Shen Qingfeng stared blankly at the scene inside the room. Xia Chuli was lying on the bed, and a large part of the brocade quilt in front of him had been stained with the blood that had spilled from his mouth.
The maids in the room were coming in and out, but this didn't prevent Shen Qingfeng from clearly seeing the woman kneeling and sitting beside Xia Chuli's bed - Qi Mengmeng.
When Shen Qingfeng pushed open the vermilion door with one palm, Qi Mengmeng trembled all over and turned around. Seeing it was Shen Qingfeng, her tense body seemed to deflate and suddenly relaxed.
Shen Qingfeng paused for a moment. He turned to look at Xia Chuli, who was lying on the bed covering his mouth and coughing lightly. The latter also looked up at him and then... blinked once.
Shen Qingfeng took a deep breath. He strode to the bedside. Due to the previous shock, his face was as pale as snow. He stood there as fair and pure as a jade Buddha, and said in a deep voice to Qi Mengmeng, "What's wrong with His Highness the Crown Prince!"
Qi Mengmeng was startled by Shen Qingfeng's shout. She quickly knelt on the ground. It was unclear whether she was really frightened or just cooperating with Shen Qingfeng in the act. She trembled, "M - My lord, His Highness started vomiting blood right after drinking the soup... This concubine really doesn't know..."
"You're the Crown Princess. Your husband is in this state, and you still know nothing?!" Shen Qingfeng's expression turned cold. He directly overturned the table with one palm. Qi Mengmeng screamed in an instant. The maids around were also shocked and knelt on the ground one after another. Shen Qingfeng seemed to find them annoying. He waved his sleeve and said, "All of you get out! Those who dare to get close to the house will be killed without mercy!"
The maids in the Eastern Palace were about the same age as Xia Chuli, and some were even much younger. Naturally, they had never seen such a scene. Coupled with Shen Qingfeng's stern voice and expression, the maids quickly got up and hurriedly walked out of the room. They also closed the door tightly.
Shen Qingfeng stood there until the sound outside the house gradually faded away. He assumed the maids had left some distance. Then he looked down at Qi Mengmeng, who was still trembling on the ground. He squatted down and helped her up, saying in a deep voice, "Please get up, Crown Princess. I was a bit offensive just now."
Qi Mengmeng had never seen Shen Qingfeng lose his temper like this. Her expression was still a bit flustered. "N - No, it's nothing..."
"Qingfeng did a good job in acting," Xia Chuli on the bed suddenly laughed softly. Shen Qingfeng looked up and just saw him propping his head up with one hand and wiping the remaining blood from the corner of his mouth with the other. Then he wiped it disgustedly on the brocade quilt.
Shen Qingfeng glared at Xia Chuli fiercely and said, "Your idea?"
"It's just turning the enemy's scheme against them," Xia Chuli looked at Shen Qingfeng and smiled. "We should also thank the Crown Princess for informing us in advance when she poisoned me. Otherwise, this act wouldn't have been so convincing."
After hearing this, Shen Qingfeng turned to look at Qi Mengmeng. He paused for a moment and said, "Your Highness the Crown Princess, it seems you've already made your choice."
It was almost a no - brainer that Qi Shuhuan would take action against Xia Chuli. After all, Qi Shuhuan had already placed Qi Mengmeng beside Xia Chuli. Such an old fox like him would surely seize this opportunity. Not to mention that in the previous life, Xia Chuli was captured and tortured by Xia Yonglin because Qi Mengmeng had leaked his whereabouts, and that experience became the last straw that broke Xia Chuli's sanity.
In the previous life, Qi Mengmeng was in a very awkward position. She couldn't let go of the Qi family, and she also knew how important Xia Chuli was to her. So many things had changed in this life. As Xia Chuli's wife, Shen Qingfeng had to take precautions first. And the way to do this was simple. Since Qi Shuhuan used Qi Mengmeng as a link, he naturally had to start with Qi Mengmeng.
Qi Mengmeng was in an awkward position, so they just needed to block her other way out. With no other choice, Qi Mengmeng would naturally stand on their side.
So, how could they convince Qi Mengmeng?
Qi Siyu was the best example.
So, when Shen Qingfeng came to the Eastern Palace one time, he told Qi Mengmeng everything about Qi Siyu. Of course, he deliberately exaggerated some details. Although the process was a bit fabricated, the ending was that Qi Siyu had escaped - because she was unwilling to be used by Qi Shuhuan and become a pawn in the power - struggle, so she chose to leave her hometown.
Qi Siyu and Qi Mengmeng were almost the same kind of people. They were both Qi Shuhuan's children and also the bricks on the path that Qi Shuhuan had paved for Xia Yonglin's ascension to the throne. A self - centered person like Qi Shuhuan only regarded his children as disposable pawns. So, after he told Qi Mengmeng about Qi Siyu, he saw a satisfactory expression on Qi Mengmeng's face.
Qi Mengmeng lowered her head timidly and didn't dare to look at Shen Qingfeng and Xia Chuli. Her body was still trembling slightly because of her choice this time. This was understandable. A powerless girl had just made a decision related to her future life and death. Anyone would be nervous.
"Yes, the Crown Princess did a good job this time," Xia Chuli said this in a rather sarcastic tone.
"So what's going on? Is Qi Shuhuan starting to take action?" Shen Qingfeng asked.
Xia Chuli nodded. He was too lazy to care about Qi Mengmeng, who couldn't even say a single word. He replied, "The Crown Princess poisoned me. Speaking of that poison, I've seen it. Although it won't kill me completely, it'll basically leave me half - dead." At this point, Xia Chuli suddenly looked at Qi Mengmeng and continued, "Your father is really vicious."
Qi Mengmeng swallowed hard, and her body began to tremble again. "Your Highness..."
"Alright, I'm not blaming you. You've made a contribution this time," Xia Chuli said impatiently.
Shen Qingfeng sighed. Considering Qi Mengmeng's emotions, he comforted her a few words and then continued, "When I came just now, I saw that the gate of the Eastern Palace was tightly closed. Haven't you spread the commotion caused by this poisoning yet?"
"Since it's a scheme to turn the enemy's plot against them, we have to act realistically. Xiao Qing has gone to find the imperial physician. The news of my poisoning should be spread by the Imperial Hospital later," Xia Chuli raised his eyebrows. "Look, Qingfeng. I'm bedridden here, and Lu Yan is leading troops outside. Only the Prime Minister's Mansion is holding up our entire faction. Qi Shuhuan will surely choose this moment to do something. When he lets his guard down, we can seize the opportunity to catch him red - handed."
Shen Qingfeng frowned and said, "But once the imperial physician comes, he'll be able to tell that you haven't been poisoned. Have you thought about how to cover this up in your scheme?"
Xia Chuli smiled and said, "I can't change my pulse, but can't we manipulate the imperial physician? Do you still remember that Imperial Physician Liu?"
Shen Qingfeng was stunned for a moment and said, "You mean... Liu Yong?"