As the carriages arrived, they got inside and moved to the gate. The princess looked at the guards by the gateway, asking master Qin, "Could you easily enter without being recognized, master Qin?"
The old man beamed, recalling how the woman could sneak inside easily.
"Yes, not only me but also the woman did the same, she entered the herbs' carriage when the guards were checking the list of materials.
Li Shu clenched her jaw. That woman! She would soon dig her grave for being nosy. She might join prince Xing Bolin to repay that demand of working in the aviary.
"She is here because of the price your highness appointed for this." Li Shu brought her hand up. Her sleeve moved down.
"Oh! This bracelet. Ma'am had forged it for the Queen. Why does your maiden keep it?"
Li Shu chuckled inwardly, in the right time this man brought about Queen Xing Ning. Nevertheless, the man was tending to help but this path was twisted and many obstacles were exposed on her way. One was prince Xing Bolin and his nasty lust.
In the bathroom, she persuaded the princess to kill her rivals, especially her bastard brother, instead, she chose another way. Princess Xing Huan was beyond belief; she was seeking a logical solution but how could she use tricks against the blades that shaded her neck. He couldn't anticipate the conclusion of struggling in this court. They want to kill her but she did want to!?
Xing Huan felt that something had jolted inside her, the whole time this man knew about the bracelet and she was drowned in sorrow, ignoring the menace that was singing in her ear. It was magic, it had existed, what she used to mock and call superstition, what she used to call an unreasonable gimmick. Such a thing had turned Li Shu's nights into nightmares. While it was built to protect, the material which could save one had made it to ruin another's life.
"Ma'am?" the princess's voice trembled.
"Yes, that strange witch, Queen Xing Ning wanted to protect you, that was why she asked me to provide a strong talisman that can protect you from all types of poison. The bracelet can also let out magic once you are in danger! But why is it on your maiden's wrist?"
This man was chatty, he trailed off, explaining the detail and the princess's face dimmed, now, she had more yearnings to catch the thieves, destiny brought Li Shu as her help but what if the curse would kill her?
"Why would they catch the witch?" Li Shu was baffled.
"Hmm, I don't know!" The old man replied.
It was a complicated case, but Li Shu was confident that someone in the court was leading the moves and motives, why? Could it be avenging or lust for attaining the throne?
"The priority is to find the tailor and the witch." The princess noted and the eunuch nodded.
Getting to the center of the city where the chancery was. The gateway of the place was yet crowded and people were buzzing about the occurs that were exposed during the night.
_He has a three-year-old daughter.
_This is a nightmare.
_how could they do this!
_The man was careful about the poor people's taxes!
…
"Princess Xing Huan is here."
Dismounting from his horse, Fu Liu announced her presence, people immediately cleared the path. The princess walked out of the carriage and after her were the handmaiden and master Qin.
Ke Xin rapidly sneaked beside Li Shu, not missing this rare situation.
"Why are you frightened?" Li Shu asked, wondering why would she fear such a simple survey.
"Just let me be close to you. I heard that those who are killed never leave this world before their killer is punished!"
"Huh, who had pierced this obesity absurd thing into your head?" she shook her head and stepped up the stairs.
Ke Xin shrugged, it wasn't the right time to lecture her about supernatural stuff.
_Wow, this is our princess, I saw her here last night!"
_I knew that she cares about people, the rumors are nonsense."
The princess could hear them, feeling mixed emotions, it was wholly different from the moment she was disguising up as a merchant. Not just that matter, people would distinguish and relate the difference between the rest of her competitors.
It brought her anxiousness as to being the topic of each conversation that could fly to her brother. Although she couldn't deny that was fascinating to hear the cruel rumors about her were washed down.
Since last year, people were saying that she had left the position of empress after her mother's death, like Li Shu everyone assumed that she was a weakling, someone who must be pampered by others, thus such a person couldn't rule a kingdom.
They were wrong, she wasn't weak, it was all her heart that was shrouded by the dark clouds of grief, she couldn't believe that her mother died through disease.
