"I'm impressed. You actually managed to have their approval?" Prince Yin Wenyan praised his brother.
Emperor Yin Renshu, Princess Yin Xiulan, and Prince Yin Wenyan gathered in the emperor's hall. Yes, they changed their place to hold an exclusive conference with just three of them. Since Eunuch Xu is staying at the Lotus Hall, they have to move places or else, their secret will be exposed. Confusion will occur that could possibly lead to a mess. They can't afford to have another problem at this moment.
"Er... not really." The emperor asks. "I didn't ask for their opinions, I declared it. The ceremony for good harvest will be held tomorrow. Well, of course, they're noisy about it but what can they do? I already stamped the royal seal on it."
"That must be very satisfying." Princess Yin Xiulan can't help but imagine herself in that situation. If a woman is allowed to manage the official affairs and got the chance to experience being the judge, there would be no need to call for the high-ranking eunuchs to attend the conference. She would just stamp the seal on the papers that she allows and leave the papers that don't pass her approval.
Prince Yin Wenyan sighs. He wants to retract his praise. "Renshu, you should have at least tried to convince them. This matter will reach the grand empress dowager and she will most likely get her hands into our plans again!"
Emperor Yin Renshu's eyebrows knit. "I am the emperor. Why would she still involve herself in the government matters?"
"Because she still has a political authority!" Prince Yin Wenyan exclaims. "We still don't have the upper hand in the inner court. Most of the eunuchs still recognize the grand empress dowager as the superior."
"Then let's remove the high-ranking eunuchs in the inner court. Let's abolish the inner court! We should be the ones who are making decisions here." The emperor said, crossing his arms on his chest.
The prince can't help but cover his face with his palm. He wonders, why did he become the emperor again? How can an emperor be this stupid?
He takes a deep breath and explains how the inner court works. "Listen, those high-ranking eunuchs are essential for making decisions regarding the official matters. Have you ever wondered why we have at least two clans in the inner court?"
His majesty tilted his head. Should he let it bother him? Isn't it already there when they arrived at the imperial palace? "Nope. It never crossed my mind at all."
"..." Princess Yin Xiulan finds his answer sound so dumb.
Well, she'd be lying if she says she knows why there are two parties in the inner court. But since Yin Wenyan mentioned it, there must be a reason behind it! She never thought about it too. All she cares about is that she got to lead an army into war and fight on the battlefield along with the imperial soldiers.
But now that it's being mentioned, she starts to wonder why is it like that.
Prince Yin Wenyan gives up. "Okay, here's the reason why. It's to help the emperor decide in a rational way. Look at things this way. You, the emperor, have a balance scale. The things that you weigh and compare are the opinions and suggestions of these high-ranking eunuchs. The two clans are meant to contradict each other. As the emperor, who is 'rational' enough to see the balance scale, should go with what weighs heavier." Yin Wenyan intentionally emphasized the word rational. "Basically, it helps the emperor make the right choice. It also prevents the emperor from abusing his political powers. Or would you like to be called a tyrant instead?"
"Oooh." The other two have the same reaction at the same time.
However, there's one thing that isn't very clear to Princess Yin Xiulan. She asks, "But I don't get it. Why does the grand empress dowager still have the upper hand in terms of political authority? It's the emperor who rules over the empire. And she's a woman on top of that."
This time, noblewomen can hardly have political power inside the imperial palace. In fact, only her, the princess general, and the grand empress dowager have authority in official matters. It is because the main task of these women is to bear the possible successor of the throne. Nothing more, nothing less. It's just things are different in these two women. For the empress dowager, she's the previous ruler. In Princess Yin Xiulan's case, she got the support of the emperor.
"It's most probably because we didn't grow up inside the imperial palace. They doubt our capability of leading the dynasty." The prince explains. "I heard that father died soon after mother died. During that time, there's no one capable of taking the throne yet. We are the oldest among the eighth generation after all. In that span of time, she led the empire, all by herself. That's why taking all of her political power isn't that easy as you think."
"So that's how it is." The two said in unison again.
It's funny how they say the exact words at the same time. It's almost like they practiced for it for a day or two.
Prince Yin Wenyan nods. "Yes. Let's just hope she won't be getting in our way too much."
