Chapter 41 She will no longer flatter him! ...
These words caused a great uproar among those around them, and the discussions grew louder and louder.
Everyone present was either surprised, frightened, or astonished, but Wei Zhang remained calm.
He looked down at Xue Lanyi, his tone more like a gentle coaxing, "Tell me, how did I kill her?"
Xue Lanyi was bewildered by his attitude, but she had no choice but to continue.
"Wei and Wei Zhang concocted a poisonous plant called 'heartbreak grass' to kill Prince Qi. Prince Qi was so heartbroken that he could not bear the pain and bit off his tongue to commit suicide."
“Uncle…” The young emperor staggered half a step.
His personal eunuch supported him, and he almost collapsed into the eunuch's arms.
But he had no intention of leaving. His eyes were bloodshot, and he stared at Wei Zhang with bloodshot eyes. "Impossible, impossible! Minister Wei, you wouldn't torture your uncle like this, would you?"
Wei Zhang ignored the young emperor, his gaze fixed solely on Xue Lanyi.
His expression hardened slightly, and after a moment, he understood.
Afterwards, his eyes showed even more admiration.
What is he praising?
Is it to praise Xue Lanyi for her courage in reporting him, or to praise Xue Lanyi for obtaining evidence of his murder without making a sound?
Regardless of the reason, such an expression should not appear on the face of a suspect who has been exposed.
Why did Wei Zhang show no sign of panic?
This unusual reaction instilled in Xue Lanyi an unknown fear.
She swallowed hard; the arrow was already on the bowstring and had to be released.
She dared not look at Wei Zhang again, and instead kowtowed to the young emperor.
"The poisonous herb 'heartbreak grass' is extremely yin-nourishing and is strictly prohibited by the Great Yong. Therefore, all the poisons were made by Wei Zhang himself. The evidence is in Master Jueming's hands!"
"Master Xuan Jueming!"
It was too unbelievable. The young emperor's voice became unusually loud, and his hand was still gripping Wei Zhang's sleeve nervously.
As for Master Jueming, since the young emperor had been paying homage to Prince Qi the previous night, Master Jueming had been praying and chanting sutras in the Fengxian Hall, so he quickly arrived at the Donghua Gate and presented the evidence to the young emperor.
There are two pieces of evidence. First, in the bedroom where Wei Zhang lived as a child, a pharmacopoeia with a page torn out was found. Although this pharmacopoeia is a unique copy, the author is still alive. The steward of the Prince Qi's mansion has checked and found that the missing page is the method for making the heartbreak grass.
Secondly, when Wei Zhang was fostered in the Prince Qi's mansion, he was not very mobile and his food, clothing and daily necessities were scarce, so it was not easy for him to buy medicinal herbs, let alone collect all thirteen kinds of herbs, including the Heartbreak Grass.
To avoid arousing suspicion, Wei Zhang spent five years using the excuse of his own illness to request medicine from the Prince's Palace, and then deducting the amount of herbs needed for the "heartbreak grass" from his own medicine.
Wei Zhang quietly pieced together the poison ingredients over five years, and his accounts for obtaining the medicine were all kept in a book. By carefully examining the accounts together, one could see Wei Zhang's sinister intentions.
In fact, the Prince's mansion would not have kept such a detailed record of such a trivial matter as getting a few doses of medicine.
Unfortunately, Prince Qi and his wife disliked Wei Zhang, so they were extremely stingy with his expenses, deducting money from his meals to cover medical bills.
This seemingly small account actually contained evidence of Wei Zhang's crimes.
According to the accounts, the first herb that Wei Zhang obtained could be traced back to when Wei Zhang was twelve years old, which was the second year after he entered the Prince Qi's mansion. Wei Zhang was already plotting to kill the Prince Qi.
A mentally immature boy could be so dark.
The young emperor stared in disbelief at his most trusted minister, who was so close to him.
The close advisor who helped him ascend to the throne personally murdered his most admired uncle.
The young emperor couldn't believe it, shaking his head repeatedly and backing away, almost falling over.
