Chapter 109: Ye Chutang Pretends to Be Poisoned

Prince An knew that the emperor wanted him to take the fall, but he was not willing to give in so easily.

He looked at Ye Chutang and said to the emperor, “Miss Ye, I do not know anything about the iron cage and the assassins. Since you have seen everyone, could you draw a portrait? I would like to recognize them.”

Ye Jingchuan immediately understood Prince An’s intentions.

He turned to the emperor and said, “Your Majesty, this matter between Miss Ye and Prince An has nothing to do with the officials. Perhaps we should end the court session for now?”

Although the emperor was indecisive, he was not without a brain.

Regardless of whose portrait Ye Chutang had drawn, it would not be wise for others to see it.

He spoke in a deep voice, “All officials, listen up. Before the hour of You today, the disaster relief funds must be sent to the Ministry of Revenue.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Dismiss the court!”

Qin Zheng’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately looked at Ye Chutang.

Ye Chutang noticed someone was looking at her and quickly followed their gaze.

Seeing Qin Zheng looking at her with concern, she raised a reassuring smile.

The officials filed out in order.

Soon, the Golden Luan Hall was left with just Ye Chutang, Ye Jingchuan, the emperor, and Prince An.

The emperor said, “Let us move to the Hall of Diligence.”

Since Ye Chutang had walked into the trap willingly, he would not hold back anymore.

Ye Chutang knew that these three men were scheming something. She was not panicked at all.

When they arrived at the Hall of Diligence, the emperor instructed the little eunuch to prepare paper and ink.

Ye Chutang said, “Your Majesty, I wish to use a charcoal pencil to draw.”

The emperor narrowed his eyes. “I’ve heard your charcoal sketches are incredibly lifelike, I allow it!”

The imperial study had all kinds of brushes, and the little eunuch quickly brought a charcoal pencil.

While Ye Chutang was drawing the portrait, the emperor said to De Gonggong, “The young lady is not accustomed to hunger, bring some pastries and tea, and also have the kitchen prepare a meal.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

De Gonggong immediately instructed the eunuch Shuangxi to handle it.

Soon, tea and pastries laced with poison were brought to Ye Chutang’s side.

“Miss Ye, these are a gift from His Majesty, you cannot refuse.”

Ye Chutang glanced at the exquisite pastries, but continued her drawing without stopping.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I will eat after I finish the drawing.”

Without a doubt, these pastries and tea were laced with a colorless, tasteless poison!

Shuangxi glanced at the emperor, received a nod, and stepped aside.

After a cup of tea, Ye Chutang threw aside her charcoal pencil.

Immediately, a little eunuch brought over a basin of water to clean her hands.

De Gonggong personally brought the portrait to the emperor.

The emperor stared at the lifelike face of the shadow guard in the painting, a look of shock appearing in his eyes.

He had previously thought that Ye Chutang’s painting skills were exaggerated, but now, comparing the portrait to the rumors, it was even more impressive than expected.

If this portrait were to spread, someone would definitely recognize the shadow guard as his!

Prince An and Ye Jingchuan were also astonished by Ye Chutang’s painting skills.

Ye Chutang washed the charcoal off her fingers and dried them with a cloth.

Shuangxi immediately brought the pastries over to her.

She picked up the teacup and pretended to drink it all in one go.

In reality, the tea had all been stored in her space.

Everyone’s peripheral vision was focused on Ye Chutang’s face.

After confirming that she had drunk the tea, the delight in their expressions could not be hidden.

Ye Chutang pretended not to notice and asked, “Prince An, have you seen the person in the portrait?”

Prince An thought Ye Chutang had been poisoned and was now at his mercy, so he would not admit anything.

“I have not seen this person, but since Miss Ye is in trouble, the Prince’s residence bears some responsibility. I am willing to offer Miss Ye some compensation.”

“Since Prince An doesn’t admit it, I can only draw portraits of all twelve assassins and hand them over to the Ministry of Justice for investigation.”

