novelraw Chapter 174 You have disappointed me greatly.
Chapter 174 You have disappointed me greatly.
Just as dawn was breaking, a momentous event occurred in the palace.
The third princess of Consort Shu has been poisoned!
All the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy were urgently summoned to Jinyun Palace, where they gathered around the infant princess in swaddling clothes, holding their breath and taking her pulse.
After a flurry of activity, the imperial physicians finally reached a conclusion.
The poison did not directly harm the third princess; rather, the wet nurse was poisoned first, and the princess suffered this misfortune because she was involved in feeding her.
Not long after, all the concubines in the palace were summoned to Jinyun Palace.
Those concubines, who were not well-informed, were still completely bewildered and had no idea what had happened.
The emperor sat solemnly in the main seat, his face grim, and the atmosphere around him was frighteningly oppressive.
Consort Shu held her infant daughter, her eyes red and swollen from crying, calling out the princess's nickname again and again.
Those who hear it feel heartbroken, and those who see it shed tears.
A moment later, Consort Shu, with tears in her eyes, staggered out of the inner palace.
She knelt down in front of Xiao Yan with a thud, "Your Majesty, please do justice for our An'er."
"An'er is only five months old! Who did she offend? Who did she block her way? Why did she have to suffer such a terrible fate? How could that person be so cruel and vicious?!"
Consort Shu was already sobbing uncontrollably, lying on the cold ground, crying her heart out.
Xiao Yan frowned and ordered the palace servants in a deep voice, "Why haven't you helped Consort Shu up yet?"
He immediately summoned the imperial physician and asked in a cold voice, "How is An'er?"
The imperial physician said gravely, "Your Majesty, the princess didn't drink much breast milk, so the poisoning isn't severe. However, the princess is still very young and her body is extremely delicate, so her condition is still very dangerous."
As soon as she finished speaking, Consort Shu burst into tears again, "Your Majesty, I have had everyone search the entire Jin Yun Palace, but we have found nothing."
A chilling aura settled in Xiao Yan's eyes.
"Investigate again! Since there was poisoning, there must be clues! Investigate the wet nurse's diet and everything she came into contact with again, thoroughly and meticulously!"
The imperial physicians and palace maids received the order and immediately split into two teams to carry out the task.
One team went to thoroughly examine the wet nurse's daily diet and everything she touched.
Another team went straight to the wet nurse's residence, searching inside and outside the house, even scrutinizing the cracks under the bed, leaving no stone unturned.
Inside the hall, everyone held their breath, some standing, some sitting, craning their necks, anxiously awaiting the search results.
Before long, the imperial physician came in with his men.
The pale-faced wet nurse was also brought in.
The imperial physician reported, "Your Majesty, there are no abnormalities in the wet nurse's diet, water, or the objects she comes into daily contact with."
A palace maid presented an item, and the imperial physician said in a deep voice, "This is the only thing that was found under the wet nurse's pillow. Upon examination, it has been confirmed to be the source of the poison."
As soon as he finished speaking, the hall erupted in uproar.
Looking again, the wet nurse was already trembling with fear, her face pale, and she looked guilty. It was obvious that she had taken the poison voluntarily.
The wet nurse trembled like a leaf, kowtowing repeatedly until her forehead bled, while she kept shouting, "I am innocent!"
"It's you?" Consort Shu asked angrily.
"I have been wronged. I really don't know how the poison ended up under my pillow."
Consort Shu pointed at her nose and questioned her sharply, "You dare say you don't know? How could you not know! Did that poison grow legs and crawl under your pillow by itself? The imperial physicians searched everywhere and found nothing unusual, but they found poison under your pillow, and you still dare to deny it? You're clearly guilty! I've treated you well, having you serve An'er's daily needs and even giving you an extra half-month's salary. How could you be so heartless and treacherous as to harm my An'er!"
"Your Highness, I have truly been wronged."
Xiao Yan's eyes were icy cold as he tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, saying each word slowly and deliberately, "I'm giving you one last chance. Confess, or go to the Censorate to confess?"
In short, the Censorate has plenty of ways to get her to talk.
"Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly! This servant has been wronged. I served the princess with utmost devotion; how could I possibly harm her?"
