Chapter 92
Shen Yanzhi didn't even glance at him, but stared directly at the emperor on the dragon throne: "Father, this matter was caused by Qingyuan, and it should be resolved by her. She is the one involved and knows the truth better than anyone else. I believe that the truth is more important than any ancestral rules."
Shen Chong stared at him for a long while, then suddenly smiled: "Approved. Summon the Crown Princess to the palace."
Everyone was stunned. No one had expected that the emperor would agree to such an unorthodox request.
A moment later, Song Qingyuan, dressed in the dignified court dress of a Crown Princess, walked calmly into the Golden Throne Hall. She showed no sign of stage fright, her gaze calmly scanning the various expressions of the civil and military officials in the hall. Finally, she stopped beside Shen Yanzhi, stood shoulder to shoulder with him, and bowed deeply to the throne.
"Your Majesty, I, Song Qingyuan, pay my respects to you."
"Stand up." Shen Chong's voice was inquiring. "Song, Censor Wang has impeached you for poisoning people. Do you admit your guilt?"
Song Qingyuan stood up and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, I am innocent. Not only innocent, but also meritorious."
"What nonsense!" Wang Cheng'en roared. "You've poisoned the people, and the evidence is irrefutable. Yet you still dare to speak so eloquently!"
Song Qingyuan turned to him, his eyes sharp as a knife: "Sir Wang, may I ask where the evidence is? Did you see it with your own eyes, or do you have the autopsy report from the Imperial Hospital?"
Wang Chengen was speechless for a moment. "This... the Dali Temple's complaint is the evidence! The wealthy Qian family in the south of the city is the witness!"
"Okay." Song Qingyuan nodded. "In that case, I will prove my innocence today in front of His Majesty and all the civil and military officials."
She clapped her hands. Outside the hall, several East Palace guards came in carrying the platform they had set up yesterday, as well as various bottles and jars. Among them were two lively rabbits.
"What are they doing?" everyone was discussing.
Song Qingyuan ignored the crowd and said loudly, "Today's rumors are all because of 'Imperial Fresh'. Today, I will let everyone see with their own eyes what 'Imperial Fresh' is."
She picked up a bottle of "Yupinxian" and poured it into the bowl, then picked up another bottle of the most common bean paste on the market and poured some into it as well.
"Please ask the Chief Judge of the Imperial Hospital to come forward and examine it."
The chief judge of the Imperial Hospital stepped forward tremblingly, sniffed each of the ingredients, and tested them with a silver needle. He then reported, "Your Majesty, Crown Princess, both bowls of sauces are non-toxic."
Song Qingyuan smiled slightly: "It's naturally non-toxic. But the problem is not the sauce, but the people."
She looked at Wang Chengen and said, "Master Wang, the wealthy businessman Qian from the south city sued me, saying that he vomited and had diarrhea after eating the dishes I cooked with this soy sauce. Is that true?"
"Exactly!"
"Okay." Song Qingyuan picked up a plate filled with freshly braised pork cooked with the Imperial Fresh sauce. "This meat is exactly what the wealthy businessman Qian ate that day. Now, Lord Wang, for the sake of the people and the laws of this country, please taste it yourself and see if it's poisonous."
Wang Chengen's face turned pale instantly. How could he dare to eat it? What if it was really poisonous?
"You...you are forcing me!"
Song Qingyuan sneered, "Didn't Lord Wang say the evidence was irrefutable? Since it's poisonous, as an Imperial Censor, you should test it yourself and plead for the people. Why, you don't dare? Or do you also know that this is all a frame-up?"
Her voice suddenly rose, echoing in the Golden Throne Hall: "The real poison isn't in this soy sauce, but in the hearts of certain people! They can't stand the Crown Prince implementing new policies, and can't stand the people having access to good food and a good life. So they resort to all means to fabricate rumors and slander, attempting to disrupt the government. Their hearts are damnable!"
