Chapter 284

Chapter 284: Another Fight

"The old woman surnamed Li has been found, also poisoned to death with arsenic, same as Zhao Si. Jin Wu head is rare; they purchased only a small amount, concocted by an old pharmacist who's now been arrested. Although he didn't know what the medicine was for, he agreed to make it for a large sum of money. He didn't know the identity of the buyer or for whom the medicine was intended," Meng Chang reported.

After carefully reviewing the report, Emperor He Jingxi asked, "So, it's confirmed that Jing Jiyu had no part in this?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, both the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court agree. They've double-checked to avoid wrongful conviction. The only lead is Yang's statement that the medicine for Concubine Qi wasn't a secret, but the timing of its administration required investigation. She claimed to have bought precise information from a eunuch named Jiang Qin, but there's no eunuch by that name in the palace. She couldn't provide further details. However, the act of gathering information was carried out by Zhao Si, who, now dead, leaves no evidence to confirm or deny her story."

Emperor He Jingxi hummed in acknowledgment: "Investigate thoroughly, see who else Yang has been in contact with these past months."

However, that would prove to be more challenging.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly when Mrs. Yang started harboring such intentions.

But regardless, her fierce protection of Jing Jiyu could indeed be seen as maternal affection.

As the New Year approached, the matter was temporarily set aside.

Consort Jing has been completely confined and is not allowed to leave her quarters.

Before the year's end, the Empress once again inspected the palace.

She is frightened, understandably, by substances that can poison someone silently and unseen.

Although she recovered from a horse fall years ago, it left her with chronic ailments.

On rainy, cold days, she suffers unbearable pain.

Both she and the Crown Prince are on medication all year round.

Naturally, she fears tampering with their medicines.

Furthermore, if anyone else falls victim to such poison, wouldn't it reflect her incompetence as the Empress?

Yet, the Empress is far from incompetent; using this incident, she expelled a number of people from the palace.

Not without reason, of course, stating the palace had too many servants, those eunuchs due for retirement were sent away.

As for the palace maids, they were given money and dismissed to marry.

Older attendants were also given funds to return to their homes.

People placed by Consort Jin and others overtly were all removed.

As for how many remain hidden, that will be addressed later.

Those who served Consort Xu, except for the four or five executed, were all expelled this time.

This year, the Empress finally had her moment of triumph.

With the New Year, Emperor He Jingxi sent Yunli numerous gifts.

Fabrics and jewelry, needless to say, were of the finest quality.

Having been promoted this year, Yunli naturally deserved a grander appearance for the New Year celebrations.

On New Year's Eve, she wore a crimson dress and a cloak of the same color.

Hand in hand with the Ninth Prince, dressed in a formal red robe, mother and son made their entrance at the Linzhi Palace.

Naturally, they became the center of attention.

Now, who doesn't know that Concubine Qi is the Emperor's most favored?

The Empress also holds her in high regard.

When the royal relatives gather to chat, they also subtly mention that past incident.

"Speaking of that incident back then, the Xie family lost their eldest son. Now, it seems like it's been forgotten."

"Indeed, we all looked up to the Consort back then, thinking she was beyond our reach. Yet, who would have thought, years later, the Qi family would bring forth another consort. Even if she's not a noble consort, how much does she really lag behind the one from back then? The noble consort of those days didn't have any children."

"Absolutely, the Qi family is remarkable. Now, Qi Xiang holds immense power, and this lady of the harem is equally formidable."

"Have you heard about the Huas? I once said that entering the palace, the Hua girl was destined to be one of the top-ranked consorts. But look now, who could have foreseen the ups and downs?"

The topic of the Hua family always sparks interest.

The once-prominent Hua family, just like that, fell from grace.

During the New Year, the entire Hua family is locked up in the Ministry of Justice's prison.

Jing Jieyu is nowhere to be seen today, which shows the complexity of the situation.

When the banquet officially starts, everyone hurriedly takes their seats, waiting for the Emperor to arrive with the Crown Prince, and promptly pays their respects.

With the Crown Prince this year, he obviously can't be seated in a secluded spot.

The places of honor are occupied by the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress.

To the left, the first seat is reserved for the Crown Prince, followed by princes and their consorts from the royal family. The other princes are seated in a row behind them.

On the right side, the Noble Consort leads, followed by the other consorts, arranged in three rows.

"This New Year, dear relatives, no need for excessive formalities. Let's all enjoy ourselves," He Jin said with a smile.

Everyone complied, but courtesy was still observed as usual.

This year features an additional activity: toasting the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince has been somewhat of a relief this New Year, having recovered from an illness recently. Though still appearing frail and thin, this is considered his relatively healthier state.

Naturally, he can't drink alcohol, so he sips warm water instead.

No one dares to comment excessively; when toasted, he responds with a smile and a sip.

He also offers toasts to his uncles.

Yet, everyone looking at him sighs inwardly.

His academic performance is mediocre, not to mention horseback riding and archery - with his frail constitution, who would dare let him engage in such activities?

Can such a Crown Prince truly bear the weight of the realm?

Glancing at the other princes, each one is the picture of health and robustness.

Truly disheartening.

The Third Prince, the same age as the Crown Prince, has started to sprout up this year, towering over by a significant margin.

The Second Prince's voice has begun to change this year, starting to sound like an adult.

The Second Prince is modest and polite, winning the affection of many.

In essence, each one surpasses the Crown Prince in some way.

Emperor He Jingxin cannot help but see this, though he prefers not to dwell on it.

Due to her recent elevation in rank, Yun Li received a few extra toasts.

Her cheeks flushed with the warmth of the wine.

Caught several times by He Jingxin's gaze, she simply smiled back at him.

That night, instead of visiting the Empress's palace, He Jingxin returned to Zhengyang Palace.

Not until the sixth day did he visit Yuchu Palace.

Shortly after his arrival, a message was delivered by Eunuch Yu Haisheng from the Empress.

"What's the matter?"

"Your Majesty, the Second and Third Princes have fought again. The Second Prince is injured, and Her Majesty the Empress sent me to inform you," Yu Haisheng reported.

He Jingxin frowned: "Where did this happen?"

"In Guanghong Palace, Your Majesty."

Despite the New Year celebrations, the princes do not rest every day.

Today, there was no banquet, so they went to study in the morning.

Emperor He Jingxin frowned: "Let's go."

Yun Li also stood up: "This consort will also take a look."

Emperor He Jingxin nodded without objecting.

Soon, the two of them went over; it wasn't far from here.

The Empress and Consort Jin were both present.

Consort Jin's expression was grim.

The Empress was frowning as well.

"Paying respects to Your Majesty."

Emperor He Jingxin waved his hand: "Where are they? What happened?"

"Your Majesty, they are inside, and the Imperial Physician is there too. The Second Prince was hit in the eye," said the Empress.

Emperor He Jingxin frowned as he entered; the Imperial Physician had already finished examining.

The other princes were there, along with their study companions and a few royal family children who study in the palace.