Chapter 65: Chapter Sixty-Five He Actually Saw Wei San in a Fat Man…

Chapter 65: From a Fat Man, He Actually Caught a Glimpse of Wei San...

The Prince's estate had not hosted a wedding in a long time. Everywhere was adorned with lanterns and festive decorations, and servants bustled about. In an unnoticed corner, Wei San, now dressed in servant's attire, smoothed the edges of the mask on his face, tucked his jet-black long hair into a servant's cap, then picked up a tray and emerged from the shadows.

"Where were you just sneaking off to shirk your duties?"

He hadn't gone far when a steward caught him. The man was furious to see him slowly walking out from a secluded area.

Wei San, clutching his stomach meekly, begged for mercy: "I had a stomachache and had to slip away briefly. Please have mercy, sir, and spare me this time."

The steward covered his nose in disgust and took a step back, his eyes bulging as he glared: "On such an important day, if anything goes wrong, no one can save you!"

Wei San quickly ingratiated himself: "Yes, yes, thank you, steward."

"Now hurry to the kitchen and help out!"

The steward made a motion as if to strike him, and Wei San hurried off.

Just around the corner, Wei San changed direction and headed toward the Hall of Honored Reception.

As he passed the hall's entrance, Steward Li approached with several maids carrying wine jugs. Wei San instinctively bowed and stepped aside to make way, but Steward Li stopped in front of him, giving him a curious inspection.

"Which household do you serve in? You look somewhat unfamiliar."

Wei San's pupils constricted slightly, and his fingers gripping the tray tightened imperceptibly.

He replied respectfully: "Reporting to Steward Li, I was only purchased for the servants' quarters last month. It's natural that the steward wouldn't recognize me."

Wei San's features were now plain and unremarkable, with deliberately applied freckles on both cheeks to make himself unattractive, and his physique had been significantly altered. Even Wei Jiu, who had lived with him for years, would likely not recognize this swarthy, heavyset man as his handsome third brother.

He was only nervous for a moment initially, but after regaining his composure, he became completely at ease.

"Is that so?"

Steward Li still had doubts. He recalled that his subordinate steward had indeed reported buying a new batch of servants last month. He scrutinized Wei San carefully but found nothing amiss, so he waved his hand: "Alright, go see to your tasks."

With that, he continued leading the maids outward. Wei San kept his head bowed until Steward Li was out of sight before looking up.

He frowned and pursed his lips, suspecting Steward Li wasn't so easily deceived. He feared his future movements would be constrained.

Meanwhile, Steward Li, who had already walked away, suddenly stopped and sent the maids to fetch wine themselves, turning to head somewhere else.

Inside the Hall of Honored Reception, the elegant sounds of traditional instruments filled the air. The dancers finished their performance and retreated.

Taking a male consort was ultimately frowned upon, but all the court officials who could attend had come. No one dared to slight the emperor and the Virtuous Prince. If they earned the Virtuous Prince's resentment, just a word or two in front of the emperor would make them suffer.

As for the Fifth Prince, the Prince of Qi, he excused himself due to mobility issues and didn't come, only sending servants with substantial gifts, thus fulfilling etiquette.

Many ministers at the banquet were intoxicated. Though inebriated, they remembered this was the Virtuous Prince's wedding banquet for taking a Secondary Consort and refrained from their usual revelry. Also, since Wei Zheng was still unwell, no one dared to force him to drink.

Wei Zheng himself maintained a slight, calm smile. When ministers offered congratulations, he toasted with tea instead of wine, and no one dared to comment.

"The Emperor arrives!"

"The Crown Prince arrives!"

From afar, the herald announced the late arrival of the old emperor and the Crown Prince. As expected, the Crown Princess and the little imperial grandson Wei Min also attended the banquet.

Wei Zheng narrowed his long, phoenix eyes, a cold glint flickering briefly within.

"Your subjects pay respects to Your Majesty! May you live ten thousand years!"

Seeing the old emperor, the ministers largely sobered up. They rose and stepped forward to bow, Wei Zheng naturally among them.

The old emperor covered his mouth with a subdued cough, waving for them to rise. He was then supported by Zhao Fu to sit at the main seat in the hall. The Crown Prince's family sat to his left, while Wei Zheng sat to the right.

The maids who had fetched the wine returned and filed into the hall, placing premium wines on the tables.

"Zhao Fu, pour me a cup of wine."

As the weather turned cooler, the old emperor's health worsened. He avoided alcohol when possible, but today was his most beloved son's wedding, so he was in a rare festive mood.

