074

Before the emperor fell into a coma, he specifically instructed the empress to leave all important matters to her.

The princesses and princes were separated on the night of the palace banquet.

Zhan Lin was ordered to interrogate them one by one.

The fifth princess, Xu Zhaoran, was the most arrogant. When she saw him come in, her nose wasn't a nose and her eyes weren't eyes.

She sat down on the armchair and didn't even glance at him.

"Fifth Princess." Zhan Lin asked as usual, "Who did you meet on the night of the palace banquet?"

Xu Zhaoran glanced at him with contempt, "Xu Muqing. Isn't Minister Zhan very capable? Do I need to answer such a small matter in person? If you are not capable, you should abdicate as soon as possible and leave it to the next person."

Zhan Linwen remained motionless and did his job in a proper manner, "Has the Fifth Princess ever seen anyone with suspicious behavior?"

"Do you want me to say yes?"

Xu Zhaoran's scarlet lips curled up slightly. He was used to being arrogant, and there was always a hint of contempt in his eyes.

She looked down on everyone.

Zhan Lin frowned: "I hope the Fifth Princess will answer truthfully."

"Hahaha!" Xu Zhaoran suddenly laughed and leaned back. "Minister Zhan is so arrogant. I didn't say anything, but you think I'm lying? If that's the case, why are you asking me? Why don't you just say whatever you think?"

Zhan Lin’s brows were tightly knitted.

It's totally unreasonable!

"Fifth Princess, I am following the Queen's order to investigate the poisoning of His Majesty. If you don't cooperate, don't blame me for..."

"Go ahead!" Xu Zhaoran was not afraid at all, and even had an excited light in her eyes. "Go tell the Queen what I said and did, and see how the Queen will deal with me! I also want to know whether this gentle and selfless Queen is as gentle and kind as the rumors say!"

Crazy!

Zhan Lin didn't want to talk to her anymore.

He had never seen such a stubborn and irresponsible princess like Xu Zhaoran!

Zhan Lin took a deep breath and said, "The Fifth Princess is not available today, so I will take my leave!"

He ignored the surprise of his companions behind him and made a move to leave the side hall.

Xu Zhaoran's laughing face gradually relaxed.

"Why is Minister Zhan leaving in such a hurry? This princess hasn't told you about the suspicious person yet~"

The tone of voice was slightly raised, blatantly teasing him.

Zhan Lin held back his anger and asked, "What does the Fifth Princess mean?"

The white fingertips gently picked up a grape.

The scarlet lips opened and closed, deep purple grapes disappeared into the red lips, and the scarlet nails brushed across the lips, leaving a crystal clear scene.

Xu Zhaoran is very confident about her appearance.

She lay in the armchair, completely devoid of the reserve of a princess, and every move she made was full of alluring temptation.

"The suspicious person... is of course our Crown Prince!"

Xu Zhaoran supported his chin with one hand and looked at him with a smile.

Zhan Lin remained silent and motioned the people around him to take note.

Xu Zhaoran's testimony is questionable.

Zhan Lin would not believe her one-sided story. After questioning her, he went to see the fifth prince Xu Luo.

The fifth princess and the fifth prince were born to the same mother and have very similar personalities.

Zhan Lin thought that Xu Luo would not be more crazy than Xu Zhaoran.

However, he was wrong.

Xu Luo stood barefoot in the snow waiting for him, just like the last time they met in the prince's mansion.

"Minister Zhan, we meet again."

Zhan Lin nodded and asked with concern: "Where is the eunuch beside the Fifth Prince? Why didn't he remind you to wear shoes?"

"shoe?"

Xu Luo looked at his own feet, smiled nonchalantly, and turned sideways to lead him into the hall.

The floor-bed in the hall was not opened, and the lampshades were not lit, so the view was a little dim.

Zhan Lin adjusted himself for a while and felt that even his breath was cold.

"Your Highness, aren't you cold?" He shuddered as he came in.

"cold?"

Xu Luo seemed to have heard a joke, "Minister Zhan must have never suffered, otherwise he wouldn't ask this question."

"I could bear it even in the coldest weather, why can't I bear it now?"

He poured himself a cup of cold tea.

Here in Xu Luo, everything is cold.

Zhan Lin only took a sip before stopping. "I came to ask the Fifth Prince, who were you with that night? Can you prove it? Did you see anyone suspicious?"

"I was with the Crown Prince, and I saw him ordering a young eunuch to do something. The eunuch looked suspicious. Minister Zhan, why don't you check it out?"

Zhan Lin nodded: "I will investigate."

After asking other questions, Xu Luo said he would send him away.

A lot of the snow in the yard has melted.

Zhan Lin was concerned about his body and was about to say something when he caught a glimpse of the bright red of his bare feet.

"Fifth Prince! Your feet!"

Xu Luo was puzzled. He looked down, then raised his head again and smiled as if nothing had happened.

"I won't see you off. Goodbye."

Zhan Lin couldn't bear it any longer and quickly left the side hall.

After checking everyone, Zhan Lin brought the suspicious person to Cui Yuyao.

Cui Yuyao looked at the people below.

"Whoever poisoned you, come forward and I will spare your life."

The man Xu Luo prepared stood up and pointed at the eunuch beside the prince, "Your Majesty! I saw this man secretly burying something under a tree last night!"

Cui Yuyao looked at the little eunuch with sharp eyes.

"Tell the truth."

The young eunuch was so frightened that he almost lost two of his spirits. "My queen, I was just following the orders of the Crown Prince. I knew nothing about it!"