The wet nurse continued to cry and shout, refusing to acknowledge him, her voice cracking.
Xiao Yan lost his patience and waved his hand: "Drag her away and send her to the Censorate. Pry her mouth open."
"etc……"
Consort Shu walked slowly to the wet nurse.
"I remember you have a daughter. You have hurt my An'er so badly. I don't mind retaliating in kind and letting your daughter taste the same pain."
The wet nurse, her face ashen, knelt on the ground, kowtowing frantically and shouting incoherently, "Confess! I'll confess everything! I'll confess everything!"
Her gaze darted around, circling the hall as if searching for someone, before finally biting her lower lip tightly and saying in a trembling voice:
"It is Consort Yuanxian."
"It was all at the behest of Consort Xian that I was forced to take poison while breastfeeding the Third Princess."
These words immediately caused an uproar in the hall.
The people around immediately turned their heads, their gazes fixed on Song Shuangning, shocked and harboring subtle speculations.
Song Shuangning stood there stunned, her delicate brows furrowed, her eyes filled with surprise, clearly taken aback by this turn of events.
Consort Shu was stunned for a moment, looking at Song Shuangning with astonishment.
The wet nurse insisted it was her.
Song Shuangning's face paled slightly, and she blurted out in denial: "Nonsense, I don't know you at all."
"Consort Shu, don't let this wet nurse sway you."
Consort Shu turned sharply to the wet nurse and shouted angrily, "You're spouting nonsense! How could you possibly be Consort Yuan? I'm giving you one last chance. Who exactly ordered you to do this?"
The wet nurse prostrated herself on the ground: "Everything I said is true. It really is Consort Xian. I have proof!"
"Her Highness the Consort promised that once the matter is settled, she would have the accountant give my daughter outside twenty taels of silver a month, and she even said that she had already informed Eunuch Liu in the accountant's office. If His Majesty sends someone to the Imperial Household Department's accountant office to check, they will surely be able to find this account in the next few days!"
Song Shuangning trembled slightly and said coldly, "You're spouting nonsense! When did I ever order you to do anything? You're utterly slanderous!"
The wet nurse prostrated herself on the ground, wailing and kowtowing repeatedly until her forehead was red: "Your Highness, I drank the poison as you instructed. Please have mercy and spare my daughter!"
Xiao Yan frowned and waved his hand in acknowledgment.
Li Fuquan immediately led his men away to investigate.
Song Shuangning grabbed Xiao Yan's robe, choking back tears, "Your Majesty, don't you believe me?"
Xiao Yan patted her hand: "This matter concerns An'er, so I must be extremely cautious. Only by investigating thoroughly can we clear your name and give Consort Shu an explanation."
Inside the hall, a concubine parted her lips slightly, seemingly offering a kind and understanding advice: "Rest in peace, Consort Xian. This is merely an investigation of the accounts and a confrontation. Once the matter is clarified, the Emperor will surely give you justice. This wet nurse dared to implicate the concubine in poisoning the princess; she will not be spared."
The words were well-intentioned, but the tone and wording just didn't feel right.
Fifteen minutes later, Eunuch Liu was brought in.
He glanced at Song Shuangning in a flustered manner.
"Your Majesty, it was indeed Consort Xian who personally instructed me to give the wet nurse's daughter twenty taels of silver per month, and I even kept a record of it. I had no idea that Consort Xian had any ulterior motives, let alone that this matter was related to the princess's poisoning! I am innocent and have absolutely no involvement in this matter. I beg Your Majesty and Consort Xian to investigate thoroughly!"
Upon hearing this, Consort Shu grabbed Song Shuangning's shoulders. "Is it really you, Consort Xian? How cruel you are! If you have the guts, come at me! Why did you hurt my An'er?"
Song Shuangning frowned: "Consort Shu, calm down, it wasn't me."
"With witnesses and physical evidence all there, how dare you deny it?"
Song Shuangning staggered and grabbed Xiao Yan's sleeve, tears streaming down her face. She choked out, "Your Majesty, I've been wronged! They framed me! Please investigate! Please believe me!"
Xiao Yan forcefully brushed her hand away, his tone filled with disappointment and anger: "You have disappointed me greatly."