Wang Fengli brought Feng Yue to visit Taoqi as promised. The two hit it off quite nicely (or was it because Xiao Taoqi already knew what the princess liked) and so Wang Fengli left them to go handle court affairs.
"Taoqi-jie, let's go out into town. The palace is too boring," Feng Yue said after some time, playfully sticking out her tongue. Xiao Taoqi signalled to Feng Xia, who arranged for a sedan to take them to the palace gates.
"Oh, I didn't know I could ride one so soon," Xiao Taoqi said excitedly as she climbed on. Feng Yue was just as excited as she was.
"I've never been carried on a sedan chair before either, Taoqi-jie, can you imagine? My royal father usually gives me whatever I want, but he never allowed me to do this,"
"Huu. You're lucky you have me then," Xiao Taoqi playfully flicked the girls forehead. On their way to the south gate, they came across a lot of people that had to stop and bow to them. Xiao Taoqi felt oddly weightless. Monarchs definitely enjoyed, she thought.
They finally arrived at the gates. A flamboyant carriage was parked next to that of Du Gang¹. As he had rightly expected, Xiao Taoqi declined going out in the ostentatious carriage provides by Wang Fengli for her and chose Du Gang's instead.
(¹ This Du Gang is Mister Du, Xiao Taoqi's butler of sorts.)
Feng Yue brought Xiao Taoqi to an expensive restaurant cum theatre. Just as they were settling into their booth, an haughty looking young lady around Xiao Taoqi's age approached them. She curtsied to Feng Yue, but raised her nose and surveyed Xiao Taoqi with unconcealed dislike.
"Princess Yue, do you mind if I join you?"
Feng Yue had not noticed the way the girl had looked at Xiao Taoqi, so she agreed.
"Sure, Min Lan. Fancy seeing you here. Do you know Min Lan, Taoqi-jie?"
Xiao Taoqi shook her head.
"She's Grand Advisor Min's daughter. He was Brother's tutor for a while. When I still lived with Brother in the Jiulu Courtyard, Grand Advisor Min used to bring her to play with me,"
Min Lan sat between the princess and Xiao Taoqi and seemingly focused her attention on the opera they were watching, laughing and crying at appropriate intervals. Then suddenly, just as the curtain rose for the final scene, she stood up abruptly.
"I almost forgot my mother and I are going to pay our respects to my grandmother. See you later your highness."
Xiao Taoqi did not pay much attention to her weird behaviour. After the play finished Feng Yue dragged her to cross to the other side of the capital in a boat. They had then visited, ironically, Yue Meng Mei's store to drool over the expensive accessories and dresses from other nations and empires. Unable to stand Feng Yue's nagging, Xiao Taoqi had signalled to Du Gang, who tipped off the manager. The princess and the prince consort had then been shown into a grand chamber, where a box had been presented to Xiao Taoqi as Lady Yue Meng Mei's congratulatory gift to her on soon becoming prince consort. Xiao Taoqi had then liberally 'shared' her booty with the starstruck Feng Yue.
It was when they were returning to the palace that her hands started to itch. Xiao Taoqi pulled back her left sleeve to reveal her hand covered with itching red spots.
"What?!" Feng Yue shrieked, "what happened to you, Taoqi-jie?!"
"I don't know," Xiao Taoqi frowned, "It wasn't like this before."
"Let's return to the palace first. Ruyin," she addressed her maid, "you go ahead and summon the imperial physician to the eastern palace,"
"Yes, your Highness!"
*
"This is an inflammation caused by a poisonous plant," the imperial physician said after he had concluded his examination.
"The prince consort hasn't come into contact with any poisonous plants," Wang Fengli retorted, his face dark as night. He had hurried over from his chamber the minute he heard that the imperial physician was summoned, worry in his heart. His consort and Yue-er had just stepped out of the palace for a bit. What had happened?
"Feng Xie," he called.
"This subordinate is present," Feng Xie went down on one knee.
"Explain,"
"Her highness truly did not come into contact with a poisonous plant. The two Highnesses went to the Gudao Opera Hall, and then to Lady Yue Meng Mei's store,"
"Did they meet anyone on the way?" Wang Fengli frowned.
"Only Lady Min Lan, at the Opera hall." Feng Xie replied.
"Was she in close proximity with the consort?"
Feng Xie paled.
"Yes, your Highness. Lady Min Lan sat between prince consort and princess Yue,"
Wang Fengli closed his eyes.
"Bring her in for questioning!" He ordered loudly, "Min Lan is apprenticed to a guild of alchemists from the Hao Empire. She deals with plants so she might have come into contact with a poisonous plant. Go, bring her at once!"
"Yes!"
The imperial physician prescribed some anti-inflammation medicine for the prince consort and then left quickly, fearing the crown prince's wrath. Xiao Taoqi was already in a very foul mood by then, having been warned seriously not to scratch her itching hand.
"How dare her--" Xue Er was almost in tears, "your Highness, what do we do?"
Xiao Taoqi closed her eyes. Alchemical knowledge to treat this poisoning was hidden somewhere in her subconscious to be revealed whenever she changed into Lin Miqi. However all eyes were on her now. It would be difficult.
"Get Du here," she decided eventually.
"Yes, your Highness," Xue Er nodded and left. When Du Gang arrived, Xiao Taoqi gave him the directions to where she kept numbing medicine in Lin Miqi's house. At least she could use that to numb the itching.
As for Min Lan who dared to hurt her though, Xiao Taoqi had an elaborate plan to set up.