Chapter 15 Spreading Rumors of a Murder of the Crown Prince
Inside Chengqian Palace, the atmosphere remained heavy. The imperial physicians surrounded the bedside, fine beads of sweat forming on their foreheads. The poison in Yuwen Hao's body was not a deadly poison that would kill instantly upon contact with blood, but its potent effects were still extremely damaging to a three-year-old child. To expel the toxins and stabilize his heart, the physicians had no choice but to administer acupuncture.
One by one, slender gold needles pierced Yuwen Hao's young body. Even in his unconscious state, the child instinctively convulsed and let out weak groans due to the excruciating pain. Seeing her son suffering, Consort De felt as if her heart was being slowly torn apart. She cried until she was almost out of breath, her whole body limp, and she was only able to stay upright because the old nanny beside her held her tightly.
"Hao'er... my Hao'er..." Consort De's voice was hoarse, her eyes filled with nothing but overwhelming hatred. She hated! She hated the Empress Dowager's ruthlessness! For so many years, she had walked on thin ice in this deep palace, never fighting or vying for anything, only hoping that her son could grow up safely. But the Empress Dowager, in order to bring down Consort Chen, had unhesitatingly used her Hao'er as a pawn to be sacrificed! He was only three years old! What had he done wrong?!
An unprecedented despair and anger welled up in her heart. Since others were not giving her and her son a way to live, she would never sit idly by and wait to die! However, the most important thing right now was that Hao'er could pull through.
Meanwhile, inside the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager, after her initial rage and miscalculation, quickly calmed down, followed by a wave of panic. She knew her son all too well, and she knew all too well the almost ingrained, obsessive love in the Yuwen family. The late Emperor had nearly destroyed the entire Great Zhou Dynasty for that short-lived woman. Now, Che'er's obsession with Su Luoxue seemed to surpass even that of the late Emperor!
Today, Che'er disregarded the grave crime of "plotting against the imperial heir" and openly expressed his trust in Su Luoxue. But what about tomorrow? What about the future? If this opportunity isn't seized to completely eliminate Su Luoxue, Che'er might do even more outrageous things for her, things that could even shake the very foundations of the nation! At that time, the fate of the Great Zhou Dynasty...
A resolute glint flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes. No, she absolutely would not allow it! For the sake of the Yuwen clan's empire, for the sake of their ancestral legacy, this Su Luoxue must be eliminated!
"Granny Qin!" The Empress Dowager's voice was icy, carrying a sense of desperation.
"This old servant is here!" Granny Qin hurriedly stepped forward.
"Immediately send someone to spread the word 'truthfully' what happened at Chengqian Palace today!" The Empress Dowager emphasized the word "truthfully," making her meaning crystal clear. "The key point is that Consort Chen, Su Luoxue, is suspected of poisoning the First Prince, Yuwen Hao, causing his life to be in danger! Although His Majesty has temporarily protected him, the evidence is conclusive, and the people are filled with fear!"
She paused, her eyes flashing with a sharp light: "The message must be delivered to the Shen family of the Duke of Protectorate, the Pei family of the Marquis of Zhenbei, and the residences of several other powerful senior officials. They must know that His Majesty is now bewitched by a bewitching concubine, disregarding the safety of the imperial heirs, and the court is in danger of collapse!"
Granny Qin understood immediately. This was an attempt to leverage the power of powerful officials from the previous dynasty to pressure His Majesty! Once the news spread, especially to the ears of those noble and elderly officials who valued etiquette and the imperial succession, it would inevitably cause a huge uproar. At that point, even if His Majesty wanted to protect Consort Chen, he would have to consider the reactions from the court and the public! This was a classic case of "the arrow is on the bowstring, and it must be released!"
"This old servant understands! I'll go do it right away!" Granny Qin didn't dare to delay and immediately turned around and went out to arrange for her trusted confidants to go to various residences to "report the news."
The Empress Dowager tapped her fingers lightly on the table, her eyes deep and unfathomable. She wanted to see if her son, faced with immense pressure from the previous dynasty and from the imperial family and nobles, could still say "I trust her" without hesitation, just as he had in Chengqian Palace!
This was not merely a purge of Su Luoxue, but also a test and pressure on her son, Yuwen Che, regarding imperial power. She wanted Yuwen Che to understand that the emperor could not truly do as he pleased. Some bottom lines could not be crossed; some forces could not be ignored.
The news spread like wildfire, carrying a deliberately sensational tone, and quickly reached the elite circles of Beijing.
"Have you heard? Consort Chen poisoned the First Prince!"
"His Majesty actually intends to protect them!"
"This wicked concubine is bringing ruin to the country! If anything happens to the eldest prince, the very foundation of the nation will be shaken!"
"Your Majesty's actions have truly chilled the hearts of us old ministers!"
Suddenly, undercurrents surged, and a storm was brewing. The brief peace within Guanju Palace was destined to be short-lived. Yuwen Che and Su Luoxue were about to face combined pressure from both the imperial court and the harem. This turmoil, which arose from love, was rapidly evolving into a fierce struggle concerning imperial power, the political situation, and the fate of the harem.
