Chapter 377: Using Medicine

Chapter 377: Using the Drug

She furrowed her brows and said in a deep voice, "Your plan is flawed. Not to mention that Ji Yuntang, that bitch, is in the Prince Ye's mansion and won't let anyone get near Luo Junhe, even the gates of the Prince Ye's mansion—our people might not even get in."

In the past, if Concubine Li wanted to humiliate Luo Junhe, it was as easy as reaching into her pocket—no one would dare to stop her.

But things were different now. Ji Yuntang had protected the Prince Ye's mansion like a fortress of iron and steel.

Luo Junhe's side was even watched day and night by several martial arts-trained guards, so tightly that not even a fly could get through.

Concubine Li didn't doubt for a second now that if her people dared to provoke the Prince Ye's mansion, Ji Yuntang would kill them all and dump them at her feet.

After all, when that woman went mad, there was no telling what she'd do.

Jian Lan pressed her lips together and smiled, then said in a low voice, "You misunderstand, Your Ladyship. I wasn't talking about Prince Ye, but the Ninth Princess."

"Luo Qingge?" Consort Li frowned, disdain clear in her eyes. "She's just a sheltered young lady. Even if she's a princess, so what? She'll have to marry eventually. She poses no threat to the Crown Prince. Why would I bother humiliating her?"

Jian Lan bent down and said, "Of course it matters. Think about it, Concubine Li—the Ninth Princess was born to the Empress and is close to Princess Ye. If something happens to her, those two are bound to be upset."

"The most important thing is, the Tenth Princess hates the Ninth Princess the most. Recently, the Tenth Princess still has some misunderstandings with you that haven't been resolved. If you give the Ninth Princess trouble, wouldn't the Tenth Princess come to patch things up with you?"

Concubine Li mulled over what she said and found it made perfect sense.

Luo Qianxue had always said that her mother was a pushover—that she didn't care about her and wouldn't stand up for her.

Now, even if it were for nothing else, for Luo Qianxue's sake, she should do something to let Luo Qianxue see that she did love her.

Concubine Li asked Jian Lan, "What do you mean by humiliating her? Don't tell me you want me to find two beggars to defile her?"

Jian Lan shook her head. "No. Haven't the Tenth Princess and the Crown Prince already been betrothed by imperial decree?"

"Your Ladyship can have the Emperor also bestow a marriage on the Ninth Princess—and the chosen groom would be Heir Xie."

"First, with the Ninth Princess no longer by the Empress's side, she'll surely be depressed all day. Over time, she might develop hysteria."

"Second, the Crown Prince is the Ninth Princess's nominal elder brother. Marrying the Ninth Princess to Heir Xie is equivalent to pulling the Duke Rong's mansion's power to the Crown Prince's side."

"Third, Heir Xie cannot touch women. After the Ninth Princess marries him, though they'll be husband and wife, they cannot consummate the marriage, so the Ninth Princess will never bear children for the rest of her life."

"Without children, it's equivalent to cutting off the Duke Rong's mansion's lineage. The Duke and Duchess of Rong will surely hate her, and her days in the Duke Rong's mansion won't be easy."

Jian Lan stood up as she spoke and said, "And the most important point—Heir Xie is a man the Tenth Princess rejected. A man the Tenth Princess didn't want being picked up by the Ninth Princess means the Ninth Princess is no different from someone picking up trash."

"From what I know of the Tenth Princess, when she learns of this, she'll surely be smug, and she'll have the confidence to show off in front of the Ninth Princess in the future!"

Jian Lan's analysis was thorough and logical. Concubine Li seemed suddenly enlightened, and she burst out laughing.

"You're so clever. Why didn't I think of all this before!"

"There's no chance between Xue'er and Heir Xie anymore. What I've always cared about was never whether she could marry Heir Xie, but whether the Duke Rong's mansion's power could be pulled to our side."

