Tang Zhuyun was carried to the nearest room, where there was a cacophony of footsteps and voices outside.
Tang Zhuyun, displaying the acting skills of an Oscar-winning actress (though not an amateur), clutched her stomach, tears streaming down her face. "Sister-in-law, if I die, tell the Prince to remarry. Don't wallow in grief and be unable to pull yourself out of it."
I'd marry her anyway, even if you didn't tell me.
Pretend she's very favored.
Meng Yulan seemed to have some concerns in mind, so she remained relatively calm, repeatedly reassuring her, "A-Yun, don't be nervous, the imperial physician is here, you'll be alright."
Yanran, however, held Tang Zhuyun's hand and wept bitterly, "Mother, Mother!"
Tang Zhuyun gently patted her head. "Don't cry, Mother is alright."
The imperial physician arrived, the empress arrived, and the emperor arrived as well.
When Yanran saw the Emperor, she went over and hugged his leg, bursting into tears and sobbing, "Your Majesty, Grandfather, it's all my fault..."
"I... I always felt that my mother's bowl was different from everyone else's."
"I wanted to drink it for my mother, because I was poisoned and she would be able to cure me... but she insisted on drinking it herself."
Tang Zhuyun: What an Lovely angel!
How could she have such a smart daughter!
If she were to say it herself, it would probably arouse suspicion.
But when children say it, it's considered Wuji.
When she transmigrated, the biggest surprises were all in her children.
Did she spend ten lifetimes as a single dog to earn this son and daughter?
She's achieved her goal!
The Emperor glanced at the Empress, his gaze deep, then patted Yanran's shoulder and said, "Don't panic, let the imperial physician examine your mother first."
The imperial physician was already taking Tang Zhuyun's pulse.
Tang Zhuyun said weakly, "I'm fine. It's just oleander juice; it can cause severe abdominal pain, but it's not fatal. Let me recover. I can prescribe a medicine myself, but some licorice and mung beans will suffice."
The imperial physician stood up and reported to the Emperor and Empress, "It is indeed as the Princess Consort said; it is oleander poisoning."
Tang Zhuyun: The main problem is that she was trying to sneak in other things, and if she were discovered, people would easily suspect her of poisoning.
Sure enough, the Emperor frowned and said, "Oleander is poisonous? How come I've never heard of that?"
"Your Majesty, oleander is not very poisonous, but its sap is the most toxic part, so..."
The Emperor then turned his gaze to Tang Zhuyun: "You... can't tell the difference?"
"I know the symptoms of poisoning; but I don't know what oleander juice tastes like."
The Emperor's suspicions were not without reason.
She's a highly skilled doctor, so why didn't she detect it beforehand?
Tang Zhuyun added, "Many people don't know that oleander is poisonous. I only learned about it by chance when I read about it in an ancient book; I've never come into contact with it before."
The Empress's face showed rage as she bowed to the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, I am ashamed that such a thing could have happened in the Weiyang Palace. I will definitely have a thorough investigation conducted to bring justice to the Consort of the Prince of Jin!"
Meng Yulan straightened up, then slowly knelt down again, saying, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, there is no place for me to speak here, but since A-Yun is a daughter of the Tang Family, I have no choice but to step forward—"
"Your Majesty, since the incident occurred in the Weiyang Palace, shouldn't you recuse yourself from any appearance of impropriety?"
"Insolence!" the lady-in-waiting beside the Empress roared. "Madam Meng, are you questioning Her Majesty the Empress?"
"This humble woman dares not," Meng Yulan. "This humble woman is only thinking of Your Majesty's reputation, to avoid being criticized in the future and ruining Your Majesty's good name."
Tang Zhuyun said, "Sister-in-law, sister-in-law... no need. It's not necessarily the peanut milk that's the problem; perhaps I just accidentally bumped into the oleander today."
The Empress looked at the Emperor calmly and said, "Your Majesty, I have a clear conscience and am not afraid of investigation! Please send someone to investigate and clear my name, and also give the Consort of the Prince of Jin justice!"
Tang Zhuyun: "Your Majesty, please don't say that! How could you possibly harm me? No, it must be a misunderstanding. I swear to Heaven, I absolutely believe in Your Majesty."
She and Meng Yulan played the roles of good cop and bad cop, working together to both direct their criticism at the Empress and demonstrate their magnanimity and willingness to let things go.
The emperor is one to compromise, at least on the surface.
Because he wanted to maintain the dignity of the royal family.
His wife murdered his future daughter-in-law; if word got out, would he feel ashamed?
So the Emperor said with a gloomy face, "It was just a misunderstanding. Since Consort of the Prince of Jin is alright, let it go."
After saying this, he gave the Empress a deep look, "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll leave this to you."
Yanran cried, her little body trembling, "Respectfully seeing off my imperial grandfather."
The Emperor patted her shoulder affectionately and said, "Your mother is alright now, go and keep her company."
Yanran nodded in agreement, "Grandfather, I'll come to see you again next time Father returns. I'm scared... it's so scary here..."
The Emperor said, "With me here, you have nothing to fear."
After saying this, the Emperor glanced at the Empress again, then turned and left, followed by a stream of eunuchs and palace maids.
As soon as he left, the Empress's eternally kind face finally showed cracks.
"Guards, investigate this matter thoroughly for me!"
She just wanted to scare Tang Zhuyun, hoping that the latter would become suspicious and reveal her petty nature.
How could she possibly poison anyone in her own palace!
If she were that calculating, how could she have gotten to where she is today?
But what happened today was truly infuriating.
Why did it turn out like this?!
Did someone act on their own initiative? Or was someone using her to teach Tang Zhuyun a lesson? Or was Tang Zhuyun simply playing along, crying wolf?
What's most infuriating is that Tang Zhuyun used this incident to hurt herself and even gained favor with the Emperor.
Even that little slut Yanran speaks on purpose.
The Empress was bewildered; how had things come to this?
She was burning with anger, but she had to patiently pretend to be virtuous.
Consort De felt a surge of pleasure at the sight of the Emperor's contorted expression.
--She was forced into a situation where she could only protect herself by showing filial piety to the Empress Dowager. Who would have thought that even the Empress would have such a day!
As expected, the new generation surpasses the old; this time, the Empress has truly met her match.
Consort De spoke up, "If Consort of the Prince of Jin is in this state, I'm afraid she'll need a sedan chair to be sent back if she wants to leave the palace."
She was reminding Meng Yulan and Tang Zhuyun to leave the palace as soon as possible.
As her niece, Meng Yulan was close to her and immediately understood her meaning, saying, "That would be best. Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress and Your Highness Consort De."
The Empress felt nauseous and, fearing further trouble if she kept Tang Zhujun, she went along with it and ordered a sedan chair to be prepared to send Tang Zhuyun away.
Her birthday was the worst she'd ever had.
"A-Yun, don't be stubborn, lie down quickly." Meng Yulan warned Tang Zhuyun when she saw her trying to sit up in the sedan chair.
Before even leaving the palace, eyes are everywhere; I must keep up the act until the very end!
Tang Zhuyun really didn't get up again, and smiled as she made a face at Yanran, whose face was Yanran in tears.