Chapter 34
Taking into account Edith’s injuries, Ye Zhiqing did not dare to make any large movements. Gazing into Edith’s mysterious, deep pupils, she felt a momentary lapse in focus.
It was a decadent and long kiss.
The flush from her ears gradually crept onto her cheeks. An alluring crimson misted the corners of Ye Zhiqing’s eyes, and a shallow shimmer of moisture welled up. Amidst the swirling, scorching breaths, strands of subtle, indescribable ambiguity quietly diffused.
Attempting to steady her rapid panting, Ye Zhiqing’s trembling voice betrayed her extreme inner turmoil. She strained her head back with difficulty. “Your Majesty Edith, I have said before… we still have a long time together.”
The status of a concubine and a Queen are worlds apart; it also signified the vastly different weight Ye Zhiqing held in Edith’s heart.
Edith watched Ye Zhiqing’s thick lashes flutter gently. Light and shadow flickered within her eyes as she reached out to stroke the delicate, smooth skin of Ye Zhiqing’s cheek.
A faint smile flickered in her deep gaze. “I will wait for you to become my Queen willingly.” Regardless of any complex, indefinable sentiments, Edith’s tone was low and solemn, sounding more like a vow.
A promise from the Queen of Egypt.
Her heart thudmed rapidly within her heaving chest. Subtle emotions surged from her marrow, following her flowing blood to quickly consume every inch of her flesh and bone, as if her very soul were vibrating.
Desperately trying to restrain her fluctuating thoughts, Ye Zhiqing pursed her lips. Her already rose-tinted lips were once again stained with a liquid luster—an entirely unconscious allure.
“Majesty, you should drink your medicine,” Ye Zhiqing turned her head. When she spoke, her voice was hoarse beyond recognition.
The temperature in her cheeks grew increasingly hot. Ye Zhiqing struggled gently to rise, and Edith released her accordingly. Clearly, Ye Zhiqing’s embarrassed and helpless state greatly pleased her, as a low, husky, and joyful laugh escaped her throat.
Taking the medicine bowl, Ye Zhiqing feigned composure, though the crimson on her cheeks would not fade. She repeated, “Majesty, drink the medicine.”
Edith maintained her original lazy posture, leaning against the throne without moving. Her long, bright eyes watched Ye Zhiqing tenderly. Surging emotions swirled within them, converging into a golden vortex that enticed one to drown uncontrollably.
“The wound hurts,” Edith said in a tone that took it for granted. Ye Zhiqing could guess her meaning without the rest being spoken.
Edith’s expression appeared calm and unruffled, yet her disordered, weak breathing and the continuous fine beads of sweat proclaimed her suffering.
At the thought that she had just… Ye Zhiqing didn’t know what expression to make. She shook her head helplessly, leaned down with the medicine, and brought it to Edith’s lips.
Watching Edith drink the foul, bitter medicine without expression, a dense bitterness welled up in her own heart. Ye Zhiqing set down the empty bowl and said softly, “Majesty, go to the inner hall to rest.”
A heavy, irrepressible weariness surfaced between her brows. Edith gave a low hum of agreement and leaned half her weight on Ye Zhiqing as they walked toward the inner chambers.
The inner hall was already filled with the scent of calming incense. Ye Zhiqing carefully avoided Edith’s injuries and helped her lie down on the bed. Thinking of her instruction to Lamassu to find the dregs of the medicine, Ye Zhiqing rose to leave.
A pull came from her robe. Ye Zhiqing looked back; Edith lay on her side with her eyes tightly closed, yet her hand was gripping Ye Zhiqing’s robe tightly.
Like a child who insists on having someone by their side when they are sick.
A child and Edith? Ye Zhiqing suppressed the strange thought in her mind, a smile she couldn’t hold back playing on her lips. She sat by the bedside until Edith’s breathing grew steady and long before tentatively pulling her robe free.
Lamassu had been waiting outside the hall for a long time. Seeing Ye Zhiqing emerge, she stepped forward quickly. “Miss Ye, these are the medicine dregs obtained from the pharmacy.”
The smile on Ye Zhiqing’s face faded, replaced by a mask of coldness. She took the dregs and flipped through them roughly; they had all been boiled into black, clumpy masses. To a layman, it was impossible to discern the original form of the herbs.
Ripples appeared in her pitch-black eyes. Ye Zhiqing pondered for a few moments, then lowered her eyes and instructed, “Lamassu, go to the palace gate and find General Situ. Tell him to come to the Palace of Ra to see me.”
Ye Zhiqing turned and entered the hall briskly.
Situ’s attitude toward her was filled with goodwill; Ye Zhiqing didn’t know if it was because of Edith. Because of the things she couldn’t easily do herself given her status, Ye Zhiqing thought she could ask him for help.
Inside a side hall of the Palace of Ra.
Ye Zhiqing stared intently at the dregs on the table. Edith’s state just now was as if she were being kept temporarily awake by some stimulant-like psychotropic drug. Once the drug wore off, the consequence would be an unpredictable and severe over-exhaustion of her own energy.
She didn’t know how long Edith had been in this state, but seeing Edith’s accustomed and fearless attitude, Ye Zhiqing guessed it had been a long time.
Steady, powerful footsteps interrupted Ye Zhiqing’s chaotic thoughts. Situ stopped outside the hall, his voice resonant and loud: “Miss Ye.”
Situ’s powerful, lean body was held tight. Even though he deliberately softened his expression, he could not entirely retract the murderous aura tempered in countless battles.
