Just as Su Rong said, the venom of Zhenui Yin was both powerful and formidable. In merely the duration of a single incense stick burning, the person on the ground who delivered the pen turned slowly into a puddle of black blood, even the bones were completely dissolved.
Imperial Concubine Zhen looked on, her face deathly pale. If not for Su Rong’s discernment, she would now be the pool of black water on the ground.
Someone brought a new set of paper and pen, which underwent layer upon layer of inspection before it was handed over to Imperial Concubine Zhen.
Imperial Concubine Zhen sat before a table in the prison cell and started writing her confession. She wrote in detail, chronicling all her deeds over the years. At the same time, the names of those she implicated, one by one, were also clearly confessed.
Yan Huisheng and Su Rong patiently waited. It took an entire hour for Imperial Concubine Zhen to finish writing, producing a thick stack of paper in the process.
Truly, countless crimes committed are hard to document.
Su Rong thought to herself, today was indeed a rich harvest, it was not a wasted trip.
After signing and affixing her seal, Imperial Concubine Zhen handed Yan Huisheng the completed confession. She appeared entirely calm.
Yan Huisheng received the confession, had a cursory look then tucked it into her chest, asking Imperial Concubine Zhen, "Would the Imperial Concubine prefer to go to the Cold Palace, or to the Imperial Mausoleum?"
Imperial Concubine Zhen replied, "The Imperial Mausoleum then!"
Yan Huisheng nodded, and proceeded to walk out.
Su Rong followed Yan Huisheng out.
Imperial Concubine Zhen watched Su Rong, opening her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately, her mouth closed again without uttering a word.
Upon exiting the prison’s gate, Su Rong asked, "Will Your Highness be entering the palace?"
Yan Huisheng nodded, "I need to brief Father Emperor on this matter." She looked at Su Rong, "Will you return to rest at your residence, or accompany me in entering the palace to meet Father Emperor?"
Without a moment of hesitation, Su Rong made her choice, "I will return to my residence to rest."
Yan Huisheng nodded, "I will send someone to take you back."
"No need, I’ll make my own way back." Su Rong waved a dismissal hand, and walked away directly.
Yan Huisheng could only let it pass. She instructed the minister of Justice, whose face was a sheet of white, and after he nodded repeatedly, she boarded her carriage, bound for the Imperial Palace.
Within the Imperial Palace, the Emperor had not yet retired. Having rested for several days, the Emperor’s illness had already begun to improve.
After Yan Huisheng’s arrival was announced, she entered the Hall of Nurtured Mind.
The Emperor asked her, "What urgent matter do you have that brings you here so late?"
Yan Huisheng nodded, handing the Emperor Imperial Concubine Zhen’s confession, "This is the confession from Imperial Concubine, Father Emperor please review it."
The Emperor was slightly stunned, "She actually wrote a confession? How did you manage to get her to write this?"
Yan Huisheng could not disclose that the Imperial Concubine, whom you dote on, was already married before entering the palace, and that it was all a ploy by Zhang Ping. I exposed her, causing her to realize that her imagined gratitude and love were nothing but a joke, which naturally led her to write the confession. She simply said: "Please go through it yourself, Father Emperor. The Imperial Concubine has written everything in great detail in her confession. You will understand once you’ve read it."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor no longer questioned, took the confession from her and began to flip through it.
The more he read, the worse his expression became. By the end, his face had turned the colour of a pig’s liver, and he was seething with rage to the point of nearly exploding, "How dare she, how dare Zhang Ping!"
In a calm voice, Yan Huisheng said, "Please, Father Emperor, restrain your anger."
"How do you expect me to restrain my anger?" The Emperor initially felt somewhat heartbroken at Imperial Concubine Zhen’s actions. After all, his affection for her over the years was genuine. But who could have imagined, that in the end he had been made a fool by a courtier and a woman. An emperor, to be deceived in this way, he felt that he was the biggest joke. A joke he could not tolerate.
