Court Conspiracy

The capital city, an ancient metropolis steeped in the passage of time, presents a bustling and lively scene during the day. The broad Zhuque Avenue is filled with a continuous stream of vehicles and pedestrians. The bustling crowd is enveloped in an atmosphere of great excitement. Street stalls line up in an orderly manner, displaying a dazzling array of goods. The vendors shout at the top of their voices, and the successive cries of selling and the sounds of bargaining interweave into a lively urban symphony full of the flavor of daily life.

In the silk store, the colorful silk fabrics flutter gently in the breeze, just like gorgeous clouds, attracting the young ladies from wealthy families to stop and choose. Their slender fingers gently stroke the fabric, and their faces are full of the pursuit and yearning for beauty. Not far away, in the teahouse, the fragrance of tea fills the air. Literati and scholars gather around a table, passionately discussing poetry, songs, and the major affairs of the world. They sometimes raise their glasses to drink together and sometimes clap their hands and laugh heartily, enjoying themselves to the fullest.

However, beneath this prosperous and lively appearance, the world deep within the imperial palace, surrounded by red walls and yellow tiles, is like the sea before a storm. On the surface, it seems calm, but in fact, undercurrents are surging, and a thrilling conspiracy is quietly brewing.

During the medical exchange activity with the envoys from the neighboring country, Lin Yue fully demonstrated her astonishing medical attainments. Since childhood, she has been obsessed with medical books. Over the years, she has painstakingly studied various medical classics, from *Huangdi Neijing* (Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor) to *Shanghan Zabing Lun* (Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases). She has studied each page repeatedly and left dense annotations.

With her love and in-depth research, as well as rich clinical experience, she knows the characteristics of various medicinal herbs like the back of her hand, as if each medicinal herb has come to life in her heart. When faced with complex diseases, she can always put forward unique insights. Combining vivid practical cases, she explains the treatment methods in a simple and profound way, which has convinced all the imperial doctors present.

Her reputation even reached the ears of the emperor and received high praise from him. For a time, Lin Yue's name resounded throughout the palace and became widely known. Every day, the imperial doctors from the Imperial Hospital, filled with reverence, came to consult her about the solutions to difficult and complicated diseases. They brought medical records and doubts, hoping to gain new inspiration from Lin Yue. The maids also came to ask for prescriptions for various minor ailments. The threshold of her small room was almost worn out, and she became the focus of attention in the palace.

This unlimited glory was like a sharp dagger stabbing straight into the heart of Concubine Lou Yuwei. Concubine Lou has lived in the deep palace for a long time. She once had a wonderful period of being favored. At that time, the emperor doted on her, and her palace was often filled with laughter. Silk fabrics, rare treasures, and exotic items were continuously sent to her.

However, as time passed, the emperor's favor gradually faded. Now, she can only sit in this lonely and deep palace, looking at her increasingly haggard face in the bronze mirror and feeling sad secretly. Seeing Lin Yue showing off in the palace, the fire of jealousy in her heart burns fiercely, and the hatred spreads wildly like weeds.

One afternoon, the sunlight shone through the carved window lattice onto the ground of the palace, forming patches of mottled light and shadow. Concubine Lou sat by the window of the 

palace, looking at the blooming flowers in the imperial garden. Those delicate and beautiful flowers seemed like sharp thorns in her eyes. Her eyes were full of resentment, her lips trembled slightly, her fists clenched involuntarily, and her knuckles turned white due to the force. She gritted her teeth secretly in her heart: "That lowly medical woman, just because she has read a few medical books, can actually show off in the palace like this. I will never tolerate it! Why should she receive everyone's attention while I can only be forgotten in this deep palace!"

In the deep night, all was silent. The entire imperial palace was immersed in a profound stillness. Only a few palace lanterns emitted a faint light, flickering in the night wind as if they would go out at any moment. In the secret room of the imperial palace, the candlelight was dim and flickering, like ghostly fire, casting a dim and indistinct light on the surrounding walls.

