Forensic Imperial Concubine

"What do you mean by that?" she asked after staying silent for a few seconds.
Rolando smiled in response. "As I said, Harper: I want you to be my empress, and I will do anything for that to happen. I know
that Matthew is now in the Imperial Capital. He wants to take you away from here, but that isn't an easy task. But let me ask you
one thing, though—which do you think is more important to him: the whole world or the one he loves?"
Harper didn't answer because what Rolando said troubled her immensely. If she remembered correctly, Rolando was supposed
to hold the coronation ceremony tomorrow. 'What is he going to do?' she just thought silently.
When he realized that Harper had stopped being responsive to any of his advances, Rolando decided to leave. After he had
gone, Forsythia bemoaned with resentment, "What should we do, My Lady? It seems like he is set on making you his woman
while Prince Matthew isn't by your side! I think it's better if we escape this place as soon as possible!"
"Escape?" Harper repeated, laughing almost hysterically. "There are so many guards outside, Forsythia. It's impossible that we
beat them all. There is nothing we can do—we can't get out of here."
"Even if I can't defeat all of them, I will still fight for you!" Forsythia said with a determined face.
Harper had no choice but to smile helplessly at Forsythia's unparalleled stubbornness and dedication to her. "Don't be ridiculous,
Forsythia. Matthew is still alive, yet there is already someone who wants to snatch his wife away. Of course I wouldn't want that,
but if he wouldn't do anything, I'd be incredibly disappointed. In that case, I don't think marrying Rolando is a bad idea."
"My Lady! What are you talking about? I doubt Prince Matthew can remain calm if he knows what's happening!" Forsythia said.
Even though she had already been serving Harper for a long time, she still considered Matthew as one of her masters. What was
more, she witnessed the blossoming of their beautiful relationship. Because of this, she was one hundred percent sure that
Matthew would never allow Harper to be taken away by Rolando.
"I know. Of course he wouldn't. We'll just wait for him to come. What's the rush anyway?" Harper said calmly. From what Rolando
had said, Harper guessed that he was planning something for her that would put her in a difficult situation. 'But what would he
do?' she thought. Despite thinking hard, she couldn't think of anything.
"My Lady! We should at least tell His Highness that Emperor Rolando is trying to make you his empress!" Forsythia said. She
was starting to feel annoyed by Harper's seemingly nonchalant attitude. Since they were trapped inside the Harmony Palace,
they had no way to tell Matthew what was happening. Now, if Rolando indeed forced Harper to be his wife and Matthew had no
idea about it, things would undeniably go very, very wrong.

Looking out of the room, Harper said, "Don't worry, Forsythia. We both know that Matthew is very capable. How could he not
know what's happening here?"
"I want to believe that, but I still want security that His Highness knows the bad ideas Emperor Rolando has in mind!" It was
obvious that Forsythia wasn't being comforted by Harper's words.
Harper smiled and replied, "I suddenly feel curious. What if Matthew sees me stand on the platform tomorrow?"
"I think he is going to grow furious and Emperor Rolando and his men will be doomed," Forsythia answered at once. She was
well aware of Matthew's temper and she was sure that he would show no mercy to anyone who was involved in this issue.
Harper laughed, seemingly to signal that she was only poking fun at Forsythia. She really wasn't sweating about the oncoming
coronation ceremony. When she was reading the Heavenly Book and was inheriting the power of the Qin Clan, she found herself
poisoned. It was something she didn't recognize when it had happened. She had a special body. Minor poisons such as those
that made people fall lethargically asleep and aphrodisiacs wouldn't pose much threat to her. But the poison inside her at that
moment seemed different and special. While it seemed to be harmless, Harper was still afraid that if it came into effect, it would
kill her. What was worse, the poison was accumulated near her elixir field.
She then began to recall everything that had happened after she entered the Imperial Palace of the Great Jade Kingdom. If there
was nothing weird about the food and drink she had ingested, how had she been poisoned? Was there a venomous insect in her
body? If yes, then when did she get in touch such insect?
Suddenly, Harper looked at the Heavenly Book on the table. Rolando did not take it away. Although she had learned each and
every secret that the book contained, it did not mean that it had become useless to her. Did he leave it because he was sure that
she would not be able to leave the palace?
Harper quickly took the book and examined it carefully. As she caressed its cover, she couldn't help but smile. "He has such a
sensitive mind. No wonder I didn't notice anything."
"My Lady, what is it?" Forsythia asked curiously.
Harper did not respond. The poison was put on the Heavenly Book, right on the blank page that Rolando discovered. He made
sure that he showed it to Harper because he was sure that she would be all over it, examining it herself with her hands.
"You may leave now. Leave me alone for a while," Harper said as she waved her hand to ask Forsythia to leave. The poison
Rolando had for her must be extremely strong because he knew that ordinary venomous insect poison wouldn't have any effect

on her. Also, she was a gifted physician, so Rolando used something that was somewhat more challenging to be removed from
her body. And its complexity was already showing: Harper knew that she had to further examine her body first before being sure
what kind of poison she was poisoned with.
Harper slowly took out a silver needle, stabbed it into her elixir field without hesitation, and pulled it out. The needle didn't change
its color at all. Confused, she thought, 'Is it not poison? But if it is not poison, what on earth is in my body?' The elixir field was
very important for martial cultivators. Whatever was inside her stomach was extremely dangerous. Once it came into effect, it
would undoubtedly make her suffer.
"Rolando, nothing has put me in a position where I don't know what to do. Let's see who'll have the last laugh," she murmured
with a determined look on her face.