Within minutes we were headed back to the palace. There was a lot of weeping coming from behind the doors, and lots of people standing around wringing their hands.
I rushed forward moving the useless imperial doctor out of the way. Eunuch Van ensured that no one got in my way. They were still testing the medicine bowl to decipher what poison was used, which was of no help while he laid dying.
I lowered my head to his chest and listened to the fast pace of his heart, then put my nose to his lips and inhaled. “Get me charcoal.” When no one moved I yelled out my order again and lifted the emperor’s head.
I wanted to panic like the rest of them, but I dared not. It was more than half an hour since the poison had been ingested and though I still had about that much time left before the damage was done I didn’t dare waste a second of it.