguan Wan knitted her sharp brows and really couldn’t understand it. Back then, we secretly used poison in order to create the fake news of Father being severely ill and thus unconscious in bed.

　　Back then, we planned to conveniently settle Father as well after setting Shangguan Yue up. To the outside world, we could just say that he was devastated over Shangguan Yue’s death and had passed on. Some things changed later on, so we had to wait for Father to wake up. Due to this, we stopped giving him poison and kept treating him, hoping he could wake up soon. However, this wait has lasted for more than a year. Until now, there are still no movements at all.

　　Zuo Mingxi looked guilty. “I am useless.”

　　Shangguan Wan’s expression was still ugly. If not because this incident is too secretive and that I can only trust these few heavenly doctors, I would’ve long—

　　Zuo Mingxi kept quiet for a while and said hesitantly, “Your Highness, actually… A while back, His Majesty’s health seemed to be slightly better. Back then, both his breathing and his pulse were obviously stronger than before. Logically speaking, His Majesty should’ve woken up by now if that progress continued… But for some reason, His Majesty’s condition started worsening afterward. Ever since then, his condition has been fluctuating, which led to him still being unconscious at this point.”

　　Shangguan Wan’s face was dark. “So? What exactly do you want to say?”

　　Zuo Mingxi looked conflicted as he cupped his fists and bowed before speaking carefully. “Your Highness, I have a guess in my heart, but I don’t know if I should say it.”

　　“What guess? Just say it!”

　　“It’s… Perhaps someone did something to cause His Majesty’s current condition?”

　　Shangguan Wan suddenly looked at him. “What do you mean?”

　　Zuo Mingxi said, “Ever since I noticed that His Majesty’s body seemed to be improving, I roughly understood how to wake him up. Hence, I kept using the same method to treat him. It was effective for the first few days, but afterward, his condition fluctuated for some reason. I confirmed that my prescription had no problems, so this shouldn’t have happened. Therefore… I’m suspecting that there must be something fishy.”

　　“How can this be? I’ve always sent people to guard Qingfeng Palace strictly, and even a bird can’t fly in. Besides, the three of you have been taking turns to take care of Father’s health. He hasn’t been touched by any other heavenly doctors…” Those who can enter and leave Qingfeng Palace are all the ones that I respect. Why would this problem arise?

　　“This is also my guess, so it might not be true.” Zuo Mingxi immediately said, “After all… With that medicine… it is already very rare for His Majesty to survive until now.”

　　Shangguan Wan’s face was as dark as water, and she didn’t say a word. When I poisoned him back then, I only thought of killing him. Who would’ve thought of reviving him? I originally didn’t realize, but after hearing what Zuo Mingxi said, I can’t help but be suspicious. Upon deeper thought, this might indeed be possible…

　　“Who kept going in and out of Qingfeng Palace these two months?”

　　Zuo Mingxi thought for a moment and said, “Other than the three of us, it should be you and Prince Consort, right?”

　　If outsiders wanted to go, they still had to seek Shangguan Wan’s approval. This really wasn’t that easy.

　　Doubts flashed across Shangguan Wan’s eyes. If someone really did it, who could it be?

　　…

　　Chu Liuyue followed Chan Yi to Huayang Palace’s back garden. This place had clearly been renovated as every inch was as intricate as ever with a touch of golden elegance.

　　There were quite a few flowers and plants in the garden. It was currently winter, but most of the flowers were still blooming with bright purple and red. Together with the flawlessly white snow, it was very good-looking.

　　Chu Liuyue strangely asked, “The weather is so cold. These flowers are—”

　　“Third Princess ordered people to dig a drain below and let the spring water in. Even in late winter, the ground is still very warm. Hence, these flowers can still bloom in winter as if they were in spring,” explained Chan Yi nonchalantly.

　　“I see…” Chu Liuyue nodded thoughtfully. Upon closer inspection, there really isn’t any accumulated snow in the back garden.

　　After the snowflakes landed on the floor, they would rapidly melt and seep into the ground.

　　She walked slowly as if she was attracted by all the flora. But in her heart, she was thinking of another question. Shangguan Wan isn’t someone who likes flowers and plants. Why would she suddenly spend so much effort to dig a drain below Huayang Palace’s back garden and even let the spring water in?

　　This project sounds simple, but in reality, it uses up a lot of resources. Even if Shangguan Wan really had too much money to spare, it doesn’t seem like she would spend her efforts on such useless leisure activities. Unless…

　　Unless there’s a problem with the drain below.

　　…

　　Jiang Residence.

　　Jiang Yucheng sat on the helm and looked at Mu Qinghe, who was standing with his hands down. “So that means her identity has no problems at all?”

　　Mu Qinghe nodded. “I’ve already sent someone to check on her previously, and there really isn’t anything wrong. From birth, Chu Liuyue grew up in Country Yao Chen’s Imperial City. As she was born with a lacking Yuan meridian, she was seen as a good-for-nothing and was always bullied. The day before her 14th birthday, she was saved by someone and healed her Yuan meridian. Then, she started to cultivate officially. When I reached Country Yao Chen, she had just entered the academy to cultivate not long ago. Other than Jian Fengchi and me, she shouldn’t know any other people from the Tianling Dynasty.”

　　Jiang Yucheng leaned against the chair, and his hand knocked against the table lightly. “That’s weird… Why does Hundred Herbs Building think so highly of her? At first, I thought they did it because of you. But I realized that… it didn’t seem to be the case… After she came to Xi Ling with Jian Fengchi, who else did she see?”

　　Mu Qinghe kept quiet for a moment and said, “After she came to Xi Ling, she had been staying in the Mu Residence all along. At that time, Duan Ziyu accompanied her every day, so I can confirm that she didn’t see anyone suspicious. But… She had already moved out of the Mu Residence a month ago, and I heard that she’s staying in Master Weichi’s previous residence. I don’t really know about the incidents afterward.”

　　Jiang Yucheng rubbed his glabella and fell into deep thought. “Weichi Song is her mentor, so it’s normal for her to do this… But didn’t Weichi Song sell most of his items? Where is Chu Liuyue living?”

　　Mu Qinghe hesitated for a moment. “The one at Six Clouds Street. That… It’s one of the last two mansions that Master Weichi owns in Xi Ling City.”

　　Jiang Yucheng froze. “So it’s that one…”

　　Shangguan Yue loved to go to that mansion in the past. When Weichi Song was previously tight on money, he had sold many things. However, he didn’t touch these two mansions.

　　One was for Shangguan Yue. The other was for his only son, Weichi Lang.

　　He suddenly chuckled and said with deep meaning, “It seems like he really likes this Chu Liuyue. He’s so generous with her.”

　　Knock knock…

　　“Eldest Young Master, Chong Xu Cabinet’s Cabinet Master Weichi is here!”