The Great Tang imperial court had stood firm in the long river of time. The carved beams and painted rafters demonstrated the dignity and luxury of the royal family. The glazed tiles reflected a dazzling light under the sunlight, and the upturned eaves and brackets were like auspicious beasts about to soar into the sky, telling of past glories. However, beneath this seemingly peaceful and harmonious appearance, undercurrents were surging. The whirlpool of court intrigues had never ceased to rotate, like a giant beast hidden in the dark, ready to draw everything into the endless abyss at any time.
Lin Yue and Li Yunfei had walked hand in hand through the ever - changing court life, experiencing countless hardships and dangers along the way. They had traversed mountains and rivers together to search for rare herbs to treat patients. They had supported each other in the whirlpool of intrigues and tricks, and had managed to turn the tide time and time again. These shared experiences had made their relationship even deeper, and the trust between them was as solid as a rock, unshakable by anyone.
One day, the sunlight filtered through the carved window lattices, casting mottled shadows on the desk in the study. Li Yunfei, dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, was fully focused on handling the mountain of government affairs. He would sometimes frown in deep thought and sometimes write quickly to approve official documents. In the entire study, it was so quiet that only the rustling sound of the brush on the paper and the occasional chirping of birds outside the window could be heard. Just then, a rush of footsteps broke the tranquility. A guard walked hurriedly into the study, knelt on one knee, and respectfully presented a secret letter with both hands in front of Li Yunfei.
Li Yunfei was slightly startled. He put down the brush in his hand and took the secret letter. When he slowly unfolded the letter and his eyes swept over the shocking words, his originally calm face was instantly covered by a shadow. His brows knitted tightly into a "Sichuan" character, and a thin layer of sweat faintly appeared on his forehead. The secret letter revealed that a mysterious force was secretly planning an earth - shattering conspiracy against the royal family. Their plan was extremely meticulous and their methods were ruthless. They intended to subvert the entire court, manipulate the Great Tang's country at will, and plunge the common people into deep suffering. Li Yunfei knew very well that this matter was of great significance. Once there was the slightest mistake, the entire Great Tang would be plunged into eternal damnation, and countless lives would be devastated. Thinking of this, Li Yunfei felt a heavy pressure that made it a bit difficult for him to breathe.
Lin Yue, a woman as meticulous as hair, came to visit Li Yunfei as usual. As soon as she stepped into the study, she keenly sensed the strange atmosphere in the air and the unconcealable solemn expression on Li Yunfei's face. Her heart tightened, and she walked quickly to Li Yunfei's side with concern, gently held his hand, and asked softly, "Yunfei, what's wrong? Is there something important?" Li Yunfei raised his head, looked at Lin Yue's worried face, took a deep breath, and slowly told her the contents of the secret letter.
After hearing this, Lin Yue felt a chill rise from the soles of her feet to her heart. Her face was instantly filled with worry. "What should we do? We must find a way to deal with it as soon as possible. We must never let their conspiracy succeed. Otherwise, the Great Tang will be in danger, and the common people will also suffer." Li Yunfei reached out and tightly held Lin Yue's hand. The warmth of his palm conveyed strength and comfort. "Yue'er, don't be afraid. With me here and you by my side, we'll face it together. We will surely get through this difficult time and protect the Great Tang and our homeland." His eyes revealed unwavering determination and confidence, like the brightest stars in the night sky, instantly dispelling the fear and confusion in Lin Yue's heart.
A time - racing investigation was quickly launched. Li Yunfei mobilized all his connections and forces in the court to collect clues everywhere. He secretly summoned several trusted ministers to discuss countermeasures in a secret room and analyze various possible situations. At the same time, he dispatched his most elite secret guards to sneak into every corner of the capital city and closely monitor the movements of suspicious people. Lin Yue also, relying on her connections in the palace, inquired about news from the female doctors and palace maids in the Imperial Medical Office. She shuttled through every corner of the palace, talked with those small - time people who were usually ignored, and didn't let any possible clues slip by. After painstaking exploration and sleepless efforts, they finally uncovered the terrifying and sinister scheme of this mysterious force - poisoning the palace's water source. They planned to pour the highly toxic substance into the water under the cover of night. Once they succeeded, the royal family members and court ministers would be poisoned without knowing it. At that time, the entire court would be in chaos, and the regime would be easily controlled by them. The Great Tang's country would face the crisis of a change of dynasty.
And at this time, the time left until the enemy's planned action was running out. Every minute and every second was extremely precious, like the fine sand in an hourglass, flowing away rapidly. Li Yunfei made a prompt decision and immediately summoned the trusted ministers and elite soldiers in the court to gather in the council hall. In the council hall, the atmosphere was solemn and oppressive, and everyone's faces were tense and serious. The candles on the walls flickered, casting the shadows of the people, as if trembling for the impending crisis.