Zhao Fu hesitated but didn't dare defy the emperor. He could only take the smallest wine cup and fill it.

"Your Majesty, please drink in moderation. Take care of your health."

He still offered advice. The old emperor wasn't angered by his unsolicited advice, merely raising a hand to indicate he knew his limits.

The old emperor first raised his cup to the ministers below: "Today, the Seventh is married. I am very pleased. All my ministers, feel free to eat and drink heartily."

After saying this, he drank first. The ministers didn't dare neglect, saying "We thank Your Majesty's generosity" and emptying their cups.

The old emperor had Zhao Fu pour another cup, then turned to Wei Zheng, beckoning him: "Seventh, come here to your father."

His tone clearly indicated he had something to instruct. Wei Zheng half-lowered his eyelids, rising to kneel obediently beside the old emperor.

Pretending to be a filial son, the old emperor patted his shoulder and said earnestly: "You are now married and have a family. You can't be as unrestrained as before. It's time to settle down. The Secondary Consort is taken, but the principal wife position is still vacant. In due time, see which noble lady is suitable and marry her as your principal consort."

Wei Zheng lowered his head, a cold light hidden in his eyes.

The old emperor's words seemed considerate of his son but were actually full of threats. As a father, he had allowed his son to marry the person he desired, so the son must now obey his father's order to marry the noble lady he had chosen.

It was merely a warning that even as an aging father, he could still control him.

Wei Zheng lowered his brows and acquiesced obediently: "Your son understands."

If he wanted to plant someone in his household, I'm afraid his dear father's health wouldn't hold out until that day.

Having warned him, the old emperor, satisfied with his humble and docile attitude, let him return.

The Crown Prince followed by offering a congratulatory toast. The two exchanged a few courteous but empty words.

After their exchange, the Crown Princess rose and approached Wei Zheng with her personal maid.

Wei Zheng hadn't expected his sister-in-law to get involved. He bowed to her: "Sister-in-law."

The Crown Princess had a cold demeanor and usually wore plain colors. Today, she unusually wore sapphire-blue formal court robes, showing great importance to Wei Zheng's wedding.

She nodded slightly. Her personal maid stepped forward, bowing and presenting a wax-sealed envelope with both hands.

"Seventh Brother, on your marriage, since Secondary Consort Yun is male, I didn't know what gift would be appropriate. After much thought, I took the liberty of gifting an apothecary shop. That is the deed. Seventh Brother, please give it to Secondary Consort Yun on my behalf."

Her attitude toward Wei Zheng was reserved yet carried a touch of warmth, completely unlike her indifference toward the Crown Prince.

Wei Zheng was taken aback. He was accustomed to deceit and hidden daggers behind smiles, but in the Crown Princess's eyes, he only saw sincere concern.

She was the only one present who genuinely congratulated him on marrying a male consort.

Wei Zheng was filled with conflicting emotions. He accepted the letter from the personal maid, giving her a deep, meaningful look.

Seeing that he had accepted the gift, the Crown Princess said nothing more. After wishing him and Wei San a happy union for a hundred years, she turned to leave.

"Sister-in-law!"

Wei Zheng suddenly called out to her, and the Crown Princess turned back in confusion.

He smiled meaningfully and said, "Although Min'er is eight years old, he is still a child after all. Sister-in-law, you should pay more attention to him in daily life."

The Crown Princess resented the Crown Prince and, by extension, was not very close to their only son, Wei Min.

The Crown Princess frowned thoughtfully and nodded slightly, "I understand. Thank you for your concern, Seventh."

Wei Zheng had said just enough. Whether the Crown Princess could grasp the deeper meaning of his words was beyond his control.

The banquet continued. After three rounds of drinks, most of the ministers in the hall were drunk. Wei Zheng, who had been drinking tea and was not pressured to drink alcohol, became one of the most sober people there, aside from the maids, servants, and children who could not drink.

It was nearly Hai hour (9-11 PM), and the young imperial grandson Wei Min began to feel drowsy. Seeing this, the Crown Princess stood up to bid farewell to Wei Zheng. As they were speaking, the drowsy young imperial grandson suddenly had his face turn bluish, his lips purple, he foamed at the mouth, and fainted with his eyes rolling back.

"Min'er!"

The Crown Princess, who was closest to him, cried out in shock upon seeing her son in such a state.

The young imperial grandson's wet nurse and maids were in chaos: "Quick! Call the imperial physicians!"

The imperial physicians were stunned at first, then broke out in a cold sweat upon realizing what had happened. They hurriedly gathered around to diagnose the young imperial grandson.

