Empress Lu didn’t want to hear another word from Director Xie. She was thoroughly disappointed in Director Xie and had given up on Prince Gong—speaking of which, her sons, one after another, not a single one wanted her alive. This was truly a failure.
But she was determined to live well. She laughed coldly, took the tea Crown Princess Lu handed her and sipped it. Only after Director Xie was dragged away by the chief eunuch did she look toward Song Chuyi. “Thanks to you…”
Yes, thanks to Song Chuyi. From the moment news came back from Ma Wangkun and Ma San, she had already begun preparing for a rainy day. Detecting that her condition was off, she privately had Crown Princess Lu bring the antidote pills Imperial Physician Yan had developed for her to hold in her mouth. Secretly she also had Imperial Physician Hu administer acupuncture to her, while on the surface still having Imperial Physician Hu say he couldn’t find anything. After searching and searching through the Imperial Kitchen and private kitchen without finding anything, they simply set a trap to draw the person out.
Having Imperial Physician Hu suggest finding Imperial Physician Yan to detoxify, then saying they would follow the court officials’ suggestion to execute Zhou Weiyun and Zhou Weiyang to retaliate against Prince Gong’s rebellion—all to make them jump out themselves.
In fact, they did indeed jump out. She sighed and looked at Song Chuyi, asking her, “How did you know it was her?”
In the deep of night when Empress Lu woke, she carefully thought through everyone around her one by one. But no matter how she thought, she had never imagined it would be Director Xie.
Song Chuyi shook her head and said very honestly, “I didn’t guess it was Director Xie either. After all, although only Director Xie and a few others could handle your medicine, Imperial Grandmother, it’s not impossible that there were other methods by which you were poisoned. It was only just now after interrogating that captured death warrior that I learned it was Director Xie, then immediately rushed in. Fortunately Director Xie truly fell for the trap and became somewhat anxious. The poison she fed you before was always in extremely small doses. I heard it was placed under her fingernails. Each time she personally presented it to Mother, she would flick a little bit in…”
Prince Gong needed Empress Lu to slowly weaken without letting the world see that Empress Lu had been poisoned. This way the world would turn their gaze to Song Chuyi, making it easier for them to fabricate rumors.
“Later, hearing we were going to harm the two young highnesses, after weighing the pros and cons, she became anxious.” Seeing Empress Lu’s expression remain calm, Song Chuyi said softly, “That death warrior said Prince Gong didn’t have many people in the capital—only Director Xie could command them. This was Director Xie’s first time commanding them. She planned to seize the two young highnesses and then…”
Strangely, even hearing it was Prince Gong’s intention, Empress Lu’s heart couldn’t stir up any great waves. A person who has hurt for too long truly becomes numb. She felt somewhat palpitations in her heart, rubbing her chest once, then again. When the stuffiness in her chest improved somewhat, she picked up Song Chuyi’s thread. “Planned to seize those two, then kill me?”
Song Chuyi nodded.
Empress Lu sat up, staring blankly in thought for a long while, finally saying, “I’m going to see His Majesty.”
This matter couldn’t not be told to Emperor Jianzhang. In fact, there was already nothing left to hide. She coughed a few times and quickly rose. After Crown Princess Lu handed over her cloak, looking at Song Chuyi frowning in thought, she asked again, “Does she have accomplices?”
However many years she had been empress, Director Xie had been director for that many years. Her network of connections in this palace was deeply entrenched. There must be other helpers, otherwise how could she poison her so quietly? Even if done most secretly, even leaking medicine from under fingernails, with Song Chuyi’s people watching closely and Crown Princess Lu present, the imperial physicians should have been able to detect something wrong.
Director Xie very quickly confessed all these accomplices. It wasn’t that she couldn’t endure suffering, but her weakness was held in others’ hands—she couldn’t use any tricks. She herself had vowed to never marry and stay by Empress Lu’s side. To this day she had not even half a child by her side. Her older brother’s health was also poor and he left early. Consort Xie also died young. When all was said and done, their Xie family only had Zhou Weiyang left. Previously, no matter what Prince Gong said, no matter how much he pleaded, even having Consort Xie come to entreat, he couldn’t move her to leak half a bit of information or speak half a good word before the Empress. But as the situation deteriorated day by day, Prince Gong fell on hard times, and Consort Xie died, her heart truly could no longer hold firm.
Director Xie along with this group of people were all handed over to the Northern Pacification Office by Emperor Jianzhang, who ordered Lai Chenglong to conduct a strict investigation.
After explaining everything, he himself looked at the already haggard Empress Lu for a long while before heavily exhaling a breath. Empress Lu didn’t cry. Gripping Emperor Jianzhang’s hand, she thought for a moment and said, “If I had truly been poisoned to death… it would also be a good thing.”
She paused, then finished speaking in one breath. “If I had died, and then this group of people were dragged out for public display, then that rebellious son would be guilty of matricide. Such scum would be detested by gods and ghosts alike—where would he still have room to jump around?”
She truly thought this way. Having given birth to these two sons, not one made her feel at ease. She had her faults, but just for these faults, they wanted their mother’s life?
Crown Princess Lu on the side had a somewhat complex expression, lowering her eyes without speaking.
Emperor Jianzhang placed his hand over hers and patted it, his expression also very composed. “Even if there were ways we wronged him, we’ve already paid it back since. Born with so much resentment—what can be done? Set your mind at ease. He won’t last much longer.”
Empress Lu keenly detected the deeper meaning in Emperor Jianzhang’s words and asked somewhat worriedly, “But isn’t it said the Tartars have already reached the gates of Zijing Pass? Can Xibei hold out…”
The Tartars were colluding with Han Zhengqing. The situation in Xibei was currently extremely dire—where was there any time to feel at ease? Prince Gong was not only causing chaos in Xibei, but those he left in the capital were also making frequent moves. She was truly worn out by all this turmoil.
But listening to Emperor Jianzhang’s meaning, he was clearly very optimistic about the Xibei situation. Why was this? Although Empress Lu had been unconscious the whole time, when she woke at night she would still ask Crown Princess Lu about recent circumstances. The court was currently endlessly debating whether to advocate war or peace—why was Emperor Jianzhang so certain that rebellious son wouldn’t last long?
Emperor Jianzhang said no more, patting her hand to reassure her. “Since your health has long been poor, always having Consort Song and Consort Liang help manage affairs isn’t a solution either. Palace affairs should be handed to the Crown Princess.”
Empress Lu naturally had no objection. Emperor Jianzhang didn’t look favorably on the Crown Prince, but the Crown Prince’s son at least had one who could enter his eyes. Zhou Weizhao was their future support. The more Emperor Jianzhang treated Crown Princess Lu well, the more at ease her heart felt.