Chapter 219: Chapter 219 Swearing an Oath
Rushing in hastily, I didn’t expect such a scene!
Prince Zhan’s heart was alarmed.
Even though he didn’t clearly see the person’s appearance, he felt this matter was definitely connected to him!
He immediately shouted out loud.
"Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor!"
Seeing his behavior, the Fourth Prince couldn’t help but find it amusing.
The person was already dead, what was there to protect!
If others were unaware, they might think he was a loyal patriot.
Perhaps seeing the cold expressions of everyone present, Prince Zhan felt he might have overacted.
So he spoke to the Emperor.
"Your old servant was impolite, I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness."
Then he shot a fierce look at the palace maid beside him.
"What are you doing? Hurry and help the Imperial Concubine up!"
"Yes! Yes!"
The palace maids Qin He and Qin Liu, frightened, kept swallowing, forcing themselves not to look at the dead body.
With all their might, they helped the Imperial Consort Lin, who was collapsed on the ground, to stand up.
The Emperor chuckled coldly in his heart.
Over the years, countless lives were taken by their hands inside and outside the palace without them even blinking, yet now they’re putting on a show of pity.
One can’t really blame Lin Guifei for being shocked.
After all, ordering the death of someone is sometimes just a light command.
There are always those who will do the dirty work and clean up afterward.
But to witness such a gruesome death for the first time, it’s naturally a bit unnerving.
No matter how upset, once composed, Lin Guifei suppressed her fear, speaking tearfully to the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, what is happening here? Who is this person? Why is he here? And why did he die so horribly?"
A string of questions voiced what Prince Zhan was thinking.
He had guessed most of it, but on his face, he had to feign confusion.
The Emperor seemingly ignored the situation.
Seated on the rosewood chair, he calmly spoke.
"Indeed, I find it strange. This person came to file a complaint."
"A complaint?"
Lin Guifei’s surprise didn’t seem feigned, whereas Prince Zhan forced himself to remain calm.
Could it be that Yan Datou had made a mistake?
Didn’t expose the matter during the day, yet now instead coming to accuse him before the Emperor?
Is he not afraid that his family, under my control, would be killed?
So audacious in not fearing death.
"Yes, a complaint against the Imperial Consort."
"Me?"
Lin Guifei was in disbelief; she had never met this person, accusing her?
And with his life as collateral?
This reminded her of the tales her grandmother told of the stubborn old ministers who advised the Emperor unto death, bleeding on the great hall.
It sent chills down her spine.
The Emperor’s words made Prince Zhan wrinkle his brow instantly.
Logically, shouldn’t they pursue the matter of this spectacle?
Why suddenly shift the focus to the Imperial Concubine?
The Fourth Prince also found it puzzling but watched the spectacle.
The Emperor’s mind had become hard to fathom for him over the past decade.
In such a setting, suddenly dragging someone else to clean up.
Truly unprecedented.
"Your Majesty, I don’t know what allegations are being made against me? I don’t even know him."
Her face was anxious, but the Emperor remained expressionless.
"This person claims that the Imperial Consort bribed the medical woman beside Lady Lan, frequently poisoning Lady Lan, leading to Lady Lan giving birth to the Second Princess on the Mid-Autumn Festival with a weak body due to being poisoned."
"What!"
Dong Yuzhong couldn’t help but lift his head to glance at the Emperor after hearing this.
What connection was there between this and that spectacle?
Why drag Princess Consort Lan’s childbirth into it!
What kind of strategy was the Emperor using?
He could not understand at all.
After hearing this, Lin Guifei immediately swore an oath.
"Your Majesty, I am wronged! That medical woman was sent into the palace by the Lan Family; surely they investigated her background thoroughly by then, how could I possibly exploit any gaps! And besides, when Lady Lan gave birth, wasn’t I recovering from trivial illnesses at Yao Tai Pavilion? Where would I find the time to deal with Lady Lan!"
Her excitement grew with her words, wishing that the person could instantly come back to life.
The two could have a proper face-off to clear her of this false accusation!
Seeing the Emperor staring at her intently without moving,
she thought the Emperor believed the person’s words and knelt down swiftly to say,
"If my words are false, let me be trapped in the Cold Palace for life, forsaken by all, and die a miserable death!"
Her tone was so resolute that even the Fourth Prince looked at her with new eyes.
Yet, confronting Lin Xingzhi’s gaze, she found only disdain.
Seeing the Emperor silent, Prince Zhan weighed his options and decided to voice his support.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine has sworn such an oath, surely it’s malicious framing by this person; otherwise, why did he not dare confront the Imperial Concubine face to face and instead talk of dying here?"
"Oh? Prince Zhan, sharp-eyed indeed."
This playful remark sent a shiver up Prince Zhan’s spine.
The Emperor’s unpredictable approach had thoroughly confused him.
He could only awkwardly chuckle.
"Your Majesty overpraises me."
The Emperor observed his deferential demeanor, measuring him for a while.
Then lightly spoke a sentence.
"As for the matter of Lady Lan, I will order a thorough investigation. But this brings to my mind an old affair."
An old affair?
Prince Zhan now felt panic at the mention of an old affair.
But outwardly, he maintained his composure.
Lin Guifei, on the other hand, showed readiness to face whatever came.
After all, the matter concerning Lady Lan truly wasn’t her doing, and so she had no fear of retribution.
Thus she listened attentively as the Emperor spoke each word.
"Back then, when Duke Xu, the Eldest Prince, and Empress Xu all passed away consecutively, could there have been an underlying cause that I was unaware of? To calculate the day Lady Lan would give birth so accurately, there must be many extraordinary talents hidden among the common people?"
"If someone dared to tamper with the meals, the medicine, even the chambers of my Eldest Prince and Empress..."
The Emperor spoke slowly, pausing deliberately at this point.
At that moment, Lin Guifei’s gaze flickered, and she subconsciously pursed her lips.
That probing gaze suddenly flashed with a hint of frostiness, and her tone turned harsh.
"Then I will dig three feet into the ground to unearth the poisoner, not only for them to accompany in death but all involved in this matter will to go below and apologize to the Empress and the Eldest Prince!"
Hearing this, Lin Guifei’s complexion changed somewhat.
If the Emperor had spoken so typically, she’d be more prepared.
But these days, first being confined, then coldly treated,
finally warming up a bit, only to encounter such a bloody scene now.
With accusations and suspicions mingled,
even the steadiest mind would grow uneasy.