Li Yunfei, dressed in a black robe, stood as straight as a pine. His expression was cold, and his eyes were sharp as he swept his gaze over everyone. His voice was low but powerful, like a loud bell echoing in the council hall as he issued a series of instructions in an orderly manner. "Some soldiers immediately strengthen the palace guards. Set up sentries at every palace gate and important thoroughfare. Carefully check every person entering the palace, whether they are princes, nobles, or ordinary palace maids and eunuchs. Conduct strict inspections. Not even a fly should be let through. Another part of the soldiers should be dispersed to every corner of the palace and carry out a carpet - like search. Thoroughly search every dark corner and hidden secret room. We must find them before they act and never give them a chance."
Lin Yue was also not idle at all. She knew very well that once the poison succeeded, the consequences would be disastrous. So, she rushed back to the Imperial Medical Office without stopping. In the Imperial Medical Office, the fragrance of medicinal herbs filled the air. Rows of medicine cabinets were neatly arranged, filled with various precious medicinal materials. Lin Yue walked into the hall and anxiously summoned the other female doctors and imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Office. Everyone gathered around. Looking at Lin Yue's serious expression, they all vaguely felt the seriousness of the matter.
"Everyone, the enemy is very likely to poison the water. Time is pressing. We must find a way to identify the poison as soon as possible." Lin Yue's voice was a bit urgent but still calm, like a loud bell echoing in the room of the Imperial Medical Office. An old imperial physician with white hair frowned and looked troubled. "Poisoning in water comes in many varieties, and the methods are hidden. It's really difficult to identify. If it's a common poison, with our many years of experience, we might be able to deal with it to some extent. But if it's a rare poison, that would be very difficult. Moreover, once the poison is mixed into the water, the dosage is difficult to control, and the time of toxicity onset is also uncertain. What should we do?"
Lin Yue fell into deep thought, her mind racing. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck. She remembered the chemical knowledge she had learned in modern times and perhaps could use this knowledge to detect the poison. Her eyes lit up, and she said excitedly, "I have an idea. We can use some common medicinal herbs and items to make simple test reagents. For example, when certain medicinal herbs encounter specific poisons, they will change color. We can detect whether there is poison in the water based on this principle." After hearing this, everyone's faces showed surprise and novelty, but also a hint of doubt. Lin Yue knew that time was pressing and there was no extra time to explain too much. She decisively waved her hand and said, "Everyone, don't hesitate. Time waits for no one. Let's act immediately!"
So, a tense and orderly production operation began. They searched everywhere for special medicinal herbs. Some female doctors shuttled through the medicine garden, carefully distinguishing every medicinal herb in the early morning light, not missing any subtle features. Some imperial physicians rummaged through the warehouse for the required items, patiently looking among the mountains of medicinal materials and utensils. After collecting the medicinal herbs, they placed them in a mortar and carefully ground them into powder. Every grind was filled with the hope of cracking the crisis. Then, they added some other items. After a series of complex and delicate preparations, through continuous attempts and adjustments, finally, a new test reagent was born.
At the same time, Li Yunfei personally led the soldiers to conduct a tense search in the palace. He was dressed in armor, holding a sharp blade, and looked majestic. The scales on the armor glistened coldly in the sunlight, as if telling of the owner's heroic fearlessness. His eyes were as sharp as a falcon's, not missing any suspicious place. Every time he passed a water source, he would stop, carefully observe the surrounding environment, and check for any abnormal traces. He crouched down, reached out to touch the ground, and felt whether there were signs of being tampered with. He inspected the water quality of the water source, observing for any strange smell or color. Suddenly, a soldier ran over with a flustered expression and reported, "Your Highness, a suspicious person has been found ahead. He's sneaky, has been lingering near the water source, and his actions are very suspicious. He keeps looking around from time to time and fiddling with something with his head down, as if waiting for an opportunity."
Upon hearing this, Li Yunfei's eyes instantly turned cold. He shouted an order, "All listen up! Surround him in a fan - shaped formation and trap him in the middle. Don't let him escape! Be careful not to alert the enemy. Try to capture him alive. We need to get more information from his mouth." The soldiers quickly surrounded him like tigers descending the mountain. Their footsteps echoed on the stone road. They held weapons in their hands, looked vigilant, and approached the suspicious person step by step. When the man saw that the situation was not good, his face instantly turned deathly pale, and he turned around and ran. Li Yunfei was quick - eyed and quick - handed. He rushed forward with a big step, as swift as a cheetah, and pounced on the man, pinning him down tightly.
