"Tongzi, did you switch the wine at the banquet?" Zhong Li leaned against the doorframe, his voice hushed.
[I did. I swapped it into Zhao Hong's hands, and he drank it.] The system's mechanical tone was flat.
Zhong Li raised an eyebrow. "I thought we couldn't disrupt the plot?"
[I didn't. He's still alive.]
A thought struck Zhong Li — so as long as the main characters survived, other manipulations were possible. There would be more room to maneuver in the future.
A maid's scream erupted from the room. Zhong Li knew the plan had worked and slipped back to Lotus Residence along the path. He had just lain down when the door was kicked open with a bang. Lady Wang of Yongning Bo Manor, her eyes bloodshot, charged in with a gleaming pair of scissors aimed straight at his chest. "You vile creature! Give me back my daughter's life!"
Ying Zheng suddenly appeared from nowhere, kicking Lady Wang away. "Do you intend to commit murder in Prince Huan's manor?" he said coldly.
"I'll kill you, you treacherous pair!" Lady Wang struggled, trying to lunge again.
Amid the chaos, Yang Chu rushed in, his voice trembling. "Master! Come quickly — it's the Prince! He… he's been poisoned!"
Zhong Li shot to his feet, his hands shaking. "Say that again?"
"The Prince vomited blood and collapsed. The main hall is in chaos!"
Zhong Li's vision went black, and he fell backward stiffly. Ying Zheng swiftly caught him by the waist. "He's injured too and can't go," he said firmly.
Yang Chu exclaimed, "The master is also injured? How?"
"Poisoned." Ying Zheng pointed at Lady Wang lying limp on the floor, offering no further explanation — this wasn't his territory, and saying too much could be risky. Handing over Lady Wang would suffice, a way to repay the favor of a meal Zhong Li had once offered him.
By evening, Prince Huan's manor was in complete disarray: servants were fleeing with valuables, guards patrolled everywhere, and the entire estate was locked down. In the main hall, Zhao Qi approached hypocritically. "Is the Eldest Imperial Brother alright? He's the Empress's only son. If anything were to happen to him…"
Before he could finish, Jiang Yan snapped, "Silence! Who asked for your pretentious concern?"
Zhao Qi's face stiffened, and he didn't dare say another word — if this reached the Emperor, he would be the one to suffer.
"Where is Consort Gu?" Jiang Yan asked, suppressing her rage.
Yang Chu swallowed hard and bowed. "Consort Gu has also been poisoned."
The crowd erupted in murmurs — the Princess Consort dead, the Prince unconscious, and Consort Gu poisoned too? Had they been cursed?
Zhao Qi felt a pang of guilt — he had intended to poison Ying Zheng but accidentally harmed Zhao Hong instead, bringing trouble upon himself.
Someone from the Prime Minister's residence spoke up first. "Keeping us detained here is pointless. We came for the wedding — why would we poison the Prince?"
Jiang Yan shot a cold glance. "Are you suggesting someone framed you?"
"This subject meant no such thing!" The man hurriedly waved his hands in denial. The hall fell silent, the atmosphere heavy enough to suffocate.
Suddenly, the sound of doors being kicked open echoed as Eastern Depot agents swarmed in. Leading them was Duan Ye, dressed in indigo robes, followed by eunuchs carrying torture instruments. He unrolled an imperial decree. "By the Emperor's order, this superintendent is to investigate the case at Prince Huan's manor. Everyone must cooperate. So it is decreed."
The crowd paled further — everyone feared the Eastern Depot's methods. Even the innocent could be tortured into confession.
Duan Ye brought the imperial physician into the inner chamber. "What's the situation?"
The physician sighed anxiously and knelt. "The poison is potent but not fatal. However…"
Jiang Yan urged impatiently, "However what? Speak!"
"It may affect his ability to have heirs," the physician said, kowtowing without daring to look up.
"What?" Jiang Yan erupted in fury — an heirless prince would never be considered for the throne! Suppressing her anger, she waved her hand. "Go examine Consort Gu. Yang Chu, lead the way."
The physician left his assistant behind and fearfully followed to Lotus Residence.
"Your Highness, Consort Gu has been drugged with a muscle-relaxing agent. A dose of medicine will wake her," the physician reported after checking her pulse.
Fifteen minutes later, Zhong Li slowly woke, his eyes meeting Jiang Yan's venomous glare, as if she wanted to devour him whole. Struggling on his weak limbs, he got out of bed and knelt in respect. "This humble servant pays respects to Her Majesty the Empress."
"Humble servant?" The crowd exchanged puzzled glances.
"What exactly happened to the Prince?" Jiang Yan demanded, slamming the table.
Zhong Li burst into tears immediately. "Your Majesty, it was the Princess Consort who harmed the Prince! I beg Your Majesty to seek justice for him!"
"Explain clearly!"
"The Prince had the royal temple perform a divination — his and the Princess Consort's birth characters were incompatible. He feared misfortune and was reluctant to marry, but the Princess Consort, desperate to enter the manor, resorted to this vile act!" Zhong Li wiped his tears. "This humble servant was also poisoned by her. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"
Jiang Yan's expression gradually calmed — a mere servant wouldn't dare lie to her at such a time. She turned to Duan Ye. "Superintendent, have you understood everything?"
Duan Ye smiled. "This superintendent understands. I will return to report to the Emperor."
The Earl of Yongning Bo hurriedly knelt. "This subject failed in disciplining his family! I beg Your Majesty for mercy!"
"Drag them away!" Jiang Yan ordered sharply. Eastern Depot eunuchs immediately stepped forward, gagging and hauling away the Earl's household.
Duan Ye glanced at the kneeling Zhong Li, then at the exhausted Jiang Yan, a hint of intrigue flashing in his eyes — this young man's skill in twisting the truth showed promise. He bowed. "This superintendent will take his leave to report."
Jiang Yan didn't detain him, waving her hand dismissively. "You may all leave now. My apologies for the disturbance today."
The crowd hurriedly expressed their deference and took their leave.
Watching Jiang Yan's defeated demeanor, Zhong Li wondered — her reaction wasn't what he had expected. He thought to himself, "Tongzi, what poison did you actually give Zhao Hong?"