Feng Bailing’s heart skipped a beat.
Although she had a premonition, the confirmation that Emperor Yongye had been poisoned still shocked her.
In that lifetime, Emperor Yongye was ill and had to hand over state affairs to Dongfang Li.
A year later, Dugu Wu made a comeback with the force of thunder and took control of the court politics. Dongfang Li was made the Crown Prince, but in reality, he became a puppet Crown Prince.
Did Emperor Yongye of that lifetime also suffer from the love poison and ultimately succumb to it...
All this, Feng Bailing no longer knows.
"Brother Li, are you certain?"
Feng Bailing inquired.
"I wasn’t sure at first, but this letter... I’m not hiding it from you, this letter was written by my cousin. Speaking of my cousin, I have to start with my family background. You might have noticed that I am from the Royal Family of Nanshe. Nanshe’s Royal Family is different from other countries, having two branches."
Li Mubei then discussed matters that Feng Bailing was somewhat aware of, as the book given to her earlier by Grand Preceptor Wu, "Records of the States", contained some basic information about the royal families of various nations.
The Li family and the Wu family are both from Nanshe’s Royal Family.
These two families have had marital alliances for years, taking turns to govern.
"In my generation, it was our Li family’s turn to rule, and I am the eldest son in this lineage of the Li family."
When Li Mubei talked about this, there was a hint of reluctance in his expression, it was clear he did not enjoy inheriting the throne; he preferred doing business and travelling among the Ten Countries.
Feng Bailing felt a pang of sentiment; Li Mubei didn’t want to inherit the throne, unlike the princes of Great Chu, who fought viciously, completely disregarding familial bonds.
"This matter came to be known by the people of the Wu family. My cousin Wu Ling’er is a person obsessed with power; she has always wanted to be an empress and unify Nanshe and the Ten Countries. Knowing I would inherit the throne, she wanted to become my wife. Naturally, I was unwilling. My wife should be someone I love. I refused her, but I didn’t expect her to give up. Somehow she learnt of my encounter with Lianhua, and she wrote this letter to Lianhua, even claiming to be my fiancée and that we had a marriage contract."
Li Mubei said, smiling bitterly.
"Does Wu Ling’er have something to do with Emperor Yongye being poisoned with the love poison?"
Feng Bailing remembered, Li Mubei once mentioned that the prerequisites for being affected by the love poison first require a black double-colored orchid, and secondly, someone knowledgeable about the love poison.
"My cousin might have come to Chu City. Otherwise, being so distant from the emperor, she wouldn’t have written that letter. Also... I had Brother Qi inquire about it, and recently, Emperor Yongye has been unwell. I suspect she has collaborated with someone in the Imperial Palace to target Emperor Yongye."
Li Mubei deeply regretted.
Earlier, he thought no one in Great Chu could cultivate the double-colored orchid, but now with the arrival of Wu Ling’er, it became a possibility.
"If the Emperor really has been poisoned by the orchid, what will happen?"
Feng Bailing also wondered who in the Imperial Palace could cultivate the double-colored orchid.
If the dream she had that night was real, then it’s likely that Emperor Yongye may soon suffer from the poison.
"Once poisoned by the love poison, there are three stages, from the initial stage, through the middle stage, to the final stage. Once it reaches the final stage, it becomes incurable, and even people from the Wu and Li families are helpless."
Li Mubei currently could not determine which stage Emperor Yongye is in.
This was also the reason he came to seek Feng Bailing; he needed her to enter the palace and investigate.
Feng Bailing thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.