Upon hearing the news, Shen Jinglan arrived and supported the young emperor from behind.
With this major upheaval, Donghua Gate has become a gathering place for court officials. Circles of people surround Wei Zhang, their gazes filled with surprise and doubt as they turn to the person at the center of the storm.
After all, it was too unbelievable that a twelve-year-old boy would plot for five years to poison the entire Qi Prince's household.
"Accounts can be falsified, handwriting can be falsified. How can we convict Lord Wei based on just these two pieces of evidence?"
“This gentleman can go back to the pharmacy from back then and check.”
Xue Lanyi refuted the person in the crowd who was clearly a member of Wei Zhang's faction.
Xue Lanyi had not investigated the pharmacy, but she believed that Wei Xuan must have thoroughly investigated it when he used this evidence to threaten Wei Zhang.
As long as the accounts of the pharmacy and the Prince Qi's mansion match, and there are witnesses and physical evidence, how can Wei Zhang clear his name?
"Furthermore, all the accounts of Prince Qi's residence are sealed by Prince Qi himself. Who could possibly forge a prince's seal?"
Xue Lanyi's words left Wei Zhang's henchmen speechless, with only one person muttering, "It's hard to believe that a twelve-year-old would orchestrate the massacre of his entire family."
"Human nature is inherently evil, how difficult is that to understand?" The speaker was Marquis Dingyuan, Pei Xiuyuan, the old lady's nephew.
Before he inherited the title, Xue Lanyi had interacted with him.
This person used to be a devout Buddhist, always carrying a string of Bodhi beads with him, like a lay disciple who didn't care about worldly affairs, never concerning himself with family matters or court politics.
At this moment, Pei Xiuyuan's eyes were indifferent, mocking, and full of aggression.
Five years have passed, and many people and things have changed. Xue Lanyi almost didn't recognize him.
Fortunately, he was now on Xue Lanyi's side, his sharp eyes meeting Wei Zhang's: "Some people are just hypocritical, seemingly concerned for the world, but in reality, they kill without mercy, harming the innocent, right, Lord Wei?"
The two exchanged a knowing smile.
All eyes turned to Wei Zhang.
The young emperor gripped Shen Jinglan's wrist tightly, still harboring doubts, and breathed stiffly, "Minister Wei, do you have anything to say?"
"Your Majesty, I have nothing to say." Wei Zhang bowed respectfully.
Isn't that an admission of guilt?
None of the ministers present, including Xue Lanyi, reacted in time.
She thought today would be a life-or-death tug-of-war, and she never imagined that she could defeat Wei Zhang so easily.
However, Wei Zhang confessed...
She stared blankly at Wei Zhang.
Wei Zhang was also looking at her.
Or perhaps Wei Zhang was watching her the whole time while Xue Lanyi was arguing with Wei Zhang's cronies.
She could feel the cold light following her closely, and she dared not look away.
Now that their eyes met, his gaze was like an abyss, and Xue Lanyi seemed to fall into his eyes, unable to reach the bottom.
The emptiness and uncertainty in her back left her with no joy of victory, only a deeper fear.
"Is Lord Wei truly beyond refutation?" the young emperor asked.
"No." Wei Zhang uttered a single word leisurely, looking at Xue Lanyi from beginning to end: "Whatever my beloved concubine says is what it is."
Xue Lanyi shook her head silently; she was not his concubine.
The young emperor was speechless. He exchanged a glance with Shen Jinglan and then had an idea. "Take Wei Zhang into the imperial prison, seal up the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, and wait for the joint trial by the three judicial departments."
Wei Zhang cupped his hands and slowly retreated.
Xue Lanyi was still immersed in fear and disbelief, kneeling blankly on the spot.
Suddenly, she felt a chill on her neck and snapped back to reality.
As Wei Zhang passed by her, the tassel of the jade pendant at his waist barely grazed Xue Lanyi's skin.
The icy silkworm silk wrapped around Xue Lanyi's slender neck, then sliced across her throat, the sensation as sharp as a blade.
Xue Lanyi was nearly suffocating.
