Chapter 69
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The elegant courtyard was surrounded by layers of people, and the inside of the house was filled with onlookers, yet it remained eerily quiet.
“Physician, are you sure you haven’t been misdiagnosed? Poisoning?” The Eldest Prince spoke first.
The physician wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded, “Yes, he’s poisoned. However, His Highness’s condition is now stable, with no threat to his life.”
“What kind of poison is it?” The head master immediately inquired.
“This… the humble one is not proficient in the medical arts and cannot identify the poison,” the physician said in distress.
Cheng Yi, who rushed over, immediately took the lead in shouting, “Someone is trying to harm His Highness! What exactly happened just now? Everyone present is a suspect, arrest them all!”
“Is it your turn to shout here?” The Third Prince’s face turned ugly. There were only a few of them present just now.
The head master, with a stern face, stepped forward to dissuade. This matter must be reported to the emperor immediately; the heir to the throne was in danger, and the Imperial Academy might suffer.
Amidst the commotion, the voice of Yuan Ye came from the bed.
The head master hurried forward. Although Yuan Ye’s complexion was ashen, his eyes were filled with a fierce determination. His gaze was bloodshot, clearly shaken by the recent episode of continuous vomiting. It was a close call… so close to death! Someone must be attempting to assassinate him, trying to seize his position as the crown prince!
“Seal off Imperial Academy immediately! Summon the Minister of Imperial Court of Justice Review and the Imperial Guard. Investigate thoroughly! Find out who dared to harm me! I’ll tear them into pieces!”
The last few words seemed to be sprayed out with a blood-like intensity, causing everyone present to tremble involuntarily. Except for the princes, all knelt down.
After all, the one speaking was the supreme figure controlling the lives of others, second only to the emperor throughout the entire realm. When the heir to the throne was enraged, it was a matter of great significance. Accidentally getting involved in such matters could lead to severe consequences, and heads might roll.
The expressions of the Eldest Prince and the Third Prince were particularly grim. Yuan Ye’s words just now were clearly directed at them, indicating his suspicion that they had taken advantage of the situation to harm him.
At this moment, a voice from outside announced that Yue Chen sought an audience.
The head master seemed to see a glimmer of hope and quickly suggested to Yuan Ye, “Your Highness, Yue Chen is an expert in investigating cases. We can let him conduct the initial inquiry into this matter.”
In the corner, when Huo Luo heard this, he couldn’t help but furrow his brows. However, Yuan Ye’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. Yes! When it came to investigating and solving cases, who could surpass Yue Chen? He promptly instructed someone to bring Yue Chen in.
Upon entering, Yue Chen’s gaze first swept towards Huo Luo and Lin Qingyang standing in the corner. Seeing that they were unharmed, he shifted his focus and was brought in front of Yuan Ye.
“Your Highness, what’s going on…” Yue Chen expressed concern and surprise, which pleased Yuan Ye. Waving his hand, Yuan Ye let the head master explain the situation.
“Your Highness is right. First, control the entire academy. When the imperial physician arrives and investigates what poison Your Highness was exposed to and how it was administered, we can identify the culprit. However, Your Highness, I’m afraid I can’t intervene in this matter.” Yue Chen appeared reluctant as he spoke.
Yuan Ye, despite his ailing appearance, displayed anger. “You won’t help me?!”
Yue Chen cupped his hands and said, “Logically, those present in the room just now are the prime suspects. Huo Luo was also in the room, and considering my close association with him, even if we discover something, it might lead to unnecessary gossip. It would be better to wait for the Minister of Imperial Court of Justice Review to arrive and let him handle the investigation.”
With Yue Chen’s explanation, the crowd began to comprehend the situation.
“I naturally trust you all.” Although feeling resentful, Yuan Ye restrained his erupting emotions and took the opportunity to speak some flattering words, attempting to win over these two individuals.
“Strictness is necessary in investigations. It’s better to let someone unrelated to the incident handle it,” Yue Chen responded with a cupped hand gesture.
