It was precisely at the critical juncture of selecting a new emperor that Ye Tingyan had the greatest chance of success. He should have excused himself at this moment, but he showed no hesitation whatsoever.
He raised his eyes to look at the crowd, his tone calm, "His Majesty's passing was not due to reaching the end of his natural lifespan."
A single sentence, yet it instantly intensified the atmosphere.
The entire hall erupted in a clamor, reaching a level of shock where everyone was stunned.
His unconventional move caught the Prime Minister and others off guard. Their brows furrowed slightly, but they then pressed further.
"Please, Your Highness, reveal the truth behind His Majesty's passing. We, as his subjects, have the right to inquire."
"That is natural."
Ye Tingyan nodded, feigning reluctance, and shifted his gaze to Jiang Rumou behind him.
"Imperial Physician Jiang, please explain the situation to Prime Minister Lin and all the ministers."
He had brought the man specifically for this purpose.
Jiang Rumou bowed his head, paid his respects to the assembled ministers, and began to explain.
"The severe illness His Majesty suffered was similar to a wind ailment, hence the Imperial Hospital's prescriptions consistently included Aconite. By regulation, decoctions were always prepared by dedicated personnel from the Imperial Kitchen, and the medicinal herbs were delivered regularly by the Imperial Hospital. There should have been no mishap. However, the decoction His Majesty took today had an additional ingredient: Bletilla striata."
"Bletilla striata stops bleeding and is not toxic in itself. However, it is one of the Eighteen Antagonists. Its medicinal properties are incompatible with Aconite, and using them together can lead to poisoning."
"His Majesty's condition had repeatedly worsened, and his body was frail. He was naturally unable to withstand this poison, which is why he immediately breathed his last."
This was the pharmacological explanation and the cause of the Emperor's death.
Upon hearing this, the Prime Minister's expression grew even more grave. "What does this have to do with the First Prince?"
Earlier, Ye Tingyan had immediately implicated the First Prince. This matter might have further connections.
Jiang Rumou's lips curled, his eyes unwavering. "Replying to the Prime Minister, that Bletilla striata was found on the First Prince."
His voice was not loud, but it reached everyone around him clearly. The ministers present erupted in astonished exclamations.
"The First Prince?! How could the First Prince have Bletilla striata on him?"
"Exactly, he came to the palace to attend to the Emperor. Why would he be carrying such an item?"
"Could it be that he truly harbored treasonous intentions? And the matter with the Qin family earlier… was it all true?"
The ministers were aghast, their speculations varied, but all were trying to fathom Ye Tingzhu's motive.
The Prime Minister's gaze flickered slightly at this. He turned to look at Jiang Rumou again.
"Are you suggesting that the First Prince carried Bletilla striata on him and deliberately attempted to harm His Majesty?"
His gaze was scrutinizing, trying to discern the truth of Jiang Rumou's words. To his surprise, Jiang Rumou did not nod in agreement as expected.
Instead, he turned to the crowd and shook his head, denying it. "It is not so."
The ministers became even more bewildered.
"Didn't you just imply that? Why is it not so now?"
"Is it or is it not? Speak clearly!"
Amidst the questioning, Ye Tingyan exchanged a look with Jiang Rumou and spoke himself.
"Esteemed ministers, you are unaware. Previously, assassins infiltrated the palace, intending to harm His Majesty. When I, along with my troops, arrived, I saw him with my eldest brother."
"Out of caution, I ordered my men to question my eldest brother. The original intention was merely to ascertain the truth. However, my subordinates lacked discretion and resorted to unauthorized torture. The medicine containing Bletilla striata was meant for my eldest brother's injuries. It was inadvertently transferred to the decoction."
"My eldest brother stayed in the palace for several days, attending to His Majesty with utmost diligence. This time, his unintentional mistake led to a grave error. Upon learning the truth, he was overcome with grief and fainted on the spot. This is why he did not accompany me here."
When he arrived that night, Ye Tingzhu was indeed applying medicine in a side hall. The powder he had on his hands was compounded with Bletilla striata. However, such a minuscule amount was insufficient to cause the Emperor's death.
The truth was that the decoction he had brought already contained Bletilla striata, and this incident conveniently provided a perfect way to frame Ye Tingzhu.
At this juncture, he needed to ascend the throne, and eliminating Ye Tingzhu as a competitor was sufficient. Direct execution would, however, arouse suspicion.
Therefore, "unintentional mistake leading to a grave error" were words perfectly suited for Ye Tingzhu.
This explanation was well-founded, diverting the blame towards Ye Tingzhu while remaining plausible and difficult to fault. The ministers were momentarily silenced.
Someone in the crowd, having been briefed beforehand, stepped forward at Ye Tingyan's subtle signal to reintroduce the matter of selecting a new emperor.
The Prime Minister immediately scowled and reprimanded them.
"His Majesty has only just passed, and the grand funeral has not yet begun. Yet you are already discussing the selection of a new emperor. Do you harbor disloyalty?"
Ye Tingyan's explanation could silence the general populace, but only to a degree.
The struggle for the throne was an open secret. Even if suspicions were raised today, they could not find fault with him.
Ye Tingyan's close confidants had received his instructions beforehand. His entry into the palace tonight was precisely to pave the way for his ascension, and they were naturally unwilling to give up.
"Prime Minister Lin, that is not entirely correct. A nation cannot be without a ruler for a single day. Moreover, with rebels rampant, if a new emperor is not quickly enthroned, our realm may descend into great chaos!"
"The Second Prince has rendered meritorious service by rescuing His Majesty and the Empress Dowager and eliminating the rebels. Based on this, we believe that it would be most prudent to have the Second Prince ascend the throne."
The rebels they spoke of were naturally Ye Tinglan and his faction.
Ye Tingyu was already dead. Among the remaining princes, Ye Tingyan appeared to be the cleanest.
The Prime Minister, however, was not swayed.
"The grand funeral has not been held, and there is no need to rush. Furthermore, the Empress Dowager suffered a stroke, not a constant state of unconsciousness. I believe this matter can be discussed after the Empress Dowager has recovered."
A stroke could indeed be treated, but the Empress Dowager's condition was severe. By the time she recovered, it would be too late.
And by then, all previous efforts would have been in vain.
Ye Tingyan could not allow such a thing to happen.
"Prime Minister Lin, do you harbor dissatisfaction towards me?"
"Your Highness, you are mistaken. As the head of the officials, I must exercise utmost caution regarding the stability of our dynasty. If it were anyone else, my stance would be the same."
He spoke with a stern face, his demeanor unyielding. Ye Tingyan's eyes narrowed, a flicker of calculation in his gaze.
This troublesome old man clearly could not be allowed to remain.
"Prime Minister, what concerns do you have? Perhaps you could voice them."
"There is no need. If Your Highness is so inclined, it would be better to properly attend to His Majesty's grand funeral. I shall take my leave."
He had no intention of prolonging the discussion and turned to depart. However, Ye Tingyan raised his hand to stop him.
"We entered the palace tonight to discuss state affairs. Matters have not yet been settled, why is Prime Minister so eager to leave?"
With a wave of his hand, the guards sealed the hall doors. The Prime Minister looked around, then gave a cold laugh.
"Second Prince, are you planning to resort to force against us?"
He was followed by a group of court officials, and his prestige was not insignificant.
Ye Tingyan chuckled softly at this and was about to speak when the sound of fierce fighting suddenly erupted from outside the hall.