Zhang Xiuyi’s face darkened as soon as she heard Cui’er’s words. She quickly knelt down and spoke with a calm demeanor.
“I implore Her Majesty the Empress to see clearly. This concubine did not administer any poison. I hosted His Highness the Crown Prince and Prince Yulou. Seeing that Prince Yulou is perfectly fine, why would His Highness the Crown Prince suffer from stomach pain? And even if he is in pain, it is claimed that I administered poison.”
Upon seeing Mu Xing poisoned, Prince Yulou’s eyes glinted with smugness. He hurried over and echoed Zhang Xiuyi’s words, “Yes, I ate with him, and I’m fine. How could Concubine Mother Xiuyi possibly poison him?”
When Liu Liu heard that her son might be poisoned, her expression tightened, and her heart lurched. She swiftly moved to her son’s side, cradled his small body, and spoke with a cold, stern voice, “Summon the imperial physician immediately.”
“Yes,” Hong Xiu, receiving the Empress’s command, darted out to instruct the young eunuch waiting outside the hall doors to fetch the imperial physician with utmost urgency. Another young eunuch was dispatched to inform the Emperor.
Before long, the imperial physician arrived, followed by the Emperor. The Grand Hall of Guangyang Palace descended into a state of frantic activity. The imperial physician examined Mu Xing’s pulse and found it to be slightly superficial, but no signs of poisoning were apparent.
Seeing the Empress and the Emperor gazing at him with worried expressions, his legs trembled with fear, and he was unsure what to say.
If the Crown Prince was not poisoned, why was he crying out with stomach pain? This was a serious matter, and he might even lose his life. Thus, the imperial physician spoke with trepidation.
“This old minister does not know what poison His Highness the Crown Prince has ingested. I beg His Majesty and Her Majesty to punish me.”
Upon hearing the imperial physician’s words, Feng Xie flew into a rage and kicked the elderly physician away. With a thud, the old imperial physician was almost thrown to death. Another imperial physician stepped forward to examine the pulse, this time with even greater caution.
Liu Liu held her son. Seeing everyone’s anxiety, Mu Xing tilted his eyes and whispered into Liu Liu’s ear.
“Mother, I’m fine. I didn’t drink the tea she poisoned.”
Liu Liu’s heart relaxed upon hearing Mu Xing’s words, but her son’s statement ignited her fury. She knew Mu Xing had played with poisons since childhood and was naturally sensitive to medicines.
Since he said so, Zhang Xiuyi must have drugged Mu Xing. Liu Liu gently placed her son down, her entire body radiating a fierce aura. She turned around and glared furiously at the woman kneeling on the ground.
A killing intent surged from her palms. With a flick of her hand, she delivered a sharp, vicious slap to Zhang Xiuyi, followed by cruel words.
“If I find any evidence against you, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Come, immediately investigate the tea and pastries on the table. Don’t overlook anything.”
“Yes.”
The imperial physicians, hearing the Empress’s command to examine the items on the table, breathed a sigh of relief. Physical objects were much easier to investigate than the Crown Prince’s unfathomable poison.
The imperial physicians immediately proceeded to examine the pastries on the table. Zhang Xiuyi, kneeling on the ground, felt her head buzz from the Empress’s slap.
Although resentment churned within her, she dared not make any move. Even though she knew Ye Nu had swapped the items, she still felt a bead of sweat on her brow, cautiously glancing at the imperial physicians’ actions from a distance.
The Emperor, who had been standing beside Liu Liu, saw that the Empress was not having the imperial physicians investigate Mu Xing’s poison but was instead focusing on the tea and pastries. He became anxious, pulled Liu Liu aside, and asked with confusion.
“Liu’er, have you gone mad? Quickly let the imperial physicians investigate why Mu Xing has a stomachache.”
“There’s no need,”
Liu Liu refused coldly, her face darkening. The thought that all this was caused by the women in the Emperor’s harem made her expression even more grim.
Meanwhile, Feng Xie’s charming face was etched with coldness. He stared ominously at Zhang Xiuyi. He had always believed this woman to be a model of propriety, which was why he had kept her in the palace.
