Chapter 98: Demoting the Empress

Chapter 98: Demoting the Empress

Like the Baozhi Palace and the Baohan Palace, the Luanying Palace was also a primary target for search.

In the Luanying Palace, Empress Luo was both startled and furious. When Yuan Yixue tried to scold Yu Huan, Empress Luo stopped her, saying calmly, "Since it concerns the Emperor's health, Commander Yu's thorough search is understandable."

Yu Huan's face remained cold, and he showed no politeness. Despite feeling somewhat odd about Princess Two's scrutinizing gaze, he signaled for all the guards to begin searching the palace. The Luanying Palace was vast, and by the time the search was over, dawn had broken. At the same time, the guards who had searched Consort Jiang's Baozhi Palace returned with a report. They found only some silver, candles, and silks secretly stashed away by the servants, nothing more.

After apologizing to Empress Luo, Yu Huan returned to the emperor to deliver the news.

"Nothing will be found in Empress Luo or Consort Jiang's quarters."

Yuan Jun poured a cup of sour yogurt for Rong Bi. Seated elegantly by the waterside pavilion, she observed that the east wind was gentle today, and the lotus pond still held the beauty of spring. Yuan Jun leaned on the railing, his plain robe enhancing his captivating presence in the spring sunshine. The casual indifference and nonchalance on his face stirred something within Rong Bi.

She asked, "What exactly are they looking for?"

The pavilion in the middle of the Nine-Curves Bridge, surrounded by water and well-ventilated, allowed the guards to observe from the banks. With a smile, Yuan Jun moved closer to Rong Bi and whispered in her ear, "Golden Elixir."

Rong Bi immediately understood. That time, Yuan Jun and Tang Xi had indeed used Empress Luo as a decoy to obtain the golden elixir crafted by Master Chong Xiao. But if they couldn't find it now, wouldn't their whole scheme have been in vain?

Yuan Jun meticulously adjusted the peony blossoms, which had been fetched by the palace maids, on the table with an elegant and refined demeanor, exuding confidence: "The real issue is if nothing is found."

Looking at Rong Bi, even the most beautiful peonies of spring seemed to pale in comparison. His Liangdi had rosy cheeks and limpid eyes like spring water; every glance she cast was divine. Supressing the flutter in his heart, he explained, "Who else could pull off such a treacherous act as stealing the golden elixir, wielding immense power, yet leave no trace behind?"

A hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "After all, I've been confined within these palace walls all along."

"Other than the queen with her boundless authority, who else could achieve this? Moreover, she's now meddling with military affairs..."

"To accuse someone, no evidence is needed, only for our imperial father, seated atop his supreme throne, to believe it. After all, he trusted a mere fortune-teller's claim that I bring him ill fortune, confining me and sending my elder sister away. Even when the truth was revealed about the 'divine courtesan' being manipulated, he remained steadfast in his belief that our father-son relationship was mutually exclusive, thus persistently pushing me towards marriage..."

Yuan Jun's lips curved into a smile as he held the flower stem, creating the scene of the prince and Rong Liangdi engaged in flower arrangement, with the prince personally pouring tea for her and occasionally whispering sweet nothings, a picture of a heavenly couple.

Only Rong Bi perceived the sorrow and anger in Yuan Jun's eyes.

She softly spoke, "I believe Prince and Princess will soon clear the fog and see the truth."

Yuan Jun replied, "No one knows a father better than his son. Empress Luo's scheme against Duke Song and her machinations for military power, coupled with the previous incident involving the fortune-telling divine courtesan, have planted seeds of suspicion in our paranoid father. Even if it wasn't her this time, Father would still suspect her."

"Empress Luo is cunning, but her impatience has gotten the best of her. She has realized that despite Father's imprisonment of me, he never considered another son as the crown prince, someone who could pose a threat to the throne. She's now grooming the fourth prince, but he's too young. She can't wait any longer."

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Contrary to the gentle spring breeze outside, deep within the gloomy dungeons, a chill rose from the earth, casting a dim light from flickering oil lamps. The atmosphere was eerily silent.

In the dimly lit and damp torture chamber, Chong Xiao had been stripped of his magnificent Taoist robe. Naked, his hands were bound together with heavy shackles, suspended above his head from a wooden beam. His toes barely touched the cold stone floor, leaving his entire body weight supported by his wrists. His shoulders felt as if they could dislocate at any moment, causing him unbearable agony. The biting cold in the dungeon made his already pale body tremble uncontrollably.

Ever since the golden pills were discovered in his chambers, he had been silently dragged here by the guards, stripped, and hung up. No one had entered since. He knew they must be searching the palace, and only after finding evidence would they interrogate him.

This was a method employed by the authorities to break a prisoner's spirit. Left naked in the cold overnight, any convict would feel humiliated and mentally shattered, confessing anything. He had experienced hardships in the past, so he understood this tactic. However, after years of privilege and, especially after deceitfully entering the palace as the Grand Astrologer, he had long forgotten such suffering. Now, he inevitably found it difficult to endure, but... he would rather confess to making the golden pills for the Empress than reveal their secret to the Emperor.

He was well aware of this line he couldn't cross. As long as the Emperor believed the golden pills could grant immortality, he would live. Yet, his confession couldn't be too swift; the Emperor wouldn't believe it if it were too facile.

In that moment, he still felt the agony, even a tinge of regret. Why didn't he just admit back then that it was the Empress's directive, casting the blame onto Empress Luo?

