"Hiss! When did this happen?"
"Was the imperial edict obtained in exchange for the antidote?"
"mean!"
In an instant, Zhao Zhiyan became the target of public criticism.
Xu Lingqing became anxious: "Who knows if you and your daughter directed and acted this whole thing on purpose for everyone to see?"
Upon hearing this, Song Yue looked at the other person with an expression that said, "You're an idiot," and said, "There should be some benefits to directing and acting yourself, right? But who is benefiting from this?"
"You!" Xu Lingqing choked with emotion.
She couldn't understand how Princess Jia Hua had obtained the antidote.
Logically, he should be dying soon.
"Your Highness, Song is spreading alarmist rumors here. In my opinion, she should be dragged out and beaten to death as a warning to others!" Xu Lingqing's voice was not loud.
Several people who were very close by heard it.
"Rumor has it that the Eighth Princess Consort is ruthless, and it seems it is true. She hasn't even ascended to the throne yet, and she's already so eager to silence gossip." The old prince looked at Zhao Zhiyan with disappointment: "Eighth Prince, I watched you grow up, but I never thought that one day you would scheme against your own brother and cousin for the throne!"
Zhao Zhiyan managed to say with difficulty, "I have never done so."
"Then tell me why the Emperor suddenly fell ill, why Consort Rou showed no signs of poisoning, and how the Eighth Prince's poison was cured?"
Faced with the old prince's three questions, Zhao Zhiyan was completely unable to answer. He pursed his lips again and again, and finally said only, "I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly and give everyone an explanation."
"Your Highness." Xu Lingqing tightly gripped Zhao Zhiyan's sleeve. Why waste words with these people? As long as they are killed to establish authority, who would dare to utter a single word?
Consort Rou regained her senses and pointed at Song Yue: "This girl's account is only one side of the story, you can't believe it..."
"Mother, that's enough!" Zhao Zhiyan's face was gloomy.
Consort Rou then reluctantly shut her mouth.
The old prince and his entourage turned and left.
Only a few people remained in the vast garden. Zhao Zhiyan approached Song Yue and asked, "Cousin, are you really all better?"
“If Eighth Imperial Uncle doesn’t believe me, he can go and see for himself.” Song Yue stepped aside.
After thinking it over, Zhao Zhiyan took a step and walked towards Yikun Palace. Xu Lingqing wanted to follow, but Song Yue stopped her: "My mother has just recovered from her illness, and we must not disturb her."
Xu Lingqing gritted her teeth: "Song Yue, one day you'll regret it and beg me for help!"
"You should think about how to explain all this to Eighth Prince," Song Yue snorted.
Having lost interest in causing trouble for others, Consort Rou and Xu Lingqing could only slink back to Jingren Palace and send everyone around them away.
"How could you be so careless? Now that someone has caught you red-handed, you're even implicating me!" Consort Rou was extremely displeased.
Xu Lingqing felt a bitter taste in her mouth and said, "Who would have thought that Song Yue would say this in public?"
"How are those assassins being dealt with?"
"Reporting to Mother, they are all dead, not a single one was left."
"Think carefully about how to deal with the antidote!" The Imperial Concubine Rou felt uneasy just thinking about Zhao Zhiyan's cold and questioning gaze.
Xu Lingqing gritted her teeth and agreed. She had finally won back Zhao Zhiyan's heart. The two opened up to each other and talked about the past.
He was brought back to reality by Song Yue's few words.
Utterly despicable!
Half an hour later, Zhao Zhiyan returned to Jingren Palace with a gloomy face. Xu Lingqing stepped forward and asked, "Your Highness, has Princess Jiahua really recovered?"
"Hmm!" Zhao Zhiyan nodded. He saw Princess Jiahua standing under the corridor, her face pale but her spirits good. The two exchanged a glance from afar.
He also saw the undisguised sarcasm in her eyes.
It caught him completely off guard.
Without saying a word, he turned and went back.
"Have you consulted the imperial physician?" Xu Lingqing asked.
Zhao Zhiyan said, "I witnessed the princess being poisoned that day; her injuries were extremely severe."
He never doubted these things, and the other party had no reason to use a self-inflicted injury as a ruse.
What's the point?
Xu Lingqing bit her lip tightly.
I really can't understand why my master would send the antidote away.
That shouldn't be the case.
As she looked up, she was suddenly met with a pair of eyes that held a hint of doubt. Xu Lingqing's heart sank: "Your Highness, are you doubting me?"
Zhao Zhiyan shook his head: "You took care of Mother during the days she was brought back. Was Mother ever poisoned?"
Despite the questioning tone, Xu Lingqing immediately thought of a similar tone she had used more than half a month ago.
It's as if they already know the answer and are deliberately testing us.
Xu Lingqing couldn't guess how much Zhao Zhiyan knew, so she didn't dare to respond rashly. After weighing the pros and cons, she said, "Your Highness, someone did send a bottle of antidote to my mother. I was in a hurry at the time, so I boldly gave it to her. By the time I sent people to investigate, the person had already disappeared."
Zhao Zhiyan frowned: "Why didn't you say so?"
"His Majesty has decreed that no one is allowed to investigate the assassin's matter. I am worried that this will cause unnecessary misunderstandings and implicate the Eighth Prince's Mansion, so I would like to wait until things have calmed down before I can tell you." Xu Lingqing trembled, looking quite frightened.
Consort Rou said, "I am aware of this matter as well, so you don't need to blame Lingqing."
Xu Lingqing breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this; thankfully, she had an assistant to help.
“Your Highness, if that person could deliver the antidote to Mother, he might also be able to deliver it to the Princess. Otherwise, where would the Princess get her antidote?” Xu Lingqing countered.
Just then, Eunuch Li personally brought over several kinds of medicinal herbs: "His Majesty instructed this servant to express his gratitude to the Imperial Concubine for the rare medicinal herbs she presented."
Consort Rou's eyelids twitched suddenly: "What, what is this?"
The eunuch said, "His Majesty said he is in poor health and doesn't need these things. I appreciate your kind intentions."
After saying that, he withdrew.
Zhao Zhiyan looked at Consort Rou: "Did Mother visit the Emperor?"
Consort Rou nodded: "I was just delivering medicine and visiting her. I summoned Song Yue yesterday, but she hadn't seen me. I was so angry that I went to the Emperor to reason with him."
Zhao Zhiyan was skeptical of this statement.
He even suspected that Consort Rou had threatened the Emperor of Northern Chu with the antidote. Even he himself was suspicious that the imperial edict of investiture had come so strangely.
"Your Highness, something terrible has happened! All the officials are begging the Emperor to rescind the imperial edict of investiture. The old prince even said that if it is not rescinded, he will kill himself by banging his head against the Golden Palace."
A young eunuch rushed in to report.
Zhao Zhiyan's face darkened.
"This old scoundrel dares to threaten you? If you want to die, then die. Who dares to stop you?" Consort Rou said angrily.
Zhao Zhiyan rubbed his temples: "The old prince has the entire imperial clan behind him. If he dies in the Golden Palace, I will surely bear the infamy for all eternity and lose the hearts of the people."
"This...this is serious?" Consort Rou's face paled. She asked anxiously, "Yan'er, what should we do now?"
Before he could speak, a young eunuch reported from outside: "Your Highness, the imperial clan is launching a campaign against us, demanding an explanation from you. The Imperial Guards are almost overwhelmed."
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