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The Emperor didn"t want to believe it, but every sentence, every word, and every fact matched what happened to Xiao Liulang.
He resented his pure and loyal heart. In the end... In the end... he was betrayed like this.
Listening to what his imperial concubine mother said, every sentence was like a knife stabbing his heart...
The Emperor"s heart was bleeding...
It felt like being pulled out of an ice hole and then stabbed several times!
He stumbled and almost fell!
Your Majesty!
Eunuch Wei didn"t dare to make a sound and quickly reached out to support him.
Honestly, he was scared too.
He never expected that he and His Majesty would hear such explosive information from Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing"s conversation.
Considering Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing"s tone, did she send someone to commit the two a.s.sa.s.sination attempts on Xiao Liulang?
Come to think of it, besides the legendary Dragon Shadow Guards, who else had the ability to infiltrate the examination compound and wreak havoc?
That was where Eunuch Wei thought wrong. Although the examination compound was heavily guarded, there were still many experts who could sneak in.
But since Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing personally admitted to "another failure," it seemed that she was indeed behind the incident at the examination compound.
What was even more d.a.m.ning was that the conversation inside hadn"t stopped. Instead, it was becoming more shocking.
"Quell your anger, imperial concubine dowager. Be careful not to harm your health."
It was Grannie Cai"s voice!
"It"s not entirely the Dragon Shadow Guard"s fault. Those people are just too cunning. If not, how could they have deceived His Majesty? In this servant’s opinion, what little miracle physician? What Zhuangyuan Xiao? They definitely got these t.i.tles by deceiving His Majesty!"
"But how were they able to deceive His Majesty? Did they also drug him?" It was the voice of Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing.
If earlier the Emperor was only angry upon hearing their conversation, now he was starting to feel confused.
What did her question "Did they also drug him?” mean?
Grannie Cai"s voice continued, "This kind of medicine isn"t something only imperial concubine dowager can acquire. Perhaps that pharmacist from the State of Yan sold the medicine to someone else!"
Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing"s voice responded, "This medicine is extremely rare. It"s not something readily available just because someone wants to buy it. The ingredients for that medicine can"t be found within the borders of the State of Zhao!"
"Money can make the devil turn the grindstone. Imperial concubine dowager underestimates them too much!"
"So, you’re suggesting... that His Majesty values Xiao Liulang and Young Miss Gu so much because they did drug him as well?"
"Imperial concubine dowager, you have personally experienced the effects of the white and black medicine. After that incident happened, how did His Majesty reconcile with you and become enemies with Empress Dowager? It"s all thanks to these two medicines, isn"t it?"
The Emperor couldn"t hear clearly what was said afterwards. His head was buzzing, his vision darkened, and the world spun around him. When he finally regained consciousness, he found himself sitting on the ground.
Eunuch Wei was kneeling beside him, shaking him with a worried expression, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."
The Emperor was drenched in cold sweat.
He spoke in a dull voice, "Where is imperial concubine mother?"
"They left... This servant didn"t see them come out... They must have left through the back entrance..." Eunuch Wei"s eyes turned red, his voice choking, "Your Majesty, you scared this servant to death..."
"Help me up..." The Emperor numbly extended his arm to Eunuch Wei.
Wiping away his tears, Eunuch Wei helped the Emperor up from the ground, "Your Majesty..."
The Emperor resembled a soulless puppet, his expression blank as he turned around, "Return to Huaqing Palace..."
Shortly after the Emperor and Eunuch Wei left, behind a rockery near the servant quarters, two figures emerged, one following the other.
Both of them were dressed as young eunuchs, but their stature was taller and more upright than ordinary eunuchs.
Xiao Liulang, one of the eunuchs, spoke, "You changed the lines randomly."
Gu Chengfeng, the other eunuch, sneered, "How come? I just recited the lines you gave me!"
Xiao Liulang glanced at the script in Gu Chengfeng"s hand and said expressionlessly, "It doesn"t say "little cripple" on there."
Gu Chengfeng coughed, "Uh, that was an improvisation on the spot. It has a more unique effect!"
Xiao Liulang replied, "I’m deducting one bottle of hair growth tonic for you."
Gu Chengfeng: "?!!"
That was going too far!
Was it easy for him to agree to impersonate a female voice? And he also had to play two roles at once! He didn’t even relent when that girl asked him to learn a female voice. How could this guy"s heart be even darker than that girl"s!
No, that girl’s color was completely black while this guy was a white and black!
He looked innocent and harmless, but he had more bad water in his stomach than anyone else!
Xiao Liulang calmly said, "Alright, no more talking. I still need to go and take care of Gu Jiao."
Gu Chengfeng became exasperated, "Does she need you to take care of her? She"s not really injured! She"s perfectly fine, running around and even able to climb trees to catch sparrows!"
……
After returning to Huaqing Palace, the Emperor collapsed, not from fainting, but from being mentally and physically exhausted. He lay on the s.p.a.cious dragon bed, his face filled with struggle and despair.
Some things, if they happened a little earlier or later, wouldn"t have had the same effect. This particular moment was just right—— the effects of the black medicine towards Empress Dowager Zhuang were dissipating, while its effects towards Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing were gradually intensifying.