"Tonight, I can once again watch the stars with my beloved concubine." Wei Zhang's lips curled into an inscrutable smile.
Xue Lanyi's head buzzed, not understanding what he meant.
Wei Zhang did not linger and walked away.
Finally, Leng Songxiang left her, her dark figure disappearing outside Donghua Gate.
The dark clouds on the horizon seemed to have dispersed.
The solemn atmosphere dissipated with Wei Zhang's departure, and the breathing of those around him seemed to become heavier.
The young emperor was in a daze and had no intention of dealing with Xue Lanyi. He pointed at her nose and said, "Throw her into the Imperial Clan Court and order them to deal with her as soon as possible!"
He didn't want to see anyone related to the late Crown Prince, so he helped Shen Jinglan away in a hurry.
Xue Lanyi was escorted by guards to the Imperial Clan Court in the southwest corner of the capital.
Walking through the narrow passageway, the view became increasingly desolate, with no more golden bricks and green tiles, only a decaying, cold palace.
The air was thick with the damp, pungent smell of blood, mingled with the faint, heart-wrenching cries and pleas for mercy from deep within the palace.
Xue Lanyi knew that she had committed the crime of deceiving the emperor and was also labeled as a "rebel of the previous dynasty," so the emperor would not let her off the hook.
This journey leads to the underworld, a place where one will never see the light of day.
Xue Lanyi looked reluctantly towards the outside of the red wall, her life filled with many regrets and worries.
The southwest side of the palace is located on high ground, so even without going up to the pavilion, one can still see the scenery outside the palace.
In a daze, she saw a white horse pulling a carriage, quietly passing by a small alley outside the red walls.
"Gale!"
Xue Lanyi recognized it as Wei Xuan's mount.
Does this mean that Wei Xuan is in the carriage?
Has the old matriarch already taken advantage of the chaos to rescue Wei Xuan and is preparing to leave the capital?
A glimmer of light appeared in Xue Lanyi's dim eyes, and she subconsciously took a step away from the city wall.
"Get out of here!" The guard shoved her and grabbed her shoulders.
Xue Lanyi stood still, watching the carriage gradually disappear into the distance.
In a moment of impulse, she pushed the guard away.
Since she was going to die anyway, she wanted to see her boy one last time, even if it was just to watch his back as he walked away.
She lifted her skirt and rushed up to the nearby attic.
"You're asking for death!" The guard drew his sword and gave chase.
A tall, imposing figure blocked the way for the guards.
Upon seeing the newcomer, the guard's expression immediately changed, and he respectfully knelt down to pay his respects.
Xue Lanyi didn't look back, and ran all the way to the third-floor pavilion, where she leaned on the railing and looked out.
Just then, the carriage curtain was lifted from the inside.
Inside the carriage, Su Yin nodded to her from afar, then leaned back.
Xue Lanyi saw Wei Xuan lying unconscious on the soft bench.
After many days apart, his face was pale and swollen, and he had stubble on his chin, looking almost lifeless.
The day before yesterday, he was covered in mud from kneeling in the old house, and no one helped him wash it off, leaving him in a sorry state.
In the past, even when he returned from military campaigns, he would never have a full beard or be covered in sweat and blood.
He always appeared clean and neat in front of Xue Lanyi.
Xue Lanyi laughed at him for being more particular than a girl.
He said this is called "men dress up for those they love."
Xue Lanyi's eyes welled up with tears. She couldn't bear to look at him like this, but she couldn't help but look at him a few more times.
After all, there will never be another chance.
Finally, the carriage slowly disappeared from sight and headed out of the capital.
Xue Lanyi stared blankly in that direction, remaining silent for a long time.
"This was entrusted to me by the young lady named Ayin to be given to the princess."
At that moment, a cold voice sounded from behind.
Xue Lanyi suddenly turned around.
Pei Xiuyuan stood beside her and handed her a strand of hair from a silk handkerchief.
Su Yin is nothing more than an ant; there is very little she can do.
Therefore, she asked Marquis Pei to take a slight detour through the alleys outside the imperial city when he escorted Wei Xuan away, so that Xue Lanyi could catch another glimpse of Wei Xuan.
