Chapter 25 Poisoned
Li An's feet padded softly against the ancient stone floors, her breaths even and controlled despite the tension twisting her insides. She maneuvered through the palace hallways like a shadow, slipping past servants and guards, her heart racing with urgency. Seedee floated beside her, his translucent form barely visible to anyone else. His face bore a look of solemn concentration, sensing her worry.
"Li An, stay hidden," Seedee whispered. "Guards are everywhere. Your path is clear for now, but you must tread carefully."
Li An nodded, her jaw set with determination as she neared the Jade Cloud Courtyard. Concubine Su, her foster mother, was in danger. Seedee had heard rumors of a sudden illness that had seized her, confining her to bed. But Seedee had revealed the truth: Concubine Su had been poisoned, and one of the palace maids had been blamed. The thought burned within her, making her steps faster and more fervent.
Li An crept behind a thick pillar as a couple of palace physicians exited the courtyard, discussing the severity of Concubine Su's "illness." Their voices carried, muted but urgent, across the courtyard.
"This poisoning seems unusual. Yet, with the maid taken in, no other suspects have been sought," one of the physicians said, shaking his head.
"Poor girl," the other murmured. "The maid swore her innocence, but what could she do against the orders of Empress Su?"
Li An's fists tightened. The Empress. The woman who despised her mother and wished she was removed from the palace. She would stop at nothing, and now she had finally succeeded in poisoning her mother under the guise of illness, conveniently blaming a powerless maid. Li An had no doubt that Concubine Su was suffering because of the Empress's cruelty.
Li An took a steadying breath, glancing around to assess her surroundings. Jade Cloud Courtyard was guarded with far more soldiers than usual, their watchful eyes scanning every inch of the area. She needed patience. Charging in now would only raise suspicion, and the last thing she wanted was to endanger her mother further. She settled into a crouched position behind the stone pillar, waiting until the guards shifted positions and the physicians moved out of earshot.
"Soon, Li An," Seedee murmured. "Just wait for the moment."
Minutes ticked by, the only sound was the soft whisper of the wind through the trees, until finally, one by one, the guards dispersed to make their evening rounds. She waited until the last soldier's footsteps faded, then darted forward, slipping into the courtyard and pressing herself against the wall beside her mother's chamber. She heard a faint cough inside, the sound fragile, filled with pain.
Li An's heart twisted painfully at the sound. Concubine Su was truly suffering.
After confirming that no one was within sight, Li An pushed the door open and slipped inside, closing it quietly behind her. The room was dimly lit, its usual delicate scent of lotus flowers now replaced by the sharp, acrid smell of medicinal herbs. Her mother lay on the bed, her face pale and drawn, dark circles under her eyes. Li An bit her lip, fighting the wave of anger and sadness surging within her. She wanted to storm out, to confront the Empress and demand justice for her mother. But she knew better. She had to be quiet, careful, and cunning.
"Mother," she whispered, stepping closer to the bed.
Concubine Su's eyes fluttered open, and despite her weakened state, a small smile formed on her lips as she saw Li An. "My little An," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Mother, I've come to see you," Li An said, forcing a smile as she reached out, gently holding her mother's hand.
Concubine Su's hand was cold, and Li An's heart clenched as she felt the frailty in her touch. "You should not be here… it is dangerous," Concubine Su murmured, her voice trembling. "If anyone finds you…"
"I'm careful, Mother," Li An assured her softly. "No one will see me. I had to see you, to know you're safe."
Concubine Su's gaze softened, a touch of pride shining through the pain in her eyes. "You are… so clever, my little An. You must stay that way, no matter what. But listen to me." She lifted her other hand weakly, cupping Li An's cheek. "Promise me… you will not seek revenge."
Li An felt her throat tighten. She understood the meaning behind her mother's words. "Mother, I just want to protect you," she whispered fiercely. "But they hurt you. I can't just stand by."
