bayedsolid Chapter 68, 9th Lifetime: ③ The Mad Doctor and Poison Queen Ascends to Power and Seeks Revenge
Chapter 68, 9th Lifetime: ③ The Mad Doctor and Poison Queen Ascends to Power and Seeks Revenge
Chapter Sixty-Eight: Harem Hunting: The Mad Doctor and Poison Queen's Rise to Power and Revenge
I once thought that by sending Consort Shu to death, this chaotic palace intrigue would come to an end, and the palace would finally be a little quieter.
Who could have predicted that the Prime Minister's actions in court, in order to preserve his power, would be like magic, involving bribery and finding a bunch of scapegoats to snatch Consort Shu back from the jaws of death?
Having just escaped death, Consort Shu was like a demon crawling out of the eighteenth level of hell, exuding a crazy aura.
His hair was sticking up like withered grass struck by lightning, his eyes burned with raging anger, and his face was twisted so distorted that it looked exactly like a dough ball that had been kneaded and tossed aside by a naughty child. He kept muttering, "Luo Qingci, I will never let you off this time! I'll chop you into mincemeat so you'll know what happens when you offend me!"
Judging from her appearance, she was completely a madwoman driven mad by hatred, gritting her teeth in a dark corner, plotting her revenge.
Not long after regaining her "freedom," Consort Shu couldn't wait to start causing trouble. Like a gambler who had gone mad, she used all her wealth to hire thugs from all over the place.
Soon, word spread throughout the capital that a big job was in the works. A group of notorious assassins, known for their ruthlessness and greed, were blinded by the promise of a hefty reward. Their eyes gleamed, and they accepted the job of assassinating Luo Qingci without hesitation, eager to make their mark.
On this day, the warm sunlight shone on the Imperial Garden, where flowers bloomed in profusion, as if the heavens had spilled a palette of paints, creating a vibrant tapestry of colors. Luo Qingci wore a pale pink palace dress, the hem of which swayed gently with her steps, resembling a delicate peach blossom blooming in the spring breeze, bright and captivating.
A relaxed smile played on her lips. She would lean closer to the flowers, inhaling their fragrance like a greedy little bee, and then gently stroke the petals with her fingers, muttering to herself, "These flowers are so beautiful. If we picked them and made them into perfume, they would surely fill the entire palace with fragrance. Even the emperor would be attracted by the aroma."
Her carefree demeanor made it seem as if all the world's troubles were irrelevant to her, completely immersed in the beautiful springtime. Little did she know, danger was lurking like a vicious wolf in the shadows, silently and slowly approaching.
Suddenly, several dark figures darted out from the flower bushes with lightning speed, like bats leaping from a dark abyss. The leader of the assassins had a long scar across his face, resembling an ugly centipede lying there; just looking at him sent chills down one's spine.
He raised his gleaming broadsword high, the blade flashing coldly in the sunlight, and roared viciously in his hoarse voice, "Beauty Yan, prepare to die! Today is your death day, and next year this day will be your death anniversary!"
This sudden turn of events startled Luo Qingci, causing her to turn pale and her body to tremble uncontrollably. A look of terror flashed across her face, and her eyes were filled with panic.
But in that split second, she took a deep breath, quickly calmed herself down, and her eyes instantly became as sharp as an eagle's, as if she could see through everything.
She quickly scanned her surroundings, her mind racing like a tiny motor, thinking to herself, "Hmph, you bunch of scrawny bastards think you can take my life? You're dreaming! Watch how I teach you a lesson today, and show you that I'm not someone to be trifled with!"
The assassins, brandishing knives, pressed closer, shouting threats. Luo Qingci nimbly dodged left and right, weaving through the jungle like a nimble deer.
She screamed for help at the top of her lungs, "Help! Someone! Assassins! Help!" In her panic, she accidentally tripped over her skirt and stumbled forward, nearly falling flat on her face. But she reacted quickly, rolling over and grabbing a handful of dirt, which she then hurled at the assassins, yelling, "Take this 'Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers' move!"
Upon hearing the cries for help, the nearby guards, like soldiers responding to a bugle call, rushed to the scene with incredible speed, as if the wind were blowing beneath their feet. In an instant, shouts of battle and the clashing of weapons mingled together, turning the Imperial Garden into complete chaos.
Looking at the chaotic scene, Luo Qingci curled her lips into a mocking sneer, thinking to herself, "Consort Shu, you think you can succeed like this? How naive and childish! With your little tricks, you think you can fight me? Today is your retribution, to let you know the consequences of offending me!"
After a fierce fight, the guards gradually gained the upper hand. Seeing that the situation was not good, the scarred assassin panicked and tried to slip away.
Luo Qingci, with her sharp eyes, saw through his thoughts at a glance. Quick as a flash, she bent down, picked up a stone from the ground, and threw it with all her might at the assassin's back, shouting, "Trying to run? Not so easy! Take this 'Little Li Flying Stone'!"
With a "whoosh," the stone, as if it had eyes, struck the assassin with pinpoint accuracy. The assassin staggered and fell to the ground with a "thud," where he was surrounded by layers of guards who had arrived shortly after.