Prince An looked at the emperor and, after receiving a subtle nod, agreed.

“Fine, the Ministry of Justice is very thorough, they will clear my name.”

Ye Jingchuan knew that the poison would take effect after a short period of time, so in order to buy more time, he spoke for Ye Chutang. “Your Highness, Miss Ye was frightened at Prince An’s residence. How do you intend to compensate her?”

Prince An was well aware that no matter what compensation he offered, it would be ineffective once Ye Chutang was poisoned.

Thus, he pretended to be generous.

“Since the Prince’s residence has been emptied out, all I can offer Miss Ye is a teahouse, a tavern, and a hundred acres of fertile land. How does that sound?”

Ye Jingchuan looked at Ye Chutang and asked, “Miss Ye, what do you think?”

“Not enough. I nearly died, I require another hundred taels of gold.”

Prince An immediately agreed. “Very well, Miss Ye. Continue your drawing.”

Ye Chutang was about to take the charcoal pencil when her body swayed.

She immediately checked her pulse.

A moment later, her expression changed drastically. She knocked the teacup that she had drunk from onto the ground.

“The tea is poisoned!”

As soon as she spoke, she tried to flee.

De Gonggong swiftly moved to block the door.

“Miss Ye, you cannot leave without the emperor’s permission.”

With that, he reached out to grab Ye Chutang.

After exchanging a few moves with De Gonggong, Ye Chutang was easily captured.

She glared at the smug-looking emperor and shouted, “Did you plot against me?”

She had never expected that one day, she would be acting.

Oscar owed her a little golden statue!

Why acting?

Because she was going to be an “undercover,” learning all of the emperor’s plans.

The emperor smiled smugly.

If he had a tail, it would surely be wagging.

“You managed to escape from Prince An’s residence last time, but this time, I won’t let you slip away. How does the taste of broken tendon powder feel?”

The initial effects of broken tendon powder were similar to those of soft tendon powder.

It caused complete weakness, making it impossible to use internal energy, and one could only be at the mercy of others.

Without an antidote, the pain would intensify each day.

After seven days, the tendons would snap and the person would die.

Ye Chutang had forced Ye Jingchuan to drink that cup of poison yesterday to figure out the effects of the poison.

She had rushed back from the Duke’s residence this morning in order to wait for the antidote from the palace, while also conducting some research on it.

Before waking up this morning, she entered her space to study the antidote and understood the effects of broken tendon powder.

That was how she could act so convincingly.

Ye Chutang glared at the emperor, seething with anger, “Foolish emperor, Bei Chen Kingdom will eventually fall into ruin because of you!”

Ye Jingchuan, frightened, raised his hand to slap Ye Chutang’s face.

“You ungrateful girl, stop talking nonsense!”

Ye Chutang was about to bite off a piece of his flesh when the emperor intervened.

“Minister Ye, stop!”

It would be a shame to ruin such a beautiful face.

Ye Jingchuan immediately stopped.

The emperor beckoned.

“De Gonggong, bring her over here.”

De Gonggong dragged the weakened Ye Chutang to the emperor.

The emperor lifted Ye Chutang’s chin.

“Spit!”

Ye Chutang spat directly into the emperor’s face.

The emperor had never been so humiliated in his life. His face immediately turned dark, and his chest heaved in anger.

The little eunuch quickly stepped forward to wipe his face, trembling in fear.

The emperor’s gaze turned cold.

“Ye Chutang, anger me again, and I will make your life worse than death!”

“Fine, then let me die. I’m not afraid!”

“You can say that now, but you haven’t tasted the effects of the poison yet.”

With that, the emperor instructed Ye Jingchuan to feed Ye Chutang more pastries.

The poison would accumulate, and eventually, it would cause the poison to take effect!

Once this girl experienced the pain of being on the brink of death, she wouldn’t be so defiant!