Forensic Imperial Concubine

Finally, Harper was able to see clearly the man in front of her. He was not her husband Matthew, but Rolando who looked so
pale and furious. He was holding her arms and walking towards a remote palace.
"Rolando," Harper called out weakly in a hoarse voice.
"Are you awake?" Lowering his head, Rolando carefully stared at Harper and added, "Don't worry. I'll take care of you. You'll be
fine."
The temperate of Harper's body increased more and more. Even though she had just sobered up, she understood right away
why her body was unusually hot. Coupled with the fact that their clothes were disheveled, she knew what had happened at once,
although she had been poisoned.
"Where are we going?" Harper forced herself to put some distance between her and Rolando's arms. At that moment, he was a
great temptation for her and she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to restrain herself if she kept being this close in his arms.
"We're going to the freezing Ice Pool. It's the palace that can contain the Fire Toxin in your body. Hang in there; we're almost
there," Rolando quickly replied.
Soon enough, they arrived at the pool. Rolando kicked open the door of the palace and took Harper into a secret chamber where
the pool was located. As soon as they dipped into the pool, Harper felt a piercing chill seep through her body, which actually
helped in regaining some of her strength.
Rolando still held onto Harper and stepped into the pool without hesitation. The piercing cold almost made Harper cry out. She
shivered tremendously, unable to bear the cold. Fortunately, the blazing heat in her body was gradually subsiding.
Rolando held Harper by the waist and made her stand on the edge of the pool. "Put me down. I can stand by myself," Harper
said after a short while.
Rolando stepped back a little and stood a meter away from Harper, without getting out of the pool.
"You can go now. You don't have to accompany me here. I'm sorry that you got involved in my misfortune," Harper said with a
faint smile.
Rolando glanced at Harper and said, "If you're not afraid that I wouldn't be able to control myself and might do something against
your will, I don't mind leaving."

For a moment, Harper was stunned. She immediately understood that she was not the only one being poisoned by the Fire
Toxin. It was apparent that Rolando had also been affected by it. But he could still hold her in the pool, so he must've been
restraining himself with so much self-control. Leaning back against the Ice Pool, Harper helplessly smiled. "We are kind of
sharing the same hardship together."
A surge of emotions appeared in Rolando's eyes. But he soon turned back and asked, "Do you have any idea who was behind
what happened to us today?"
Harper shook her head and said, "No, but the one who framed me must've known me very well. After putting the Fire Toxin in my
room, I was supposed to find out about it soon enough. However, I didn't. This only meant that the person knows I'm a good
physician. They covered up the smell of the Fire Toxin with a similar fragrance, osmanthus's fragrance."
"Is there anyone you're suspicious of?" Rolando asked with so much seriousness. If Harper hadn't realized what happened and
pushed him away, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
"It's my first time being in the Great Jade Kingdom. I'm certain that I didn't offend anyone here in the past. So I have no idea how
I could have offended the one who planned this." A bitter smile cracked from Harper's lips.
Rolando thought about it over but he too couldn't come up with a person who would do this to Harper. Then, he asked, "What did
you do today?"
"First, I had breakfast and then, I spent some time with Lilian in the palace. Lilian got tired after a while, so I came back to my
quarters. Upon my arrival, I saw a blooming osmanthus. Sonia said that it was from the Imperial Household Bureau. Then, I read
a book and passed out. I'm sure you know what happened after that."
"Where's Forsythia, the maid who was always by your side?"
"Lilian said that she had been having nightmares these days. So, I asked Forsythia to send some medicine to her." At the
thought of this, Harper looked at Rolando with confusion in her eyes. "Didn't you see Forsythia when you came to see me?"
Rolando shook his head and said, "When I came over, I didn't see her. One of your maids said that you fainted. But when I
checked your pulse and your physical condition, I found out that you were fine, but when you woke up —"
Harper covered her face with her hands and said, "At that time, it seemed like whoever appeared in front of me looked like
Matthew."

Rolando didn't say anything for a while. Although he knew that Harper and Matthew loved each other very much, he didn't know
how to react upon hearing the woman he loved so casually express her affections for another man.
"Your Majesty."
"What is it?" Rolando turned to the door and saw Fernando, the chief of the secret guards, standing outside.
"Your Majesty, we just found out that the thing in the censer is called 'Fantasy'. The one who gets poisoned by it will be under a
sort of trance. They will regard anyone they see as the one they have always wanted to be with. This kind of poison —"
"Is from Bright Dynasty." Harper picked up Fernando's words. She gnashed her teeth and exclaimed, "It was Becky!"
Rolando turned to Harper briefly before asking Fernando, "Have you found out who's behind this?"
"I have investigated almost everyone who entered and left the Harmony Palace. We didn't find anything suspicious with them.
However, only one of them hasn't been investigated yet."
"And who is that?"
"It's Lady Lilian, Your Majesty. The guard said that Lady Lilian brought two maids into the Harmony Palace today. But when she
left, only Daisy followed her out," Fernando replied right away.
"No, that's impossible! Lilian entered my room with only Daisy by her side," Harper retorted.
The expression on Rolando's eyes grew dark. Harper didn't know that Lilian had found out about his feelings for her, so she
didn't doubt Lilian. But right then, he was certain then that this must have something to do with Lilian!
If he hadn't restrained himself and slept with Harper, she would loath him when she woke up. If he didn't, Harper would find out
his hidden feelings for her and thus, she would certainly stay away from him. He had underestimated Lilian's capabilities. He had
thought that she was a foolish woman who was just obsessed with him. He had never thought that she could plan against him
and Harper like this.