Amidst the accusations of the masses, the evidence was irrefutable.
The Empress watched as the concubines knelt in the hall, beseeching Emperor Xiao Jingheng to make a decision regarding her fate. At this moment, she had no other recourse but to plead her innocence.
Xiao Jingheng furrowed his brows, meeting her gaze sternly. "I have already given you a chance, but you have proven yourself unworthy by committing such malicious acts!"
"Your Majesty, please see the truth!" The Empress suddenly dropped to her knees, expressing her anguish. "Your Majesty, think carefully. Why would I want to harm them and prevent them from bearing royal heirs? I am unable to conceive myself, destined to be childless in this lifetime...
Since you accuse me of being malicious, then I should be the one hoping more than anyone for their safe delivery of a prince. Afterwards, I would gladly step aside and raise the child under my care! As the Empress, harming others would bring me no benefit and only harm myself. Why would I do such a foolish thing?"
Consort Chen observed Xiao Jingheng's ever-changing expression and offered her counsel, saying:
"Your Majesty, if the Empress did not commit such deeds, the palace attendants around her would be well aware. Moreover, someone must have timed the disposal of the Nine Yin Powder perfectly to destroy the evidence completely.
If the Empress continues to protest her innocence, then Your Majesty should thoroughly interrogate the people around her. Under severe punishment, someone will eventually confess."
Consort Yin added, "If Frost has been with the Empress throughout, she would not have had the time to destroy the evidence. The only person trusted by the Empress is the chief eunuch, Yan Jiude."
She paused for a moment, surveying her surroundings, before continuing, "Yan Jiude has always served the Empress diligently, but he is conspicuously absent today."
The Empress explained to Xiao Jingheng, "Since I suffered injuries in the palace, I have experienced symptoms of stagnant blood and qi. After lunch, I instructed Yan Jiude to purchase some medicinal herbs in the city to invigorate my blood and promote circulation. That's why he..."
"Hmm." Consort Chen sneered. "The remedies from the imperial pharmacy couldn't cure your ailment, yet the medicines prescribed by the barefoot doctors in Suzhou City could make you rejuvenate? You truly..."
"Noble Consort, you must not disrespect the Empress," Xiao Jingheng interrupted, his voice solemnly silencing Consort Chen. She glared at the Empress before begrudgingly falling silent.
Then, Xiao Jingheng ordered, "Go and fetch Yan Jiude for me."
The attendants in the court were always efficient in their tasks. Within moments, Yan Jiude was brought before the Emperor.
One of the attendants reported, "Just as I arrived at the Empress's residence, I saw Chief Eunuch Yan returning from outside, holding a bag of medicinal herbs."
Trembling on his knees, Yan Jiude replied, "Your... Your Majesty, I did indeed go to the city to purchase the blood-invigorating and stasis-dissipating herbs for the Empress."
His backpack was also brought back by the attendant.
After examining the herbs in the backpack, Imperial Physician Guo confirmed, "Your Majesty, these are indeed blood-invigorating and stasis-dissipating herbs."
Consort Yao spoke up, "Even if he went to make the purchase, the round trip would have taken at most half an hour. Who knows when he actually went? Is there any witness?"
Yan Jiude prostrated on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing to Xiao Jingheng, "Your Majesty! I am but a lowly servant who travels to and from Lake Heart Island on a small boat. How...how...how can anyone vouch for me?"
Noble Consort Chen, who was closest to Yan Jiude, noticed something dark and murky under his fingernails and said, "Judge Guo, go and see what substance is stuck in the crevices of his nails."
Xiao Yinzi firmly held Yan Jiude down, while Judge Guo used a silver needle to extract a trace of dark brown powder from under Yan Jiude's fingernails. After examining it, he reported, "Report to Noble Consort, this...is musk, the crucial ingredient used to make the Nine Yin Powder."
Noble Consort Chen angrily rebuked, "Very well! So, you're saying it wasn't you? If you didn't handle those filthy things for the Empress, how could your fingernails be contaminated with this substance?"
Yan Jiude turned pale and continued to kowtow, explaining, "Noble Consort, you misunderstand! When I went to purchase materials for promoting blood circulation and removing stasis, the shopkeeper brought out many ingredients for me to choose from. This substance was placed beside me. At that time, I didn't know it was musk. I asked the shopkeeper cautiously, and he told me it was musk. Since it is prohibited in the palace, I quickly put it back without purchasing it! I believe...I believe the musk in the crevices of my nails...should have...accidentally stuck to them."
Noble Consort Chen sneered, "What a coincidence. Your Majesty, do you believe this deceitful servant's words?"
Who would believe such a coincidental event and such an implausible explanation?
At this moment, Xiao Jingheng's expression turned extremely ugly, and his gaze towards the Empress became dim,
"This incompetent servant was not attentive on duty and mixed filthy things into the plum soup prepared for the Empress, endangering the life of the Crown Prince. Such an useless servant does not need to stay by the Empress's side anymore."
Jiang Deshun nodded and spoke, "I understand. Take him away and deal with him."
The guards silenced Yan Jiude's protests and dragged him out.
Xiao Jingheng's action confirmed the Empress's guilt, but he did not explicitly state it, allowing both the Empress and himself to save face.
The Empress knew that there was no way to turn the tables and could only sit on the ground, despairing and crying.
Xiao Jingheng didn't spare her a glance and simply said, "The Empress suddenly fell ill. Take her back to the palace for recuperation."
Jiang Deshun hesitated, "Your Majesty, it has been raining heavily recently, and the river is flooding. It might be dangerous to send the Empress back at this time...Moreover, there are only two days left until the Silk Worm Ceremony, traditionally presided over by the Empress..."
Xiao Jingheng replied coldly, "Since it is difficult to travel in heavy rain, we will wait until the rain stops before setting off. As for the Silk Worm Ceremony, the Empress is ill, so there is no need to worry about such trivial matters. Everything will be taken care of by Noble Consort."
Noble Consort Chen was overjoyed and quickly expressed her gratitude, "I thank Your Majesty for your trust. I will not disappoint your expectations!"
The ceremony of worshipping the Silkworm God Leizu and feeding silkworms with mulberry leaves, known as the Empress's Silkworm Rite, was personally presided over by the Empress. It aimed to encourage the people to be diligent in textile production.
Since the establishment of the Qi Dynasty, the Empress has always taken charge of the Silkworm Rite throughout the successive dynasties. Only in the absence of the Empress would the responsibility be delegated to the Noble Consort or other high-ranking consorts.
However, now that the Empress is still alive, Xiao Jingheng's disregard for the dignity of the Imperial Concubine suggests that he may have already contemplated deposing the Empress.
The Empress's grieving cries were distressing to hear, but Xiao Jingheng turned a deaf ear and simply instructed someone to console Concubine Tong before leaving with a flick of his sleeve.
After he departed, Noble Consort Chen approached the Empress in a leisurely manner, looking down on her with a cold sneer.
"Take her away and confine her until the rain stops. Then, send her back to the palace immediately. We must prevent the Emperor from seeing her, as it would bring him ill fortune."
