bookrandom Chapter 81 Don't Let Her Down Again
Chapter 81 Don't Let Her Down Again
The emperor's aura was cold and ruthless, sending a chill straight to one's heart.
Chen Yun suppressed his fear and answered truthfully, "Your Majesty, I have just checked and found that the medicinal food that Consort Gui drank at noon was poisoned."
"How dare you!"
Pei Yuanling roared angrily. "These people in the palace have gone too far! They dare to openly poison people. Where do they think they are as the emperor?"
"Guards, immediately give the order to imprison everyone in the Imperial Kitchen in the Censorate and interrogate them severely."
"Yes."
Chen Zhongliang immediately accepted the order and left.
The palace guards were mobilized in full force, and the eunuch Xiao Anzi, who temporarily replaced Xiao Linzi in cooking, had already been placed under guard by Chu Qingyin's people, so he naturally could not escape capture.
In a short time, everyone in the imperial kitchen was arrested.
By the time the news reached Empress Wang at Fengyi Palace, everyone had already been taken to the Shenxing Division.
Empress Wang glanced at Lin Qing, who was standing below her, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes: "These fools dare to openly plot against the concubines. It seems they don't want to live a good life."
"Your Majesty need not be angry. No matter how much His Majesty burns, it will not reach you."
Upon hearing this, Empress Wang couldn't help but smile: "That's right. Since she chose this path herself, why should I feel sorry for her?"
As she spoke, she raised her hand, gesturing for Lin Qing to come closer.
"Please speak, Your Majesty."
"The truth about Consort Chu's murder should be revealed by now. Go and bring that person out to help His Majesty." Empress Wang's tone was calm, but her deliberately lowered voice carried a chilling coldness.
It's time for the situation in this palace to change.
Meanwhile, in the study of the Lu family residence.
Lu Zhiheng frowned as he looked at the message sent from the palace.
This Qiao Qingyin is really good at causing trouble; in just a few days, she managed to poison herself again.
Is she really so reckless with her life?
Lu Zhiheng frowned deeply. After a long while, he raised his hand and tapped the table three times.
With a whoosh, a figure flew out from the shadows outside the window, bowing and saying, "Master."
"Give the order to fully cooperate in finding the real culprit behind Consort Qiao's murder."
"Yes." The guard replied, then immediately turned and left, quickly disappearing into the darkness.
Lu Zhiheng stood there, his fingers stroking the gilded earring back and forth, a hint of worry flickering in his dark eyes.
***
Inside the Shenxing Division, the walls were mottled and covered in mold, creating a damp, cold, and eerie atmosphere.
Pei Yuanling sat high above, looking down at Xiao Anzi, the eunuch in charge of medicine, who was on the verge of death after being severely tortured. His expression was stern: "Speak, who exactly instructed you to murder Consort Qiao?"
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty... I am innocent! I did not do this."
"You lackey, it seems you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin."
Pei Yuanling said, glancing towards the door: "Guards, bring his lover Chunxia to me immediately."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Anzi panicked instantly. Seeing that the guards outside were really going to arrest the person, he dared not be stubborn anymore and hurriedly cried out, "Your Majesty, spare my life! This matter has nothing to do with Chunxia. It was all done by this servant alone. This servant confesses his guilt."
"How dare you, a mere servant, commit such a heinous crime?"
"This servant made a small mistake a few days ago and was scolded by Consort Qiao. I have held a grudge ever since..."
Before Xiao Anzi could finish speaking, Pei Yuanling angrily interrupted him: "You dog slave, you dare to lie?"
After he finished speaking, he could no longer contain his anger and kicked him to the ground.
Xiao Anzi coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, collapsed to the ground, and gasped for breath.
Pei Yuanling's cold eyes flashed with icy intent: "Since you have confessed, I will not conduct a trial. I will directly sentence you to the execution of your entire family, exterminating your nine generations of relatives, how about that?"
With that, he flicked his sleeve, stood up, and walked outside.
