My father ordered me to kill the emperor, but His Majesty bestowed a princess upon me instead.

The emperor had been awake for less than a quarter of an hour.

He said six sentences.

Then he fell asleep again.

Two medical officers examined the medicine bowl.

One person said the prescription contained a calming drug.

The other person said they had painkillers.

None of them would mention the dream-locking medicine.

It's not because there isn't any.

They just don't dare.

Bai Zhi is still on her way to the palace.

She can open a silver account.

Do not disassemble the medicine.

The Song physician was far away in Yong'an.

The old medicine bottle that Pei Shen brought only proves that the two medicines smelled similar.

One cannot conclude that the emperor has been poisoned based on just one smell.

At this moment, the most frightening thing is someone shouting "poison."

News broke again that the emperor was critically ill.

The court officials would immediately begin calculating succession, military power, and the city gates.

This is exactly what the accounting committee wants.

There's no need to actually poison the emperor.

As long as everyone believes he is about to die.

I instructed Han Feng to suppress news from Changning Palace.

To the outside world, they only said that His Majesty's old illness had relapsed.

It's not about killing off the characters.

This is to allow time for testing the medicine.

I had the two medical officers write down their respective assessments.

The emperor's prescriptions for the past three months were adjusted again.

Record of medicinal materials entering the warehouse.

Imperial Medical Academy's prescription booklet.

The schedule for the eunuchs to deliver medicine.

The five ledgers were delivered separately.

When Bai Zhi entered the palace, her hair was disheveled by the wind.

She only slept for two hours on the way back from Yong'an.

Upon seeing the five piles of accounts on the table, the first thing I said was:

"Add more money."

"Report to the public accounts."

"If His Majesty dies, who will issue the decree?"

The emperor on the bed did not move.

I said, "So we should save them first."

Bai Zhi took off her outer robe.

Ah Liu followed behind, carrying the tent box.

His face was whiter than the emperor's.

"Young master."

"What's wrong with you?"

"People in the palace say His Majesty is critically ill."

"rumor."

"Some people are already kneeling and crying outside."

"Who?"

"Two princes from the imperial family."

Do you cry quickly?

"Even faster than when we entered the palace."

I looked at Han Feng.

"The news of sealing off Changning Palace has already leaked out."

Han Feng's face darkened.

Not many people know that His Majesty is here.

"Gatekeepers."

"Eunuch."

"The Imperial Medical Academy".

Pei Shen.

"us."

Ah Liu whispered, "There are two more Wei Zhis."

I asked Han Feng to find out which door the person with the information should exit through first.

It's not about arresting everyone who makes a comment.

The emperor is ill; it cannot be hidden.

What we need to find out is where the phrase "critically ill" comes from.

This suggests that someone had prepared news of his death in advance.

The approach is the same as Jiangbei's future battle report.

The person is not dead.

Write down the details of the condolence payment, the mourning, and the change of guard first.

Bai Zhi checked the medicine records very quickly.

It's not that she understands medicine.

"For the past three months, His Majesty has been taking the Changning Anshen Fang every five days."

"The Imperial Medical Academy's prescription lists twelve ingredients."

"Thirteen medicines have been dispensed from the medicine warehouse."

"What's extra?"

"It's different every time."

"For the first time, extra acacia fragrance appeared."

"The second batch contained extra Datura powder."

"The third time, an additional herb called Night Vine was found."

"It can be explained by looking at each part separately."

"What do we get when we put them together?"

"I don't know the properties of the medicine."

She said, "But the extra cost of the medicine will be settled entirely by the inner treasury."

"Who approved it?"

"Chen Ping."

"Which identity?"

"The account book states that Chen Ping is in charge of the inner treasury's leak room."

"But Chen Ping resigned three months ago due to illness."

Who signed it for him?

"Wei Zhi".

If people aren't checked separately first, the bill will forever be passed between the two faces.

Bai Zhi then turned over the imperial edict to verify the seal.

"When the medicine leaves the Imperial Medical Academy, it is examined and certified by Director Zhao."

"Upon entering Changning Palace, he was examined by Wei Zhi."

"It was sent to the Emperor for a second inspection by a junior eunuch."

"Who is it?"

"Feng Ying".

Han Feng said, "Feng Ying died this morning."

"How did you die?"

"By the well in Xiyuan."

When Wei Zhijia was found near the well in Xiyuan, there was also the body of a palace eunuch nearby.

