Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved-Chapter 216 - This is framing
Chapter 216: Chapter 216 This is framing!
Chapter 216 -216 This is framing!
The Emperor believed someone was out to harm Consort Jing. Otherwise, how could she have non-stop vomiting?
No one had been able to find out before, and now, surprisingly, someone had brazenly tampered with the desserts again.
When the Son of Heaven’s wrath is stirred, millions of corpses can fall.
The Imperial Forest Guard swiftly entered and searched everyone present, including the Empress. However, the Empress was searched by nannies, who, despite her extreme irritation, dared not provoke the Emperor’s ire and could only endure the humiliation with clenched teeth and concealed resentment.
But the palace maids present weren’t afforded the same compassion. The Imperial Forest Guard searched each of them, including the Imperial Physician and Divine Doctor Zhai.
As two nannies were about to search Murong Jiu, an Imperial Forest Guard suddenly exclaimed loudly, “Your Majesty! We found something on this palace maid!”
Before the search, Murong Jiu had already taken a Pill to Stabilize Pregnancy provided by the palace, but was still drenched in cold sweat and appeared extremely frail. Upon hearing the announcement, she, along with everyone else, turned to look at the palace maid in question.
This maid was none other than Su Jin, Consort Jing’s most valued personal attendant.
As far as Murong Jiu knew, Su Jin had served Consort Jing for at least ten years and was her right-hand woman.
In full view of everyone, the Imperial Forest Guard found a shriveled wax pill in Su Jin’s sleeve.
The wax pill could secretly hide pills or powders and the Emperor, with a stern face, directed the Imperial Physicians to inspect it. After examining it, the physicians all nodded in agreement, “It is indeed the same powder.”
“No! Impossible!”
Not only did Su Jin show a panicked expression, but Consort Jing was also taken aback.
“Your Majesty, Su Jin is like a sister to me. She couldn’t possibly do such a thing!”
Thumping to her knees, Su Jin protested, “I am innocent! Someone must be framing me. How could I possibly harm Your Majesty!?”>
Murong Jiu glanced discreetly at her master, smirking inwardly. The older the ginger, the spicier it gets. Her master’s move to divert disaster was executed splendidly.
If the Emperor was enraged, it meant that Consort Jing would lose a capable supporter.
As the mother of the nation, the Empress had seethed with rage over the indignity of being searched because of Consort Jing. Seeing this, she fueled the fire and said:
“Consort Jing, my sister, it’s often said that you may know someone’s face but not their heart. Some are adept at lying low, waiting for a chance to seek vengeance over some stern words you might have said years ago, just biding their time to harm you secretly.”
“That’s impossible. Su Jin is not such a person. Your Majesty, she must have been framed!” Consort Jing spoke anxiously, for Su Jin was her most capable and loyal servant. Without Su Jin, she would not have a trusted confidant left.
The Emperor said:
“You are naive and innocent, unfamiliar with the ways of the world and unaware of the complexity of human nature. As the saying goes, ‘catch the thief with the loot,’ and this vile maid failed even to dispose of the powder cleanly, hiding it in her sleeve. Who else could have been framed? She alone had access to your food and drink. You always enjoy desserts, and knowing this, she took full advantage of her knowledge about you, betting that you would eat the desserts since you hadn’t had porridge. She dared to commit such an act in front of me; she deserves to die a thousand times over!”
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Internally, the Empress sneered in mockery. Consort Jing was getting on in years but was still considered naïve and innocent, unacquainted with the worldly ways — how laughable.
After all, in the eyes of the Emperor, everyone else was scheming and deep, except for Consort Jing, who was pure and kindhearted!
Su Jin’s face turned as pale as paper, continuously kowtowing and crying out her innocence.
Murong Jiu also added fuel to the fire, saying weakly:
“Father, Consort Jing’s health has been weak since she was poisoned, and if she consumes more of this powder a few more times, it won’t just be non-stop vomiting that troubles her. Soon, it would lead to vomiting blood and gastric atrophy, unable to hold down food, and wasting away, eventually starving to death. Thankfully, it has been discovered not too late.”
The Emperor became even angrier upon hearing this.
He issued another order for the Imperial Forest Guard to search Su Jin’s residence.
