"Princess, why pretend to be stupid? Haoyun has clearly been poisoned by your intoxicating poison," Xie said sharply. The arrival of the Crown Prince gave her more confidence.
Zhang Yu nodded, "Princess, Madam Xie is right. After examination by the imperial physicians, Young Master Bai has indeed been poisoned by the Intoxicating Poison."
Bai Chuxiao remained calm and asked again, "Aunt Xie, how did Lanxin hand you the pills that day?"
Xie looked somewhat puzzled, but still spoke firmly, "Why does the Princess need to beat around the bush? It was the Princess herself who instructed Miss Lanxin to give me a bottle of medicine that day."
Bai Chuxiao nodded. "Lanxin gave you a medicine bottle with only one pill inside, right?"
“That’s right, exactly,” Xie said, frowning, wondering why she was asking such useless questions.
Bai Chuxiao asked calmly, "Where is the medicine bottle?"
Xie's eyes were filled with surprise and doubt. Could there be something strange about that medicine bottle? To her, it clearly looked like an ordinary medicine bottle.
Chu Tianyou couldn't help but speak up, "Princess, the medicine bottle has nothing to do with this case. Lord Zhang, please ask some useful questions during the trial..."
Chu Tianze glanced at him and said calmly, "Didn't my brother say he wouldn't say much? The princess has her reasons for asking, let's just watch quietly..."
Chu Tianyou's face stiffened, he snorted coldly, and didn't dare to speak again.
Zhang Yu narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice, "At the time of the incident, Young Master Bai did not have any medicine bottles on him. Where are the medicine bottles that Madam Xie and Princess mentioned?"
Madam Xie, suspicious, slowly said, "My lord, I took the medicine out of the bottle and put it in Haoyun's food box. As for the medicine bottle, I didn't pay any attention to it; it must have been thrown away by the servants."
Bai Chuxiao said nonchalantly, "This princess also felt that Aunt Xie might not care, so before leaving the manor, I sent Qing Shuang to search Aunt Xie's courtyard. Of course, two constables from the Jingzhao Prefecture accompanied her. Lord Zhang, you may wait a while."
Zhang Yu nodded. Xie Shi was startled. She hadn't disposed of the medicine bottle. When Bai Chuxiao asked about it, she sensed something was wrong and claimed it had been thrown away. That wretched girl had actually sent people to search for it beforehand. Could the medicine bottle be something sinister?
Before long, Qing Shuang arrived with two officials. After bowing to everyone,
Bai Chuxiao then asked, "Qingshuang, have you found the medicine bottle?"
Qing Shuang nodded, and one of the officials presented her with a small, exquisite jade bottle.
Lord Zhang asked in a deep voice, "Did you two watch the whole thing?"
The two officers nodded. "Sir, we found this ourselves in Madam Xie's courtyard; there's no deception."
Zhang Yu nodded, then slowly said, "Madam Xie, this medicine bottle was given to you by the princess that day."
Madam Xie's face darkened. Many people had witnessed Lanxin being given to her that day, and if she refused now, she feared she would soon be exposed. So she could only say, "Indeed."
Zhang Yu looked at Bai Chuxiao with a puzzled expression and asked, "Princess, is there something strange about this medicine bottle?"
Bai Chuxiao smiled slightly, "Please take a closer look, Lord Zhang. Is this jade bottle a clear, translucent turquoise color from the inside out?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu examined it carefully and exclaimed, "Not bad!"
"Lanxin, please explain to everyone what the 'Intoxicating Poison' is."
Lan Xin stepped forward and bowed, saying, "The Intoxicating Poison is made from Starflower Grass, Five-Colored Flower, Strychnos nux-vomica, Datura pollen, and other ingredients... It causes people to fall into a deep sleep, their consciousness remains clear, but they cannot wake up from their dream, thus slowly dying in their sleep."
