When Wei Wei said the soup was tampered with, the steward's first reaction was disbelief.
Queen Mirabelle made the corn chowder using a variety of ingredients: carrots, onions, mushrooms, ham, shrimp, eggs, and corn. The corn was particularly notable—it was still tender and not yet fully matured, a delicacy the royal family loved. Though it wasn't harvest season yet, the royal family's private fields had planted several acres of corn. Once the corn entered the milk stage, small amounts were delivered daily to the palace for the royal family to enjoy.
It was worth noting that because the royal capital was colder than Sardinson, the corn here matured later. It was already June, and while harvesting had begun in Sardinson, the capital's corn still needed more time.
All of the soup's ingredients had been prepared right under the steward's watchful eye. Aside from placing them into the pot at specific times and in a specific order, the queen hadn't handled the ingredients much. He had seen it with his own eyes.
"I'm sure of it. She didn't add anything suspicious—not even during the cooking. How could this soup be poisoned?" the steward said, perplexed. "Could it be that someone else in the kitchen helped her?"
It wasn't impossible. After all, there were many people in the kitchen. The steward had always distrusted them, so once the king fell ill, only a very select few were allowed to handle his food. After the king woke up, all his meals and medicines were prepared in secret elsewhere. The dishes brought from the main kitchen—supposedly for the king—were given to Wei Wei. That was why, despite her daily meals being abundant enough to feed all the maids, the kitchen staff never realized an honored guest was residing in the palace.
After all, even when the king didn't eat something, it would be given to his attendants. The kitchen never received anything back except empty plates.
But back to the issue at hand.
While there might have been an accomplice, the steward had personally watched the whole process. The queen had no opportunity, and no one else should've had one either.
Besides, the ingredients had all been washed before cooking. Even if someone had poisoned them beforehand, it should've been washed away. At most, only trace amounts would remain.
Yet the soup contained a significant dose. Wei Wei's sense of taste was sharp enough to detect the hidden medicinal flavor in just one spoonful.
The steward frowned and speculated, "Could the poison have been hidden in the seasonings?" That meant they might need to have Wei Wei examine all the spices used today.
"Your Majesty," the steward said, "for your safety, why don't we have the Countess check all ingredients and seasonings in the kitchen?"
The king hesitated. Since the culprit had already acted, interrogating everyone involved could lead to answers—especially if they found more of the drug.
Asking Wei Wei to help with the investigation was a sound idea.
But Wei Wei shook her head. "That might not be necessary."
She dipped a finger into the still-warm soup, stirred it slightly, lifted her finger to her nose, and then rinsed it in the cup she had previously used to rinse her mouth. She sniffed again.
"I should clarify again," she said. "This substance weakens the body, but technically, it's not a poison."
To people from Hua Xia, all medicine has toxicity—a common understanding. But to people in this era of the Western world, poison, and medicine were two entirely separate things. Poison meant something that would kill instantly, even in tiny amounts. The concept of slow-acting toxins, or of drugs that were technically not poison but could be even more harmful, was unfamiliar to them.
Raising one finger, she continued, "This drug causes no side effects upon short-term skin contact. So the person who administered it could've simply applied it to their hands and transferred it while handling the food."
"So, Steward," she looked at him seriously, "among everyone who handled this chowder, was there someone who didn't wash their hands before touching the ingredients, but did wash up afterward?"
She assumed the culprit would have washed their hands after the soup was made—because even if skin contact wasn't harmful, they'd worry about accidentally ingesting it themselves.
The steward's eyes lit up. "The queen! It was the queen who did exactly that!"
He remembered that Mirabelle had changed her clothes before coming to the kitchen, which meant she had ample opportunity to retrieve the drug. The ingredients were washed by servants and chopped by chefs—both groups had cleaned their hands meticulously, knowing the food was for the king. Any contamination could cost them their lives.
After preparation, the ingredients were placed aside for the queen to add during cooking. No one else handled them again.
