Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 364 The Collapse of the Building
The shopkeeper's surname is Qiu?
Li Huan's expression changed, and his knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white.

Li Yan was so frightened that his liver and gallbladder were about to burst.

"Father, spare my life!"

Li Yan slammed his forehead heavily against the gold brick, looking at the throne in fear.

"Your subject does not know the name of the antique dealer. It was Steward Zhou, who manages the storeroom in your residence, who mentioned it... There is a shop in the west of the city that has acquired an ancient sword from a previous dynasty. It is exquisitely crafted and a rare item. He urged your subject to buy it to play with... Your subject was so excited that he did not notice anything wrong with the sword..."

Li Yan is only twenty-six years old this year. He has always lived a leisurely life and does not concern himself with politics.

The case from thirty years ago had long been buried, and the old mausoleum was a taboo subject of the dynasty; even the historians' records were vague. How could he recognize Xiao Chong's sword from more than thirty years ago? He had never heard of "Dingjiang" (定疆), nor had he ever seen Xiao Chong's insignia.

Let alone him...

Among all the civil and military officials in the court, only a dozen or so had personally experienced that bloody and turbulent period.

Younger members of the imperial family had never even heard of it.

Inside the Linde Hall, there was a deathly silence, like a grave.

Emperor Chongzhao's face was ashen, his complexion ashen.

"Investigate! Find out who's behind this mess..."

Li Zhao bowed in response, his posture upright.

"Your Majesty, this man is not only incredibly audacious, secretly possessing weapons used by traitors, but he also has connections within the palace, selling imperial gold and silver utensils, tribute medicines, and forbidden items... The poison used by Consort Xiao was leaked through this man's hands..."

There was an uproar in the hall.

Cold sweat streamed down Li Yan's pale face, soaking his collar.

it's over...

Ping Le, that madwoman...

This dragged him into this monstrous disaster.

This is truly a case of "no matter how hard you try, you can't clear your name now!"

His face turned ashen, and he subconsciously looked at Empress Dowager Chengqing.

The latter had a sharp look in his eyes and slowly shook his head at him.

After being demoted to Shuozhou, Ping Le secretly returned to the capital.

If he exposes this now, it would be tantamount to adding crime upon crime, and he would not escape being implicated.

Li Yan felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and could only repeatedly kowtow and plead.

"Your Majesty, please understand! Your son is innocent! Your son only bought the sword and knew nothing of the details..."

Li Zhao did not relentlessly pursue Li Yan.

Instead, he changed the subject and pointed the finger at Prince Duan, Li Huan.

"Speaking of this Manager Qiu, Your Majesty should also remember him. You had some dealings with him some time ago... I wonder how much you know about him?"

A single, understated sentence struck like a thunderbolt.

Li Huan was shocked, but remained calm on the surface. He only glanced at Li Zhao before calmly rising and bowing.

"Your Majesty, I was investigating a corruption case and suspected this person was involved. Therefore, I feigned friendship to test his true intentions. Unexpectedly, this scoundrel is cunning and deceived me. Once the matter showed signs of being exposed, he disappeared without a trace. I failed to investigate thoroughly in time... Only today did I realize that he harbored malicious intentions..."

He carefully distanced himself from the situation, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

"Your Majesty's words are far too simplistic."

Li Zhao's lips curled into a cold smile. "The mere fact that he sold the Dingjiang Sword, a relic of the traitor Xiao Chong, is enough to prove that this man is no good! Not to mention, he colluded with palace officials and smuggled forbidden drugs. Prime Minister Xiao—"

At this point, his gaze suddenly sharpened as he glanced at Xiao Song, who remained calm and composed at the table.

"Upon my thorough investigation, I discovered that this man has a very close relationship with Xiao Lu, a trusted steward of your Xiao household. The aphrodisiac used by the beauty was purchased by Xiao Lu from a certain Qiu. What is your explanation for this, Prime Minister?"

Time and again, he questioned them in the palace.

Is His Highness going to fight three against one?

Everyone looked at each other, holding their breath.

Xiao Song could no longer sit still.

"absurd!"

He suddenly stood up from his seat, his eyes wide with rage.

"Your Highness, please do not make false accusations."

He cupped his hands again and bowed deeply towards the throne, his voice booming as he said, "Your Majesty, this old minister's loyalty is as clear as day. I beg Your Majesty to investigate and do justice for this old minister."