Xiao Liulang accurately gauged the level the Emperor could accept. He started with the simplest and most convincing facts and ended with the most shocking and painful truth.
It was like a knife slicing open the Emperor"s heart, allowing all those unbearable past memories to flow out along with the blood.
However, the Emperor was still the Emperor. Though he wasn’t as suspicious as the late Emperor, he was still the ruler of a nation. He wouldn"t judge someone"s guilt based on just a few words.
Xiao Liulang"s words revealed several crucial pieces of information—— a.s.sa.s.sination, Dragon Shadow Guard, drugging, the State of Yan"s pharmacist.
Dragon Shadow Guards were nothing more than tools for killing, devoid of normal human thoughts. It was impossible to learn any truth from their mouths. However, among so many truths, if one could be confirmed, it would make people believe the rest as well.
"Summon Marquis Xuanping." The Emperor commanded.
"Your Majesty, Marquis Xuanping went to Mount Fengdu to visit Princess Xinyang. Did you forget?" Eunuch Wei said.
Marquis Xuanping was a high-ranking court official, so it wasn"t a big deal for him to leave the capital for a day trip. However, if he went too far, he still needed to report to the imperial court.
"Zhen did forget..." The Emperor felt that his brain was becoming less and less functional. He pressed his throbbing head and said to Eunuch Wei, "Then summon Gu Chao."
Eunuch Wei replied, "Yes."
"Wait." the Emperor called out to him.
Eunuch Wei bowed, "Does Your Majesty have any other instructions?"
The Emperor hesitated, waving his hand, "Never mind, just summon Gu Chao first."
"Yes."
Eunuch Wei quickly dispatched two imperial experts to bring Old Marquis to the Emperor.
Old Marquis didn"t know why the Emperor summoned him, he only thought that the Emperor might have wanted to question him again about his relationship with Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing. He swore that he had severed all ties with Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing and had no further contact with her after that day!
"Zhen wants to ask, where in the State of Zhao can you find a pharmacist from the State of Yan?" This was the Emperor"s first question. His mind was in chaos, skipping the usual pleasantries between a ruler and a subject.
Old Marquis was taken aback, not understanding why the Emperor was asking this, but he answered truthfully, "In the capital, there is an underground martial arts arena where you can find a pharmacist from the State of Yan. Does Your Majesty wish to invite the pharmacist?"
The Emperor wearily replied, "No need. Go and buy two types of medicine for me—- black medicine and white medicine. Also, inquire what these medicines are used for. And who has bought them?"
"...Understood."
Strange, what were these black and white medicines for?
Although perplexed, Old Marquis still followed the order.
The pharmacist from the State of Yan held a high position in the underground arena and was not easily accessible to ordinary people. Fortunately, the Emperor sought Old Marquis"s help.
Old Marquis returned quickly, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this subject couldn"t buy the medicine. The pharmacist said that these two medicines can control people. One makes people develop favorable feelings while the other makes people feel repulsed. The medicines have already been sold out, but the pharmacist couldn"t reveal the buyer’s ident.i.ty as it is against the rules. However, he informed me that not many people buy this kind of medicine. Firstly, they are expensive, and secondly, the ingredients are extremely rare, sometimes taking several years to collect all of them. He only produced fewer than ten pills this year, and they were all bought by a single customer."
Single customer.
So it was impossible for both sides to have drugged him.
The answer to which side did it was already evident, but before seeing the medicine, the Emperor still wanted to give Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing one last chance.
He didn"t want to believe that all the affection he had received for so many years was just an illusion.
Old Marquis said, "The pharmacist mentioned that it would probably take several years, maybe even a decade, to buy these medicines——."
"You may leave." The Emperor interrupted him.
Old Marquis was taken aback, sensing that the Emperor"s mood was off. Worried, he asked, "Your Majesty, is something the matter?"
The Emperor muttered, "Zhen is fine. Don"t mention this matter to anyone."
Suppressing his doubts, Old Marquis saluted and said, "This subject shall obey."
After Old Marquis left, the Emperor summoned an imperial expert and handed him a token. "Go and bring the Dragon Shadow Guard here, discreetly. Don"t let anyone notice."
"Yes." The imperial expert took the Emperor"s token and left.
The Emperor had given the Dragon Shadow Guard to Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing for her protection, but it didn"t mean he was no longer the master of the Dragon Shadow Guard.
The Dragon Shadow Guards first obeyed the late Emperor, and after his pa.s.sing, they now obeyed the current Emperor.
His orders superseded those of Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing.
The Dragon Shadow Guard arrived promptly.
The Emperor asked, "Have you ever been ordered to a.s.sa.s.sinate the little miracle physician?"
The Dragon Shadow Guard didn"t answer.
The Emperor chuckled self-deprecatingly. That’s right, the Dragon Shadow Guards weren’t capable of answering questions, that was why he didn’t bother showing the Dragon Shadow Guard a portrait of the little miracle physician.
But it didn"t matter; being able to execute orders was enough.
The Emperor looked at the Dragon Shadow Guard, his expression icy "Bring all the medicines within the nunnery to me!"Raz P."s Thoughts
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