A middle-aged emperor, childless, was blessed with a beautiful and pregnant concubine who entered th

Just then, the eunuch returned.

"Your Majesty, these are all items found at Consort Liu's residence. Please, Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager, take a look!"

Upon hearing this, Consort Liu instinctively looked up, and her expression changed slightly.

These things...

She hid it so carefully, how did it still get found?

The items found in Consort Liu's palace were all papers.

In addition, there were several bottles and jars.

We don't know what's inside when it's sealed.

The paper was covered with writings, all of them modern drawings and recipes she had written.

As for those bottles and jars, they were "raw materials" that Consort Liu had painstakingly collected in the palace based on these imagined recipes.

Although Consort Liu is a time-traveling woman, she doesn't know anything.

I don't know how to make soap or skincare products.

The Great Zhou Dynasty already possessed pig pancreas, a relatively mature saponification reaction for making soap, and also knew how to distill fresh flowers to produce perfumes and fragrances.

In terms of skincare products, there are ointments for removing scars and freckles, cooling ointments for clearing heat and detoxifying, beauty and skin-nourishing face creams, and even simple powder masks!

She knew absolutely nothing about gunpowder or firearms.

But even if you've never eaten pork, you've still seen pigs run.

You've all studied high school chemistry, right?

I think I have some recollection of them.

She was afraid that she would forget everything about modern times if she spent too much time in ancient times, so she copied down a part of it from memory.

Her handwriting was very messy.

In her past life, she was just an ordinary undergraduate student. She was assigned to a major by the student and couldn't even remember the full name of her major.

As long as I don't fail any courses, what useful knowledge can I learn?

But his handwriting is like "scribbling," which is comparable to some doctors' handwriting.

She was afraid that people would notice that these characters were different from those of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and that she would be arrested as a monster!

She has been in this dynasty for many years, though she always maintains a dignified and aloof demeanor.

But after staying here for a while, she gradually adapted to life here.

I understand that this is not modern times; this is a time of absolute imperial power.

If things go wrong, you could really lose your life!

But to everyone's surprise, Consort Lin, who was usually quiet, suddenly asked, "What are all these things, Your Highness?"

"Could it be some kind of graffiti, specifically used to curse people?"

Consort Liu instinctively glared at Consort Lin.

Lin Jieyu wasn't particularly beautiful, but she looked pitiful and delicate, the kind of innocent, delicate beauty that Liu Zhaoyi disliked the most.

Unfortunately, she had no idea how to use her good looks and always overdressed.

So the overall look is neither fish nor fowl.

Her physical features are better suited to a minimalist approach to dressing, but she always seems to be adding more.

Adding to her name didn't add any points; instead, it made her look awkward and out of place.

In terms of beauty, she cannot compare to Consort Liu or Consort Zhen.

To say she's pretty would be an exaggeration.

She was always jealous of Liu Zhaoyi, who was beautiful and stunning.

They believe that if Consort Liu didn't have that face, she wouldn't be qualified to be the head of the Nine Concubines.

She had to seize this opportunity to bring Liu Zhaoyi down.

Her words truly touched upon Consort Chen's heart.

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, all of this must have been done by Consort Liu!"

"She used witchcraft to curse Consort Zhen... and her two unborn sons; these scribbled symbols are the evidence!"

Liu Zhaoyi: ...Holy shit!

But she simply couldn't explain what these things were...

Because the characters of the Great Zhou Dynasty are similar in shape to traditional Chinese characters.

She had lived in the Great Zhou Dynasty for many years and, although she had learned traditional Chinese characters, she still preferred to use simplified Chinese characters and Arabic numerals to record modern information...

After all, Consort Liu never expected that these things of hers would one day be discovered...

And this happened while I was still alive.

If she were to die, and these things were unearthed, perhaps she could still leave some trace in the history books.

But now that these things have been unearthed, they've been falsely accused of being "witchcraft"...

Enraged, she laughed coldly, "I have no way to defend myself!"

"If Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager do not believe me, I have nothing to say!"

She considered herself aloof and proud, like a pure and flawless chrysanthemum; if she wasn't trusted, no amount of explanation would help.

If His Majesty and the Empress Dowager trust her, it will be easy to find flaws in her story.

Seeing Liu Zhaoyi like this, Consort Lan felt even more that Liu Zhaoyi was out of her mind.

This Consort Liu is out of favor and not even familiar with the Empress Dowager. You don't even try to explain yourself and let others slander you. You have no way to defend yourself, so how can you expect others to get justice for you and clear your name?

Isn't this just brain-dead?

Consort Lan wasn't trying to help Consort Liu; she simply didn't want Consort Chen to become too smug.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, it would be too hasty to say that these things are some kind of witchcraft."

"Let's have someone who specializes in this take a look."

"In my opinion, if it were truly some kind of witchcraft, the people of the Imperial Observatory would surely know about it."

Emperor Qianwu remained expressionless. "Summon the Director of the Imperial Observatory."

When Consort Chen saw that Emperor Qianwu had adopted Consort Lan's suggestion, she gritted her teeth in anger.

The head of the Imperial Observatory was a gaunt man with sharp, hawk-like eyes.

After bowing respectfully, he carefully examined the evidence.

He glanced at Consort Liu's belongings, then bowed to Emperor Qianwu and the Empress Dowager, saying, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, in my opinion, the pictures and texts on these papers... are not witchcraft or sorcery."

Lin Jieyu immediately became anxious upon hearing this, "It's not sorcery? Then what is this scribbled thing? Supervisor, you must look carefully!"