These words were heartbreaking and pointed the finger directly at the mastermind behind the scenes.
Shen Yanzhi spoke at the right moment, "Your Majesty, I have investigated and found that the so-called 'victims' were all manipulated by someone. The person who manipulated them was none other than Liu Zhong, a former subordinate of the Prince of Wei's palace. And this Lord Wang also has connections to the Prince of Wei's mother's family. Whether this is a plea for the people, or a clique working for personal gain to frame the crown prince, I trust Your Majesty will make the final decision."
Wang Chengen's legs went weak and he almost collapsed to the ground.
At this moment, Song Qingyuan made another move. She divided the braised pork into two portions and fed one portion to one of the rabbits. The rabbit ate with gusto and jumped around.
Then she picked up an inconspicuous little paper bag, twisted out a little white powder from it, sprinkled it on another portion of braised pork, and fed it to the second rabbit.
But after a moment, the second rabbit began to twitch, foaming at the mouth, and soon became motionless.
"Everyone, please look." Song Qingyuan's voice was icy. "This is the real reason why the wealthy Qian family is suffering from vomiting and diarrhea. Someone added croton powder to the food they ate. And this bag of croton powder was found in the study of that steward Liu Zhong."
Both the witnesses and the physical evidence are there.
The truth is revealed to the world.
The entire Golden Palace was utterly silent. Everyone was stunned by Song Qingyuan's smooth and flowing actions. Without a word of nonsense or a hint of panic, she used the most direct and powerful means to tear all the lies and conspiracies to shreds.
Wang Chengen looked ashen and collapsed to the ground.
Shen Chong, sitting on the dragon throne, looked at Shen Yanzhi and Song Qingyuan standing side by side, and a very complicated light flashed in his eyes. He was silent for a long time, so long that everyone felt suffocated.
Finally, he spoke slowly, his voice carrying the power of thunder:
"Left Vice-Minister of Justice Wang Cheng'en has formed a clique for personal gain and slandered the crown prince. He is dismissed from office and imprisoned, and handed over to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation! Liu Zhong, a former subordinate of the Prince of Wei's palace, is to be immediately apprehended and brought to justice! As for Prince of Wei Shen Chongyuan... I hereby decree that his princely title be stripped and he be demoted to the rank of a county prince. His fiefdom will be relocated three hundred miles south, and he will be forbidden from returning to the capital for life!"
He paused, his gaze set on Song Qingyuan, and his tone softened slightly: "Crown Princess Song is intelligent and courageous, with no faults. 'Imperial Fresh' is a product that benefits the country and the people. The Ministry of Revenue is ordered to cooperate and vigorously promote it. A reward of one thousand taels of gold and one hundred pieces of brocade."
A shocking storm has finally come to an end.
Shen Yanzhi and Song Qingyuan smiled at each other, with a tacit understanding in their eyes that only they understood.
They knew this was just another victory. As long as the emperor's ruthless desire to "raise the poison" persisted, the storm ahead would never cease. But they also knew that no matter how many difficulties and obstacles lay ahead, as long as they stood together, nothing could defeat them.
The turmoil in the Golden Palace came to a temporary end with Shen Chong's thunderous response. When the officials left the court, the look they gave the Crown Prince and Crown Princess was completely different. There was awe, inquiry, and, more importantly, a cautious reassessment.
Everyone could see that this seemingly weak Crown Princess was no ordinary harem woman. Her methods and intelligence were even more decisive than those of many veteran officials who had spent half their lives in the court.
Eastern Palace, inside Yuqing Palace.
The palace servants nimbly carried in the thousand taels of gold and a hundred pieces of brocade awarded by the emperor. The golden light and gorgeous silk almost dazzled people's eyes.
"Your Highness, look, father is really generous this time." Song Qingyuan picked up a piece of cloud-patterned brocade, which was silky smooth to the touch and of excellent quality, but the smile on her face did not reach her eyes.
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