Chapter 2026: Dirty Water
Even the most skilled physicians would be confounded by the cause of the Emperor’s fatal poisoning.
Rushing to the Thousand Autumn Palace, the Fourth Prince and Honored Princess i were t with the lantations of mourning. The news of the Crown Prince’s demise proved too much for the already frail Emperor, who succumbed to the shock.
In rapid succession, the Queen, Princess Concubine Virtue, the Second Prince, the Third Prince, along with other mbers of the imperial family and high-ranking generals, convened at the court.
Chaos gripped the palace.
Leading the accusations, Honored Princess i pointed fingers at Empress Qi, insinuating complicity in the Emperor’s death in the open court.
With a ticulously prepared speech, her accusations carried weight and logic.
The Emperor’s declining health over the past two years, coupled with the Queen and Third Prince’s conspicuous activities during that ti, hinted at ulterior motives.
Why did the Crown Prince et a sudden demise? It pointed squarely at the Queen’s machinations. Unhappy with her own status as Queen and her son’s failed bid for the Crown Prince title, the Queen likely sought to eliminate the competition.
By poisoning the Crown Prince and inciting the Emperor’s demise, the Queen could circumvent any potential testantary challenges. With the legitimate heir removed, the path to the throne would clear for the Third Prince.
Such calculated malice displayed by the Empress was truly staggering!
In that scenario, indeed, Empress Qi and the Third Prince stood to gain the most, casting doubt and suspicion upon them from all sides.
Empress Qi seethed with fury!
How dare that woman accuse her of such treachery!
Yet, despite her indignation, she found herself backed into a corner. No amount of denial could dispel the pervasive doubt in everyone’s minds.
The Emperor’s lack of a testantary decree and the untily demise of the Crown Prince were damning evidence against them.
Even if they vehently protested their innocence, what good would it do? Unless they publicly renounced any claim to the throne!
But why refrain from seizing the opportunity? They were the rightful contenders. Why not fight?
Honored Princess i, that wretched woman, would surely never let them off the hook after casting such damning aspersions upon them.
If the Fourth Prince ascended the throne, death would surely await them—unless they were sentenced to lifelong imprisonnt, a fate scarcely better than death.
In a desperate bid to deflect bla, Empress Qi and the Third Prince turned the tables, accusing the Fourth Prince and Honored Princess i of the cri.
Their rationale? The mother and son duo had always been scheming. It was common knowledge that the Fourth Prince harbored ambitions contrary to the Crown Prince’s interests.
Moreover, the Fourth Prince’s swift arrival at the palace following the Crown Prince’s demise, accompanied by a retinue, smacked of preditation!
This implied that he was already aware.
Regarding Honored Princess i, her visit to the Thousand Autumn Palace just the day before the Emperor’s demise raised eyebrows. Who could say if there was more to the story?
Daoist Shang Zhen, bestowed upon the Emperor by Honored Princess i’s family, had vanished. Naturally, suspicions arose.
Yet, Honored Princess i and the Fourth Prince vehently denied Empress Qi and the Third Prince’s accusations, dismissing them as baseless conjecture.
After all, Daoist Shang Zhen enjoyed considerable renown. The Emperor sought an expert, and Honored Princess i’s family shared in the burden of governance. What was amiss with that arrangent?
Now that the Emperor had passed, perhaps Daoist Shang Zhen harbored concerns about his safety without the Emperor’s protection. His departure was understandable, a matter of self-preservation. What did it have to do with them?
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