MCSCPM -Chapter 107 The Moonlight Shines Bright

Bright moonlight filled the courtyard, spilling over like water from above, clear and translucent. Shadows of bamboo and cypress trees intertwined, creating a pattern like water plants in a pond. Such a beautiful night—truly a scene worthy of both heaven and earth.

As he walked leisurely, Prince Jing arrived at Yin Qingyue’s house. Seeing the oil lamp still burning inside, he was puzzled. So late at night, could someone still be awake like her, unable to sleep? Noticing no movement inside, but the lamp still alight, his curiosity grew, and he pushed the door open.

Inside, he saw Yin Qingyue collapsed on the floor.

“It’s this combination! Three parts wood ear, two parts angelica, a touch of ginseng…” Yin Qingyue suddenly cried out with excitement, both thrilled and joyful.

“The Empress can be saved now, thank goodness! Thank goodness!” She quickly administered the medicine to the Empress. After days of unconsciousness, the Empress’s fingers moved slightly. Yin Qingyue checked her pulse and found it normal. The toxins in her body were gradually dissipating—the antidote was taking effect.

Yet Yin Qingyue wasn’t fully at ease. The Empress had been poisoned for some time; whether she could fully awaken remained uncertain.

“Finally, I can have a good sleep,” she thought. In the past few days, she had been experimenting with countless herbs, skipping sleep, working tirelessly through the nights. Her small frame had endured much strain; her eyelids had grown heavy but she had persisted without rest.

By the time she returned to her room, it was already early morning. The eastern sky was turning pale, and roosters crowed loudly, announcing the arrival of a new day. Yin Qingyue didn’t care about the hour; as soon as she entered her room, she climbed into bed, shoes still on, and fell fast asleep.

She slept soundly, waking only at noon the following day.

Yin Qingyue was still asleep, but Nangong Mei had already awakened.

Upon realizing her hands and feet were bound, Nangong Mei screamed. Hearing her cries, the palace guards hurriedly reported to Nangong Xiao that she had regained consciousness.

At that time, Nangong Xiao was dealing with a twenty-year-old wrongful case. Hearing this news, he set aside his work and rushed over; interrogating Nangong Mei was now the most urgent matter.

However, when Crown Prince Nangong Xiao arrived to question her, he found that Nangong Mei had fainted in the palace. Due to the Emperor’s orders, the maids and guards were all outside. What had actually happened inside, no one knew. Only Nangong Mei herself would know why she had fainted.

The situation was becoming more confusing and complicated: the Empress poisoned, Nangong Mei unconscious, and mysterious men in black. In recent days, panic had spread throughout the palace. The Emperor had deployed countless men to search, but no clues were found. To find any lead, Nangong Mei was the key.

When Yin Qingyue awoke, it was already noon. The sun hung high, sunlight pouring in, making it difficult for her to open her eyes. Rising, she felt dizzy and nauseous. At first, she thought it was from oversleeping, but soon realized her symptoms were identical to the early stages of the Empress’s poisoning.

Could it be that I’ve been poisoned too?

Could the invisible powder actually be contagious?

Yin Qingyue was shocked. Feeling weak, she quickly prepared an antidote for herself, lest she die again—not from exhaustion this time, but from the poison itself.

Though poisoned, she was a skilled physician and remained calm. She took the remaining herbs from before and prepared an antidote specifically to counter this hidden poison. She added dew as a medicinal guide—she knew it was a superior natural ingredient. The key to saving the Empress wasn’t the expensive herbs like angelica, ginseng, or he shou wu, but the natural dew as the medium for the antidote.

“I must deliver this antidote to the Empress. It’s getting late.” Yin Qingyue’s demeanor was as cold as Prince Jing’s, her eyes reflecting urgent concern not for herself, but for the Empress’s safety. Though her face remained calm, her gaze betrayed her feelings. Prince Jing sometimes wished he could read her thoughts through those eyes, but she never gave him the chance, always evading.

“But your body is so weak—you need to rest.”

“I have no time for that.” She quickly put on her shoes and clothes, ignoring Prince Jing’s objections, and supported her frail body to the door. Seeing this, he had no choice but to accompany her. He knew her stubborn nature—once she set her mind on something, no force could stop her.

Sitting in the bumpy carriage, Yin Qingyue coughed repeatedly. Her body was indeed weak. She felt frustrated at her own fragility, but her priority remained the Empress. Her own safety didn’t matter; she only wished for the Empress to awaken.

She clutched the antidote carefully, afraid to touch it again. The earlier struggle had left her drenched in sweat. She collapsed onto Prince Jing’s shoulder, exhausted, seeking a brief respite.

Seeing her asleep on his shoulder, Prince Jing didn’t disturb her. Even if it made his shoulder sore, he didn’t mind. He simply wanted her to rest peacefully. Gently, he pulled a scented handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe the sweat from her brow.

Yin Qingyue stirred slightly but didn’t wake. Her face, cold like his, carried a kindness he did not possess. Despite her intelligence, she had pushed herself to this weakened state. Prince Jing didn’t know if the small vial she carried could truly save the Empress; if it failed, all her efforts would have been in vain, and her exhaustion would have harmed her further.

He could only watch quietly, seeing her sleep safely on his shoulder.

The palace was surprisingly close. In just the time it took to drink tea, they arrived. Though reluctant to wake her, they had reached their destination. Gently, he roused her with a tenderness even he had rarely shown.

“Miss Yin, we’ve arrived at the palace.”

Awakening, Yin Qingyue felt embarrassed by her reliance: “Apologies, Prince Jing… I was improper. Please forgive me.”

“It’s nothing. Now, come with me to see the Empress—that is the priority.” They descended from the carriage. The palace loomed before them, magnificent yet still incapable of soothing the loneliness of the heart. Prince Jing led the way, while a maid assisted Yin Qingyue, step by step, toward the grand hall.

Entering the Empress’s chamber, they found her beautiful face still and motionless. Though breathing steadily, she had slept so long that her previous expressions of joy were already forgotten, leaving only the memory of her unconscious state.

Yin Qingyue approached, sat beside the Empress, and administered the antidote dissolved in water. Her body was exhausted, unable to touch the white powder again. Sweating profusely, she had to sit on a chair to recover.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the Empress to awaken, especially Yin Qingyue, eager to see if her efforts had borne fruit.

After over an hour, the Empress’s fingers twitched, her long lashes fluttering. A nearby maid hurried to inform Yin Qingyue in a whisper: “Miss Yin, the Empress is showing signs of movement.”

Seeing her hard work was not in vain, Yin Qingyue exhaled in relief. She instructed the maid, “Give the Empress some water and continue to observe her.”