Ruan Qiu politely let go of Xue Wu’s hand and began to follow Empress Wan’s traces. Xue Wu followed behind her, watching as she quickly found Empress Wan, who hadn’t gone far, and grabbed the maid who was about to take Empress Wan away.

Empress Wan’s insanity act didn’t falter. When she saw Xue Wu, she broke free from the maid holding her hand and stumbled towards Xue Wu, shouting, “Your Majesty, someone wants to kill me! Someone…”

Just before Empress Wan was about to throw herself at Xue Wu, he sidestepped, allowing her to run past him without hindrance.

Empress Wan: “?”

[Xue Wu: Disgusting.]

[Hahaha, Emperor Xue’s double standards are really funny!]

[Sorry, Empress Wan, but now Eunuch Ruan is the legitimate one (facepalm)]

Ruan Qiu walked up to Xue Wu with the maid, and Empress Wan also slinked back. Xue Wu took out a vial and said to Empress Wan, “This is the antidote. Once you take it, you’ll regain your senses.”

Empress Wan blinked. Although she wanted to add more to her performance, the director sternly reminded her not to eat the black sesame pills and not to reveal any clues to Xue Wu and Ruan Qiu, so she could only continue to feign madness and stupidity.

She suddenly raised her hand, trying to knock the vial out of Xue Wu’s hand. But Ruan Qiu was faster than her. She let go of the maid, snatched the vial from Xue Wu’s hand, and shook out a small pill. Then, she pushed Empress Wan’s hand away, suddenly reached out, grabbed Empress Wan’s cheek, popped the small black sesame pill into Empress Wan’s mouth, and then, before Empress Wan could react, squeezed her chin upwards, allowing the honey-coated black sesame pill to slide down Empress Wan’s throat.

Empress Wan: “?”

The director backstage: “??”

Was this even allowed?

[Hahaha, Ruan Qiu’s technique, she must have given medicine to cats before, right?]

[Eunuch Ruan is ruthless and skilled at interrogating prisoners.]

[This pill shouldn’t be dangerous, right?]

[Not dangerous, didn’t someone just say in the barrage that it’s a black sesame? And the pill is so small, it won’t choke her.]

Empress Wan touched her throat, still perplexed. But she had already taken the antidote, and the director couldn’t let her continue feigning madness and stupidity, which would affect the integrity of the plot. He could only watch as Empress Wan stood up joyfully, facing Xue Wu, and said, “Your Majesty, I’m so scared, they want to kill me…”

Xue Wu raised his hand to stop Empress Wan from adding drama to herself and asked her directly, “Do you know why you were poisoned?”

Empress Wan glanced at Ruan Qiu and the maid beside her, then cautiously said to Xue Wu, “Your Majesty, I know.”

“The other day, in the Imperial Garden, I overheard a conversation between the Fourth Prince and the Empress Dowager’s maid.” Empress Wan said, “They said that His Highness the Crown Prince is still alive, and he’s at the Imperial Hospital, called… Jiang Yan.”

Ruan Qiu and Xue Wu exchanged a glance, instantly linking Jiang Yan’s identity and the previous clues together.

So, was the trump card of the Fourth Prince the legitimate heir to the throne, Jiang Yan?

The Empress Dowager continued, “They also said they must first find the Imperial Decree to allow the Crown Prince to ascend the throne legitimately. I heard that when the late Emperor passed away, he left behind two decrees. One was in the hands of the Crown Prince but was burnt, and the other was left to Lord Yuan Xiang, but he has never shown it.”

“It’s because I overheard their intentions to ascend the throne. They discovered that I had heard, poisoned me before I could inform you, and caused me to develop hysteria.” The Empress wiped away a fake tear, pleading, “Your Majesty, please grant me justice!”

Ruan Qiu and Xue Wu exchanged another glance, both thinking of Lord Yuan Xiang, who possessed the other decree.

Something wasn’t right.

Ruan Qiu spoke up, “The Fourth Prince chose to act tonight not only because the palace guards are lax.”

“And also because Lord Yuan Xiang is inside the palace.” Xue Wu’s expression darkened, continuing Ruan Qiu’s thought, “The Fourth Prince knows that if there are assassins tonight, the ministers will stay in the palace, and he can also stay. He can take the opportunity to find Lord Yuan Xiang and force him to hand over the Imperial Decree.”

“Or make Lord Yuan Xiang falsely change the decree,” Ruan Qiu said gravely, “Lord Yuan Xiang is in danger.”

Xue Wu turned to the weeping Empress and the silent palace maid and said, “Follow us out of the Cold Palace. The guards outside will take you to… the dungeon. It’s safe there.”

The Empress: Are you serious?

[Haha, the dungeon is indeed the safest place right now, no doubt]

[Ruan Qiu and Xue Wu are so in sync! What a great team!]

[Haha, Xue Wu’s double standards are so obvious, I’m laughing so hard!]

[Ruan Qiu is the MVP of this episode!]

[Hey, everyone, I just came from Ye Xingyu’s livestream. The Fourth Prince has already arrived at Lord Yuan Xiang’s room. Ruan Qiu and Xue Wu probably won’t make it in time.]

The director backstage sighed sorrowfully, mourning the death of his script.

His script, once again ruined.

The assistant director beside him watched the director’s sad expression and asked puzzledly, “Why can’t we let the guests safely get through one episode? Actually, everyone prefers a happy ending, and you wouldn’t have to bother writing a script.”

The director replied solemnly, “This is the dignity of a director.”

He wouldn’t allow a single person from the script he arranged to not “die”!!

Assistant director: … Alright, the director’s obsession with horror movies, I, a deputy director who shoots sweet dramas, don’t understand.

In the live broadcast, Ruan Qiu and Xue Wu, after handing over the palace maid and the Empress to the guards, hurried to the place where accommodations were provided for the ministers.

The barrage was urgent, wanting Ruan Qiu and Xue Wu to hurry and save Lord Yuanxiang. But the director was determined to “kill” someone that night, unwilling to leave behind a “peaceful night” in his career, directing the Fourth Prince to quickly go and pressure Lord Yuan Xiang into forging the decree, while also preparing him for what to come.