In times of chaos and famine, I traded one pound of rice for two royal flushes.

On the way to Fengluan Palace, a young eunuch who was leading the way slipped and nearly fell when passing a rockery.

Qin Shaolang instinctively helped him up.

The moment their arms touched, the little eunuch swiftly slipped a note into his sleeve and whispered three words in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"The medicine is poisonous."

Qin Shaolang's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm on the surface and helped the little eunuch to his feet.

"Thank you, Doctor Qin." The little eunuch bowed his head and quickly walked ahead to continue leading the way, as if nothing had happened.

Qin Shaolang tucked his hands into his sleeves, his fingertips touching the small piece of paper.

He is one of Xue Yi's people.

The Phoenix Palace is magnificent and extremely luxurious.

Empress Wang sat regally on the phoenix throne, her face bearing a dignified smile befitting an empress.

"I have witnessed the tireless efforts Physician Qin has made for His Majesty," the Empress said gently. "I heard you require Tian Shan snow lotus as a medicinal ingredient?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"The Tianshan Snow Lotus is a sacred object, of great importance. Here's what we'll do," the Empress pondered for a moment, "you will go with my head maid to the Imperial Pharmacy to examine it yourself. Once you've confirmed it's genuine, then you can bring it back. I also hope His Majesty can recover soon."

She acted reasonably and flawlessly.

If it weren't for the note in his sleeve, Qin Shaolang would almost have believed it.

"Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty." Qin Shaolang bowed again. "However, before I take the medicine, I have one more request."

"Oh? You go ahead."

Qin Shaolang raised his head and looked directly into the Empress's eyes.

"I have heard that Imperial Physician Zhang once had the good fortune to see the Tian Shan Snow Lotus and his ability to identify its medicinal properties is unparalleled. To avoid any mistakes, I humbly request Your Majesty to allow Physician Zhang to accompany me to verify the medicine together, so as to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Upon hearing this, the Empress's smile froze slightly.

The Empress's smile froze for only a moment before she regained her dignified and elegant demeanor.

"As expected of Physician Qin, you are indeed meticulous." She picked up her teacup and gently blew away the foam. "I was also worried about making a mistake. In that case, let's do as you say. Someone, go to the Imperial Hospital and summon Chief Physician Zhang."

She agreed too readily.

Qin Shaolang sneered inwardly; this only proved that something was amiss.

Zhang Yuanpan was the key figure that Imperial Censor Liu had found for him overnight through the "Yellow Sparrow" network. This man was an old man in the palace, with superb medical skills, but he was timid and cowardly. However, he had a fatal weakness - his only grandson had almost died from a cold a few days ago. It was only because Qin Shaolang secretly sent him a prescription that his life was saved.

This favor is enough to make him speak the truth at a crucial moment.

The Imperial Pharmacy was a forbidden area within the forbidden area of ​​the palace.

Rows of enormous sandalwood medicine cabinets exuded a calming medicinal fragrance. The air was filled with the unique aroma of various rare medicinal herbs mixed together.

The head maid led Qin Shaolang and the white-haired and bearded Judge Zhang through layers of checkpoints to a secret room in the deepest part of the room.

In the center of the secret room sat a jade box carved from a single piece of cold jade. Wisps of cold air emanated from the jade box.

"Dr. Qin, Physician Zhang, the Tianshan Snow Lotus is in this box." The head maid opened the lock on the jade box.

A refreshing and unique fragrance wafted over.

On the red brocade of the jade box lay a small, bowl-sized, snow-white plant, its layers upon layers resembling a lotus flower. It seemed to still possess life, the edges of its petals gleaming with a lustrous sheen.

"It really is... a hundred-year-old snow lotus!" When Judge Zhang saw this, his eyes widened. He couldn't help but step forward to examine it closely, clicking his tongue in amazement.

Qin Shaolang didn't move, but his nose caught a very unpleasant smell in the air.

It's the bitter taste of almonds.

It was very faint, almost completely masked by the exotic fragrance of the snow lotus, but it was definitely there.

"Dr. Qin, how is he?" The head maid asked with a hint of urgency in her voice.

"Exquisite in appearance, rich in medicinal properties, truly a sacred object." Qin Shaolang nodded, then changed the subject, "However..."

He walked to the jade box, but instead of touching the snow lotus, he stretched out two fingers and picked up the red brocade that was placed under the snow lotus.

He brought the brocade to his nose and took a gentle sniff.

"This brocade appears to have been dyed with the juice of 'Golden Thread Apricot'."

The head maid's expression changed slightly: "Dr. Qin is joking. This is just ordinary Yun brocade."

"Is that so?" Qin Shaolang's lips curled into a smile. "The golden apricot itself is not poisonous, but its sap, if it comes into contact with the 'snow lotus essence' emitted from the snow lotus flower's stamen, will turn into a colorless and odorless deadly poison. Those poisoned will suffer from the slow failure of their internal organs within three days, and even a god could not save them."

He looked at the head aunt, whose face had turned somewhat pale.

"Her Majesty sent my aunt to fetch the medicine, so she must trust you. But I wonder, was this poisoned brocade your own idea, aunt, or... was someone else behind it?"

"You...you're talking nonsense! You're spouting blatant lies!" The head maid was both shocked and furious, and she shouted angrily.

"Whether I'm talking nonsense or not, Judge Zhang will know at a glance." Qin Shaolang handed the brocade to Judge Zhang, who was standing to the side.

Judge Zhang finally snapped out of his daze. He took the brocade, sniffed it, and his face turned ashen. Trembling, he pointed at the head maid: "You...you have such audacity! This...this is indeed the poison of the Golden Thread Apricot! Did you intend to murder the Emperor?!"

"I didn't! It wasn't me!" The head maid was terrified and knelt on the ground with a thud. "It was Her Majesty the Empress! Her Majesty the Empress told me to do this! She said... she said that as long as Qin Shaolang touched this brocade, she could frame him for stealing imperial medicine and plotting rebellion, and throw him into the imperial prison!"

In her panic, she spilled all her plans.

It turns out that the poison wasn't prepared for the emperor, but rather as a trap for Qin Shaolang.

The moment his hand touches the brocade and then the snow lotus, the Empress's men will rush out and arrest him on the grounds that the medicinal herbs have been contaminated. At that point, with witnesses and evidence against him, he won't be able to explain himself no matter how hard he tries.

What a wicked scheme!

"presumptuous!"

A furious shout came from outside the door.

Surrounded by several eunuchs, the Empress walked in with a frosty expression. Without even glancing at the head maid kneeling on the ground, she slapped her across the face.

"You lowly servant! How dare you slander me!"

Her slap was both ruthless and swift, clearly intended to kill and silence her.

But Qin Shaolang was faster than her.

With a flick of his wrist, a silver needle silently pierced the mute acupoint on the neck of the head maid.

The Empress slapped her aunt hard across the face. The aunt screamed, her mouth agape, but no sound came out.

"What is Your Highness doing? Are you in such a hurry to kill someone to silence them?" Qin Shaolang withdrew his hand, his tone calm.

"You!" The Empress trembled with rage. She never expected Qin Shaolang to dare to do something like this right in front of her.

"Guards! Qin Shaolang has stolen imperial medicine and is plotting something. Seize him!" the Empress commanded sternly.

The guards at the door immediately drew their swords and surrounded them.