Yuan Ye’s gaze swept over the Eldest Prince and the Third Prince. After a moment of contemplation, he coldly stated, “In that case, if the Imperial Court of Justice Review can’t uncover the truth, then you can take action.”
With a nod of acknowledgment, Yue Chen withdrew and returned to stand by Huo Luo’s side.
“Why did you unnecessarily come in?” Huo Luo furrowed his brows and whispered.
“Can’t I join in the fun a bit?” Yue Chen retorted.
“You’re really…” Huo Luo was left speechless, glaring at Yue Chen.
“Quiet!” Yue Chen frowned, clicking his tongue.
Huo Luo snorted but didn’t say much more.
Yue Chen and Huo Luo both understood the situation well. Regardless of who was behind this, they couldn’t afford to get involved. If the investigation revealed anything, they might be implicated.
Yue Chen looked at Lin Qingyang, harboring a suspicion. Earlier, why was Chu Lishu so eager for Lin Qingyang to come out? Was it because he was worried about Lin Qingyang’s situation or feared he might get involved in something else?
Seeing Lin Qingyang looking over, Yue Chen reassured him, “Don’t worry. If this has nothing to do with you, there won’t be any issues.”
Lin Qingyang nodded. With a clear conscience, he had nothing to fear. “Were you with my cousin just now? How is he doing?”
“He couldn’t come in, probably stayed with someone else,” Yue Chen said.
Lin Qingyang acknowledged with an “oh.” However, in his heart, thoughts were racing. Who was behind the poisoning of Yuan Ye? Since it wasn’t part of the original plot, Lin Qingyang couldn’t assert anything. The male lead was a suspect, but both royal heirs competing for the throne also had motives. Political machinations were inherently intricate, and Lin Qingyang, not being part of this power struggle, couldn’t discern much. All he could do was wait for the outcome.
Soon, soldiers arrived, surrounding Luojia Mountain, ensuring not even a mosquito could fly out.
Upon the arrival of the Imperial Court of Justice Review, they immediately cleared the personnel inside the house, sending them to different rooms to wait. As for the students outside, they were collectively guarded in a unified location. With this arrangement, everyone knew that something serious was amiss.
Once the arrangements outside were set, the Minister of Imperial Court of Justice Review entered and immediately began the investigation. He noticed that Yue Chen and Huo Luo were also present.
Naturally, the officials from the Imperial Court of Justice Review were familiar with the two of them and wanted to invite them to collaborate on the case. Otherwise, facing these princes made them a bit nervous.
However, they were still declined for the same reasons, so the Minister of Imperial Court of Justice Review had to proceed on his own.
Yue Chen and Huo Luo, along with Lin Qingyang who was implicated, stayed together in a small room next door.
Huo Luo couldn’t help but ask, “Yue Chen, who do you think is behind this?”
“Without an investigation, it’s hard to say. Currently, all possibilities are on the table. Just pray it’s not one of us being framed,” Yue Chen replied.
“Will it be?” Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Yue Chen smiled and said, “Who knows? But there’s one thing that can be certain.”
“What?” Lin Qingyang and Huo Luo asked simultaneously.
Yue Chen casually found a bench to lie down on, stretched lazily, and said, “There’s no way we can watch the afternoon match.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyang suddenly felt something flash through his mind but couldn’t quite grasp it.
Huo Luo, feeling displeased, pushed Yue Chen, “Why are you thinking about that at a time like this!”
Immediately, Yue Chen playfully grabbed Huo Luo and started wrestling with him.
After being questioned by the Imperial Court of Justice Review official, the atmosphere in their room remained relaxed.
However, in another room with only two people, tension began to rise.
“Was it you?” The Eldest Prince paced back and forth in the room, unable to contain himself from questioning.
The Third Prince, originally sitting with a gloomy expression, immediately retorted, “Am I insane? I think it’s you, Eldest Brother. You have a strong motive for the crime.”
The eldest prince sneered, “Stop talking nonsense. It’s definitely not me. I think it’s you. Unable to make a move in the palace, you took the opportunity to act here outside the palace. Aren’t you the one among us who likes to engage in these dark schemes?”