And the queen had indeed washed her hands after cooking—but that was normal and had raised no red flags.
If the steward had known how this secret drug worked, he might've been more suspicious from the start. But because no one understood it, the queen's tampering had gone unnoticed until now.
"If you go to the queen now," Wei Wei said casually, "you might still find evidence. This drug has a unique scent—there could still be traces on her hands. That is unless she applied hand cream afterward. But even then, it's likely she still has some of the drug stored away."
Wei Wei figured that this drug wasn't easy to come by. The queen probably kept some in reserve—not just for the king, but possibly for others as well.
The king's expression turned cold. "Detain the queen immediately. Search her chambers and her person. Leave nothing unchecked."
He then turned to Wei Wei. "Countess, I'll need you to accompany them."
She was to assist in the search.
Wei Wei gave a small curtsy. "Of course, Your Majesty."
The steward acted quickly. He summoned the royal guards and, with a signed decree from the king, surrounded the queen's palace.
Queen Mirabelle, having just returned, was completely caught off guard. When the guards burst into her room, she had no idea what was happening.
Without thinking, she grabbed the nearest item and threw it. "What are you doing? This is my chamber! Who permitted you to enter without notice?!"
The lead guard dodged the flying perfume bottle with ease. The colorful glass shattered against the wool carpet, releasing a heavy floral scent into the air.
Realizing she had just broken her newest perfume bottle, the queen was furious. Her anger only grew as she glared at the guards. "Guards! Arrest these rude scoundrels immediately!"
She was determined to punish them severely to make up for her loss.
Unfortunately, no one obeyed.
The guards remained silent, standing firmly on either side of the doorway.
Her maids sensed something was wrong and shrank into the corners, trying to avoid attention. The queen, however, enraged by their disobedience, raised her hand to throw another bottle.
"Your Highness might want to reconsider. That bottle is worth several hundred gold coins."
The steward entered slowly, eyeing the perfume in her hand with narrowed eyes.
Perfumes from Sardinson were famous for being luxurious and expensive. A tiny bottle could cost hundreds of gold coins. The latest blended scents introduced this year went for 299 gold each—unless you bought the full set for a discount. Even nobles had to think twice before purchasing them.
To the steward's knowledge, Queen Mirabelle shouldn't be able to afford them.
Though born a princess and married with a lavish dowry, Mirabelle was notoriously extravagant. She insisted on only the finest things. In the past, her first husband had indulged her, but after his death, she didn't inherit his estate and brought only her dowry when she married the king.
The king, unlike her late husband, wasn't so generous. During their honeymoon phase, he spent money on her, but once she fell out of favor, he only covered her basic expenses—none of the luxury indulgences.
Mirabelle wasn't one to stop buying just because no one was footing the bill. After becoming queen, she spent even more trying to outshine other noblewomen. By the time Wei Wei first arrived in the capital, the queen was already nearly broke.
She only avoided having to secretly pawn her jewelry because the king briefly took a renewed interest in her and rewarded her again. But the good times didn't last. By last year, she was falling out of favor once more. When the king fell ill this year, he had no time to pay her any attention. Realistically, she could have afforded, at most, one bottle of the new perfume.
But now, a full set of six bottles—excluding the male scents—sat on her vanity. Alongside them were other new cosmetics from Sardinson. Since Sardinson had changed all its packaging this year, the steward instantly recognized the designs. None of it was cheap.
The steward usually purchased these items as gifts for the king's mistresses. This year was no exception. So he knew the prices.
While the queen had received a gift from the king, it wasn't this much. She shouldn't have had the funds to buy the rest.
Which meant… she had another benefactor.
The steward immediately realized that Queen Mirabelle had a lover.
And he even felt regret—if he'd checked her chambers earlier, he might have uncovered all this sooner.
It wasn't unheard of for noble couples to have their lovers. But the king had fallen ill. What if this was the cause?
