Carrying the little lucky star, leading the villain on the road to exile

The head of the guards actually suspected the girl who died on the way, but now that she was dead, there was no way to verify it, and they couldn't find out where that group of foreign merchants had gone. If they said it, it would make them look incompetent, so they kept it a secret.

However, this kind of stagnation is not a solution, and if things are not done well in the end, they will also be criticized.

So he asked, "Your Highness, please think again, have you made enemies with anyone?"

Furthermore, our subordinates suspect that the medicine you and Consort Gu received were not from the same person.

Consort Gu's actions seemed like the tactics used by women vying for favor in the inner palace, but no matter how fierce the competition for favor was in the inner palace, they would never target the entire household.

Rong Ruiyuan had long suspected that once they entered his harem, they must all be thinking about having a son or daughter as soon as possible; otherwise, these women wouldn't keep bothering him.

He couldn't say these words out loud, but since the head of the guards asked him this time, he took the opportunity to ask, "I don't understand either, who benefits most from not having any children?"

The head guard lowered his eyes. "I don't know either. If Your Highness has any doubts, please let us know and we will report to His Majesty."

How could they possibly play the villain?

They were sent by the emperor, and now they had no clue what to do, so naturally they were thinking about how to protect themselves.

The best way would be to let the Third Prince express his suspicions. Once the princes start fighting among themselves, they could use that opportunity to escape.

Rong Ruiyuan squinted at the head of the guards in front of him. It was a new face, and he must also be one of his father's confidants.

Having been the emperor's sons for so many years, they still haven't fully figured out his true intentions. This is why, no matter how ambitious they are, they dare not act rashly.

"Think about it, who would benefit if I had no offspring?" Rong Ruiyuan pressed on relentlessly. Even if he was a confidant of the Emperor, he was still the Emperor's son. How could he allow him to be so dismissive?

"This?" The head guard took two steps back and bowed respectfully. "Your Highness is ignorant and begs for your guidance."

"Heh, you are indeed quite dull-witted. I don't know what Father Emperor sees in you?"
"If you can't even handle such a small matter, what use are you?"

"Your Highness, I am guilty and beg for your punishment."

Rong Ruiyuan wanted to teach him a lesson, but he didn't have the guts. It's said that you have to consider the owner before beating a dog, let alone someone sent down by his father.

"Alright, now that you know you're guilty, why don't you hurry up and atone for your crimes by finding out who's behind this?" Rong Ruiyuan knew he couldn't get any more information out of him, so he waved his hand impatiently.

The head of the guards readily and respectfully withdrew with his men. Wasting time here was less worthwhile than finding a scapegoat.

Since the Third Prince was unwilling to be the villain, he knew what to do.

"Chief, what do we do?" a guard asked as soon as they left the Third Prince's residence.

"What should we do? Compile a file on all the suspects and submit it to His Majesty. This infighting in the inner quarters might be something His Highness accidentally ingested."

If they want to use him as a pawn, then don't blame us for letting them fight amongst themselves first. Anyway, this is all they've found; handing it over won't hurt. "Go back to the prison and check it thoroughly. If there are no problems, have them sign and put their fingerprints on it."

They all claimed they didn't know what kind of medicine was used, that the medicine was given by their masters. This is where we can make a fuss.

The guards who followed also breathed a sigh of relief, "Yes!"

Once everyone had left, Rong Ruiyuan swept everything off the table. The butler stood trembling to the side, this job he had so desperately sought was making his scalp tingle every day.

"Go, summon the imperial physicians again for me." Ever since the emperor learned that he had been drugged, he had sent several imperial physicians to guard the courtyard. Rong Ruiyuan would check his pulse every now and then, fearing that he might have been drugged again without his knowledge.

The butler hurried downstairs; he really didn't want to stay in this godforsaken place for even a second longer, but he had no other choice now.

The imperial physician was brought in quickly. After taking his pulse, he launched into a barrage of medical jargon, which angered Rong Ruiyuan. He then said simply, "Your Highness, you have excessive liver fire, but otherwise there's nothing seriously wrong."

"How am I feeling? Has the poison been neutralized? Are there any other abnormalities?"

The two imperial physicians exchanged glances. Their medicine wasn't a miracle cure; how could it possibly cure the disease instantly?
However, they already had their own way of dealing with these important people. "Your Highness, the poison in your body has been cured. Now you just need to rest and recuperate. If you can cultivate your mind and body, your health will get better and better."

"Cultivating one's character and temperament?" Rong Ruiyuan had heard this phrase countless times in the past few days, and each time he heard it, he felt humiliated.

Now that he no longer goes into the backyard, how can he cultivate his character?
He always felt that these imperial physicians were mocking him, but given his current status, he couldn't deal with them. How could he cultivate his character with such frustration?
If the imperial physicians knew his true thoughts, they would probably just roll their eyes. He brought all this on himself. He's so suspicious that he even doubts their medical skills. If he's so capable, why doesn't he send them back to the palace?

Furthermore, they all hope that the one who ascends to the throne in the future will not be the one in front of them, otherwise those of them who know this secret will probably be punished sooner or later.

Don't underestimate these imperial physicians; they frequently visit the backyards of various noble families and have their own social circles.

Although they couldn't speak about royal matters, a subtle attitude was often enough for those people to speculate.

Rong Ruiyuan never expected that this incident would further damage his reputation, and the fact that he had been given infertility drugs was still quietly spread by a small number of people.

No one said anything to his face, and Rong Ruiyuan didn't feel comfortable clarifying the matter. Somehow, the rumors spread, and Rong Ruiyuan became known as someone akin to a eunuch.

Moreover, none of this was mentioned to him. By the time he received the news much later, many versions had already emerged, making it impossible to explain clearly.

"How is Consort Gu doing?" Rong Ruiyuan wasn't concerned about Gu Antong; he had no shortage of women, not to mention he couldn't touch her right now.

He just wanted to know if there was any way to cure the drug that Gu Antong had been given.
If there is no cure, will this medicine be used on myself next time?
He doesn't want to get as fat as a pig, and judging from his current posture, he'll only get fatter.

When asked this question, the two imperial physicians didn't seem to have much of a psychological burden.

The Gu family was already on the verge of collapse. As a woman in the backyard of the Third Prince's mansion, even if she accidentally poisoned someone, they wouldn't bear much responsibility.

"We currently have no antidote for this medicine, but it has no effect on the body. Consort Gu is in good health, and it will not affect her ability to conceive." The imperial physician added this last sentence for some reason. (End of Chapter)