“Who are you talking about? It’s ridiculous! If it weren’t for the commotion caused by your favorite Wang Tong’en and Cheng Yi, would there be this outing? I think it was all planned by you!”
“Wang Tong’en and Cheng Yi clashed, why did you follow along? Isn’t it because you wanted to do something?” The eldest prince retorted defiantly.
The two, one being the legitimate eldest son and the other the most favored child, had been resentful of each other since childhood. They quarreled over everything, from the Wang family to the imperial palace, and now, in the midst of this discussion, they almost came to blows.
Fortunately, the Imperial Court of Justice Review’s entrance for questioning interrupted the brewing tension.
Soon, news came from the imperial physician, clarifying the nature of the poison. The Minister efficiently uncovered how the poisoning was done. The group was then led back to their respective rooms.
Upon returning to their room, Lin Qingyang felt as though the temperature had dropped, giving the space a chill. Upon closer inspection, the charcoal fire that had been burning in the room was now extinguished.
Yuan Ye, now wearing clothes, sat pale-faced in the main seat. The imperial physician was administering treatment nearby, indicating that Yuan Ye intended to witness the Minister of Imperial Court of Justice Review’s interrogation personally.
“The matter has been clarified; the poison was administered through the charcoal fire. As the charcoal burned, the room gradually filled with the poison, and inhaling it resulted in poisoning.”
Upon hearing this, both the eldest and third princes became anxious, “Doesn’t that mean we’re all poisoned?”
“For ordinary people, inhaling this type of poison would cause discomfort for a while. Those in good health might not even feel anything. However, for those who have been consuming silver-leaf tea for an extended period, substances unique to silver-leaf tea accumulate in the body and interact with the poison in the charcoal fire. This interaction can induce severe symptoms, including vomiting large amounts of blood. In milder cases, like the Crown Prince, one could recover with some rest after expelling the blood mixed with toxins. But for the elderly or frail, the situation would undoubtedly be grave.”
“Will it lead to death?” Yuan Ye asked through gritted teeth.
The imperial physician hesitated and cautiously replied, “Unless someone has an exceptionally weak constitution… it’s possible to succumb to death from vomiting blood.”
Yuan Ye took a sharp intake of breath, his gaze piercing like a knife as if he were just a step away from death. “So, it’s definitely an assassination targeting me! Minister, speak up. Who is the most likely suspect?”
The Minister stepped forward, bowing his head slightly. “Firstly, silver leaf tea is a tribute from the palace, and it’s also a beverage frequently consumed by the Crown Prince. Therefore, the perpetrator must be someone who knows Your Highness’s habits well, in order to set up such a complex poisoning scheme. This at least proves that someone within the palace is involved.”
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the eldest and third princes changed. Each of them had different preferences, and Yuan Ye was the only one who liked silver-leaf tea. Consequently, most of the silver-leaf tea in the palace was sent to the Eastern Palace. Anyone who knew Yuan Ye’s situation must be someone from within the palace.
“Secondly, I inquired with the head master. This type of charcoal is of the highest quality and is generally reserved within the Imperial Academy. Even the head master wouldn’t use it unless there were superior officials visiting. These regulations are clearly stated within the Imperial Academy. This batch of charcoal was delivered ten days ago, and the supplier of the charcoal is… a subsidiary shop under the Pei family.”
Upon hearing this, the third prince, who had just started to grasp the situation, was instantly stunned.
At this moment, all eyes were focused on the third prince.
The Pei family was essentially synonymous with the third prince. The palace provided information, and the Pei family supplied the charcoal—everything seemed to make sense.
“Impossible! This is absolutely absurd! You’re talking nonsense!” The third prince immediately protested anxiously.
However, Yuan Ye looked at him with resentment. “Bring Pei Jin up here.”
The developments were too sudden, leaving Lin Qingyang bewildered. He turned to Yue Chen, only to find a slight furrow in his brow as if he was not entirely satisfied with the current judgment.
Soon, Pei Jin was brought up by the guards. Surprisingly, Pei Jin displayed no signs of panic. Instead, she wore a solemn expression, and her eyes were dark and intense. In fact, when they were observing outside and saw someone investigating the charcoal, Pei Jin had already mentally prepared herself and anticipated some possible scenarios.
