CH 53

Ch 53 A slap on Xie Chaoyuan’s face.

Surrounded by screams, Xie Chaoling knelt on the ground, hugging Xie Chaoyuan who fell on him with both hands, black blood sprayed all over him .

Trembling fingers stretched out under the nose of the unconscious Xie Chaoyuan, there was still breathing. Xie Chaoling’s tense body suddenly loosened, he clenched his fists tightly and then released them, and looked up at the noisy and completely chaotic hall.

Emperor Qianming was delirious after drinking too much wine and seemed to be frightened by the scene in front of him. He collapsed on the throne and was still in shock.

Xie Chaoling quickly calmed down, handed Xie Chaoyuan to the servants behind him, ordered them to call the imperial physician immediately, got up again, calmed down the imperial guards who came in after hearing the sound, and ordered: “Everyone in the palace, including the female family members in the inner palace, must stay put. Before dawn, no one is allowed to leave the palace until the truth of this matter is found out.”

Upon hearing this, an old lord who had regained his senses immediately stood up and objected, “Your Royal Highness, what is the meaning of this? Are you treating us all as suspects and locking us up?”

Ignoring the man, Xie Chaoling turned to Emperor Qianming and said, “I hope Royal Father will allow it. The wine and knife were aimed at me. They chose to strike at the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, and their intentions were truly dangerous. Now that my sixth brother has taken the poisoned wine for me and is unconscious, I must investigate the matter thoroughly!” 

Emperor Qianming finally came to his senses, and with the help of others, he sat up and looked at the chaotic hall before him. He then looked at Xie Chaoyuan, who was covered in blood and unconscious, with a stern expression.

“Detain and interrogate everyone who handled the food and drinks at today’s birthday banquet, as well as the servants in the hall,” the emperor ordered through gritted teeth, but he seemed hesitant about the proposal from Xie Chaoling to watch over the group of princes and princesses, and even the palace concubines and women from various households in the inner palace. 

Xie Chaoling’s expression turned slightly cold. He turned his head to look at Xie Chaoyuan, who was being examined by the imperial physician who had hurriedly arrived. Without waiting for the emperor to say anything else, he immediately instructed Liao Zhi, Wang Rang, and the others, “Take King Ke to the adjacent side hall and have the physician treat him.” 

Just as Xie Chaoyuan was being carried away, someone stumbled into the hall and reported, “Y-your Majesty, the guards who were watching over the Second Highness have come to report that he was poisoned while eating and is now bleeding from his seven orifices and unconscious!” 

The entire hall erupted in commotion. Emperor Qianming stared in shock and anger, and demanded, “Why was he poisoned too? How was he poisoned? Who did it?!”

The kneeling messenger trembled and reported that they had detained a small soldier from the forbidden army who had brought in the medicine. Someone had paid him two hundred taels of silver to do so, and the medicine had been delivered several days in a row. The second prince had not responded until now, and he did not know that it was a deadly poison.

Xie Chaoling immediately said: “Father, something is wrong, please issue an order to thoroughly investigate the matter!” 

Emperor Qianming’s face was so dark that it couldn’t be darker, and finally he shouted in a deep voice: “Someone come!”

All the royal members who had come to the banquet, along with their families, were left in another palace and were not allowed to move freely without permission. The emperor ordered the imperial guards to investigate the matter and gave them a deadline of three days to obtain a clear result.

Xie Chaoling went to the side hall with Emperor Qianming, Xie Chaoyuan was still unconscious, his complexion had begun to turn black and purple, the imperial physician whispered to them: “I have already given His Royal Highness King Ke medicine, and he just vomited twice. He no longer vomits blood, and his breath and pulse are stable for now.” 

“Then why is his face still black and blue?” The emperor frowned deeply. If it weren’t for the fact that the doctor said his pulse was still stable, he would have looked no different from a dead person.

The imperial doctor thought about it and said: “The poison is strong, but fortunately the prince ate a lot of jujubes that are counteractive to the poison. He vomited blood immediately, so there should be no danger to his life. Once the poison is eliminated from his body, his complexion will return to normal.”

“Will the poison be completely eliminated? Will there be any hidden illnesses?” asked Xie Chaoling.

The imperial physician cautiously replied: “It’s hard to say right now, we need to wait for His Highness to wake up and observe for a while before we can make a conclusion.”

Xie Chaoling frowned upon hearing this: “Then when will he wake up?”

“Perhaps tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, or it may take a few more days. The medicine needs to be administered every three hours at first, and then every five hours after tomorrow. After he takes it, he will quickly vomit it out. He needs to vomit it out a few more times to slowly expel the poison,” the doctor explained.

Emperor Qianming’s expression was still grim. He immediately ordered the group of imperial physicians to do whatever it takes to save Xie Chaoyuan, or they would all be executed. The imperial physicians trembled in fear and promised to do their best.