Li Zhao smiled coldly: "Lord Xiao, don't be so quick to deny it. I have something else here that might remind the Prime Minister of something."

"Father." He then turned to Emperor Chongzhao and said solemnly, "Your subject has been ordered to thoroughly investigate forbidden drugs and has found something in the cellar of the villa outside the Xiao family city."

He raised his hand and gave a light clap.

Guan Ya, who was standing guard outside the palace gate, strode into the palace, his black armor clanging loudly.

He carried an ebony tray in his hands, on which lay a mud-covered oilcloth bundle. Reaching the center of the hall, he knelt on one knee and raised the tray high above his head with both hands.

Li Zhao stepped forward slowly, picked up a corner of the oilcloth with his fingers, and suddenly lifted it open.

Several small white porcelain bottles were exposed to the astonished gazes of the entire hall.

The bottle is blank and unmarked, exuding a chilling aura.

"This is the evidence..." Li Zhao's gaze flashed like lightning, suddenly piercing Xiao Song, who was stiff all over. "After examination by several imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital, it was found that there was a dangerous drug that was forbidden in the palace and harmed the emperor's health—the Yang-inducing Powder."

He tapped the edge of the tray lightly with his fingertips, making a crisp sound.

Then, pick up the paper still stained with ink from the tray.

"This is Consort Xiao's own signed confession. It details who instructed her, how she administered the drug, and where the drug came from—the evidence is overwhelming. Prime Minister Xiao, how long do you intend to deny it?"

Every word carries immense weight.

The hall suddenly became silent.

The group of nobles and relatives attending the banquet looked like startled quails, staring down at the cups and plates in front of them, wishing they could shrink into a crack in the ground.

Xiao Song's expression changed drastically. His burly body trembled slightly with rage, and his gaze was fixed on Li Zhao's face, as if he wanted to devour him alive.

"His Highness the Crown Prince has gone mad in his quest to eliminate dissidents... Your Majesty, these evidence and confessions are undoubtedly forgeries. His Highness's framing and malicious schemes are unworthy of the title of Crown Prince. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and clear this old minister's name..."

He shouted himself hoarse, looking every bit the loyal minister who had been wronged.

The officials in the hall who were affiliated with the Xiao family were also eager to make a move and came out to say a few words on his behalf.

A cold, mocking smile appeared on Li Zhao's lips.

"Prime Minister, Consort Xiao is still alive. Whether she is real or not can be determined by asking her in the palace."

Xiao Song's heart sank, but he quickly forced himself to remain calm.

"This old minister has nothing to fear from a righteous heart, nor is he afraid of any false accusations..."

He still harbored a glimmer of hope.

Li Zhao is most likely trying to extort money.

The Xiao family members have always been known for their strong backbone.

When Xiao Zhengyuan fell into Li Zhao's hands, he suffered all kinds of torture in prison, and even had his ears cut off, but he never uttered a single word.

Although Xiao Qing'er is a woman, she probably won't give in easily.

Emperor Chongzhao narrowed his eyes, his gaze shifting between Li Zhao and Xiao Song, his expression gloomy and uncertain.

He had previously harbored doubts and had personally visited Shuangheng Garden to inquire with Xiao Qing'er.

But she insisted that she was confused and had secretly purchased banned drugs to secure favor with the emperor, refusing to mention the Xiao family at all.

Daughters of noble families value their family's reputation above all else.

What methods did Li Zhao use to make her turn against him?

"Father," Li Zhao bowed again, his voice deep, "Right and wrong will be clear once the matter is settled. Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty's permission to summon Consort Xiao to the palace for a face-to-face confrontation with the Prime Minister..."

Emperor Chongzhao remained silent.

His gaze swept over the varied expressions of the courtiers in the hall, and he finally nodded slowly.

"allow."

"Announce—Shuangheng Garden, Consort Xiao, enter the palace."

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze.

A suffocating sense of oppression enveloped everyone.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the dust to settle.

"Your Majesty, Consort Xiao is already waiting outside the palace."

Emperor Chongzhao raised his hand, signaling for the servants to enter. A creak sounded.

Two middle-aged palace maids with bowed heads walked in front.

A figure as thin as a sheet of paper appeared before everyone, half-supported and half-carried by them.

It was none other than Xiao Qing'er, the former favored concubine.