Concubine Lou dismissed all the maids and eunuchs, leaving only her trusted eunuch, Tuo Hanxing. The door of the secret room closed slowly with a dull sound, as if it were the prelude to the beginning of the conspiracy. Concubine Lou stood up and paced back and forth in the secret room. Her figure was distorted and eerie under the illumination of the candlelight.

Finally, she stopped, her eyes sinister and menacing. She poured out all the pent-up dissatisfaction in her heart through gritted teeth: "Tuo Hanxing, look at that Lin Yue. She's just a wild girl of unknown origin, but now she's riding roughshod over me in the palace. I really can't swallow this humiliation!"

Tuo Hanxing smiled obsequiously, bending his waist like a cooked shrimp. The wrinkles on his face were all squeezed together. He carefully leaned close to Concubine Lou and whispered his scheme: "Your Highness, don't be angry. It's not worth ruining your health. This servant has an idea. The Imperial Hospital has been busy preparing tonic medicine for the emperor recently. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We just need to tamper with one of the key medicinal herbs. When the emperor takes the medicine and there is a problem with its efficacy, we can then firmly pin the blame on that Lin Yue. Even if she has a hundred mouths, she won't be able to defend herself."

After hearing this, a fierce glint flashed in Concubine Lou's eyes, just like a hungry wolf that had been waiting for a long time and was ready to pounce. She seemed to have already seen Lin Yue's downfall. She nodded slightly, her voice low and cold: "Fine, we'll do as you say. You must handle this matter cleanly and leave no trace. Once it's done, I will surely reward you handsomely."

A few days later, the Imperial Hospital was bustling with activity. The air was filled with a strong medicinal aroma, a unique smell of various medicinal herbs mixed together. The imperial doctors each performed their duties, their expressions focused and serious. Everyone was well aware of the heavy responsibility they carried.

Some were carefully selecting medicinal herbs. With years of experience, they gently stroked the surface of the medicinal herbs with their fingers to distinguish their texture and authenticity. They didn't miss any detail, from the color, texture to the smell of the medicinal herbs. Some were accurately weighing the medicinal herbs, their eyes fixed on the steelyard weight, for fear of the slightest error. The steelyard in their hands was steady and accurate under their control. Others were carefully processing the medicinal herbs, controlling the heat to make the medicinal herbs exert their best efficacy. They skillfully turned the medicinal herbs over, and their eyes revealed a sense of awe for the traditional craftsmanship.

They all knew that the medicine prepared for the emperor was related to the emperor's health and well-being, and there was no room for the slightest carelessness. The slightest mistake would mean death.

Taking advantage of the fact that everyone was extremely busy, Tuo Hanxing sneaked into the pharmacy like a cunning mouse. He hunched his body, crouched down, and carefully observed his surroundings. He walked lightly with each step, even holding his breath as much as possible, for fear of making the slightest sound.

After confirming that no one was paying attention, he quickly took out the medicinal herb he had prepared in advance from his arms. The medicinal herb was wrapped in a piece of black cloth, looking extremely mysterious. He quickly walked to the medicine cabinet where the key medicinal herb was stored, and his hands trembled slightly as he opened the drawer. There was both nervousness and a trace of excitement at the impending success in his trembling.

He quickly replaced the original medicinal herb with the one that seemed extremely similar but was actually incompatible in medicinal properties. His movements were skilled and rapid. After finishing all this, a faint sinister smile appeared on Tuo Hanxing's face. The smile looked particularly eerie in the dim pharmacy. He murmured in his heart: "Lin Yue, your good days are finally over. Let's see how you can still be arrogant in this palace!"

According to the usual practice, the emperor took the medicine prepared by the Imperial Hospital in the morning. Before long, he felt a strong dizziness, as if the whole world was spinning non-stop, and the scenery in front of him became blurred. Then, his chest felt stuffy, and his breathing became rapid. He tightly covered his chest with both hands, his face showing a look of pain, and his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat.

When the eunuchs saw this, they were so scared that their faces turned pale and their legs went weak. They almost collapsed to the ground and immediately dashed to summon the imperial doctors from the Imperial Hospital.