The Minister of Imperial Court of Justice Review summarized the situation once again.
Kneeling on the ground, Pei Jin directly stated, “The Minister is correct. The charcoal for the Imperial Academy has always come from a shop under our family’s control. However, the person who poisoned the charcoal is definitely not us. The Pei family has always been loyal to the royal family. How could we possibly plot harm against Your Highness the Crown Prince?”
Upon hearing this, Yuan Ye was on the verge of coldly snorting, but he endured and continued to listen, eager to see how they would try to defend themselves.
“This must be a misunderstanding. Consider that the decision of the three princes to come here was made within the past three days, while this batch of charcoal was delivered ten days ago. Can the shop’s attendants foresee the future?” Pei Jin remained calm and composed, posing a thought-provoking question that instantly loosened the grip of the accusations placed on them.
“If the poisoning was targeted at Your Highness the Crown Prince, then the person who tampered with the charcoal must have done so within these past few days, perhaps even today. In other words, anyone associated with the Imperial Academy during this time is a suspect. Surprisingly, our shop is the only one without suspicion!”
As everyone quieted down due to Pei Jin’s rebuttal, the third prince immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’ve considered this aspect as well. However, after the charcoal was delivered, it was immediately locked in the storage room and only taken out today. According to Young Master Pei’s argument, the poisoning could only have occurred today, passing through someone’s hands. In that case, only one situation could arise: the charcoal that was taken out today is poisoned, and the remaining high-quality charcoal that wasn’t taken out is definitely safe.”
As the Minister spoke, Pei Jin’s complexion changed. Clever as she was, she had already anticipated what the official would say next.
“But after our examination, all the high-quality charcoal is poisoned. If the person who poisoned it today didn’t intend to carry out such an elaborate plan, then it’s only possible that the poisoning occurred when the charcoal was initially delivered, and by those responsible for guarding it.”
The head master continued, “The one in charge of guarding has been with our Imperial Academy for decades. He is deaf and mute, and has never left the Imperial Academy. There are no such toxins in the academy’s infirmary. Therefore, he lacks the capability to obtain poison.”
“After eliminating all other possibilities, the only remaining likelihood is that the poison was administered before the delivery.” The Minister’s cold voice gradually analyzed the situation.
After Pei Jin’s face faded for a while, she gradually regained composure. “A basket of charcoal, passing through the hands of who knows how many people before being delivered here—we can’t track all of them. Moreover, the question I just raised, the Minister of Imperial Court of Justice Review can’t explain either. How could our shop have known ten days in advance that the princes were coming?”
“Why not? The agreement between Wang Tong’en and Cheng Yi for the cuju match was made a month ago. If they truly wanted to carry out this plan, they could have used this entire month to find a way to entice us to come,” the eldest prince immediately remarked, recalling the conversation he had just had with the third prince in the adjacent room.
The third prince, unable to contain his anger, said, “Clearly, it was Elder Brother Crown Prince, who wanted to come. Who would have enticed him?”
“If the Crown Prince didn’t mention it, someone hidden in the shadows might have brought it up sooner or later—it’s just a coincidence,” the eldest prince directly countered.
The third prince was so angry that his face turned red. “How… how could someone plan something with such unpredictable variables in advance? What if… what if it accidentally harmed someone else? Wouldn’t all previous efforts be in vain?”
“Just now, didn’t the imperial physician say? If only the charcoal was ignited, hardly anyone would notice that it was poisoned. Only the crown prince, who drinks silver-leaf tea, would have a reaction. If it fails, there’s little loss. If it succeeds, then the culprit’s elaborate setup would not be in vain,” argued the eldest prince, desperately trying to pin the blame on Pei Jin.
With the eldest prince’s argument, the room fell silent. Indeed, all possibilities seemed to point toward the Pei family, making them the prime suspects.
Lin Qingyang couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. If it was truly the work of the Pei family, it seemed too easy for them to be implicated. It felt like a significant oversight if they were responsible.
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