Chapter 47: The Crown Prince is Poisoned

Xia Tong doesn’t know who are good guys and who are bad guys, everyone has ambitions, the villain is indeed cruel, to others he may be a very evil person, but to her, he is the person who is most tolerant of her besides her parents. She doesn’t want to whitewash the villain, she just hopes that the heroine can see his true nature.

“You’ve been living in seclusion for so long that you’re unaware of the affairs in the court. If you want to help that traitor, I won’t object. I’ve already told you about my plans for revenge. No matter what, I will not let that traitor continue to go unpunished!” Shen Xin’s grip tightened, and a flash of determination crossed her eyes.

With a sigh, Xia Tong asked in confusion, “Then what exactly is your revenge, Sister Shen? To eliminate the traitor? To rid the world of harm? With all due respect, you constantly call the prince a traitor, and while he has indeed done many seemingly cruel things, has he ever harmed the common people?”

Meeting Shen Xin’s piercing gaze, Xia Tong pressed her lips together and continued softly, “It’s just that your bias against the prince is too much. Take the Fifth Prince, for instance—can you truly say he is an upright person? There are plenty of corrupt officials in the court. Speaking of the Grand Tutor, this time, he siphoned off forty percent of the trade taxes from the borders. Why not eliminate him too?”

As their eyes locked, the atmosphere in the room grew tense and silent, with no one daring to speak.

Xia Tong understood the heroine’s resentment toward evil, but this wasn’t the modern world. Here, the emperor held absolute power, and given how twisted the plot had become, no one knew if the protagonist’s halo still held any power. Why not live peacefully instead of wading into dangerous waters and ending up hurt?

Shen Xin remained silent for a long time. She had asked herself what she truly wanted. Once, she merely wished to live a good life, but gradually, she yearned to change things that were impossible to change. Now, she only sought revenge for herself. She had nearly lost her life this time, how could she not avenge such a great wrong?

With a bitter smile, she said, “I understand your concerns. You’re right, there truly are no absolute good or evil people in this world. I don’t want to futilely challenge things that cannot be changed. I just can’t swallow this anger. Even if I give up on revenge, he would never let me go. If that’s the case, why should I keep hiding? We might as well destroy each other.”

“But isn’t that just throwing stones against an egg?” Xia Tong said, disapprovingly.

How could an unloved legitimate daughter fight against a powerful official?

Looking at the serious expression on Shen Xin’s face, she replied firmly, “I appreciate your goodwill. I have my own plans. Although an ant cannot shake a mountain, I will make him restless day and night.”

After saying that, she suddenly stood up as if she intended to leave. At the door, she turned back to look at Xia Tong. “I really want to know why you help him so much.”

Shouldn’t such a villain be despised by everyone?

Xia Tong lowered her head slightly and after a moment, replied softly, “I think the Fifth Prince treats you quite well.”

Upon hearing this, the room fell silent. Shen Xin smiled knowingly, then with a complex expression, opened the door and walked out.

Left alone, Xia Tong sat there, sighing as she looked at the empty room. She was a selfish person, she couldn’t think of grand ideals. Whether the villain had ambitions was none of her concern. It was not something she could manage.

“Your Highness, the banquet is about to start,” Fang Yu suddenly walked in.

Hearing this, Xia Tong pursed her lips and stood up to head outside. A cold wind greeted her, refreshing her senses. Whether she could avoid the unfolding plot depended on today.

The seating arrangements for women and men were different. Xia Tong sat at the same table as the old lady, along with several aunts and higher-ranking women from the court. Lin Qin was there too, and everyone wore friendly smiles.

“I heard that the old lady’s third granddaughter is to be married, and it’s to the legitimate son of the Duke of Zheng?” The wife of the Left Minister suddenly asked with a smile.

Before the old lady could respond, Madam Zhang, sitting at the same table, nodded with a smile. “They just exchanged betrothal gifts. The wedding will probably take place around the Laba Festival.”

Xia Min’s engagement was something Xia Tong knew about. The other party was only interested in the Xiahou family’s status. The Duke’s family had fallen for a long time and was just trying to regain their former glory.

“That truly is a happy event! It’s a testament to how well the old lady has raised her children. Each granddaughter is more outstanding than the last. I heard that Lord Xia was recently promoted to the Ministry of Justice, which is indeed a joyous occasion,” the Left Minister’s wife said, glancing at Xia Tong, seemingly attributing it to the Regent’s favor.

