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Chapter 418 - 418: Captured In One Go
Chapter 418 - 418: Captured In One Go
Chapter 418: Captured In One Go
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Ling Yun reported to the officials, who came very quickly and took him away.
When Shopkeeper Wu was woken up by a basin of cold water, he realized that he was already kneeling in the court of the Dali Temple.
The Dali Temple usually handled cases involving officials or relatives of the emperor. As a commoner, it was a blessing to be able to attend the court of the Dali Temple.
The minister of the Dali Temple was in charge of this case and sat in the court.
Xiao Zhonghua sat humbly at the side, not putting on any airs as a prince.
The minister of the Dali Temple slammed the wooden door. “Wu Fugui! How dare you! How dare you murder the Empress Dowager and His Majesty!”
Shopkeeper Wu was dizzy. “Sir… I didn’t…”
The minister said solemnly, “You still dare to quibble? Someone! Give me the physical evidence!”
The official presented a few packets of medicinal powder he had taken from him.
He had originally stuffed these packets of medicinal powder to the three little fellows as a “reward”.
However, after Ling Yun came over, he took them out and threw them back at him.
What kind of messy and dirty thing was worthy of being given to his disciples?
Shopkeeper Wu tried his best to quibble. “This, this isn’t mine! Someone harmed me! The people from the Number One Hall harmed me!”
The minister of the Dali Temple did not start the meeting for no reason. He said coldly, “You still dare to be stubborn at the brink of death. Alright, I’ll let you die in peace! Show me the physical evidence!” This time, the official presented a tray of herbs.
Shopkeeper Wu was dumbfounded.
The minister said, “I’ve already asked the physician to identify all the herbs needed to refine this bag of powder. Only your Benevolent Heart Hall has bought a large amount of saffron! The Number One Hall and the nearby medical centers don’t have this ingredient at all!”
How could Shopkeeper Wu have expected the Court of Judicial Review to find a flaw here?
This was equivalent to the saying—One could not escape the long arms of the heavens.
Shopkeeper Wu did not think about how these officials had passed the heavy screening to become officials. How could they be stupid?
Moreover, those who could enter the Dali Temple not only had to be knowledgeable, but they also had to have the talent to solve cases.
Shopkeeper Wu’s methods were completely insufficient in front of the minister of the Dali Temple.
Soon, Second Master Hu was brought up.
He gave Shopkeeper Wu a look and asked him to bear the responsibility alone. He would take care of Shopkeeper Wu’s family.
Xiao Zhonghua said, “Lord Zhao, can I say a few words?”
The minister hurriedly cupped his hands and said, “Your Highness, please speak. ”
Xiao Zhonghua said unhurriedly, “Conspiring to murder the Empress Dowager and the Emperor of a country is a capital crime. Lord Zhao, please investigate strictly. Don’t wrong any good person, and don’t let any evil person off.”
How could the minister not understand that these words were meant for Shopkeeper Wu?
He stood up cooperatively and bowed. “Your Highness, don’t worry. I’ll definitely do it impartially! We shall execute if we have to. Exterminate the whole family if we have to!”
The conversation between the two of them frightened Shopkeeper Wu. If they were going to be exterminated, his entire family would have to go to the execution ground with him! No way!
It couldn’t be like this!
He did not want to die, and his family could not die!
Xiao Zhonghua knew the principle of pairing a carrot with a stick. “However, if you assist in the investigation and report it, we can be lenient. The death penalty can be spared.”
Shopkeeper Wu could no longer hold it in. “Your Highness! I’m innocent! He instructed me to do it!”
Second Master Hu was shocked. “Nonsense!”
Shopkeeper Wu said excitedly, “Your Highness! I’ll confess everything! I only hope that Your Highness can spare me!”
Shopkeeper Wu told him the story of how he bribed Du Juan to poison her. “Boss has long disliked the Number One Hall and has caused trouble for it many times. This time, I heard that the Physician of the Number One Hall went to treat the Empress Dowager… Boss was worried that the Number One Hall would become famous after the Empress Dowager was cured, so he thought of a dirty trick to frame the Number One Hall.”
Second Master Hu was furious. “You… This was clearly your idea! When I didn’t agree to harm the Empress Dowager, you said that the poison can’t reach the Empress Dowager’s mouth. There are silver needles and a little eunuch who can taste it!”
Shopkeeper Wu said bitterly, “Second Master! You’ve wronged me! When did I say that? Even if I had a hundred guts… I wouldn’t dare!”
The two of them started fighting.
Shopkeeper Wu mentioned a medical assistant called Du Juan. The minister of the Dali Temple sent someone to escort her to the Dali Temple.
About an hour later, the official returned to report. “Sir, Du Juan committed suicide!”
Hu Jiusheng was brewing medicine for Emperor Jing Xuan in the Imperial palace.
The medicine boy walked over in a panic. “Master, something happened to
Second Master!”
Due to Shopkeeper Wu’s accusation and the presence of certified physical evidence, Second Master Hu was sent to death row.
However, Second Master Hu did not expose Hu Jiusheng.
Otherwise, once others found out that Hu Jiusheng knew that the ointment had been contaminated with poison but did not stop it in time, he would be questioned.
Hu Jiusheng’s hand that was holding the silver needle trembled slightly.
“Master, what should we do?”
The medicine boy asked softly.
Hu Jiusheng’s heart was in a mess. “Don’t be anxious… Let me calm down…
After all, Second Master Hu was his biological brother and the owner of the Benevolence Hall on the surface. If anything really happened, the entire Hu family would be implicated.
“The most important thing now is to quickly cure His Majesty’s poison… Only by curing His Majesty could he plead for mercy for his brother.
Fortunately, he had the antidote.
Hu Jiusheng took a deep breath and calmed the panic in his heart. He melted the antidote into a bowl of warm tonic and sent it to Emperor Jing Xuan.
Emperor Jingxuan was delirious and could not take the medicine.
Hu Jiusheng first performed acupuncture on him to let him regain a trace of consciousness. Then, Eunuch Fu fed him the antidote spoon by spoon.
Emperor Jing Xuan’s expression slowly improved. The black aura between his eyebrows faded, and his black nails had a hint of redness.
“Your Majesty…”
“This medicine is so bitter…”
Hu Jiuzheng heaved a sigh of relief that he could speak.
However, before he could finish heaving a sigh of relief, Emperor Jingxuan suddenly spasmed and spat out a mouthful of black blood. Eunuch Fuls expression changed drastically. “Your Majesty! Your Majesty!” Emperor Jingxuan fell heavily onto the dragon bed.
Eunuch Fu touched Emperor Jing Xuan’s neck and knelt in front of the dragon bed. He lay on the ground and wailed, “Your Majesty— Hu Jiusheng was stunned and fell to the ground.
“How could this be… It’s clearly the antidote… It’s the antidote…”
“What antidote?”
Princess Jingning appeared coldly behind her.
Hu Jiusheng looked at the lifeless Emperor Jing Xuan and panicked.
He did not bow to Princess Jingning. Instead, he curled up and hugged his head, muttering to himself.
“It’s the antidote… I brewed it according to the prescription… I tried it… It’s the right antidote for the illness… That’s what the book says… I didn’t poison Her Majesty… It wasn’t me… The antidote I gave… can cure…”
Princess Jingning looked at him deeply.. “Guards! Arrest Court Commissioner
HUI!”