The two brothers were forced to finish this meal, and even had to pretend to be a picture of brotherly affection. Ji Weiqiu's stomach ached from eating. Seeing Ji Su's usual expression, who knew how much he was disdaining him in his heart! He snorted coldly in his heart, 'If it weren't for our old mother, who would be willing to eat at the same table with him?'

After the meal, Eunuch Xiao Zhuo delivered the medicine. Ji Weiqiu glanced at it and said, "Set it aside, I'll drink it when it's cooler."

The Empress Dowager frowned in disapproval. "How can you drink it when it's cold? The medicinal properties will be gone! Hurry up and drink it while it's hot... Look how pale your face is, anyone who didn't know would think your Imperial Elder Brother was mistreating you!"

"Mother Empress," Ji Weiqiu called out helplessly, not mentioning that this was indeed the case. He had no choice but to drink the medicine. The decoction was already fishy, bitter, sour, and astringent, with a hint of sweetness mixed in. Ji Weiqiu pinched his nose and poured it into his mouth, trying his best to press down his tongue to avoid tasting the nauseating flavor.

Watching him take the medicine, the Empress Dowager's face scrunched up like a bitter melon. She asked Ji Su, "Eldest, what's going on? Why is Ah Qiu taking medicine?"

He was her own child, after all. Even though he was raised by his elder brother due to his poor health, she would still go to see him whenever she had the time. How could she not know that Ji Weiqiu disliked drinking medicine? He would rather take pills for ten days or half a month than drink medicinal soup for seven days.

Ji Su's expression was as calm as ever. "Replying to Mother Empress, Ah Qiu couldn't acclimate to the new environment. After returning, I simply had Imperial Physician Hu take this opportunity to help him recuperate."

Only then did the Empress Dowager feel relieved. She flicked her handkerchief and said, "Then let him drink it. It's rare for him to be so obedient about his medicine. Ai... drink slowly, don't choke... Qingxi, quickly, have the sweets ready!"

After Ji Weiqiu finished the medicine, Eunuch Qingxi immediately presented a plate of candies. Without looking, he picked one up and ate it. Then, a palace attendant brought tea and a spittoon for him to rinse his mouth. He spat out the candy tainted with the medicinal taste and took a new one to hold in his mouth.

He didn't know what medicine he was drinking today. His medicine was always taken in the morning, never delivered at noon. But since it was brought to him, he couldn't be bothered to ask. He would just drink it. What was the worst that could happen? Death? It wasn't as if he hadn't seen poisons that caused a slow, weakening death before. Giving his old mother some time to buffer the shock wouldn't be so bad.

Seeing him like this, the Empress Dowager comforted him, "The medicine prescribed by Imperial Physician Hu will surely be effective. Just endure it for a few days, don't let the illness take root."

Ji Weiqiu nodded. Just as he was about to open his mouth to reply and console his old mother, his face suddenly turned pale. The medicinal liquid surged up his throat uncontrollably. He turned his head to vomit, and a palace attendant at his side quickly brought a spittoon. He threw up everything, including the food he had just eaten.

The smell in the hall was not pleasant.

The Empress Dowager's face turned white. She threw down her handkerchief and came over to support him. Ji Su's expression was truly not good to look at. He said, "Summon Imperial Physician Hu."

After vomiting, Ji Weiqiu's entire face was deathly pale, and he was covered in a cold sweat, looking as if he had just been pulled out of water. The Empress Dowager half-embraced him, her exquisitely maintained face filled with panic. "Quick! Go quickly! Ah Qiu, Ah Qiu, what's wrong with you? Don't scare Mother Empress!"

Ji Weiqiu's stomach was in excruciating pain. He looked at Ji Su, then woodenly retracted his gaze. He placed one hand on the Empress Dowager's arm and said, torn between laughter and tears, "Mother Empress, it's nothing. I just drank too quickly. That medicine is really awful..."

Seeing him still joking around, yet clearly not looking fine, the Empress Dowager patted him on the back to vent her frustration. "You're still laughing! Stop laughing and sit down! Wait for the imperial physician to arrive!"

She turned her head and commanded, "Quick, it doesn't matter which imperial physician it is at this point! Just summon one here first!"

