Chapter 490
Yuan Jing drank the medicine and ate something. He lay on the bed and rested without anyone else's help.
When there was no one around, Yuan Jing suddenly opened his eyes and saw Jing Lie, still in guard uniform, walking in from outside. Of course, if there were other people around at this time, they would not be able to see him.
Yuan Jing half sat up from the bed, holding his chin with one hand and looking at the handsome man. Jing Lie approached and patted his head helplessly, saying, "Are you sure the emperor didn't have any bad intentions towards you?"
Yuan Jing tilted his head and said, "He does have a special feeling for my biological mother, but how much is left after all these years? Maybe he is obsessed with that memory that he can't get, and he is unwilling to give up. Besides, even if he wants to do something, I will let him do it."
Jing Lie pinched his nose and said, "You know what I'm talking about. As long as you're not afraid of me killing the king, that's fine."
Yuan Jing chuckled, "At least we have achieved our goal of moving out of the Marquis' Mansion. We don't have to watch them every day anymore. And now everything they did has been exposed to the public. Does Second Uncle's family still have a chance to turn things around?"
He even pinned the poison that Xie Boli had given to his second uncle's family.
He is different from Jing Lie. He survived to replace the original body and to fulfill the original body's wish. If he moved out regardless of the consequences, the original body's reputation would definitely be tarnished and would become even worse.
Now, so many officials and nobles watched him being poisoned on the spot, and later they would hear that he asked to leave the mansion and was unwilling to accept the title of the Marquisate in order to repay his uncle and aunt for raising him. No one could accuse Zeng Yuanjing of anything wrong in the whole thing. Only Zeng Kang and his wife would bear the bad reputation. Even the old lady of the Marquisate had her reputation tarnished. The grandson who grew up under her nose was actually poisoned, and her own grandmother didn't know anything about it? Who would believe it?
In particular, the imperial doctors have concluded that his body has been corrupted by poison and his life span is limited. This puts him in a completely weak position. Whoever mentions him in the future will only feel sympathy and pity. Such a good child has been ruined like this by these closest relatives in the Marquis' Mansion. What right do these closest relatives have to discipline him?
No one in the Zeng family knew how they left the palace or how they returned to the marquis' mansion. They were in a daze the whole time, including Zeng Yuanliu, who was originally full of ambition. He stood up straight when he left, but bent his back when he came back. He kept huddled in a corner of the carriage and biting his fingernails with his teeth. He knew that it was all over, the marquis' mansion was over, and his hopes were dashed.
The old lady leaned on the couch anxiously, waiting for the people who went to the palace to come back. From time to time, she asked the nanny beside her to go out and check. Her mood was extremely contradictory. The eldest son and the eldest grandson were gone, and Yuan Jing was the only one left. At that time, she thought that she must protect this child no matter what. But since when did her thoughts change? She should have rejected and scolded the second son's request, but she agreed to it after the second son's pleading.
The old lady didn't know what changes would happen after the child entered the palace. Perhaps the child would never return to the Marquis' Mansion. She didn't know how to explain to her eldest brother and the old Marquis in the underworld. If not, would she have to watch the Marquis' Mansion fall into decline?
The old lady even took her anger out on her grandson Yuan Jing, asking him why he wanted to lose weight when he was fine and was still as fat as before. No one would think he looked like his mother, and he would never be remembered by His Majesty. She reminded him many times and instructed the kitchen to send only heavy meat dishes to his yard, but he still lost weight day by day, revealing a face that looked very much like his biological mother.
When Zeng Kang finally returned with his family, the nanny was shocked when she saw their appearance clearly, especially the Marquis, who could not even walk steadily and needed support from the servants around him. His face was pale and the skin on his mouth was swollen.
"Madam, the Marquis and his family are back, but..." The nanny didn't know how to describe their situation.
The old lady sat up quickly: "You're back? Where's Yuan Jing's child?"
"Ah? I don't think I saw the Fourth Young Master."
The old lady's spirit suddenly waned again, as if the boot she had been waiting for had finally dropped. The old lady waved her hand listlessly, wanting to tell the second son's family not to come in and go back to their own yard to rest, but that family had already come in. When the old lady saw their appearance clearly, she was also frightened, and all her previous thoughts were gone.
"What's going on? What happened in the palace?"
Zeng Jingshu, who was originally in fear, suddenly jumped up and said in a sharp voice: "It was that fat pig who killed us. Our mansion was going to be killed by that fat pig. He was so proud of killing us all? Why didn't he just die? Ah——"
Song gritted her teeth and slapped her daughter. If she continued to scream like that, the consequences would be unimaginable. It would be fine if she cursed in private, but now it was in front of the old lady. That was the old lady’s grandson. How could the old lady possibly listen to such words?