He paused, then continued, "The problem lies with the Star Luo Grass. Star Luo Grass is an essential herb for the Drunken Heart Poison, but it also has a characteristic: it will cause jade to fade when it comes into contact with it. This medicine bottle did not fade abnormally, proving that it was not a pill containing the Drunken Heart Poison when it was given to Madam Xie. As for what Madam Xie did after taking it back, we have no idea."
Madam Xie's heart tightened; she hadn't expected this at all. She refused to believe it was such a coincidence that the Poison of Intoxication clashed with the medicine bottle. "That's just your side of the story..."
Bai Chuxiao spoke calmly, "Lord Zhang, may I borrow this half pill and the medicine bottle?"
Zhang Yu nodded, and Lan Xin stepped forward and placed half a pill into the medicine bottle. A moment later, she presented the bottle to him.
Zhang Yu looked inside and saw that the inner walls were indeed faded. He then said sternly, "Madam Xie, framing the princess is a serious crime."
Chu Tianyou's eyes darkened slightly, and he slowly spoke, "Lord Zhang, this medicine was, after all, a gift from the Princess. It's reasonable for Madam Xie to have doubts. Your words are a bit harsh."
"Yes," Zhang Yu replied with a bow, a fleeting hint of displeasure in his eyes.
Bai Chuxiao smiled slightly, "His Highness the Crown Prince is right, but I also have reason to suspect that Consort Xie poisoned her own son. Consort Xie just admitted that the medicine only passed through her hands."
This wretched woman had actually set a trap for her beforehand. Xie Shi panicked, "My lord, I only have one son, how could I possibly kill him?"
Lan Xin sneered, "The young master's poisoning is not severe and can be cured. Aunt Xie, you clearly resent the princess and have been plotting this all along to frame her."
Zhang Yu said sternly, "Madam Xie, the princess clearly gave you medicine without any poison, but now it contains the Heart Poison. You were the only one who touched it, so it can only be that you poisoned it. If you can't give a convincing explanation, I will have no choice but to throw you into the dungeon."
Madam Xie quickly said, "My lord, this matter really has nothing to do with me. I just remembered that the medicine was put into Haoyun's food box by a maid in the manor. There must be some misunderstanding."
Bai Chuxiao raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Aunt Xie was so adamant back then that she said it was only handled by you, but now she's changed her story. Does that mean I can assume you were deliberately framing me? I beg Lord Zhang to investigate thoroughly."
Zhang Yu slammed his hand on the table. "Madam Xie, how can you lie in this courtroom? Framed the princess and poisoned your own child are both serious crimes. If you don't tell the truth, I will have no choice but to use torture."
Madam Xie panicked and looked towards Chu Tianyou at the head of the table, hoping he would come out and say something.
What an idiot! He didn't even know how to cover his tracks, leaving behind this medicine bottle as leverage. Chu Tianyou cursed inwardly, then coughed twice and said in a deep voice, "Lord Zhang..."
Zhang Yu stepped aside and cupped his hands in greeting, "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
Chu Tianyou spoke with an air of righteous indignation, “Madam Xie is, after all, the wife of the Left Prime Minister. The torture was far too ugly. How could Madam Xie, who only has one son, bear to poison Bai Haoyun? This matter must be the work of villains within the Bai family. In my opinion, this is ultimately a family matter of the Left Prime Minister's household. We should let them go back and let Prime Minister Bai handle it himself. Lord Zhang need not worry about it…”
Chu Tianze, who had been silent for a while, spoke calmly, "When we were interrogating the princess just now, my brother didn't say a word either. How come it's become a family matter when it comes to Madam Xie? This matter happened in the examination hall. For the sake of the examination hall's reputation, Lord Zhang should interrogate her carefully."
Zhang Yu was immediately caught in a dilemma. One side wanted him to interrogate, while the other didn't. Should he interrogate or not? He was bound to offend one of them no matter what. Sigh, why did these hot potatoes always end up in his hands...
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