He had kept her, a woman who bore no children, in the palace because he considered her honest and virtuous. He never expected her to harbor such ill intentions today.
“Zhang Xiuyi, confess truthfully. Did you poison His Highness the Crown Prince? As long as you hand over the antidote, I will grant you a complete corpse.”
As Feng Xie’s cold and resolute words fell, Zhang Xiuyi shivered uncontrollably. The man she had followed for many years was now offering her a whole corpse as a boon. Despair washed over her, and tears flowed uncontrollably.
It was true that emperors were the most heartless throughout history. However, this man was not heartless; he had bestowed his affection upon another woman, and she couldn’t even hope for a single leftover morsel. Now, she could no longer care about herself. Let her die without a whole corpse; it was fine.
As long as His Highness the Crown Prince died, Prince Yulou would undoubtedly be made the Crown Prince, and then Noble Consort Lou De would have the right to speak. She would surely plead for the Zhang family. She only hoped that her father and elder brother would not die.
After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Xiuyi calmly shook her head, “This concubine did not administer poison. I implore His Majesty to see clearly.”
“Very well, it seems you won’t shed tears until you see the coffin,”
Feng Xie gritted his teeth. Seeing his son curled up on the soft couch, he stepped forward and picked him up. His starry eyes were filled with heartache, fearing something might happen to his son.
Mu Xing felt his imperial father’s warm presence enveloping him. He had wanted to tell his father that he was fine, but remembering how his father had reprimanded him, he feigned ignorance.
Prince Yulou, from a distance, saw his imperial father, whom he rarely saw. The moment he appeared, he showered the Crown Prince with affection.
Yet, his father always treated him with disdain. Even when he resorted to starving himself or refusing to eat, his father wouldn’t even glance at him.
At this moment, his slender eyes flashed with a ferocity unbefitting a five-year-old child. He gritted his teeth, his face darkening ominously as he looked at the soft couch.
The imperial physicians were anxiously examining the situation when the Empress Dowager hurried into the hall, her face beaded with sweat, appearing to have rushed over in extreme anxiety.
Upon entering the hall, she made straight for Mu Xing, calling out his pet names with great distress. She forcefully snatched Mu Xing from the Emperor’s arms and repeatedly asked with concern.
“Mu Xing, are you alright? Mu Xing, my good grandson, are you alright? You must not be harmed. If something happens to you, your Imperial Grandmother cannot live either.”
The Empress Dowager was on the verge of tears, clutching Mu Xing. Mu Xing opened a sliver of his eye and glanced at his Imperial Grandmother.
Seeing her face covered in tears, he startled slightly and quickly closed his eyes, contemplating whether he should open them at the opportune moment. However, if he opened them now, the evidence would be lost. Wouldn’t this wicked woman get away with it?
He might as well endure it. Mother would surely find evidence. This was the perfect opportunity to get rid of this detestable woman.
There was only this young boy’s mother and him left in the palace. They had better not give him any leverage.
If they were caught, he would still have them expelled from the palace. Mu Xing’s mind was incredibly sharp.
The Empress Dowager, however, knew nothing. Seeing that the little fellow hadn’t moved despite her cries for a long time, her heart ached so much that she felt she could hardly breathe. She looked at the Emperor and spoke sternly.
“This woman is too wicked to dare poison His Highness the Crown Prince. Immediately exterminate the nine generations of the Zhang family. There is no need for an interrogation; execute them directly.”
Upon hearing the Empress Dowager’s words, Zhang Xiuyi’s entire body went limp with shock. Good heavens, please don’t let this happen! She quickly kowtowed repeatedly, “I implore Her Majesty the Empress Dowager to investigate clearly. This concubine did not administer poison.”
The Empress Dowager paid no heed, not even glancing at Zhang Xiuyi. She only focused on comforting Mu Xing in her arms, completely ignoring Prince Yulou by her side. This further deepened Yulou’s resentment.
His imperial father disliked him, and he still had his Imperial Grandmother’s affection. Now, even his Imperial Grandmother doted on this dead child. He cursed him to die quickly, to die immediately. He had stolen everything from him. He just wanted him to die quickly.
Little Yulou cursed incessantly in his heart.