Chapter 81: Chapter 81: A Painstaking Scheme

"My Lady!" Qiuxi gasped, covering her mouth in terror.

Liang Wan merely glanced at her.

"You—"

Cao Danqing’s heart seemed to stop for a moment. She stared blankly at Liang Wan in utter disbelief.

’Is she a madwoman?’

"Lady Liang, there’s no need for this!"

Chancellor Cao cried out to stop her, but he was a step too late. Liang Wan fell backward, stiff as a board, into the lotus pond. SPLASH! The surface, which had just returned to calm, erupted in a spray of water once more. She sank without a sound.

Liang Wan held her breath. Water rushed in from all directions. Everything seemed to grow quiet, and she could only hear her own heartbeat.

Before she could sink to the bottom, someone leaped into the water. A long arm wrapped around her waist, hauling her toward the surface.

On the shore, Liang Wan’s eyes were tightly shut, her face deathly pale. A pool of water spread out beneath her, and she lay limp and motionless.

The crowd watched in alarm. She had jumped with such confidence that everyone assumed she could swim. It wasn’t until a long moment passed without her resurfacing that they realized something was terribly wrong.

She didn’t know how to swim at all, yet she still dared to jump?!

Truly fearless!

Zhou Yun shook her hard, but she didn’t respond. The color drained from his face as he whipped his head around and shouted, "Quick, call the household doctor!"

Qiuxi was already sobbing uncontrollably.

The words had barely left his lips when someone was seen rushing over with the household doctor in tow.

The onlookers parted. Just as the household doctor knelt to administer aid, a low cry came from nearby.

"The Empress!"

All eyes turned toward the sound. The Empress was slumped against a female official, swaying as if she were about to collapse.

With one crisis after another, the crowd was completely overwhelmed, and the scene descended into chaos.

Before the household doctor could even get to his feet, he was unceremoniously yanked up and dragged before the Empress.

For a moment, everyone present was on edge, filled with both worry and dread. They were terrified that this chaotic scene would result in harm to the Empress.

Zhou Yun glanced toward the Empress. ’Liang Wan’s public spectacle was all to lure out the household doctor.’

Now that the Empress was being attended to, with the Cao family standing guard, their objective had been met. Yet, far from feeling relieved, Zhou Yun only grew more anxious.

The Empress, having fainted from the shock, was now the center of attention, while he and Liang Wan were all but forgotten.

"Liang Wan, wake up!" Zhou Yun cried, holding her, frantic with worry.

"Zhou Yun!"

The voice that called his name was hoarse, filled with profound grievance and resentment.

Zhou Yun turned a deaf ear.

Cao Danqing stared at Zhou Yun, her eyes brimming with tears. ’She couldn’t understand it. Why did he care so much for the woman who had harmed both her and her sister?’

"It’s all her fault! She deserves to die!" Cao Danqing clutched her chest, her eyes bloodshot.

Cao Luyun supported Cao Danqing, not having the heart to rebuke her.

Zhou Yun paid them no mind, his gaze frantically scanning the crowd for anyone who could help. His eyes landed on Lu Xiu, who stood apart from the others, and the desperation in his look said it all.

But Lu Xiu was like a detached observer, aloof from the worldly affairs around him. His gaze was cold and indifferent, that of a complete stranger.

Zhou Yun’s mind went blank. ’What was going on?’

"Is she dead?"

A languid yet calm voice suddenly spoke from behind them.

They all turned to look. It was Gao Qian.

Cao Danqing and Cao Luyun stared in astonishment.

Zhou Yun felt a jolt, as if he’d been struck in the chest. A strange premonition washed over him.

"Is she dead?"

When no answer came, Gao Qian tilted his head slightly, looked at Zhou Yun, and asked again.

Yet that simple question made everyone who had been crowded around the Empress turn to look, and the noisy scene fell silent.

Zhou Yun met those dark, bottomless eyes. "I am not certain."

Gao Qian straightened, nodding slightly. A smile of keen interest touched his lips. "How strange. I feel as though I’ve seen her somewhere before."

Zhou Yun was speechless. In his peripheral vision, he saw that Lu Xiu was still standing in the distance.

"Ah, well. Don’t let her die."

The remark was startling. Guanglu Doctor Lou Xiao, who stood at the front of the group, quickly nodded in assent and sent a man to find another doctor.

