Why did things have to turn out like this—?
Fei Ling ‘s face was pale as she pressed her forehead against the freezing alabaster floor. She couldn’t even lift her gaze.
“Did you not hear me?”
The emperor spoke, stroking his beard.
“I ask once more—Can you, with the wisdom of Bai Ze, concoct poison?”
…
…
After that incident, Lan Xin quickly regained consciousness. Since it would be cruel to make Lan Xin , who hated insects, hold a basket filled with cicada shells, the task was deemed complete, and they parted ways. While palace maids traditionally lived in the same quarters as the consorts, the Li Residence had only one chamber. Thus, Lan Xin would commute to and from the palace.
Upon returning to the Li Residence, Fei Ling found a messenger from the Gao Palace waiting. She was summoned by Her Majesty the Empress, and everything had gone smoothly—until she arrived.
To her dismay, the emperor himself was waiting.
That alone had been suffocating enough, but the emperor’s request had far exceeded her expectations.
(You want me to make poison—? What is happening here?)
The empress sat beside him, her lashes lowered, remaining silent. No matter how much favor the empress enjoyed, she could not openly oppose the emperor’s decisions.
“Poison is medicine, and medicine is poison. I wish to repel the enemy army that has advanced to our borders by using poison.”
Fei Ling had heard whispers from the eunuchs that enemy nations had increased their invasions, seeking to claim territory since the late emperor’s passing.
(Poison has always accompanied war.)
Indeed, there had once been a clan of poison masters who served the emperor.
However, the late emperor had rejected the use of poison.
No matter how skilled the poison master, poison is uncontrollable. At times, it harms allies or innocent bystanders indiscriminately. Even after a victory, poison often leaves unwanted resentment.
(What is won by poison becomes poison itself, just as a deer hunted with a poisoned arrow cannot become food—)
A voice echoed in her head—the voice of her beloved mother. All of Bai Ze’s knowledge came to her mind accompanied by that voice.
It was said that the late emperor once asked Fei Ling ‘s mother, Bai Ze, for advice.
At that time, her mother had spoken those very words. The late emperor accepted her counsel and severed the long-standing ties with the poison master clan.
Now, the emperor’s command for Fei Ling to prepare poison—no, it was not a request; it was an order—meant that reconciliation with the poison masters had not occurred, even after the late emperor’s death.
“Yes or no?”
It was an order. Yes, this was a command. There was no choice but to answer affirmatively.
(If I don’t want to die…)
Her fingers against the floor felt frozen.
When her mother spoke of the late emperor’s decision to sever ties with the poison clan, she had smiled for the last time.
(Be proud. Your father was such a man. And you, too, are his daughter.)
Fei Ling bit her lip before raising her voice.
“I cannot—prepare poison.”
The emperor’s gray eyebrows lifted in surprise. Fei Ling raised her green eyes and looked up at him as she continued.
“I am aware this is discourteous. Even if it is a decree from Your Majesty, this is the one thing I cannot concede. If it is unforgivable, then here and now—”
Her throat tightened for a brief moment, and the edges of her voice trembled pitifully.
“Please execute me. I will die as medicine.”
It was the emperor who had once rejected poison and wished for medicine. Now, what would he do? Fei Ling looked at him, clutching onto the faintest hope.
The emperor remained silent for a moment before slowly parting his lips.
“You are a perceptive girl. Had you said ‘yes,’ I would truly have had to execute you.”
In other words, the emperor had been testing her.
It was a test of her will—a test to see whether she would remain as medicine or fall into poison.
The emperor’s wariness was clear. If she were willing to create poison simply because he commanded it, she might one day be influenced by others and turn to poison again.
“Ah, Your Majesty, do not bully Fei Ling so. Fei Ling is very capable, clumsy, sincere, and adorable… She is my dear palace physician.”
The empress smiled like a bell chiming.
(I thought my life had been shortened…)
“Now, let us move to the main issue.”
There is still more?
Fei Ling , who had started to relax, once again tensed up.
“There have been reports of a strange illness in the Wangqi farming village, slightly east of the capital. That region has long suffered from bad weather and poor harvests. It is likely a toxic plague caused by earth poison. Toxic plagues should not be contagious—so they say.”
“As Your Majesty says.”
Fei Ling bowed her head, affirming his words.
“All those who investigated the area fell ill and died. If that were all, we could assume they were poisoned on site. However, some family members and acquaintances of the patients also became infected.”
This was unprecedented. There were no records in Bai Ze’s texts of toxic plagues spreading from person to person. Had the poison evolved, or was there another cause?
“If the toxic plague spreads to the capital, it would be disastrous.”
If such an outbreak occurred in the capital, it would spell grave danger.
“Therefore, I order Cai Fei Ling to go to Wangqi, investigate the plague, and cure the villagers. Stop the spread of the infection. This should be a task suitable for you, who are medicine.”
“I humbly accept this task.”
Fei Ling bowed deeply.
She had never imagined working far from the capital, let alone the imperial harem, but if it was medicine they needed, she could be of use.
“Conceal your identity and act as a court physician. You will travel there by carriage, but once you arrive, no guards will accompany you. If it becomes known that you are the late emperor’s daughter, there may be those who would seek to assassinate you.”
“I understand.”
She nodded obediently, though her mind turned.
(Even within the palace, I have been nearly assassinated multiple times. Besides, publicly, the late emperor’s daughter was executed. If I revealed myself, they’d call me a liar—or a ghost.)
Neither option was appealing.
The empress furrowed her brows in worry.
“It will be lonely traveling alone. Take a maid with you.”
“Do you mean Lan Xin ?”
“Yes, she is quite a charming girl, isn’t she? I chose a maid close to your age. You might become good friends.”
“I-I see. I am most grateful for Your Majesty’s kindness. She is, indeed, a kindhearted maid… and, um, yes.”
Fei Ling bowed with a strained smile.
Rural areas were full of insects. Would Lan Xin be all right? If she fainted at every turn, there would be no time for investigation or antidote preparation.
Unconcerned with Fei Ling ‘s worries, the empress smiled with satisfaction.
“Good, then. Take care.”
