"Your Highness, it is most important that you rest and recover," they said.
They looked at this boisterous woman, feeling nothing but frustration.
Now their own heads were surely forfeit. They still had the leisure to care about her life or death. The Emperor had given a strict order for them to protect the little prince, but the little prince had been poisoned in the womb. How could it possibly be protected?
As a commotion was underway in the sleeping chambers, a shrill voice, like a rooster's crow, sounded from the doorway.
"His Majesty has arrived."
Shangguan Yao's tall figure strode in swiftly. A chilling aura emanated from him, and as he entered, the sleeping chamber was enveloped in a layer of cold. Several imperial physicians immediately prostrated themselves, their faces ashen, repeatedly kowtowing.
"Your Majesty, spare us! Your Majesty, spare us! We deserve death."
On the large bed, Zhao Zhaorong shrieked like a chicken with its throat slit, a sound most unpleasant.
"Your Majesty, you must avenge my son! It must be them who tampered with things. Your Majesty, this is your child!"
Shangguan Yao cast a cold glance, ignoring Zhao Zhaorong on the bed. He paced to the side and sat down, his fierce eyes glaring at the imperial physicians trembling on the ground. "Why has this situation occurred again and again? What exactly is going on?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, Her Highness was poisoned. It is a type of Huixiang poison. It is merely an aroma and not very potent, but it is harmful to pregnant women. If a pregnant woman inhales too much, it can easily lead to miscarriage and stillbirth."
One of the imperial physicians reported cautiously. The other two behind him nodded in agreement.
With a loud bang, Shangguan Yao heavily struck the high table beside him. The table shattered, sending wood splinters flying.
"Why was this not discovered last time?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, this Huixiang poison initially showed no significant symptoms. We thought Her Highness had accidentally startled the fetus and never imagined it was poisoning."
Among the three imperial physicians, a cold glint flashed in one of their eyes.
Shangguan Yao's expression was grim as he stared intently at the kneeling figures, unmoving. The sleeping chamber was filled only with the pleas of the imperial physicians,
and the weeping of Zhao Zhaorong. Because she had just suffered a stillbirth, her body was extremely weak. While she had the energy to cause a scene earlier, she now lacked the strength and could only lean on a soft cushion, shedding tears.
"Summon all the imperial consorts from their palaces at once! I will personally investigate this matter. Who dares to be so bold as to poison the imperial prince?"
As the oral decree was issued, someone immediately went to convey the message to various palaces. Soon, all the imperial consorts arrived, even the Empress Dowager was alarmed and rushed over.
In the great hall of Zhongde Palace, Shangguan Yao sat at the head, while a ground full of kneeling consorts was seated below. The silent, vast hall was so quiet that no one dared to utter a word.
Only when a eunuch announced, "Her Highness the Empress Dowager has arrived."
A figure of majestic and noble bearing entered, followed by a grand retinue of eunuchs and palace maids.
This displayed her extraordinary status and unparalleled favor. Clad in the finest silk robes and adorned with precious hairpins, she could not conceal the fact that she was approaching old age.
The person seated on the high seat rose upon seeing the newcomer and slowly, in a deep voice, spoke, "Your unworthy son greets Mother Empress."
"Mmm," the Empress Dowager nodded slightly, then ascended the high steps, slowly taking her seat on the phoenix chair. Only then did she nod and say, "Imperial Son, you may also be seated."
Shangguan Yao's pupils darkened slightly. He sat down as if nothing had happened and raised his gaze to scan the hall. At the forefront of the consorts were the two highest-ranking: Noble Consort Yan Ling and Virtuous Consort Ye Yuyun.
The others knelt in order, a dark expanse of people, none daring to utter a single word.
The Empress Dowager first scanned the hall, then finally looked at Shangguan Yao. "I heard the little imperial prince was not saved."
Her words conveyed helplessness and a hint of anger. Upon receiving Shangguan Yao's nod, her eyes turned cold and icy, and she sternly rebuked the consorts kneeling below.
"You are all so audacious to dare poison the imperial prince! Confess honestly, who was it who tampered with things? Come forward now, and you will not implicate your families behind you. If I discover the perpetrator, I will have their nine generations exterminated!"
As the Empress Dowager's chilling words echoed, gasps of fright rippled through the hall. The consorts felt their souls scattering, a profound sense of dread gripping them. One person's transgression would implicate the entire family. None of them wished for this to happen. They exchanged glances, and for a moment, no one stepped forward.
Only Yan Ling at the front curled her lips into a cold smile, her expression dark, completely disregarding the Empress Dowager's words.
What was the ability of her Eastern Qin to exterminate the nine generations of Northern Yan? She found it truly laughable. A useless man, yet he still put on such a pretense. He could barely be considered a man.
She had been blind as a dog back then. It would have been better to live in Northern Yan with her two male favorites than to be a widow here.
Shangguan Yao and the Empress Dowager scanned the crowd. They saw that all the consorts were looking at each other, none of them appearing frightened. Instead, Noble Consort Yan at the front wore an expression of fearlessness.
There was even a hint of triumph in her eyes. Shangguan Yao and the Empress Dowager could see through her at a glance.
It was likely this Northern Yan princess who administered the poison. Relying on her status, she thought that the people of Eastern Qin would not dare to do anything to her. She had been so audacious as to poison Zhao Zhaorong's unborn child.
Detestable! Shangguan Yao's face was extremely grim. He did not act against her not because he feared her, but simply because he had not found her weakness.
Now, he had already dispatched his subordinates to Northern Yan to investigate clearly. The two men who had been intimate with this princess were named Yechuan and Gude.
They were now under house arrest by his men. If Northern Yan dared to cause trouble for Southern Qin, he would not hesitate to show them what kind of goods Northern Yan had sent out, daring to deceive Eastern Qin. Even if war broke out, they would have the advantage of both heaven and earth.
However, without evidence at the moment, it was difficult to punish Bei Ling. Shangguan Yao's gaze shifted to Virtuous Consort Ye Yuyun, who was ranked alongside Yan Ling.
Virtuous Consort Ye Yuyun had always been intelligent. Seeing the Emperor look at the Northern Princess Yan Ling with impatience, and then turn his gaze to herself, her mind raced. She glanced at the maid beside her.
That little maid was also extremely sharp. Upon seeing her mistress's gaze, she immediately leaped forward.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant has something to report."
Seeing Ye Yuyun's action, Shangguan Yao knew she had understood her intent. He immediately waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "Speak."
"This servant once saw the personal maid of Noble Consort of Qianlan Palace enter Zhongde Palace. This servant thinks..."
As the little maid's words fell, she received a fierce glare from Noble Consort Yan in front, and shivered, not daring to continue.
However, behind Virtuous Consort, Consort Shuyuan Ye Suxue gave a glance to the Moon Plum beside her. Moon Plum was even more astute.
When she did not understand her mistress's meaning, she immediately moved forward and knelt. "Your Majesty, this servant also saw people from Qianlan Palace enter Zhongde Palace."
Yan Ling abruptly turned her head and glared fiercely at the two maids behind her, her pupils filled with dark, cold cruelty.
However, this was not the time to erupt. Yan Ling immediately prostrated herself and spoke gently.
"Your Majesty, please investigate. This concubine has done nothing. This is clearly slander. This concubine admits to nothing."
"Good, good. One says she saw, and the other says she did not. Then I shall investigate Qianlan Palace and see if Huixiang is present. If it is not, then someone must have been mistaken. If it is, then Noble Consort Yan will have to give an account."
The Empress Dowager spoke fiercely.