Shangguan Ke had long anticipated this day, and indeed, the Emperor immediately asked him if he had any more elixirs upon their meeting.
Shangguan Ke quickly knelt down in a state of utmost trepidation, stating that he truly had none left.
The Emperor could not help but reveal his disappointment and continued to ask, "Is this detoxification pill effective against all poisons?"
Shangguan Ke appeared troubled. "This commoner truly does not know. The old man gave me the item and left after a brief explanation, without giving me a chance to ask."
The Emperor remained silent for a while, then waved him away.
It was likely that the Emperor would be disappointed this time. Although his wife's detoxification pills were highly effective and worked against almost all poisons, the drug they administered yesterday perfectly circumvented the pills' efficacy. Even if the Emperor were willing to use his life-saving elixir to save his brother, it would be useless.
This time, they were determined to make Prince Xiaoyao suffer a good lesson. After all, countless women had met their end at his hands over the years. They were eliminating a scourge for the people.
Not long after leaving, they arrived at the imperial proclamation. A crowd of onlookers had gathered, all enticed by the generous reward. However, upon seeing Prince Xiaoyao's symptoms, no one dared to claim the reward. They had never heard of such an illness and were uncertain.
Last time Prince Xiaoyao was poisoned, many had tried and were helpless against his symptoms. This time, it seemed even more severe. While wealth could be sought through danger, if they tried once or twice and offended the Emperor, their heads might be lopped off – not worth it.
The Emperor waited for a day, then reluctantly fed the elixir to his brother. But this time, no miracle occurred. Prince Xiaoyao struggled for seven days and nights before finally ceasing to breathe.
Upon hearing the news of his death, Wu Caiwei felt a great lightness in her body. The original owner's grievances had dissipated, and she was very satisfied with Wu Caiwei, who in turn felt extremely happy.
Although the husband and wife had not paid any attention to the Shangguan family during this period, Lord Shangguan still kept sending gifts, wanting to mend their father-son relationship. It was too late. Shangguan Ke accepted all the gifts he sent, and then continued to collect evidence of his crimes.
Lord Shangguan hailed from wealth and considered money dirt. Apart from the spoils of war, he had never been tempted by bribes from others or the imperial military pay. He could be described as utterly incorruptible. Su Dan Novel Network.
However, his wife was different. The decline of her family had left her with a great sense of insecurity, and Shangguan Hui was adept at all vices, spending money like water. Lord Shangguan doted on his son, but felt he should not spoil him and placed certain restrictions on his expenses.
As for Qian Han, she was almost always indulgent with her son. What to do when there was no money? The merchants secretly contacted her, offering money or shops. To her, who was extremely short of funds, this was a great temptation.
When the merchants' wives saw that she was beginning to waver, they quickly persuaded her, "Madam Shangguan, you worry too much. The task we've asked you to handle is very simple. So many merchants in the city want to secure this business, and we are just one of them. All you need to do is subtly influence your husband. Under equal conditions, please ask Lord Shangguan to prioritize us and help us achieve our goal."
Qian Han tested the waters slightly, using the excuse that she had a good rapport with one of the merchant's wives and wanted to help her.
Lord Shangguan agreed without hesitation. In fact, he was also contemplating which family to choose. His wife had provided him with a direction, so it would be that family.
After this matter was successfully handled, Madam Shangguan's reputation for accepting bribes and getting things done spread within a small circle. Initially, Qian Han could still resist temptation; she would not agree to matters that would greatly trouble her husband. But later, the money they offered became so abundant, an astronomical sum in her eyes, that she couldn't sleep at night without helping them.
Of course, some pillow talk worked, while some did not. To obtain that money, Qian Han even personally contacted the wives of Lord Shangguan's subordinates, acting as a liaison to get things done, and the money obtained was divided equally.
Naturally, many problems arose. For instance, during a major battle on the border, it was because Qian Han interfered. The merchants believed that even if there were some flaws, Madam Shangguan, having accepted so much money from them, would help them conceal it, leading them to cut corners. As a result, soldiers on the border wore thin cotton clothes in the depths of winter, shivering intensely, and those with weaker constitutions collapsed.
A significant number of soldiers were lost in that battle. Lord Shangguan, after investigating the truth, was so enraged that he trembled. He never imagined that his own wife and some of his most capable officers would be implicated. He could only help them cover up. He suppressed this matter, but some people still found out. Out of respect for Lord Shangguan's authority, they dared not speak of it.
Shangguan Ke offered them sufficient benefits and conquered them with his prowess, stating that he would absolutely protect them. Some of those whose brothers or friends had perished in those battles could not help but step forward.
In truth, when he first found this evidence, Shangguan Ke held little hope. He knew that Lord Shangguan had been guarding the border for so many years, working hard without any credit. The Emperor would never dismiss him from his post solely for this matter; at most, he would be punished.
Unexpectedly, as he was about to leave, an old man secretly approached him and told him something shocking: Madam Shangguan, in her audaciousness, had actually been secretly selling weapons, and these weapons had eventually found their way beyond the border. The old man stepped forward because his son, a blacksmith, had discovered this secret and was silenced by them. He wanted to avenge his son.
Shangguan Ke knew his reputation was already ruined and had no intention of entering officialdom. He decided to go all the way, beating the drum outside the palace to accuse Lord Shangguan.
Initially, the Emperor was somewhat dismissive, thinking he was deliberately opposing Lord Shangguan. However, when the evidence was presented one by one, all the ministers fell silent. This was a grave crime of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country.
Lord Shangguan was also learning for the first time that his wife had such audacity. Although he felt his wife should not have done this, he hated his son for reporting him to the Emperor even more. This time, he was completely without recourse, and the Shangguan family might even have to pay with their lives.
Faced with this irrefutable evidence, even if the Emperor wanted to shield Lord Shangguan, he was powerless. He could only directly strip him of his position. Madam Shangguan did not escape; she was sentenced to immediate execution.
The moment the Emperor issued the order, although Lord Shangguan felt some heartache for his wife, he did not dare to speak a word for her. No matter how much of a scoundrel he was, he knew that the Emperor had already shown him leniency by merely reducing him to commoner status. If he were to act foolishly again, he would only make matters worse.