The Crown Prince reacted even more strongly than the Crown Princess. He slammed the table and stood up, shouting angrily, "Seventh! I have treated you well, and your sister-in-law cares for you deeply. Why did you poison your nephew?"

Wei Zheng asked in disbelief, "Why would you say such a thing, Royal Brother?"

"Don't play dumb with me! Min'er was fine when he arrived. How could he have been poisoned after eating here if not by you? Who else could it be?"

The Crown Prince accused him word by word, his tone growing increasingly aggressive.

"Royal Brother, it really wasn't me. What reason would I have to harm Min'er? Especially in front of everyone?"

Wei Zheng denied it indignantly and innocently, but the Crown Prince was convinced that he had tried to poison Wei Min. Enraged, he drew a sword from a guard and made as if to strike him.

Wei Zheng dared not truly confront him and could only dodge awkwardly while trying to explain, but the Crown Prince refused to listen.

Wei San, hiding among the servants, almost rushed forward to protect his master. Fortunately, at the last moment, he dug his nails deeply into his palm, and the sharp pain brought back his calm and rationality, preventing him from revealing his identity.

The Crown Prince chased while Wei Zheng dodged, turning the hall into a mess. It was only when a furious roar echoed through the hall that the two were finally subdued.

"Enough! Look at what you've become!"

The old emperor, who had been drowsy from drinking, was now fully alert. His face darkened as he looked at the Crown Prince, who was worried about his son and had lost control, and then turned to Wei Zheng, who appeared innocent and confused. The old emperor's eyes were filled with unconcealed suspicion and murderous intent, with no trace of the genuine paternal love he had feigned earlier.

Suppressing his anger, he said sternly, "First, save Min'er. We'll discuss the rest later!"

With these words, he silenced the Crown Prince. Though unwilling, the Crown Prince had no choice but to stop.

"Yan, how is the young imperial grandson?"

The old emperor was asking the head of the imperial medical institute, who had just taken the young imperial grandson's pulse. The latter remained silent for a long time before slowly shaking his head and sighing, "The poison has already reached his organs. I'm afraid..."

The chief physician's words implied that there was little hope of saving him.

The other imperial physicians remained silent.

"Useless!"

The old emperor flew into a rage and kicked over a table of food and wine in front of him.

At that moment, Dr. Zhong suddenly emerged from somewhere, pushed aside the maids and physicians in the way, pinched the young imperial grandson's jaw, and swiftly cleared the filth from his mouth. Then, he took out a detoxification pill from his pocket, crushed it, and was about to feed it to the young imperial grandson when the wet nurse, finally reacting, shouted sharply, "What are you feeding the young imperial grandson?!"

"If you want your young imperial grandson to die, go ahead and stop me."

Dr. Zhong didn't even bother to look at her. The wet nurse, furious, tried to pull him away.

The Crown Princess, who had calmed down, ordered her maid to pull the wet nurse away and said coldly, "Wet nurse, why are you hindering Dr. Zhong from saving Min'er? What are your intentions?"

The wet nurse turned pale, her legs instantly weakening. She kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy: "This servant was too concerned about the young imperial grandson and lost her composure. Please spare me, Crown Princess!"

The Crown Princess said nothing, unsure whether she believed her or not, but she ordered the wet nurse to step aside and be watched by her personal maid for later punishment.

"Dr. Zhong, how is Min'er?"

Dr. Zhong took the pulse, his expression grim: "The poison in the young imperial grandson's body is extremely potent, and the dosage is heavy. The poisoner clearly intended to kill him on the spot. I've given him a detoxification pill, but it can only suppress the poison temporarily. To fully detoxify him, we need to find the antidote."

The Crown Princess swayed, on the verge of fainting, and was supported by her maid to prevent her from collapsing.

"Dr. Zhong, please save Min'er."

She pleaded tearfully. After all, he was her only child. Though not close, she still had feelings for him.

Dr. Zhong did not dare to make promises, only saying he would do his best.

He addressed the old emperor and Wei Zheng: "I must take the young imperial grandson to my senior brother. His medical skills are far superior to mine, and he might be able to save him."

The old emperor then remembered Ruan Xingji, the extraordinary doctor who had cured Wei Zheng. A glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes, and he quickly said, "Then take the young imperial grandson there quickly."

Dr. Zhong nodded, picked up the young imperial grandson, and ran out. The Crown Princess, supported by her maid, followed.

The imperial physicians left behind looked at each other, unsure whether they should follow.

