The scream seemed to erupt from the depths of a soul, carrying a shrill and incomparable cry of anguish. It felt as though Xiao Qi’s heart had been locked tight, a stifling pain so intense it felt like impending death. The scenes of singing, dancing, and the clinking of wine glasses all came to an abrupt halt because of that single sound.
Seated at the highest point, Emperor Xiao Li lifted the twelve strings of white jade beads on his crown and looked toward Xiao Qi’s corner. With that one look, he was struck with horror: Yan Qunshan was slumped over Xiao Qi, his mouth, nose, and lips stained with brilliant red blood.
Panic seized almost everyone in the hall. Timid young nobles and female kin screamed incessantly until Xiao Li slammed his hand onto the dragon desk, roaring, “What are you all standing there for? Take Yan Qunshan down for treatment immediately!”
Chief Eunuch Li, belatedly coming to his senses, led several people to carry the unconscious Yan Qunshan to a side hall. Xiao Qi, however, continued to weep as he clutched Yan Qunshan, refusing to let go for dear life. Time and again, he cried out to Eunuch Li, “Save his life! Save his life!”
Eunuch Li was drenched in sweat. “This, Your Highness.”
Zi Zhu and Fang Hai worked together to pull the nearly frantic Xiao Qi back. His hair and clothing were in disarray, partially veiling his face in a state of wretched misery. Emperor Jiande frowned at his disheveled appearance and said to Fang Hai and the others, “A pack of muddled fools! Take the Second Prince down to wash his face.”
Fang Hai replied with a “Yes” and prepared to lead Xiao Qi away, but Xiao Qi suddenly seemed to snap back to reality. He abruptly knelt before the Emperor, his forehead striking the stone tiles with a heavy thud. “Those plum cakes, those plum cakes were poisoned!”
“This is a matter of great importance; I will have it thoroughly investigated to the end.” Xiao Li rubbed his brow and summoned the head eunuch responsible for the birthday banquet. “Who delivered those plum cakes? Bring them to me.”
The head eunuch moved efficiently and soon brought forward the young eunuch responsible for testing the food for poison. Before the Emperor, the young eunuch kowtowed repeatedly, wailing, “I beg Your Majesty for mercy! I beg Your Majesty for mercy! This servant.”
“There was poison in the plum cakes! How could you not detect it?” the Emperor shouted.
“Your Majesty, have mercy! Those items were given to me by Qing’er from the Hall of Grace. I was merely possessed by a momentary lapse of reason.”
As soon as the name “Qing’er” was mentioned, both Consort Li, seated at the banquet, and the Empress, beside the Emperor, changed countenance. The Empress, a veteran of palace life, quickly regained her composure.
Unfortunately, this subtle shift in expression did not escape Xiao Li’s notice. He gave a sharp wave of his hand. “Go and bring that Qing’er here.”
When Qing’er arrived, her face was a mask of bewilderment. She knelt beside the young eunuch, lost and confused. But when the young eunuch saw her, his eyes lit up as if he had seen his own mother. “Sister Qing’er, save me! You must save.”
Qing’er looked at him with confusion, her limbs turning ice cold. “What are you talking about? When did I ever.”
Upon hearing her words, the young eunuch struggled even more violently, such that the two sturdy guards behind him had to exert considerable effort to restrain him. Flushed with anger, he shouted at Qing’er, “You said you would protect me! Why are you trying to wash your hands of me now and kill the donkey once it has finished its work?”
The Emperor gave him a cold look and said, “Since you claim Qing’er instructed you, do you have any evidence?”
The young eunuch hurriedly pulled a small stack of banknotes from his robes, stammering, “This, these were all given to me by Qing’er. This servant was just momentarily muddled! Your Majesty, have mercy! Your Majesty, have mercy!”
Seeing this, Qing’er was struck with terror. “You are lying! When did I ever give you banknotes? I.” She kowtowed toward the Emperor, trembling. “This servant is innocent! I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!”
The Emperor leaned back exhaustedly in his dragon throne and summoned Eunuch Li. “Go and investigate.”
Eunuch Li flicked his fly whisk and led a large group of people out in a grand procession. They returned in less than the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn. He then placed several items before the Emperor: a few banknotes and a small paper packet.
“These were all found in Qing’er’s quarters.”
With a dark expression, Xiao Li summoned the waiting imperial physician. “Test them.”
The old physician took a small pinch, compared it with the remaining plum cakes, and suddenly fell to his knees. “Reporting to Your Majesty, this is indeed the same medicine. It is Broken Heart Powder.”
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall changed color. Qing’er broke into a bitter wail. “I did not know! I did not know! I have been framed! I.”
Xiao Li’s face was dark and grim. He swept the plate of plum cakes to the floor with his sleeve. “The witness and the evidence are both present! What else do you have to say?”
“I did not know. I have never seen this.”
Her cries were shrill and agonizing. The Emperor pinched his brow. “Take her to the Department of Prudence and Justice for further interrogation.”
