"Jiang Zhaoyi, you should know better than me what will happen if you randomly accuse others." Jiang Ruan's posture was elegant, and a trace of astonishment hung on her face as she said, "If it is as you said, what benefit does it have for me if I accuse you?"
Jiang Dan was at a loss for words, but Xuan Hua finally understood the current situation. Even now, he also began to understand that he had fallen into someone else's scheme. Although his actions were preposterous, he could not restrain himself today, but it was indeed somewhat strange. Immediately, he understood the crux of the matter. When he looked at Jiang Ruan again, he was certain that she definitely had something to do with it. Thinking of the previous matter, he said, "That's not right, Imperial Father, this son and Jiang Zhaoyi are indeed innocent. It is Jinying Wang Fei, it is her. She and Thirteen joined forces to harm the Crown Prince Dage, and now they still want to frame this son. They simply have the ambition of wolves. Imperial Father, you must not be deceived by them!"
Xuan Hua spoke with sincerity. He probably knew that the matter of the fight for the throne had been the sore point of every Emperor since ancient times, so he did not leave any leeway to poke a needle in this area. He thought that although he did not know how Xiao Shao and the others had appeared here, the matter of the arrow could not be faked. Even if Xiao Shao had used some flowery words to temporarily alleviate the suspicions about him, the suspicions were deeply embedded in the Emperor's heart. What benefits could Xiao Shao obtain? And as long as the Crown Prince was mentioned, he would naturally be able to point out one or two things. One son was bedridden, and the other was framed for colluding with a favoured concubine. Xuan Pei relied on Jinying Wang fu, a family of rebels, to do such a thing. It was indeed pardonable.
Xuan Hua's guess was not wrong. He thought that at least the Emperor would have some doubts about Xiao Shao and Xuan Pei. Jiang Dan also secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Xuan Hua's words had indeed reduced a lot of pressure, and he had even wanted to use the Emperor's past favours to gain sympathy. Jiang Dan's tears streamed down her face as she said, "Even if I had ten thousand guts, I would not dare to betray Your Majesty. If I had not been schemed against, how could I have ended up like this? Now, I do not have the face to see anyone. I only hope that Your Majesty will grant me an intact corpse to preserve my face. However, if you say that you took the initiative to collude with them, this crime is so absurd that I refuse to admit it! "
She put on an expression that said she would rather die than submit. Jiang Dan knew that the woman the Emperor loved always had a kind of natural brilliance that was not bound by the house of a noble family. She was like a gust of wind from the mountains, stubborn and full of life. It was precisely because of this that Imperial Consort Chen was so highly favored. Now that she was valued by the Emperor, it was also because she tried her best to make herself appear different from the other noble young ladies. At this moment, with tears in her eyes, she proudly held her head high, as if she really had some backbone that would rather die than submit. She was like a lotus trembling in the storm. In addition to her extraordinary appearance, she really did have some unique beauty.
But what Jiang Dan did not know was that the reason why the Emperor liked such a woman was because of Crown Prince Hong Xi's Crown Princess, Xiang Xiaoyuan, who had been born in the wilderness, mysterious and free. She carried a kind of spiritual aura that the aristocratic families in the palace did not have. The Emperor especially appreciated this kind of spiritual energy, so the imperial concubines he doted on later on would more or less all have this kind of free and unrestrained temperament. Such a temperament was certainly eye-catching, but it was based on Xiang Xiaoyuan herself. Now, when Jiang Dan made such a move, it seemed somewhat like she was making a fool of herself by imitating others. This made the Emperor feel even more indignant, as he felt that she had insulted Xiang Xiaoyuan's purity and pride.
Jiang Dan did not see the affection in the Emperor's eyes, but instead saw a dark cloud. Immediately, her heart thumped and she felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured over her. She was somewhat at a loss as she did not know where the problem was.