"Luo Qingge is the Crown Prince's own sister. As long as she marries Heir Xie, would I still worry about Xie Jinrong not supporting the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne?"

On this point alone, Concubine Li felt that Luo Qingge marrying Xie Liuzheng was far more useful than Luo Qianxue marrying Xie Liuzheng.

She had taken so many detours before, actually wanting Luo Qianxue to marry Xie Liuzheng.

Thinking of this, Concubine Li stood up, a joyful smile spreading across her face.

"Jian Lan, the Emperor hasn't come to Weiyang Palace in a long time. Help me dress up nicely."

"Also, send someone to the imperial kitchen to simmer a ginseng and chicken soup. I'll go see the Emperor in person later."

Jian Lan's eyes flickered, and she lowered her head in acknowledgment. "Yes, Concubine Li. I'll see to it right away."

Concubine Li changed into a white gauze feathered dress, paired with a thin misty purple outer robe. Her loosely styled hair bun was adorned with a tassel hairpin set with light purple gemstones, which swayed and clinked as she walked.

Her makeup no longer bore the pure and elegant look of before. Now her eyes were upturned at the corners, her lips were moist and red, and peach-colored powder covered her face—she was alluring and captivating.

After finishing her toilette, Concubine Li spun around in front of the bronze mirror, a satisfied smile on her face.

She brushed aside the stray hairs on her forehead, her red lips curving upward as she turned to ask Jian Lan.

"Do you think the Emperor will react when he sees me like this?"

Jian Lan praised, "Your Ladyship is absolutely stunning today. When the Emperor sees you, he'll surely be so enchanted he can't walk, becoming a man beneath your skirts."

"Your Ladyship, you must seize this opportunity today. Whether the Ninth Princess can be betrothed to Heir Xie depends on how well your seduction works!"

Concubine Li turned and sat before the bronze mirror, picking up tassel earrings and putting them on, her voice dripping with disdain.

"He's not worthy of me using seduction. If I didn't need something from him, I wouldn't want to see Luo Chengyuan's face at all."

With that, Concubine Li's voice turned cold for a moment. "Jian Lan, go fetch the Drunken Dream Life-and-Death Drug from my cabinet."

Jian Lan was startled and said in disbelief, "Your Ladyship, could it be that you intend to..."

Concubine Li cut her off. "That's right. This drug has hallucinogenic effects—a single drop can make one drunk on dreams, mistaking the illusion for the pleasure of intimacy with the person before them."

"I'm doing this all for Zhenglang. I will never betray him."

Speaking of it, this drug was originally given to Concubine Li by Prince Nanxiao back in the day.

Because Concubine Li later fell out of favor, she had only used this drug a few times when she first received imperial favor, and hadn't touched it since.

Thinking of it today, she felt it was the perfect time to use it again.

"Go fetch it for me."

Jian Lan hesitated for a long moment, then turned and brought the drug over.

Just then, a palace maid came in carrying a bowl of chicken soup.

"Concubine Li, the ginseng and chicken soup you requested is ready."

Jian Lan hurried over and took it.

Concubine Li, right in front of her, uncorked the medicine bottle, dripped a single drop into the soup, and stirred it evenly with a spoon.

She flicked her sleeves and stood up. "Alright, bring the soup. Come with me to the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

At the Hall of Mental Cultivation, noon.

Emperor Jingyang would take an hour-long nap there at this time every day.

So when Concubine Li arrived, there weren't many people outside—only Eunuch Zhang standing guard.

She put on a smile and stepped forward. "May I trouble Eunuch Zhang to go in and announce me? Tell His Majesty that I've personally simmered ginseng chicken soup and brought it, wishing to see him."

Eunuch Zhang had served Emperor Jingyang for many years, and he naturally knew about how Concubine Li had refused Emperor Jingyang multiple times, causing him to fly into a rage.

Ever since her rank was demoted last time, Emperor Jingyang had never returned to Weiyang Palace, nor had he mentioned her name.

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