Chapter 126 Are all the women in the world his?
Shen Qingci took a deep breath and clenched her fists tightly. Although she had taken the antidote before coming, the aphrodisiac was too potent, and she felt restless and irritable. This was the only way she could stay awake.
She glanced at the two people who were already uncontrollably entangled under the influence of the aphrodisiac, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, and then turned and stumbled out of the palace gate.
Her hair was disheveled, her clothes were rumpled, and her face was streaked with tears and terror. With all her might, she let out a blood-curdling scream:
"Help! His Majesty and Consort Shu have drugged me! They're trying to humiliate me! Help!"
Hearing Shen Qingci's scream, Wanqing and Yunlan rushed out in a hurry.
Palace servants stepped forward to block them, surrounding Yunlan. Taking advantage of this, Wanqing, who was actually Yunlan in disguise, broke through the encirclement and helped Shen Qingci.
She quickly dealt with the approaching guards and helped Shen Qingci leave Jingren Palace.
"Help! Help! His Majesty is attempting to smear the Regent's Consort's reputation!"
Yunlan also shouted loudly, exchanging a glance with the guard who had rushed over.
Not far away, the noblewomen and officials who were being led by palace servants to the Golden Hall were all horrified when they heard this earth-shattering shout!
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw the Regent's Consort running out of Jingren Palace in a disheveled state!
"Qingci!" Chu Jichen's expression changed instantly, and he hurriedly maneuvered his wheelchair over.
Upon hearing that familiar voice, Shen Qingci felt as if she had found all her support. Unable to hold back any longer, she rushed straight towards Chu Jichen and threw herself into his open arms.
"Your Highness!" Her voice was hoarse and her whole body trembled. "His Majesty and Consort Shu... they drugged me! They want to... humiliate me!"
Chu Jichen held the trembling woman tightly in his arms, and a murderous intent suddenly surged in his deep eyes!
He picked Shen Qingci up in his arms, his voice as cold as ice in the dead of winter: "Imperial Physician Li!"
Physician Li, who had been waiting nearby, immediately stepped forward to take Shen Qingci's pulse.
A moment later, his expression changed drastically, and he bowed and reported, "Your Highness! The Princess's pulse is erratic and her breathing is unstable; it is indeed... indeed a sign that she has been drugged with an aphrodisiac!"
Chu Jichen hugged Shen Qingci tightly, took the bottle that Physician Li handed to Shen Qingci, and put a pill in her mouth: "It's okay, you'll feel better soon."
He watched as Shen Qingci took the medicine, then pulled her closer, his eyes chillingly cold: "Go to Jingren Palace! I want to see what His Majesty is up to!"
Shen Qingci nestled in Chu Jichen's arms, her face still flushed an unnatural red, her eyes somewhat unfocused. She seemed to be murmuring to herself, "His Majesty and the Prince said they were going to the Imperial Study to discuss matters, so I went to Jingren Palace with the palace maids arranged by His Majesty. Consort Shu dismissed my maid due to illness and kept me behind to talk. As I was speaking, I felt a strange fragrance wafting from the incense burner..."
"At the time... I didn't feel anything was wrong, but not long after, I started to feel dizzy and hot all over."
"Just then, His Majesty suddenly arrived."
"I had a sliver of reason left, so I asked His Majesty, 'Where is the Prince?' I said I was going to find the Prince, but His Majesty suddenly rushed towards me and tried to attack me."
Her voice trembled, as if she was still shaken by what had just happened: "His Majesty also said that he was the emperor, and all the women in the world belonged to him!"
"He said he had Consort Shu order all the women to dress up beautifully for the palace banquet so he could choose whomever he wanted to sleep with. He didn't care whose wife or whose daughter it was!"
After she finished speaking, she buried her face in Chu Jichen's arms, her whole body trembling.
These words were, of course, fabricated by her.
But... so what?
Although the words were fabricated, they were absolutely the despicable thoughts of Emperor Yongming.
Although these court officials and their families were all attracted by her cries for help, they followed them to Jingren Palace.
However, almost all of them came with a spectator's attitude, naturally keeping to themselves since it didn't concern them.
If that's the case, then she'll find a way to make everyone feel that things... are closely related to them.
Sure enough, after Shen Qingci finished speaking, the expressions of all the court officials and their families changed instantly.
Shen Qingci overheard people whispering, "Absurd! Utterly absurd!"
"No wonder! Consort Shu did indeed specifically instruct someone that today's palace banquet is to celebrate her birthday, so she doesn't need to wear a dull formal dress. She can wear her favorite beautiful clothes and dress up nicely!"
Huo Yunzhan was among them. He stared intently at Shen Qingci, his brows furrowing.
His Majesty wouldn't actually... do something to Shen Qingci, would he?
But His Majesty clearly told him something different before, didn't he?
His Majesty said he would personally hand over the evidence of Chu Jichen's involvement in the extermination of the Shen clan to Shen Qingci.
He thought that if he could hand over the evidence to Shen Qingci and make her give up on Chu Jichen completely, that would be great, and then he would have a chance.
But what if His Majesty harbors ill intentions towards Shen Qingci...
Shen Qingci will definitely suspect him, then wouldn't all his previous efforts have been in vain?
Shen Qingci's face does indeed have the appeal to attract His Majesty. Why is this woman so beautiful?
Huo Yunzhan was preoccupied with his own thoughts, but Prime Minister Liu, who was walking ahead, couldn't help but speak up: "Your Highness, aren't you just talking nonsense?"
"Consort Shu may have indeed instructed everyone to wear their own beautiful clothes, but what does it matter? She just likes to admire beautiful women and clothes; she has loved looking at beautiful women since she was a child."
"Today is Consort Shu's birthday, and the palace banquet is about to begin. How could His Majesty act recklessly at this time and say such things?"
Shen Qingci lifted her head from Chu Jichen's embrace: "Prime Minister Liu means... that I lied?"
"But the imperial physician personally examined me, and it's true that I was drugged with aphrodisiacs!"
Prime Minister Liu's gaze was deep and somber. He knew all too well what Consort Shu and the Emperor were planning. They had indeed drugged Shen Qingci, but it was definitely not an aphrodisiac.
Their plan was clearly to give Shen Qingci hallucinogenic drugs. Once they were sure Shen Qingci was under the influence, they would send people disguised as Shen Qingci's parents and elder brother in to talk to Shen Qingci and extract information from her to find out the whereabouts of the troop mobilization order.
Shen Qingci, under the influence of the drug, will certainly be unable to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and will subconsciously tell the truth.
Shen Qingci definitely lied!
"Only the princess knows the truth about the aphrodisiac on her body."
The group had arrived outside the main hall of Jingren Palace. The absurd sounds coming from inside could be faintly heard. Chu Jichen raised his eyes, his gaze icy cold, and stared fixedly at Liu Cheng: "Whether what the Princess Consort said is true or false, we will soon find out."
His eyes were filled with malice: "Open the door!"
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