The boundless darkness is like a quagmire. Once trapped, it is impossible to struggle out, and the pressure everywhere is like a huge hand on the neck, suffocating. I want to shout, want to cry, but no one can hear me.
"...Empress? Queen Empress?"
The gentle yet urgent call woke Sima Duran from her nightmare. She opened her eyes in panic, and her young and delicate face was very close.
"Why haven't you left yet?" Sima Duran stood up, weakly wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked at Shen Junfang uneasily.
"I brought some herbs from the Imperial Physician's Palace, which can alleviate the toxicity of Munroa grass." After Shen Jun said it, Sima Tulan noticed the faint scent of the medicine. She raised her eyes and saw the small stove in the center of the room.
While the herbs were being boiled, Shen Junfang sat aside. Seeing Sima Tulan noticing the medicine stove, Shen Junfang smiled shyly: "We haven't found out who is doing the evil secretly yet, and the servants in the palace can't believe it. General Sima originally thought
I was left to take care of the empress, but foreign ministers were not allowed to spend the night in the palace without the emperor's order, so I volunteered to take on this task - even though I don't know kung fu, I am also very fierce when it comes to beating people."
Could that look of a frail scholar be related to the word "fierce"? Sima Tulan couldn't help laughing, the distance he had deliberately maintained suddenly disappeared, and his smile was clear and soft in the dim light.
At this time, she really needs someone by her side. She doesn't need to hug her or give her sweet words. Just being with her quietly is enough.
"Monroe is non-toxic when used as a spice alone. What I fear is that it is mixed with tongue scent. Once these two scents are mixed together, they will be toxic. At first, it will make people dizzy and weak. In severe cases, it will cause vicious vomiting and limb loss. If
To the point where I can't speak or move my body, there is no way to save the day. I went to check when the Queen was resting, and sure enough, someone put bird tongue incense in the Queen's pillow, so everyone in the palace was fine.
, but the mother-in-law was poisoned without knowing it. Fortunately, it was discovered early and can be eliminated, but it will take more time to recover. The mother-in-law must not be tired and running around these days."
Shen Junfang kept chattering, his eyes never leaving the medicine stove, his meticulous and serious expression was etched on his sweaty face, which made Sima Duran look a little moved for no reason.
"You don't have to do these things yourself."
"How can that be done? I don't trust others doing it." Shen Junfang wiped his sweat, unaware that the faint eyes were staring at him, and still worked tirelessly to fan the fire, pour the medicine, filter the residue, and finally a cup of clean and warm decoction was delivered to him.
In Sima Tulan's hands, a pure smile bloomed happily.
Sima Tulan sat back holding the medicine bowl, a little dazed, not knowing what she was thinking.
"The rumors outside have just stopped. Aren't you afraid of being discussed again? You also know the relationship between me and the emperor. Too much contact will not be good for you."
Shen Junfang glanced at Sima Duran and stood cautiously by the bed, with a shy expression unique to a young man: "Compared to the queen's safety, what are rumors? I can't do much for the emperor. Now,
The emperor is busy with the wars in the north and south and has no time to take care of this place. You should take care of it on your behalf... It can be regarded as my own heart."
After all, he was still young, and even if he was gifted with a genius, his recklessness and reckless impulse could not erase the imprint of his immaturity. Sima Duran could not blame Shen Jun for what he did, she just looked up at him, seriously and thoughtfully: "I used to
I thought who you looked like, but I couldn't see clearly in my mind. Now I finally understand that I was right - Master Shen is very similar to General I, very, very much."
"General I?" Shen Junfang smiled in surprise, "How can I be compared with General I? If I want to say that I am similar, I can only say that I am both trusted by the emperor."
"Not only do you have the trust of the emperor, you are very similar to him in many ways. You are kind, gentle, and willing to follow the emperor until death...even the fact that you shoulder the responsibility alone is exactly the same." Sima Duran coughed a few times.
With a sound, he raised his head and drank up the concoction.
In fact, Shen Junfang and Ou Suiliang are much more similar than she said, but there are some words that she cannot say.
She still remembered Ou Suiliang's gentle eyes that had never changed in the years from childhood to maturity, his slight surprise and admiration when he stood between her and Yi Huaiyu for the first time, his politeness when he was alone with her for the first time, and his usual attitude.
She once thought that it was Ou Suiliang's nature, or his choice with other purposes. In order to fulfill Yi Huaiyu's great cause, he was good to her, even when he knew that she was already Yi Huaiyu's person.
She was still willing to marry her, but when Shen Junfang appeared, she gradually understood something she had never noticed before.
They were extremely gentle to her, but they were ruthless pawns for Yi Huaiyu to monopolize the imperial power; they had all kinds of calculations and considerations in their hearts, but they were all honest with her; they were busy with the world's big plans, but they would always be there when she was tired.
Appears when confused or sad, giving the warmest comfort.
They are so similar.
This made her feel guilty and conflicted.
"Empress?" Shen Junfang stared blankly at Sima Duran, whose face was haggard and half-crying, half-smiling, and a large tear overflowed from her eyes, silently crossing the corners of her raised lips.
Complaining about someone who fails to live up to his sincerity and does not know love, but does not think that he is the blind and heartless person.
"Your Majesty and General...when will they come back?" He closed his eyes gently, and his meaningless question was drowned in the lingering bitterness of the medicine.
Yi Huaiyu was on an expedition, Sima Tulan was unable to work due to illness, and Shen Junfang was a national counselor without real power, so the pursuit of the poisoner had to be put aside for the time being. Although Sima Yuan was angry that his sister was suffering in the palace, he had nothing to do. Fortunately, there was
Shen Junfang took good care of her, and Sima Duran's illness became better and better day by day, but for some reason, she was not as energetic as before.
One and a half months later, Yi Huaiyu returned early.
"All the maids and eunuchs of the Huanqing Palace are imprisoned. No one is allowed to touch them without my order. The treasurer is asked to make an inventory of the spices in the warehouse within three days. How many of the two incense are taken from the palace, how much is used, and how much is left.
Report them all, even if you miss a penny. Also, Suiliang, pick a team of people from the imperial guard camp to guard the Huanqing Palace. The palace gates must also be guarded, so that no suspicious person has a chance to escape. Do you understand?"
As soon as Yi Huaiyu stepped into the palace gate, he quickly made arrangements. Without waiting for the eunuch Tao Shihai to speak, he waved his hand and said in a low voice: "You go to Lianchen Pavilion and let the concubine rest early. The queen needs to be taken care of today.
I won’t go to her place tonight.”
Tao Shihai was stunned for a moment, responded and trotted towards Lianchenxuan, but he was a hundred puzzled in his heart - it was well known that Yi Huaiyu was alienated from Queen Sima Tulan, and she was the first to go there every time she came back from an expedition.
The place is all about Lianchenxuan, so why is this exception made? Is it because the queen was poisoned? You don't like it, so why go there with an anxious look on your face?
It is said that the king's heart is unpredictable. It seems that the concubines and even the ministers of the former dynasty are just like the outsiders, and they will sway with the unpredictable king's heart again.