Chapter 45 Jin Ling 45
The atmosphere in the Hall of Supreme Harmony was very strange for a moment.
Except for the pale-faced Concubine Xian and her daughter and the Taoist priest who was not in any other situation, the eyes of everyone else present were vaguely focused on the most honorable emperor in the world who was sitting at the top.
Even the Queen Mother didn't react for a moment. She looked at Concubine Xian in a daze, then turned to look at her beloved son.
"Hurry and get the imperial physician from Xuanjiang to treat the emperor!"
When everyone was immersed in this strange atmosphere, a clear female voice attracted everyone's attention.
Jin Ling didn't look at the people's gazes. She just put on a serious face, walked to the emperor in three or two steps, and helped him sit down with some concern.
Seeing this, the Queen Mother said somewhat awkwardly, "My Lady, this medicine... shouldn't be a big deal."
Jin Ling shook her head. "The good medicine that neither Concubine Xian nor the Wan family could find happened to be found by a random merchant of unknown origin. And even more coincidentally, she was saved by this Taoist priest."
Everyone present understood the metaphor in her words. Even the Queen Mother couldn't sit still. Her son was her only support. If anything happened to Li Yi...
"Quick, call all the imperial doctors from the Imperial Pharmacy."
"This concerns His Majesty's health. This matter must not remain unclear." Jin Ling had a cold face, no longer as gentle as usual. She immediately discussed with the Queen Mother and surrounded the Xianfei's Xianju Palace and Wan Mansion, and sent people to search them thoroughly.
Even Li Yi couldn't get a word in. He looked at the other person's cold face, which had been tense since he knew he had been drugged, and felt both touched and curious.
He had never seen Jin Ling look so majestic before. She was like a mother wolf guarding her mate, not allowing anyone who posed a threat to get close.
After a while, the imperial doctors and Eunuch Bao, who had finished searching the palace, arrived one after another.
Imperial Physician Jiang took the emperor's pulse, while the others began to carefully examine the medicines obtained from the Taoist priest and those found in the Xianju Palace.
When Concubine Xian saw the glass bottle that she had thrown away long ago, she had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, several imperial doctors first examined the most exquisite-looking glass bottle, and their expressions changed.
He picked up the box of incense powder again, first with a look of amazement, then with a hint of confusion. One of the younger imperial doctors seemed to have thought of something, his face instantly stiffened, and he leaned over to whisper in the other doctor's ear.
The imperial physician also showed a solemn expression after hearing this. He sniffed the remaining liquid in the glass bottle carefully, took out a silver needle, stirred it, and then put it back into the perfume powder.
Then several other imperial doctors also showed expressions of sudden realization, and their faces turned pale, obviously they discovered something.
After Imperial Physician Jiang took the emperor's pulse and confirmed that he was just a little weak but not seriously ill, the other imperial physicians breathed a sigh of relief and came forward to check the emperor's pulse. He seemed to be alive again.
"Doctors, are there any problems with the medicines?"
The Empress Dowager naturally noticed what had just happened, and she waited until all the imperial doctors had confirmed that the Emperor was in good health before asking about it.
The young imperial physician took the hint and stepped forward. "Your Majesty, we have carefully examined these medicines and found that they are indeed problematic."
"What's the problem?"
"Hornine Dowager, Noble Concubine, please read these two medicines. One is a liquid extracted from a flower unique to the Western Regions that has aphrodisiac properties. Long-term use will gradually lead to addiction, until one can no longer live without it."
The imperial physician picked up the glass bottle and spoke at length, "But other than that, it actually poses very little harm to the human body, so even a small amount used for a long time would go unnoticed by the user."
Then he picked up the box of incense powder and said, "This box of incense is even more magical. Neither I nor the other imperial doctors can identify its ingredients, but someone may have mixed a medicinal ingredient into it."
As he spoke, he put the two things together: "When used separately, they are both excellent medicines for healing, but when put together, they will become harmful poisons."
The Empress Dowager and Jin Ling's expressions turned grim upon hearing this. The Emperor, however, remained quite calm: "Poison?"
"That's right. First, give the liquid medicine in this glass bottle to a person for a long time, allowing it to seep into their muscles. Then, use the burning incense powder to allow it to enter their lungs. Within half a month, the person will die of exhaustion without being discovered by the imperial physician. Fortunately, Your Majesty should not have used it for a long time, so he is only a little weak. Careful treatment will not affect Your Majesty's health."
In the palace, Concubine Xian and her daughter were still waiting anxiously, secretly hoping that the medicine was fine. But when the two masters of the palace came out together, Concubine Xian had a vague premonition that things might not go as she wished.
"The Xian Consort and Sun Jiabi used the art of warding off evil in the palace, attempting to harm the heir to the throne. The evidence is irrefutable. Sun Jiabi brought poison into the palace, and the Xian Consort used it to harm the emperor's body. They are guilty of multiple crimes and are unforgivable!"
Li Yi finished announcing the two men's crimes and was about to sentence them to death when he saw Jin Ling stand up and seem to have something to say:
"Your Majesty, please pardon the death penalty for the Sun mother and daughter."
Seeing that she was actually pleading for these two vicious women, the Queen Mother was not willing to let them go. She also turned her face against Jin Ling and said, "Noble Concubine, the harem is not allowed to interfere in government affairs. You have overstepped your bounds."
Jin Ling rose from her throne and knelt steadily in the hall. "I accept your words, Queen Mother. However, I have one thing to say: for the sake of Your Majesty's kingdom, I must break the law. From now on, no matter how the Emperor or the Queen Mother decides to deal with me, I will not hesitate!"
Without waiting for their agreement, she took a deep breath and looked directly at the emperor in front of her: "General Wan has saved thousands of people from danger for Your Majesty. May I ask Your Majesty whether you would like to reward General Wan?"
"Those who commit crimes should be punished, and those who have done good deeds should be rewarded. I will not let those who violate the Tang laws go unpunished, nor will I allow anyone to seek repayment for their kindness."
Li Yi understood Jin Ling's meaning, but was unwilling to compromise again, even though Wan Jianfeng held military power and was the help he needed most to overthrow Ma Yuanying.
"Your Majesty rewards and punishes appropriately, which is a blessing for the court officials and the people. But Your Majesty, there is still humanity beyond the law." Jin Ling pointed at the mother and daughter behind her, who were stunned by their conversation, and said in a sonorous voice:
"How many families did General Wan save with this disaster relief effort? How many parents and children were spared the pain of losing a loved one? Not to mention the years General Wan spent guarding the border, protecting countless civilians. Is it fair for a hero who saved countless families in the Tang Dynasty to lose his own wife and daughter?"
Jin Ling glanced around as she spoke. "If the Sun mother and daughter truly intended to poison Your Majesty, then their crime is unforgivable, even death itself. But Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager know clearly that they were simply deceived and exploited. Although foolish and vicious, their crimes do not deserve death!"
In the hall, one could hear a pin drop, as everyone stared silently at the woman kneeling in the center. The dim candlelight was temporarily outshined by her brilliance, and everyone stared at her in a daze, her sonorous words ringing in their ears:
"Your Majesty, please think twice!"
After three horses died, Wan Jianfeng finally arrived at the last moment and listened to the whole process outside the hall.
He was about to rush in when the emperor was about to sentence his wife and daughter, but he was tripped by Gao Xianyang and the palace guards. Before he could do anything, he heard what the imperial concubine said.
He couldn't help but feel guilty and ashamed.
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