Chapter 333: Chapter 333: Crown Prince Xiao Jinyi
333 Crown Prince Xiao Jinyi
But he was still unsatisfied. Before, his aunt had planned to pass the throne to him, but because of Song Renying and Lord Zhang’s persuasion, she changed her mind and even planned to establish Xiao Jing as the Crown Prince!
In a moment of rash thinking, Pei Siqing picked up a bow and arrow, aimed at Song Renying, and prepared to shoot.
However, a nearby bodyguard discovered him and tried to stop him. The arrow went off course but still shot out. With a THUD, it flew towards the emperor...
Everyone was horrified in an instant.
"Save the emperor—"
At this critical moment, a figure flew out from the left side.
With a CLANG, the arrow collided with a knife. The arrow aimed at the emperor broke on impact and fell vertically to the ground.
The person who took action was none other than Zhao Yu, who had been worried about Zhao Zhitong after the palace coup and had sneaked into the great hall disguised as a soldier.
At the same time Zhao Yu blocked the arrow, Lieutenant Feng captured Pei Siqing.
After experiencing this event, the emperor seemed extremely exhausted, as if she had aged considerably. Despite this, she decreed that Pei Siqing and his faction be imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison. After chastising the opportunistic officials, the emperor waved her hand, stood up, and prepared to announce something, but suddenly fainted.
"The emperor! The emperor! Quick, call the imperial physician!"
The scene immediately erupted into chaos.
Zhao Zhitong and Zhao Yu stood by, watching as the emperor was carried out of the great hall, followed by the officials leaving one after another.
The two of them were temporarily forgotten. With no imperial decree for them to leave the Imperial Palace, they could only return to their residence within the palace.
Just one morning, yet it was truly full of twists and turns.
As they walked out of the great hall, reflecting on the morning’s tumultuous events, they encountered Qiao Muchen and the others rushing towards them.
Today, only Zhao Zhitong had come to view the paintings; Qiao Muchen and the others had waited at their residence. When the palace coup erupted, Qiao Muchen and his companions, worried for Zhao Zhitong’s safety, had tried to reach the great hall. However, the palace was in such chaos that they couldn’t get through. Ultimately, it was Zhao Yu who managed to infiltrate the ranks of the mutinous soldiers and sneak into the great hall.
While Qiao Muchen and the others were evading the rebel soldiers, they accidentally entered a palace. Inside, insurgents were attempting to assassinate the occupants, and Qiao Muchen’s group became entangled in the conflict.
Only when the reinforcements arrived did they manage to escape.
Both sides checked on each other’s well-being and, seeing that everyone was fine, they returned to their residence together.
At this time, the emperor was still unconscious, so Zhao Zhitong and the others had to remain in the palace.
Fortunately, with food and drink provided, they wouldn’t starve.
During their tedious wait, Qiao Muchen began to speak about the master of the palace they had rescued.
Zhao Yue asked, "Do you guys know who the man we met today is?"
Wei Shulan didn’t seem particularly interested. "Who could it be?" she mused. "Likely one of the palace masters."
Zhao Yue whispered, "Xiao Jinyi, the young Crown Prince of Prince Gongqin."
Wei Shulan paid little attention to court matters and was unfamiliar with the name, so she still looked confused after hearing it.
But Zhao Zhitong, who often solved cases with Qiao Muchen and the others for the County Magistrate, knew more about court affairs.
She knew of this Crown Prince Xiao Jinyi. He was the younger son of Duke Gong, Xiao Jing.
Ever since ascending the throne, the current emperor had been intent on eliminating the Xiao Clan. Fortunately, she valued talent and knew how to employ people, placing immense trust in Song Renying and Lord Zhang.
Song Renying and Lord Zhang were loyal to the emperor. However, they also analyzed the political situation and believed, deep down, that the realm should eventually be returned to the Xiao Clan.
Therefore, with their protection, many Xiao descendants were saved, and Xiao Jing was one of them.
However, the emperor remained wary of the Xiao Clan’s descendants. Thus, Crown Prince Xiao Jinyi, at the age of ten—the same time his father Xiao Jing was enfeoffed as Duke Gong by the emperor—was placed under house arrest within the palace. It could be said that for more than a decade, Crown Prince Xiao Jinyi had never taken a single step out of the palace gates.
Wei Shulan couldn’t help but sigh. "That sounds quite pitiful. Being under house arrest in the palace for over a decade... wouldn’t he have become simple-minded from the confinement?"
Qiao Muchen, however, chuckled. "Not at all. He’s not only not simple-minded, but he’s also exceptionally intelligent."
Duke Gong appeared honest and straightforward. While a benevolent man, he lacked the political astuteness required of a sovereign and was not, in truth, the most capable person to inherit the throne.
However, Elder Song and Elder Zhang staunchly supported Duke Gong. They even persuaded the emperor to designate him as the Crown Prince, with only the coronation ceremony pending.
The focus of all these maneuvers wasn’t Duke Gong, but rather this Crown Prince Xiao Jinyi, who was confined in the Imperial Palace and appeared so innocent and harmless.
Moreover, despite only a brief meeting in the palace that day, Qiao Muchen sensed an unfathomable depth and shrewdness in him, further confirming his suspicions.
As they were discussing this, turmoil erupted within the Imperial Palace.
After fainting, the emperor could neither eat nor drink and remained unconscious. Duke Gong and Princess Anping had already entered the palace to attend to Her Majesty.
By the evening of the next day, the emperor still had not consumed even a drop of water, and the imperial physicians’ various treatments had proven ineffective.
At this time, Elder Zhang and Princess Anping both remembered one person.
"Divine Healer Zhao!"
Princess Anping exclaimed, "Isn’t Divine Healer Zhao still in the palace? Please ask her to examine Mother!"
Thus, while Zhao Zhitong and the others were idly waiting at their residence, Princess Anping rushed over with her attendants. After explaining the purpose of her visit, she eagerly escorted Zhao Zhitong to the emperor’s bedchamber.
It was her third time seeing this ruler of a country.
Lying on the bed, her face was pale. She had lost her usual majesty and, at this moment, seemed like any ordinary woman.
After listening to the imperial physicians describe their prior treatments for the emperor, Zhao Zhitong began to examine her pulse.
A moment later, she stood up and said to Princess Anping and Duke Gong, "Your Highness, Your Lordship, I can treat her, but the method I use may offend Her Majesty."
Duke Gong was the first to ask anxiously, "What method?"
Zhao Zhitong pursed her lips. "It’s a medicinal steaming method. We would need to remove all of Her Majesty’s clothing, seal the room, and administer the steam treatment."
Upon hearing this, Princess Anping furrowed her brows and asked after a moment, "Is there no other way?"
Zhao Zhitong nodded. "Her Majesty is currently unable to ingest food or medicine. If she cannot take medicine orally, her illness cannot be treated. Therefore, this is the only viable method."
At this, one of the imperial physicians, who had been listening intently, suddenly recalled something. "I have read of this method in ancient texts," he said. "However, it is a folk remedy. I fear it may be inappropriate to use on Her Majesty."
For a moment, there was a stalemate.
Just then, a man’s magnetic voice spoke up, "Saving the emperor is the most important thing."
The voice was indeed very pleasant. Zhao Zhitong subconsciously glanced towards the speaker and saw a young man, approximately twenty years of age, dressed in a white brocade robe embroidered with flying cranes.
Like Qiao Muchen, he too possessed eyes as calm as a placid lake. Yet, his gaze held a deeper profundity and an elusive, unfathomable mystique.
When he noticed Zhao Zhitong looking his way, he offered her a courteous nod.