Xu Lingqing had also considered this question: Could Princess Jiahua have staged a play herself, just like she had?
Consort Rou suddenly showed a displeased expression: "If you had obediently become a secondary wife and let Yan'er marry Song Yue back then, there wouldn't have been so much trouble!"
Xu Lingqing was suddenly stunned, and her mouth tasted bitter.
She compromised not only on the position of the Eighth Prince's wife, but also on the future Empress!
Faced with the scolding from Consort Rou, Xu Lingqing looked obedient and remorseful: "Mother is right to reprimand me. It is my fault."
Looking at her tearful appearance, Consort Rou raised an eyebrow: "If Prince Guangjia dies, then let Yan'er marry her..."
Because of Princess Jiahua's presence, Consort Rou dared not mention becoming a concubine.
Unless Princess Jia Hua is dead.
But with Princess Jiahua dead, she was no longer of any use and could not help Zhao Zhiyan.
Xu Lingqing's eyelids twitched: "Mother, I'm willing to do anything as long as it's for the sake of the Prince."
These words made Consort Rou feel much better, and a hint of pity appeared in her eyes: "You should take good care of yourself first. We can discuss this matter later."
"yes."
The two were talking about how the little maid had told them that the Eighth Prince had returned.
Consort Rou, beaming with joy, rushed over and grabbed Zhao Zhiyan, who had just entered, asking him abruptly, "What did the Emperor say about the matter I entrusted to you?"
Before the court session, Consort Rou sent someone to invite him over, mentioning that she had saved the Emperor of Northern Chu and that he deserved some reward.
The next imperial decree allowed her to stay openly and legitimately in the Eighth Prince's residence.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to live in peace.
Zhao Zhiyan pursed her lips, knowing that the Emperor was in a state of madness and wouldn't listen to anything he said: "Not yet."
"Why?" Consort Rou's face fell.
"His Majesty is busy dealing with the assassins and is ignoring everything else."
Consort Rou frowned, still unwilling to give up, and asked again, "What about Princess Jiahua? How is she?"
"I don't know for now."
The news from Yikun Palace was kept very secret, and not a single word could be leaked out. Zhao Zhiyan came to the bedside and looked at Xu Lingqing's face today. His eyes softened and he continued, "His Majesty should be interrogating those two palace maids in Ning'an Palace right now."
Even though Xu Lingqing had made thorough preparations, her heart still sank. She had bribed the two palace maids with a large sum of money, and her parents and brothers had also been taken care of.
They probably won't change their minds.
As long as the palace maid insists that the antidote was stolen from Empress Dowager Xu, then it will be a certainty that Empress Dowager Xu instructed Lingxi to poison her.
She will gradually turn public opinion around and trample Empress Dowager Xu underfoot.
...
Ning'an Palace
"His Majesty has arrived!"
A sharp scream startled Empress Dowager Xu, who trembled: "Your Majesty, why has Your Majesty come?"
Emperor Bei Chu rarely came to the palace, especially at this critical juncture. He would never come unless he had a reason. Empress Dowager Xu's heart was pounding. Before she was ready, Emperor Bei Chu had already quickly arrived in front of her.
"Your Majesty?" Empress Dowager Xu composed herself and asked with concern, "I wonder how Jia Hua is doing now?"
The Emperor of Northern Chu pointed to the two palace maids dragged in by the guards behind him. When Empress Dowager Xu saw the two, her eyelids twitched even more violently.
"What... what is this?"
"The Eighth Princess's poison has been cured. It was these two palace maids who, out of conscience, stole the antidote from the Empress Dowager." As soon as the Emperor of Northern Chu finished speaking, Empress Dowager Xu exploded and stood up abruptly: "Nonsense! How could I have the antidote for the Western Regions' Illusionary Beauty? This is utter nonsense! Your Majesty must not believe it! The Eighth Prince must have bribed this person to deliberately scheme against my family."
Empress Dowager Xu stared intently at the two palace maids.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was this servant who took the antidote from your makeup box. I overheard Granny Tan mentioning that the antidote was hidden there," the palace maid cried out.
"You scoundrel!" Empress Dowager Xu roared.
"Your Majesty, please don't be anxious. I'll leave the person to you for now. I have other matters to attend to. I only need an answer by evening."
The Emperor of Northern Chu had no time to deal with Empress Dowager Xu's plot to murder Xu Lingqing, and carelessly tossed two palace maids to Empress Dowager Xu, saying, "Empress Dowager, don't kill her."
Empress Dowager Xu was both surprised and delighted. This was the Northern Chu Emperor giving her a way out. With the two palace maids in her hands, it would be easy to change their testimonies.
"Yes, it is my fault for troubling Your Majesty with such a trivial matter. Your Majesty, please go and attend to your business."
The Emperor of Northern Chu turned and left.
The fact that no one died in Ning'an Palace was rather strange to everyone.
Inside Yikun Palace at this time
Apart from the external wounds, Princess Jiahua had all the poison in her body cleared. She leaned back on the couch, while Song Yue sat on a small stool and recounted everything that had happened in the past few days.
The Emperor of Northern Chu stood at the door listening to Princess Jia Hua's voice. His heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down, and his fingertips trembled slightly.
I don't remember how I pushed the door open.
Seeing the living, breathing people chatting and laughing on the bed, the Northern Chu Emperor's eyes reddened again.
"Your Majesty." Princess Jia Hua looked up and saw the person who had come, and smiled gently.
Song Yue stood up and bowed: "Didn't Mother want to eat wonton noodles just now? I'll go and make you a bowl right away."
"Alright."
The room was left for the two of them.
Princess Jia Hua tried to move, but the Emperor of Northern Chu quickly stepped closer and stopped her: "Your injuries haven't healed yet, don't move."
He bent down and sat in the spot where Song Yue had just been sitting, almost choking up: "When my cousin was sent away for a political marriage, I felt the same way, willing but unable to help."
Princess Jia Hua offered a few words of comfort.
Once the Northern Chu Emperor's mood had improved somewhat, she asked, "How is the investigation into the assassination going?"
"The first wave of over sixty people were all assassins, none of them seemed to be from the capital. The second wave has already been dealt with by me."
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