Do Not Offend the Reborn Wicked Wife-Chapter 342: Doubts, the Candlesticks!

"Your Majesty?"

Yama knelt on the ground with one knee, not daring to look up at this Emperor, feeling that the atmosphere in the room was oppressive.

Qi Yun pressed his temples as his head started hurting again, probably because of that little thing that vexed him!

"You, find some martial arts masters and secretly protect Li Qingmu and his wife. If there’s any unusual activity, rescue them immediately!"

Yama was taken aback. Rescue them? Does the Emperor think they might be in danger?

"These two are heading to the direction of Gaoyang County in Yicheng, Jiangling County, to Luanshi Ridge to suppress bandits. The mountainous terrain there is steep and easy to defend but hard to attack. Even the army finds it troublesome, yet they still dare to go? Hmph, they really aren’t afraid of death! Well, let that kid suffer a bit and learn the harshness of the world!"

What?!

Yama couldn’t help but glance at Qi Yun. The Emperor had a faint smile on his lips, not one of extreme anger or a cold sneer. What did it mean?

"Leave now, and this time, you shall go as well!"

This left Yama even more shocked. As the leader of the Yulong Pavilion, how could he leave on a whim, especially just to protect a minor Imperial Censor?

However, Yama was a perceptive person and quickly thought of a possibility, immediately becoming astonished. Without another word, he withdrew and left.

After Yama left, Chen Zhong entered, and seeing the mess in the Imperial Study Room, he quickly crouched to tidy up. Qi Yun, looking at the scattered chess pieces, inexplicably thought of the scenes when he played against him.

This little thing that could anger him to the point of spitting blood!

Qi Yun covered his forehead; his head started hurting again, seemingly more severely than last time!

What is going on?

Qi Yun remembered he never experienced headaches before unless he caught a cold, and even then, it was different from this.

This headache made him feel as if his head wasn’t his!

"Your Majesty, shall I call the Imperial Physician?"

Chen Zhong picked up the chess pieces, and upon raising his head, saw Qi Yun covering his forehead with a frown, realizing that his ailment was acting up.

Strangely, aside from an epidemic three years ago causing severe disturbance, the Emperor had been physically strong, and headaches were rare. Lately, it was happening too frequently, wasn’t it?

Qi Yun waved his hand, "No need!"

"But Your Majesty, you..."

"Leave me to have some peace!"

Qi Yun felt that speaking to others made his head ache, his tone slightly impatient.

Chen Zhong hesitated for a moment but still bowed and withdrew.

Qi Yun covered his forehead, leaning slowly against the Dragon Throne, deep in thought.

The pain was convulsive, but he refused to stop analyzing—when did his headaches start? 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

This sudden onset was bizarre, with no precursor or any bodily irregularity, appearing out of nowhere.

There must be a detail he overlooked—what could it be?

Qi Yun leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes to rest.

Gradually, he drifted into sleep.

When he reopened his eyes, the headache had subsided, and his thoughts were clearer than before. Yes, he recalled it started after Li Qingmu moved into his sleeping quarters.

Li Qingmu?

No, it couldn’t be him.

Logically, if he wanted to harm him, why save him? Isn’t that redundant? Besides, he was gravely injured at the time, with no motive to act.

Emotionally, he wouldn’t do such a thing either.

Then could it be... Pang Longyue?

Impossible, their marital feelings are deep, and they would likely have known everything and surely wouldn’t do such a thing, so then...

Suddenly, Qi Yun thought of someone.

A white figure, glaringly bright, making it hard to discern his features—it’s him, yes, it’s him!

Ever since he entered, Qi Yun’s headaches began. Who is this person?

What did he do to him?

"Chen Zhong!"

"Your Majesty?"

"Return to the sleeping quarters."

In the vast Imperial Palace, he only went to his sleeping quarters, so surely something was placed there.

One must say, Qi Yun was truly a supremely wise Emperor. With just a bit of analysis, he surmised most of it accurately.

Returning to the sleeping quarters, Qi Yun looked at the palace, his brows furrowed.

The problem must be here!

"Your Majesty, what are you looking for?"

Chen Zhong stepped forward to inquire. As an experienced eunuch, firmly trusted by the Emperor, he was efficient, perceptive, and had an exceptional memory.

Qi Yun’s daily affairs were under his care, so if anything was missing or forgotten, he would know.

Seeing Qi Yun searching around, Chen Zhong thought he must have forgotten something.

Qi Yun scanned the palace, identical to his recollection, with no apparent discrepancies.

But he knew, a problem existed somewhere.

"Chen Zhong, look around this palace—are there any minor differences compared to before?"

"Yes, let me check."

In reality, Chen Zhong would examine closely regardless, as everything else was identical and unchanging.

Chen Zhong stepped out, and re-entered, observing from the entrance all the way through the corridor, inner hall, side chambers, living quarters, desk, and altar table...

After searching, he finally arrived beside Qi Yun’s Dragon Bed.

Then, his gaze fell upon a pair of candlesticks.

He scrutinized them carefully, then suddenly, his pupils slightly contracted.

"Your Majesty, everything else is identical, but this candlestick, its color seems off!"

"Oh?"

Qi Yun hurriedly looked over, seeing Chen Zhong compare one candlestick to the other: "Your Majesty, this pair of candlesticks’ flame burns slightly deeper than the others, see!"

Qi Yun inspected the two candlesticks.

The candlesticks were originally a pair, complementing those on the Dragon Bed and the desk. Hence, when one pair’s flame is slightly deeper, it’s not easily noticeable unless compared directly.

The candlestick next to the Dragon Bed burned with a flame deeper than the others.

Thus, the situation was clear—someone tampered with the candlestick!

"You, call Shen Chong over."

Shen Chong was loyal, evident from his handling of Li Qingmu’s injuries and recovery, proving his reliability. Hence, Qi Yun sought him out for inquiry.

Shortly after, Shen Chong arrived, and Qi Yun handed him the burning candlestick for inspection.

"This candlestick’s flame is deeper than the others. Can you discern the trick, Shen Qing?"

"Yes!"

Shen Chong took the candlestick, observed the flame, indeed deeper and strikingly scarlet. After pondering for a moment, he extinguished the flame and removed the inner red candle.

Next, he extinguished the normal candlestick, swapped the red candles, and relit them.

As the flames ignited, the startling outcome was that the red candle beside the Dragon Bed still burned deeper than the others.

"Your Majesty, it seems someone smeared something on the candlestick’s wick. May I take this candlestick back for thorough examination? Some substances require numerous comparative analyses for confirmation."

The implications were clear.

If the candlestick contained poison, other substances would be needed for stimulation and comparison to identify it.