Chapter 144: You openly stole my prescription

Your Majesty, the Imperial Medical Institute's medicine stock is insufficient for this plague; we must recall the Agastache, Ephedra, and Atractylodes previously sent to Weiyang Palace.

After checking the Imperial Medical Institute's inventory, the imperial physician said.

The Emperor waved his hand: 'It's a small matter; Yuanzhi will surely not refuse.'

Speak of Cao Cao and here comes Mu Yuanzhi.

Pei Yunxi watched the hastily arriving Mu Yuanzhi; feeling guilty, she still couldn't bring herself to meet her gaze, while Mu Yuanzhi, as soon as she arrived, stared fixedly at her, even glancing at her when paying respects to the Emperor.

The Emperor said, 'You came as soon as your illness improved; couldn't you rest a little longer?'

His tone carried the concern of not seeing her for a long time; Mu Yuanzhi stared for a moment before replying, 'Your subject is unharmed; after all, I have pressing business to see Father Emperor.'

As Mu Yuanzhi spoke, her eyes were fixed on Pei Yunxi.

The Emperor said, 'How coincidental; I also have pressing business to see you.'

He repeated the imperial physician's earlier words, and the imperial physician also gazed at Mu Yuanzhi.

Mu Yuanzhi asked the Emperor, 'Saving lives is naturally not to be delayed, but if someone wants to plagiarize another's achievement to pose as a hero of healing, what does Father Emperor think?'

The Emperor replied, 'Naturally, it cannot be tolerated.'

He vaguely seemed to know what Mu Yuanzhi was about to say, since she was looking at Pei Yunxi.

Pei Yunxi's heart fluttered for a moment, but she quickly composed herself, summoning the courage to meet Mu Yuanzhi's gaze.

Mu Yuanzhi said sharply, 'Pei Yunxi, you openly stole my prescription and act so nonchalantly; frankly, I admire your shamelessness.'

Pei Yunxi looked startled and exclaimed, 'What are you talking about, sister? I found this prescription in an ancient text! How can you twist right and wrong, black and white, to slander me?'

She continued, aggrieved, 'I know you're skilled in medicine and likely look down on me, but that doesn't mean I stole your prescription.'

The imperial physician was at a loss, looking at the two of them, then turned his gaze to the Emperor.

The Emperor swept his gaze over Pei Yunxi and Mu Yuanzhi, then said to Pei Yunxi, 'Xi'er, bring out that ancient text of yours and show it to your sister; then everything will be clear.'

In the past, the Emperor would have unconditionally favored Pei Yunxi, but now his first reaction is to demand she produce evidence.

Pei Yunxi felt uneasy, but she had prepared in advance; when copying the prescription, she had already ordered someone to urgently forge an ancient text—money can make ghosts push mills—and within half an hour a thin ancient text was completed, which she carried on her person.

Pei Yunxi said, 'This is it,' and pulled an ancient text from her sleeve.

The imperial physician said, 'Let me have a look,' took the nameless book, and flipped through it; the longer he looked, the tighter his brow furrowed, and he said doubtfully, 'The book is indeed somewhat old, and the prescription matches, but why does the ink feel so fresh?'

Mu Yuanzhi scoffed, 'Naturally, something newly written is new.'

Pei Yunxi immediately panicked, 'I was too hasty when flipping through it and dropped it into water, getting it damp!'

Such a far-fetched excuse!

Mu Yuanzhi knew Pei Yunxi was full of tricks; fortunately she had long guarded against petty people, so she often kept a backup plan.

Mu Yuanzhi laughed, 'No matter what your so-called evidence is, extend your hand.'

Pei Yunxi nervously extended her hand; her fair, tender hands held nothing.

Although she had already checked her own hands earlier, she still felt uneasy, covertly staring at her own hands.

Her hands had nothing on them—and no strange fragrance either.

The Emperor and the imperial physician also looked at Mu Yuanzhi, puzzled.

Mu Yuanzhi then pulled a packet of powder from her waist pouch, seized Pei Yunxi's hand as she tried to pull back, sprinkled the powder on it, and with a swipe, a red mark suddenly appeared on Pei Yunxi's previously smooth palm.

And that red mark was precisely the emblem of Weiyang Palace.

Mu Yuanzhi curled her lip, looking at the ashen-faced Pei Yunxi, and said, 'Do you have anything else to say?'

The xuan paper she used to write the prescription had been specially treated to hide this mark, but upon contact it would leave a trace on the skin—colorless, odorless, imperceptible, impossible to wash or rub off—yet a swipe of the powder in her hand would immediately reveal it.

The Emperor had already approached, seized Pei Yunxi's hand that she instinctively wanted to hide, and with such force he pulled her, causing her to stagger.

The callus on the Emperor's palm rubbed her palm raw, though of course this pain paled compared to his gaze.

Those eyes held none of their usual warmth and kindness, and the hand gripping her palm was no longer the gentle, protective one of before.

To Pei Yunxi, her forever kind father now presented only the Emperor's majesty; his eyes were like ice chips, making her shudder involuntarily.

The flustered Pei Yunxi protested, 'I—I used things from Weiyang Palace; is that not allowed?'

The Emperor disappointed, closed his eyes, then shouted in a low voice, 'Enough!'

Pei Yunxi's whole body shuddered with fright, and she dared not lift her eyes to look at the Emperor's face.

The imperial physician at this moment wished he could disappear, minimizing his presence as much as possible.

Princess Pei Yunxi—how could she steal another's prescription and claim it as her own? How shameful!

Truly, one can know a person's face but not their heart.

The Emperor told the imperial physician, 'First take people to Weiyang Palace to fetch the medicines; resolving the plague is urgent.'

The imperial physician replied, 'Yes, your servant will go at once!' and felt relieved of his burden.

He certainly did not want to get involved in this matter.

Once the outsiders left, Pei Yunxi panicked even more; she steeled herself, knelt, and played the pity card: 'Father Emperor, your subject knows her mistake!'

Again with this tactic?

Mu Yuanzhi simply watched Pei Yunxi's shamelessness.

The Emperor's hand, now released, hovered as he watched Pei Yunxi kneeling; she felt mere kneeling wasn't enough, she crawled forward, grabbing the hem of his dragon robe, sobbing, 'Your subject truly knows her mistake this time, Father Emperor! Please give your subject another chance!'

The Emperor asked in a cold tone, 'Why would you do such a thing? So eager for glory?'

Pei Yunxi cried and shook her head: 'No! Last time I angered you, I just wanted to cheer you up, which led to my momentary folly.'

Her words were already becoming illogical and tangled, but she still forced herself to make excuses, for saying nothing would only make things worse.

Mu Yuanzhi scoffed from the side, 'So in your little sister's eyes, stealing another's prescription and calling it your own would please Father Emperor? What kind of person do you think Father Emperor is? One who loves lies to perfection? Or one who loves stealing others' achievements?'

Pei Yunxi hastily shook her head: 'No! I didn't! Father Emperor, see clearly! Your subject knows her mistake!'

She steeled herself and knocked her head again, just as before.

She feared pain and drawing blood, yet dared not knock hard; when she knocked heavily, she tapped lightly instead.