Imperial Husband Chapter 8

The next day.

Li Shiyun brought Liang Wenliu, who was trussed up and blindfolded, into the palace. Then, under the guidance of a eunuch, they arrived at the Zhaohui Hall where the emperor received court officials. He paid respects to the Emperor and Empress seated above, saying, "Your Subject pays respects to Your Majesties."

Ying Zhengjing nodded slightly, "Beloved Minister, you may rise."

Li Shiyun stood up, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

The Empress, Gu Rushuang, who was at the side, asked unhurriedly, "This Palace has heard that the prince of dingbei has already captured the true culprit who killed This Palace's younger sister. May This Palace ask if this is truly the case?"

[本宫 (běn gōng): lit. this palace; fig. a first-person pronoun historically used by an empress or royal consort to refer to herself.]

The Empress, Gu Rushuang, was not a woman, but a handsome shuang'er. The vermilion mark unique to shuang'er between his brows added an indescribable charm to Gu Rushuang.

In the Da Xia dynasty, the highest status belonged to men, followed by women, and finally shuang'er, who had the weakest reproductive ability. Yet, Gu Rushuang, with the lowly status of a shuang'er, became the most noble Empress of Da Xia.

"Replying to Your Majesty, yes." At Li Shiyun's signal, Liang Wenliu was brought in. However, unlike initially being trussed up, Liang Wenliu now only had her hands bound and was blindfolded. "It was this person's doing."

Liang Wenliu was already panicked and at a loss, unable to clearly hear what Li Shiyun was saying. She could only recognize Li Shiyun's voice and hastily said pitifully, "Your Highness, this is a wrongful accusation! This concubine merely could not stand Concubine Zhou and momentarily... momentarily was possessed and made those two tungwood dolls to deal with her. This concubine never intended to harm the princess consort and the others. The other tungwood doll has nothing to do with this concubine at all."

"Audacious! Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress are above. Do not clamor."

The chief eunuch, Yang Shaochuan, rebuked while signaling a young eunuch beside him to slap Liang Wenliu. The young eunuch obeyed, walked over, and struck Liang Wenliu several times, swelling her face directly. The cloth blindfolding her also fell to the ground.

The Emperor? The Empress? Wait, then what I just said...

Liang Wenliu was utterly terrified, her face turning pale and her body trembling uncontrollably. When she had been brought in blindfolded, she believed Li Shiyun intended to have her secretly executed. She never could have anticipated being brought to the palace.

"This Palace wishes to know how you plotted against This Palace's younger sister and nephew." Gu Rushuang's gaze fixed tightly on Liang Wenliu, his words carrying obvious coldness.

"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! This concubine did not plot against the princess consort and the Third Young Master. It is all a misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding!"

Utterly terrified, Liang Wenliu begged for mercy desperately, not daring to give a real answer.

"To this day, you still dare to be stubborn?" Li Shiyun pulled out a somewhat aged piece of paper from his bosom and had a eunuch beside him present it to Ying Zhengjing. "Remember it? This item was found inside your pillow. It records the poison that caused the princess consort and Jin'er to suffer from chronic poisoning. You poisonous woman! It turns out it wasn't just this time. You have been deliberately and meticulously poisoning them from a very early time. What exactly are your intentions?"

"This... this..."

Liang Wenliu's eyes widened in horror.

I personally burned it, how can it still be here?

Liang Wenliu always acted with caution. When she decided to eliminate Gu Rulan and Li Jin, fearing exposure, she memorized the content on the paper and then burned the evidence on the spot. She never expected that the evidence she thought she had burned would reappear and fall into Li Shiyun's hands.

At this moment, Liang Wenliu only wondered why this paper still existed, not thinking carefully about why, when the guard handed the paper to Li Shiyun in the prince's mansion, Li Shiyun did not mention this matter.

Ying Zhengjing said sternly, "Take this poisonous woman to the Court of Judicial Review for strict questioning. This person dared to poison the princess consort of dingbei; there must be someone behind her planning this."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The palace guards obeyed, then gagged Liang Wenliu with cloth and took her away.

Li Shiyun knelt on one knee and said, "Your Majesty, Your Subject is guilty. Your Subject failed to discover in time the deeds of this poisonous woman. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

Ying Zhengjing shook his head, "What crime has the Beloved Minister committed? The Beloved Minister has long guarded the northern borders for Us, only returning to the capital recently to report on your duties. The fault does not lie with the Beloved Minister. Rather, this person began poisoning the princess consort many years ago, with meticulous planning. The person behind her must be not simple."

The Prince of Dingbei, along with the Prince of Jingnan and the Prince of Pingxi, were among the three feudatory kings of the Da Xia dynasty who held military power, stationed long-term at the borders. They could return to the capital to report on their duties once every three years, but the three feudatory kings could not return to the capital at the same time, nor could they meet privately. Their families were kept in the capital, under the guise of protection.

Li Shiyun's ability to return to the capital this time was because it was precisely his turn to return to the capital to report on his duties.

Li Shiyun lowered his head, "Your Majesty is discerning. It is only a pity for Jin'er. Your Subject originally intended to take advantage of this return to the capital to request the title of heir apparent for Jin'er. But now, Jin'er's health is most likely very difficult for him to handle the position of heir apparent. Therefore, Your Subject wishes to select a suitable candidate from among the other descendants."

Ying Zhengjing frowned slightly, "Hmm, We have heard about Li Jin's health..."

Thud.

"Your Majesty..."

"Your Majesty..."

It all happened in an instant.

Before Ying Zhengjing could finish his words, Gu Rushuang suddenly fainted.