Concubine Su's hand slipped from her cheek, resting on the bed as exhaustion overtook her. "You are strong, stronger than I could ever have dreamed… but it is a dangerous path. Even the smallest misstep…"
Li An swallowed, feeling the weight of her mother's warning settle heavily in her chest. She nodded, though her resolve remained unchanged. "I understand, Mother."
"Mother… I can't leave you like this… I need to do something first…" Li An said with a strange glint in her eyes.
Taking out a couple of needles from her small bag, her hand began to blur. Concubine Su could not follow her movement and only found a needle appearing on her neck.
She felt a bit stiff as she found her body not moving.
But before she could say something, one needle after another began to appear on her body making her feel a bit weird. But her feeling of shock was soon changed into worry. She could feel her body slowly heating up.
Suddenly, Li An pricked her five fingers which made her winch in pain. Then she saw with wide eyes dark green liquid coming out of the pricked wounds.
Without saying another word, Li An removed the needles and put them back in her small pouch. Then she gathered some herbs from her bag and mixed them into a ball. The pill looks a bit weird but Concubine Su could not say anything. She could only helplessly watch as Li An fed her the pill.
"The poison in your body will soon be cured… Rest now mother." Li An said while heaving a sigh of relief after checking Concubine Su's condition.
After Concubine Su felt her movement coming back to her, she could feel her weakened body slowly recovering her vigor.
Concubine Su's eyes softened further. "Good. My wise girl." She gave a faint smile, though the strain was clear. "Since you have already treated me… You must go, before anyone comes. I could not bear it if anything happened to you because of me."
"I'll go soon," Li An promised after keeping all of her things in her bag.
She held Concubine S, her fingers tightening around her mother's hand. "But first, tell me—who did this? Who poisoned you?"
Concubine Su hesitated, her gaze shifting toward the window as if fearing someone might overhear. Finally, she whispered, "It was by the Empress's order, though it was carried out by… one of her attendants, Lin Mei."
Li An's eyes narrowed. Lin Mei. The name was familiar from one of her mother's stories—a maid known for her unflinching loyalty to the Empress, and now her mother's poisoner. A surge of determination filled Li An. She would not act rashly, but she would remember this.
"Mother," she said quietly, "I'll be careful. I promise. Rest now. I'll come back to see you again soon."
Concubine Su nodded, her eyes closing as she drifted into a fitful sleep. Li An lingered a moment longer, watching her mother's weakened form which is now slowly recovering. She silently vows to protect her no matter what it takes.
As she turned to leave, Seedee appeared beside her. Its expression was somber, sharing her determination. "Li An," it murmured, "Lin Mei could be a link in a long chain. We'll need to gather more information."
Li An nodded, her mind already racing through possible plans. She knew of ways to extract secrets without drawing suspicion—whispers in hidden corridors, messages relayed through trusted servants. But for now, her priority was to ensure her mother's safety and to return to the shadows unnoticed.
She slipped out of the chamber and into the night, her small figure blending seamlessly with the dark. Moving swiftly and silently, she took the same route back, her heart still heavy yet fueled by her resolve. She would become the protector her mother needed, outmaneuvering those who wished her harm.
She might have failed when her mother was poisoned, but she will do her best to make sure that she is safe.
Seedee's voice suddenly echoed in her ears. You've gained a large amount of wisdom points. Li An could not help but stop and look at the floating figure beside her.
"Are you really doing this?" Li An asked, feeling a bit weird.
Seedee sometimes shows emotion that of a normal person, but sometimes it shows something different. She could not understand that fellow sometimes and it made her feel weird. Li An continued on her way toward the outer walls of the palace.
Once outside the heavily guarded courtyard, she took a deep breath, letting the night air fill her lungs. Seedee hovered beside her, its gaze unwavering. "What will you do now?" it asked gently.
"I will not leave this place yet. I think that the high and mighty empress would strike again soon. We should watch Mother for a while…" she muttered as she began to calculate possible schemes that the empress would do to her mother.