Empress Dowager Rongxian stood in Hanzhang Hall. The weather today clearly wasn’t very cold, yet she felt all her pores standing on end from the wind, cold air drilling through these pores into her limbs and bones, freezing her unable to move.
Director Sun and Director Chen exchanged glances, each seeing their own pale face in the other’s eyes—first the Crown Prince, then the Grand Prince. The word “conspiracy” in all this was practically leaping out. Once embroiled in such palace struggles, few emerged unscathed.
“It’s the same as His Highness the Crown Prince… poisoning!” He forced himself to speak this sentence, then collapsed to the ground like a puddle of mud, feeling death was near.
Empress Dowager Rongxian had already anticipated this. Looking at Zhou Weizhao’s complexion that was no different from Zhou Ji’s, it was easy to guess he had also been poisoned.
But the fact was, she had never planned to drag Zhou Weizhao into this—it was completely unnecessary! The Crown Prince Zhou Ji’s weight alone was enough to send Consort Song and the Song family to the Western Heaven!
Then who exactly was it?! That greedy snake trying to swallow an elephant—Prince Duan! It must be him. He not only hoped for the Crown Prince’s death but also expected the Crown Prince’s entire family to die cleanly, with no one left to stand in his way…
Countless thoughts flashed through her mind. She steadied herself, then suddenly turned to stare at the Empress, saying furiously: “If not for your indulgence, how could matters have reached such a state?!”
No matter what, even if Prince Duan had made this move, she could only steel herself now to continue performing this play, continue setting up this trap. She had painstakingly schemed for so long—she couldn’t let this small interlude cause changes midway. Prince Tai, the over one hundred lives of Duke Chengguo Manor, and Wang Jinsi were all watching her from below. She must send all these people down to accompany her relatives in death.
The Princess Consort of Zhennan’s complexion at this moment was probably no different from a corpse. She stared wide-eyed with some terror, only feeling disheartened. If the Crown Prince unfortunately met with disaster, at least there was still His Highness the Grand Prince. But if even His Highness the Grand Prince met with disaster…
Old Madam Chen was no better off than her. Her husband was a famously staunch supporter of the Crown Prince’s faction. If the Eastern Palace underwent change, afterward the Chen family would likely be first in line for retribution…
The Empress lowered her eyes, her complexion so ugly it was somewhat frightening. She stared fixedly at her grandson on the bed with purple-blue lips for a long while, then suddenly turned to stare at Director Sun and Director Chen: “It’s already been three days, and you still haven’t determined what poison this is?!”
All poisons in the palace were recorded. Who requisitioned what and at what time were all strictly documented. As long as they knew what poison it was, they could trace who administered it.
No matter how composed and steady Director Sun usually was, at this moment he could no longer maintain his emotions. His legs shaking like chaff, he knelt on the ground: “This subject has practiced medicine for over forty years and has never encountered this type of poison…”
“Find the person who administered the poison, and naturally we can find the antidote, can’t we?” Empress Dowager Rongxian glanced down at the Empress from her superior position, her voice returning to its usual coldness: “Seal the palace and investigate thoroughly. The palace guards are strict—it can only be someone from inside the palace who made the move. If we don’t investigate clearly, I’m afraid eventually you and I will both be poisoned!”
As she spoke, from the corner of her eye she swept over Old Madam Song, who had been keeping her head lowered as if extremely nervous, a trace of contemptuous mockery crossing the corner of her mouth. Don’t even think about leaving, old thing. Today your entire Song family will be buried here.
Outside came overwhelming cries of “Long live the Emperor.” For a moment, deadly silence filled the room. The timid ones, like the young madam of the Guo family, had already collapsed to the ground first.
Song Chuyi’s palm was squeezed by Old Madam Song. She immediately lowered her head in a respectful manner, only catching a glimpse from the corner of her eye of bright yellow robes passing over the threshold.
Emperor Jianzhang entered with his hands clasped behind his back. Ignoring the mass of kneeling noble ladies and imperial physicians calling out ten thousand years of life, he went straight to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, then helped the Empress to his side. A pair of still spirited eyes locked tightly onto Zhou Weizhao on the bed as he said in a grave voice: “What’s going on?”
Empress Dowager Rongxian swept her sleeve and gave a cold laugh: “What’s going on?! Only at this moment does I learn that my grandson and great-grandson have both been poisoned in the Eastern Palace. What’s absurd is we haven’t even caught a shadow of the culprit. If this spreads, how will the world view our imperial family?!”
She turned a blind eye to Emperor Jianzhang’s increasingly stern expression, her voice cold and flat as she continued: “Emperor! Lying here are your son and grandson, the heir apparent of our Great Zhou. Are you just going to watch the culprit go unpunished?! The Late Emperor is watching you from heaven.”
Crown Princess Lu’s expression was extremely dark. She suddenly raised her eyes to look at the Empress Dowager, those eyes full of undisguised venomous resentment.
“The Eastern Palace has been under martial law since two days ago. Apart from serving palace staff and me, only the Empress and Crown Princess could freely enter and exit.” Emperor Jianzhang’s face showed neither joy nor anger, his tone very steady: “How has Chen Xiang been leading the Imperial Guard?”
He suddenly pointed the spear toward Chen Xiang. For a moment, Empress Dowager Rongxian couldn’t respond.
“The Grand Prince has been in the Eastern Palace and gone nowhere. The palace staff and people going in and out are all accounted for.” Emperor Jianzhang coldly pulled up the corner of his mouth, turning back to Chief Eunuch Feng: “Go summon Imperial Guard Vice Commander Chen Ping. Have him detain everyone who entered and exited these past two days, as well as all Eastern Palace staff, and interrogate them on the spot.”
Things seemed to be developing away from the direction she had originally envisioned. Empress Dowager Rongxian’s eyes darkened as she excitedly spoke out: “Emperor! We should seal the palace and thoroughly investigate the six palaces…”
“Mother, this seems somewhat improper.” Emperor Jianzhang looked toward her, the depths of his eyes an unfathomable black hole: “This is ultimately a matter within my palace. As you said, if it spreads it will only invite the world’s mockery. No matter who made the move, they couldn’t have poisoned people out of thin air, could they? I’ll have the Imperial Guard check entry and exit records and strictly interrogate these serving palace staff. We can follow the vine to catch the mastermind behind this. Mother, don’t be anxious.”
But from Zhou Weizhao’s poisoning to their arrival, the matter had occurred in only the time it takes to burn two incense sticks. She didn’t know if the person who administered the poison would have time to escape. If unfortunately they were truly caught by that iron-faced King of Hell Chen Ping, even a dead person would have to speak before dying…
Her heart panicked terribly. She only felt that the Song family people, who had already had one foot in the coffin, now seemed like the fierce gods and evil demons, ox-headed and horse-faced creatures from paintings—making one’s hair stand on end just from a single glance.
“You all.” Emperor Jianzhang, regardless of what expression she wore, turned back to that group of imperial physicians and raised his chin: “Diagnose as quickly as possible what poison the Crown Prince and Grand Prince were given and how to resolve it. The palace supports you not to hear you say you haven’t seen it, that you don’t know.”
Director Sun wiped the cold sweat forming in drops on his forehead, exchanged a glance with Director Chen, and answered in fearful trepidation.
Emperor Jianzhang turned back to tell that group of noble ladies to rise: “You came to the palace with such difficulty, yet encountered all these matters—truly quite a coincidence.”
Today is Qixi Festival. Wishing everyone with boyfriends a happy Qixi, and those without boyfriends to quickly find one. Love you all, kisses.