At the mention of the Department of Prudence and Justice, Qing’er was suddenly seized by a paralyzing fear. She scrambled on her hands and knees toward Consort Li. “Consort Li! Consort Li, save me! I did not know! I truly did not know!”
This unexpected turn of events caused Consort Li to lose her composure. Her face turned pale, and she stepped back with trembling legs. “You, what are you saying? I do not know! I do not know!”
“Consort Li!” the Emperor barked suddenly. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“This concubine truly has nothing to do with this matter, Your Majesty! This, this Qing’er is a maid from the small kitchen of the Hall of Grace! How could she have any connection to me, Your Majesty?”
She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, hoping for the Emperor’s pity. Standing beside the Emperor, Eunuch Li looked at her, opened his mouth, and then hesitantly swallowed his words.
“What do you wish to say?” Xiao Li asked sharply.
“This servant remembers that this Qing’er was transferred from Consort Li’s palace. Furthermore,” he paused slightly before continuing, “just now, I happened to check Qing’er’s recent movements. It is said that this Qing’er is very close to Pe’er, Consort Li’s personal maid.”
His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for everyone in the hall to hear. Consort Li, lacking deep cunning, turned ashen upon hearing this. Her very appearance betrayed her guilt. Upon further questioning, the details were unraveled piece by piece.
“Qing’er took silver from Consort Li’s maid, Pe’er, and went to the Imperial Academy of Medicine to exchange it for some herbs,” Eunuch Li reported.
“It was, it was Qing’er who said her own sister had fallen ill and needed medicine! I saw that Qing’er was pitiable, so I.”
“Is that so?” Xiao Li lifted his eyelids, looking at her coldly. He then indignantly threw the paper record sent from the Imperial Academy of Medicine in her face. “If it was medicine to cure an illness, why have the entries on this been completely erased?”
In the palace, whether it was a consort or a prince who sent someone to fetch medicine, it had to be recorded in the register. The medicine Consort Li had someone fetch was obviously problematic upon first glance. To be safe, the records had been wiped, but who could have known such an incident would occur, leaving her now unable to defend herself?
She had indeed lifted a stone only to drop it on her own foot.
“I have endured many things, but now you actually dare to poison a Prince! You have truly great audacity!” the Emperor roared. “Someone, take her away!”
“I find that Qing’er looks somewhat familiar,” at this moment, the Prince of Zhong’s Consort, who had remained silent, spoke up. “When I entered the palace in earlier years, this girl seemed to serve at the Empress’s side.”
She sighed. “The Empress is benevolent. If Qing’er had remained in her service, she likely would not have reached such a state.”
The Prince of Zhong squeezed her hand, his gaze shifting slightly. “Do not.”
“It is fine,” the Emperor interrupted the Prince of Zhong. He looked sternly at the Prince’s Consort. “What did you just say? Qing’er served at the Empress’s side in earlier years.”
“This.” The Consort hesitated slightly before adding, “I remember it was indeed so.”
The Empress’s expression changed, her previous calm completely shattered. The Emperor looked at her with feigned indifference, but a roiling anger flickered in the depths of his eyes. “This lowly servant, when did you send her to Consort Li?”
“I, I.” The Empress’s lips trembled, her face filled with panic.
The Emperor gave a cold laugh. “You cannot remember?”
“Then I shall have the Department of the Imperial Household help you remember.”
The head eunuch of the Department of the Imperial Household returned shortly with a reply. He gave the Empress a hesitant look before continuing, “She was assigned there about half a year ago. She served in Consort Li’s palace for less than a month before being sent to the Hall of Grace.”
The Emperor turned back to the Empress, laughing in extreme anger. “So that is how it is!”
“That Qing’er is your person!”
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty!”
The voices of the Empress and Yu Zhongqin rang out simultaneously. The Emperor turned abruptly toward the kneeling Yu Zhongqin, whose hair was thinning and white but who still appeared robust. “What do you have to say?”
“Your Majesty and the Empress have been a couple since youth. The Empress is kind hearted and would never commit such a foolish act.”
“She and Consort Lan have always been at odds! Do you think I know nothing?”
“Your Majesty!” The Empress, dressed in magnificent palace robes, knelt on the ground piteously. “No matter how things were between me and my sister, that is all in the past. Why would I redirect my anger toward an innocent Prince?” she wept softly.
“Furthermore, today is the Prince of Zhong’s birthday. As the Mother of the Nation, how could I do something so foolish?”
The Emperor stared at her fixedly for a long time, a cold smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Indeed, you would not.”
“But Consort Li was promoted by your own hand.”
“We have been husband and wife for many years. I am not unaware of some of your methods.”
“Even if this matter is not connected to you on the surface, as the head of the inner palace, your failure to manage the people of the harem and allowing so many incidents to occur is a dereliction of duty!”
“Pass my decree: Consort Li has harmed a Prince with a cruel and ruthless heart. Grant her poisoned wine.”
“As for the Empress, you shall be confined for three months to properly reflect on your errors in the palace.”