Emperor Liang waved his hand, and Chen Wufu arranged for a young eunuch to guide the officials in the hall to slowly walk out of the door. Only after everyone had left did the hall door slowly close.

Wang Xiuyuan's face already showed panic. She grabbed the Sixth Prince's arm, but her eyes were searching for the Wang family. Emperor Liang Cheng sneered and said, "Don't look for the Wang family anymore. The Wang family members are all in the Heavenly Prison now. Fortunately, I noticed it early and a big mistake was made. Xiao Tan, if you want to sit in this position, tell me, what preparations have you made?"

The Sixth Prince was speechless, both shocked and frightened. Sweat dripped from his forehead onto the ground. Emperor Liang Cheng sighed and said, "Xiao Tan, you are a son of the Xiao family, yet you insist on listening to a woman from the Wang family. Do you know how much the Wang family has done to put your mother on the throne as Empress Dowager?"

The sixth prince, Xiao Tan, stared at Emperor Liang Cheng in fear. It was at this moment that he realized that the heart of an emperor was unfathomable. Even if he was able to ascend to this position, what could he do? How far could he go?

Emperor Liang Cheng looked at his son, who was already taller than him, and shook his head slightly. He said to Wang Xiuyuan, "I once told you to stay in the palace and take good care of the princes around you. I assured you that you and your son would have a place to live in the future. You agreed then, but what did you do?"

Wang Xiuyuan gave a bitter laugh and said, "You're the one talking, but have you ever thought about whether my son and I can survive in this harem? Consort Shu comes from a collateral branch of the Wang family, so we, the legitimate descendants, have to support the collateral branches. Since I entered the palace, I've always been suppressed by her, and my child has been suppressed by her child. How can I accept this? For so many years, why should those who should be suppressed by us be suppressing us?"

Emperor Liang Cheng smiled coldly, looking at the somewhat deranged Wang Xiuyuan, and said, "I'll tell you why. It's because their collateral branch, having learned from its shame, has produced a talent like Wang Junzhuo. And what about you? What talents have you produced all these years? Besides scheming and plotting, you've only thought of underhanded methods. Wouldn't it be better to use that time to help your children with their studies? I've only just realized that your Wang family is good for nothing but being cunning and calculating. Do you know how I saw through your schemes?"

Wang Xiuyuan looked at Emperor Liang Cheng with some fear, "You went to great lengths to put so many things soaked in poison in the Imperial Study, and you just happened to use a rare poison from the southwest. Tell me, what do you think I'll think?"

Hearing this, Wang Xiuyuan felt both regret and sadness. She regretted that one careless move had ruined everything, and she was saddened that she had never achieved her wish: to become the most honored woman in the country, a dream that was now hopeless.

Wang Xiuyuan looked at Emperor Liang Cheng and smiled coldly, saying, "Your Majesty, back then you and the Empress went to great lengths to put Consort Liu in the Cold Palace. Later, Consort Liu even gave birth to a son. Could you guarantee that Consort Liu's child would grow up safely?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Liang Cheng was shocked and glared angrily at Wang Xiuyuan. Wang Xiuyuan laughed heartily, and after she finished laughing, she said, "Consort Liu gave birth to a child in the Cold Palace. No more than five people in this palace know about it. Haven't you ever thought about why that child was chased all the way after secretly leaving the palace? Your Majesty, that was a letter I sent to the Wang family. I made the eldest prince think that you were sending Consort Liu's child away to be raised, and then bringing the child back to inherit your throne later."

Emperor Liang Cheng suppressed his anger and looked at Wang Xiuyuan with a serious expression. Wang Xiuyuan released the Sixth Prince's hand, slowly walked to Emperor Liang Cheng's side, and whispered, "Back then, I secretly went into the Cold Palace to poison that prince."

Emperor Liang Cheng was furious and kicked Wang Xiuyuan in the chest. Wang Xiuyuan staggered back a few steps and fell to the ground. She then spat out a mouthful of blood, which frightened the Sixth Prince, who rushed forward to support her arm and called out to his mother.

Wang Xiuyuan looked at Emperor Liang Cheng with a cold smile and said, "They say that a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. Your Majesty brought me into the palace just to suppress Consort Shu. Your Majesty, are you allowed to use others, but not others to use you?"

Emperor Liang Cheng ignored Wang Xiuyuan and called out to Chen Wufu, "Go and invite Madam Xu, the Third Madam, over. I have something to ask her."

Upon hearing the name of the Third Madam of the Xu family, Wang Xiuyuan looked at Emperor Liang Cheng with some confusion. Then, as if she had just thought of something, she asked in surprise, "No wonder Your Majesty doesn't have any symptoms of poisoning. It turns out you've found a master."

Emperor Liang Cheng ignored Wang Xiuyuan, standing with his hands behind his back on the steps in front of the palace. On either side stood a row of guards dressed in black robes, each carrying a sword. Wang Xiuyuan's mind was in turmoil. She knew the situation was hopeless, but she was unwilling to accept it. She gently squeezed the Sixth Prince's hand. The Sixth Prince turned his head and looked at his mother helplessly. He felt like he was dreaming. This was not what he had imagined. The Emperor had been poisoned, and news of the southwestern army's advance kept coming from outside the palace. But how could he have imagined that all of this was a trap set by Emperor Liang Cheng?

Emperor Liang Cheng said to the guards beside him, "Keep an eye on these two men."

Two guards came over, took a dagger from Wang Xiuyuan's sleeve, and found a short knife in the Sixth Prince's boot. When Emperor Liang Cheng saw this, he couldn't help but sneer, and didn't look at the mother and son again, letting the guards drag them out.

Chen Zhaoci was surprised to be brought out of the secret room so quickly. Carrying her bundle, she was led directly to the place where the banquet had just been held. As she approached, she saw several high-ranking officials standing in two rows outside the door. Chen Zhaoci couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Judging from the situation, she knew that her side had won. She couldn't help but feel happy. The New Year was approaching, and it was most important to understand these matters and go home to have a good New Year.

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