Chapter 241: Proving Her Innocence
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Upon hearing Loya’s words, the king’s expression grew solemn, and he pondered in silence. Meanwhile, the clamor of the mermen’s resistance outside the castle grew louder and more intense.
Observing the king’s contemplative state, Loya hastened to speak, “Father, over a thousand mermaids have already escaped. If the mermaids revolt once more, it will only bring further disadvantage to the empire. You must make a decision.”
“Your Majesty, I believe there’s something suspicious about this.” Zhou Ling, upon learning of the situation, hurried to the king’s presence.
He looked at Loya with a distrustful expression. “The price of golden clams has soared to over 10,000 star coins per unit. The merfolk can’t afford it at all. The antidote provided by Liao Ning has been thoroughly tested by the rebel army. The content of her live-stream has remained virtually unchanged. There shouldn’t be any issues with the antidote.”
Though addressing the king, Zhou Ling’s gaze remained fixed on Loya.
Under his piercing stare, Loya felt a twinge of guilt, but she maintained her resolve. “Why are you looking at me like that? I didn’t do anything during the live-stream. It’s Liao Ning’s fault.”
“Are you certain?” Zhou Ling’s voice turned chilly, a layer of frost forming in his eyes.
Upon discovering Loya’s true identity as Zhu Fei, Liao Ning had believed that she acted in the best interest of the citizens and had no intention of exposing her. Liao Ning had even destroyed evidence that could have proven Zhu Fei’s identity, but Loya had attempted to harm her.
“Of course,” Loya replied, though for some reason, she felt an inexplicable sense of guilt whenever she encountered this mermaid. She dared not meet his gaze.
Zhou Ling ignored her and continued addressing the king, “The price of golden clams has skyrocketed, and now we have the incident of antidote poisoning. I believe someone is intentionally undermining imperial authority. Your Majesty, this matter must be thoroughly investigated.”
After a moment of contemplation, the king inquired, “What approach do you propose? The merfolk are currently outside the castle, and you shouldn’t assume that everything will be fine just because we have the loyalty potion. Many of them have already consumed the antidote.”
“Why don’t we have Liao Ning produce an antidote in front of everyone and arrange for a test subject to verify its efficacy? Since the royal family aims to win over both the merfolk and the people, this issue must be resolved flawlessly, providing the merfolk with a satisfactory explanation.”
Upon witnessing Loya’s flustered expression, Zhou Ling could roughly discern the situation at hand. He may not have known the specifics of Loya’s actions, but as long as Liao Ning could prove her innocence, all of Loya’s plans would crumble.
“No!” As expected, Loya swiftly objected. “Father, an incident has already occurred with the formula. It’s impossible for the merfolk to trust Liao Ning again. Instead, why don’t we capture her and offer the merfolk an explanation? What if there’s another issue with her antidote? Wouldn’t that prove the ineffectiveness of the royal family in front of everyone?”
Loya had made up her mind not to allow Liao Ning to make an appearance. Once she caught sight of the golden clams in the hands of the merfolk, she would undoubtedly discover the problem.
“If we need to demonstrate that the royal family is unaware, I can personally produce the antidote based on Liao Ning’s method. This way, if any complications arise, it would only concern Liao Ning and have no bearing on the royal family.”
The king’s expression shifted upon hearing her words, seemingly swayed by her conviction.
Swiftly countering, Zhou Ling interjected, “If there truly is an issue with Liao Nings formula, it should be exposed publicly. Similarly, it would have no implications for the royal family. However, if someone is framing Liao Ning, it suggests a desire to undermine public support for the royal family. Perhaps there are hidden motives at play, aiming to overthrow the monarchy’s rule.”
“What nonsense are you spouting?” Loya’s voice turned sharp, momentarily forgetting her fear of Zhou Ling. She couldn’t allow Liao Ning to be absolved of suspicion.
Observing the two individuals before him, the king recollected the deal between Loya and Ke Lang. After pondering for a moment, he decided to let Liao Ning resolve the matter herself.
Liao Ning was escorted to the king by the guards, while Loya glared at her with malicious intent.
“There’s an issue with the antidote formula you provided. The mermaids are currently protesting,” the king’s voice carried a hint of threat. “I’ll give you a chance. If you produce the antidote in front of the merfolk, I won’t treat you unfairly. However, if you intentionally provide me with the wrong formula, both you and your nephew will meet your demise.”
Liao Ning also heard the mermaid’s protest in the room. She looked up at Loya and then at Zhou Ling before nodding. “There’s nothing wrong with my formula. I’m willing to prove my innocence..”
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