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly and said, "Fifth Highness, food can be eaten indiscriminately, but words cannot be spoken irresponsibly. Where did you get the news that I colluded with His Highness and Thirteenth Highness to harm His Highness the Crown Prince? His Highness the Crown Prince and Thirteenth Highness are both your hands and feet, so where did this come from? "
Xuan Hua boldly glanced at the Emperor. The coldness in the Emperor's eyes made him apprehensive, but now, if he did not speak, he would die. Xuan Hua stiffened his neck and said, "Now, everyone in the palace knows that the arrow that injured Eldest Brother Crown Prince came from your Jinying Wang fu. If this is not your doing, then what is the matter? Humph, I have long heard that Jinying Wangfei and Thirteenth Brother are quite close. Thirteenth Brother is still young and does not know the truth. Naturally, he does not know the severity of this matter. I am afraid that Thirteenth Brother will listen to the instigation of someone with ulterior motives and commit a grave mistake without knowing it. Jinying Wangfei, you want to borrow Thirteenth Brother's hand to achieve your wild ambitions, and even to the extent of getting involved with Jinying Wang fu. Am I right? What else do you have to quibble about! "
Jiang Ruan smiled again, "Fifth Highness's words are indeed brilliant. I also feel that this is the case. However, Fifth Highness," she slowly dragged out her words, her gaze passing over Xiao Shao and landing on Xuan Li, who was watching from the sidelines, "There is one thing that you are mistaken about. You must know, as you have said, this matter not only involves me and Thirteenth Highness, but also Eighth Highness."
Xuan Li? Xuan Hua's expression changed and he looked at Xuan Li with some confusion. The Emperor's face was ashen, and his gaze towards Xuan Hua was filled with utter disappointment. Xuan Hua's heart turned cold. He was not unfamiliar with that kind of gaze. It meant that the Emperor was about to completely abandon this son of his …. However, he still did not know what had happened. He looked at Jiang Ruan with some vigilance and asked, "What do you mean by this?"
Jiang Ruan grasped Xiao Shao's hand, then looked towards Xuan Hua and smiled, "Fifth Highness may not know this, but the arrow that injured His Highness the Crown Prince was indeed from our fu. However, there is one thing that Fifth Highness does not know. The arrows that ambushed His Highness the Crown Prince's personal bodyguards had the mark of an arrow from Eighth Highness' fu. "
Xuan Hua stared blankly and looked at Xuan Li in disbelief. Xuan Li had a smile on his face and sighed softly. As if he was infinitely confused, he said, "Fifth brother, I am also not very clear about this matter. Today, it was precisely the Chancellor of the Supreme Court who called me over and confronted me in front of Imperial Father. It was indeed from this fu. "
"Then … then you all conspired together to harm me!" Xuan Hua shouted loudly, "Lao Ba, you actually conspired with Thirteen and were incited by this woman to harm Eldest Brother Crown Prince. You even framed me and wanted to put me to death. You all are really vicious and merciless. How could you put brotherly love in your eyes? Imperial Father, Imperial Father, I have been wrongly accused, Imperial Father! "
"You dare to say that We have wrongly accused you?" The Emperor did not get angry but instead laughed. The ridicule on his face became even stronger. Xuan Hua could not help but shiver. He only heard Jiang Ruan's amiable voice continue, "Fifth Highness is very strange. How did Eighth Highness get involved? How did you say that Eighth Highness conspired with us to harm His Highness the Crown Prince? "
"What is there to say?" Xuan Hua said loudly, "Your arrows are all there. The evidence is conclusive. Isn't it the murder weapon?!"
Jiang Dan thought that this was not good. She subconsciously wanted to slap Meng Xuanhua's mouth. She knew that Jiang Ruan was most adept at digging holes in people's mouths. Unfortunately, Xuan Hua had a stupid temperament, so he jumped into the trap of others. At this moment, Jiang Ruan smiled and quietly led Xuan Hua to speak. Although she did not know what she intended to do, Jiang Dan knew that if she continued to speak according to her words, Xuan Hua would be exposed sooner or later. But it was still too late. As soon as Xuan Hua spoke, Jiang Dan's movements froze.
"Then isn't the Fifth Highness a little too arbitrary?" Jiang Ruan's tone was light as she said, "You must know that in addition to Eighth Prince's arrows, there are also arrows from the Imperial Bodyguards. As Fifth Highness said, could it be that His Majesty wants to harm His Highness the Crown Prince? That is really ridiculous. "
Xuan Hua was shocked and hurriedly said, "Imperial Bodyguards, that is impossible! I have ordered … " As soon as the words left his mouth, he suddenly realized that something was wrong. He abruptly shut his mouth, but in front of him, there was only silence around him. Wang Lian 'er covered her mouth and looked at him in horror. Jiang Ruan's smile was bright and beautiful, Xiao Shao's face was as cold as frost, Xuan Li was as gentle as ever, and Hui Jue and several of his disciples bowed their heads in meditation, as if they were isolated from the world.