Imperial Physician Hu arrived faster than expected. Almost as soon as the Empress Dowager's words fell, he was helped in by a few young eunuchs. Ji Su said, "Dispense with the courtesies. Go take a look."

Imperial Physician Hu saw Ji Weiqiu's deathly pale face and didn't even bother with a wrist pillow. He grabbed Ji Weiqiu's hand and took his pulse. The Empress Dowager didn't dare to speak, waiting quietly for the result. But after a long while, Imperial Physician Hu still hadn't said anything. She asked, "What's wrong?"

Imperial Physician Hu felt the pulse for a while longer before giving his conclusion: "He ate until he got sick."

The Empress Dowager's phoenix eyes, so similar to Ji Su's, widened in disbelief. She looked down at her younger son, then at her elder son. Seeing her elder son wearing an 'I knew it' expression, she glared at her younger son again. "...You!"

Ji Weiqiu raised his eyebrows and smiled. "I told you, I drank too quickly. Mother Empress, don't worry. I'm staying here with my Imperial Elder Brother. How could he possibly treat me poorly? It's just that he's making me memorize a lot of books. Mother Empress, can you help me persuade Imperial Elder Brother to give me less homework?"

The Empress Dowager instantly lost her affection for her beloved younger son. She said with a stern face, "Listen to your Imperial Elder Brother."

Ji Weiqiu could only look dejected. Seeing him like that, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but laugh. She said to Ji Su, "Forget it, Eldest, just exempt him from his homework for one day! Go to the side hall and change your clothes. You reek!"

Ji Weiqiu took his leave. The Empress Dowager watched him go before turning to Ji Su and saying earnestly, "He is insensible. As his elder brother, you should teach him without restraint. Mother Empress will absolutely not stop you."

Ji Su's tone was calm. "Yes, Mother Empress."

The Empress Dowager nodded and said gently, "You must also be careful. You've always had your own ideas since you were young, and Mother Empress has been reluctant to restrain you too much. But on this one matter, if you are not careful, even if you are the emperor now, Mother Empress can still discipline you."

Ji Su bowed his head and said, "Yes, Mother Empress."

The Empress Dowager pressed her forehead. She didn't know who this eldest son of hers took after; he had been a stoic person since childhood. She felt exasperated looking at him and went next door to see Ji Weiqiu.

Entering the side hall, she saw that Ji Weiqiu had already changed his clothes. His sleeves were rolled up high, and his forearm was covered in golden needles as fine as hairs. The Empress Dowager felt a pang of heartache just looking at it. She motioned for Ji Weiqiu not to bow, sat down beside him, and waited for the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn. After carefully memorizing Imperial Physician Hu's instructions, she dismissed everyone, wiped her tears, and said to Ji Weiqiu in a cold voice, "What exactly did you say to that old man with the stall yesterday?"

Ji Weiqiu paused, waves of pain shooting through his stomach. "Mother Empress?! You don't believe me either!"

The Empress Dowager watched him and said gently, "It's not that Mother Empress doesn't believe you, but too many things happened yesterday. You know your Imperial Elder Brother's temper. If there wasn't a reason, would he get that angry with you?"

Ji Weiqiu found it absurd. "What could I have said? That Old Wang who sells masks is from my manor. Haven't you met him before? It's Eunuch Ming! He's old and has followed me for many years, so I released him from servitude and let him retire in the manor. He gets bored with nothing to do, so he likes to set up a stall at the night market. I saw him and teased him a bit. If you don't believe me, have him brought here for questioning!"

The Empress Dowager tapped the table. "Ah Qiu, now is not the time to throw a tantrum. He is already dead."

Ji Weiqiu was suddenly stunned. "Who killed him?!"

'Did Ji Su kill Old Wang?! Why would he kill him?! What did he have that was worthy of the Son of Heaven personally dealing with him?! He couldn't have been killed just for exchanging a few words with me, right?!'

"It wasn't your Imperial Elder Brother." The Empress Dowager knew what he was thinking from his expression and said nonchalantly, "When I found out and sent people over, he was already dead. He wrote a suicide note, saying he had let you down."