At first, they thought he was the guard who had been imprisoned and then silenced.

In retrospect, he was the last person to test medicines before the emperor.

The dead are inexplicable; what's extra in the medicine bowl today?

"What about Feng Ying's family?"

Bai Zhi asked.

Han Feng said, "I am a palace eunuch and have no home."

"Place of origin?"

"Qingfeng".

"To live or die in the tent?"

"Died from the plague ten years ago."

Another living person.

His ability to test medicines before the emperor for ten years demonstrates the absolute certainty of his identity and credentials.

Bai Zhi pulled out his monthly allowance account.

"Feng Ying's monthly salary is two taels of silver."

"However, he regularly sent three taels of silver to the donation box of Ci'en Temple."

"Where did the extra ounce come from?"

"Miscellaneous Appreciations from the Imperial Treasury"

"Who approved it?"

Yan Xiaoyi left.

They also dislike flipping through books even less than the guards.

He returned half an hour later.

He carried a worn-out cloth bag.

There were only twelve sheets of medicine residue paper.

It happened to be the time when the emperor had been taking his medicine for the past two months.

Feng Ying did not put all the medicine in.

He also discovered that there was something wrong with the medicine.

He only hid the dregs of the medicine under the bed board.

He still died in the end.

Ah Liu looked at the cloth bag.

"Is he saving His Majesty?"

"have no idea."

"If you intended to harm him, why leave the medicine behind?"

"Perhaps it's for self-preservation."

"If you wanted to save them, why didn't you report it?"

"To whom should we report this?"

Ah Liu remained silent.

Wei Zhi delivered the medicine.

Pei Shenzang's evidence.

The emperor himself had agreed to continue taking it.

Even if a lowly eunuch discovers something is wrong, who can he turn to?

If he were to go to the emperor, he would first have to go through Wei Zhi.

Go find the Imperial Guard; there's no record of Wei Zhi's disappearance in their old files from eleven years ago.

Go to the court officials; it is a capital offense for an eunuch to have an affair with an outside official.

In the end, he could only hide the dregs of the medicine under the bed.

Waiting for someone who might not even come.

Feng Ying was afraid of dying.

I had someone divide the twelve sheets of medicine residue paper into four groups.

Two medical officers each examined one group.

Pei Shen sent a group of items out of the palace and delivered them to three pharmacies in the capital that had no connection with the Imperial Hospital.

The last batch was sealed away, awaiting the arrival of Physician Song.

We will not allow anyone to get it all.

Bai Zhi glanced at me.

"Was that written in your mother's letter?"

"Um."

"You learn very quickly."

"I'm afraid of making a mistake."

"Knowing that it might be a good thing is."

Her words sounded just like her mother's.

I suspect that people who are good at accounting really enjoy lecturing me.

The emperor on the bed suddenly coughed.

It has a faint, sweet medicinal smell.

Two medical officers immediately stepped forward.

The other person needs a stimulant.

The physician said urgently, "Lord Shen, His Majesty's breathing is weak; we cannot delay!"

"You have differing opinions."

"Acupuncture and ginseng decoction are not contradictory."

"Who goes first?"

The two exchanged a glance.

I said, "Write one for each of us."

"Reasons for medication use".

"risk."

Dosage.

"Whoever finishes writing first, their work will be checked first."

One of the medical officers looked grim.

"Saving lives is urgent, like putting out a fire; how can you write a formal document first?"

"Many dead people in Jiangbei were saved in this way."

"Administer the medicine first."

"Re-upload the medical records."

"In the end, everyone said they didn't have time to write it down."

"There's still time today."

After the two finished writing, Pei Shen chose the stimulant.

The reason is that ginseng soup clashes with the old formula for calming the mind.

The emperor's breathing gradually stabilized.

A moment later, he opened his eyes.

"Get out, everyone."

But he has the air of an emperor.

Han Feng also stepped outside the curtain.

Only Bai Zhi, Pei Shen, and I remained.

The emperor looked at Pei Shen first.

"The wall opened?"

"It's open."

"Where are the things?"

"They're all here."

"The person has been arrested?"

"We caught one."

"several?"

"A Wei Zhi."

The emperor frowned.

I said, "There are two Wei Zhis in Your Majesty's palace."

Eleven years ago.

"Yes."

"You know?"

"I found out later."

"when?"