The supervisor, unhurried, pointed to the numbers and symbols on the paper.

"Your Majesty, please look. These seemingly hasty handwritings, though quite different from the current font, actually contain a certain structure."

"These symbols are similar to the counting rods in mathematical texts, and seem to be some kind of extremely simplified recording symbols."

"These characters, though simple in structure, all have traceable radicals, which seem to be... like a kind of colloquial or shorthand method created to achieve speed in writing."

"To say that these are curse runes is a stretch."

"It looks more like... some kind of technical blueprints and recipe notes."

His words calmed Liu Zhaoyi down a bit, and she even felt a hint of arrogance, as if she thought, "How could the ancients understand modern wisdom?" She slightly raised her chin.

The Empress Dowager pondered for a moment: "Oh? A method of shorthand? Then let the Supervisor inspect these bottles and jars as well."

The supervisor accepted the order and carefully opened the sealed bottles and jars.

His expression changed abruptly when he saw the dried insect bodies in one jar and the dark brown extract in another.

He used a silver needle to pick out a small amount, held it under his nose to sniff it, and carefully examined the remaining insect bodies. His face darkened completely.

His voice suddenly turned serious, "Your Majesty! Empress Dowager! These papers may be harmless, but these medicinal materials... these are dried leeches and extracts from horseflies!"

"Both of these substances are extremely cold and toxic, and are potent medicines that break up blood stasis and remove blood clots! Their medicinal properties are exceptionally strong, and even ordinary people should use them with caution. For pregnant women, they are absolutely forbidden!"

"Even a tiny amount is enough to cause fetal restlessness; if the dosage is slightly higher, or if it is used in combination with other substances, it can lead to hemorrhage and miscarriage in an instant!"

These words shocked the entire hall, and all eyes turned to Consort Liu like sharp arrows!

Consort Chen could barely contain her ecstatic joy, her voice shrill.

"Your Majesty! Empress Dowager! The evidence is irrefutable!"

"Consort Liu not only secretly possessed dangerous items, but also secretly concocted such harmful poisons! Her heart is utterly despicable! Consort Zhen and the young princes must have been victims of this wicked woman's machinations!"

Faced with Consort Chen's accusations, countless doubts, and disdainful gaze, Consort Liu's chest heaved violently.

She considered herself a modern soul, disdaining to argue with these "foolish ancients" about right and wrong, and firmly believing that the innocent will remain innocent.

All the panic turned into a cold, mocking laugh filled with despair.

She straightened her back, her gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on the throne. Her voice, though deliberately calm, trembled slightly with emotion, "This concubine... cannot defend herself."

Consort Lan was almost amused and exasperated by Consort Liu's reaction. How could there be such a foolish woman?

If you have a grievance but don't speak up, how can you be unable to defend yourself?

She couldn't help but frown and whisper, "Consort Liu! The Superintendent has already explained the harm this thing causes. If you have any hidden grievances or are wronged, why not speak now?"

"Should we really bear the enormous responsibility for plotting to murder the imperial heir on trumped-up charges?"

Consort Liu closed her eyes, then opened them again, her eyes filled with a clarity she perceived as sorrowful and resolute.

"Your Highness, Consort Lan, need not say more."

"Though I live deep within the palace, my heart is as clear as the sun and moon."

"But now, with the guilty party caught red-handed, public opinion has become irrefutable."

"Even if I have a thousand words to say, in your eyes they are nothing but sophistry."

"Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager are wise and discerning. If they trust me, they will see the truth clearly; if they do not... I have nothing to say!"

She reiterated her statement: "I, a concubine, cannot defend myself!"

His tone was resolute, as if this was not helplessness, but a proud stance of refusing to compromise.

Looking at Consort Liu's aloof and cold face, the emperor seemed to be thinking of something, his expression turning icy.

He stopped looking at her and turned to the pile of evidence, his voice devoid of emotion, "Minister Lü, in your opinion, can you really conclude that these medicinal herbs are what poisoned the Imperial Concubine based solely on this?"

Lu Jianzheng cautiously replied, "Your Majesty, these two items are indeed highly poisonous substances that could cause the Consort's symptoms, and are extremely suspicious evidence."

"However, to make a definitive conclusion, it is still necessary to compare and verify with the specific circumstances of the poisoning suffered by the Imperial Concubine, as well as the residue of the medicine."

"Furthermore... if someone is proficient in pharmacology, they may be able to extract and prepare these medicinal materials themselves, but the process is complicated and cannot be accomplished in a day."

Consort Chen immediately seized the opportunity: "Your Majesty! There's no guarantee that Consort Liu's scribbles don't contain instructions on how to concoct these poisons!"

"She's been keeping this a secret for a long time, and she's been plotting it meticulously!"

"Besides, if she weren't guilty, why would she be so evasive about her own things, only saying she couldn't defend herself? It's clearly irrefutable!"

The situation reached a stalemate for a moment.

Liu Zhaoyi's aloof attitude of refusing to cooperate was seen by everyone as almost a tacit agreement.

She prided herself on being aloof and disdainful of explaining her own foolishness, but by a twist of fate, she firmly pinned all the doubts on herself.

Consort Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully this fool had taken the blame.

However, if the person was truly arranged by Chaoyang, how could this fool be involved?

She couldn't help but glance at Lin Jieyu.

The latter's eyes flickered.

Consort Chen understood instantly.

The whole thing may have been done by Chaoyang, but someone took advantage of the situation and tried to kill Liu Zhaoyi.

This also helped the mother and daughter out of their predicament.