After a severe interrogation, the man finally confessed his identity - he was a spy sent by the mysterious force to poison the water. From his mouth, they learned that they planned to poison the main water source of the palace at midnight tonight, taking advantage of the shift change of the guards. Li Yunfei looked up at the sky. At this time, the sun was setting in the west, and the sky was dyed orange - red. Midnight was not far away, and time was pressing, like an arrow on the string.
He immediately ordered to strengthen the guards at the water source, arranging soldiers to hold weapons and closely guard around the water source. They formed a circle, their eyes vigilantly watching all around, not missing any movement. At the same time, he sent someone to quickly notify Lin Yue to come with the test reagent as soon as possible. After receiving the notice, Lin Yue didn't even have time to wipe the sweat from her forehead. She took the reagent and the female doctors and rushed towards the water source. Along the way, her heart was pounding rapidly, and she silently prayed that they could stop the enemy's conspiracy in time. She walked hurriedly, her skirt fluttering in the wind, like a butterfly flying rapidly in the wind.
After arriving at the water source, Lin Yue immediately plunged into the intense testing work. She
was focused, her eyes revealing determination and perseverance. She carefully dropped the test reagent into the water. Her hand was slightly trembling, a manifestation of the intertwined tension and anticipation. However, the test results surprised her greatly. "This is not an ordinary poison. It's a mixed poison, composed of several rare poisons. It's extremely toxic. Once it takes effect, there's almost no antidote. Moreover, the formula of this poison is extremely complex. Several of its components have never been recorded in ancient books. Presumably, it was carefully developed by the enemy." Her voice carried a hint of shock and worry, as if she had been struck by a heavy hammer.
After hearing this, Li Yunfei's face instantly became extremely solemn. He asked anxiously, "Is there an antidote for this poison? We must find the antidote as soon as possible. Otherwise, the consequences will be disastrous. If this poison flows into the palace, the royal family and ministers will all be in danger. The court will be in chaos, and the Great Tang's country will be on the verge of collapse." Lin Yue shook her head helplessly, her eyes full of anxiety. "I need time to study the antidote, but now time is pressing. The top priority is to stop them from poisoning first. No one should be allowed to approach the water source. We must find a way to stall for time and buy me a chance to study the antidote."
Just then, a soldier ran over in a hurry, panting and reporting, "Your Highness, something terrible has happened! We've found that the main force of the enemy is approaching the palace. There are a large number of them. Judging from their momentum, they're coming menacingly. There are probably thousands of them. They're holding weapons and their morale is high. I'm afraid we won't be able to resist them." Li Yunfei was shocked. He quickly scanned the soldiers around him and secretly estimated that the number of their own side was far less than that of the enemy. If they fought head - on, the chance of victory was minimal, and they might even be completely wiped out. "We can't fight them head - on. We must find a way to stall for time." Li Yunfei said calmly, his mind racing to think of countermeasures. He paced back and forth on the spot, his brows furrowed, trying to find a glimmer of hope in the desperate situation. Lin Yue suddenly had an idea. Her eyes lit up, and she said, "I have a way. We can use smoke bombs to create chaos and make the enemy unable to figure out our actual strength. Under the cover of the smoke, we can better hide our strength and look for opportunities to counterattack. Moreover, the smoke can also interfere with the enemy's vision and breathing and weaken their combat effectiveness."
After hearing this, a glimmer of approval flashed in Li Yunfei's eyes. He nodded vigorously and said, "Good, let's do it! Yue'er, you always come up with good ideas at critical moments." Lin Yue immediately asked the female doctors to prepare smoke bombs. They raced against time, searching everywhere for special medicinal herbs and items. Some female doctors rummaged through the medicine racks, picking up various medicinal herbs one by one and carefully identifying them. Some collected the required materials in the courtyard, shuttling through the grass. With their excellent medical skills and skilled hands, they quickly made a large number of smoke bombs. Li Yunfei personally led the soldiers to set traps on the enemy's only way. They dug deep pits, inserted sharp bamboo sticks, and skillfully camouflaged them with branches and leaves, ready to surprise the enemy. They also tied ropes to the trees on both sides of the road, intending to trip the enemy when they passed by.
At midnight, everything was silent, only the wind whistling in the night sky. The main force of the enemy arrived as scheduled. They surged forward like a tidal wave. Their footsteps and the clashing of weapons broke the tranquility of the night. The moonlight shone on them, reflecting fierce faces. When they saw that the palace was quiet, they thought they had an opportunity and cautiously advanced. Everyone's face was filled with greed and fierceness. They stepped into the trap area step by step, completely unaware of the approaching danger.
