Chapter 43 Jin Ling 43
"Today... someone must be using the art of warding off evil!"
The Queen Mother was an old woman who had experienced many years of infighting in the harem. Not only did she immediately realize that this must have been man-made, she even immediately identified the suspect.
"Send people to the Xianju Palace and the Wan Mansion for a thorough search. I must know whether this was God's will or man-made!"
Seeing that Jin Ling still looked panicked, Li Yi simply entrusted the matter to the Queen Mother and stayed by Jin Ling's side to take care of her.
No one noticed that the smile from the man who went to get the medicine had disappeared, and instead Feiyan came to serve him.
That night, the Wan Mansion was brightly lit. Madam Wan, who had not yet finished burning the doll, was arrested on the spot and taken into custody. Concubine Xian was also confined to the palace and was not allowed to take a single step out.
For three days, the imperial concubine drifted in and out of consciousness, unable to eat or drink. Even her fetus grew weaker, with signs of a miscarriage looming. Li Yi, who had originally intended to investigate the case himself, had no choice but to hand it over to the Dali Temple, where the Chief Censor and the Minister of Justice were also present. They were ordered to investigate the matter thoroughly within five days.
It was not until the fourth day that Jin Ling gradually got better and regained consciousness.
"Why don't you lie down properly?" As soon as Li Yi came in, he saw Jin Ling struggling to get out of bed. He hurriedly walked over and held her down, then carefully helped her lie back on the bed.
"I'm just a palace concubine. How can I live in the Hall of Supreme Harmony all the time?" Jin Ling smiled weakly at him, reached out and grabbed his fingers, shaking them like before.
Li Yi was on the verge of tears. He'd been working himself to death these past few days. Jin Ling looked dazed, as if she were about to leave him at any moment. He stayed by her side all night, even when he was desperately sleepy, he would wake up from nightmares.
In just four days, he looked visibly more haggard.
"You are my wife, so naturally you should stay by my side." Li Yi clasped her slender fingers and lay down beside her with his clothes on.
"I have caused Your Majesty to worry again."
Jin Ling touched his dark eye sockets, her tone full of heartache.
"As long as you are fine..." Li Yi held her in his arms through the quilt, and his heart finally settled down.
It was not until the next morning, when Li Yi went to court, that Xiao Xiao found time to report the progress of the matter.
"Your Majesty, Xiao Shun's letter said he ran into General Wan on his way back. Calculating the time, I'm afraid it must have been within the past two days."
Smiling, he helped Jin Ling to her feet and dressed her. He then picked up an ox-horn comb and gently combed her hair. "Madam Wan's practice of the art of exorcism is irrefutable, but she refuses to sign and keeps clamoring to see His Majesty. However, His Majesty is ignoring her. I'm afraid she'll be convicted today."
Jin Ling touched her still somewhat frail face and refused Xiaoxiao's attempt to put makeup on her: "Just leave it as it is."
"My Lady, if General Wan returns, will that sinner be pardoned from death?"
"meeting……"
Jin Ling stood up and carefully supported her with a smile: "And I will do my best to protect her."
"Mother?!"
He bit his lips unwillingly with a smile, completely confused about what his wife was going to do.
"Little fool, didn't I tell you a long time ago?" Jin Ling smiled and pinched her puffy round face, then slowly walked out:
"Wan Baoxian and Sun Jiabi, are they important? If we only talk about the two of them, they are not as important as Ruan Shanggong and Zhong Sizhi."
Jin Ling turned the jade bracelet on her wrist and smiled as she looked towards Li Yi who was walking towards her from a distance.
"The power behind them is the most important."
Li Yi came over and nodded when he saw her wearing a cloak, but he still wanted to help her back into the house: "You are just fine, don't get caught in the wind."
Jin Ling took the man's hand and looked at him seriously: "Your Majesty, someone is trying to harm me. I have the right to know the story and the outcome."
Seeing her resolute attitude, Li Yi had to carefully choose his words and slowly told her the whole story. Seeing Jin Ling standing there in a daze, he thought she was sad, so he hurriedly comforted her:
"This is all Sun Jiabi's fault, as she is vicious and full of evil. I will never forgive her, don't worry."
Jin Ling shook her head. "Of course I believe Your Majesty. However, Sun has been clamoring to see Your Majesty and has refused to confess her crime. I'm worried... maybe she's been wronged."
"This matter was inferred by the three judges, and the person was arrested that day, and the evidence is solid. How could she be wrongly accused?"
"But she certainly hasn't confessed to the charges. Furthermore... Sun and General Wan were a loving couple, so she certainly didn't know about these evil techniques from the beginning. Didn't Your Majesty also say that a Taoist priest from the Ascension Temple performed a ritual for her? I'm afraid she was bewitched and momentarily lost, leading her to commit such a grievous mistake."
Seeing Li Yi's disapproving look, she knew he thought she was too kind, so she simply stood up and leaned on the man's arms:
"I'm not being kindhearted. Sun used her magic to harm my child, and I wish I could kill her myself."
"Your Majesty may think I'm clueless, but in my heart, my children are important; but Your Majesty is even more important."
As she spoke, she raised her pale little face and looked lovingly into the man's deep eyes. "Even without your Majesty telling me, I know that Ma Yuanyi commands a large army, is greedy, and murders loyal officials. Your Majesty will never allow him to continue to act so recklessly."
"If he were to be convicted in this manner, Ma Yuanying would surely sow discord between Your Majesty and General Wan."
Jin Ling's eyes reddened as she spoke, "At least the child is still here, at least he's still here... Will he forgive me? As a mother, I have to personally persuade his father to forgive the murderer who hurt him..."
Li Yi held Jin Ling in his arms without saying a word, but comforted her over and over again. Where Jin Ling couldn't see, he showed a gloomy expression, and veins bulged on his tense arms.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