Zeng Jingshu woke up with a slap, and she covered her face and started crying. Song knelt down and said, "Mother, Jingshu is just talking nonsense because she is possessed. She herself doesn't even know what she is saying."
The old lady was terrified. She knew it was no small matter. Seeing her son still had a dazed look in his eyes, she said sternly, "Second son, tell me what happened? Where is Yuan Jing? Why didn't he come back with you?"
Zeng Kang finally came to his senses, looked up at the old lady, then looked at his son and his wife. He walked up to Song, grabbed her, swung his arm and slapped her hard, knocking Song to the ground. Her face quickly swelled up.
"Father, what are you doing? Why are you hitting mother? Mother..." Zeng Jingshu rushed over and stood in front of Song, glaring at her father angrily.
Zeng Kang laughed in anger, "Why should I hit her? Ask your mother what she did. Mother, let me tell you what happened in the palace tonight. The emperor gave wine to Yuan Jing, but Yuan Jing fainted immediately after drinking the wine. The imperial physician was called for treatment, but the imperial physician said that the old poison in Yuan Jing's body was stimulated by the wine. It was an old poison that was started ten years ago. It took two or three years and would slowly weaken the body. Seeing that Yuan Jing has not died yet, another poison was given this year, but she never expected that this poison did not take effect at other times, but took effect in front of the emperor. Song, are you going to kill our family?"
Zeng Jingshu turned her head and looked at Song. Was it her mother who poisoned her? How could it be possible?
Although she often called Zeng Yuanjing a fat pig and cursed him to die a miserable death, she never thought of killing him with her own hands.
His mother always spoke of him with disdain. If she was disdainful, why would she poison him?
The old lady was so shocked when she heard these things that she almost couldn't breathe. The nanny who stayed behind was also shocked, but seeing the old lady's condition, she quickly stroked her chest to let her breathe. After the old lady caught her breath, she climbed down and found her other stick to beat Song, cursing as she beat her:
"What did Yuan Jing do to you that made you do such a cruel thing? How old was he ten years ago? You are a vicious woman. You don't even let go of a child of a few years old. Why does my Zeng family have to have a vicious and stupid woman like you?"
After being beaten several times, Song suddenly laughed out loud, "Yes, I am a vicious woman. How can your family be any better than me? Do you really think that I don't know anything about what you did behind my back? You can even harm your own grandson and nephew, so what does it matter if I, an aunt who has no blood relationship with you, harm him? If His Majesty really wants to punish you, none of you will be able to escape."
"Besides, I only gave him a chronic poison ten years ago. I didn't use the new poison on him this year. Who knows who did it because he was an eyesore." Song raised her head and looked at the old lady and Zeng Kang sarcastically. In her opinion, the only ones who would poison him were these two, because apart from her, they were the only masters in this mansion.
The old lady's cane slipped from her hand and her vision went dark. The nanny quickly held it up. The old lady angrily shouted, "You bastard, what nonsense are you talking about?"
How could she not know whether she did it or not? She was sure that she did not do it, so it must be... the second child? The old lady suddenly didn't dare to look at the second child, afraid that she would be disappointed. Why? Why couldn't she tolerate that child? Although it was not pleasing because he looked like that woman, he was the only root left by the eldest child after all.
The sadness that came from her heart, coupled with the reality that she couldn't face, made the old lady feel a sweet and fishy taste in her throat, and she fell down limply.
"old lady--"
"Mother--"
The palace had not yet decided on the case, so Zeng Kang didn't dare to go to the palace to ask for the imperial physician, so he could only invite a doctor from outside to come in and treat the old lady. The doctor came and worked hard for a while before finally waking the old lady up. But at this time, the old lady had already suffered from hemiplegia, and lay there in tears. She had lived for most of her life, but what on earth was she doing?
At this point, she grabbed the second brother's hand and said word by word with all her strength: "Take Yuan Jing out of the palace, promise me."
"I promise, son." Zeng Kang dared not refuse. He thought about coaxing his mother and letting her rest first. After hearing this, the old lady finally closed her eyes. It was too tiring a day.
Songshi and Songshan did not go to the palace with them. The Marquis and his men came back, but their young master was nowhere to be seen. They did not dare to run out to inquire, so they could only ask people secretly. As a result, they found out that the old lady was ill, and their young master did not come back with her. Songshan and Songshi were anxious and angry. Where was their young master?
Late at night, Jing Lie, who was accompanying Yuan Jing, suddenly stood up. A fierce look flashed in his eyes. He signaled Yuan Jing with his eyes, and then Jing Lie hid in the corner. Even if someone came in, they would not be able to detect his presence.
