Hundred Flowers Banquet (2)

He glanced indifferently at the few jumping members of the imperial family, and finally looked at the emperor and empress dowager.

"Father, Grandmother," he began, his voice calm and even, "I believe that instead of pursuing an unintentional mistake, it would be better to investigate the cause."

His gaze shifted to the shattered flowerpot fragments and the remaining blossoms: "This flower is called 'Cleome,' also known as 'Dreamy Blue,' and it originates from the miasma-ridden lands of southern Xinjiang. Its fragrance is intense, and prolonged exposure can indeed cause dizziness and mental confusion. If mixed with certain specific spices, its effects are even more potent."

He paused, his cold gaze sweeping towards the palace servants in charge of arranging the banquet: "What I am curious about is how these flowers, which are not commonly found in the Central Plains and are poisonous, were chosen and placed right next to the ladies of the household? And what kind of spices were they mixed with to cause such a loss of composure in such a short time?"

“Furthermore,” he said, looking at the palace maid who had “mistakenly”, who was already pale with fright.

“Those who serve the Emperor are all rigorously trained, and a steady gait is the most basic requirement. Why did she stumble at such a crucial moment, just as she was passing by Miss Jiang?”

Zongzheng Hengyu's few words did not directly exonerate Jiang Wanzhi, but instantly shifted the focus of Jiang Wanzhi's misconduct to a more serious incident where someone was secretly plotting to use poisonous flowers to harm people, which could even endanger the Emperor!

The logic was clear and went straight to the point! It instantly reversed the situation!

The Emperor and Empress Dowager's expressions immediately changed. If someone had indeed used the palace banquet as a pretext to employ poisonous plants, then the situation would be entirely different!

This is no longer just a breach of etiquette; it involves a major issue of palace intrigue and the safety of the emperor and empress!

The scene fell into a deathly silence. Even the previously aggressive members of the royal family were speechless, cold sweat pouring down their backs.

Jiang Wanzhi looked up in disbelief at the man who still had no expression.

He... he actually spoke up for himself? And his words hit the nail on the head!

However, just as the emperor's expression softened and he was about to order a thorough investigation, a delicate yet slightly sharp female voice rang out.

"Your Highness's words, while reasonable and well-founded, are not without a hint of bias!"

The one who spoke was Su Yuyue, the daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo. She slowly stood up, a polite yet sharp smile on her face, her gaze sweeping over Jiang Wanzhi and Zongzheng Hengyu.

"As everyone knows, His Highness Prince Heng and Miss Jiang have been seeing each other frequently lately, meeting in teahouses and bumping into each other on the street. It's quite a story in the capital. His Highness is standing up for his beloved and arguing his case. He truly shows his deep affection and loyalty."

Before anyone could react, she continued, "Besides, it's still uncertain whether Miss Jiang has truly been poisoned by the flower. Perhaps it's just an excuse she gave to exonerate herself, which His Highness Prince Heng happened to accept?"

"After all, if it is true, as Your Highness says, that the fragrance of flowers and spices must be mixed to be effective, then who did this mixing? And what was their purpose? It can't be that Miss Jiang poisoned herself and staged this self-inflicted injury, can it?"

Su Yuyue, with her silver tongue, quickly muddied the waters again, shifting suspicion back to Jiang Wanzhi and Zongzheng Hengyu, who spoke up for her.

As a member of the Ming King's faction, she was well aware of the Ming King and the Night Hawk Pavilion's plans. Now that the plans had been disrupted by the Heng King, she immediately seized on the rumors between the Heng King and Jiang Wanzhi to make a big fuss. She wanted to severely attack Jiang Wanzhi, whom she hated the most, and the Heng King, who had always been one step ahead of the Ming King!

The emperor's gaze became suspicious again, sweeping back and forth between Zongzheng Hengyu and Jiang Wanzhi.

The atmosphere, which had just eased, instantly became extremely tense again!

Jiang Wanzhi's heart sank again, and her eyes were filled with shock and anger as she looked at Su Yuyue.

This woman! I think the female lead is the biggest villain!

Su Yuyue's words were like a venomous snake spitting its tongue. She successfully threw a bucket of mud at Zongzheng Hengyu and Jiang Wanzhi, implying that one of them was blinded by lust and favored others, while the other might be scheming and orchestrating the whole thing.

The atmosphere in Lanyue Pavilion, which had just eased slightly due to Heng Wang's words, instantly froze again, becoming even more somber than before.

Countless gazes darted back and forth between Zongzheng Hengyu, Jiang Wanzhi, and the smug-looking Su Yuyue, filled with curiosity, suspicion, and the excitement of watching a spectacle.