She was wearing an old palace dress that clearly didn't fit her well. Her sallow and withered face was bloodless. Her dry hair was loosely tied up in a bun, with stray hairs falling down her cheeks. Her legs were weak and she couldn't stand steadily. She was only able to slowly move into the hall with the support of the palace maids on both sides.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty the Empress."

Her voice was so faint it was almost inaudible.

"The Xiao family." Emperor Chongzhao's face was frosty, full of imperial majesty.

"The Crown Prince said that you were coerced by the Xiao family to tamper with my ginseng soup. Is that true?"

Xiao Qing'er slowly raised her head, subconsciously searching for Xiao Song in the hall...

Her gaze met Xiao Song's eyes, and she abruptly lowered her head, so frightened that she stammered.

"I...I was foolish, I deserve to die...I dare not..."

"So, this confession wasn't written by you? Was it coerced into a confession by the Crown Prince, or was it forged?" Emperor Chongzhao pressed.

Xiao Qing'er's whole body stiffened.

His body trembled even more violently, and he lay on the ground, afraid to make a sound.

Li Zhao said, "Consort Xiao, the Golden Palace is bathed in the bright sunlight. Why not tell the truth? With His Majesty's approval, no one can harm you in the slightest... If you continue to conceal the truth, you will be cutting off your own path to survival!"

"Your Highness!" Xiao Song interrupted sharply, "Consort Xiao has been ill for a long time and is not in her right mind. You must not threaten her here."

Li Zhao ignored him and only looked at the trembling Xiao Qing'er.

"Consort Xiao, His Majesty is waiting for your reply. Quickly write down your confession and tell His Majesty everything in detail, sincerely pleading guilty... This is your only way out."

Each word was spoken slowly and deliberately, like a heavy hammer blow.

Xiao Qing'er dug her nails deep into her palms, almost drawing blood.

She recalled the cold indifference of her clansmen, the heartlessness of her mother and brother, and Xue Sui's words that day: "If you want to die, no one will stop you; if you want to live, you can only save yourself."

She wants to live.

"It was...it was the Xiao family that forced me to do it."

She suddenly raised her chin, first looking at the emperor on the dragon throne whose face was ashen, then turning to Xiao Song's eyes, which were filled with threat and raging anger, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"It was the Xiao family who instructed my mother... to smuggle poison into the palace. They forced me... to mix that aphrodisiac powder... into His Majesty's ginseng soup, so that I could secure His Majesty's favor and bear a child, bringing glory to our family..."

"You wretched child!" Xiao Song trembled with rage, pointing at Xiao Qing'er and shouting.

"Your Majesty, Consort Xiao has gone mad! She's framing this old minister... She must be bewitched to spout such nonsense. Her words are not to be trusted..."

"Insolence! I am not senile!"

Emperor Chongzhao slammed his hand on the table, the dragon throne emitting a dull thud.

"Xiao, continue. But if you utter even half a lie, do not blame me for being ruthless."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Xiao Qing'er sobbed uncontrollably, her voice filled with a resolute determination.
"The Xiao family is single-mindedly focused on climbing the social ladder; they have no regard for His Majesty. They think Prince Duan has become too powerful and has his own ideas, refusing to be manipulated by them anymore. So they're plotting to find... to find a young prince they can control. They say His Majesty's health is deteriorating day by day, and he might... might not live much longer... They'll just wait for me to give birth to a prince, then they'll enthrone the young prince... At that time, the Xiao family can control the court, have absolute power... and become... become the true regents... so that their descendants can enjoy wealth and power forever..."

"You traitor, how dare you—"

Emperor Chongzhao roared angrily, then suddenly clutched his chest and coughed violently.

His pale, bluish face turned a horrifying reddish-purple from coughing, and his cloudy eyes churned with overwhelming rage and boundless humiliation...

"Your Majesty!" Wang Chengxi exclaimed as he stepped forward.

"puff--"

A large mouthful of thick, fresh blood suddenly gushed out of the emperor's mouth.

The stench was strong, and the blood splattered red on his bright yellow dragon robe and also splashed on Wang Chengxi's chest.

"His Majesty--"

Wang Chengxi's piercing scream broke the deathly silence.

An uproar erupted in the hall.

Everyone was filled with fear and apprehension, and they all stood up.

