No pop-up ads, so refreshing! Thanks for your support! Sounds good to me ^_^... Chapter 73

  Returning to the Sanwang Fu, what has been lingering in my mind is the conversation between Yi Yang Gong Zhu and Du Ru Yin. It's very clear that their target is undoubtedly Nan Cheng Yao.

  Her hair was like a cloud, her face was like a fairy's, and she had the beauty of Du Ruiniang. She was so beautiful that she could topple cities and states with just one glance. Even in front of Empress Qing and Xiang'er, she would still outshine them by three points.

  Nan Chengyao has always left people with the impression that he only wishes for "the wine in his cup to be forever green, and the beauty in his arms to be like jade". It is precisely because of this that Princess Yiyang tries to curry favor with Nan Chengyao by relying on Du Ruhui's good looks.

  After such a long time together, I'm very clear about what kind of person Nan Chengyao is and I'm willing to believe in him. What I've been worried about is actually the last grip he gave me in the Yu Shun Hall, the comforting meaning was too obvious, making it hard for me to ignore. I naturally know that he must have had some motive to borrow the excuse of being drunk to stay overnight in the palace, but I don't know what it's all about. Although I've never doubted his mind and ability, I was woken up by a sudden knocking sound after falling asleep for not long, Xun Yun was outside knocking on the door while hastily saying "Your Highness, servant girl Xun Yun has an urgent matter to see Your Highness!"

  I raised my head to glance at the sky outside the window, and the east was just slightly whitening. What could make Xun Yun so anxious that he forgot even his usual composure? It must be something related to Nan Chengyao. So I got dressed while instructing Shu Ying, who was in the outer room, to open the door.

  Xun Yun entered the door, her hair was no longer as tidy as it used to be, looking a bit disheveled. She hastily bowed to me and then quickly said, "Your Highness, an imperial edict has been issued from the palace, ordering you to enter the palace immediately. The carriage is already waiting at the main gate of the Wang Fu."

  I was slightly startled, "Now?"

  Xun Yun replied, "Yes, I've helped the princess serve breakfast. It will be sent to the Guimeng Pavilion immediately. Please have the princess wash and dress first."

  I nodded casually, feeling a little uneasy in my heart, and asked, "Is something wrong that you're in such a hurry?"

  Xun Yun hesitated for a moment before speaking, "The people sent by the palace didn't say anything, but according to our sources, it seems that the Third Prince has been poisoned and is in critical condition. The imperial physicians have been summoned, and even the Emperor himself has rushed to the Yu Shun Palace. That's why they've come to invite the Princess."

  My heart sank suddenly, and I felt a chill of bone-piercing coldness and pain that spread throughout my limbs in an instant. It wasn't until after what felt like half a day had passed that I slowly came back to my senses.

  "Miss, don't be like this, don't scare me, the Third Prince will be fine!" Shu Ying hastily helped me sit down, repeatedly advising.

  And I remembered his soothing grip in Yu Shun Hall, and after calming down a bit, I asked Cloud, "How is the princess now?"

  She shook her head, with a look of anxiety in her eyes. "I don't know either, I only know that the Emperor has already summoned all the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital to the Yushun Hall for a consultation on behalf of the Third Prince."

  I nodded and instructed the maid behind me, "Hurry up and help me get dressed, I need to enter the palace immediately." Of course, there was no time or mood to have breakfast in the Return Ink Pavilion. I brought the maid with me and got into the carriage sent by the palace. Although I still had unavoidable worries in my heart, as the carriage sped along, I gradually calmed down, and my thoughts became clearer. The various clues from yesterday slowly emerged in my mind, eventually gathering into four clear words - "Zhu Lan Da Fang".

  As soon as I got off the carriage, there were already eunuchs waiting in front of the Chengtian Gate to hurry me along to the Yushun Hall. The place was heavily guarded and brightly lit like daylight. The leading eunuch did not take me to the Dongnuan Pavilion to see Nan Chongyang, but instead led me into the main hall of the Yushun Hall, the Yu'an Hall. In the main hall, Emperor Yu'an sat on the throne with a cold and stern expression, wearing casual clothes without even his crown, only wearing a bright yellow cloak outside. His eyebrows were furrowed with suppressed anger that could not be hidden. On the other side, Empress Qing, who usually took great care of her appearance, was also dressed casually at this moment, with her hair slightly disheveled. It seemed that they had come suddenly and did not have time to dress properly. Since the people in the palace avoided mentioning the reason for my summons, I also hid my unnecessary worries and unease on my face, only going forward to pay respects with a humble expression and lowered head.

  His Majesty spoke in a light tone, telling me to rise, his gaze coldly sweeping over my face, not missing a single detail. After a while, he spoke again and ordered the imperial physician standing beside him to "take the pulse of the Third Princess."

  Although I understood what was going on, I pretended to be puzzled and confused, without asking any questions. I hesitated for a moment before extending my right wrist. This action naturally didn't escape the emperor's eyes. His expression softened slightly as he said, "Don't be afraid, just let me take your pulse."

  I nodded and replied with a gentle voice "Yes", then let the imperial physician take my pulse, after a while, the imperial physician withdrew his hand and reported to the emperor in a low voice, "The pulse of the third princess is stable and there is no abnormality."

  The emperor's eyes seemed to hold a deeper chill, his expression calm on the surface but with an undercurrent of murderous intent that even he may not have been aware of. On the other side, Empress Qing suddenly trembled and dropped her fine celadon porcelain cup, which shattered on the floor with a crisp sound, spilling scalding hot tea all over her clothes. The little palace maid behind her let out a startled cry, saying "I'm so sorry" as she knelt down to carefully wipe away the tea stains from Empress Qing's skirt and pick up the broken pieces.