"Seven days after the late empress's death."

Why not make it public?

The emperor opened his eyes.

"Reveal what?"

"It is said that the imperial eunuch was replaced."

"They say the medicine in Changning Palace has been switched."

"They said he entered the palace as a member of the Southwest Death Army."

"You mean I don't even know who's beside me?"

"Shen An".

"At that time, the Southwest was going to rebel."

"The Queen Mother's old party has not been cleared up."

"The Wang Family's Handbook"

"The late empress has just died."

"If I say that the palace is out of control..."

"The next day, someone forced me to establish an heir, relinquish power, and kill all the former palace servants."

"So you sealed the tent."

"Yes."

"Knowingly taking problematic medication, yet still continuing to take it?"

"I didn't know at first."

"And then?"

"It stopped later."

"Three days."

"Pei Shen said that."

The emperor looked at Pei Shen.

"He told you everything?"

"He's been talking a lot today."

The emperor chuckled softly.

"rare."

I placed the draft edict of self-reproach from the fourteenth year of Chengxi by my bedside.

"When does His Majesty plan to issue this document?"

"Not issuing it."

Why?

"Old matters have not been cleared up."

"Sending it is just an admission of guilt."

"We can't find the person."

"Some have been found now."

"so what?"

The emperor looked at me.

"You want me to issue an edict of self-reproach?"

"I don't want to for now."

Why?

"Your Majesty, please issue the decree now."

"The court officials are now arguing about whether you can still sit on the throne."

"The Wang family took advantage of the chaos to replace personnel."

"The accounts were actually pushed back down."

The emperor looked at me for a long time.

"You think the same way as Pei Shen."

"no the same."

"where?"

"He said he would take control first eleven years ago."

"Controlled for eleven years."

"I only need three days."

"Check the medication."

"Inspect the two Wei Zhis."

"A supplementary register of forty-one soldiers who died in battle."

"Three days later, no matter how much is found."

"Open a portion first."

Pei Shen asked, "Where to?"

"Kai Fengying."

I pointed to the packet of dregs.

"A eunuch who died of plague ten years ago."

"To test the medicine before the emperor."

"Leave the dregs of the medicine."

"Today I will die by the well in the Western Garden."

"Write down his name first."

"Let's write about Chen Ping and Wei Zhi again."

"The cause of the Empress's death will not be written for now."

"They didn't even write 'His Majesty is critically ill' first."

"Let everyone know."

"There are dead people in the palace doing official duties."

The emperor asked, "The court is about to descend into chaos."

"meeting."

"Can you handle it?"

"It can't be suppressed."

"Then why open it?"

"Because it's not open to them to keep changing."

I said, "At least after it's opened."

"See you again at the palace gate, Wei Zhi."

"The gatekeeper will first ask whether it's A or B."

Bai Zhi lowered her head.

The emperor did not laugh.

"Shen An".

"Your subject is here."

"Did your father see him?"

"I've met you."

"What did he say?"

"My father's orders remain unchanged."

"Kill me?"

"Yes."

"How would you answer?"

"I won't listen."

The emperor turned to look at me.

Why?

"Your Majesty is guilty."

I said, "We have to be alive to recognize it first."

"Dying is too cheap."

Bai Zhi actually coughed this time.

Pei Shenze did not react at all.

He probably thought of something similar a long time ago.

The emperor remained silent for a long time.

"What if I don't live to see the opening of the tent?"

"Then don't die yet."

"This is the first order I give to Your Majesty today."

There was a faint smile in the emperor's eyes.

"The censors are getting increasingly involved in more and more matters."

"His Majesty himself said that he only trusts his ministers."

"We can't just believe what sounds nice."

"it is good."

"I will not die first."

"There's one more thing."

"explain."

"Tie up both Wei Zhis first."

The Emperor said:

"allow."

As they stepped outside the curtain, Han Feng brought them the source of the newly discovered critical illness information.

The first sentence, "Your Majesty is critically ill," did not originate from Changning Palace.

From the Zongzheng Temple.

The messenger was a newly appointed minor official.

Name:

Lin Ping'an.

I turned to look at Lin Ping'an, who was being held captive in the outer hall.

He heard it too.

His expression changed for the first time in a real way.

There are more than two Wei Zhis in the capital.

There is more than one Lin Ping'an.

The identities of the forty-one fallen soldiers have already begun to be passed on to each other.