HomeAfter I Bloom Hundred Flowers DieChapter 617: The Crown Prince Coughs Blood and Faints Yet Again

Chapter 617: The Crown Prince Coughs Blood and Faints Yet Again

“Summon An Erlang for an audience,” Emperor Youning strode into the room.

The Emperor’s expression was slightly gloomy, his entire being emanating the calm before a storm. Everyone bowed in unison, and Emperor Youning casually waved his hand.

When passing by Shen Xihe, the Emperor’s heavy gaze lingered for several breaths. Shen Xihe stood to the side with lowered eyes and a submissive demeanor.

An Erlang was immediately summoned. Still unaware of what had transpired, when questioned and confronted with the Ping Yao Marquis’s heir, he naturally admitted frankly: “I was the one who asked Young Master Yu to hunt the deer, promising a ginseng root as compensation.”

The ginseng from the Northeast, especially from the Changbai Snow Mountains, was a tribute item. The ginseng An Erlang promised wasn’t of ordinary age, which explained why the Ping Yao Marquis’s heir was so determined to hunt a spotted deer.

“Why hunt deer today?” Liu Sanzhi asked at the Emperor’s signal.

An Erlang sensed something was amiss but couldn’t guess what. He cast a pleading look toward his father, who dared not speak openly but gave him subtle eye signals. Understanding this meant to tell the truth, An Erlang could only say: “My younger sister craved deer meat. Your humble servant was injured while suppressing bandits before coming to the capital and still cannot ride or shoot. Having some past friendship with Young Master Yu, I asked for his help.”

When such a prize as a spotted deer was caught, asking if the Emperor wished to drink its antler blood was inevitable – to not do so would be disrespectful. Whether His Majesty would drink it was up to fate – this was the only unpredictable element in Shen Xihe’s scheme.

In truth, Shen Xihe was highly confident. Firstly, deer antler blood was precious, and all royal family members would drink it for nourishment. Emperor Youning particularly valued health cultivation. Spotted deer weren’t frequently encountered, and the Emperor wouldn’t order their hunting merely for consumption, as local officials and wealthy families would then engage in massive hunting. Each drinking occasion came from chance encounters during hunts.

It had been long since the last time. Secondly, the recent Dengzhou matter had been giving Emperor Youning headaches, with imperial physicians being summoned several times. Deer antler blood could strengthen the body and invigorate the spirit – the Emperor wouldn’t miss this opportunity.

Shen Xihe had already prevented any possibility of the Emperor knowing beforehand that Yudian Incense would turn deer antler blood into an aphrodisiac.

Many fragrances, including Yudian Incense, were purchased from Shen Xihe’s Duhuo Tower. However, the former Noble Consort Rong, now Consort Rong, harbored hostility toward Shen Xihe. The purchased items were either stored away or distributed to less-favored imperial clan members and consorts, preventing Shen Xihe’s products from gaining prominence. Thus, before Shen Xihe took control of palace affairs, no one knew of their existence.

Only after Shen Xihe assumed control of palace affairs and reinventoried the items brought to this temporary palace did these things gradually come to light. Yudian Incense also appeared in the library and near An Zhengyi under Shen Xihe’s guidance.

Shen Xihe was confident in her fragrances. Once Emperor Youning tried it, he would appreciate its mind-clearing freshness and frequently use it in the library. Having used it multiple times, he would have no suspicions. The library’s eunuch was Shen Xihe’s man, and today he had only suffered stomach problems due to the An family’s secret scheme. Given the Emperor’s reputation for benevolence, he naturally wouldn’t blame him.

Why An Zhengyi suddenly want deer meat? The maid who sent the message to An Erlang was someone Shen Xihe had impersonated – it wasn’t An Zhengyi’s wish at all. Today’s hunting party was also orchestrated by Shen Xihe, who had Bu Shulin instigate Ding Jue to organize it, coincidentally on this very day.

At the temporary palace, autumn hunting was common and an unavoidable custom. If not for this year’s Dengzhou matter, the Emperor would likely have organized the autumn hunt himself. There was nothing suspicious about merit officials’ sons like Ding Jue going hunting.

Everything stemmed from An Zhengyi wanting to climb into the dragon bed. Knowing deer antler blood and Yudian Incense couldn’t coexist, she first learned of the planned hunt and, exploiting her brother’s sympathy, begged Ding Jue and others to hunt a spotted deer.

With the spotted deer and its antler blood, it would inevitably be offered to the esteemed Emperor. How could His Majesty not partake of such a delicacy upon hearing of it? An Zhengyi predicted the Emperor would drink it, and knew he frequently visited the library where Yudian Incense was recently burned.

