“Xiao Ji San?” The Emperor glanced at Ding Zhao.
Ding Zhao immediately led people to investigate the tea cups and other items used at the Empress’s banquet that day. He glanced at the Doctor, who promptly followed along.
Consort Shu refused to let the matter go and looked at the Emperor again, saying, “Your Majesty, Mingxi was poisoned. I sent someone to summon the imperial physician, but what a coincidence—the chief physician just happened to have gone to the Eastern Palace to see the Crown Princess. Why not yesterday or tomorrow? Why today? Your Majesty, this was clearly done on purpose!”
The Emperor’s expression darkened as he remained silent.
At this moment, Xiao Muchen was suppressing his fury. When he saw a palace maid bring in a bowl of medicine, he immediately stood up to take it. Facing the Emperor, he fought back his grief and said, “Royal Father, your son will go administer the medicine to Mingxi. Neither of us knew she was already with child. This child… before even being born, has already suffered such a calamity. Your son… your son truly feels he has failed him.”
The Emperor looked at Xiao Muchen. This son of his had always been mature beyond his years—calm in the face of difficulties, steady in conduct, especially so as he grew older.
When had he ever seen him like this?
The Emperor sighed. “Go, then.”
Xiao Muchen gave his thanks and entered the inner hall with the bowl of medicine. He gently helped Mingxi up, letting her rest in his arms. He scooped up some medicine with a spoon, blew on it to cool it down, and then slowly brought it to her lips to feed her, bit by bit.
Mingxi was still unconscious. More than half of the bowl ended up spilling out.
“Xixi, it’s me. Don’t be afraid,” Xiao Muchen whispered softly.
Duan Mingxi gave no response. Xiao Muchen’s hand holding the spoon trembled uncontrollably. He turned to the palace maid beside him and ordered, “Bring another bowl.”
“Yes, Wangye.”
The palace maid hurried out and soon returned with another bowl of medicinal soup. As she passed through the outer hall, everyone could see clearly.
Consort Shu could no longer hold back her emotions. She covered her face with a handkerchief and sobbed silently.
The Empress’s face was dark as she knelt on the floor, her knees feeling like they were being pricked by needles, and a sinking heaviness grew in her chest.
Minute by minute, time passed. Finally, Ding Zhao returned with his men.
“Your Majesty, when this old servant arrived, the palace maids of Kunde Palace had already cleaned up and removed everything. We had no choice but to search for the discarded tea dregs. The imperial physician examined them but found no trace of Xiao Ji San.”
The Empress’s expression eased slightly. She looked at the emperor and said, “Your Majesty, this truly proves I am innocent.”
Hearing this, Ding Zhao couldn’t help but glance at her out of the corner of his eye.
The emperor caught this and immediately asked, “Ding Zhao, continue.”
Ding Zhao quickly withdrew his gaze and replied in a steady tone, “At that time, another matter occurred. Duan Wangfei was accidentally bumped into by a palace maid in Kunde Palace, causing her tea cup to spill and stain her robes. The cup rolled into a corner and was overlooked by the maids. That’s how this old servant found the cup Duan Wangfei had used.”
The Empress’s face tightened. Consort Shu, upon seeing it, was filled with fury—if she could, she would have pounced on the Empress to tear off a piece of her flesh.
“What was the result?” the emperor asked in a deep voice.
Ding Zhao looked toward the Deputy Head Imperial Physician.
The physician stepped forward and reported, “Replying to Your Majesty, this humble servant tested Duan Wangfei’s tea cup and did detect Xiao Ji San. However, there also seemed to be another scent mixed in. Unfortunately, the tea was already gone, and this humble servant lacks the skill to identify it further.”
“There’s something else?” Consort Shu’s face could no longer maintain composure. “What else? Mingxi still hasn’t woken up—could that be the reason?”
As she spoke, Consort Shu lunged at the Empress. “Your Majesty, what else did you do? I beg you, please speak! Save Mingxi and her unborn child!”
“Consort Shu, are you mad?! I did nothing!” The Empress shoved Consort Shu away and turned to the emperor. “Your Majesty, I’ve been falsely accused. I truly did not do this.”
“Your Majesty,” Consort Shu shouted angrily, “if the Empress had nothing to do with this, why would the maids of Kunde Palace clean up so thoroughly and so quickly? If Mingxi’s tea cup hadn’t rolled into a corner and been overlooked, wouldn’t all the evidence have been erased? I implore Your Majesty to interrogate the palace maids of Kunde Palace and uncover the truth!”
The Empress’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly said, “Your Majesty, as head of the six palaces, I have always conducted myself with fairness and integrity. How could I commit such a deed? Furthermore, I have no motive to harm Duan Wangfei. I beseech Your Majesty to see the truth clearly.”
“Royal Father,” Xiao Muchen came out from the inner hall with reddened eyes and fell to his knees before the emperor. “Regarding the Qiping Prefecture case, it was your son who insisted it be thoroughly investigated. Zhang Guangan is closely connected to the Eastern Palace. Perhaps it’s precisely because of me that Mingxi was implicated. I believed I acted justly, but I never imagined it would bring harm to my family. This is all due to my incompetence—I couldn’t even protect my own family.”
The moment the name Zhang Guangan was spoken, the Empress’s expression froze.
Duchess Wei lowered her head, forcibly suppressing her rage. Her husband’s life and death were still uncertain—she had come to the palace to demand justice, not expecting Duan Wangfei to be drawn into danger.
The Qiping Prefecture case was the fault of the Empress and her son. His Majesty had turned a blind eye and even tried to shield them, which led to this series of disasters.
Now, Duan Wangfei was unconscious, her husband’s fate unknown, and yet His Majesty still stubbornly protected the Crown Prince?
Duchess Wei was filled with hatred. If not for fear of implicating Consort Shu and Duan Wang, she would’ve argued with the Empress on the spot.
Consort Shu looked at the emperor in confusion, then turned to her son. She murmured, “Zhang Guangan is closely tied to the Eastern Palace? What does that mean? What does the Qiping Prefecture case have to do with the Eastern Palace?”
As soon as she said this, a thought struck her. Her face turned as pale as a sheet and her body collapsed to the ground. She looked at the emperor, speechless.
The emperor avoided her gaze.
Then came the sound of Consort Shu weeping quietly, which made the emperor purse his lips tightly.
Xiao Muchen saw this and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. Then he spoke again: “Royal Father, I ask Your Majesty to allow me to resign from my post and live as an idle Wangye.”
“Do you even know what you’re saying?!” the emperor roared.
Xiao Muchen raised his head to meet his father’s gaze. His expression had returned to calm, and his eyes were composed. He slowly said, “Royal Father, if I can protect my family by being ordinary and insignificant, then I am willing.”
This sentence landed like a heavy blow on the emperor. He suddenly stood up and strode over to Xiao Muchen. “Good! You are truly my good son!”
“Your son is incompetent. I await Your Majesty’s punishment,” Xiao Muchen said, lowering his head.
The more humble he appeared, the more it provoked the emperor’s dissatisfaction.
The emperor wanted to protect the Crown Prince and still expected Xiao Muchen to work diligently for the court. But how could one have it both ways?
He had fulfilled royal duties, exhausted himself in service—yet his wife had nearly lost her life!
He was forcing his father to see the truth: the Crown Prince whom he so favored was not of one mind with him.
Nor was the Empress at his side.
If today they could poison the wife of a Wangye, who knows who they might poison tomorrow?
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