Emperor Chongzhao pointed at Xiao Song, whose body was stiff, his fingers trembling uncontrollably, his lips moving violently, but he couldn't utter a single complete sentence.

"Summon the imperial physician!" Empress Xie was shocked and her face paled. She instinctively protected her lower abdomen and stood up, shouting in a panic.

"Send it to the doctor quickly!"

"Empress..." Emperor Chongzhao murmured indistinctly, looking at Empress Xie with eyes filled with anger and resentment, before slowly collapsing into Wang Chengxi's arms.

"His Majesty--"

"Father...Emperor!" Li Huan and Li Yan called out urgently, about to rush forward.

But Li Zhao stopped him with a stern voice.

"Escort!"

Li Zhao's voice was as cold as iron, suppressing the gasps of surprise from the entire hall, and he gave the order in a deep voice:
"Seal off the nine gates of the capital! No one is to enter or leave without my written order!"

His cold gaze swept over the panicked officials, then turned to the still-shaken Empress Dowager, his tone stern and imposing.

"What you see and hear today, you must not discuss or spread. Anyone who disobeys this order will be punished as a traitor and their entire family will be exterminated!"

A chilling killing intent descended upon them.

Decisions of killing and ruthlessness can be made in an instant!

The Linde Hall was plunged into chaos.

"Keng! Keng! Keng!"

A group of imperial guards surged in like a tide.

The cold armor gleamed, and the halberds clashed like a forest, producing a metallic clang...

The entire Linde Hall was instantly shrouded in a somber atmosphere.

The screams of noblewomen, the panic of officials, and the clattering of cups and bowls falling to the ground blended together, creating a scene reminiscent of a bustling marketplace.

"Seize the traitor Xiao Song! Imprison him in the Imperial Prison and keep him under strict guard—" Li Zhao ordered expressionlessly, his gaze sweeping over the unconscious Emperor Chongzhao, "awaiting Your Majesty's decision."

"As ordered!"

Guan Ya and his guards responded in unison.

"Your Highness! This old minister is a pillar of the nation, the current prime minister. His Majesty has not yet convicted me, you have no right to arrest me..." Xiao Song roared like a trapped beast, still wanting to argue, but was held down by the fierce guards, who tied his arms behind his back and dragged him away roughly.

The struggles and screams echoed throughout the palace.

Li Yan was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, his eyes red as he desperately shouted in the direction of Empress Dowager Chengqing.

"Grandmother, Grandmother...Grandmother, save me...Grandson is innocent..."

Empress Dowager Chengqing rose to her feet, her face deathly pale. She clutched her chest with one hand and pointed tremblingly at the throne with the other. “Crown Prince! The Emperor’s health is not yet restored. You…you brothers must not fight amongst yourselves, lest you shake the foundations of the nation and ruin the legacy of our ancestors…”

Li Zhao's gaze fell on the shattered rosewood screen.

He paused for a moment, smiled as he looked at Li Yan, who was weeping uncontrollably, then turned to the Empress Dowager, his tone softening slightly.

"Grandmother, please rest assured, today is your birthday, and your grandson knows the importance of this matter. My third brother's words and actions were inappropriate and disturbed Your Majesty's presence. Father will make the final judgment, and I will not overstep my bounds... much less engage in fratricide and tarnish the royal family's reputation..."

Empress Dowager Chengqing's expression softened slightly upon hearing this.

But looking into Li Zhao's unwavering eyes, the chill in her heart only intensified.

She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but in the end, surrounded by the menacing armor of the entire hall, she nodded dejectedly, and with the help of palace servants, sat down shakily, looking at the emperor, whose fate was unknown, with a cold gaze in her eyes and burning with worry.

The imperial physician rushed over and knelt down to take his pulse.

Emperor Chongzhao's face turned bluish-purple, and he fell into a coma.

The vermilion-lacquered window panels were opened by palace servants.

The blinding sunlight shone intensely on the screen.

The eight large golden characters, “Benevolent Light Shines Everywhere, Mountains and Rivers Remain Forever Stable,” still shone brightly amidst the ruins of the hall.

Outside the palace, the July sun blazed fiercely, baking the red walls and green tiles.

At the pinnacle of power, the dragon throne is stained with blood, and the land is silent.

An even bigger storm has only just begun.

　The two chapters are combined into one.

　　Please help find and correct any bugs!

　　Mwah, see you tomorrow!
　　(End of this chapter)