Jiang Meiyu watched all this unfold, her heart filled with confusion and vigilance. She knew the mysterious woman was no ordinary person, but at this moment, she couldn't discern her true intentions. Due to system settings, the system could only issue a danger warning to Jiang Meiyu alone, unable to discern the thoughts of others.
Jiang Meiyu held the prince's hand tightly, leaning close to his ear and whispering, "Husband, do you trust me?" The prince's face darkened, and he replied without hesitation, "If not, who else can I trust?" Before he finished speaking, Jiang Meiyu quickly stuffed a previously purchased antidote pill into his mouth. The prince swallowed the pill without hesitation, not even asking Jiang Meiyu what it was. Because in his heart, he had unconditional trust in his wife.
At this time, the emperor raised his glass again and said excitedly: "Cheers, my dear ministers!" The prince held up the glass steadily, raised his head and drank it all in one gulp.
When the prince picked up the wine glass and drank the liquid in it, the eyes of the two people at the banquet met, and one of them raised the corner of his mouth slightly, as if everything was under his control.
However, just a moment later, the prince suddenly covered his heart, stood up staggeringly, spurted out a stream of blood from his mouth, and then fell heavily to the ground and fell into a coma.
"Your Highness! Your Highness! What's wrong with you?" Jiang Meiyu shouted in pretended sadness, but there was a hint of imperceptible pride in her eyes.
The Emperor and Empress hurried over, and the Emperor roared angrily, "Send the imperial physician immediately! No one at the banquet is allowed to leave!" With the Emperor's order, the Imperial Guards sprang into action, tightly surrounding the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The ministers below were thrown into a panic, each one apprehensive, fearing they would be caught up in this sudden incident.
Soon, Imperial Physician Li hurried over, carrying his medicine box. After nervously feeling the Crown Prince's pulse, he reported to the Emperor in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince's pulse is clearly a sign of poisoning! Moreover, this poison is extremely toxic, called (Gourd Poison), and it's extremely toxic, with no antidote. I'm afraid the Crown Prince's life is in danger..."
Upon hearing this, the emperor's face suddenly changed drastically, and he roared in rage, "What did you say? The prince's life is in danger? Summon all the imperial physicians immediately for a consultation! If we can't cure the prince, none of you will survive!" Imperial Physician Li was trembling with fear, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He replied tremblingly, "Yes, Your Majesty, calm down. I will do it right away."
The Queen, standing by, was already in tears. She fell to the ground beside the Crown Prince, tightly holding his hand, sobbing uncontrollably. Jiang Meiyu secretly thought that something was wrong. She was afraid that her abnormality would be noticed, so she quickly wiped away her tears, thinking to herself, "At this critical moment, I have to rely on my acting skills!"
Concubine Xiao's lips curled up slightly, her eyes revealing a hint of cunning and complacency. She winked at the Third Prince, as if hinting at something. The Third Prince understood his mother's meaning. He straightened his body, stepped forward resolutely, and knelt before the Emperor.
"Your Majesty! The safety of the Crown Prince is related to the safety of the entire North Vietnam! Please, Your Majesty, make sure to investigate the murderer thoroughly!" The Third Prince said sincerely, his voice full of concern and determination.
The emperor nodded solemnly, agreeing. He looked at the Third Prince seriously and said firmly, "Yes, Pei'er, you are right. I will leave this matter to you to investigate. You must thoroughly investigate it for me!"
"Yes, I obey your command!" The Third Prince was secretly delighted, a smug smile on his face, but he quickly regained his solemn expression. He knew that this was a rare opportunity, one that would allow him to investigate and uncover some of the Crown Prince's secrets while also showcasing his own abilities.
The Third Prince looked at Concubine Xiao with a smug look, and both mother and son understood. They both knew that this was a perfect opportunity, and if they seized it, the Third Prince's position in the court would be elevated to a higher level.
The eldest prince glanced at the third prince. He knew that if the third prince investigated him, he would show no mercy. So, the eldest prince had a plan in mind: he would take the blame for the incident himself, thus demonstrating his loyalty and protecting his own interests. With this in mind, the eldest prince decided to take a risk.
The eldest prince stepped forward and knelt before the emperor without hesitation, saying respectfully: "Father, regarding the matter of finding the murderer, I request that this matter be left to me. My third brother has always disagreed with the crown prince in the court. If my third brother is responsible for the investigation, it may cause some unnecessary gossip. Therefore, I think it is more appropriate for me to be in charge." His tone was sincere and firm, and he seemed to be full of confidence in himself.
However, the third prince was unwilling to let the eldest prince snatch this opportunity away from him. He immediately stood up and knelt down to plead with the emperor: "Father, although I usually have disagreements with the prince in the court, these are just different political views. I will uphold a fair and strict attitude and do my best to track down the murderer and not let go of any suspicious person." His words were righteous and stern, which moved people.
Hearing the words of the third prince, the eldest prince could not help but sneer and retorted bluntly: "Third brother, stop acting! On weekdays, you always sing a different tune from the prince. The prince says one thing, and you insist on saying another. Now that something has happened, who will believe in your fairness?" There was a hint of disdain in his words, and he was obviously deeply dissatisfied with the behavior of the third prince.
"Your Majesty..." The third prince was about to speak when he was interrupted by the emperor: "Okay, stop arguing. Let the eldest prince investigate this matter. Go and do it!" After the emperor finished speaking, he closed his eyes, as if he had exhausted all his strength.
The eldest prince quickly agreed and respectfully bowed to the emperor before turning and leaving to investigate the murderer. The third prince, however, was furious, but he dared not argue any further. He could only helplessly watch the eldest prince's departure, muttering to himself.
The emperor slowly sat down, gazing at the prince with a solemn gaze, his heart thick with worry. At this moment, all the palace physicians arrived. The emperor stared closely at Doctor Wang and asked gravely, "Doctor Wang, how is the prince doing now?"
Doctor Wang frowned slightly, shook his head helplessly, and replied softly, "Your Majesty, there is currently no antidote for the poison the Crown Prince has contracted. The Imperial Hospital needs to further discuss whether an antidote can be developed."
The emperor's brow furrowed, his expression growing increasingly gloomy. He stared at Doctor Wang and commanded firmly, "Alright, begin developing the antidote immediately. I await your news. If you require any medicinal materials, please let me know and I will dispatch someone to find them."
Doctor Wang and the other doctors bowed respectfully and left the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The emperor sat on the dragon throne with a heavy heart, silently praying for the prince's safety.
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