Chapter 3 Arsenic, I'm watching you drink it.
Emperor Kangxi put down the memorial, his voice calm and unwavering, revealing no emotion.
"Liang Jiugong".
"Your servant is here."
Liang Jiugong immediately bowed.
"Take two men and bring that palace maid to me. I want to question her myself."
Kangxi paused, then added, "Quietly, without making a fuss."
"Yes, sir."
Liang Jiugong understood immediately and selected two capable eunuchs, Li Mama and Zhang Mama, to lead the way.
The group hurried through the palace walls and headed toward the secluded low house.
Kangxi remained alone in the warm pavilion, his fingertips gently tapping the sandalwood tabletop.
He recalled that he had drunk heavily at the banquet the night before and seemed to have indeed slept with a palace maid.
My memory is hazy; I only remember a pair of eyes that were panicked yet forced to remain calm.
In just the time it takes to hold an early morning court session, the person almost got punished.
His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
He knew exactly who was behind it.
Apart from his Empress Hesheli, who had only recently ascended to the position of Empress and was eager to establish her authority and eliminate any potential threats.
Who else could it be?
He understood the Empress's unease and methods.
But... in such a hurry, without even waiting for him to speak, they directly attacked the bondservant from the Eight Banners.
That's a bit too much.
If word gets out that Emperor Kangxi acted immorally while drunk, and that the palace maid he favored was secretly executed, it would be disastrous.
This would damage the reputation of him as a young emperor who was diligent in governing the country and advocated benevolence.
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"Squeak—"
The door was pushed open from the outside, and light poured in, illuminating the dust particles floating in the air.
Jiang Nan was sitting on the hard bed, anxiously awaiting the final judgment, when she heard a noise and suddenly looked up.
The leader was a middle-aged eunuch with a fair complexion, no beard, and a composed demeanor.
His sharp gaze swept over her.
Following behind were the two elderly women who looked terrified.
Liang Jiugong was also taken aback when he saw the woman inside the room.
The woman was pale, her hair was slightly disheveled, and she was only wearing an old white undergarment, so she looked quite disheveled.
But those eyes were clear and bright, carrying a composure and a hint of curiosity that were not typical of palace maids.
Upon seeing this group of people, I felt little fear.
"girl."
Liang Jiugong spoke, his voice not loud but carrying an inherent authority.
"The Emperor wants to see you. Come with us."
It's finally here!
Jiang Nan's heart leaped into her throat; whether it was a blessing or a curse depended on this moment.
She took a deep breath, tried to calm her wildly beating heart, and stood up.
She even subconsciously smoothed the messy hair at her temples, trying to make herself look less disheveled.
"yes."
She responded meekly, her voice still somewhat hoarse.
She followed behind Liang Jiugong, with two young eunuchs on either side of her and two old nannies trailing far behind.
They remained silent the entire way.
The red walls and yellow tiles of the Forbidden City appear majestic and solemn under the sunlight, yet they also exude an invisible sense of oppression.
Jiang Nan kept her eyes straight ahead, but her mind was racing, calculating how she should act when she met Kangxi.
Soon, they arrived at the Qianqing Palace.
Stepping over the high threshold, the hall was filled with a faint scent of ink and sandalwood.
Jiang Nan didn't dare to look up and wander off; she could only stare at the tips of the boots of the eunuch leading the way.
Liang Jiugong stopped walking, and then his shrill voice rang out.
"Your Majesty, the person has been brought."
Jiang Nan immediately knelt down, her forehead touching the golden brick floor, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Your humble servant Jiang Nan pays his respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"
A young yet authoritative voice came from above.
“Raise your head.”
Jiang Nan steeled her resolve and slowly raised her head.
Behind the desk in front of them sat a young man dressed in bright yellow casual clothes.
His face still had a childlike quality, but his eyebrows and eyes were deep, his nose was high and straight, his lips were tightly pursed, and his pair of dark eyes were scrutinizing her sharply.
