Her Majesty Chose Violence, They Chose Her

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: "Regent King, Want to Play a Game?

Poisoning was a serious matter, but the poisoning of a young lady from a noble family shouldn’t have been enough to alarm the Emperor.

But as it happened, Xie Liuzheng had been poisoned that very afternoon by something bestowed by the Emperor.

When Xiao Yang arrived, the Imperial Physician had already brought the poison under control, but Xie Liuzheng was still unconscious.

In Shuyun Palace, Consort Hui looked haggard.

Seeing Xiao Yang and Rong Yin arrive together, her expression paled. After a brief greeting, she sank weakly into a chair and offered a strained, fake smile. "That child, Liu Zheng, was quite lucky, really. She averted a disaster meant for Your Majesty."

"It’s a good thing she was the one to eat the poisoned pastry. If Your Majesty had eaten it, it would have been a catastrophe."

After speaking, she looked at Xiao Yang with concern. "The Imperial Physician said the poison is very potent. Even a small bite would have an effect. Is Your Majesty feeling unwell?"

Xiao Yang’s lips twitched into a smirk. "I didn’t eat any."

Consort Hui patted her chest. "Thank goodness Your Majesty didn’t have a single bite. The heavens have been watching over us."

Xiao Yang gave her a long, deep look before turning to enter the side hall to see Xie Liuzheng.

A palace maid at the door tried to stop her, but one glance from Xiao Yang sent her recoiling in fear, hand snatched back.

Xiao Yang entered the room just as the Imperial Physician was putting away his needles. Xie Liuzheng lay on the bed with her eyes closed. Her floating system was nowhere to be seen.

Her personal maid stood guard by the bed. Upon seeing Xiao Yang, she looked as if she wanted to speak but held her tongue.

Xiao Yang asked the Imperial Physician, "What is her condition?"

The Imperial Physician replied, "Your Majesty, Miss Xie has taken a Detoxification Pill. I have already used acupuncture to draw out the poison. She should awaken within the next hour."

Xiao Yang asked, "What poison was she given?"

The Imperial Physician said, "It wasn’t a single poison, but a compound of arsenic, peacock’s gall, and other toxins. Had it not been discovered in time, she would likely be dead by now."

Xiao Yang gestured for the Imperial Physician to leave. She was about to question the maid when an old attendant of Consort Hui’s hurried in. "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is here."

Xiao Yang had no sooner left than Rong Yin made to follow, but Consort Hui quickly stopped him. She launched into an appeal, mixing emotion with reason, "My Prince, Liu Zheng came to the Capital for you. She is kind and knows nothing of the world’s dangers. I am but a woman, long confined to the palace. I wish to protect her, but my will is greater than my ability. Might I ask you, my Prince, to watch over her?"

She sighed. "I no longer dare hope that she and the Prince will have a happy ending. A disaster like this, right after they’ve met... If an engagement were announced, I fear she wouldn’t have long to live."

Rong Yin immediately grasped the implication of her words. "You mean to say, Imperial Concubine, that the person who poisoned her wants to stop my marriage to her?"

Consort Hui gave a subtle nod. "After all, the timing is too convenient. The Emperor has never enjoyed fishing, yet she prepared all that food and waited outside Shuyun Palace. I cannot help but be suspicious of her motives. The Emperor has already eliminated the Chen Family; now her greatest enemy is you, my Prince. She certainly wouldn’t want you to marry the young lady of the Xie family and gain their support..."

Consort Hui’s analysis seemed quite logical, but Rong Yin didn’t believe it for a second.

’The Emperor would stop me from marrying a girl from the Xie family to consolidate power? That pipsqueak who gets exhausted from reviewing a single extra memorial and dozes off after reading for just a few moments?’

’The Imperial Concubine gives her far too much credit.’

Consort Hui was about to say more, but then the Empress Dowager arrived.

The Empress Dowager and Consort Hui had no particular feud, but they were not on good terms either. Before, they had coexisted peacefully, but now the Empress Dowager looked at Consort Hui as if she were a treasonous cur, finding fault in her every glance and movement.

"Someone, search this place for me!"

Consort Hui was stunned. "Empress Dowager, what is the meaning of this?"