The old emperor sneered, "All of you, go! If the young imperial grandson cannot be saved, none of you should return to see me again."

His tone was severe, and the imperial physicians dared not breathe heavily. Their lives now depended on the young imperial grandson, who was hanging by a thread.

The imperial physicians hurriedly chased after them.

The atmosphere in the hall was tense. The ministers dared not speak, all bowing their heads and holding their breath.

The young imperial grandson was still in critical condition, and the poisoning incident remained unresolved.

The Crown Prince threw down his sword, glared hatefully at Wei Zheng, then flicked his sleeve and knelt with a loud thud before the old emperor. He performed a grand salute and said, "Min'er is so young. Seventh's heart is despicable for poisoning him! I beg Your Majesty to uphold justice for Min'er!"

His eyes were red, and he appeared utterly grief-stricken and irrational over his beloved son's suffering.

"A life for a life! If anything happens to Min'er, I beg Your Majesty to severely punish Wei Zheng!"

Wei Zheng watched his performance, finding it laughable.

Even a vicious tiger would not harm its own cubs, yet his esteemed Royal Brother would poison his own son for the throne and even use it as a pretext to frame him.

Wei Zheng considered himself no saint, but compared to his Crown Prince brother, he was merely a minor villain.

He also knelt like the Crown Prince, choking up as he defended himself: "It really wasn't me. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"

He looked genuinely sincere, as if he had suffered a great injustice, yet he couldn't come up with any proof of his innocence at the moment, leaving him feeling helpless and frantic. He could only pin his hopes on the old emperor's favor and trust in him.

The old emperor remained silent, his cloudy eyes locked intently on the two of them, his gaze as sharp as a razor.

"This matter shall be handed over to the Capital Prefect. Until his suspicion is cleared, the Virtuous Prince is not to step outside his residence!"

He trusted no one and showed no favoritism, yet by merely confining the Virtuous Prince, he'd already shown he trusted Wei Zheng more.

The old emperor made his decision, rose to his feet, and swept his sleeves as he departed. Zhao Fu scurried after him, and from afar, one could still hear him trying to calm His Majesty down.

The Crown Prince gritted his teeth in frustration, glaring at Wei Zheng, who completely ignored him, which only made him angrier.

"Don’t think you’re safe just because you’ve made it through today. Sooner or later, I will find evidence that you poisoned Min'er!"

After uttering these harsh words, he turned and left the hall, instructing a servant to lead him to the young imperial grandson.

With this incident occurring, the court officials didn't dare stick around any longer and seized the opportunity to take their leave. Wei Zheng had no choice but to have Li Dan escort the ministers out of the residence.

In less than a quarter of an hour, the once lively Hall of Honored Reception fell into silence. Wei Zheng glanced at the servants still kneeling on the ground and said, "All of you, leave."

The servants, feeling like they'd been granted a reprieve, quickly rose and hurried away, their footsteps hurried, afraid that lingering even a moment longer would cause Wei Zheng to call them back.

Wei San blended into the crowd and, before stepping out of the hall, cast a sidelong glance at Wei Zheng, then quickly departed before being noticed.

Wei Zheng, detecting that unusual gaze, accurately focused on the disguised Wei San’s retreating figure.

The man had a hunched back, was dark and stout, dressed in coarse linen clothing that exuded ordinariness—a figure utterly indistinguishable from the masses.

He frowned slightly, dismissing it as his own oversensitivity, thinking it strange that he had seen a shadow of Wei San in a fat man.

"Master."

Duan Lin had, at some point, appeared behind him. Snapping out of his thoughts, he pushed the image of that retreating figure to the back of his mind and instead inquired about the situation with the Fifth Prince.

Duan Lin replied, "The Fifth Prince and the Crown Prince of Huainan have taken control of the imperial palace. A hundred thousand troops have also surrounded the entire capital. It is likely that within an hour, the Fifth Prince will come to force the old emperor to write an abdication edict."

"Good, I was afraid he wouldn’t have the courage to come."

He sneered, "Are Lord Wang and the Imperial Guards properly arranged?"

Duan Lin nodded, "They await only your command, Master."

"Excellent. Go and bring the person Ruan Xingji brought back. I’ve used so many precious medicinal herbs to keep him alive—it’s time for him to repay me."

His eyes held a deep, unfathomable killing intent. Since his Fifth Brother was so eager to meet his end, he, as the younger brother, would gladly grant his wish.

As for the Crown Prince and the old emperor—there would be plenty of time to deal with them later.