The crowd surrounding the courtyard waited and waited. The pile of dirt was almost a small hill, yet there was still no sign of the object.

Consort Hui: “…” How deep did she bury it…?

Others: “…” What was buried? They dug so deep, and still haven’t found it.

Xiao Lan, waiting in the back, anxiously rubbed her hands.

Chu Jiu Jiu yawned widely: 【Xiao Lan is reliable; she buried it really deep.】

Hearing this, everyone understood that it was something buried by the personal maid of Consort Rou.

Han Chu lazily raised his eyes and glanced in her direction.

She happened to be covering her mouth and yawning. She had woken up too early that morning; watching others dig dirt was like a hypnotic experience.

As she raised her eyes, her watery eyes met Han Chu’s dark, cold gaze, startling her. She quickly lowered her gaze.

Fortunately, when she looked at Han Chu again a moment later, he had already looked away.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant has dug up a sachet.”

The dust-covered sachet, looking “dirty and disheveled,” appeared before everyone.

The crowd surrounding the courtyard breathed a sigh of relief: Finally, it was dug up. It was the first time they had seen someone trying to harm another, yet bury a sachet so deep. Whether the poison could even dissipate from the soil was uncertain.

A eunuch used a handkerchief as a cushion, allowing the guards to place the sachet on it.

Eunuch Li naturally wouldn’t let this “poisonous sachet” get close to the Emperor, gesturing for the eunuch holding the sachet to stay further away.

Han Chu glanced at the sachet. Although it was covered in dirt, the words on it were still clearly visible.

The sachet read “Poisonous Sachet” in three characters. Many concubines saw it and stepped back in fright.

Han Chu’s expression remained unchanged: “Summon Imperial Physician Hong to the palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Eunuch Li immediately ordered someone to summon Imperial Physician Hong to Yu Hua Palace.

In Yu Hua Palace, with the “evidence” now clear, Consort Hui cried profusely, yet didn’t utter a single accusation. She only hid her grievances in her tears, allowing others to feel her misery and helplessness, to sympathize with her and seek justice for her.

Chu Jiu Jiu lowered her eyes, waiting for the imperial physician to examine the sachet. However, Consort Hui’s rhythmic crying triggered something in her.

Consort Hui was crying intensely, producing a humming sound.

Unexpectedly, Chu Jiu Jiu’s inner voice drifted over: 【Woo-wah-oh… Woo-wah-oh… Woo-oh-oh woo-oh-oh… Let’s string together your heart and my heart, string a lucky clover, string a heartfelt connection…】

Han Chu: “…”

Consort Li, Xin Meiren, and other concubines: “…” Of all times, she’s humming a tune.

Consort Hui: “…” Her crying choked, neither up nor down.  How infuriating…

Seeing the sachet dug up, Xiao Lan trembled and ran out, kneeling beside Chu Jiu Jiu.

This time, Xiao Kui didn’t stop her. She knew someone had to take the blame for Consort Rou.

“Your Majesty, it was this servant who buried the sachet. It has nothing to do with Consort Rou. This servant acted without authorization. Please forgive Consort Rou.”

Although her voice trembled with fear, she still took the blame upon herself. After speaking, she pressed her forehead tightly against the stone slab, begging the Emperor to forgive Consort Rou.

The expected pain didn’t come. Xiao Lan felt her forehead hit something soft and yielding. The floor was soft?

Xiao Lan opened her eyes in confusion. She saw Consort Rou’s delicate and soft palm, placed just in time before her forehead, preventing her from hitting the stone slab.

Not only Xiao Lan, but everyone in the hall looked over. Everyone knew that a personal maid’s role in times of trouble was to take the blame. Therefore, few concubines valued the lives of their personal maids, especially since kowtowing was commonplace.

The concubines in the hall were all surprised by Chu Jiu Jiu’s actions.

Han Chu raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised.

That kowtow had really hurt Chu Jiu Jiu’s hand. She rubbed it a few times before retracting it.

“Your Majesty, this concubine ordered it. It has nothing to do with this concubine’s maid. This concubine begs Your Majesty to punish only this concubine.” Chu Jiu Jiu straightened her expression. She knew that she wouldn’t be punished for the “poisonous sachet.”  However, trespassing into Consort Hui’s palace was inexcusable, so punishment was certain, but it would be light.

After all, in the original story, the original owner was only punished by being made to eat a vegetarian diet for a year.

Furthermore, the punishment would be lighter if it fell on her. If it fell on Xiao Lan, it would be different.

Xiao Lan couldn’t hide her shock, looking up at Chu Jiu Jiu’s gentle and beautiful profile: “Madam…”

She gently shook her head at Xiao Lan, signaling her not to speak.

Even Consort Li, who was ruthless towards herself, was somewhat moved.

Xin Meiren couldn’t understand that she would go to such lengths for a maid…

Since entering the hall, Han Chu’s gaze hadn’t left Chu Jiu Jiu. Seeing this, he slowly spoke: “Granted.”

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace.” Chu Jiu Jiu curtsied.

【Please don’t punish me to eat a vegetarian diet, don’t punish me to eat a vegetarian diet. My life cannot be without braised pork!】

The concubines who had just been moved: “…” So what exactly were they moved by?

Eunuch Li was amused by this turn of events.

Her overly cheerful disposition piqued Han Chu’s rare interest. He stared at her, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, a chilling sight.

Unfortunately, Chu Jiu Jiu didn’t notice.

After a while, Imperial Physician Hong hurriedly entered the hall, first bowing, then taking the poisonous sachet from the eunuch.

He saw the words “Poisonous Sachet” on the fabric. His face was serious as he pinched the sachet, but it wasn’t the expected soft texture. It felt like paper inside.

Could it be paper soaked in poison?

Imperial Physician Hong opened the sachet. Inside was indeed paper. He carefully took it out with a handkerchief and brought it to his nose to smell it.

After smelling it, he looked at the paper with a strange expression, disbelievingly smelling it again.

“Imperial Physician Hong, is it a strange poison?” Eunuch Li rarely saw Imperial Physician Hong look so puzzled. Thinking a strange poison had appeared, he asked.