"Disaster! Disaster! Master, Madam, something terrible has happened!"
The Su family's butler scrambled into the inner hall, his face ashen and his voice trembling.
Su Wenyuan, Liu Shi, and Su Jingxing, who were having lunch, were all startled, not even noticing that their chopsticks had fallen onto the table.
"What's the panic! Speak slowly, what happened?" Su Wenyuan tried to remain calm, but an ominous premonition welled up in his heart.
The steward, panting heavily and with a sob in his voice, said, "It's all over the place! They're saying... saying that the eldest young lady is in the palace... suspected of poisoning the eldest prince! The eldest prince's life is in danger!"
"What?!"
Liu's vision went black, and she fainted. Su Wenyuan also went limp, slumping into a chair, his face ashen. Su Jingxing abruptly stood up, grabbing the butler's collar, his eyes bloodshot: "What nonsense are you spouting?! How could Xue'er do such a thing?! Where did you get this information?!"
"Young Master, the whole capital is buzzing with the news! They say the soup that Consort Chen personally delivered was poisoned... The palace is in complete chaos!" the steward said with a mournful face.
Su Jingxing released his grip, staggered a step, and felt as if his heart was being torn apart. He was exceptionally talented and meticulous; he instantly understood the crux of the matter. This was no accident, but a conspiracy against his sister! His sister had only been in the palace for two months, her foundation completely crumbled—how could she be so foolish as to poison the eldest prince? This was clearly a frame-up!
"Father, Mother, don't panic! Someone is definitely trying to harm Xue'er!" Su Jingxing forced himself to calm down and immediately ordered his trusted servant, "Quickly! Find out the specific situation in the palace and His Majesty's attitude."
The wait for news was agonizing for the Su family. After being revived, Madam Liu could only weep incessantly, murmuring "My Xue'er." Su Wenyuan seemed to age ten years in an instant. Having weathered many storms in the business world, he knew all too well how terrible the charge of "plotting against the imperial heir" was—enough to lead to the execution of the entire Su family!
Fortunately, the people sent out to inquire quickly brought back more detailed information: "His Majesty firmly believes in Consort Chen's innocence and immediately brought her back to Guanju Palace, strictly ordering no one to disturb her. Although the Crown Prince was poisoned, the imperial physicians are doing their best to treat him, and his life is not in danger for the time being."
Hearing His Majesty's unwavering protection of Su Luoxue, the three members of the Su family finally breathed a sigh of relief. Madam Liu clasped her hands together, chanting Buddhist prayers incessantly. Su Wenyuan, tears streaming down his face, cried out, "Your Majesty, please understand! Your Majesty, please understand! Xue'er is absolutely not that kind of person!"
Su Jingxing, however, frowned deeply, his face still showing worry. His Majesty's protection was a good thing, but the speed and breadth of these rumors were clearly being fueled by someone. Their aim was likely to use public pressure to force His Majesty to punish Xue'er. The storm to come would likely be even fiercer. What could the Su family do in this raging torrent? They could only pray that His Majesty's affection for his sister was deep and unwavering.
Meanwhile, a completely different scene unfolded inside several magnificent mansions in the capital.
The Shen family of the Duke of Huguo's mansion were the Empress's maternal clan. Upon hearing the news, the Duke of Shen was initially furious, but then a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes. "Good! Excellent! His Majesty has finally been bewitched by that vixen and lost his senses! This is precisely to put pressure on His Majesty, and even... to secure greater benefits for the Empress." Or... he dared not delve into that possibility, but the opportunity had indeed arrived! He immediately ordered his sedan chair to be prepared and changed into his court attire; he was to enter the palace immediately to meet the Emperor!
At the Marquis of Zhenbei's residence, Pei Xuan's father, the old Marquis, frowned deeply upon hearing the matter. He trusted his son's judgment; his son had privately remarked that His Majesty was truly in love with Consort Chen, and that the woman didn't seem like a malicious person. However, "poisoning the imperial heir" was no small matter, and His Majesty's open protection might invite criticism and destabilize the court. For both public and private reasons, he felt compelled to go to the palace to offer his advice.
Several other members of the royal family and senior officials, known for their uprightness and emphasis on etiquette, were so enraged that they glared and cursed repeatedly.
"A vixen who brought ruin to the country! She's practically a reincarnation of Daji!"
"How could Your Majesty be so foolish! The safety of the imperial heir concerns the very foundation of the nation!"
"The wicked concubine must be severely punished to restore order to the court!"
Almost simultaneously, these powerful nobles and officials, who wielded considerable influence in the Great Zhou court, donned solemn court robes and, filled with anger, worry, or ulterior motives, eagerly headed to the palace. They were going to see the emperor, to demand an explanation, and to force him to provide "justice"!
Outside the palace gates, carriages and palanquins gathered, the atmosphere heavy. An immense pressure from the previous dynasty was surging towards Guanju Palace, towards Yuwen Che and Su Luoxue. Yuwen Che was about to face not only the intrigues of the harem, but also the questioning and pressure from the entire ruling class regarding his "incompetent" behavior. Could he withstand this predicament, beset by internal and external difficulties?
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