Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved
Chapter 309: Turning Passivity into Activeness, Strike!

Chapter 309: Chapter 309: Turning Passivity into Activeness, Strike!

"How did you all get here? Did the Prince tell you?"

Seeing her father and brothers, Murong Jiu felt a bit helpless; she really didn’t want them to worry about her.

She cast a slightly reproachful glance at Jun Yuyan, who was standing behind them.

"The Prince was visibly distracted at the morning court today. How could we not notice? And don’t blame the Prince. It was only after we questioned him repeatedly that he told us the truth. You, you just don’t treat us like family, hiding such an important matter from us!"

General Fu said, his expression somewhat dimmed.

How could he say such things to Xiao Jiu? Hadn’t he only acknowledged her as his daughter halfway through?

It was understandable for Xiao Jiu not to feel close to them.

Although he knew Xiao Jiu didn’t want to worry them, he couldn’t help feeling guilty and regretful.

Murong Jiu sighed and said to them, "Father, brothers, don’t think too much. I just didn’t want you to worry like you are now, so I kept it from you. The strange poison from the Western Regions is hard to cure, and the Prince and I were afraid that you would be upset if you knew."

Fu Heng said in a gentle voice: "Xiao Jiu, we are family. If there’s a problem, let us solve it together. Even though we may not know medicine, as the saying goes, ’three cobblers with their wits combined, equal Zhuge Liang.’ Who knows? We might come up with a good solution."

"Yes, yes, Xiao Jiu, you are the person we care about the most. For you, we are willing to give everything! Consort Qin is brazen. We should just force the Western Regions into rebellion and retake it! Install a new royal family there!"

Hearing Fu Han make such a bold statement, Jun Yuyan’s eyes flickered, obviously, he had considered this plan already.

General Fu didn’t criticize Fu Han; instead, he nodded and said, "The Western Regions are ambitious, constantly expanding. The countries like Dashi and Loulan are suffering from its invasions and losing land and wealth. It shows that the Western Regions are not satisfied with being just a vassal state! Today Consort Qin dared to poison Xiao Jiu; tomorrow, she might dare to poison Your Majesty!"

The Second Prince, Fu Sheng, nodded in agreement: "Behind Consort Qin there must be the support of Western Region’s power. Perhaps their influence has already infiltrated the Capital City, plotting from inside and outside. Her brazen actions are simply too audacious."

Fu Han clenched his fist: "Indeed, she dares to have clandestine affairs; she deserves death for that alone, not to mention her daring to harm Xiao Jiu. We must punish her entire family, to make her regret harboring such thoughts!"

Listening to their words, Murong Jiu felt a surge of warmth in her heart. It was incredibly comforting.

These were her family members who cared about her. What had she done to deserve such wonderful relatives?

She said, "The Prince and I suspect that the person Consort Qin has been conspiring with is the Fourth Prince. We’ve been overlooking him; perhaps he’s the one who has been hiding the deepest. Maybe Consort Qin’s plans were all his doing."

Although Consort Duan was escorted back by the Fourth Prince that night, and Consort Qin returned to the Yonghe Palace, there was a considerable distance between them.

But what if Consort Qin hadn’t returned to Yonghe Palace, and the Consort Qin the palace maids saw was just a palace maid in disguise?

When Murong Jiu visited Yonghe Palace for the second time, she noticed a third-grade palace maid who was very similar in stature to Consort Qin before her pregnancy.

It was very possible that Consort Qin went to Consort Duan’s Yufu Palace and consorted with the Fourth Prince there.

The pregnant palace maid was just a diversion.

After all, she could have just suddenly gained weight, which would perfectly match the appearance of being pregnant, wouldn’t it?

Yes, the palace maids around Consort Qin had lots of connections with the Old Medicine King, so they might have helped Consort Qin conceive a son in one fell swoop.

Even if the palace maid was truly pregnant, she had already been punished and sent to the Cold Palace to become a palace maid. If she were to be publicly exposed, it would have nothing to do with Consort Qin.

Jun Yuyan said, "Eliminating other suspects leaves the Fourth Prince with the highest suspicion. It’s not solely because we are investigating the man behind Consort Qin that Ah Jiu entered her field of vision. Even without the investigation, Prince Ling’s Mansion would still be their primary target."

"Indeed, with the Second Prince crippled and the Third Prince injured, only the Prince boasts illustrious military feats and commands great respect among the populace. If the person behind all this truly is the Fourth Prince, then he would definitely aim to eliminate the threatening Prince Ling’s Mansion first."

After General Fu finished speaking, he pondered, "I have seen the Emperor show great concern for the child in Consort Qin’s womb. She must feel quite confident in her backing to dare such reckless behavior."

Fu Heng said, "It seems that uncovering the secret affair between the two will not be an easy task, and now that Thin Line Heaven is being used as a threat, it leaves us even less able to act rashly."

"Even if Ah Jiu had not been poisoned with Thin Line Heaven, exposing Consort Qin’s affair with the Fourth Prince would be difficult. In the presence of others, the two of them have almost never had any private interactions. After having my people investigate, the only thing found was that Consort Qin’s route to the Capital and that of the Fourth Prince overlapped in Jinzhou before her arrival at the palace. They’ve had no dealings inside the palace."

Jun Yuyan said.

Murong Jiu narrowed her eyes, "I didn’t expect that the Fourth Prince had made contact with Consort Qin so early, and had even come to an agreement with the Western Region Prince."

This was truly beyond her expectations, she had thought that the Fourth Prince and Consort Qin had simply taken a liking to each other and saw the opportunity to use one another.

So, it seems that the Fourth Prince had planned everything in advance.

Recalling the look the Fourth Prince gave her on the day of the sacrifice, which appeared very gentle, now felt chilling in hindsight.

"What’s most important now is to find an antidote for Xiao Jiu, so we won’t be led around by the nose by them."

General Fu’s words received everyone’s agreement, but the difficulty of curing Thin Line Heaven’s poison weighed down the mood, darkening each person’s expression.

Isn’t Consort Qin fearless precisely because Murong Jiu has been poisoned with Thin Line Heaven?

Murong Jiu, however, smiled and reassured everyone, "We’re not at the final moment yet. There’s still time. If the poison could be concocted, then surely there’s also an antidote. With my master and I, we’ll definitely come up with a solution."

Divine Doctor Zhai, holding a handful of herbs, somberly spoke, "Girl, the problem is Consort Qin can trigger an early onset, accelerating the poisoning process. You might soon lose your clarity of vision, become blind, lose your memory..."

With every word from Divine Doctor Zhai, the faces of Jun Yuyan and the others grew even more somber.

Fu Han clenched his fists so tight they crackled, wishing he could twist Consort Qin’s neck right then and there.

Murong Jiu shook her head firmly, "No, Consort Qin won’t let me go blind. She wants me to deliver her child, how could she allow me to be blinded? I reckon all of her schemes will come to light on that very day."

At this moment, Jun Yuyan spoke, "She can’t afford not to let you deliver her child because the palace maid who knows medicine is about to die."

"What?"

Murong Jiu looked at him in surprise, "What has the Prince done?"

That palace maid named Sha Li is very likely the Old Medicine King’s disciple!

General Fu urgently said, "Could it be that the antidote is in the palace maid’s possession?"

"Consort Qin would not be without the antidote. Ah Jiu, can you trust me?"

Murong Jiu nodded, "I trust you."

She knew, Jun Yuyan was planning to act boldly and turn their passive situation into an active one!