And what appeared most clearly in front of him was the Emperor's eyes, which were almost spitting fire. Xuan Hua believed without hesitation that if there were no one around, his Imperial Father would have personally ended his life.
He did not understand how it had become like this. How could the Imperial Bodyguards' arrows also appear there? He already felt that Xuan Li's arrows had appeared a little strange. He had thought that it was Jiang Dan's own arrangement. If he could bring down Xuan Li in one fell swoop, it would naturally be good. Xuan Hua would not refuse to kill two birds with one stone. But the Imperial Bodyguards' arrows were also among them, so it was certainly not Jiang Dan's arrangement. In a moment of desperation, he actually said what was in his heart. Everyone present was familiar with the meaning behind his words, so how could they not understand? They immediately knew the ins and outs of the matter and stared at him as if they were facing a great enemy.
Jiang Dan's whole body trembled uncontrollably. Once Xuan Hua was exposed, she would inevitably be implicated. She looked at Jiang Ruan. Jiang Ruan seemed to sense her gaze and slowly looked over. She looked down at her with a condescending smile, as if she was looking at an insignificant and pitiful insect. Jiang Dan's scalp began to turn cold. She suddenly felt that everything she had done had long been firmly grasped in the palm of Jiang Ruan's hand. Jiang Ruan had simply taken advantage of the situation to reach this point.
Xuan Li glanced at Jiang Ruan with a smile that was not a smile. He could not help but have a strange feeling towards this woman. Originally, this matter was a battle between Jinying Wang fu and Xuan Hua. Now that Xuan Pei was involved, no matter what, he, who sat and watched the show, would not be at a disadvantage. Who knew that Jiang Ruan would act so ruthlessly and simply pull him in as well.
Xiao Shao's way of doing things was straightforward and efficient. Most of the time, he would not use such a tactful but ruthless method. Although Xuan Pei was experienced, he had not reached such an exquisite level. This matter was most likely Jiang Ruan's handiwork. In fact, even if the Imperial Bodyguards' arrows had not been used, Xuan Hua would still have lost this round. Xuan Li, Xuan Pei, and Jinying Wang had conspired to frame the Crown Prince. Among the princes, only Xuan Hua had been able to escape unscathed. This was already abnormal. Jiang Ruan's brilliance lay in the fact that she had only lightly added a chess piece, and the entire situation of the game had abruptly reversed.
Xuan Li sighed in his heart. If such an intelligent and refined woman had stood by his side, he would have been able to match her. If she had followed him, the position of Empress would have been manageable. However, she had chosen to follow Xiao Shao. His gaze gradually turned deep. He had to be more vigilant towards Jinying Wang fu.
"Imperial Father …." Xuan Hua's voice trembled as he said, "This son and Jiang Zhaoyi are indeed innocent. This son did not do anything. Imperial Father, they really framed me …." At this moment, his mind had already been muddled by fear and he could not distinguish between priorities. At this moment, the matter of him having an affair with Jiang Dan was no longer important. What the Emperor was more concerned about was that he had plotted to kill his own brother and vainly attempt to usurp the throne! The Emperor had returned from the Supreme Court and had first gone to the Buddha hall. No one in the palace had spread the news of what had happened here under his nose. If Concubine De had not come to the rescue, Xuan Hua would be like a useless piece of trash. Other than begging for mercy, he could not think of anything else.
Jiang Dan was also dumbfounded. She did not expect that not only would she not be able to clear her name, but Xuan Hua would also have to admit to the great crime of plotting to murder the Crown Prince. If she was implicated, it would bode ill rather than well. At this moment, she could only insist that she and Xuan Hua had been framed. Perhaps there would be a glimmer of hope. Thinking of this, Jiang Dan also continuously kowtowed on the ground and cried out her grievances. She could only cry out, "This concubine really did not betray Your Majesty. Your Majesty is wise and will return this concubine's innocence. This concubine has been wronged! "Blood seeped out of her forehead and the ground was covered in red blood.