He possessed the majesty of an emperor and the inquisitive spirit unique to young people.
This is Kangxi... the living Kangxi Emperor!
Jiang Nan forced herself to meet that gaze, not wanting to show any fear.
Kangxi looked at the woman kneeling below.
She has delicate features, not stunningly beautiful, but she does look somewhat familiar.
It must be the person from last night.
What's most peculiar is her eyes, clear and bright, showing none of the fear and humility one would expect from a palace maid when meeting the emperor.
It's more like they're...observing him?
"Is what Granny Li and Granny Zhang said true?"
Kangxi got straight to the point, his voice devoid of emotion.
"You really survived poisoning and even claim to be destined by heaven?"
All eyes in the hall were focused on Jiang Nan.
Liang Jiugong held his breath and concentrated, while the two eunuchs lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound.
Jiang Nan knew that the moment of life and death had arrived.
She took a deep breath, her face showing a mixture of awe and a hint of grievance, and began to speak.
"Your Majesty, this servant would not dare to deceive you. Poison... This servant did indeed drink two bowls. Whether it is true or not, Li Mama, Zhang Mama, and the empty bowl are all witnesses. This servant still does not know why this happened."
She paused, her voice trembling slightly, as if she had recalled something extremely terrible.
"As for the so-called Mandate of Heaven... Last night, when I was unconscious, my mind was in a daze, and I seemed to be taken into a Yama's palace, where I heard the words of the King of Hell... When I woke up, I felt as if I were in a dream, and I was terrified. I don't know if those words were real or not. I was just filled with fear. When I saw the maids about to attack again, I blurted out in desperation, begging Your Majesty to see the truth."
Her words were half true and half false.
They acknowledged the bizarre phenomenon of being unable to die from poison, but attributed the claim of being the chosen one to a state of mental confusion, like a dream or illusion.
This left him room to maneuver, while also implying that he was forced to speak out to save his life.
Kangxi listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously stroking a white jade thumb ring.
Inside the hall, you could hear a pin drop.
After a long silence, Kangxi finally spoke, his tone inscrutable.
"Oh? So you've had quite an adventure."
His gaze fell on Jiang Nan again, and the scrutinizing look had not completely faded.
An emperor's suspicions cannot be easily dispelled by a bizarre story.
This encounter was too coincidental, and too...beneficial to the woman.
"Liang Jiugong." Kangxi's voice broke the silence.
“Your servant is here.” Liang Jiugong, who had been holding his breath, immediately bowed and replied.
"go."
Kangxi's gaze remained fixed on Jiang Nan's face, his tone calm yet unquestionable.
"Bring me a small amount of arsenic."
Liang Jiugong suddenly looked up, a look of horror flashing in his eyes, but when he met the emperor's unquestionable gaze, he immediately lowered his head again.
"Yes, sir..."
His voice trembled slightly, and he dared not ask any more questions before quickly retreating.
Jiang Nan's heart sank.
Here comes the ultimate test!
Although she knew she was unlikely to die, she was still tempted to drink poison in front of everyone, especially the legendary arsenic.
The psychological pressure is enormous.
She forced herself to remain calm, even showing a hint of composure on her face, as if she should have done this a long time ago.
Seeing her like this, Kangxi's doubts lessened a bit.
If one didn't truly have something to rely on, who could face arsenic so calmly?
Soon, Liang Jiugong returned, carrying a small sandalwood tray.
On it sits a delicate white jade bottle and a matching small cup.
He lowered his head, not daring to look at anyone's expression, and gently placed the tray on a corner of the desk.
He bowed and stepped aside, not daring to utter a sound.
Kangxi's gaze fell on the white jade bottle, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.
"Crane's crest is poison, and it kills instantly upon contact with blood. If you now go back on your word and admit that what you just said was false, I may spare your life out of consideration for your ignorance."
This was his final, and most brutal, test.
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