"Speak, who sent you?" Luo Qingci walked gracefully to the assassin, looking down at him with a chilling majesty in her eyes. Her voice was as cold as the north wind in the dead of winter, as if it could freeze the air.
The assassin initially remained defiant, stubbornly sticking his neck out and acting as if he had nothing to lose, shouting, "You want me to confess? No way!"
Seeing this, Luo Qingci snorted and teased, "Oh, it seems you're only willing to tell the truth after trying my special 'itch powder'? This itchy powder is really powerful. Just a little bit will make you so itchy you'll want to peel your own skin off!" As she spoke, she took out a small bottle from her sleeve, shook it gently, and the powder inside emitted an eerie glow.
Upon hearing the words "itching powder," the assassin's face turned as white as a sheet of paper, and his body trembled uncontrollably as images of unbearable itching flashed through his mind. Under Luo Qingci's "special attention," the assassin finally couldn't hold back and confessed that it was Consort Shu who had ordered him to do it.
Upon learning this, Luo Qingci's anger flared even more fiercely. She gritted her teeth and said, "Consort Shu, you still dare to do evil? This time I will absolutely not let you off the hook. I will crush you under my feet and make sure you never rise again! I will let you know that in this palace, I am the true ruler!"
Having gone through this ordeal, Luo Qingci knew that it would be no easy task to completely bring down Consort Shu and the Prime Minister's power behind her.
She returned to her palace, plopped down on the couch, her brows furrowed into a deep frown, and tapped her fingers rhythmically on the table as she pondered: "The Prime Minister has extensive connections and great power, like a towering tree with intricate roots. To bring him and Consort Shu down, we must start with those around him, find the fulcrum that can move the entire tree. Hmph, Consort Shu, you just wait, this is only the beginning, you'll regret it later!"
Thus, Luo Qingci launched her "intelligence gathering plan" with great enthusiasm. She made full use of her connections in the palace, as well as the eunuchs and maids she had "bribed" with food and trinkets, making them like little mice, inquiring about the people around the prime minister.
She also gave these junior informants a "do-or-die" order: anyone who uncovered useful information would be richly rewarded. Under her "coercion and enticement," these young eunuchs and palace maids were full of energy, bustling around the palace like busy little bees every day.
Persistence pays off. After some effort, she discovered that the Prime Minister's most trusted advisor was being impeached by the Censor for embezzlement. Luo Qingci's eyes lit up, and an idea came to her. She quickly sketched out a meticulous plan in her mind.
She jumped up from the couch excitedly, muttering to herself, "Haha, this is truly heaven's help! This is going to be a good show, Consort Shu, just you wait and see!"
She carefully disguised herself, transforming into an ordinary woman, and quietly slipped out of the palace to find the imperial censor. When the censor first saw her, he was full of doubt, his eyes filled with wariness, thinking, "Who is this woman? Why has she suddenly come to see me?"
Seeing this, Luo Qingci smiled slightly, revealing two charming dimples, and said, "My lord, just think about it. If you could bring down the Prime Minister, wouldn't your achievements cause a sensation throughout the court and be recorded in history? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rise to the top. At that time, you would be a great hero in the eyes of the people, and the Emperor would look at you with new respect. You might even be promoted and given a higher rank!"
Upon hearing this, the censor's eyes flashed with a hint of excitement, but he quickly regained his caution, his face showing difficulty as he hesitated and said, "The prime minister holds a high position of power and has many cronies. How easy is it to bring him down? If I'm not careful, I could lose my official hat, and I might even lose my life."
Luo Qingci stepped forward and said confidently, "Don't worry, my lord. I have planted many spies in the palace to help you gather irrefutable evidence. As long as the evidence is conclusive, even the Prime Minister will have to submit to the law. Moreover, I am proficient in medicine and poisons. In critical moments, I can not only heal your body, but also help you resolve any crises if someone tries to harm you. If you have a headache or fever, I have a unique remedy that will cure you instantly; and if someone dares to poison your food, I can spot it at a glance."
After much pleading and reassurance from Luo Qingci, the censor finally decided to join forces with her. They began secretly collecting evidence of corruption among the prime minister's staff. At the same time, Luo Qingci used her "special methods" to spread rumors detrimental to the prime minister in the court.
She had the eunuchs vividly recount the prime minister's various misdeeds in a teahouse frequented by the ministers, causing his reputation to plummet.
As more and more evidence emerged, the Prime Minister's power began to crumble. Meanwhile, Consort Shu, upon learning this news, flew into a rage in her hiding place, pacing back and forth in the small room like a mad tigress, cursing, "Luo Qingci, you bitch! I'll never forgive you! Why am I so unlucky, always getting outsmarted by you!"
But at this point, she was already at her limit. Faced with Luo Qingci's relentless pressure, she could only anxiously watch, like an ant on a hot pan, powerless to fight back.
As Luo Qingci watched her plan progress smoothly step by step, she felt full of confidence.
She stood by the window of her palace, gazing at the imperial palace outside, her eyes resolute and determined, as if declaring to the entire palace: "Consort Shu, Prime Minister, your good days are over. In this palace intrigue, I am the ultimate winner. Anyone who dares to stand in my way should not blame me for being ruthless. I will let everyone know that the consequence of offending me can be summed up in one word—miserable!"