What kind of person was the Emperor? He was the supreme ruler of the country and would not change what he had decided on. Moreover, at this moment, the truth of Xuan Hua's plot to murder the Crown Prince had almost come to light. Looking at the two people in front of him, he only felt that they were a pair of adulterers. He did not want to say anything more, but everyone had forgotten that there was Wang Lian 'er on the side. Wang Lian' er usually looked gentle, well-educated, and the most considerate and caring. However, she had already fought fiercely with Jiang Dan in the open and in the dark. Now that Jiang Dan had been defeated, how could she not take this opportunity to ruthlessly trample on her? She pretended to say carelessly, "Xu Zhaoyi might really have been framed. There are so many opportunities in this palace, it is inevitable … Your Majesty, didn't I hear that Divine Doctor Xia entered the palace to check the Empress Dowager's pulse? Why not let him come and see if it is that … That's right, the problem of incense. "
These words weren't to give Jiang Dan an opportunity. Everyone knew that Xia Qing and Xiao Shao's relationship was pretty good. She would certainly help Xiao Shao's side. Now that Jiang Dan and Xuan Hua wanted to scheme against Jinying Wangfu, it was Jiang Dan's turn to accept the severity of the situation. Wang Lian 'er came from a scholarly family and was also very astute. She could see that Jinying Wang and his wife were not willing to suffer losses. In front of these two people, Jiang Dan was really too inexperienced. Calling Xia Qing over was not to give Jiang Dan a chance to survive, but to really put her to death so that she would never have a chance to rise again.
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly. This Wang Lian 'er was smart. It was not in vain that she' saw 'her on the road and took the opportunity to bring her along. She could only blame Jiang Dan for fighting too hard and climbing too fast and too high. Once she fell behind, there would be people who could not wait to step on her. She gave Xiao Shao a look. Xiao Shao's expression paused. When he looked at the Emperor again, he said lightly, "This humble subject requests Your Majesty to summon Divine Doctor Xia for a consultation and clear my wife's innocence."
This was to follow Wang Lian 'er's words and call Xia Qing over to clear her grievances. The Emperor had always granted Xiao Shao's requests. Moreover, today's matter was really too outrageous. In any case, this matter could not be known by outsiders. Xia Qing was Xiao Shao's person and had always scrupulously abided by medical ethics. There was no need to worry that this matter would spread outside. If it had been any other imperial physician, they would not have been able to leave alive today. The Emperor sneered and said, "I'll let you die a quick death. Men, bring Xia Qing over to me!"
Jiang Dan blankly lay on the ground and looked at the Emperor with empty eyes. Her once affectionate love was now nothing more than the cold word "death." She deeply understood that she was finished. It was as if she had fallen into a large net that had long been woven. No matter how she struggled, the result was that the net would only become tighter and tighter. She could not break free.
Xia Qing was indeed in the palace with Empress Dowager Yi De to check her pulse. When she heard that the Emperor wanted her, Empress Dowager Yi De did not say much and directly released her. Xia Qing hurried over, thinking that something had happened. When she saw that Xiao Shao and Jiang Ruan were also here, and then looked at the Emperor's ashen face, she understood that this was not a trivial matter. She could not help but straighten her expression and said, "Your Majesty, what instructions do you have for this commoner?"
The Emperor coldly pointed at the two people on the ground and said, "Take a look at these two people. Is there something wrong with their bodies? Is there any special medicine? " When he said the word "medicine," the Emperor specially emphasized his tone until Xuan Hua and Jiang Dan could not help but tremble. The wrath of the Emperor could cause millions of corpses. Today, they could be considered to have brushed against the dragon's reverse scale. The reason why they were still alive and well was also because of their luck.
Xia Qing looked at the two people and could not help but blush. Only then did Jiang Dan notice that her clothes were disheveled. Just now, she had been so preoccupied with panic that she had not noticed her clothes. Almost half of her body was exposed. Only then did she hurriedly pick up her clothes and put them on. However, her heart became more and more uneasy. Her body had been seen by another man. Could the Emperor really tolerate her? This was more like … because she was going to die anyway, so it did not matter what she did.