She also asked him to send Xue Lanyi a strand of Wei Xuan's hair.
The saying goes, "If we are bound by marriage, we will continue our bond in the next life."
Since it cannot be done in this life, we can only pray for the next.
This strand of hair is Su Yin's blessing for their next life.
Xue Lanyi was moved and held the handkerchief in her hand with her fingers.
After a long while, he finally came to his senses and curtsied, saying, "Thank you, Lord Marquis."
"No need."
Pei Xiuyuan's voice was cold as he returned the greeting with his hands clasped, "I will repay the kindness shown to Zhilan by the Princess this time."
Xue Lanyi only knew that Lord Pei had a childhood sweetheart named Zheng Zhilan to whom he was betrothed.
The two had a deep affection for each other, but for some unknown reason, on the eve of her marriage, Zhilan was demoted from wife to concubine.
Not long after, Zhilan died of illness.
Xue Lanyi had some connection with the Zheng family, and had even visited the temple to pay respects to Miss Zhilan; it could only be considered a gentleman's friendship.
She didn't remember doing Zhilan any favors.
However, this didn't seem to matter. Pei Xiuyuan's distant tone indicated that he didn't want to establish any relationship with her, but rather that he wanted to sever all ties and cut all ties completely.
Whatever.
At this moment, Xue Lanyi had no time for anything else, but she was truly grateful to Marquis Pei for letting her see Wei Xuan one last time.
She curtsied deeply.
The guards couldn't linger for long and escorted Xue Lanyi away.
Pei Xiuyuan stood alone by the railing, watching the carriage that had already left the city, his eyes gradually turning icy...
Xue Lanyi was changed into prison clothes and sent to the Imperial Clan Court's jail.
This is a solitary cell, empty and dark, with no other criminals around.
The oil lamp on the wall was almost burned out, the flame about to go out, only a ray of sunlight shone in through the skylight high up, making things faintly visible.
Strangely, Xue Lanyi, who was afraid of the dark and confinement, felt incredibly calm at this moment.
It could be the effect of the Qingxin Pill, or it could be that a person is afraid of nothing when they are about to die.
More likely, the absence of Wei Zhang's ever-present presence meant freedom for her.
She sat down in the sunlight streaming through the skylight and breathed deeply with pleasure.
She no longer thought about how to please Wei Zhang today, or how to endure her disgust and sleep with him.
She can freely reminisce about the best ten years she spent with Ah Xuan.
If there is an afterlife, she would love to be his wife once.
A pang of sorrow welled up in Xue Lanyi's heart again. In silence, she twisted off a lock of her long hair and mixed it with Wei Xuan's hair, braiding them into a love knot.
She held the love knot in her palm, rubbed it gently, and murmured to herself, "Live well, and don't do anything foolish again."
Xue Lanyi actually knew that Wei Xuan had sent Wei Zhang to the old house that day so that they could perish together.
She knew she couldn't bear the thought of Wei Xuan being torn to pieces, so at that moment Xue Lanyi made up her mind to go to the palace to see her and let her go to her death.
Those who remain are the ones who suffer the most, so let's leave this difficult task to Ah Xuan.
She's going to slack off.
Xue Lanyi chuckled softly, leaning back against the wooden railing, a single tear of farewell slowly rolling down her cheek.
Cold, jade-like fingers pressed down on the tears at the corners of her eyes.
What is the first passage in "The Concubine's Book"?
A cool breath sprayed down onto her forehead.
A familiar sense of oppression washed over her, and Xue Lanyi's hair stood on end, her eyes widening in shock.
A dark, imposing figure stood in the cell behind her, a hand with distinct knuckles reaching over the bars to gently stroke her cheek.
In the flickering candlelight, she could see the man's face clearly.
"Wei Zhang!"
How did he end up here?
The imperial relatives are imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court, while Wei Zhang should be in the Imperial Prison!
How could that be?
How could that be?
Her breathing was labored, and she wanted to escape, but her legs were weak and her back was against the bars, unable to stand up.
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