When Li Mufeng placed the aphrodisiac in front of Emperor Li Hongwen, Han Ruyi was dumbfounded.
"Impossible, absolutely impossible."
Then, his sharp eyes turned to Chunxiu, the maid beside him, who shook her head repeatedly.
"No...it wasn't me, I only bought three sticks of aphrodisiac incense..."
As soon as he finished speaking, he realized he had said the wrong thing and quickly covered his mouth, but it was too late. Many people had already heard it, including Emperor Li Hongwen.
"Your Majesty, did you hear that she bought three sticks of aphrodisiac? She's my second sister's woman, so she probably won't listen to my instigation."
Empress Dowager Fengxiu frowned.
"This Han Ruyi is a fool, more trouble than he's worth."
If Chu Yunmo hadn't insisted on protecting her, she wouldn't have bothered with her at all.
Chu Yunmo is a very capable person. Right now, if he wants to support his son, the Prince Lin, to ascend the throne, he can only do so by protecting Han Ruyi first. I really don't understand why he would help Han Ruyi.
After a moment of internal debate, Empress Dowager Fengxiu pointed at Chunxiu.
"It was you! You murdered Consort Zhen, causing her to lose her virginity. You not only tarnished Consort Zhen's reputation and ruined the royal family's honor, but also brought shame upon the Emperor. This is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family."
"His Majesty is merciful. As long as you confess your crimes, you will be treated leniently. Why don't you confess quickly?"
"This servant...no, no, sob sob..."
Chunxiu shook her head repeatedly, but Han Ruyi pinched her hard.
"It was you who harmed me. The Empress Dowager is absolutely right. If you do not confess your crimes, your entire family will be executed."
"This servant confesses, it was this servant who did it all for His Majesty, sob sob..."
Under the threat of Empress Dowager Feng Xiuzhen and Han Ruyi, Chunxiu had no choice but to confess to the crime.
Emperor Li Hongwen frowned slightly.
"For me? What do you mean?"
"Last time, Consort Zhen had an affair with two guards in the fire, and she has already lost her virginity. Now she has been favored by the Emperor. This servant cannot stand it and wants to ruin her, sob sob..."
Chunxiu choked back tears and made up a reason, but Han Ruyi went berserk, pulled out the hairpin from her hair, and stabbed her.
"I have treated you well, yet you have harmed me like this. I will kill you."
"Quickly, stop Consort Zhen..."
Li Mufeng realized that Han Ruyi intended to kill Chunxiu to silence her, and hurriedly shouted, but it was too late. Han Ruyi was too ruthless and directly stabbed Chunxiu through the throat. Her methods were extremely cruel.
"Your Majesty, sob sob... I know I lost my virginity before and am not worthy of Your Majesty, but it was not my wish. It was that vile woman Han Ziwei who persecuted me."
And this time, I'm a victim too! Waaah…
Han Ruyi, her face streaked with tears, made Emperor Li Hongwen feel a chill run down his spine. How could he sleep peacefully if such a ruthless person became one of his women?
"Yes! Your Majesty, Consort Zhen is also a victim. In my opinion, it would be better to let this matter rest and punish her by making her copy the 'Admonitions for Women' one hundred times. This is a small punishment to serve as a warning. Let's leave it at that! Let's not bring shame to the royal family any further. If this continues, Your Majesty will also lose face, won't you?"
Empress Dowager Feng Xiuzhen appeared to be thinking of Emperor Li Hongwen's best interests.
"What a victim! Chunxiu is just a maid. If no one instructed her, how dare she harm her master like this?"
In my opinion, Consort Zhen's attempt to harm others will likely backfire and harm herself instead!
From Chunxiu's few words, Li Mufeng learned that Han Ruyi wanted to use "love potion" to harm Han Ziwei. He wished he could kill her with a sword and was not willing to let her off so easily.
"King Longxuan, I know that you do not like me being the Emperor's woman."
"But you cannot falsely accuse me like this! Your mother has been dead for many years. His Majesty must be so lonely. You cannot be so selfish. Wouldn't it be better to give His Majesty companionship? I swear I will serve His Majesty wholeheartedly and without any disloyalty."
Han Ruyi acted as if she had suffered a great injustice, portraying Li Mufeng as a petty and narrow-minded person, as if he couldn't bear to see Emperor Li Hongwen taking a concubine.
Li Mufeng was furious and was about to say something when "Blood Purple Rose" stopped him with a gesture. Her glassy eyes were fixed on Han Ruyi.
"It seems my second sister still doesn't intend to confess. Do you think that since the person involved is dead, there's no way to verify the story?"
"Han Ruyi is malicious and actually wants to ruin herself with 'incest between siblings'. Then don't blame me for being impolite."
Having made up her mind, "Blood Purple Rose" walked up to the two dead men and ran her fingers over their mouths.
All the onlookers saw was a drop of blood on their lips. Then, they saw "Blood Purple Rose" insert several needles into the tops of their heads, and the two people miraculously came back to life.
"ah……"
Han Ruyi screamed in terror, and "Blood Purple Rose" patted the two of them on the shoulder.
"Brothers, what happened? Did someone kill you to cover it up?"
A single sentence caused the two men to look at Han Ruyi in terror, and then they both knelt down on the ground.
"Your Highness, have mercy! Your Highness, have mercy! We have done our best, please spare us, spare us..."
"What...what do you want from me? Fools, get out of my way, I don't know you..."
Han Ruyi was terrified when she saw the dead come back to life and screamed repeatedly.
"Speak! What exactly happened just now? The Emperor is here, why don't you tell the truth?"
Li Mufeng's voice was cold and gloomy, and his whole body exuded an undeniable air of authority.
The two men, resurrected from the dead and still in a daze, believed that Han Ruyi was trying to kill them to silence them. Now, intimidated by Li Mufeng, they confessed everything effortlessly.
"It was Consort Zhen. She ordered us to guard the door to prevent Miss Han and Young Master Han from leaving, saying that she wanted to make them commit incest and completely destroy them."
"Han Ruyi, how cruel you are! Ziwei is your own sister, and Ruobin is your own brother. How can you treat them like this?"
Wang Shuqing was unable to accept it and roared angrily. She then crawled towards Emperor Li Hongwen.
"I beg Your Majesty to severely punish Consort Zhen and to seek justice for my daughter and son."
“Father, a life for a life. Consort Zhen just killed someone in public. This must be severely punished.”
Li Mufeng added another charge against Han Ruyi.
Thinking that "Blood Purple Rose" had almost been tricked by the woman in front of him and had a relationship with Han Ruobin, Li Mufeng wished he could tear this woman to pieces right now.
"Guards, take Consort Zhen to the death row and execute her in the autumn."
Li Hongwen did not disappoint Li Mufeng, and shouted in a deep voice.
No sooner had he finished speaking than everyone heard a "whoosh" as an arrow shot straight toward Emperor Li Hongwen.
"Your Majesty, be careful..."
Unexpectedly, Han Ruyi pushed Emperor Li Hongwen aside and used her own body to block the arrow.
"Consort Zhen is injured..."
"Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor... Protect His Majesty..."
"Quickly, summon the imperial physician..."
"Catch the assassin..."
...
The surroundings were in complete chaos. A dark figure looked at the mess before him, a slight smile playing on his lips, before quickly disappearing into the back garden.
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