"Miss Su's words sound novel, but upon closer examination, they are somewhat far-fetched."

Zongzheng Zhaoran's gaze fell on Su Yuyue with great interest, as if he were enjoying a good show.

"Oh? I wonder what Your Highness Prince Zhao's insight is?" Su Yuyue forced herself to remain calm, but her heart tightened. Prince Zhao had never interfered in these conflicts before, so why was he speaking up for Jiang Wanzhi again and again today?

King Zhao chuckled lightly and said slowly, "I wouldn't call it a brilliant insight. I just find it strange. What Ninth Brother said just now was clear and logical, and the doubts were confirmed. Whether for public or private reasons, finding out the source of the poisonous flower and the reason for the palace servants' misconduct is the right thing to do to ensure the safety of the Empress Dowager and maintain the tranquility of the palace."

He changed the subject, pointing the tip of his fan at Su Yuyue: "But Miss Su, you avoided talking about the key doubts raised by Ninth Brother, instead focusing on the rumors circulating in the streets and exaggerating the private affairs between men and women... This reminds me of a villain in a play who, after his conspiracy was exposed, resorted to sophistry and tried to divert attention."

His tone was relaxed, even a little playful, but every word he spoke was like a needle piercing the hearts of Su Yuyue and the Ming King behind the scenes!

"You!" Su Yuyue's face flushed red with anger, but she dared not lash out at a prince, so she could only grit her teeth and say, "Your Highness Prince Zhao, please watch your words! I am merely stating the facts!"

Emperor Zongzheng Hong's gaze indeed deepened. He looked at Zongzheng Hengyu and asked, "Ninth Prince, what is your explanation for Su Yuyue's words?"

His tone already carried a scrutinizing quality. If his son truly disregarded the facts for the sake of a woman, or even interfered in palace affairs, this was something he absolutely could not tolerate.

Jiang Wanzhi could no longer tolerate it. She could not stand anyone being slandered because of her, especially Zongzheng Hengyu, who had indeed spoken out of a sense of justice!

She looked up abruptly, wanting to retort: ​​"Your Majesty! My relationship with Prince Heng is completely innocent! His Highness merely..."

“Miss Jiang, there’s no need to rush to defend yourself.” Su Yuyue interrupted her with a light laugh, her tone tinged with pity and sarcasm. “The more anxious you are, the more guilty you seem. After all, there’s no smoke without fire.”

"You!" Jiang Wanzhi was speechless. Faced with such absurd and malicious arguments, she didn't know how to effectively counter them.

Just as Jiang Wanzhi was isolated and helpless, and Zongzheng Hengyu was about to be drawn into an even deeper vortex.

"Oh."

A very soft, cold laugh rang out, carrying undisguised sarcasm.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Zongzheng Hengyu finally stand up slowly. He was extremely tall, and his black prince's robes made him stand tall and straight like a pine tree. He exuded a cold and imposing aura, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

He didn't even glance at Su Yuyue, as if she wasn't worth his attention. He simply faced the emperor on the throne, his voice calm and unperturbed.

"Your Majesty, please be wise. Your Majesty has already issued an imperial decree to betroth Miss Jiang to me. Even if we see each other every day, it is perfectly legitimate. Moreover, Miss Jiang and I have only met a few times, and her words and actions have been witnessed by all. If a few rumors from the streets can determine public and private matters, then wouldn't the laws of our Great Shang Dynasty become a joke?"

Then, he changed the subject, pointing directly at Su Yuyue, his tone as cold as a knife: "As for Miss Su, what I just said was based on facts and doubts, aiming to find out the real reason for offending the Empress Dowager, so as to ensure the peace of the palace and the safety of my grandmother."

"Why is it that when Miss Su tells the story, she completely ignores the crucial issues of the poisonous flowers entering the palace and the palace servants' misconduct, and only focuses on baseless romantic affairs in an attempt to confuse the public?"

He walked step by step toward the shattered flowerpot, his boots crunching over the mud and broken petals. His gaze swept sharply over the group of palace servants in charge of the flowers: "What I'm more curious about now is why Miss Su is so eager to convict me and Miss Jiang, to divert attention. Could it be..."

He paused deliberately, leaving a chilling blank, "Does Miss Su know anything about who could obtain this 'Drunken Butterfly Flower' from the Southern Frontier, or who could instruct the palace servants to make such a precise mistake before the Emperor?"

Anyone can use arguments to attack someone's heart.

Moreover, Zongzheng Hengyu's attack on his conscience was based on solid doubts that no one could refute, which he had previously raised!

In an instant, Su Yuyue's difficult behavior turned into a guilty conscience trying to cover up the truth!