Due to the assassination of Edith, Situ was in his most vigilant posture even while simply standing.
“General Situ, please sit,” Ye Zhiqing signaled with a nod. Her expression showed little change as she proactively pushed the medicine dregs toward the other side of the table.
Taking in Ye Zhiqing’s reaction, Situ nodded silently in his heart. With this level of composure, she was more than qualified to stay by Her Majesty Edith’s side.
From the moment Ye Zhiqing appeared beside Edith, Situ had been paying her more or less attention. Her Majesty’s temperament had grown increasingly violent and solitary in recent years; if there could be someone to accompany her, it was a great thing for veteran officials like Situ.
Looking at the dregs on the table, Situ didn’t understand at first and was somewhat dazed. Then, looking at Ye Zhiqing’s expression, he reacted immediately.
His eyes widened in disbelief. “These are the King’s medicine?”
Ye Zhiqing said nothing and nodded.
“Miss Ye, you suspect there is something wrong with the King’s medicine,” Situ’s expression turned lethal. He stepped forward to examine the dregs. pausing, he continued, “The King’s medicine is brewed by specific people. Once brewed, it is tested for poison by a dedicated person and only presented to the King after it is confirmed safe.”
“General Situ, have you noticed that Her Majesty’s constitution is different from ordinary people? The injuries she sustained in this assassination would be life-threatening to a normal person, yet after her fever broke last night, she behaved in the council chamber this morning as if she were never injured,”
With a sinking heart, Ye Zhiqing continued, “Even more surprising, General, is that the arrow wound Her Majesty suffered in Tanis has still not healed. Instead, due to this assassination, it shows signs of worsening. I can think of no other reason besides the medicine she takes daily.”
Her voice was cool and clear. Ye Zhiqing articulated her doubts with extreme logic.
Aside from a problem with the medicine, she could think of no second possibility. To attribute Edith’s powerful constitution to mysterious gods felt absurd to Ye Zhiqing, even after seeing Priest Saul demonstrate supernatural powers at the Nile Festival.
In the few conversations she and Edith had shared with Priest Saul, Ye Zhiqing sensed Edith’s wariness of him—or rather, her wariness of the unknown power he held.
No monarch of an empire would endure something beyond their control, and the power in Saul’s hands was exactly what Edith could not master.
That Saul had stayed in Thebes as a priest for ten years unscathed likely meant Edith had no means to counterbalance him.
Thus, any possibility other than the medicine was negligible.
Ye Zhiqing’s words successfully made Situ’s face change. He picked up the dregs, a murderous aura pouring out of him. If there truly were a problem with Edith’s medicine, the consequences… would be immeasurable.
Gripping the sword at his waist, Situ bowed slightly toward Ye Zhiqing and turned to leave.
“General Situ, do not alert the enemy. You know Her Majesty’s situation in Thebes better than I do. The current priority is to find out exactly what they have done to the medicine,” Ye Zhiqing hurriedly called out to stop him.
Stopping his steps, Situ’s expression softened slightly. “Rest assured, Miss Ye. I only intend to take these dregs to a medical priest for identification, to see exactly what has been done to the herbs.”
After a pause, Situ added, “If Miss Ye needs any help, you can come to me.”
Ye Zhiqing nodded, mentally chiding herself for being too sensitive. One who could stay by Edith’s side for so long was certainly no mere brute who only knew how to fight.
Straightening out her thoughts, Ye Zhiqing realized that the brewing for Edith’s evening medicine should begin now. She rose and walked toward Edith’s sleeping quarters.
The hall was as quiet as when she left. Exquisite, complex gauze curtains swayed gently with the cool breeze that had slipped inside. Edith lay on the bed with her long hair scattered.
Guessing that Edith had likely fallen into a deep sleep again, Ye Zhiqing deliberately made noise with her footsteps. The person on the bed gave no reaction.
Approaching, Ye Zhiqing checked Edith’s temperature. A trace of worry and melancholy fell by the bedside.
She did not stay long. Ye Zhiqing moistened Edith’s dry, cracked lips with water and then left.
Exiting the Palace of Ra, she headed for the pharmacy without hesitation.
Edith’s evening medicine was being brewed now. If she went and took over personally, she might discover something.
Inside a cluttered, cramped room, a person wearing luxurious robes that were clearly out of place for such a setting unceremoniously kicked the person kneeling on the floor. As if having kicked something filthy, the robed person rubbed their foot on the ground in disgust.
“She’s just a lowly concubine; what is there to worry about? If what we added to the medicine is discovered, Prince Inanhote won’t let us go even if we flee Thebes.”
“But you’ve seen Edith’s attitude toward this concubine. If we act now, it’ll be a dead end. Besides, she’s only going to the pharmacy; she shouldn’t find out so soon. We’ve hidden it very well; nothing has gone wrong for years.”
“Heh… Prince Inanhote cannot afford to take that risk. Arrange for someone to go down in a bit and do it cleanly. If it’s exposed, it will be only your death. Think of your family being held by the Prince. You know what to do.”
The floating dust reflected the light, casting a shadow over the originally bright rays.
After the long sound of a door closing, the room returned to a deathly silence.
The person kneeling on the floor slowly moved their body and stood up. Carefully, they pulled out a pre-prepared item from their robe. Bending down, they pulled out the third brick from the bottom near the doorframe, placed the item inside, and a flash of resentment and indignation crossed their cloudy eyes.
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