The Empress Dowager’s face was a mask of fury. "His Majesty’s pastries were poisoned right at the entrance to Shuyun Palace. I suspect someone here intended to poison the Emperor, and no one in Shuyun Palace is free from suspicion."

Xiao Yang, who had just stepped back into the room, nearly stumbled. ’The Empress Dowager is amazing!’

’Just go in hard!’

The Empress Dowager had been in power for years. Although the Emperor had brought down the Chen Family, she had not yet reclaimed authority over the inner palace. Therefore, if the Empress Dowager wanted to make a move against Consort Hui, and the Emperor did not intervene, Consort Hui would have no one to turn to for help.

"Your Majesty!"

Consort Hui watched, wide-eyed, as the Empress Dowager’s attendants tore her palace apart. She could no longer maintain her placid expression.

"Your Majesty, please, see the truth! This poison has nothing to do with Shuyun Palace! Liu Zheng even took the poison meant for you! Your Majesty, quickly, stop the Empress Dowager..."

Xiao Yang knew there was something fishy about the poison—she was almost certain Consort Hui was involved—so she simply watched the Empress Dowager wreak havoc.

The Empress Dowager had no evidence, but she simply couldn’t stand Consort Hui and was clearly just looking for trouble.

The mother and her child sat together, their expressions for once a perfect match.

Consort Hui looked from the mother and child to the Regent King, as if to plead for his help. But perhaps realizing he couldn’t stop them, she simply rolled her eyes back and fainted.

However, by the time Consort Hui was revived by an Imperial Physician, the Empress Dowager’s people had found poison in the room of one of the consort’s trusted attendants.

"Consort Hui, perhaps you’d care to offer me an explanation."

Consort Hui’s face went white with rage. "This is a setup! A complete setup!"

Seeing this, the trusted attendant immediately understood what was happening. "I was framed!"

With that, she made a desperate dash for a pillar, intending to prove her innocence with her own life.

Xiao Yang was about to move, but Rong Yin was faster. He rushed forward and sent the woman flying with a kick.

"Seize her!"

Once the attendant was restrained, Xiao Yang spoke slowly, "I am tired. I’ll leave this matter for the Empress Dowager to investigate."

She had no interest in interrogations or torture. All she had to do now was wait for the male lead to walk right up to her.

Xiao Yang left, and Rong Yin followed her out.

He felt that the day’s events were exceedingly strange, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on why.

Consort Hui, a woman who had been practically invisible before, was now suddenly, excessively, in the spotlight.

"Does Your Majesty also believe Consort Hui was behind the poisoning?"

Xiao Yang replied, "What I think isn’t important. What’s important is that she is not innocent."

Speaking of which, Rong Yin probably didn’t know the ’male lead’ even existed. Xiao Yang turned back. In the darkness, she offered a brilliant smile, her eyes like a river of stars. "Regent King, care to play a game?"

-----

News spread through the palace: one of Consort Hui’s people had attempted to assassinate the Emperor with poison but had instead poisoned the young lady of the Xie family.

However, another rumor soon followed: the poison was actually the Emperor’s doing, a plot to stop the Regent King from marrying the Xie family’s daughter and becoming even more powerful.

Consort Hui lived a reclusive life and had always kept a low profile. Assassinating the Emperor offered her no benefit, so many believed the second rumor was the truth.

As if to confirm their suspicions, during the morning court session the next day, when the Empress Dowager proposed sending Consort Hui to the Heavenly Prison, the Regent King stepped forward to plead on her behalf. The Emperor flew into a rage right there in the hall.

That same afternoon, Prince Jing led the submission of a memorial to impeach the Regent King.

He was accused of forming factions for personal gain, harboring treacherous ambitions, engaging in corruption and bribery, and lining his own pockets.

Although the evidence listed was insufficient to convict the Regent King, the Emperor insisted on finding him guilty, even wanting to strip him of his title and demote him to a commoner.

A large faction at court rose to defend the Regent King, and memorials flew into the Imperial Study Room like snowflakes in a blizzard.

"What are these people trying to do? Rebel?"

Inside the Imperial Study Room, the Little Emperor slammed a hand on the desk. "I am the Emperor! I am grown up now! I don’t need a Regent King!"

"Where is Li Wei? Summon Li Wei for me! I want the Regent Prince Mansion razed to the ground!"