The steward began wondering who the queen's lover could be.
Duke Romanov? Or someone else?
Seeing the steward, Queen Mirabelle failed to notice anything unusual and snapped angrily, "You've come at just the right time! These guards are completely out of line—lock them up! They must be punished severely!"
"I'm afraid not, Your Majesty," the steward replied coldly, all previous politeness gone from his tone. "These men were sent by His Majesty. No one but the King has authority over them."
Noticing his stern expression and the guards' unusual behavior, Mirabelle finally realized something was wrong. "What do you mean by this?"
The steward didn't bother with pleasantries. "Do you remember the corn soup you prepared for His Majesty? Our physician found traces of a toxic substance in it. By His Majesty's order, we are to search your residence immediately. Please cooperate."
Mirabelle's heart skipped a beat. Her face paled. "Poison? That's impossible! I didn't poison anyone! This is slander!"
"Whether it's true or not, we'll know after the search."
Without waiting for her reaction, he gave the signal. Guards began rifling through drawers and opening cabinets, turning the room upside down in search of anything suspicious.
The queen's maids were terrified, their faces pale. When the guards approached to search them as well, the women huddled in corners like frightened chicks, crying and resisting.
The guards were under orders not to lay hands on the queen, but no one had told them to spare the maids. In fact, given the rare opportunity, many guards seemed more than willing.
Fortunately, the steward stepped in. Especially since Wei Wei was present, he couldn't allow such behavior. Before the guards could touch anyone, he barked, "What are you doing?! I told you to search the room—not to touch the maids. Other personnel will handle them!"
The guards reluctantly backed off, some visibly disappointed as they cast glances at the well-bred, attractive young maids.
After the scare, the maids no longer resisted. When the steward summoned other female staff to take them next door for a body search, they went without protest.
As for the queen, she was entirely uncooperative. But the steward had a decree signed by the king. Her maids didn't dare defy it. They forcibly escorted the queen out of the room to be searched in the adjoining chamber.
She left so flustered that she didn't even notice the figure behind the steward, cloaked entirely in black from head to toe.
Once the queen was out of the room, the guards finished gathering all suspicious items, and the steward turned to Wei Wei. "Countess, could you assist with the inspection?"
There were many items to go through—it would take time.
Wei Wei examined the various objects found in hidden corners and said, "After the maids are searched, bring them back. I have questions."
Soon, the searched maids were brought back.
Wei Wei asked, "Before the queen went to cook soup for His Majesty, what did she do upon returning to her chambers?"
The maids nervously replied, "She just... changed clothes and washed her hands."
"And after washing? Did she apply anything to her hands?" Wei Wei had already checked all the bottles and jars on the dressing table and found nothing suspicious.
"She applied some balm," one maid said, glancing at the table and pointing to a ceramic jar. "That one."
Wei Wei picked it up. It was a pleasantly fragrant balm, not from Sardinson. The scent was quite distinctive, but not the same as the one used in the king's poisoning.
"Not this one," she told the steward, then asked the maids again, "What else?"
The maids looked panicked. "That's all we can recall."
The steward's face darkened. "You'd better think carefully. This concerns your lives."
The maids trembled. They knew that if the queen was guilty of poisoning, they—her attendants—would not escape punishment.
Tears welled up, and they begged the steward for mercy.
Seeing their desperation, the steward softened slightly. "If you had no part in it, no one will be punished unfairly."
Wei Wei resumed examining the balm and then picked up two other unfamiliar skincare items on the table. "Does the queen usually use this one on her hands?"
"No, no. For the past two years, Her Majesty has used the hand cream from Sardinson," one maid replied. She brought out the product and then pulled out a larger jar. "But sometimes, she uses this one too."
"Where did these come from?" Wei Wei asked.
There were three skincare items total. The Sardinson one had been a gift from the king, but the other two had unknown origins.
