"I heard that... Grand Tutor Shangguan Shu and Prime Minister Yin opposed the Emperor's decision to appoint His Highness as Crown Prince. We all know the reason why Prime Minister Yin opposed it, and that's why Shangguan Shu opposed it..."
As he was speaking, news came from the palace that Shangguan Shu had raised the doubts in the case to the emperor and cleared Zhao Xi of the charges. The emperor had already sent people to hunt down the groom.
This made Zhao Xi and the other two even more confused.
Zhao Xi said calmly, "Originally, I had my doubts about Shangguan Shu, but since he did it, why are you trying to clear my name?"
Qian Chengluo mumbled, "Actually... if it weren't for the Ayuan incident, Shangguan Shu would have been deeply in love with Princess Chengqian, and Princess Chengqian is the prince's biological sister. He and the prince would have been of the same blood..."
When mentioning Qi Dongqiang, Zhao Xi's eyes darkened.
Hengbi said, "The prince was worried about what happened with Qi Dongqiang. Shangguan Shu suspected that the prince would retaliate, so he became his enemy. When Shangguan Shu opposed the enthronement of the crown prince, was he trying to intimidate the prince?"
Zhao Xi sneered and said coldly after a while, "Does he think that I am a fool like Zhao Cong who can be manipulated by him?"
Hengbi remained silent. In his impression, his sixth brother was always the one who spoke the least, but his thoughts were so deep that no one could fathom them. Not only were his brothers unable to figure him out, but even their father was wary of him...
Hengbi said, "Now is not the time to ponder Shangguan Shu's motives. The most urgent task is to clear the prince of his grievances and find the person behind this. If so, we can basically rule out Shangguan Shu in this matter... I think the prince should go before His Majesty and find the groom. No matter what he says, we can quietly change his words and completely clear the prince from this scandal."
Zhao Xi nodded. "I think so too. Although my father dotes on me, if I am wronged like this and don't fight back, I'm afraid my father will look down on me and think I can't live without him."
Hengbi said bluntly, "That's right! The current emperor doesn't reject the princes fighting for power. On the contrary, he hates those who are too stupid."
After the three of them discussed it, Zhao Xi submitted a memorial to Emperor Jianxi, asking to take people to bring the groom back and seek justice for himself.
This was something that Emperor Jianxi liked to hear, and he readily agreed.
In the afternoon, Zhao Xi left the capital with two thousand troops.
As soon as Zhao Xi left, Shangguan Dan got the news and went to the study to tell Shangguan Shu.
"Brother, King Ding has fallen into a trap."
Shangguan Shu was practicing calligraphy. Hearing this, he did not raise his head but just nodded lightly.
Shangguan Dan grew increasingly agitated as he pondered the matter. He plopped down across from Shangguan Shu, his eyes gleaming with a glint. "They all thought someone was using this scandal to tarnish Prince Ding's reputation. Even if Prince Ding and the Emperor wouldn't say anything, they'd definitely suspect you, Big Brother. But they didn't anticipate something even more sinister was going on. This was a scheme within a scheme, a scheme within a scheme!"
"You deliberately revealed your true identity, allowing the groom to escape. Now that you have redressed Prince Ding's injustice, your suspicion will surely be cleared."
"Given Prince Ding's scheming, he must want to capture the groom in advance, just like he captured the wet nurse and threatened her to change her confession. He must want the groom to change his confession and completely remove him..."
"But as soon as he leaves Beijing..."
Shangguan Dan looked at his elder brother with admiration. Although he didn't know why his elder brother was plotting against King Ding, he liked to be his elder brother's lackey. He felt very happy when he saw those people being plotted against by his elder brother!
Shangguan Shu curled his lips slightly, looking cold and dangerous.
What he wants is Prince Ding to leave the capital!
The emperor is far away and no one can control what happens to His Royal Highness Prince Ding.
He wouldn't want him to die either.
He just wanted him to lose the chance to succeed the throne.