The walls around him were marred with dark stains of blood and cracks. The air reeked of dampness and the stench of blood. Not far away, a solitary rat nibbled on an unknown piece of bread crumb in a corner, injecting a semblance of life into the silent cell. Piled in one corner were straw and a few tattered garments, clearly abandoned.

The sky began to lighten, and Chong Xiao finally heard footsteps. He raised his head with great effort, beads of cold sweat lining his forehead. Veins protruded from his arms and legs, and he trembled slightly all over.

Yu Huan entered, his face devoid of emotion. He walked in and examined Chong Xiao up and down as if appreciating his humiliation and distress.

With a faint voice, Chong Xiao pleaded, "Commander Yu... release this old Taoist. If this continues, I won't be able to serve His Majesty by refining elixirs anymore."

Yu Huan strolled over and gently tapped Chong Xiao's tiptoes with his long boots. "High Priest, His Majesty said that alchemy doesn't require feet. If you don't confess honestly, I'll have to let you experience the taste of ringing the bell. Do you know what ringing the bell means?"

He lightly kicked Chong Xiao's toe, causing the latter immense pain. Clenching his legs, Chong Xiao tried to retreat, but lost balance. Sharp pain shot through his wrist and shoulder, making him scream in agony, tears streaming down his face. "Commander Yu! This old priest really doesn't know what to say!"

Yu Huan's gaze was fierce as he stared at Chong Xiao, his tone menacing and unyielding. "Ringing the bell means smashing a prisoner's ten toes one by one with a stone hammer... That's far more painful than the finger-squeezing torture. If you still don't confess... then the High Priest will have to stay in the palace for a very long time... Have you seen how they stun oxen in the marketplace? They use hammers to shatter their testicles..."

Chong Xiao couldn't help but clench his thighs. Yu Huan spoke calmly, "The Empress has already confessed..."

Chong Xiao's eyes widened, struck by a bolt from the blue. He finally broke down, his voice hoarse. "It was all forced by Her Majesty the Empress. She threatened me with the lives of my disciples outside the palace... I thought it wouldn't be difficult to make an extra golden pill. It's not about the pill anyway, the Empress lacks the destined affinity to benefit from it even if she eats it..."

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The weeping High Priest confessed everything in detail. He was untied and given clothes to cover himself before tremblingly writing a confession. However, the interrogation wasn't over yet. Yu Huan asked about everyone who had contacted him and who had taken the golden pill, while all the eunuchs from the imperial kitchen were brought in for identification.

Unsurprisingly, Chong Xiao failed to identify the little eunuch who had delivered the food.

After reading the confession, Yuan Zixu learned that all the eunuchs from the imperial kitchen, inner kitchen, and the Board of Imperial Supplies had been interrogated, but the little eunuch mentioned by Chong Xiao was nowhere to be found. Yuan Zixu considered whether to imprison all the eunuchs who had ever delivered meals from the imperial kitchen for rigorous questioning.

Yuan Zixu casually put aside the confession. "I've been in Heavenly One Temple for meditation these days. The three kitchens in the palace—the imperial kitchen, inner kitchen, and Board of Imperial Supplies—have all sent meals here. There are hundreds of low-ranking eunuchs on duty, and they probably don't even recognize each other, let alone High Priest Chong Xiao. Perhaps they've altered their appearances. If the Empress, as Chong Xiao claims, was behind this, then the identity cards and arrangements would naturally be genuine. How can we find a needle in a haystack? They might have been silenced already. There's no need to waste time investigating."

Yu Huan bowed, awaiting Yuan Zixu's instructions.

Yuan Zixu, however, replied coolly, "The Empress is unvirtuous, deceitful to the Emperor and disrespectful to her sovereign. Li Dongfu, go to the duty room of the Cabinet and summon a Hanlin Scholar to draft an edict for her removal from her position."

At the mention of "deposed empress," everyone was astounded. However, Yuan Zixu merely gave Li Dongfu a casual glance and said, "Why haven't you gone?"

Li Dongfu did not dare to utter a single extra word. He quickly scurried out, and before long, he had fetched the Hanlin Academician who was on duty that day to draft the imperial edict. Upon hearing that the edict was to dethrone the empress, the Academician's face turned pale. However, he was well aware that the emperor's will was absolute and could not be defied. He could only kneel and ask, "May Your Majesty clarify the reasons for the dethronement of the empress."

Yuan Zixu declared, "The Empress has strayed from the path of virtue and morality, attempting to endanger the Crown Prince. She lacks the maternal compassion befitting her position and has deceived the sovereign. It is inappropriate for her to continue serving in the ancestral temples or bearing the mandate of heaven. Therefore, she shall surrender her imperial seals and robes, being deposed as a commoner, and retire to a separate palace."

The imperial scholar dipped his brush in ink, etching characters onto the paper as he overheard Academician Yuan Zixu instructing Li Dongfu and Deputy Commander Yu Huan of the Qinghou Guards, "Li Dongfu, bear the imperial edict and convey it promptly. Have the Imperial Guards encircle Luanming Palace. Lady Luo is to be allowed no belongings, her queenly regalia stripped, and immediately confined to the Internal Punishment Chamber. Direct the palace ladies-in-waiting to conduct a rigorous inquiry."

Li Dongfu whispered, "What about Princess Second?"

Yuan Zixu replied with a cold tone, "First, confine her to a separate palace, forbidding any communication in and out of the imperial grounds."

He added, "Also, issue another decree to reprimand Imperial Uncle Luo Shiming. Effective immediately, he is stripped of his position and placed under house arrest, awaiting punishment."