The old lady had been smiling throughout the day, perhaps due to the recent joyful events in the house, so she was in high spirits. Hearing this, she waved her hand, smiling even wider. “Lady Huang, you flatter me. Your daughter is also a wonderful girl. If my grandsons weren’t already married, they would surely not let such a good girl go.”

“No, no, how can my little girl compare to the daughters of Xiahou family? The old lady is really good at joking.”

The table was filled with lively conversation and laughter. Xia Tong occasionally chimed in while serving dishes to the old lady, trying to appear dutiful, but her mind was already elsewhere.

“Not good! The Crown Prince has been poisoned!”

A commotion erupted in the men’s section, and the noise became unbearable. Hearing this, Lin Qin suddenly stood up and rushed over, leaving the women’s section confused about what had happened. Xia Tong felt a jolt of anxiety and hurried to follow.

The table where the male protagonist was seated consisted of important figures, including her father and several uncles. By the time Xia Tong arrived, a group of guards had already surrounded them, and she could see Lin Qin anxiously hovering around the male protagonist.

“Quick, summon the royal physician!”

At this point, Xiao Jing had completely lost consciousness, his lips a dark shade of blue—clear signs of poisoning. The guards quickly moved him to a room in the back to wait for the physician, while the banquet was surrounded by the Imperial Guards, and a group of ministers were engaged in heated discussions.

The people at the male protagonist’s table seemed calm on the surface, but her father and uncles were clearly anxious. After all, this was the future emperor. If something happened to him at the Xiahou residence, the entire household would be doomed!

Meanwhile, Gu Qin was leisurely sipping his wine, completely out of sync with the tense atmosphere. Xia Tong hurried over, eager to ask him something. It was clear that the male protagonist was not poisoned in the plot, but it was found that his wine was poisonous after someone mistakenly drank the crown prince’s wine. Why did the plot become like this now?

“Um…”

“Feeling sorry for him?” Gu Qin suddenly glanced at her, his tone uncharacteristically flat.

Recalling previous experiences, Xia Tong quickly shook her head. “I just wanted to check if you’re alright.”

Her instinct for self-preservation made her hesitant to say more. Gu Qin merely cast her a brief glance, his expression inscrutable.

“Lord Xia, why was there poison in the Crown Prince’s wine?!”

Finally, a stern Imperial Censor voiced his accusations, followed by another member of the Crown Prince’s faction angrily exclaiming, “What are your true intentions, Xiahou family?!”

By now, the banquet area was surrounded by the Crown Prince’s supporters, and people began murmuring amongst themselves. Those envious of the Xiahou family didn’t hesitate to add fuel to the fire.

Amidst the chatter, Xia Tong’s uncle was the first to step up, flustered but sincere. “I have no idea how this could have happened. Once the Crown Prince regains consciousness, we will certainly conduct a thorough investigation. The Xiahou family has always held the Crown Prince in high esteem, many have witnessed this. How could we ever harm him?”

“But why did this incident occur at the Xiahou residence while everyone else remains unharmed?”

The speaker was a prince, the Crown Prince’s uncle, who wore a fierce expression. Others close to the Crown Prince quickly echoed him. In contrast, those who usually allied with the Xiahou family remained silent. Even the regent, who had been known for his support, showed no signs of intervening, seemingly uninterested in defending the Xiahou family. The rumors about Fourth Young Lady Xia being particularly favored were looking more dubious now.

“I also believe the Xiahou family wouldn’t commit such treasonous acts, but with the Crown Prince unconscious and the truth yet to be uncovered, I’m afraid we must trouble Lord Xia to cooperate with the investigation,” suddenly added a member of the Grand Tutor’s household.

On the surface, he was defending the Xiahou family, but beneath it, he implied that they might try to escape accountability. This was typical behavior from the noble families to which her uncles were loyal; once trouble arose, they would all rush forward to kick them while they were down.

Now everyone from the Xiahou family felt anxious and afraid to speak. Even the seasoned Old Madam was rattled. After all, this was a grave crime of plotting against the future emperor. Who could be behind this scheme to frame the Xiahou family?

Seeing her father’s serious expression and his silence, Xia Tong felt a pang of anxiety. She couldn’t help but glance at the seemingly indifferent man nearby, but Xifeng kept shaking his head at her, leaving her puzzled.

At that moment, the usually quiet Third Prince suddenly spoke coldly, “With the Crown Prince’s life in danger, the Xiahou family cannot escape responsibility. All members of the household should be imprisoned and await Father Emperor’s judgment.”