Cui Yuwei: "Minister Zhan, go dig it out!"

Zhan Lin took the order and withdrew.

He brought a few people to the tree that the man mentioned and dug up the wooden box buried under the tree.

Get the things back.

When Cui Yuying saw what was in the wooden box, she immediately called the Fifth Prince and the Crown Prince in.

"Luo'er, how do you explain the things in here?"

Inside the wooden box, there was a recipe for making poison. The poison was exactly the same as the one the emperor was poisoned by.

Xu Luo walked closer to take a look calmly and said with a smile: "How did you determine that it was mine, mother? By the handwriting? Handwriting can be forged."

Cui Yuyao: "Your handwriting is difficult for ordinary people to imitate. There are small breaks in your strokes, which makes the article look more concise. This is a habit you have had since childhood. It will take time for others to imitate it."

Xu Luo nodded seriously: "Yes, mother, you really understand me... But mother, you don't know that I changed this habit a year ago. If you don't believe me, you can compare it with me."

He seemed to be prepared and took out an article he had recently written from his arms.

The comparison between the two couldn't be clearer.

Cui Yuhuai narrowed her eyes and asked, "Prince, why did the eunuch beside you secretly bury something with forged Luo'er's handwriting?"

Xu Guanlin said calmly, "I don't know... maybe they are trying to plot against me together?"

Cui Yuhuai lowered her eyes and looked at the two of them.

The two of them kept saying that they were framed.

Do you really think she can't see what they are doing?!

Cui Yuying looked coldly at the young eunuch kneeling on the ground: "If you don't tell the truth, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The young eunuch was so frightened that he was shaking all over. He caught a glimpse of Xu Guanlin's gloomy eyes and his face turned pale instantly.

"It was...it was done by me alone...I teamed up with the Northern Di people, uh!"

The young eunuch suddenly opened his eyes wide, vomited poisonous blood, and died.

Zhan Lin stepped forward and shook his head.

Cui Yuwei clenched her palms, "Alright, all of you can go down. Crown Prince and Luo'er, even though I am lenient with you, it does not mean I will always tolerate you."

If anyone endangers the emperor's life again, she will never show mercy!

This time she deliberately let the two off and did not pursue the matter further. Otherwise, there would be no way to conclude the case based on such weak evidence.

The two of them said, "Yes, I will take my leave."

*

Outside the palace, Xu Luo and Xu Guanlin left Chaowu Palace together.

Zhan Lin passed by him, greeted him and did not stay any longer.

High vermilion walls surrounded both sides.

Xu Guanlin looked at the empty road and said in an ambiguous tone, "Fifth brother has really impressed me now."

Xu Luo tilted his head: "Royal brother, you are praising me! This is the first time that Royal brother has praised me!"

Xu Luo happily grabbed the corner of his clothes, revealing his feet.

"Look, my brother, this time Luo'er listened to you and didn't wear shoes!"

He jumped up and down, grabbing the hem of his clothes like a praised child.

Xu Guanlin watched coldly: "Xu Luo, you don't have to play dumb in front of me. You almost tricked me here today."

"Isn't it that my brother wants to plot against me?"

Xu Guanlin said indifferently: "Did you poison my father?"

Xu Luo stood on tiptoe, "Guess?"

The poison is not fatal, but it will damage the body little by little.

"Royal brother," Xu Luo suddenly stopped laughing and looked at him like a normal person, "I am not the Xu Luo I used to be. I will no longer let you bully me. I have learned to resist."

Xu Guanlin sneered: "If you had learned to resist earlier, would you have become the devil you are now?"

At first, he foolishly allowed those people to bully him, and only he felt sorry for him and helped him.

But I never thought that I would learn to bite myself when I grew up.

He really is a person who doesn't recognize the kindness of others.

Xu Luo's head shook like a wave drum.

"Brother, have you forgotten the existence of the Seventh Brother? I am not the only one, he is your biggest enemy, isn't he?"

The smile on Xu Guanlin's face gradually disappeared.

There is also Xu Nanheng.

I should just ignore this person. What is he trying to do after holding it in for so long?

Xu Guanlin doesn't care, or rather, he doesn't think anyone can threaten him.

"Wait for him in solitude."

*

Three days later, Cui Huaiji and his companions rode back at full speed and quietly returned to the marquis's mansion.

Before Cui Huaiji even arrived, he heard a spy report that the empress wanted him to go to the palace.

The matter of settlement was handed over to Butler Zhao.

Avoid all eyeliner and come to Chaowu Palace.

"Sister, what happened? Why didn't any spies pass on the news to me?"

Cui Yuyao's nerves, which had been tense for several days, finally relaxed.

"Fu Ji..." Her eyes suddenly turned red. "Although the poison has been cured, the imperial physician said that there is still some poison in your body that cannot be removed. It has combined with the previous poison to form an incurable poison."

How could this be!

Cui Huaiji supported her swaying body and asked, "What kind of poison did your Majesty take?"

"Beidi's poison."

Cui Huaiji remembered that Song Jin had said before that the first time the emperor was poisoned was related to the Northern Di people, and it seemed that this time the poison was aimed at the emperor.

"Sister, in one month, Beidi will pay tribute."

Cui Yuhuai lowered her eyes, understood what he meant, and said hesitantly: "Your Majesty's health..."

"I'll figure it out."

Maybe Meimei has a way to solve the current dilemma.

If Your Majesty really does not get up, Sheng'an will be in real chaos.

Those princes do not have enough ability to shoulder the future of Yu Dynasty.

"Okay, I believe you."