That's just how much damned nerve I have

A group of Embroidered Guards arrived at the Eastern Palace and sealed it off.

The eunuchs of the Eastern Palace hurried back to report this to Lü Shi. Learning that the Eastern Palace had been sealed off, she was shocked. Could some of the things I've done really be about to come to light?

When she came out to look, she indeed saw the Embroidered Guards.

"What are you doing?"

"Who told you to seal off the Eastern Palace?" Lü Shi demanded angrily. "Do you know what this place is? Get out of my way!"

Hearing this, Jiang Jue had no choice but to step forward. "Please calm your anger, Crown Princess. We would never dare do this without His Majesty's orders. We will certainly get out of your way, but not now."

"Move!"

Lü Shi frowned and shouted, "I'm leaving right now! Do you dare stop me?"

Jiang Jue said nothing. He simply stood before her.

"Get lost!"

The sight left Lü Shi unbearably agitated. Something serious must have happened, or Old Zhu would never have sealed off the Eastern Palace. "I'm going out!" she shouted.

She tried to force her way through, but Jiang Jue did not budge.

The other Embroidered Guards immediately came over.

They did not care about Lü Shi's status. They knew only to obey Zhu Yuanzhang's orders.

Without Old Zhu's permission, the Embroidered Guards would arrest anyone who dared leave the Eastern Palace.

Lü Shi's courage faltered, and she stepped back twice in a panic.

"Mother, what happened?"

Zhu Yunwen had just returned and saw the scene at the Eastern Palace.

"Yunwen, they're bullying me!"

"These Embroidered Guards won't let us leave the Eastern Palace," Lü Shi said.

"How dare you!"

"Who told you to surround the Eastern Palace?" Zhu Yunwen demanded angrily. "Get out of my way at once!"

"I told him to surround it. What of it?"

A cold voice suddenly came from behind Zhu Yunwen.

"You've got some damned nerve..."

Hearing someone speak to him with such arrogance, Zhu Yunwen flew into a rage. He turned toward the voice and was about to order the speaker dragged away and beaten when a familiar figure came into view.

"That's just how much damned nerve I have."

"What, you want to deal with me too?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked icily.

"Imperial Grandfather!"

Cold sweat poured off Zhu Yunwen in fright. Without a second thought, he dropped to his knees, at a complete loss.

Who could have imagined Zhu Yuanzhang would suddenly appear behind him?

He cursed himself for being so stupid. These were the Embroidered Guards-who else could have given the order? It had to be Zhu Yuanzhang, yet he had actually said something like that.

"Your Majesty!"

Everyone else knelt and paid their respects.

"Imperial Father!"

"What wrong has your daughter-in-law committed?" Lü Shi pleaded. "Why have you ordered the Embroidered Guard to surround the Eastern Palace? As far as I know, I haven't done anything wrong lately."

As she spoke, she looked utterly aggrieved.

"Yuntong has been poisoned."

"Investigate the entire Eastern Palace thoroughly," Zhu Yuanzhang said coldly. "Go in and search. Take every servant in the Eastern Palace back with you!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Upon receiving the order, Jiang Jue led the Embroidered Guards into the Eastern Palace.

"Poisoned?"

Lü Shi's face drained of color. She hurriedly asked, "How could Yuntong have been poisoned? Who in the Eastern Palace would dare poison you? Are you all right?"

She put on a look of concern, appearing deeply worried about Zhu Yuntong.

In truth, the moment she saw the Embroidered Guards surrounding the Eastern Palace, Lü Shi had already guessed as much.

When she learned that Zhu Yuntong was going to the Imperial Medical Bureau early that morning, she had sensed trouble and made preparations in advance. She had not expected it to turn out to be exactly this.

She felt somewhat unsettled, but she was not overly panicked.

Still kneeling, Zhu Yunwen knew some of the secrets. The moment he heard that Zhu Yuntong had been poisoned, he lowered his head, frightened beyond description. All he could do was try his best to remain calm.

Zhu Yuntong was also observing their reactions.

Lü Shi looked as though she knew nothing, but he understood that this woman could change her face at will and was an excellent actress. She was not necessarily ignorant of the matter. As for Zhu Yunwen, his frightened appearance made it obvious that he knew some secrets.

Zhu Yunwen forced himself to remain calm, seemingly concealing something.

The Embroidered Guards moved quickly.

Every palace maid and eunuch in the Eastern Palace was taken away, except Liu Liu and Dongqing.

Other Embroidered Guards rummaged through chests and cupboards inside, searching for anything that might have been used as poison.

Xu Shu had already made it clear: it was either blue gold or mercury.

The Eastern Palace was soon thrown into chaos.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood outside the Eastern Palace, watching everything within with a cold gaze.

Lü Shi stood uneasily beside him, but she had prepared in advance. Nothing will go wrong. Zhu Yunwen had risen to his feet. Thinking of how he had just cursed Old Zhu, then of the poisoning, he was racked with guilt.

He felt as though the position of heir apparent was slipping away from him again.

What should I do?

Zhu Yunwen was panicking like mad, yet there was nothing he could do.

Zhu Yuntong calmly watched everything, then looked at Lü Shi's current composure. They probably won't find any evidence. This woman is rather difficult to deal with. Without proof, we can't simply take her away for questioning.

"Your Majesty!"

At that moment, Xu Xingzu was brought back by the Embroidered Guards.

"The people from the Imperial Food Service have been taken away for investigation."

"Everyone who previously cooked for the Third Imperial Grandson has also been taken back," Xu Xingzu said. "I will cooperate fully to uncover the culprit."

"I will certainly cooperate as well, Imperial Father," Lü Shi echoed. "Anyone who dares poison Yuntong must not be let off lightly!"

She acted as though she had nothing to do with it, displaying bitter indignation toward the poisoner.

Zhu Yuanzhang said nothing, but as he stood there, his terrifying murderous intent remained icy and sharp, leaving them uneasy. Zhu Yunwen, especially, was timid; his legs trembled slightly with fear!

"Your Majesty!"

After quite some time, Jiang Jue returned and said, "We have searched everywhere except the Crown Princess's room, but found nothing."

"Search mine too!"

"Lord Jiang, please don't hold back," Lü Shi hurriedly said.

She was even afraid they might refuse to search it.

Only once they had searched could she stand clear of the affair, so it could no longer be linked to her.

"Search!"

Zhu Yuanzhang gave the order coldly.

He was already doing his utmost to suppress the urge to kill. Anyone who dared poison that unruly grandson of his was courting death!

Jiang Jue led his men inside again. After quite some time, he returned and said, "Your Majesty, we found nothing."

They had turned the entire Eastern Palace upside down, yet come away empty-handed.

It seemed no poison had been hidden in the Eastern Palace, nor had the poison come from there.

Zhu Yuanzhang shot Lü Shi a sideways glare. Only then did the murderous look in his eyes slowly ease a little. Seeing this, Lü Shi could not help letting out a long breath. That was close.

You've hidden it well!

That was Zhu Yuntong's thought.

But for the moment, he had no way to prove whether Lü Shi was responsible.

Perhaps the incense could help. He did not know whether anything was wrong with it. With that thought, he said, "Imperial Grandfather, I'd like to go back and have a look."

"Go ahead!"

Zhu Yuanzhang agreed.

Zhu Yuntong took Liu Liu back to his quarters.

The Embroidered Guards had searched this place, but out of consideration for him, they had not gone overboard. The room was not too disordered.

"Where is that incense?"

Zhu Yuntong asked.

"Your Highness, it's here..."

Liu Liu opened a cupboard, then exclaimed in surprise, "It... it's gone?"