Chapter 91
Rumors spread like a plague through the streets of the capital. Over a dozen versions of the story about "Yupinxian" being "poisonous soy sauce" were circulated, each more outrageous than the last. Some claimed it was laced with rotten meat, others claimed it was made with water from a cadaver pit. The most outrageous claim was that the Crown Princess, Song Qingyuan, possessed sorcery and concocted it using unholy methods, and that consuming too much would drain one's vital energy.
Ordinary people were already ignorant, and were filled with awe and imagination about the affairs of the imperial court. These absurd rumors, in fact, gained more market share than the "poppy seed" theory. Suddenly, Song Qingyuan was on the verge of being demonized from a remarkable woman with a knack for making money into a vicious woman who brought disaster to the nation and its people.
The atmosphere within the Eastern Palace grew oppressive. The servants were terrified, even walking close to the walls. Xia He and several other maids were so angry that their eyes turned red.
"Crown Princess, those people outside are talking nonsense and are simply going too far! Why doesn't Your Highness come forward and arrest those gossipers and cut off their tongues!" Xia He said indignantly.
Song Qingyuan was pruning a pot of Clivia, her movements unhurried and unhurried. She cut off a withered leaf before speaking calmly, "You can't stop the gossip. You catch one batch, and tomorrow there will be another. You're only treating the symptoms, not the root cause."
"Then...then what should we do? Are we just going to let them slander you like this?"
Song Qingyuan put down the scissors, wiped his hands with a white handkerchief, and looked up at Xia He. There was no panic in his eyes, but instead a clear and insightful look: "Why rush? The fish haven't all been caught in the net yet. It's too early to reel in the fishing rod now."
She had long anticipated that their tactics would not stop there. Spreading rumors and creating panic was only the first step. Next, they would inevitably take more substantial actions to thoroughly establish the truth and make it impossible for her to recover.
Sure enough, within three days, the Dali Temple received a joint complaint from the families of several "victims," accusing the Crown Princess Song Qingyuan of poisoning the people with "Imperial Fresh" and demanding severe punishment from the court. The leader was none other than the wealthy businessman from the south of the city who had been suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, whose surname was Qian.
This incident caused an uproar in the court. This was the first time since the founding of the country that a princess had been sued. The Supreme Court Minister was torn between accepting the case and refusing to accept it. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and submit the complaint to the emperor.
Suddenly, all pressure converged on the Eastern Palace. Numerous officials began submitting petitions, earnestly requesting the Crown Prince to prioritize state affairs, suspend all activities at Imperial Fresh, and "restrain" the Crown Princess to avoid "shaking the foundations of the state." These seemingly high-sounding words were, in reality, an attempt to pressure Shen Yanzhi to sever ties with Song Qingyuan.
Inside the Yangxin Palace, Emperor Shen Chong looked at the petition, his face as gloomy as water. He didn't express his opinion, but simply kept the petition in his possession and said, "Let's wait and see what happens."
Everyone understood that the emperor was watching how Shen Yanzhi would respond. This crisis was both an attack from the King of Wei and another major test from the emperor. If he didn't handle it well, his position as crown prince could be in jeopardy at any moment.
In the East Palace study, Shen Yanzhi was looking through the secret report presented by the secret guard.
"Have you found out?" he asked.
The black-clad secret guard kneeling below replied in a deep voice, "Your Highness, we've investigated everything. The wealthy merchant surnamed Qian in the south of the city did not suffer from food poisoning. I bribed one of his servants and learned that it was the merchant himself who took croton seeds. The situations of the other 'victims' were similar; they were all paid to put on a show. The person behind them was Liu Zhong, a steward from the Prince of Wei's palace who had stayed in the capital."
“Liu Zhong…” Shen Yanzhi tapped his knuckles lightly on the table, “King Wei is really willing to use such an important chess piece.”
"Your Highness, that's not all," the secret guard continued. "I've also discovered that Liu Zhong has contacted Wang Chengen, the Left Vice-Minister of the Censorate. Wang Chengen is a distant relative of the Prince of Wei's mother's family. He's a pedantic and stubborn man who values the rule of law above all else. Liu Zhong must be trying to persuade him to publicly impeach the Crown Princess at tomorrow's court meeting, making this matter a complete fuss."
Shen Yanzhi sneered: "Do you want to give me a general attack in the court?"
He raised his head and looked out the window. Song Qingyuan was leading a few maids, setting up a strange platform in the yard. It was filled with bottles, jars and various kitchen utensils, as if they were preparing something.
His eyes softened instantly.
"Go down. Let Wang Chengen talk. I want to see what he can say." Shen Yanzhi waved his hand.
The secret guard was a little puzzled, but still took the order and retreated.
Shen Yanzhi walked into the courtyard and came to Song Qingyuan's side. "Are you ready?"
Song Qingyuan turned around and gave him a sly smile: "Everything is ready, only the east wind is missing. Husband, can you lend me your hand for tomorrow's morning court?"
"The entire court is yours, why talk about borrowing?" Shen Yanzhi scratched her nose, his eyes full of doting.
The next day, the Golden Palace.
Before daybreak, all civil and military officials had already gathered. The atmosphere was much more solemn than usual, and everyone's eyes, intentionally or unintentionally, glanced at Crown Prince Chen Yanzhi, who stood at the head of all officials.
Shen Yanzhi looked as usual, as if the storms in the outside world had nothing to do with him.
The morning court session began, and after discussing a few routine matters, the Left Vice-Minister of the Imperial Censorate, Wang Chengen, stepped forward. Holding an ivory tablet, his face righteous and upright, he declared in a resounding voice, "Your Majesty! I have a report to make! The Crown Princess Song has disregarded the laws of the land, profiting from poisonous substances, causing harm to the people of the capital and causing widespread public outrage. The Dali Temple is now overflowing with petitions, and the entire nation is abuzz with discussion. This action undermines the dignity of the imperial court and undermines the integrity of the crown prince! I implore Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate the case of 'Imperial Fresh Products' and to have the Crown Princess imprisoned and sentenced to justice, to appease the people and uphold the laws of the land!"
His words were righteous and powerful, and the hall was suddenly filled with dead silence.
Impeaching the Crown Princess and requesting that she be sent to the Ministry of Clan Affairs was no longer a simple act of remonstration; it was a declaration of war against the Crown Prince.
Many officials who had old ties with the King of Wei immediately stepped forward to second the motion.
"Your Majesty is absolutely right! Everyone is equal before the law. If the Emperor breaks the law, he will be punished just like any commoner, let alone the Crown Princess!"
"This matter has shaken the people's hearts. If severe punishment is not imposed, great chaos may ensue, Your Majesty!"
Shen Chong, sitting on the dragon throne, had a blank expression on his face, showing no emotion. He turned his gaze to Shen Yanzhi and said, "Prince, what do you have to say about this?"
Shen Yanzhi took a step forward, bowed, and said calmly, "Your Majesty, I have something to say. But before that, I would like to invite someone to the palace."
"Oh? Who?"
"My son's Crown Princess, Song Qingyuan."
The entire court was shocked by these words. Since ancient times, women in the harem had been forbidden from interfering in government affairs, let alone ascending the throne. The Crown Prince's actions were simply unheard of!
Wang Chengen immediately jumped in to object, "Ridiculous! The Golden Throne Hall is where government is held. How can a mere woman be allowed to set foot here? Your Highness, are you trying to flout the rules of our ancestors?"
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