eurekapd Chapter 267 Assassination
Chapter 267 Assassination
The emperor then ordered the eunuch to bring another item.
It was a stack of paper, the paper of which was somewhat yellowed.
The Emperor threw the paper directly at Consort Xian: "This is the coroner's report on the examination of Consort Rou's remains. Take a good look at it, and don't say that I wronged you."
Consort Xian took the stack of papers, her hands trembling, and turned them over one by one.
She didn't quite understand it, but she could make out the final conclusion: "He had taken dragon's beard vine before his death."
Consort Xian looked at the Emperor with resentment, unable to utter a single word.
At this moment, she felt mostly regret.
He regretted not killing the emperor back then.
At the time, I felt the timing wasn't right, so I didn't do it.
If they had done that, their son would have ascended the throne long ago!
"Consort Hui is wicked and malicious, plotting against the concubines in the harem. According to the law, she should be executed! Guards, take Consort Hui away and lock her in the dungeon!"
The guards waiting outside immediately came in to take Consort Xian away.
"I'll see who dares!" Suddenly, a voice came from outside the door, and then the Empress Dowager walked in.
Seeing that something was wrong, Zhu Jin, a eunuch under the Empress Dowager's command, hurriedly went to report to the Empress Dowager.
The Emperor looked up at the Empress Dowager and frowned.
The Ninth Prince's expression was also not very good.
Consort Xian seemed to have seen a savior. She shook off the guards on either side and shouted, "Empress Dowager, I am innocent! Please, Empress Dowager, do justice for me!"
The Empress Dowager gave Consort Xian a look of disappointment, and then said, "Consort Xian is a member of my Hui family, and the mother of princes and princesses. How can you punish her so hastily?"
"If a conviction is to be made, a new trial is necessary!" the Empress Dowager said.
In fact, this was also a delaying tactic by the Empress Dowager; she wanted to save the person first and then see what to do next.
The Emperor first rose and bowed to the Empress Dowager, then said in a composed and respectful manner, "It is precisely because Consort Xian is of noble status that we must handle this matter impartially. Otherwise, how can we gain the trust of the people?"
"Consort Xian is a member of the Hui family. Your Majesty should avoid suspicion. People who don't know the situation might think that Your Majesty is deliberately protecting her. If this gets out, it will probably damage Your Majesty's reputation."
The Empress Dowager was taken aback and speechless for a moment. This emperor is becoming more and more outrageous; he has no sense of hierarchy or etiquette whatsoever!
She suddenly felt a tightness in her chest and shortness of breath, clutching her chest as she said, "You really are showing less and less respect for me, the Empress Dowager! You'll drive me to my death one day! Cough cough..."
"Since the Empress Dowager is unwell, why don't you help her down to rest?" He then gave a wink to the eunuch beside him.
The eunuch understood, went up to her, and quickly helped her up. He actually pressed on the back of her neck, and she immediately fainted.
This move was taught to me by Liangchen.
The maidservants who were with the Empress Dowager panicked and quickly helped her up.
The Emperor ordered, "Consort Xian has angered the Empress Dowager to the point of fainting. Why don't you help her back to her palace to rest? Let my imperial physician personally treat the Empress Dowager!"
Consort Xian was stunned. How could the Empress Dowager have fainted because of her? She was clearly knocked unconscious by the eunuchs around her!
"And Consort Xian, put her in jail too!" The Emperor's tone left no room for argument.
The guards around Consort Xian obeyed the order and immediately took her away.
Consort Xian did not resist, nor did she utter a single word.
The Emperor was determined to get rid of her; what could she do?
She was led away, her face ashen.
The Consort Xian and the Empress Dowager were both taken away, and the entire Qianqing Palace became much quieter.
The Ninth Prince looked at his father, a strange expression appearing on his face.
Today's events were far beyond his expectations.
It turns out that the Emperor had always known and was secretly collecting evidence of Consort Xian's crimes.
He didn't even dare tell his fifth brother about collecting evidence against Consort Xian, for fear of implicating him.
He realized that he wasn't fighting alone; his father had always been by his side.
Thinking of this, tears blurred Xiao Yuqi's vision.
He kowtowed deeply to his father, the emperor, saying, "Thank you, Father, for restoring justice to my mother!"
The Emperor looked at Xiao Yuqi and felt a pang of heartache.
This child's mother passed away so early, and he has always been alone, living in constant fear.
He stood up and helped Xiao Yuqi up, saying, "Good child, get up quickly. Your father has never forgotten this matter."
Actually, he always felt that the child who resembled him the most was the ninth child.
Xiao Yuqi's tears flowed silently.
The emperor looked up at the sky.
Consort Rou, have you seen this? I have thoroughly investigated your case, and now Consort Xian has been punished by me.
Evening, Qianqing Palace.
The emperor was still reviewing memorials in the palace.
The teacup on his table had gone cold, and he wanted to send someone to replace it with a hot one, so he gave the order.
A eunuch came up and handed him a teacup.
The emperor was focused on reviewing the memorials and didn't pay much attention. He picked up his teacup, intending to drink, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the eunuch looked unfamiliar.
The eunuch stood beside the emperor with his head bowed.
The emperor scrutinized him closely. He looked quite young, yet somewhat familiar, and a sense of unease crept into his heart.
Moreover, this eunuch exuded a strange feeling, which he couldn't quite put his finger on.
He put down his teacup and looked at the eunuch, saying, "You look familiar, but I can't quite place you. What's your name?"
"Your Majesty, I am a newly transferred servant. I previously worked in the Imperial Household Department, and Your Majesty may have met me twice." The eunuch said nervously, his eyes lowered.
"Your Majesty, are you thirsty? Drink it while it's hot," the eunuch said, looking at the teacup.
The emperor glanced at the eunuch again and finally realized what was strange he had just felt.
Although the eunuch had a young face, his eyes were very mature, which made him seem very strange.
The Emperor looked at him and smiled, "It's still a bit hot. I'll drink it later. You may leave now."
The eunuch agreed and turned to leave. In the blink of an eye, he took out a short blade from his sleeve and slashed it directly at the emperor's throat!
The emperor was prepared and immediately stood up and dodged to the side, so the eunuch's dagger missed.
With a backhand slash, he aimed straight for the emperor's heart!
The Emperor had been bedridden for many years and was in poor health. It was already a struggle for him to dodge that attack. The eunuch was also very fast, so he absolutely could not avoid this one.
At the critical moment, a short, arrow-like black shadow shot out from a corner and struck the eunuch's wrist.
"Ah!" With a short cry, the dagger in the eunuch's hand clattered to the ground, and blood streamed down his wrist.
"Protect the Emperor!" A strong male voice came from the corner; it was Liang Chen.
Then a dozen or so shadow guards appeared from all directions, standing between the emperor and the eunuch. They subdued the eunuch in no time, since he had injured his hand.
The man was forced to kneel and was forced to stand up. He hadn't expected that the emperor would have so many shadow guards around him.
He raised his head and looked at the emperor with resentment.
The Emperor calmed down after his initial shock.
He was very wary; he wouldn't dare drink tea offered by an unfamiliar eunuch.
If I'm not mistaken, this tea is definitely poisoned.
Seeing that he hadn't drunk the wine, and feeling that the opportunity was too good to pass up, the eunuch decided to assassinate him to ensure his death.
The emperor discovered that during the battle, the eunuch's face was slashed but not bleeding. The skin on his face seemed to be fake, a layer of human skin mask that was about to fall off.
"Tear off his mask, I want to see who he really is!" Actually, he had a guess in his heart and wanted to confirm it.