Su Yuyue's smile froze instantly, all color drained from her face, and she shrieked, "Your Highness, don't make false accusations! I'm just stating the facts!"

"Let's stick to the facts?" Zongzheng Hengyu finally gave her a cold glance, his gaze as if he were looking at an ant. "What I see is only you avoiding the important issues and stirring up trouble. Is this how the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion teaches its daughters to speak ill of princes before the Emperor and disturb His Majesty's hearing?"

Su Yuyue's legs went weak with fright, and she dared not say another word. Her face changed drastically, and she hurriedly kowtowed to beg for forgiveness: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! This humble woman would never dare to speak out of respect for Your Majesty's wishes."

Emperor Zongzheng Hong's brows furrowed deeply. He was an emperor who had specialized in political maneuvering for decades; how could he not see through Su Yuyue's little scheme? But what concerned him even more were the facts pointed out by the Ninth Prince: how did the poisonous flower enter the palace? And why did the palace servants happen to fail?

Compared to the rumors about his personal relationships, the safety of the palace and the potential conspiracies were clearly more to his liking!

The Empress Dowager's face was also extremely grim. Anyone who knew they had almost been tricked by a poisoned flower would be in a bad mood. She said coldly, "Your Majesty, I believe Hengyu is right. Today's incident is far more than a simple breach of etiquette! It must be thoroughly investigated!"

The emperor nodded slowly, his sharp gaze sweeping across the entire room: "Guards! Detain all the palace servants responsible for purchasing and arranging the flowers for this banquet, as well as the palace maid who made the mistake earlier, and hand them over to the Inner Court for strict interrogation! Find out exactly where that so-called 'Drunken Butterfly Flower' came from!"

"Yes!" The guards and eunuchs immediately obeyed, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.

The emperor then looked at Jiang Wanzhi, who was kneeling on the ground, and his tone softened slightly, but still carried an air of authority: "Jiang Wanzhi, although there was a reason for your actions, it is true that you offended the Empress Dowager. You are hereby punished by being confined to the Prime Minister's residence for one month and copying 'Admonitions for Women' and 'Rules for Women' one hundred times to reflect on your mistakes."

The punishment was raised high but fell gently. Jiang Wanzhi felt a huge weight lifted from her heart and quickly kowtowed: "This subject accepts the punishment and thanks Your Majesty and Empress Dowager for your grace."

Zongzheng Hengyu sat back down in his original seat with a blank expression, as if those words that had stirred up a storm had not come from him.

Only when his gaze swept quickly over Jiang Wanzhi, who was still shaken and secretly glancing at him with gratitude, did a barely perceptible ripple appear deep in his eyes, before instantly returning to a cold silence.

Sitting not far away, Ming Prince Zongzheng Mingchen clenched his fists tightly in his sleeves, staring intently at Zongzheng Hengyu, his eyes filled with jealousy and anger. It was him again! He ruined his plans once more!

The Hundred Flowers Banquet concluded in an atmosphere that appeared harmonious but was actually rife with hidden agendas. The Emperor and Empress departed for their palace, and after being respectfully seen off, everyone dispersed with their own complex thoughts.

Outside the palace gates, the twilight, as red as blood, bathed the majestic vermilion palace walls and glazed tiles in a somber hue.

The last rays of the setting sun struggled to pierce through the clouds as officials and their families departed by car.

Prime Minister Jiang stood solemnly beside the rather plain blue-canopied carriage in the Prime Minister's residence.

He was dressed in a purple official robe, his figure as upright as a pine tree. Although he was over fifty years old, his eyes were still sharp, and he was staring intently at the slowly opening palace gate.

When he saw his daughter, Jiang Wanzhi, walking out with a pale face and slightly unsteady steps, supported by a maid, a faint trace of heartache flashed deep in his eyes. He stepped forward, said nothing, and simply nodded slightly.

"Father..." Jiang Wanzhi called out softly, her voice trembling slightly with the relief of surviving a disaster.

She dared not look into her father's eyes; today's disaster had nearly dragged the entire Prime Minister's mansion into utter ruin.

"We'll talk once we're in the car," Prime Minister Jiang said in a deep, unyielding voice.

A maid lifted the carriage curtain, and Jiang Wanzhi lifted her slightly heavy skirt and stepped onto the carriage using a footstool.

The carriage was spacious and elegantly furnished, with a faint sandalwood incense burning inside, which was meant to calm the mind and soothe the nerves, but at this moment it did nothing to alleviate the stagnant and oppressive atmosphere inside the carriage.

Prime Minister Jiang then got into the carriage and said in a deep voice, "Return to the residence."