Xia Qing stood far away from Jiang Dan and slowly knelt down. Although he was a physician, this was the first time he had taken the pulse of a woman whose clothes were disheveled. He was somewhat embarrassed. Jiang Dan and Xuan Hua both held their breath and paid attention to his movements. In Jiang Dan's heart, there was still a trace of hope. She knew that although Xia Qing and Xiao Shao had a good personal relationship, Xia Qing was a famous divine physician of Jinling. He had his own medical ethics and would not recklessly diagnose a person's illness. He was an honest person and most likely would not lie. Moreover, the recent incident had been sudden. It was that slut Wang Lian 'er who had suddenly called him over. Jiang Ruan had not notified him in advance. Perhaps she could really say that they had been tricked and thus acted in such a manner.
Her hopeful expression fell into everyone's eyes. The corners of Wang Lian 'er's mouth twitched into a silent smile. Her eyes were full of contempt and excitement. Jiang Ruan slowly lowered her eyes. Within her sleeves, her ten fingers interlocked with Xiao Shao's tightly clasped hands. She was full of silence.
Jiang Dan was destined to be disappointed.
Xia Qing shook his sleeves and slowly stood up. He looked at Jiang Dan with some hesitation. Jiang Dan seemed to have grasped at a life-saving straw. She immediately looked at him and said, "Divine Doctor Xia, how is it? Was I drugged?"
Xuan Hua also stared at Xia Qing without moving. Xia Qing shook his head, then looked at the Emperor and said seriously, "Replying to Your Majesty, Your Ladyship's body is well and has not been harmed by any drugs. It's just that …" He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "This humble subject has just taken Your Ladyship's pulse and discovered that it is a slippery pulse. Your Ladyship is pregnant."
Jiang Dan paused and immediately turned back. An indescribable smile floated on the Emperor's face. He only slowly repeated, "Pregnant?"
Jiang Dan had not expected that Xia Qing would actually find the pulse of pregnancy. The only thing she could do now was not to be misunderstood by the Emperor. In fact, she and Xuan Hua had only met a few times recently. It was definitely not Xuan Hua's child. The child in her stomach was a real dragon's seed. Jiang Dan suddenly stood up and said, "No, Your Majesty, today it is clear that someone has schemed against me. The child in my stomach is your child. Perhaps he is a younger son. Your Majesty, do you not like him?"
"You said that this bastard is my son?" The Emperor slowly asked.
Jiang Dan was stunned. Suddenly, she went crazy and grabbed the corner of Xia Qing's robe. She frantically asked, "Divine Doctor Xia, look again. Look at the sandalwood in this room. This smell is clearly wrong. Look at the time again. Tell Your Majesty, the child in my stomach is Your Majesty's, right?" He shook the corner of Xia Qing's robe with all his might. Xia Qing was most afraid of women going crazy. He hurriedly frowned and jumped out. He pulled the corner of his robe out of Jiang Dan's hands and sternly said, "Your Ladyship, this commoner said that there is no medicine in this room. Your Ladyship's body is also very healthy. As for the child … "Xia Qing was somewhat embarrassed." This commoner really has no way to judge. If Your Ladyship does not believe me, you can find another imperial physician to take a look. There is no need to doubt this commoner's medical skills. "As she finished speaking, there was a hint of arrogance in her voice. These people with special talents were born to not allow others to doubt their abilities. Xia Qing was a divine doctor. Of course, she had a bit of a temper. How could she be in a good mood when her medical skills were doubted in front of her?
However, Jiang Dan's words were probably in vain. Xia Qing was currently the most skilled doctor in the Great Jin Dynasty. If even he could not see through the medicine, what use would an imperial physician have? How could this scandal be publicized? It was too late to hide it. How could she invite others to come and watch this good show? Xia Qing's words were practically the final word. There was no possibility of a reversal.
Jiang Dan's body slowly collapsed to the ground. She had probably reached the end of her rope. Suddenly, she screamed crazily, "No, it's you. It's you, you quack doctor, who colluded with them to frame me. There is clearly something strange in this room. Also, that nuisance of the State Preceptor is just a swindler. Don't think that I don't know about your and Jiang Ruan's shady business. You two tricked me into the palace. Now, you still want to pin this sh * t on my head! "
She cursed loudly. She was already extremely terrified. She could not even care about the Emperor's presence. Where was the slightest bit of her usual lovable and charming demeanor? In the eyes of the crowd, this was even more ironic.
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