He exposed the true and false princes in order to give Zhao Ying a chance, not to take advantage of Zhao Xi!
As for the Emperor Star... so what if it rises!
Sure enough, after a day and a night, Prince Ding returned with his men.
Although the groom was caught, he was not Jia's cousin. In other words, the guess was not true and Zhao Xi still had to bear the blame for raping a minister's wife.
But none of this is as troublesome as the poison in Zhao Xi's body.
Zhao Xi was poisoned.
A group of people chasing the groom accidentally entered a poisonous miasma. The poison was a chronic poison and not fatal.
Zhao Xi was carried back to the capital, unconscious, with purple and black lips.
Emperor Jianxi and Empress Xiaomin were heartbroken and hurriedly called in the imperial physician for consultation.
The imperial doctors were helpless.
Emperor Jianxi issued a notice to recruit talented people from all over the world. Those who could cure the miasma would be rewarded with a thousand gold coins and be made a marquis of ten thousand households.
However, after three days, no one had yet to take up the list.
Emperor Jianxi and Empress Xiaomin suddenly looked much older.
Empress Xiaomin stayed by Zhao Xi's bedside every day, her eyes swollen and swollen. When Zhao Xi woke up, she asked her to go back and rest, but Empress Xiaomin looked at him with regret, stroked his face, and said, "Mother will not leave, mother will always be with Xi'er..."
Zhao Xi looked at Queen Xiaomin intently, with no one knowing what was going on in his eyes.
Until one night, Zhao Xi suddenly had a hysterical attack, shaking and wailing on the bed, "Don't hit me, don't hit me..."
“It hurts… it hurts so much…”
It's an old problem. For more than 30 years, every time I dream about the nightmares from my childhood, it's like being dragged into an endless abyss, full of despair and misery.
At that time, no one saved him.
Later, he met Qi Yuan.
She did not despise him. Even if he was dirty and smelly like a beggar, she would praise him and give him confidence and courage.
She would also hold him tenderly when he had a nightmare, just like now...
Eh?
Who is holding him, gently patting his back, like coaxing a baby, so warm...
It’s not Yuan’er, she’s dead.
Zhao Xi whimpered, and the wrinkles between his eyebrows deepened. A pair of rough hands stroked his eyebrows again and again.
Zhao Xi gradually regained consciousness, and he vaguely realized who this person was.
Could the woman beside him be anyone else except the one who has been hunting in the mountains for ten years and has calluses on her palms?
Zhao Xi wanted to open his eyes, but he couldn't lift his eyelids. After a while, he felt the warmth fade away in a half-conscious state. Then he heard the woman's whisper with a crying tone.
"Ah Rui, we owe Xi'er too much. If Xi'er goes, I will accompany him..."
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Zhao Xi closed her eyes, turned around slowly, and her long eyelashes were wet.
Early in the morning of the fourth day, Zhao Ying entered the palace and brought good news.
Zhao Xi is saved.
Zhao Ying found the Miao doctor who had treated Yue'er when Shangguan Shu was treating her. Although he did not know how to detoxify, he was knowledgeable and experienced. He said that there was a miracle doctor in Dali who had a dew-condensing pill that could cure all poisons, and he would definitely be able to cure Zhao Xi's poison.
Emperor Jianxi immediately sent people to ask for the elixir, but the Miao doctor said that the condensed dew elixir was extremely precious and that the doctor had a strange habit, so he would only give it to the poisoned person if he asked for it sincerely in person.
If he were to use his power to snatch it away, the miracle doctor would definitely destroy the elixir and then commit suicide.
Emperor Jianxi had no choice but to ask the imperial physician whether Zhao Xi's body could withstand the long journey. The imperial physician said that Prince Ding was young and strong, and if he was taken good medicine, he would definitely be able to reach Dali.
Emperor Jianxi was relieved and planned to take Zhao Xi to Dali to seek medicine personally.
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