When the enemy entered the trap area, Li Yunfei gave the order, "Light the fire!" The soldiers immediately lit the smoke bombs. Instantly, thick smoke billowed up, spreading like surging
waves, covering the entire battlefield. The pungent smoke made the enemy cough continuously. They lost their way in the smoke, couldn't see the surrounding situation clearly, and could only flee around blindly. Their formation was in chaos. Some enemies were tripped by the traps and let out painful screams. Some collided with their companions and were in a mess.
Li Yunfei took the opportunity to lead the soldiers to launch an attack. They were as brave as tigers coming out of the mountains, charging towards the enemy. The shouts of killing were deafening, and the sound of weapons clashing was continuous. The soldiers brandished the weapons in their hands and engaged in a life - and - death struggle with the enemy. Li Yunfei was the first to charge. His swordsmanship was fierce. Every strike was precise and ruthless. The enemies fell one after another under his attack. His figure shuttled on the battlefield like a black lightning bolt. Wherever he went, the enemies were terrified. After a fierce battle, the main force of the enemy was finally successfully repelled. The battlefield was in a mess. The enemy's corpses lay scattered all over the ground, and the blood stained the land.
However, Lin Yue knew that this was only a temporary victory. The enemy's poison had not been cracked yet, and the safety of the palace was still precarious like a candle in the wind. She didn't have time to rest. After returning to the Imperial Medical Office, she shut herself in the room and read medical books day and night. The room was filled with various ancient books, from yellowed bamboo slips to brand - new thread - bound books. The candlelight flickered, reflecting her tired but determined face. Her eyes were bloodshot, but she was still focused on flipping through every page of the books, not missing any possible clues. She carried out various experiments, preparing potions again and again, making attempts again and again. If she failed, she would start over. Her table was filled with various bottles and jars, filled with liquids of different colors, a testimony to her efforts.
Li Yunfei silently supported Lin Yue from the side. He personally searched for all kinds of items and rare medicinal herbs that Lin Yue needed. He visited every pharmacy in the capital, engaged in careful conversations with the pharmacy owners, and inquired about the availability of special medicinal herbs. He even dispatched people to the deep mountains and old forests to gather them, sparing no expense in terms of manpower and resources. He scoured for relevant information far and wide. Whenever he heard about any clues regarding the poison and its antidote, he would go to investigate in person. Moreover, he prepared warm meals and a comfortable resting environment for Lin Yue. Despite his own exhaustion, he took meticulous care of her.
After days and nights of unremitting efforts, Lin Yue finally found the antidote to the poison. A relieved smile emerged on her tired face, and her eyes sparkled with the light of victory. That smile carried both the joy of liberation and anticipation for the future. She immediately handed the antidote to Li Yunfei, who quickly had it distributed to everyone in the palace to ensure their safety. After taking the antidote, the worry on people's faces gradually dissipated, replaced by gratitude and admiration for Lin Yue and Li Yunfei.
This thrilling crisis was finally resolved, and the palace returned to its former tranquility. The sunlight once again bathed every corner of the palace, and the birds chirped cheerfully, as if celebrating this victory. The relationship between Li Yunfei and Lin Yue was further deepened during this crisis and became even more unbreakable. Their story, like a rousing battle hymn, spread throughout the palace and became a legend in people's mouths.
They were well aware that more challenges awaited them in the days to come. However, they were fearless because they firmly believed that as long as they held hands and supported each other, no difficulty could impede their progress. In the following days, Li Yunfei continued to focus on reforming the court and implementing a series of policies beneficial to the common people. He delved into the lives of the people, understood their hardships, reduced taxes, built water
conservancy projects, and encouraged agriculture and sericulture, leading the country to become increasingly prosperous and the people to live and work in peace and contentment. On the streets, the common people laughed and chatted merrily, presenting a prosperous scene. Lin Yue, in the Imperial Medical Office, dedicated all her efforts to cultivating more outstanding female doctors and imperial physicians. She imparted her medical skills and experience without reservation, skillfully integrating modern medical knowledge with ancient medical techniques to provide better medical services for the palace and the common people. In the Imperial Medical Office, the young female doctors and imperial physicians studied earnestly, made continuous progress, and contributed their strength to safeguarding people's health.
Their love, like a blooming flower, radiated its most beautiful luster throughout the years in the palace. Whether facing the intrigues of the court or the trivial matters of daily life, they accompanied each other, understood one another, and walked through every season together. This is the story of Li Yunfei and Lin Yue, a legend of love, courage, and wisdom. In the Great Tang palace, they demonstrated with their actions what true love and responsibility are, becoming heroes and role models in people's hearts and inspiring generations to come to forge ahead bravely in pursuit of happiness and justice.