  The emperor was already annoyed, and upon hearing this commotion, he lost his patience even with the favored Consort Qing. Although he didn't directly scold her, he vented his anger by smashing the teacup in his hand onto a palace maid who was kneeling to clean up the broken pieces, shouting, "You can't even serve tea properly, what's the point of keeping you? Take them away! Take them away!"

  At this moment, the eunuchs quietly came in and took out the little palace girl who was still crying and begging for mercy. The entire Yong'an Hall returned to silence again. Qing Guifei was still sitting there, looking lost and absent-minded, as if she hadn't noticed what had just happened. Her personal maid, Bao Yan, was frightened by her mistress's appearance and couldn't help but ask in a worried tone, "Your Highness, are you okay?"

  The Empress Dowager remained as if she had not heard anything, her face pale and her body trembling uncontrollably. After a long time, she finally stuttered with her lips, muttering to herself, "Fortunately they don't know the Emperor's taboos, fortunately they don't know the Emperor's taboos..."

  The emperor may not have expected her to be like this, after a moment of stunned silence, his gaze towards Empress Qing had already softened with affection and gentleness. He reached across the table and grasped Empress Qing's hand, "You don't need to fear, I'm not going to die that easily!" After speaking, the cold and harsh expression between his eyebrows grew even more pronounced, his voice taking on a chilling tone as he continued, "I ordered him to prepare a celebratory banquet, but instead he managed to sneak into my imperial tea collection. Is he so eager to 'soar to the ninth heaven'?" The entire room fell silent, with no one daring to speak, not even breathing loudly.

  I lowered my head and eyes, understanding that in the Emperor's heart, even without the previous incident of the poem, his suspicion and dissatisfaction with the Crown Prince were already impossible to eliminate.

  Originally, plotting against the crown prince was already an unforgivable sin. Moreover, in the emperor's heart, the one he wanted to harm was not Nan Chongyao, but the emperor himself. I sat at the same table as Nan Chongyao, and our food and drink were identical. Now, Nan Chongyao has been poisoned, while I am unharmed. Thus, all suspicion inevitably falls on that one exception - the "Zhu Lan Da Fang" imperial tea, which was originally meant for the emperor's consumption but was given to Nan Chongyao due to the emperor's dietary restrictions.

  In the silent and solemn hall, only the emperor's voice was heard again with a cold anger, "What are you still stunned for? Hurry up to the Crown Prince's mansion and bring that rebellious son to me immediately!"

  The Grand Commandant of the Imperial Guard, Huang Gong, who was standing beside him, changed color and suddenly knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, think thrice!" As a high-ranking official in charge of commanding the imperial guards and protecting the emperor's safety, Huang Gong held a prestigious position. Seeing him kneel down, the other officials who had entered the palace by imperial order also followed suit, saying, "We beg Your Majesty to reconsider!"

  The emperor's anger turned into a smile, "Alright, you all want to play with fire, is that right?"

  Huang Gonggang replied directly, "Your Majesty's humble servant does not dare! This matter is extraordinary, so please give your humble servant some time to investigate clearly, lest..."

  "Wronged? Do you know what the imperial physician said? That's the Black Leaf Lotus! The Emperor, furious, cut off Huang Gong's words, "If it weren't for Yao'er practicing martial arts since childhood and having a stronger physique than ordinary people, he would have been lucky to not die. Do you think that if it were used on me, you would still be able to see me now?!"

  "Your Majesty, calm down! I just thought that since it was the Crown Prince's victory banquet, how could he do something that would bring disaster upon himself? He clearly knew that once something happened, he would be the most suspicious!"

  "Suspicion?" The emperor sneered, "I'm not dead yet, and you're all already siding with him. If I really drank that cup of 'Zhu Lan Da Fang', he would be the legitimate new emperor, and you'd all be busy fawning over him, who would care about this unfounded suspicion?!"

  "Your Majesty! I, your humble subject, swear to die in loyalty to you, with no second thoughts! Please, Your Majesty, be wise and discerning! It's just that the Crown Prince has always been kind and benevolent, known by all in court. Today's affair may be someone intentionally framing him, who knows? If we dispose of the Crown Prince with an unfounded charge like this, I fear there will be those in court who won't accept it, and if word gets out among the people, it will damage Your Majesty's heavenly authority! If Your Majesty is determined to bring down the Crown Prince, I'll lead the troops out immediately without a second word! However, I humbly implore Your Majesty to think thrice!"

  As soon as Huang Gong spoke out, the other officials kneeling on the ground immediately echoed in agreement, "Please, Your Majesty, reconsider!"

  The emperor's gaze swept coldly over each of them, a flash of murderous intent flickering and disappearing. The people kneeling on the ground were all bowing their heads in unison, so they didn't see it. After a pause, the emperor spoke again, his voice calm, "Get up."

  Huang Gong and others raised their suspicious heads, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "How will the Crown Prince deal with it?"

  The emperor sneered and smiled, "So many of you are vouching for him, there must be even more people in the imperial court standing on his side. If I really punished him, wouldn't that make me a tyrannical ruler?"

  The officials kneeling on the ground trembled and said, "Your humble servant dares not!"

  The emperor smiled carelessly and said, "I told you to get up, why are you still kneeling?"

  Those attendants stood up with a slight hesitation, and before they could steady themselves, the emperor's voice echoed again in the quiet and peaceful hall, faintly smiling. "Pass the decree, all eunuchs and palace maids who participated in yesterday's celebration banquet in the imperial kitchen are to be flogged to death, not one is to be spared."

  Still remember the shocking swan's reflection (harem)