With that, Gao Qian turned to leave. But after a single step, he glanced back, a touch of wistfulness in his voice. "What a pity."

What he found a pity, no one could say.

Just then, the household doctor suddenly dropped to his knees. "Congratulations, Your Majesty! The Empress is with child."

A wave of surprise went through the crowd, and they moved to offer their congratulations.

But the household doctor’s next words stopped them in their tracks.

"However, her collapse was caused by poison."

’Poison?’

The color drained from every face. Not a single word of congratulations could be uttered.

Even Zhou Yun looked over.

’He truly didn’t understand what had gone wrong.’

’The plan was just to lure out the household doctor. Why was Liang Wan still unconscious, and why was the Empress now poisoned? And why was Lu Xiu just watching coldly from the sidelines...?’

Zhou Yun was utterly bewildered.

Gao Qian’s eyes darkened, and his sharp gaze swept toward Lou Xiao and his wife, Lu Ying, at the side.

The Empress had been poisoned at a banquet graced by the imperial couple’s presence. What could it be, if not a premeditated plot?

"Your Majesty, I have failed your trust! My crime is unforgivable! I am willing to launch a full investigation at once and will then accept my punishment!" Lou Xiao immediately fell to his knees, pressing his forehead to the ground.

Gao Qian did not speak.

Chancellor Cao looked at the household doctor. "What poison did the Empress ingest? Can it be treated?"

The household doctor replied, "The poison seems to have been triggered by an adverse reaction. The symptoms are temporary collapse and numbness in the limbs. She should awaken after I apply acupuncture. To be safe, she should then take a few doses of a medicinal tonic."

Cao Jun stepped forward. "Your Majesty, in my opinion, it is likely the Empress was unaware of her pregnancy and inadvertently ate something she should have avoided. Why not wait for Her Majesty to awaken and question her then?"

Gao Qian agreed, and Lu Ying led a group to take the Empress for treatment.

The celebratory banquet could not possibly continue. However, with the Empress still unconscious, everyone present had no choice but to remain at the Duke Mansion until the truth was uncovered and their own suspicions were cleared.

What had been a banquet of lively chatter and laughter had devolved into one of heart-stopping terror.

The remaining guests kept their heads down, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.

Gao Qian silently swept his gaze over the crowd, a faint smile playing on his lips. "There is no need to be so alarmed. Please, continue to the Flower Garden for wine."

Chancellor Cao’s face was grim. "Your Majesty," he said bluntly, "with this matter still unresolved, how can we possibly—"

Gao Qian turned his head to look at him. "Chancellor Cao, I cannot be the one to spoil everyone’s fun."

Chancellor Cao started to speak again but was pulled back by Cao Jun at his side.

Without another word, Gao Qian led a retinue of officials away.

Chancellor Cao hung his head and sighed.

A servant came rushing over with a doctor.

As they drew near, a violent coughing fit erupted.

"COUGH! COUGH! COUGH—"

Liang Wan’s chest felt horribly constricted. Though she had held her breath, water had still forced its way into her nose and throat after she lost consciousness.

"My Lady!" Qiuxi cried, tears of joy streaming down her face.

Zhou Yun quickly bent over and patted Liang Wan on the back, helping her breathe.

"She... she’s alive again?" Cao Danqing bit her lip resentfully.

Only then did Zhou Yun notice that Cao Danqing and Cao Luyun were still there. Cao Danqing was still a drenched and disheveled mess.

He felt a pang of pity. "You’ve had a scare as well. You should go rest."

Her eyes brimming with tears, Cao Danqing stood rooted to the spot.

Leaning on Qiuxi for support, Liang Wan pulled herself to her feet. Her throat and sinuses burned. "You should go with her," she said to Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun understood her implication: with so many people around, things near the Empress were not safe. But with Lu Xiu’s whereabouts unknown, he didn’t feel right leaving Liang Wan alone.

"Stop your phony act! This is all your fault!" Cao Danqing cried, about to lunge at her again.

Liang Wan merely shot her a look. Cao Danqing not only fell silent but also flushed crimson, not daring to utter another sound.

After giving Zhou Yun a nod, Liang Wan let Qiuxi support her and followed a servant away. She needed to find a room and get cleaned up.

’This isn’t over yet.’

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