Chapter 75 Confess Who the Adulterer Is as Soon as Possible
"Is that so?" Emperor Xuanzhao summoned Imperial Physician Song to take his pulse.
Xiao Yunheng asked, "How is the Crown Princess?"
Imperial Physician Song sighed, "She remains unconscious."
Xiao Yunheng then took out a medicine bottle from his sleeve.
"This is an antidote pill that His Majesty bestowed upon me when I was poisoned a few years ago. There is only one left. Go and give it to the Crown Princess."
"No!" Emperor Xuanzhao immediately stopped him. "This is the antidote pill that I asked Physician Xue to prepare for you back then. Now that Physician Xue has passed away, there is no second one in the world. If something happens to you, how can I explain it to the deceased Prince Xiang?"
Xiao Yunheng suffered many misfortunes in his childhood, and his life was full of hardships. He almost did not survive several times.
Xiao Yunheng insisted, "Your Majesty, this antidote pill is meant to cure diseases and save lives. Putting it in my hands would be a waste."
His expression was gentle, but his tone was firm as he handed the medicine bottle directly to Physician Song.
The imperial physician looked at Emperor Xuanzhao with a questioning expression.
Emperor Xuanzhao could not dissuade him, so he could only wave his hand helplessly, "Fine, go."
Sure enough, less than a quarter of an hour after Physician Song went in, they heard the Empress's joyful voice from inside, "She's awake, she's finally awake."
Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief.
Xiao Yunheng looked thoughtfully at the empty medicine bottle that had been returned, peering through the curtains into the pavilion.
The first thing Li Jinyan looked at when she woke up was Xiao Xuanyou. Then she got up from the soft couch and knelt in front of Emperor Xuanzhao and the Empress.
"I have caused His Majesty and the Empress great worry; I deserve to die a thousand deaths."
Emperor Xuanzhao spoke up, "No need for formalities. You are still weak. Get up."
Lu Yuan entered from outside, "Does the Crown Princess still remember what she ate and drank at the banquet, and who served her?"
Li Jinyan frowned and thought back, then suddenly remembered and said, "It was Yu Rong! She poured me a cup of tea before she left!"
Yu Rong was a second-class palace maid serving Consort Chen. Consort Chen claimed to be ill and did not attend the engagement banquet today, but only sent Yu Rong to deliver the congratulatory gifts.
Consort Chen was the birth mother of the Third Prince.
Lu Yuan immediately sent someone to fetch Yu Rong.
However, not long after, his subordinates reported that when they found Yu Rong, she had already drowned in the lotus pond.
With a series of incidents occurring within the harem, Emperor Xuanzhao's expression was beyond grim.
"Minister Lu, this matter must be thoroughly investigated for me! Anyone who dares to stir up trouble in the inner palace, I will take his head!"
The wrath of the emperor is terrifying.
Lu Yuan simply bowed his head in agreement, then went out and instructed his men to send away the unimportant people after questioning them.
Although Jiang Zhi had the Crown Prince of Xiang as a witness, Lu Yuan still took her back to the imperial prison along with other suspects under the pretext that he needed to question her carefully.
"Lord Lu," Xiao Xuanyou suddenly spoke before leaving, "these are all relatives of court officials. I hope you will show mercy and only question them, and do not use torture lightly."
He looked down at her, but his gaze seemed to fall on Jiang Zhi, who was being held by the Imperial Guards.
Lu Yuan naturally agreed.
This was not the first time Jiang Zhi had come to the Imperial Prison.
She was led to a dark cell, and when she looked up, she saw Lu Yuan already sitting there, leisurely drinking tea.
“Lord Lu, I have told you everything I need to say, and there is nothing else to say.” Jiang Zhi watched as he stood up and slowly approached her, his imposing aura overwhelming.
She unconsciously swallowed.
Lu Yuan stopped in front of her, his hawk-like eyes fixed on her. "I haven't asked anything yet, Miss Jiang, why are you so agitated?"
Jiang Zhi really couldn't figure out what Lu Yuan was trying to do.
"Then please ask, Lord Lu."
Lu Yuan was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke, "I want to ask Miss Jiang just how bold she is to dare to have a secret rendezvous with a man in the inner courtyard of the palace?"
Jiang Zhi's heart skipped a beat, and she almost lost the composure on her face.
She turned her face away, avoiding his probing gaze, "I don't understand what Lord Lu is saying."
A mocking sneer came from above.
Before she could even open her mouth to defend herself, the gilded scabbard made of ebony and sinking wood was pressed against her chest.
"Don't understand? Then could Miss Jiang please explain what these marks are?"
The scabbard slipped inside her clothes, and with a little force, the clothes were peeled open layer by layer, like a full flower bud, revealing the fair and jade-like skin underneath.
Jiang Zhi was shocked and retreated, but Lu Yuan grabbed her arm and she couldn't move. The cold, hard scabbard pressed against her skin, making her shudder.
Half of her shoulder was exposed, and the red marks on it, like plum blossoms falling in the snow, stung Lu Yuan's eyes.
His grip on Jiang Zhi's arm tightened unconsciously until she cried out in pain. Only then did he grit his teeth and chuckle, "Miss Jiang, do you have anything else to say?"
Jiang Zhi's entire back was soaked with cold sweat.
Xie Qi lost control just now and didn't realize the seriousness of his actions. By the time she realized it, it was too late.
But she was clearly dressed and covered up completely, so why was Lu Yuan able to find her?
She forced herself to calm down. "Could these traces be related to the case of the Crown Princess's poisoning?"
"I am in charge of the security of the capital region, and I will never allow anyone to defile the palace or commit such lewd acts under my nose."
Lu Yuan's face was calm, but his eyes were devoid of any warmth or human touch, only exuding a chilling aura that seemed to want to tear a person apart, sending shivers down one's spine.
Jiang Zhi reached out to cover her clothes, but Lu Yuan grabbed her chin instead.
Dry, calloused fingertips brushed against her lips, the lip rouge long since swallowed, leaving only a faint redness and swelling.
You can imagine how intense it was at the time.
"I advise Miss Jiang to reveal who her lover is as soon as possible, so as to avoid suffering physical pain."
Lu Yuan's voice was calm, and his questioning manner was effortless.
But no one knew the suffocation and murderous urge he felt when he accidentally saw the red marks on Jiang Zhi's neck in the Imperial Garden.
How dare she do that?
His heart felt like it was blocked by a lump of scalding iron, burning his throat.
"Is he the heir apparent of the Prince of Xiang?" he asked in a tense voice.
After all, Xiao Yunheng himself admitted that he was the one who saved Jiang Zhi and even took her to dry her clothes.
However, Jiang Zhi and Xiao Yunheng had never crossed paths before, and this should be the first time they have met in the palace today.
Could it be that Xiao Yunheng forced her?
Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes.
This is going to be a bit tricky.
Xiao Yunheng was of noble blood and deeply favored by the emperor. His biological father was the Prince of Xiang, who had made great contributions to the country.
Taking his life would likely cause endless trouble, so we need to plan carefully.
Countless thoughts had already crossed Lu Yuan's mind.
Jiang Zhi hadn't expected Lu Yuan to misunderstand, and was about to explain when the cell door was suddenly kicked open forcefully.
"I forced her; it has nothing to do with her!"
Xie Qi ignored the Imperial Guards' attempts to stop him and barged straight in.
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