"Someone is deliberately trying to sow discord between you and your Imperial Elder Brother. This was done too hastily, with too many flaws... but once the person is dead, there's no way to verify the truth. Your Imperial Elder Brother is the emperor; he has his own difficulties." The Empress Dowager sighed, then lovingly stroked Ji Weiqiu's arm through her handkerchief. "Does it hurt? Imperial Physician Hu said your stomach was injured from excessive anger. Were you heartbroken yesterday?"

She reached out and caressed Ji Weiqiu's face. "Ah Qiu, you are almost of age. You should start managing what needs to be managed. You can't rely on Xingbo for everything. No matter what, he is just a long-term attendant in your manor; he has his own matters to be concerned about. Yesterday, imperial robes, a jade seal, and treasonous letters were found in your manor. Your Imperial Elder Brother suppressed the matter single-handedly. If you develop a rift with your Imperial Elder Brother, you will have fallen into someone else's open plot."

Ji Weiqiu was dumbfounded. Imperial robes, a jade seal, treasonous letters? His first reaction was that the person framing him was an idiot. Who would believe this?! He was right under Ji Su's nose. Why would he hide these things?! Did he feel he wasn't dying fast enough or something? It was obviously fake! But then he suddenly realized why his Mother Empress called it an open plot.

So-called open plots were when they told you plainly that this was a frame-up, that this was fabricated, and then asked Ji Su, do you believe it? Do you believe that the Prince of Rui has not the slightest intention of rebellion?!

As long as Ji Su had a hint of suspicion, a hint of reaction, and as long as this little bit fell upon Ji Weiqiu, who had clearly done nothing but was groundlessly suspected by his brother, how could they not become estranged?

As long as the brothers were estranged, there was profit to be made.

A chill ran through Ji Weiqiu. When Prime Minister Gu came yesterday, he was actually discussing this matter with Ji Su, wasn't he? That's why Ji Su's expression was off after Prime Minister Gu left. When he heard Ji Weiqiu wanted to go out of the palace to play, his mood was even more indecipherable, and then he suddenly lashed out in the carriage... So all this had happened?

He was silent for a long time, his voice a little hoarse. "Doesn't Imperial Elder Brother blame me?"

Imperial robes, a jade seal, letters... any one of these things, regardless of who did it, as long as it was found in his manor, Ji Su could kill him with utmost ease. Even if it were brought to the morning court for discussion, the court officials would have nothing to say.

Or rather, even without these things, killing him would still be easy.

Ji Weiqiu slowly thought about Ji Su's every move yesterday. So... why did Ji Su ask him yesterday?

Wasn't he afraid that he was truly colluding with rebels? Wasn't he afraid that he truly had rebellious intentions?

"Of course your Imperial Elder Brother blames you. You usually have nothing to do, yet you can't even manage a small Prince of Rui's Manor properly. Someone planted such deadly things inside and you were completely unaware. If something else happens in the future, and someone impeaches you at the grand court assembly, what should he do then?"

The Empress Dowager lovingly caressed Ji Weiqiu's face and pulled him into her embrace, two clear streams of tears suddenly falling. "My Ah Qiu has suffered. Your Imperial Elder Brother only said you couldn't acclimate, but if that were the case, why would you need to drink medicine? Mother Empress's heart aches for you, and for your Imperial Elder Brother too. Such good brothers, being instigated like this by those wicked people."

Ji Weiqiu murmured, "Did Qingxi tell you I was here?"

The question was simply rhetorical. If not Eunuch Qingxi, who else could it be? He had found it strange today. His Mother Empress had never interfered much with his Imperial Elder Brother since he was young, so why did she barge into Qingning Hall today? Putting on a show of wanting to catch a consort in Qingning Hall, it couldn't be that Qingning Hall had produced another traitor, right?

Regardless of whether it was telling the Empress Dowager or someone else, secretly leaking news from Qingning Hall made one a traitor.

...What was this supposed to be?

Giving him a graceful way out?

Telling him that everything was his own fault, that as the elder brother, he had done all he could, so not only could he not be angry, but he also had to be moved to tears and kowtow in gratitude?

If he refused to take this way out, what then?

Author's note:

The Empress Dowager in the future: ... [slaps thigh]