Chapter 54 Ling Zixia lights a handkerchief to release the real murderer
Ling Zixia's words were gentle but powerful, making everyone present feel nervous.
The name Defei was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, immediately arousing the deepest anger in Zhao Wuji's heart.
He looked at the little eunuch who was pinned to the ground, his eyes so cold that they seemed to be able to freeze people.
Zhao Wuji did not doubt Ling Zixia's words at all, because the things that happened before had already paved the way for everything.
"Is it a traitor planted by Concubine De?" Zhao Wenxuan stepped forward and asked in a low voice, his tone full of confirmation.
Ling Zixia did not answer Zhao Wenxuan directly, she just turned her gaze to the terrified little eunuch.
She spoke slowly in a compassionate tone, as if explaining for the poor man.
"What I just said was not just speculation, because that unique fragrance is truly impressive."
As she spoke, she took out a white silk handkerchief from her sleeve. It was the handkerchief that Zhao Wenxuan had handed her to wipe her tears.
After her touch, the silk handkerchief had been turned into a "medicinal handkerchief" emitting a strange fragrance.
She walked slowly to the young eunuch, squatted down, and put the silk handkerchief to his nose.
"Smell it, is this the smell?" Her voice was as gentle as if she was comforting a frightened child.
The young eunuch was already frightened out of his wits and could only subconsciously twitch his nose and sniff.
The refreshing fragrance instantly penetrated his nostrils, clearing his mind that had almost stagnated due to fear.
Just when he was in a trance, Ling Zixia's fingertips seemed to touch the inside of his wrist accidentally.
A weak, transformed medicinal property silently invaded his body.
This drug will not cause any harm to him, it will only make his next words out of control of his brain.
After Ling Zixia finished this action, she slowly stood up and said to Zhao Wuji and Zhao Wenxuan.
"Prime Minister, Young Master, this person is already distracted, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to get the truth from him."
Her words were full of understanding and consideration, as if she was really thinking about the Zhao family father and son.
Seeing this, Doctor Sun, who was standing by, immediately seized the opportunity and stepped forward. He wanted to save the face he had just lost.
"Prime Minister, it's better to leave this treacherous man to me. I have plenty of ways to make him speak."
As he spoke, a sinister glint flashed in his eyes, and he was obviously preparing to use some special medical methods.
Ling Zixia shook her head gently and spoke in a compassionate tone.
"While Imperial Physician Sun's methods are certainly brilliant, under torture, there's no guarantee he wouldn't make random accusations."
As she spoke, she turned her gaze to the young eunuch again, with just the right amount of confidence in her eyes.
"I am not very talented, but I do have a little trick that might make him tell the truth."
A hint of interest flashed in Zhao Wuji's eyes as he looked at his daughter-in-law who always brought him surprises.
"Oh? If you have any good ideas, please tell me."
Ling Zixia bowed to Zhao Wuji, and then spoke slowly.
"When my father was alive, he developed a miraculous medicine called 'Wenxin San'."
"Those who take this medicine will enter a state of half-sleep and half-wakefulness, and everything they say will be exactly what they think, without a single falsehood."
What she said was half true and half false. "Wenxinsan" did exist, but it had been lost long ago, and she herself did not know how to prepare it.
Upon hearing this, Imperial Physician Sun snorted coldly. He thought this was simply a fairy tale.
"That's nonsense! 'Questioning Heart Powder' is a legendary item, lost for centuries. How could a young girl like you possibly possess it?"
Ling Zixia ignored his questioning and just took out a small white jade porcelain bottle from her arms.
She opened the porcelain bottle and poured out a black pill, which gave off a faint herbal fragrance.
This is naturally not some "Questioning Heart Powder", but an ordinary tranquilizing pill that has been processed by her golden finger.
She reversed the effect of the tranquilizing pills, turning them into something that could cause mild hallucinations and amplify the effects of the drugs she had planted before.
She handed the pill to Zhao Wenxuan and spoke in a very frank tone.
"I dare not deceive you, sir. This medicine is not the real 'Wenxin Powder', but an imitation made by me using common herbs according to the ancient recipe."
"Its potency is only one-tenth to one-twelfth of the genuine product, and it does no harm to the body. It can only make people tell the truth for a short time."
Her frank words made Zhao Wenxuan and Zhao Wuji even more convinced.
Zhao Wenxuan took the pill and smelled it carefully. It was indeed the smell of some common tranquilizing herbs.
He no longer hesitated, and personally stepped forward, pinched open the little eunuch's mouth, and stuffed the pill in.
The young eunuch was forced to swallow the pill, and he had no special reaction at first.
But after a while, his eyes began to become unfocused, and the fear on his face gradually faded away.
He became completely dull, like a puppet without a soul.
Seeing this, Ling Zixia knew that the time had come, so she asked in a very calm tone.
"Who sent you?"
The little eunuch's lips moved and he answered in an emotionless, mechanical voice.
"...Yes... Her Majesty the Virtuous Consort..."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present gasped. Although they had already guessed it in their hearts, they were still extremely shocked when they heard it with their own ears.
Zhao Wuji's face was so gloomy that it looked like water was about to drip out of it, and his fists were clenched in his sleeves, making a rattling sound.
Doctor Sun was in disbelief. He stared blankly at the young eunuch, completely unable to understand what was happening before his eyes.
Ling Zixia didn't stop, she continued to ask in that persuasive tone.
"What did Empress Defei send you to do?"
The young eunuch answered without any hesitation, as if he was reciting the answer that had already been written.
"...The Empress ordered this servant... to create chaos in the Prime Minister's residence... and to use the opportunity... to murder Concubine Ling... using tea quenched with 'flint powder'..."
He recounted exactly what had happened, but all the culprits pointed to Concubine De.
This lie carefully woven by Ling Zixia, now spoken through the mouth of this drug-controlled eunuch, became an ironclad fact.
A terrifying murderous intent flashed in Zhao Wuji's eyes, and he could no longer suppress the anger in his heart.
"What a Virtuous Consort! What a great Li family!"
He suddenly waved his sleeves and gave a stern order to Zhang Mo, the leader of the guards beside him.
"Drag this dog slave away!"
"No need for a trial, just beat him to death with clubs and throw his body into a mass grave!"
He paused and added, his voice filled with endless coldness.
"Send someone to the palace to tell the Empress that I have captured a spy who intends to assassinate her in the palace."
"There are witnesses and evidence, and all the evidence points to Concubine De's palace!"
This order was tantamount to declaring war directly on Concubine De, and it also officially kicked off the struggle between the Prime Minister's Office and Concubine De's faction in the court.
Ling Zixia, the instigator of all this, slowly lowered her head amidst the murderous intent.
Her face once again regained its weak and innocent look, as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with her.
She was just a victim, a poor person who was almost harmed by a villain.
No one saw that beneath her lowered eyelids, a cold fire of revenge flickered in her deep eyes.
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