"I won't let her have her way again. I really think it's time to take the authority from her. The empire already changed its ruler. And besides, don't you think the grand empress dowager is too old for these things?" Yin Renshu said with a hint of confidence.
Knowing his brother's attitude, Yin Wenyan wears a solemn expression on his face and reminds him. "Remember not to be reckless. We can't afford to make a mistake. Don't forget that we need to get this resolved as soon as possible."
His majesty nodded. "I know."
They have to solve this mystery first so that they can help Xu Zhengming with his illness.
On the other side of the palace, the grand empress dowager and the empress dowager are talking inside the grand empress dowager's hall. The grand empress dowager sits with her composure well-collected. Though she looks so calm on the outside, disbelief, disappointment, and annoyance are filling her insides.
"You're too confident that you can handle it. How come the three of them are still alive?" She asks the empress dowager.
The empress dowager pursed her lips. She hates how things ended up last night. Still, she remained collected. Instead of showing a frown, she smiles at the other instead.
She says, "Yes, I admit I failed last night's mission. However, I discovered something you don't know. Something important. Something that they can use against you, Grand Empress Dowager."
The grand empress dowager is taken aback by her statement. She somehow felt threatened. Something that they can use against her? Are they actually planning to go against her? Ridiculous! The old empress knits her eyebrows, solemnly asking the empress dowager, "What do you mean to tell me?"
"Your highness, your grandchildren also have their hidden weapon." A wicked grin appeared on her lips, showing her set of white teeth. "They also have a number 43."
"What? How is that possible?" The grand empress dowager tries to think through it. "Enlighten me."
How come they have one too? The three of them, the empress, empress dowager, and grand empress dowager, managed to make only one after forty-two experiments. Those triplets may have been staying in a cultivation sect but Wan MoliHua Palace isn't the same as their Liaodong Xue Sect. They don't practice such dark arts.
"I also can't believe it at first. And coincidentally, their bloodthirsty monster is also a eunuch. The one that serves the emperor directly." The empress clearly saw it with her own eyes while spectating on the eves of a nearby structure. Although the emperor's eunuch is much weaker than Eunuch Ye, he's more aggressive. Also, the emperor and the princess general were present at that time. It's too much for Eunuch Ye to handle the three of them at the same time so they're forced to retreat.
The grand empress dowager tries to connect the pieces they have. "So that's why the first prince will go such lengths as to sneak out from the palace just for a servant? It's because they're having this creature underneath his cape?
"Now that you mentioned it, your highness. This is strange." The empress dowager has the opposite guess. "Prince Yin Wenyan went out to find the spirit herb Yueguang Hua. Isn't that the rare spirit herb that could regenerate cells? Eliminate the yin energy? If they're using it for that eunuch... wouldn't they be contradicting themselves as it nullifies the dark energy in his body?"
"They're trying to revert him into a normal human again." The grand empress dowager made an assumption. "If they're trying to do so, perhaps they didn't turn him into a bloodthirsty monster in the first place?" She also added, "Could it be that eunuch got bitten by Number 43 just like the other civilians that day?"
The empress dowager slowly shakes her head. "If so, why was he normal a few moments after Number 43 appeared in front of them? I'm sure Eunuch Ye didn't injure him so it's not like the case in the town square. It's like he just shifted into a monster on his own."
"He is?" Even the grand empress dowager finds it strange.
"Yes. That is why I told you they have a tool against you. I thought they can control his will." The other stated.
"Grand Empress Dowager, the royal physician is here." Her court lady announced behind the closed doors of her hall.
"Great timing." The grand empress dowager stated. "Let him in."
"Why is he here?" The empress dowager asks the old empress.
As much as she knows, the grand empress dowager doesn't have any discomfort or illness as of the moment. Could it be she actually pities the empress who is currently still unconscious?
The grand empress dowager only gives her a vague answer. "Listen to what he's going to say. You will know by then."
The door of the hall slides open. The royal physician made his way across the hall to come closer to the grand empress dowager. He bows paying his respects towards the two former empresses.
Yes, this is the very same royal physician that visited Eunuch Xu in the Lotus Hall earlier.
"Speak." The grand empress dowager commanded.
The royal physician does as she demands. He parted his lips and speaks without lifting his eyes. "Your highness, I have come to give my observations regarding the task you gave me." He opens the scroll in his hands.