The maids all shook their heads, saying they hadn't purchased them.
The same maid who had pointed them out earlier hesitated, then said, "Just like those expensive cosmetics, they just... appeared. We've guessed Her Majesty's lover gave them to her. Sometimes she would go out for walks at night and wouldn't let anyone follow."
Wei Wei, meanwhile, had taken small amounts from the two unknown jars and mixed them, applying the blend to the back of her hand. After rubbing it in, she sniffed.
A maid's eyes widened. "I remember now! Today, when the queen was applying her balm, she first used her usual one, but then seemed dissatisfied and used the other kind too."
Wei Wei had just caught the familiar scent—she even tasted a trace of it. "Fascinating. A compound drug that only activates when the two components are mixed. Very rare."
She had thought such a technique existed only in Hua Xia.
The steward, catching on, asked the maids, "Has the queen done this before? Around a month ago, perhaps?"
The maids couldn't recall such a detail from a month back—but they seized the chance to protect themselves and all nodded vigorously. "Yes! We think so!"
Whether they remembered or not, only they knew.
The steward turned to Wei Wei. "Are you certain it's this?"
"I'm quite sure. Though I don't know the exact ratio, the scent matches."
When the two balms were combined, the scent changed slightly—exactly like what Wei Wei had detected in the soup.
Now that the method had been uncovered, Wei Wei excused herself from the rest of the investigation. It involved the queen's illicit lover—undeniably a royal scandal. She knew to step aside.
She handed the balms to the steward. "Once you're done with these, return them to me. They may help treat the king and the crown prince. And if the queen reveals the formula, all the better."
"Understood."
"I'll take my leave, then."
Now that the queen had been caught, Wei Wei had no reason to keep hiding. She pulled off the stifling cloak, revealing her face.
The maids, recognizing her at once, gasped in unison.
Wei Wei smiled politely, declined the steward's offer of an escort, and strolled out leisurely.
As she left, Queen Mirabelle was just being brought back. Her search had yielded nothing, leaving the maids who conducted it nervously, while Mirabelle, smug in the belief that nothing would be found, stormed out furiously, clearly intent on confronting the steward.
And just like that, the two beautiful women came face to face at the door.
Mirabelle's eyes widened in shock. "You?!"
Wei Wei offered a graceful curtsy. "Good afternoon, Your Majesty."
Mirabelle was in no mood for pleasantries. "What are you doing here?"
"I was asked by His Majesty to assist in his treatment," Wei Wei said, calm and open.
"Treat him? You can treat illnesses?" Mirabelle scoffed. "So it was you that day in that bitch's room!"
At her words, the surrounding maids exchanged glances and shot Wei Wei curious looks. They now believed she was the king's new mistress.
Even when ill, it seemed the king hadn't lost his appetite for pleasure.
"Yes," Wei Wei said with a soft smile. "His Majesty asked that the treatment be kept secret, so Felix and I entered the palace discreetly. I apologize for not calling on you."
"Count Felix Williams is here too?" Mirabelle was surprised but brushed it aside. "Then why did you come to my chambers?"
Wei Wei smiled sweetly. "To find the poison you gave His Majesty, of course."
With a casual flick of her hair, she brought her still-scented hand to the queen's face. "Does this scent seem familiar, Your Majesty? Smells just like the poison you used, doesn't it?"
Yes. The same.
Queen Mirabelle's expression collapsed. Realizing her secret had likely been discovered, the color drained from her face, and cold sweat trickled down her temple.
"I don't know what you're talking about! I didn't poison anyone!" she shouted, trying to sound fierce.
Wei Wei didn't care whether she confessed. "You don't need to explain to me. I've already handed the mixed balm to the steward. You can explain it to His Majesty."
She smiled again, this time without warmth. "And while you're at it, you can explain why the crown prince was poisoned too."
Another bomb dropped.
Before the queen could react, Wei Wei had already turned and walked away.