After receiving the summons, the imperial doctors from the Imperial Hospital rushed over in a hurry, running all the way and panting. As soon as they entered the emperor's bedroom, they immediately surrounded the emperor and began to diagnose him nervously.

Some imperial doctors took the emperor's pulse, their brows furrowed and their expressions solemn, trying to find the root cause of the disease from the pulse. Some carefully observed the emperor's complexion and tongue coating, trying to find clues to the disease from these subtle aspects. They remembered every detail, from the redness of the complexion to the thickness and color of the tongue coating. Others whispered and asked the emperor about his symptoms and feelings, hoping to obtain more information from the emperor's description.

After a thorough examination, the imperial doctors' faces instantly turned pale with fear, as if they had seen the most terrifying thing in the world. They found that there was a serious problem with the combination of medicinal herbs in the medicine. Not only could it not play the role of nourishment, but it might also cause great harm to the emperor's body, even endangering his life.

This news spread throughout the entire imperial palace like a powerful bomb. The maids and eunuchs were whispering privately, their faces full of fear and worry. They gathered together, discussing the ins and outs of the matter in low voices, and their eyes revealed fear of the unknown.

In the imperial garden, the concubines who were admiring the flowers were so scared that their faces lost their color when they heard the news. They didn't even notice that the round fans in their hands fell to the ground. They all stopped their actions and whispered to each other, guessing the truth of the matter. Their faces were written with unease and panic.

The emperor flew into a rage. He suddenly slapped the table and stood up. The teacup on the table was shaken off and shattered to the ground, and the tea splashed everywhere. His voice echoed in the palace, full of anger and majesty: "This matter must be thoroughly investigated. I want to know who is so bold as to tamper with my medicine. Find out the mastermind behind this, and I will surely make him die a horrible death!"

As a representative of the medical exchange and due to her close academic exchanges with the Imperial Hospital, Lin Yue naturally became the key suspect. Facing this sudden crisis of trust, Lin Yue felt as if the world was spinning. She seemed to be in a dark abyss, surrounded by cold walls, unable to find any way out.

She paced back and forth in her room, her steps hurried and flustered. The dust on the ground was stirred up by her steps, and her figure looked extremely helpless in the dim room. Her brows were tightly furrowed, and her forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat. She knew in her heart that she had been framed, but at that moment, she had no clue at all and couldn't find any evidence to prove her innocence.

She felt extremely isolated and helpless, as if the whole world was against her. Every gaze cast on her was full of suspicion and accusation.

Just when she felt desperate, Li Yi learned the news and rushed over immediately. Looking at the anxious Lin Yue, his eyes were firm and warm, like a ray of light illuminating Lin Yue's dark world. He stepped forward and gently held Lin Yue's hand. His hands were broad and strong, conveying warmth and strength.

He said: "Don't worry. I will definitely help you find out the truth and clear your name. No matter how great the difficulties are, I will stand by your side, and we will face them together." Lin Yue raised her head and looked into Li Yi's firm eyes. A warm current welled up in her heart, dispelling the fear and despair in her heart. She nodded slightly, and there were tears glistening in her eyes, tears of gratitude and a glimmer of hope for the future.

Li Yi began a difficult covert investigation. Every day, before dawn, when a hint of fish-belly white appeared in the sky, he would come to the Imperial Hospital early and not miss any corner. He carefully examined every record, from the procurement list of medicinal herbs to the preparation formula of the medicine. He didn't miss any number or word, and his fingers gently slid across the paper, trying to find hidden clues from these words.

He questioned every relevant person, from the eunuchs in charge of procurement to the imperial doctors involved in the preparation. He remembered every detail and every word in his heart. He patiently listened to everyone's account and didn't miss any possible suspicion.

He noticed that when Tuo Hanxing was questioned by him, he always dodged his eyes, dared not look him in the eye, and his answers were evasive and hesitant. Li Yi had a suspect in his heart, but mere suspicion was far from enough. He needed conclusive evidence, like searching for a bright lamp in the dark to illuminate the path to the truth.

At the same time, seeing that things were developing according to the plan, Concubine Lou secretly felt complacent and a smile appeared on her face, a smile full of viciousness and satisfaction. Not content with the current situation, in order to further send Lin Yue to her doom, she began to spread rumors throughout the palace.