Emperor Qianming did not stay in the side hall for long. He turned around and went back to interrogate the people himself, leaving Xie Chaoling alone. The group of imperial physicians went outside to discuss how to treat Xie Chaoyuan, leaving only a few servants from King Ke’s mansion. Xie Chaoling walked up to the bed and silently looked at Xie Chaoyuan, who laid there with his eyes closed, seemingly lifeless.

In his memory, he had never seen Xie Chaoyuan like this before. Most of the time, this little rascal either had a playful and carefree smile on his face or was coldly angry with a stern expression. But he would never be so fragile, as if he could die at any moment.

The poisoned wine was directed at him, and the stabbing knife was also directed at him. He was the one who should have been lying here.

Xie Chaoling closed his eyes fiercely, and opened them slowly after a while.

The sound of the wheelchair turning came from behind, Xie Fengzhen came forward, frowned and looked at Xie Chaoyuan who was motionless on the bed for a moment: “…this kid.”

Xie Chaoling lowered his voice: “Royal Uncle, he’s like this because of me.”

“He is not lucky that’s all.”

After Xie Fengzhen said this, he shook his head again: “Forget it, let’s take it as it is.”

Xie Fengzhen left, and Xie Chaoling stood alone for a while.

Wang Rang, who was silent on the side kept his head down, and whispered to him: “Your Highness, seeing His Highness like this, you should feel sorry for him.” 

Xie Chaoling glanced sideways at him, turned around and left without saying a word.

When Xie Chaoling came out, Emperor Qianming was personally interrogating the eunuchs and monks in charge of the inner court and the food department. However, after questioning everyone, no one could clarify where the eunuch who assassinated Xie Chaoling had come from. He managed to sneak into the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet and publicly poisoned Xie Chaoyuan.

As the imperial guards were about to carry the already dead assassin away, Xie Chaoling walked over to take a look. He was an unremarkable little eunuch, about fourteen or fifteen years old. It would be difficult to find out who was behind him. If he kept the assassin alive, it might be helpful.

Thinking of something, Xie Chaoling frowned fiercely.

He turned his head and said to Emperor Qianming: “Royal Father, not only the people who entered and left the banquet tonight, but also the palace maids from other palaces should come and identify him. Perhaps someone has seen this assassin.”

Emperor Qianming ordered this with a stern face. He was so angry that he was about to have a seizure, and his head was starting to ache. He went back to his bedroom to rest, leaving Xie Chaoling behind to watch over things.

There were thousands of palace maids serving in the Beihai Palace. It would probably take until tomorrow morning for them to identify the body if they had to do it in a line. Xie Chaoling didn’t expect to solve the case tonight, so he instructed Liao Zhi to stay here and assist the imperial guards in handling the case. Then he went back to the side hall.

Xie Chaoyuan still didn’t wake up, the imperial doctor said that it was not suitable for him to move, so he temporarily placed him here.

Xie Chaoling told Wang Rang and the others: “You go to the door and guard, I will call you if there is anything.”

After everyone left, Xie Chaoling sat down by the bed and held Xie Chaoyuan’s hand. The warm touch eased his heart and gradually calmed his restless thoughts.

Later, Xie Chaoling changed his blood-stained clothes and dozed off on the couch in this side hall. He slept very restlessly, and during that time, Xie Chaoyuan was given another dose of medicine, which he promptly vomited out but still he did not wake up.

At dawn, Liao Zhi came in to report that they had found someone who had seen the assassin. The assassin had only entered the palace at the end of last year and was directly assigned to the other palace to work in the horse stables.

“They say he is very quiet and seldom talks to anyone. He only does his job every day and never does anything else or contacts people outside. In recent days, according to the stable master, only when King Xing came to the stable did someone go to talk to him. King Xing’s guards even spoke to the assassin for a few moments.” 

Xie Chaoling was originally sitting on the couch with his eyes closed, but upon hearing this, he slowly opened his eyes, his expression turning cold. His bad premonition had come true. 

King Huai’s Mansion.

Xie Chaoqi listened to the headman’s report, lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then glanced at Song Shi who was kneeling on the ground.

Yesterday, the emperor had sent him back home to reflect, but did not restrict his freedom. He had only instructed someone to keep an eye on him in secret. Although he had said he would give Song Shi a chance, he would not truly let him ruin his own affairs. Song Shi had remained inside the house and had not made any suspicious moves until he was summoned just now.

If there was any change in this person, he would be a dead body now, but he didn’t, and the jug of wine was indeed sent in, but the person who drank it became Xie Chaoyuan.

Xie Chaoqi still had doubts and couldn’t help but brood over it.

If the eunuch had not died and was interrogated, he would have planted the blame on Xie Chaohui. Xie Chaohui had assassinated the Crown Prince in the Dongshan Ying hunting grounds, and Xie Chaoqi was just following his example and getting revenge.