This scroll contains his record of observations and remarks about the thing that her highness tasked him to do.
"Just as you expected, your highness, some of the servants visited the imperial infirmary to ask for a remedy for sore throat." His latest visitor is Court Lady Han.
Just like any other patient who is experiencing a sore throat, she also told him that her stomach hurts sometimes. Though it's bearable, she can't help but get worried because it occurs at least once or twice these past few days. She suspected that she ate something that made her stomach upset but she can't figure out what exactly is it. Aside from stomach aches, she's also experiencing a toothache. Especially her canine teeth.
This might sound like a coincidence that she has some of the symptoms that Eunuch Xu had before becoming a bloodthirsty monster. However, more or less twenty people coming to the infirmary one by one with the same symptoms, is it still a coincidence or something he doesn't know is happening here?
Up until now, the royal physician still got chills on the spine with that very thought. How did the grand empress dowager know that patients will be coming for a sore throat remedy? Like the emperor, the grand empress dowager asked to keep this a secret. He wonders, is the royal family planning to do something with their servants?
Just what is going on? Is the imperial palace still a safe place? Or will it soon be a lair of bloodthirsty creatures? Whatever it is, he plans to get out of the palace as soon as possible.
"Sore throat, toothache, and stomach pain. Their symptoms are all the same, your highness." He said as his voice trembled slightly. As much as possible, he doesn't want the grand empress dowager that he is having doubts with her but his voice betrayed him. "Some of the patients come back saying the medications aren't helping them at all. I just don't know what to do with them, your highness."
Hearing what the royal physician just said, the empress dowager's neutral face turns into an expression of disbelief. "That's..."
With just that, she knows what is going on. She's very much familiar with these symptoms.
"Oh, you need not to worry about it." The grand empress dowager said with a sweet smile drawn on her lips. "There's nothing you can do from here."
"Your highness..." He gathers courage as much as he could to ask the grand empress dowager that he's been meaning to inquire for quite some time now. "Do you know what exactly is happening?"
The grand empress dowager's sweet smile extends wider as if she's really pleased.
"Let's just say, we're all going to die anyway."
She can't help but laugh. She finds the royal physician's reaction hilarious.  The face he makes shows how terrified he is. He's sure that whatever the grand empress dowager plans to do, it doesn't look good.
"Anything else?" She asked when she finally collected her composure again.
"That's all as for the moment, your highness." He answered with his head lying low, trying to hide his face to the grand empress dowager.
"Alright, you may now leave."
Without wasting any seconds, the royal physician immediately left the hall after he bows to the two former empresses.
"You used the poison?" The empress dowager asks the grand empress dowager as soon as the door slides close. The poison she's talking about is one of their experiments. It is a substance in powder state. It has no color, is tasteless, and has no odor. When mixed with consumables, it wouldn't make any evident changes to food or beverages.
"Yes. It's not ineffective as we thought after all." She responded.
"But the emperor... why did it not affect him?" The empress dowager doesn't get it at all. Although the emperor is a former cultivator, it doesn't make him invincible to poisons.
Yes, that very poison that Prince Yin Wenyan traced on the food caused Eunuch Xu's high fever and Emperor Yin Renshu's headache. They are the ones who were responsible for that. They mixed the said substance to his majesty's food, making him into one of their human guinea pigs.
Why him? Because of the grand empress' will to control him. The grand empress dowager sees that her oldest grandchildren are starting to act rebellious. The poison wouldn't kill the emperor but it would turn him into a bloodthirsty creature. Well, his thirst is only the issue but they would be able to control his actions if he consumes the food or beverages that contain the substance.
The day the empress lost her control over Eunuch Ye that leads to the town square incident is also the day that they put the powder into his majesty's lunch.
The empress dowager is finally able to put the puzzle pieces together. Now, the dots are connecting to each other.
"Grand Empress Dowager, the emperor did not turn into the creature that we want him to be. Then, his eunuch turned into a bloodthirsty monster. Could it be..."
The grand empress dowager gets what the empress dowager is meaning to say.
"His eunuch ate his lunch and he's the one who got poisoned?!" The grand empress dowager continued the words left unsaid.
The other nods. "I suspect that's the case."