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“The Emperor was poisoned?” The Empress Dowager abruptly stood up, her momentary shock and anger disrupting her usual calm demeanor. Her tone turned cold and severe, “Who dares to be so audacious as to poison the Emperor? Find out, I will annihilate his entire family!”
Trembling, the attendants in the Palace stammered, “I-I don’t know.”
The Empress Dowager’s voice was icy, “Where is the Emperor right now?”
“In the study.”
Unable to contain her urgency, the Empress Dowager hurriedly walked out, “Prepare the carriage, to the study!”
“Yes.”
In the study, Yan Chen sat on the imperial couch used for temporary rest, his face as still as water. One by one, the court physicians took his pulse, detecting a subtle unease in his eyes.
The chief imperial physician furrowed his brows deeply, “The Emperor seems to be poisoned, but the symptoms are not clear. It’s difficult to discern the type of poison at the moment.”
Another physician respectfully inquired, “Does the Emperor feel any discomfort?”
Discomfort?
Yan Chen’s face turned cold. Unsure if it was a figment of his imagination, he felt a tightness in his chest, as if a heavy stone was pressing down. Yet, his thoughts were not on his own poisoning but on the words Yan Qing spoke before leaving.
Xiao Jinghan was tasked by the late Emperor to poison Yan Qing within seven years… How did she know about this?
The more Yan Chen thought about it, the more horrified he became.
The secret decree the late Emperor entrusted to Xiao Jinghan was known only to the two of them, a revelation made to Yan Chen only on the Emperor’s deathbed.
How did Yan Qing know? Did Xiao Jinghan reveal it to her?
Although this possibility was slim, a seed of doubt unavoidably sprouted in Yan Chen’s mind.
If Xiao Jinghan did leak this information, then why did Yan Qing go to the brothel to “catch them in the act”?
Did they conspire together?
Yan Chen used to dislike Yan Qing only because of her reputation as a lone star of calamity, but now he truly felt unsettled.
After being exiled for ten years, Yan Qing had become mysterious. Her every word and action seemed to embody the words “rebellious”—disrespectful to elders, lacking in reverence for the Emperor, behaving defiantly, and audacious.
Yan Chen found this version of Yan Qing terrifying and deeply intimidating.
If the Xiao family did indeed conspire with her…
“The Empress Dowager has arrived—”
A loud, commanding voice rang out, and everyone outside the study fell to their knees in respect, “Greetings to the Empress Dowager!”
Yan Chen snapped back to reality, quickly rising to greet the Empress Dowager, while the court physicians also knelt in unison to pay their respects.
“Why has Mother come?”
“I heard that you have been poisoned.” The Empress Dowager entered the study, scrutinizing Yan Chen from head to toe, then turned to the kneeling physicians, urgently inquiring, “How is the Emperor’s condition? What poison was used? Is there an antidote?”
“Your Majesty, the poison afflicting the Emperor…” The physicians, with solemn expressions, all knelt down, “Forgive us, Your Majesty, we are powerless to help.”
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager’s expression turned icy, “All of you are useless!”
“The Empress Dowager, please calm down. We will find a solution—”
“Who poisoned him?” The Empress Dowager’s face darkened as she sternly interrogated, “With layers of security in the inner palace, how could a criminal slip through? What are you all doing? Bring out and execute everyone who served by the Emperor’s side!”
Wei Changhai fell to his knees, “Yo-Your Majesty, it was the Prin… Princess…”
The Princess?
The Empress Dowager’s expression shifted, “Yan Qing?”
“Yes.”
“How could it be Yan Qing?” The Empress Dowager turned to the Emperor, her face clouded with anger, “Did she poison you?”
Yan Chen nodded slowly, his expression equally grim.
Regicide was a grave crime, punishable by execution.
The Empress Dowager’s thoughts turned to the Yan Qing she had seen today, her expression growing even colder, “What is she up to? Regicide and rebellion? She’s digging her own grave!”
“Your Majesty, urgent news!” A hurried report came from the study. A Guard swiftly entered and knelt, “Princess Yan Qing has killed General Xiao’s legitimate daughter, Xiao Yingxue. Madam Xiao fainted from shock, and General Xiao is on his way to the palace, seeking Your Majesty’s judgment.”
What?
The Empress Dowager’s face paled, and Yan Chen could hardly believe it, “Is Yan Qing a murderer?”
She was in the palace just moments ago and now she has killed General Xiao’s legitimate daughter?
“What is happening?” Yan Chen demanded angrily, “Why did Yan Qing kill the legitimate daughter of the Xiao family?”
“Madam Xiao and her daughter were waiting outside the Princess’s Residence to see Xiao Jinghan. The Xiao family’s legitimate daughter was disrespectful to the Princess—”
“Can one be killed for being disrespectful?” The Empress Dowager trembled with anger, “She is utterly lawless, lawless!”
Yan Chen clenched his fists slowly, feeling a surge of blood rushing to his head, compelling him to issue a command, “Immediately lead the Imperial Guards out of the palace and apprehend Yan Qing!”
“Your Majesty, please calm down! Absolutely not!” Wei Changhai risked calming the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, “Princess Yan Qing is so audacious. She is capable of anything. If things escalate, the Imperial Guards may not match the Qilin Guards!”
This struck a chord with the Emperor, who couldn’t contain his anger and kicked out, “Useless! All useless!”
Wei Changhai was knocked to the ground but dared not cry out, quickly getting up and bowing repeatedly, “This servant deserves death, please reconsider, Your Majesty!”
After venting his anger, Yan Chen finally calmed down slightly. The Imperial Guards were indeed no match for the Qilin Guards. He shouldn’t act impulsively.
“Your Majesty!” Another Guard hurried in, “Princess Yan Qing had someone take Imperial Censor Hu’s son to the Princess’s residence, stating that he would serve as a slave.”
The Empress Dowager staggered, hand on her forehead, feeling dizzy with anger, “This rebellious woman! Rebellious woman!”
“Guards!” Yan Chen’s face turned purple with rage, unable to contain his fury any longer, “Quickly summon the Regent!”
“Yes.”
The eunuch hurried to summon the Regent. Soon after, General Xiao and Imperial Censor Hu arrived at the study in a state of extreme rage, clearly prepared to lodge a complaint.