“How come that b*stard Xie Chaorong was poisoned? Did you know this beforehand?” Xie Chaoqi asked in a deep voice.

Song Shi bowed his head deeply: “Your Highness, I don’t know anything, and I really haven’t told anyone what you are going to do.” 

“Really?” 

“Yes, Your Highness, I have already said that the things my brother can do for you, I can also do.”

Xie Chaoqi sneered.

Song Shi gradually clenched his hands under his sleeves, and for the first time, he felt scared in his heart.

He did not pass on the message to King Ke as Xie Chaoqi told him that the crown prince was the target of the poisoning. The person who used to be the Crown Prince had countless guesses before, but he never guessed this truth. His selfishness made him not want to pass on the message for the first time. 

But he didn’t expect that the last person to drink that glass of wine was King Ke. His Highness King Ke is so smart, once he knows the truth of the matter, he will not let him go.

After dawn, Emperor Qianming came over again to ask about the case investigation last night.

When he heard about the Prince Xing, Emperor Qianming’s face immediately became a little ugly. Xie Chaoling reminded him, “Your Majesty, there is no evidence that proves Prince Xing is involved. I have asked people to inquire about Prince Xing and his attendants. They said they were only out riding and happened to feed the horses some feed. They don’t even remember the eunuch assassin who was stopped by them.”

Emperor Qianming reluctantly suppressed his anger and ordered, “Continue to investigate thoroughly.”

For the whole day, except for returning to the sleeping quarters at noon for lunch, bathing and napping for an hour, Xie Chaoyuan had been guarding Xie Chaoyuan.

It was not unusual for him to personally take care of him since Xie Chaoyuan was unconscious due to the poisoning. Even the emperor did not say anything about it.

After two more doses of medicine, the black and purple color on Xie Chaoyuan’s face had mostly subsided, and his breathing and pulse became more stable. The imperial physician came in several times to check on him, and said that the situation was better than they expected, and he might be able to wake up tonight.

After nightfall, there was news that Xie Chaorong had not died and had been saved, barely holding on to his life.

Moreover, the person who bought off the soldier who guarded him and poisoned him had been found. He was a low-life who engaged in petty trade. He confessed to everything once he was interrogated, and the person who paid him to do this was his distant aunt, who was also the maid serving Princess Leping.

Moreover, after examination by the imperial physician, Xie Chaoyuan and Xie Chaorong were poisoned by the same kind of poison.

“This matter involves Princess Leping. The guards who investigated did not dare to directly arrest her, so they reported the matter to His Majesty first. His Majesty is extremely angry upon hearing this,” Liao Zhi whispered.

Xie Chaoling frowned fiercely, and looked at Wang Rang in a blink of an eye.

Wang Rang lowered his head under his gaze, and Xie Chaoling asked in a deep voice: “I suddenly remembered something, when did King Ke fall in love with eating sour dates? Isn’t he always the least fond of sour dates?” 

There was faint sweat on Wang Rang’s forehead. He hung his head even lower, and explained in a low voice: “Before the birthday banquet, someone sent some over. His Highness said it tasted good, so he ate more.”

Xie Chaoling snorted and didn’t ask any more.

Just as he was about to leave, a hand suddenly reached out from behind and grabbed his wrist.

Xie Chaoling turned back suddenly. Xie Chaoyuan on the bed had opened his eyes, and his dark eyes were looking at him without blinking.

Xie Chaoling was taken aback.

Xie Chaoyuan said hoarsely: “Brother…”

Wang Rang was overjoyed when he saw this, and hurried to call the imperial physician in.

Xie Chaoyuan was helped to sit up, and the imperial physicians all breathed a sigh of relief after seeing him: “His Royal Highness King Ke woke up, there should be no serious problems. There is still some residual poison in the body, which needs to be discharged slowly. So far, it seems that the internal organs are not too damaged. It’s really a blessing. After a period of careful rest, he should be able to recover.”

Xie Chaoyuan didn’t listen to what those people were saying, but looked at Xie Chaoling with a good eye.

Xie Chaoling frowned, and after the group of imperial physicians went away to prescribe medicine again, he waved away the people in the hall, and looked coldly at Xie Chaoyuan, who was leaning against the bedside, looking weak.

Looking at each other in silence for a moment, Xie Chaoyuan smiled with difficulty, “Crown Prince Brother has always been here? How long have I been in a coma?”

Xie Chaoling stepped forward, his slightly red eyes was reflected by the dim palace lantern.

He raised his hand and slapped Xie Chaoyuan’s face.

Xie Chaoyuan didn’t dodge, he didn’t even blink his eyes, and looked at Xie Chaoling without moving.

Xie Chaoling asked him in a cold voice: “Is it fun to poison yourself?”