Chapter 416 Zhao Xiaozhu Arrested for Drugging
As soon as Wuxin left, Zhao Yuntong hurriedly poured the aphrodisiac powder into the water glass, unaware that Xie Shang had been watching his every move.
He pondered to himself: This woman, dressed in a white dress, came to the plum garden to play the pipa. Why would she disguise herself as that person? Does she know something? Or does she have news about that person? Or is it just a coincidence?
Xie Shang shook his head. He didn't know what was wrong with him lately. Perhaps it was just a coincidence. Ruan Ruan had also worn a white dress that day, and it was normal for the young lady of the East Palace to follow suit.
He put aside his doubts and watched Zhao Yuntong's every move. He felt increasingly disgusted with the young mistresses of the Eastern Palace, who only knew how to use despicable means.
At this moment, Zhao Yuntong composed herself before placing the water cup in front of Xie Shang, saying, "Your Highness, are you thirsty? Please have some water."
Xie Shang slowly opened his eyes, gripped her wrist, and said in a deep voice, "Who sent you?"
Zhao Yuntong explained, "What are you talking about, Your Highness? I am a concubine of the Crown Prince's Palace. My name is Zhao Yuntong. Your Highness may not remember me. I am... the daughter of the former Minister of Revenue."
Upon hearing this name, Xie Shang's eyes grew even colder. "How dare you poison me and plot against me! Who sent you to murder me?"
Zhao Yuntong only wanted to gain the Crown Prince's favor. Looking at the water cup, she couldn't help but be frightened and quickly explained, "It only contains aphrodisiac powder, not poison. How could I possibly harm Your Highness? I just want to be with Your Highness."
Xie Shang snatched the water glass, grabbed her chin, poured the water into her mouth, threw her to the ground, and said coldly, "Aphrodisiac, it's that stuff again. Since you all like to use such despicable methods, you can taste the aphrodisiac yourself!"
Zhao Yuntong was already terrified and at a loss. She didn't know that Su Tingwan and Ye Susu had both used aphrodisiacs to gain his favor. He hated such things the most, and Xie Shang was furious.
He said in a cold voice, "Guards!"
Wuxin hurriedly entered, saying, "This servant is here."
"Interrogate her thoroughly and find out where she got the medicine from," Xie Shang said coldly.
So, Wuxin had someone come in and arrest Zhao Yuntong, and brought her maid to the Crown Prince. "Before this servant has used any torture, Miss Zhao, please say whatever you want!"
Zhao Yuntong was terrified. She only wanted to take advantage of the Crown Prince's drunkenness to have sex with him, but she was afraid that he would wake up. In order to be absolutely sure, she prepared to give him the aphrodisiac.
Zhao Yuntong looked at the maid beside her and said, "Your Highness, I am innocent! I did not intend to use the aphrodisiac. I had no idea about it. It was Cuizhi who instigated me. I was confused for a moment! Your Highness, please spare my life."
Cuizhi was originally Zhao Yuntong's personal maid, but since the Zhao family fell from power, Zhao Yuntong had no one to rely on and her finances became tight. Zhao Yuntong was originally an illegitimate daughter and had no chance to enter the palace. She only managed to enter the palace by using tricks against the legitimate daughter. Cuizhi also sold this information to Zhao Mama.
Now that Cuizhi has received a large sum of money, enough for her family to live on for a lifetime, she had already thought of her excuse and a way to get out of trouble before she did this.
Cuizhi said, "This servant did not instigate Consort Zhao. It was she who wanted to scheme for the Crown Prince's favor. It has nothing to do with this servant."
Zhao Yuntong was dumbfounded. "Cuizhi, why would you say that? You were the one who said you would drug the Crown Prince and make me pregnant if I gained his favor. It was you who instigated me to do this."
“It was clearly Your Highness who wanted to do this, and she even wore a white dress to the plum garden to play the zither while waiting for His Highness the Crown Prince. How could this servant dare to stop Your Highness from doing whatever she wanted?” Cuizhi explained.
Zhao Yuntong's pig brain couldn't process it for a second, and she hurriedly said, "You clearly gave me the medicine..."
Xie Shang stepped forward and grabbed Zhao Yuntong by the neck, coldly saying, "How did you know to wear white dresses to seduce me? What do you know? Speak..."
Zhao Yuntong was terrified and confessed everything, "It was on the day of the Crown Prince's birthday banquet. I saw His Highness staring at a woman in a white dress, and I thought that His Highness would also like me in a white dress, so I..."
Xie Shang also remembered that Zhao Yuntong's attire was just a misunderstanding. He released her neck, feeling as if he were under a spell. Ye Susu had also been wearing a plain white dress, which was why he had glanced at her a few more times. He hadn't expected that these women were so good at reading people.
He said coldly, "Where did you get the aphrodisiac powder?"
"I really didn't know; it was Cuizhi who gave it to me," Zhao Yuntong said.
Xie Shang asked again, "Don't tell the truth, beat them until they tell the truth."
Cuizhi hurriedly said, "This servant saw that Consort Zhao obtained the aphrodisiac from Consort Zhao's palace. This servant also knows that the Tenth Prince uses this drug to seduce the palace maids. Consort Zhao also uses this drug to relieve her loneliness. If Your Highness does not believe me, you can immediately send someone to search Consort Zhao's palace."
Cuizhi has been in the palace with Zhao Yuntong for so long, and they often visit Consort Zhao's palace, so how could they not know about Consort Zhao and the Tenth Prince's secret?
Zhao Yuntong felt speechless after hearing this and hurriedly said, "Cuizhi, why did you frame me? Who bribed you? Tell me... who told you to frame me?"
“It was clearly Your Highness who wanted to seduce His Highness by imitating him. I was just telling the truth and begging Your Highness to spare my life. I am just Your Highness’s servant and do not want to take the blame and be punished for Your Highness.”
Cuizhi even added another charge against Zhao Yuntong, saying, "The last time Prince Yu and Miss Hui'er were caught having an affair, it was all your doing, Your Highness, because Your Highness has long wanted to enter the palace and marry the Crown Prince..."
Zhao Yuntong felt dizzy and disoriented. "Your Highness, it's not like that. I didn't do it. I'm innocent."
Upon hearing this, Xie Shang frowned even more deeply. He had also heard about the despicable things Xie Xin had done in private. It turned out that the Tenth Prince had become like this because of Consort Zhao's influence.
Even the Second Prince Xie Yu's fondness for using such forbidden items was probably learned from Consort Yan. These women have turned the harem into a chaotic mess.
Zhao Yuntong is the same...
At this moment, Zhao Yuntong's mind was completely blank. She felt her body starting to burn, her mouth dry, and her face flushed. "Your Highness, I... am innocent!"
Zhao Yuntong felt a surge of heat and tried to get closer to Xie Shang, but Xie Shang angrily said, "Beat her! Beat her until she behaves!"
Wu Xin naturally showed no mercy, ordering the guards to hold Zhao Yuntong down on both sides. Then, the paddle began to be used on her body. The physical pain immediately overcame the desires in her heart. With each blow, she was brought to her senses and begged for mercy, "Your Highness, spare my life! I will never dare to do it again! I know I was wrong."
Wu Xin wouldn't let her beg for mercy, so he beat her until she was covered in blood and passed out.
Just then, a guard from Chengguang Hall shouted coldly into the shadows, "Who is it? Who's outside?"
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