Consort Shu, disregarding all propriety, clung to the Empress Dowager’s legs.
“Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with me!”
“The one who poisoned His Majesty was Consort Li!”
“His Majesty discovered it himself this morning! He was also the one who ordered Consort Li’s imprisonment!”
“The Crown Prince is trying to clear Consort Li’s name, so he deliberately framed me!”
Consort Shu knew that the Empress Dowager was her only chance to turn things around.
“Your Majesty, Xiao Lizi can testify!” Consort Shu pointed at Eunuch Li, who was cowering nearby like a frightened quail.
The Empress Dowager frowned.
What in the world was going on? Everything was a complete mess!
“Xiao Lizi, I seem to remember you saying that the Emperor had ordered an investigation?”
“Did they find anything in the end?”
“Tell me the truth! If you dare deceive me, I will show you no mercy!”
By the end of her words, the Empress Dowager’s bearing had turned chillingly severe.
Eunuch Li was so frightened that he dropped to his knees.
“Your Majesty, His Majesty did order Consort Li’s imprisonment today.”
“But as for whether Consort Li was the one who poisoned him, His Majesty is still having the matter investigated in secret.”
“This servant would never dare tell a single lie!”
Prince Ling was momentarily stunned upon hearing the eunuch’s words.
His Imperial Father had actually ordered an investigation into the truth?
Did that mean His Imperial Father believed that they had not poisoned him after all?
A flicker of regret flashed through Prince Ling’s eyes.
But the regret vanished in an instant, leaving behind only the steely resolve of someone certain to win.
Just then, Imperial Physician Li was escorted over from the side hall by a eunuch.
The Empress Dowager had no time to concern herself with anything else. She asked anxiously, “Imperial Physician Li, how is the Emperor’s condition?”
Imperial Physician Li first bowed to the Empress Dowager before answering.
“Your Majesty, the poison in His Majesty’s body had not yet been completely purged. On top of that, his anger caused him to suffer a sudden attack, making the poison circulate chaotically through his body.”
“However, this physician has already used acupuncture to protect His Majesty’s heart meridian.”
“When will the Emperor wake up?” The Empress Dowager was deeply worried.
Imperial Physician Li lowered his head even further.
“Your Majesty, this physician cannot say. His Majesty’s condition is extremely dangerous. Whether he wakes up or not depends only on his own will.”
The Empress Dowager froze.
His own will?
Why would waking up depend on his own will?
But she soon remembered something else.
“What kind of poison did the Emperor ingest?”
“If the poison is neutralized, will the Emperor regain consciousness?”
Imperial Physician Li hesitated for a moment.
“Your Majesty, in principle, that is correct.”
“However, His Majesty is unconscious now, and this physician cannot say how much medicine he will actually be able to swallow.”
Just then, the eunuch who had gone to prepare the medicine entered cautiously, carrying a bowl.
The Empress Dowager reached out to take it. “I’ll feed him myself!”
Prince Ling hurriedly stopped her. “Grandmother, let me do it.”
“Father is ill, and I’ve been busy handling state affairs. I haven’t been able to stay by his bedside and fulfill my filial duty. I feel deeply guilty.”
“Grandmother, please let me do this much for him!”
Seeing the remorseful expression on Prince Ling’s face, the Empress Dowager nodded and moved aside from the head of the bed.
As soon as Prince Rui saw this, he hurried forward and helped support the Emperor upright.
Prince Ling shot Prince Rui a cold look but said nothing.
Imperial Physician Li caught the scent of the medicine in the bowl and frowned slightly.
However, he lowered his head and retreated to the side.
Prince Ling scooped up a small spoonful of medicine and blew on it.
Then he brought the spoon to the Emperor’s lips.
The Emperor’s lips remained tightly closed, and the medicinal liquid dribbled down from the corner of his mouth.
Prince Ling hurriedly wiped it with a handkerchief, but the liquid instantly stained the white cloth a deep color.
Prince Ling tried feeding him another spoonful, but the medicine still spilled out.
“Father, this medicine is meant to cure you. Please, just drink a little.”
His gentle tone was almost like someone coaxing a child.
Unfortunately, the Emperor’s eyes remained tightly shut, and he showed no reaction.
The medicine continued to run out of his mouth.
“No, this won’t do! Fourth Brother, hold Father’s chin. We’ll force the medicine down him together!”
“Father will recover more quickly once he takes his medicine!” Prince Ling lifted his chin toward Prince Rui.
Prince Rui immediately objected. “How can we do that? What if we injure Father?”
“You must be feeding him incorrectly, Second Brother.”
Prince Ling gave a cold laugh and held the bowl out toward Prince Rui.
“If my method is wrong, then you do it.”
Prince Rui had just begun to reach for the bowl when he suddenly withdrew his hand.
At that moment, he saw a strange glint flash through Prince Ling’s eyes.
As expected, there was something wrong with the medicine!
Prince Rui turned to Imperial Physician Li. “Imperial Physician Li, you’re the physician. You feed him.”
The Seventh Prince stood up. “Fourth Brother, if you don’t know how, let me do it!”
The Sixth Prince was unwilling to be outdone. “That’s right. I can do it too!”
Prince Rui shot the two of them a warning look. “What business is it of yours? If anything happens to Father, can either of you take responsibility?”
When the Sixth Prince saw the look in Prince Rui’s eyes, he grabbed the Seventh Prince before he could argue.
“Fourth Brother is right. Second Brother and Imperial Physician Li are both more capable than Seventh Brother and me.”
“Imperial Physician Li, hurry up. The medicine will get cold!” Prince Rui urged.
Imperial Physician Li, who had been keeping his head down and trying to make himself invisible, had no choice but to step forward and take the bowl from Prince Ling.
The Empress Dowager began to grow suspicious at Prince Rui’s words.
Could there really be something wrong with this bowl of medicine?
Her eyes remained fixed on the bowl in Imperial Physician Li’s hands.
Imperial Physician Li picked up the spoon, scooped up some medicine, and brought it toward the Emperor.
Perhaps because he was too nervous, the spoon tipped over before it even reached the Emperor’s mouth.
The entire spoonful spilled onto the Emperor’s chin and trickled down his neck.
Prince Ling hurriedly wiped it away with a handkerchief, but some of the medicine still ran onto the Emperor’s collar.
“Imperial Physician Li, what are you doing? Why are your hands shaking?” Prince Ling stared fixedly at him.
Imperial Physician Li wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“I haven’t been resting well lately, so my hands and feet have been somewhat unsteady.”
Imperial Physician Li scooped up another spoonful of medicine and prepared to bring it to the Emperor.
Unexpectedly, he suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit.
The medicine in the bowl sloshed around and splashed onto the Emperor’s imperial robe.
Imperial Physician Li was so frightened that he immediately dropped to his knees and sprawled on the floor.
“Forget it. The Emperor has been ill these past few days, and you’ve suffered along with him.”
“Enough. It seems this medicine cannot be fed to him.”
“Take it away. We’ll try again later.”
The Empress Dowager spoke, and Prince Ling, who had been about to lose his temper, immediately ordered someone to take the bowl away.
The Empress Dowager looked at Consort Shu, who was still kneeling on the floor, and frowned.
“Crown Prince, you just said that Consort Shu was the one who administered the poison. Do you have any evidence?”
“Your grandmother understands that you want to clear your mother’s name, but everything must be supported by evidence. Otherwise, people will find fault with you.”
“As the Crown Prince, you should rely on reason to convince others.”
Everyone’s eyes turned toward Prince Ling.
