Chapter 142 A Hot Potato

For a moment, all the imperial physicians looked at each other in dismay, eagerly watching to see if there would be any effect.

"Grand Preceptor Zhang, it really is working! One of the patients has a much ruddier complexion now, and the swelling in his body is not as obvious as before."

Could it truly be this miraculous?

They found it hard to believe, yet upon seeing that particular patient, they understood the reason for the cure—it stemmed entirely from these few seemingly ordinary herbs.

"Since we have already obtained the prescription, it is time for us to leave the palace."

Grand Preceptor Zhang reported the matter to the Emperor, offering high praise for Han Qing. Had it not been for Han Qing's staunch insistence on securing this medicine, it would likely have taken many more days to make any headway.

The Emperor was equally astonished. He never imagined that Han Qing possessed such profound knowledge of pharmacology—surpassing even the Imperial Hospital's Grand Preceptor, who had practiced medicine for decades. Truly, his natural talent was exceptional.

"Very well, pack up quickly. It is time for us to leave the palace as well."

Lord Gao looked at Han Qing's calm expression and momentarily lost his bearings.

"Are you out of your mind? His Majesty personally ordered us to be locked up here until those people recovered. But when I inquired this morning, none of those patients showed any reduction in their symptoms." Lord Gao shook his head.

However, no sooner had his voice trailed off than the attending official arrived to formally announce the Emperor's decree.

They were actually being released.

Lord Gao stood there dumbfounded, though Lord Cao had long since realized that Han Qing was likely the driving force behind it all.

"Were the herbs you brewed this morning truly effective?"

"Yes. The poison within their bodies seemed like ordinary symptoms at first, but ancient texts once recorded that those specific afflictions are caused by toxic flora native to the Western Regions," Han Qing explained slowly.

Still, someone would follow up and investigate the matter later; there was no need for him to spell it out entirely. Indeed, someone had intentionally introduced the pathogen into the imperial palace.

The only plausible suspect was the Crown Prince of Chu. If it truly were him, then his methods were far too sinister and utterly unreasonable.

***

Following this incident, the Emperor realized that Han Qing could no longer be dismissed as merely a civil official. Yet, this was a critical juncture of internal factional strife and turbulent external borders, demanding the utmost caution.

Several officials also raised questions regarding the sudden onset of this disease and its symptoms, suspecting that someone had smuggled it in from the outside. Moreover, it had selectively and precisely struck officials across the six ministries of the imperial court, leaving all other areas entirely unaffected.

The Emperor specifically tasked Lord Cao with a thorough investigation. Because no lives had been lost and the outbreak was likely the result of factional maneuvering, it required a brilliant mind to handle the affair discreetly and securely.

Lord Cao had always remained neutral, leaning toward no faction, meaning neither party stood to gain any advantage through him. Furthermore, the toxic herbs had already been entirely consumed, leaving no physical evidence behind. What could possibly be uncovered now?

Yet, if the poison had indeed been brought by the Crown Prince of Chu, it strongly suggested a lingering connection or collusion between the state of Chu and Southern Xinjiang. They might well have entered into an unholy alliance.

Such exclusive toxic flora from Southern Xinjiang would not find its way here without reason; it was highly probable that agents had traveled day and night specifically to plant them.

Still, strange occurrences showed no sign of abating. Han Qing had plucked two of the toxic plants and transplanted them directly into his own courtyard. He intended to extract substances from them—not merely for destruction and harm, but to harness them for the treatment of certain ailments.

Lord Cao, kept awake day and night by the weight of the investigation, finally accepted an invitation to Han Qing's residence. Upon catching sight of the two herbs, he was instantly struck dumb with shock.

"How could you possibly have such toxic plants here?"

"When I was confined in the imperial palace, I noticed this herb growing in the backyard and found it exceedingly peculiar, so I brought a couple along."

"Oh?" Lord Cao balked. "But this is explicitly a poison! Merely touching it can induce hallucinations."

Han Qing shook his head. "It is toxic, but it can also be used to counteract other toxins. If properly utilized, it can certainly become a medicine."

He spoke with absolute confidence, leaving Lord Cao entirely at a loss for how to respond.

***

What would happen if the Emperor placed the blame on him for failing to unearth solid evidence after all this time?

"Are you worried that your investigation will yield no tangible proof, making it impossible to render a final judgment?" Han Qing asked.

"Even if I bring these two plants forward, what good will it do? Can anyone be named the true culprit based solely on a couple of weeds? That is utterly absurd."

"Yet, these are the only clues I have managed to unearth thus far, and I know for a fact that this was likely arranged by agents from Southern Xinjiang," Lord Cao said hesitatingly. Matters had reached such a pass that he could no longer keep it hidden.

"Do you remember where the quarters we were detained in were located within the palace?"

"What?" Han Qing's sudden, seemingly unrelated question caught him off guard, but Lord Cao answered truthfully nonetheless. "I recall they were in the southeastern sector. Continuing further south leads straight to the residence of the Fifth Prince."

Lord Cao retraced the layout in his mind, then wondered aloud, "Why bring this up?"

"The Fifth Prince's biological mother was a maiden from Southern Xinjiang. Back then, to secure their borders, the chieftains of Southern Xinjiang presented several young women as tribute. His Majesty favored only two of them."

"One passed away early on. The other gave birth to the Fifth Prince, but she too passed away from profound melancholy, likely pining for her homeland."

Because he lacked the protection of a birth mother, the Fifth Prince had always survived by walking on thin ice within the imperial court, remaining an almost invisible presence.

Yet why should these two toxic weeds grow precisely outside the courtyard of the Fifth Prince's residence?

This was a deliberate attempt to guide their investigation straight to this spot. Anyone with even a shred of intelligence would know better than to plunge blindly into this trap.

"Brother Han, you saw through this all along. Naturally, we cannot assign guilt or innocence based solely on two toxic plants," Lord Cao acknowledged with a nod.

Now that the Fifth Prince had been implicated, they could not afford to act rashly. Above all, they had to preserve the dignity of the imperial house.

"It is merely a hot potato that happened to fall into your hands," Han Qing remarked lightly.

There would be no uncovering of the truth—unless the imperial family itself was willing to tear open the scandals of the past.