Getting to the building, all the experts and employees rowed in lines to greet the princess, bowing to her they served her welcome and hale.
"Heavens brought us applause when your strides touched this ground."
A tall middle-aged man stated, that his clothing was different than others, the rest were wearing white while his clothing was black. He must be the manager who was leading this team. Her father ordered the chancellor of the exchequer to refine the system after realizing a few years ago's embezzlement.
"Master Xu, please accept my condolences, we lost a great man, I was here last night, I wish you help me find out what had caused such misery."
Everyone exchanged glances, this was a pleasure that the coming empress appeared to solve this matter on her own. They could hold hope toward this one.
"Of course, your highness, we all believe that it was related to the case he was working on, there…"
"Wow, sister! You arrived earlier than me!"
Xing Huan didn't turn back, instead closed her eyes to devour her rage. The birds were faster than she anticipated. Her brother showed up exactly the moment he shouldn't.
Prince Xing Bolin passed by Li Shu, the much close that if she didn't snatch her hand away, the prince's finger could make contact with hers, deliberately. His eyes averted on her side, amusingly peeking. Chaoxiang held his guard up but Zha Gang grabbed his arm. Shaking his head avoided him.
"I understand your feelings but be watchful for her sake."
Chao listened to that advice when Li Shu's soft sight confirmed the words of the princess's guard. They were all in the same boat, struggling in a storm, one mistake could swallow them all.
...
Inside the infirmary, physician Lu went inside his lab, he used to make the medicines on his own as he had learned alchemy since childhood. Growing up in a physician's family had such advantages. putting the pill aunt Gu Ju made inside a small stone bowl, he smashed it. There was a sharp spicy scent that made him curious. It smelled horrible but as Li Shu admitted it had healed the pain but also killed her relish for food.
Pouring the dark smashed powers into a glassy test tube, he picked a vial and poured some of the light blue liquid inside the tube.
Placing the tube on a device that was as if a carriage wheel, he grabbed the spool and whirled it for a few minutes at a constant speed.
"Physician Lu, I am here for the mother Queen, medicine."
The physician let the content have some rest and went to help his assistant, his father was on leave so he took his position for a few days.
"Yes, Ladyship Ma, it is already prepared."
He had become wary lately, checking the vial that his assistant made, "Han Ling, did you boil the herb exactly for ten minutes?" He sniffed it, it smelled decent, putting a silver needle he checked the purity.
He bobbed his head satisfyingly, this will get even more difficult when the princess's suitors arrive, he would be presumed to take care of them not kill each other.
"Yes, physician Lu." She frowned, after a year of being here, this man couldn't yet trust her. It was breaking Han Ling's heart but she couldn't protest when it was about Royal's safety. He was pessimistic about every single thing related to the princess and all of it came as soon as starting experiments after Queen Xing Ning's death.
"It is good, Lady Ma. You can give it to the mother Queen."
"Did you check the pills the woman was tending to give Li Shu?"
The woman asked nervousness sketched on her skin.
"I am testing it, I will tell you about the result when I get the answer."
The woman released a deep breath, although, this burden wouldn't vanish this soon, if the princess's opponents hurt Li Shu, no, she didn't want to think of this.
"Thank you, Physician Lu."
The woman left and the man got back to his lab, "Han Ling, don't be mad at me, it is my obligation to be careful."
The girl gushed, her cheeks heated in shame, was it that obvious? Why doesn't he let her go to that lab, should not he teach her a bit instead of criticizing her for everything? This way she could be also attentive.
Inside the lab, he picked the glassy test tube. His eyes ran wide seeing the separated colors, so she had truly used cowpat but the other ingredients were some rare strong pain killer herbs, where did she gain them? Ah, this woman! Such expensive herbs! Why did she use cowpat?
"I must see her right now, this herb can extract all kinds of poison, this Dragon tooth!"
He smirked, with this, he could find out what type of poison killed the Queen, gradually, without being distinguished. But everything had defects, something existed which could uncover the truth.