This was the logical explanation, but only Emperor Youning and An Jingnan knew that An Zhengyi had no desire to climb into the dragon bed!

What did their knowledge matter? With conclusive evidence, how could they turn the tide for An Zhengyi?

“Go, bring An Shi here,” Emperor Youning massaged his temples.

Since gaining the throne, he had walked on thin ice, surrounded by enemies. Through these years, he had experienced countless schemes and plots, always emerging victorious. Today, his accumulated authority was substantial, yet it had been long since he felt such powerlessness and irritation.

Though knowing who the true culprit was, knowing he had been schemed against, even with the entire process of manipulation laid bare before him, he was helpless to punish the perpetrator. Not only could he not punish the true culprit, but he had to become a puppet in their hands, following their wishes step by step!

Emperor Youning had encountered all sorts of opponents, but Shen Xihe was the first to be so daring and unrestrained. Even during the years of eunuch power, none of those disloyal servants dared to be so brazen!

If this had happened over a decade ago, given his temperament, he would surely have coughed blood in anger!

An Zhengyi appeared weak and powerless. Though tidied up, she still exuded an alluring air, clearly showing signs of recent intimacy. This appearance made old officials like Cui Zheng and Tao Zhuanxian look quite displeased.

“Why were you in Noble Consort’s palace?” the Emperor asked.

“Your Majesty… this humble woman… this humble woman doesn’t know…” An Zhengyi truly didn’t know. She had merely taken an afternoon rest, fallen into deep sleep, and somehow woke up in Noble Consort’s palace, with her body weak and powerless, and then…

Tears rolled down one by one. Though An Zhengyi had experienced many open and hidden conflicts and considered herself strong-willed, this incident left her mind blank. She finally understood that her little cleverness was nothing but an ant trying to shake a tree – utterly insignificant to certain people!

“Did you send someone to tell your brother you wanted deer meat?” the Emperor asked again.

“Your Majesty, I didn’t, I didn’t!” An Zhengyi shook her head in denial through her tears.

The Emperor asked finally: “Did you know deer antler blood and Yudian Incense are incompatible?”

An Zhengyi bit her lip, taking a while before nodding. This she knew – unlike the library eunuch, the Department of Internal Service had informed An Zhengyi’s maid, who naturally told An Zhengyi. The appearance of Yudian Incense near An Zhengyi was deliberately arranged by Shen Xihe.

“Go, summon An Shi’s maid!” the Emperor ordered again.

The departing eunuch quickly returned, trembling as he reported that An Shi’s maid had committed suicide.

Shen Xihe’s lips curved upward.

“Your Majesty, the matter is clear. Lady An plotted against Your Majesty for advancement, harming the dragon’s body. She was bestowed marriage to the Eastern Palace, yet such actions also undermined the father-son relationship between Your Majesty and the Crown Prince, damaging imperial authority. Please punish her severely as a warning to others,” Tao Zhuanxian declared forcefully.

“Your Majesty, this humble woman’s heart belongs only to His Highness the Crown Prince. How could I dare harbor improper thoughts toward Your Majesty? Please investigate clearly,” An Jingnan attempted one last desperate struggle.

“Protector An, everything requires evidence. The evidence before us is conclusive. Miss An acted with great audacity, and Protector An bears responsibility for failing to teach her properly. If Miss An were an ordinary lady, that would be one thing, but she has an appointed position as the Crown Prince’s consort. Now she has plotted against Your Majesty, placing Your Majesty in an improper position. How can Your Majesty face His Highness the Crown Prince in the future? This matter must be severely punished,” Cui Zheng said coldly.

“Your Majesty—” An Jingnan ignored them, unable to argue with these silver-tongued civil officials, he could only appeal to Emperor Youning.

This was no longer just about An Zhengyi. If the matter was concluded thus, with An Zhengyi, the Crown Prince’s appointed Noble Lady, having plotted against the Emperor, she would surely be executed to appease the Crown Prince. With An Zhengyi’s death, as Cui Zheng said, he had failed in his teachings and the entire An family lost face. As her father, he would also be implicated.

Emperor Youning naturally sided with the An father and daughter: “There are still suspicious points. I order the Imperial Clan Court and Capital Prefecture to investigate together. Within three days, they must find out…”

“Crown Prince Consort…” Before the Emperor could finish, Tianyuan rushed in. After bowing to the Emperor and Empress Dowager, he urgently told Shen Xihe, “His Highness the Crown Prince has coughed blood and fainted from extreme anger!”

Emperor Youning: …

Shen Xihe: …

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