Yuan Jing, who had been full of energy just now, immediately became extremely pale and weak, lying on the bed and falling into a deep sleep.
The old emperor appeared with an old eunuch.
"Are you sure the child is asleep?"
"Yes, the medicine prescribed by Imperial Physician Chen has a calming effect."
The old emperor walked into the room, and the old eunuch fumbled to open the bed curtain. The person on the bed could be seen clearly through the candlelight. Looking at that face, the old eunuch didn't know what to feel in his heart. He thought of the rumors in the streets that the fourth young master of Zeng Yi Marquis's Mansion was an obese man. Now he understood why the Marquis' Mansion kept the fourth young master so fat. It was probably because they were afraid that this face would catch the eye of His Majesty.
However, despite all the precautions, it was still delivered to His Majesty. Being in his position, it was clear to him what Marquis Yongyi was thinking.
The old emperor stood by the bed and watched for a while, lost in thought and nostalgic, then stepped back and sighed, "What do you think Zeng Kang was thinking? In his eyes, I am such a fool, how could I harm her child?"
Of course the eunuch didn't dare to say yes, he said: "Your Majesty is wise and powerful..."
"Alright, old man. I'm old now. Besides, all those years have passed. Zeng Heng and her eldest son died for me on the battlefield and protected this land for me. Although I had some selfish motives at the beginning and wanted her to enter the palace after death, unfortunately she has refused and used her death to show me her determination. What would it mean for me to keep her child in this palace? Would the history books say that I was a tyrant?"
The old eunuch didn't dare to say anything else. He knew in his heart that His Majesty didn't need anyone else's answer. Not many people knew about what happened back then, and His Majesty could only say a few words in front of him.
In fact, he didn't understand. Zeng Heng's wife would rather die than enter the palace. Look, she died, and the child she left behind was almost poisoned to death by the people in the Marquis' Mansion. Even if she didn't die, her body is now broken and she won't live long.
The old emperor walked back and forth in the room for several circles, and finally stopped and said, "Wait until tomorrow, go to the Yongyi Marquis's mansion to convey the order to Zeng Kang. He is not worthy of the position, so he will be demoted to the third-class earl. You personally watch him give out the things that should be given to the child. There is no need for the child to live in that mansion in the future. It is indeed good to separate him. Even his own grandmother couldn't protect him, what's the point?"
"Yes, I will go and convey your order tomorrow morning."
The old emperor took one last look at the sleeping Zeng Yuanjing, then left holding the old eunuch's hand.
After the people walked away, Yuan Jing sat up again, and Jing Lie also came out from the corner. The two looked at each other. Yuan Jing spread his hands and said, "It seems that my mother was indeed forced to death by him back then, but now he has some sense and doesn't really act like an impatient emperor." He still left some bottom line.
Jing Lie rubbed Yuan Jing's head. No matter how sensible he was, he didn't like the way the old emperor looked at Yuan Jing. Could he keep his sense of propriety this time and wait for others to become more confused? And his princes were not good people. Two of them looked at Yuan Jing in different ways.
Yuan Jing touched his chin and said, "Have you found out anything about what happened on the front line? Did my father and elder brother die in battle or were they killed by someone's scheme? From the tone of the old emperor just now, I didn't hear any signs that he had any involvement."
Jing Lie said: "When I went to check, I found that someone else was also checking."
"Huh? Who is it? Who is still interested in my affairs?" Yuan Jing asked curiously. Who would target a playboy like him who has no knowledge or skills?
Jing Lie chuckled: "It should be Prince Shun's people."
Yuan Jing said narcissistically: "I didn't expect my face to be so attractive."
Jing Lie laughed loudly, luckily the sound could not be heard, otherwise people would think there was a ghost in the palace.
Jing Lie stayed in the palace with Yuan Jing all night and left quietly when it was almost dawn. As for the guard whose identity he had replaced, he had no idea about it. Yuan Jing was given medicine and acupuncture by the imperial physician early in the morning, and the physician also gave him a prescription. Even if he left the palace, he could get the medicine himself to regulate his body. He had to take good care of his body.
At this time, the eunuchs in the palace also set out to the mansion of Marquis Yongyi to convey the imperial edict. Those families in the capital who attended the palace banquet last night were all paying attention to this matter. They found that His Majesty valued Zeng Heng's son very much. Not only did he keep him in the palace for a night to let the imperial physician detoxify him, but now no one knew what the fate of Marquis Yongyi would be.
Zeng Kang, who had not slept all night, felt his legs go weak and he almost collapsed when the eunuch came in holding the imperial edict.
If he had known this earlier, he should not have thought of sending Yuan Jing to His Majesty, and the poison would not have happened, causing His Majesty to be concerned about him.
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