Xiao Anzi immediately rolled over, grabbed the young emperor's leg, and begged for mercy in a pitiful voice: "Your Majesty...Your Majesty, spare my life, this servant is willing to tell the truth."
Pei Yuanling lowered his eyes to look at him, waiting for him to continue.
"Your Majesty, I have committed a capital offense by murdering Consort Qiao. I dare not hope to live. I am only worried about Chunxia... She has already suffered because of me, a eunuch. I beg Your Majesty to have mercy and spare her life."
Upon hearing this, Pei Yuanling couldn't help but glance at the young eunuch again.
"As long as you confess the truth, I will not implicate innocent people."
Xiao Anzi knew that His Majesty was not the kind of incompetent ruler who couldn't distinguish right from wrong. He wiped away his tears with his sleeve before slowly revealing the truth: "Your Majesty, this matter was instigated by Consort Ning. She coerced this servant to drug Consort Qiao. She also said that this drug was a slow-acting poison, and that it would only cause problems if too much was taken, and that it would certainly not be detected in the early stages."
Consort Ning?
Pei Yuanling frowned, and a vague image of a meek and submissive person appeared in his mind.
He paid little attention to the women in the harem, and the reason he remembered Consort Ning was because she seemed to often follow behind Consort Shu.
It now seems that this matter is definitely related to Wei Yiqiu.
The palace was not peaceful tonight, but Chu Qingyin, who had been asleep all night, slept soundly through the night.
The next day, as soon as she woke up, she saw Pei Yuanling standing by her side.
"Your Majesty." Chu Qingyin's voice was hoarse, and her pale face looked slightly haggard.
Pei Yuanling, his eyes filled with tenderness, helped her up and pulled her into his arms before gently asking, "Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am now fine."
As Chu Qingyin spoke, she raised her hand and pressed her slightly aching forehead, asking in confusion, "What's wrong with me? Why do I feel dizzy and lightheaded? Did you sleep for a long time?"
Pei Yuanling pursed his thin lips and said, "You've been poisoned, that's why you've been unconscious until now."
Upon hearing this, Chu Qingyin gasped in alarm and shrank back into Pei Yuanling's arms in fear, her petite body trembling as she asked, "Is this concubine going to die?"
Pei Yuanling pulled her into his arms and comforted her, "Don't worry, Physician Chen has already detoxified you."
Chu Qingyin breathed a sigh of relief, then cautiously raised her eyes, "Your Majesty, has the real culprit who plotted against me been caught?"
Pei Yuanling remained silent for a moment before saying in a low voice, "This matter was instigated by Consort Ning, and I have already banished her to the Cold Palace."
Consort Ning?
Wei Yiqiu wasn't caught?
Did Pei Yuanling discover something, but still consider the Wei family's influence in the military and choose to downplay the matter?
Noticing the look Chu Qingyin was giving him, Pei Yuanling couldn't help but think of the past.
After Wei Yiqiu murdered his and Yinyin's child, he considered that the Northern Di army was pressing in and that Wei Biao was needed to lead the troops to fight. In the end, he chose to spare Wei Yiqiu and only used that little palace maid as a pretext to let the matter pass.
Because of this incident, Yinyin has always had an unresolved conflict with him.
During that time, she often looked at him with such a resentful gaze.
Thinking of this, Pei Yuanling felt a sudden panic. He gripped Chu Qingyin's hand tightly and said, "Yinyin, don't worry, I am continuing to investigate this matter thoroughly. I will definitely give you an explanation this time!"
He spoke with absolute certainty, but Chu Qingyin dared not fully believe him.
"Of course I trust Your Majesty..."
She leaned obediently against the man's chest, but in her heart she was already plotting how to drag Wei Yiqiu into this mess.
She understood that Pei Yuanling would not take action against Wei Yiqiu rashly without finding conclusive evidence.
Since he wants evidence, she'll present it to him.
But Pei Yuanling, you'd better not disappoint me again this time.