Enraged, he rose to his feet and made to draw his sword. "I will kill that wretched woman!"
Yan Huisheng didn’t stop him, she only spoke the moment the Emperor had drawn his sword and was about to cross the threshold. In a light voice, "Would Father Emperor like to make a big scene out of this and let everyone know?"
The Emperor’s body froze abruptly. Turning around, his eyes bloodshot, he glared at Yan Huisheng, "What do you mean?"
Yan Huisheng’s face remained calm, "Father Emperor, the one who deceived you was Zhang Ping. He is currently safe and sound residing in the Pingxi General’s residence in Jibei. Father Emperor should be very clear about how many troops he has in his hands. If you kill Imperial Concubine Zhen, he will effectively be off the hook."
The Emperor shivered, his face suddenly changed. With a "thud" the treasure sword dropped to the ground. His face continually changing colors, he remained silent for a long while, finally exclaiming angrily, "No, perhaps, I really don’t know."
He raised his eyes to look at Yan Huisheng, emotions of regret sweeping over him like surging river waters, nearly submerging him. His body became unsteady, and blackness enveloped his vision as he fainted.
Yan Huisheng, quick as lightning, stretched out her hand to catch the Emperor who was about to fall, shouting for help, "Summon the Imperial Doctor."
The Imperial Doctor arrived promptly. After a period of chaos, he cupped his hands before Yan Huisheng, "Crown Prince, His Majesty’s illness is a consequence of rage damaging the heart and lungs. If this situation recurs even twice more, I fear it will not be good. Prince, you must persuade His Majesty to take better care of his Dragon Body."
Yan Huisheng nodded, "I understand."
At this moment, the Empress had received news and rushed over. Seeing the Emperor lying unconscious on the bed, she asked Yan Huisheng in a low voice, "What happened?"
Yan Huisheng replied, "I interrogated Imperial Concubine Zhen. After the results came out, Father Emperor’s rage resulted in a sudden attack."
The Empress began to ask about the results, but her peripheral vision caught sight of the rolled-up document placed on the Emperor’s bedside table. She reached out to pick it up, and after a quick scan, she too gasped.
The Empress also paled. Over the years, the Emperor’s fear of her son had led him to indulge the Crown and Second Princes, nurturing both Marquis Nanping Residence and Pingxi General Residence. If all this was plotted by Zhang Ping, and Imperial Concubine Zhen was his pawn, then it was terrifying.
After all, everyone knew that in recent years, most of the imperial treasury’s silver taels, due to the Emperor’s indulgence, were flowing towards Jibei.
Zhang Ping, with the Emperor’s consent, nurtured his own private army. If he was always harboring ill-intent, then the number of troops reported to the Emperor might not be accurate. As such, Daliang would soon face internal strife and battles.
This was certainly no good thing.
Especially when the secret of Su Rong’s origin was no longer a secret, if Dawei learnt of this, they would have an excuse to invade. Thus, both internal disorder and external trouble would fall onto her son’s shoulders.
At this moment, the Empress also somewhat resented the Emperor. Her eyes filled with rage which she could barely contain. Filled with loathing, she almost wished she could rip out the ornaments from her hair and stab him to death one by one.
Yan Huisheng called out, "Mother Empress."
Immediately, the Empress retracted her spiteful look and asked Yan Huisheng, "What can be done now? Do you have a countermeasure? With Imperial Concubine Zhen’s exposure, that thief Zhang Ping would certainly be on alert by now."
The Emperor being like this, falling ill due to a sudden fit of rage not long after his illness was mostly cured, it seemed like they cannot hope to rely on him. It was still up to her son.
Yan Huisheng spoke gently, "Your son will return to the residence to discuss this matter with others. Mother Empress need not worry too much, just take good care of Father Emperor!"
The Empress nodded, knowing that at this point, words were useless, action was needed. Waving her hand at Yan Huisheng, she said, "His Majesty probably won’t awaken for a while. I will deal with things here. Once His Majesty wakes up, I will send someone to inform you."
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