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Chapter 33
Xiao Jingheng came very quickly.
When he arrived, he saw Song Zhao lying unconscious on the bed. He hurriedly walked to the bedside in three steps and grabbed her hand, asking the imperial physician:
"What is her condition?"
The imperial physician said: "Your Majesty, Concubine Song was poisoned by arsenic in the prison. Fortunately, Concubine Song eats very little, and didn't eat much at lunch, so the poisoning is not serious. This official has already given her emetics to expel the toxins completely, so I gave her a strong dose. Therefore, Concubine Song may remain unconscious for half a day."
After hearing this, Xiao Jingheng finally felt relieved.
He had always known that his harem seemed like still waters, but there were actually undercurrents surging within.
But this time, with a newcomer entering the palace, these vicious tricks were actually overtly displayed.
He took a deep breath to restrain his anger and asked:
"Who was responsible for delivering meals to Song Zhao?"
The palace maid responsible for delivering meals was scared stiff. She hurriedly knelt on the ground and stammered: "It was this slave, but this slave also doesn't know why the young miss was poisoned... After this slave brought the meals from the imperial kitchen, she was supposed to deliver them directly to Song Zhao. But she was forcibly called away by Concubine Li to help move tables in her palace, which delayed some time. But the food was only a little cold, it couldn't have..."
"Take her away for 50 strokes of the rod as punishment and throw her into the Xinsi jail for hard labor," Xiao Jingheng said coldly, interrupting her words. Soon the guards gagged the maid and dragged her away.
In the silence of the full hall, Xiao Jingheng asked again:
"Where is the master of Yaohua Palace?"
"Your Majesty, Concubine Yao went to pay respects to the Empress after leaving the Palace of Discernment. As for Concubine Li... she must be taking an afternoon nap now?"
"Afternoon nap?" Xiao Jingheng gave a cold sneer. He slowly put Song Zhao’s hand back under the quilt and tidyed up her bedding. Then he said, "Bring that person to me."
At this time, Concubine Li really was taking an afternoon nap.
She slept deeply and didn’t hear any movement. In addition, she normally had a violent temper towards her maids, beating or scolding them. Even if the maids knew something was happening in the west side hall, no one dared to wake her up.
After being woken up by the person Xiao Jingheng sent, and hearing that Xiao Jingheng wanted to see her, she happily jogged all the way over.
Afraid to disturb Song Zhao’s rest, Xiao Jingheng had Concubine Li meet him in the main hall instead.
Before Concubine Li even arrived, her shrill voice called out affectionately:
"Your Majesty~ Why have you come at this time?"
But as soon as she entered, she sensed something was off with the atmosphere.
Xiao Jingheng was sitting upright in the master seat, his handsome face seemed to be covered by a thin layer of ice, looking creepy.
"Your Majesty, what's the matter?"
Concubine Li walked to Xiao Jingheng's side and tentatively reached out to have some physical contact with him.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Jingheng backhandedly slapped her with great force, knocking her to the ground.
Concubine Li was slapped black and blue. She fell to the ground for a long time, stunned, just looking at Xiao Jingheng in disbelief.
"Your Majesty..."
"You poisonous woman, how many more people do you want to kill?"
Xiao Jingheng's voice suddenly rose, frightening Concubine Li badly.
She was panicked and very puzzled in her heart:
This matter had already been settled as Song Zhao doing it, so why would Xiao Jingheng still suspect her?
"It was Song Zhao who killed the Consort Dowager and the young prince! It wasn't this concubine! Although the adulterated wild ginseng was sent out by this concubine, the dirty stuff found in Song Zhao's room isn't that the proof?"
Concubine Li cried grievously, staring widely in disbelief as she asked: "Is Your Majesty suspecting that this concubine poisoned Song Zhao? This is the forbidden inner palace, how could this concubine do such a thing?"
"You dared to plot against the Consort Dowager and her son, what else can't you do?"
Xiao Jingheng's voice rose sharply, frightening Concubine Li badly.
She panicked in her heart and was very puzzled: This matter had clearly been settled as Song Zhao doing it, so why would Xiao Jingheng still suspect her?
"The Consort Dowager and young prince were killed by Song Zhao! It wasn't this concubine! Although the wild ginseng was sent out by this concubine, the dirty stuff found in Song Zhao's room, isn't that proof enough? Why does Your Majesty still suspect this concubine?"
Concubine Li cried grievously, but it only angered Xiao Jingheng more.
He signaled Jiang Deshun to hand over the interrogation record from the head of the Supreme Court to Concubine Li.
After reading it, Concubine Li was shocked beyond belief. Crying, she shouted:
"Impossible, Your Majesty! Fu'er has always been with this concubine. How could she possibly have gone to the capital to buy wolfbane? This concubine doesn't even know what wolfbane is! Something is wrong with this, someone must be falsely accusing this concubine!"
She tightly clutched the interrogation record in her palm and heavily kowtowed, banging her head on the ground. "Please, Your Majesty, see clearly! Fu'er is currently in the east side hall. If Your Majesty doesn't believe it, you can take her to the Interrogation Bureau for torture! This concubine really didn't do it!"
Seeing that Xiao Jingheng didn’t even glance at her, she crawled forward two inches, grabbed Jiang Deshun's pants leg and pleaded:
"Duke Jiang, please help this concubine explain it clearly to His Majesty. This matter really wasn't done by this concubine! First summon Fu'er over and get to the bottom of things first!"
Jiang Deshun looked at her with lowered brows and cold eyes, full of contempt. The palace maids had served their masters since childhood, and were supposed to be the closest to them.
Yet to protect herself, Concubine Li could casually talk about throwing Fu’er to the Interrogation Bureau for torture.
As a servant himself, how could Jiang Deshun have any good feelings towards her?
But he still had to ask the questions he should:
"Your Majesty, do you want to take that palace maid to the Interrogation Bureau for questioning?"
"No need!" Xiao Jingheng waved his hand. "The people from the Supreme Court and Ministry of Justice investigated the matter clearly. What else is there to ask?"
He looked at Concubine Li, his eyes full of disgust. "If you didn't have a guilty conscience, why were you in such a hurry to poison Song Zhao to silence her?"
Concubine Li was suddenly faced with such a huge change in circumstances. For a while, she was rendered speechless and could only cry while repeatedly pleading her innocence.
But her cries of injustice were meaningless in the face of the mountain of evidence against her.
Xiao Jingheng gazed at her for a moment, then shook his head. "For the Li family to produce a poisonous woman like you is truly unfortunate for your ancestors! Take Fu'er out and beat her to death with rods. As for Concubine Li..."
He stroked the ring on his thumb, silently pondering:
Just the crime of plotting against the imperial heir was enough for her entire Li family to be executed for nine generations.
But Concubine Li's father was the Superintendent of River Transport, an important official in the previous dynasty.
The court was in need of capable people at this time, so Xiao Jingheng couldn't be too harsh.
So he said, "Concubine Li plotted the death of the imperial consort and assassinated the crown prince. Her crimes deserve execution! But considering her maternal family's contributions to the nation, I will exceptionally spare her family. As for you, take her to the secret prison. At noon tomorrow, she shall be executed by strangulation!"
Concubine Li's face instantly turned deathly pale upon hearing she would be executed. She screamed and cried:
"Your Majesty! This concubine is wrongly accused! This concubine has never committed any crime to harm others, so why is Your Majesty treating this concubine like this!"
Seeing Xiao Jingheng's expression turning uglier, Jiang Deshun quickly waved the horsehair whisk in his hand and shouted:
"What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and take her away, don't dirty His Majesty's eyes!"