Murong Jiu originally thought they wouldn’t find anything, but unexpectedly, the Imperial Forest Guard actually found several empty wax pills beneath Su Jin’s mattress, identical to the ones that had been discovered in her sleeves moments earlier.
There were people from Jun Yuyan among the Imperial Forest Guard!
Murong Jiu realized that during the search, her master must have passed the wax pills to the Imperial Forest Guard, who then framed Su Jin.
A total of more than ten members of the Imperial Forest Guard had entered. She felt that at least half of them were under Jun Yuyan’s command, otherwise, they wouldn’t have succeeded so easily.
Jun Yuyan was not by her side, but it was as if he was.
Her master was still as sharp as ever. Though his eyes were cloudy and could not see clearly, he was still able to create trouble amidst the chaos, truly worthy of being her master.
The Emperor was furiously shaking with anger, and no matter how Su Jin cried innocence, he wouldn’t listen. He instantly ordered her to be taken away for eighty strokes of the large paddle before interrogating her about the mastermind behind her actions.
Consort Jing pleaded on her behalf, but the Emperor wouldn’t listen, simply saying Consort Jing was too kind-hearted and unaware of the malicious nature of others.
The Third Prince arrived in his palanquin right when Su Jin was being beaten and crying out in agony.
But by this time, both Murong Jiu and Divine Doctor Zhai had also boarded a palanquin and were leaving the Palace of Consort Jing, narrowly missing the Third Prince.
The Third Prince saw the frail and pale Murong Jiu and heard the screams, a bad premonition rose in his heart. By the time he realized what was happening, the two palanquins had already parted ways by a great distance.
“His Royal Highness Prince Rui has arrived!”
As soon as Consort Jing saw the Third Prince, she hurried over and said, “Your Highness, Su Jin has been wronged. She could never have poisoned the Empress Dowager. Someone must be framing her. Please plead with your father the Emperor on her behalf.”
The Emperor said sternly, “Young Third, your mother only feels too deeply for this servant girl and refuses to believe the truth. You should console her. Also, I must interrogate the people around her well; we can no longer allow such treacherous servants to remain by her side.”
Seeing the severe look on his father’s face, the Third Prince knew he couldn’t persuade him. Any attempt might even upset the Emperor further. He was wheeled in his chair, taking Consort Jing with him inside.
“Mother, Father is right. You are simply too pure and kind, and that’s why you’ve been deceived by servants. Tell me the whole story.”
As he spoke, he noticed the Empress was also present and quickly paid his respects to her.
The Empress glanced at the Third Prince’s leg and, with a slight twitch of her lips, said, “Prince Rui, how is your injury? Let the Imperial Physician come and take a look.”
The Third Prince replied, “Thank you for your concern, Mother. My leg is much better, and the physician at my residence checks it daily. There’s no need to trouble the Imperial Physician at the palace.”
The Emperor, just entering, heard this and said:
“Your mother told me that your health hasn’t been good lately, and she wanted your Eldest Imperial Sister-in-law to take a look. However, she has just suffered a pregnancy scare and is likely to be bedridden for many days, so let the palace’s Imperial Physician take a good look at you. I don’t keep a bunch of useless freeloader around.”
The Imperial Physicians, waiting outside the hall, heard this and lowered their heads, their faces showing embarrassment.
It was clear that the Emperor did not trust them, having asked Princess Consort Ling to come instead, making them appear utterly useless.
“The Eldest Imperial Sister-in-law suffered a scare for her pregnancy? Is it severe? With the Eldest Imperial Brother not in the capital, if anything were to happen to the Eldest Imperial Sister-in-law within the Empress’s palace, I would also be to blame. I will personally visit the Eldest Imperial Brother’s Residence shortly to check on her!”
“You are considerate, but you are still recovering from your own injury, so do not worry about these matters. Your Eldest Imperial Sister-in-law understands medicine and will take good care of herself. Rather, it is your leg that’s more important.”
The Empress herself felt a chill listening to this. Murong Jiu had specially come to the palace to tend to Consort Jing’s illness but ended up being dealt a blow herself and suffering a pregnancy scare. Yet, all the Emperor could think about was Consort Jing and the Third Prince. The Third Prince’s leg injury was not new, and compared to him, Murong Jiu was in a far more severe condition.
