Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 211 Two Pomegranates

As soon as Supervisor Tao came in, he asked Daiyu, "Did something happen? Why did you think of sending that person to the palace, and to the Yanjia Palace and Ganlu Palace?"

Daiyu pulled him to sit down without saying anything, and immediately ordered Zijuan to bring out the four pomegranates for him to see: "These are the pomegranates that Ganlu Temple gave me the other day."

Tao Jian's eyes widened: "This!"

"I'm scared to death!" Daiyu pouted and acted coquettishly.

Tao Jian frowned, picked up the pomegranate and looked at it from left to right. Suddenly he found a small hole at the bottom. His eyebrows jumped violently: "This is..."

Daiyu bit her lip and whispered how Qingwen accidentally dropped the powder, which was discovered by Aunt Meng and turned out to be harmful.

With red eyes, he said, "I dare not ask the Supreme Lord who presented such a strange thing to him. Isn't this an attempt to regicide?!"

Supervisor Tao listened in silence. For the first time, he did not immediately sympathize with Daiyu and comfort her when he saw her being wronged. Instead, he sat there for a long time before he asked her in a low voice:

"Is Aunt Meng here?"

"No. My grandmother is sick, so my aunt took her to my hot spring resort outside Beijing. They had a great time and refused to come back."

"Then what did she say about the harmful things in here?"

"It is true that a large amount can kill a person. A small amount may hinder fertility." Daiyu looked at Tao Jian in confusion.

Tao Jian frowned slightly and whispered, "Pack up the pomegranates and I'll take them away."

"Yes..." Daiyu looked at him in surprise and asked carefully, "Uncle, do you recognize this pomegranate?"

Tao Jian was silent for a long time before he nodded gently: "Yes. This is the third time I've seen you."

the third time?

The first time was when his father gave it to the Crown Princess.

There's a second time?!

Daiyu couldn't help but shudder.

"It's okay, don't be afraid." Supervisor Tao noticed her fear and smiled, comforting her softly, "It's not a big deal.

"There is an agate mine in the southwest. Apart from your father, the person His Majesty trusts most is guarding it.

"His place is too far away, so he usually doesn't come back. I heard that the gift he brought to the Tai Shang's birthday this time was a few pomegranate ornaments.

“I guess these are the four.

"He is an honest man, loyal to His Majesty, and has offended many people. I think someone wants to harm him.

"I'll take it back. Your Majesty, please decide what to do so as not to disappoint these bastards who framed the loyal people!"

Well, Your Majesty is good at deceiving people.

Lin Daiyu nodded deeply in agreement almost immediately: "Since they are here to sneak up on you, who can defeat your Majesty?"

Supervisor Tao glared at her: "What nonsense are you talking about!"

Lin Daiyu stuck out her tongue coquettishly. She asked the maids to put away the pomegranates, served tea and snacks, and dismissed everyone. She first told Tao Jian about Wang Xifeng's punishment of the Lai family.

Supervisor Tao raised one eyebrow and lowered his voice: "Your sister-in-law is really good at picking the right time! Concubine Lai is no longer able to do it! Maybe, in these few days!"

Daiyu covered her mouth and said, "Oh my God! That news must not be passed into the palace, otherwise, wouldn't it be her death in an instant?"

Supervisor Tao raised his hand and tapped her forehead fiercely: "Another bad idea! What does the hatred and grudges of that generation have to do with us?"

Daiyu pouted: "If it wasn't for their generation's mischief, would we have to live such a hard life?!"

Tao Jian had no answer, so he could only glare at her again: "With the Queen Mother's support, you are getting even more daring! Tell me, is there anything else? If not, I will go back!"

Daiyu hurriedly grabbed him and whispered that she wanted to go back to her hometown.

Tao Jian was shocked: "Prince Beijing is currently in Jiangnan to control floods. If you go there now, you will be walking into a tiger's mouth. He is the most powerful person over there. The emperor is far away, and if something happens, who can save you?"

