Chapter 318
**Chapter 316: The Scandal Exposed**
In recent days, the Emperor had been preoccupied with state affairs, while the Empress Dowager lay gravely ill. For a moment, Shen Wei became overly confident, daring to meet a man in broad daylight.
Lu Xuan clenched her sleeves tightly.
She knew the opportunity to bring down Shen Wei had arrived.
Although Xiao Qin was excited, she still retained a sliver of rationality. "My lady, Consort Chen has always been bold and meticulous. With such a significant blunder today, could it be a trap?"
Lu Xuan's lips curved into a smile. "Opportunities like this are rare."
Fortune favors the bold; it was worth the risk.
Moreover, Lu Xuan was pregnant. Even if she made a mistake, the Emperor would likely show her some leniency for the sake of the child she carried.
...
As night fell, Yongning Palace was quiet, the room warm as spring. Shen Wei lay on her pillow, dressed in a light white cotton nightgown, the hem lifted slightly, revealing a delicate, fair waist.
The palace lanterns cast a bright, soft light, highlighting her pale skin, where faint red marks from acupuncture needles could be seen.
"Be gentle, it stings a bit," Shen Wei murmured, her brows slightly furrowed.
Li Yuanjing, with his fingers coated in ointment, carefully applied it to her skin.
Having trained in martial arts for years, his fingers were calloused. The milky ointment glided over Shen Wei's waist, bringing a slight sting.
Before long, her waist was flushed red.
She winced, wanting to rise and apply the ointment herself. Li Yuanjing held her down, raising an eyebrow. "In the harem, I’ve only treated you. Just lie still."
Shen Wei huffed but complied, "Then be gentle, my waist is still sore from the acupuncture."
Li Yuanjing patiently continued his task.
He found a certain enjoyment in caring for Shen Wei, as if tending to a somewhat unruly white cat.
"How many more days of acupuncture do you need?" he asked.
Shen Wei yawned, her eyes slowly closing. "Five or six days, I suppose."
Li Yuanjing lightened his touch, his well-defined fingers lingering on her slender waist. After a while, he noticed her breathing had grown soft and rhythmic.
She had fallen asleep.
From Li Yuanjing's perspective, he could see half of Shen Wei's face, her fair skin pressed against the soft pillow, slightly puffed up, looking quite adorable. The gentle light from the palace lanterns cast a serene glow on her features, evoking a sense of tranquil beauty.
After admiring her for a moment, Li Yuanjing placed the ointment on the table, wiped his fingers clean, and wrapped his arms around Shen Wei, drifting off to sleep.
...
The next afternoon, Shen Wei had dressed and groomed herself, donning a new outfit sent by the Shangyi Bureau.
Accompanied by Cai Lian and two palace maids, she discreetly made her way to the Imperial Medical Institute. Recently, the Empress Dowager had been troubled, and medicine had proven ineffective. Shen Wei reviewed the Empress Dowager's pulse records and urged several experienced elder physicians to ensure her recovery.
After wandering around the medical institute, Shen Wei used the excuse of admiring the chrysanthemums in the courtyard to have Cai Lian keep watch at the entrance while she slipped into Mo Xun's room.
Mo Xun was napping, groggily sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "Consort, why are you here again?"
Shen Wei settled at the edge of the bed. "You keep sleeping; I’ll just read for a bit."
Mo Xun mumbled, "You’re so crafty."
With that, she turned over and snuggled back into her warm quilt.
Mo Xun's room was not large, with a bookshelf in the corner filled with medical texts and folk tales.
Sunlight streamed in at an angle through the paper-covered windows, filling the room with bright light. Shen Wei leaned against the bed, engrossed in her reading, while Mo Xun sprawled out, fast asleep.
Meanwhile, Xiao Qin, the head palace maid beside Lu Xuan, arrived at the Imperial Medical Institute.
Holding a medicine pouch, she called for the head physician, her face flushed with anger. "Li Taiyi, what kind of medicine did you prescribe for the lady? Ever since she took it, she’s been feeling a dull pain in her lower abdomen!"
The elder physician turned pale with fright. "This... this is impossible. I’ll go to Changxin Palace and check her pulse right away."
Xiao Qin scoffed, tearing open the pouch in front of the elder physician to reveal several moldy herbs inside.
Feigning outrage, she exclaimed, "You doctors, with your generous salaries, dare to give my lady moldy herbs! If my lady reports this to the Emperor, you’ll lose your heads!"
Giving moldy herbs to the concubines of the harem was a grave offense.
The elder physician trembled, "The herbs couldn’t possibly be moldy—"
Xiao Qin rolled her eyes, deliberately scolding, "It must be that the herbs in the storeroom got damp and spoiled in this heat! I’m going to check the storeroom for any other moldy herbs."
With that, she strode toward the back courtyard of the medical institute.
The elder physician exclaimed, "Oh dear, little ancestor, you’re going the wrong way! That’s where the physicians rest!"
But Xiao Qin walked too quickly, pretending not to hear.
Accompanied by two young eunuchs, Xiao Qin swiftly made her way to the back courtyard. At the entrance, she encountered Cai Lian, who was on lookout for Yongning Palace.
Cai Lian's expression turned cold as she blocked Xiao Qin's path. "You cannot enter."
Feigning surprise, Xiao Qin replied, "Cai Lian, what are you doing here?"
Cai Lian remained silent.
Xiao Qin smiled, her malice unmasked. "Don’t stop me. This bunch of incompetent doctors gave my lady moldy herbs. I must go to the storeroom and find evidence myself."
Cai Lian tried to stop her, but the two eunuchs behind Xiao Qin blocked her way. Xiao Qin strode into the back courtyard, forcefully pushing open the tightly shut door.
Bang—
The door swung open.
Xiao Qin stepped inside, exclaiming loudly, "It’s so dark in here; why isn’t there any light—oh! Consort Chen! What are you doing here?"
Inside, the scent of medicine filled the air. Shen Wei was in the process of dressing, while Mo Taiyi lay asleep on the bed.
The loud noise startled the sleeping Mo Xun awake.
Xiao Qin gasped, covering her mouth, her eyes sparkling with excitement. In broad daylight, Consort Chen was caught in a compromising situation with Mo Taiyi, her clothes disheveled!
This was perfect!
If this news reached the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, Consort Chen's path to glory would come to an end.
Feigning terror, Xiao Qin stumbled backward, her voice rising again. "I didn’t mean to intrude! Please forgive me, Consort! I’ll leave right away!"
In a flurry, Xiao Qin ran off, deliberately spreading the news, causing a stir throughout the Imperial Medical Institute.
The physicians were left dumbfounded.
There’s no such thing as a secret that can’t be uncovered. Everyone knew Consort Chen visited Mo Xun daily, but no one dared to offend Shen Wei, keeping the secret buried in their hearts.
Now that Xiao Qin had exposed the scandal, the physicians were filled with anxiety.
The harem was bound to face a storm.
Shen Wei calmly dressed and walked out of the Imperial Medical Institute, as if nothing had happened. After a while, a well-rested Mo Xun changed into her physician's robe, sleep still in her eyes, ready to take her shift.
The physicians were stunned. With the scandal revealed, how could Mo Taiyi still be focused on her duties?
"Mo Taiyi," an elder physician stroked his beard, a look of regret on his face. "You possess exceptional medical skills and a handsome appearance. How could you have strayed so far?"
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