She instructed the maids and eunuchs to spread the word in every corner of the palace, saying that Lin Yue had malicious intentions and deliberately tampered with the medicine, attempting to harm the emperor. These rumors spread rapidly throughout the palace like wildfire, becoming 

more and more exaggerated.

The maids and eunuchs whispered among themselves, and their eyes when looking at Lin Yue were full of suspicion and accusation. When Lin Yue passed by, they deliberately avoided her as if she were a plague.

Walking in the palace, Lin Yue felt as if she were in an ice cellar. Everything around her became cold and strange. She could feel those strange gazes like countless knives stabbing at her, but she was powerless to refute and could only bear it silently. Every step was extremely difficult.

However, Lin Yue was not defeated by these numerous difficulties. She knew that in this critical moment, only calmness could lead to a way out. She calmed down, sat at the table, closed her eyes, and tried to calm her thoughts.

She began to carefully recall every detail related to the Imperial Hospital, from the procurement and storage of medicinal herbs to the preparation and delivery of the medicine. Every link and every moment emerged in her mind.

Suddenly, she remembered that when the medicinal herbs were delivered, she had smelled something strange about one of the medicinal herbs. However, due to her busyness and trust in the Imperial Hospital at that time, she didn't pay attention to it.

She suddenly opened her eyes, and a glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes, a glimmer of light like a star in the dark. Although it was faint, it gave her endless strength.

Lin Yue immediately went to the Imperial Hospital and found the remaining medicinal herbs. She bent down and concentrated on identifying them. She picked up each medicinal herb and sniffed it gently at the tip of her nose, with a focused expression as if nothing else in the world mattered to her.

She gently touched them with her fingers to feel their texture. Relying on her years of familiarity with medicinal herbs and her keen perception, she carefully distinguished every subtle difference. She sometimes frowned and sometimes nodded slightly, not missing any suspicious point.

After a difficult identification, she finally confirmed the replaced medicinal herb. At that moment, she felt both excited and nervous. She was excited that she had finally found the key clue, and nervous that she didn't know if this clue could help her clear her name.

Lin Yue told Li Yi about this important discovery. After hearing it, Li Yi had an idea. He carefully designed a trap and deliberately spread the news to make Tuo Hanxing think that things were about to be exposed.

He sent people to spread rumors in the palace, saying that the key evidence had been found and that the mastermind behind the scene would soon be brought to justice.

When Tuo Hanxing heard this news, he was in a panic. He was restless, pacing back and forth in the room, and his forehead was covered with sweat. He was worried that his crime would be exposed, so he decided to go to the pharmacy again to destroy the evidence.

When Tuo Hanxing secretly sneaked into the pharmacy and was carefully preparing to take action, Li Yi led the guards and suddenly appeared. The lights came on instantly, illuminating the entire pharmacy. Tuo Hanxing was so frightened by this sudden turn of events that his face turned pale, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Looking at the cold swords and spears around him, he was filled with fear and despair. In the face of the ironclad evidence, Tuo Hanxing knew that he could no longer deny it and had to confess all the facts of being instructed by Concubine Lou to frame Lin Yue.

Li Yi brought Tuo Hanxing before the emperor and presented the evidence one by one. The emperor looked at the evidence in front of him and listened to Tuo Hanxing's confession. His face turned red with anger, and his eyes were ablaze with fury, as if he could set the entire palace on fire.

He ordered the severe punishment of Concubine Lou and Tuo Hanxing as a warning to others. Lin Yue's innocence was finally vindicated, and she and Li Yi became even more determined to safeguard the country and justice in this crisis.

However, they both knew that the struggles in the palace were like a bottomless whirlpool and would not stop there. In the future, there would surely be more unpredictable challenges waiting for them.

They looked at each other, and their eyes were filled with firmness and courage, as if they were declaring to this world full of conspiracy and struggle that they would never back down. They joined hands and stepped into the unknown future. Their figures looked extremely firm and lofty in the afterglow of the setting sun, which elongated their shadows, as if telling their story.