Daiyu suddenly hesitated.

How come you forgot this?

"Unless you wait a little longer. I heard that Jiangnan is about to be pacified. Your Majesty intends to discuss with the Supreme Lord how to reward Prince Beijing for his merits.

“As soon as the news gets out, his sworn enemies will immediately expose his illegal deeds and try their best to impeach him.

"When the time comes, the Supreme Lord and His Majesty will definitely summon him back to the capital to defend himself. Then you can go to Jiangnan.

"Distract him." Tao Xingjian gave her advice.

Although this is a good idea, Daiyu is worried that if the water freezes, she will have to travel by land. That will not only take time, but also cause endless troubles!

After thinking it over, Daiyu tentatively asked Tao Jian: "In fact, the last time I went to Taiji Palace, the Queen Mother called me to talk. She mentioned that she wanted to go to Jiangnan again and bring the Queen Mother with her..."

"The Southern Tour is the most labor-intensive and costly undertaking in the world!" Supervisor Tao became serious and looked at Daiyu solemnly.

"You must not come up with this idea! Your father admired the Supreme Lord in every way. But he was vehemently opposed to this matter!"

Daiyu lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers: "We are talking about incognito..."

"Then I think you really don't want to live!" Tao Xingjian gritted his teeth and poked Daiyu fiercely with a finger, "If something goes wrong, will you have enough heads to chop off in the yard?!!!"

Daiyu puffed up her cheeks and looked at the sky, saying nothing.

What to do then? !

"Uncle, then help me keep an eye on Prince Beijing. Tell me the decree to have him return to the capital, and I'll set off."

Daiyu had no choice but to settle for the next best thing.

Only then did Tao Xingjian feel relieved. After talking for a few more words about his recent daily life, he said goodbye and left without even having dinner. He only took a box of hot snacks.

That night.

Xuanzheng Hall.

In front of Emperor Zhaoming, there were a total of twelve "pomegranates" lined up in a row.

Except for the four on the left hand side, a small hole was knocked open in the other eight, revealing a small pile of red powder.

The doctor on duty tonight was He, who nervously directed his men to put on leather gloves, collect all the powder and burn it. He also ordered people to carry the long table out and burn it.

Then he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and reported to the gloomy Emperor Zhaoming: "These medicines should have been put in at the same time. Now it seems that it has been more than ten years.

"It is impossible to harm someone's life, but once you are infected, you will definitely lose the possibility of having children. I think that Your Majesty has not had any children in the past seven or eight years. Who knows..."

Tao Xingjian flicked his whisk, pointed at his nose and shouted, "Stop talking nonsense like that!"

Emperor Zhaoming glanced at Tao Xingjian, who could only take a step back angrily.

"Director He, just treat the patient. It's not your job to investigate the case.

"Back then, the prince's mother died during childbirth. Is there any connection between her symptoms and this medicine?"

Emperor Zhaoming looked at him coldly.

Doctor He was stunned and shook his head decisively: "There is no connection!

"Queen Xianduan had a difficult birth because of her large child. She also mistakenly drank centipede wine that stimulates blood circulation before giving birth. That's why she got into trouble!

“We had already checked them out one by one!

"If the Empress Xianduan had been exposed to this drug, she would have had a black face, purple lips, and unstoppable bleeding!"

Emperor Zhaoming's face brightened slightly.

When Empress Xianduan died, she was pale and haggard, and her symptoms were not similar to any of these.

With a wave of his hand, Doctor He retreated.

Tao Xingjian stared at the four pomegranates in the middle and asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, when Concubine Wu died, her symptoms were exactly the same as what Imperial Doctor He described."

"But these pomegranates were sent by her parents."

Emperor Zhaoming sighed softly.

Tao Xingjian was silent for a while, then suddenly remembered: "Oh, yes, Your Majesty, Zhitong has been found!"