NFBE Chapter 168 Someone Poisoned
Chapter 168 Someone Poisoned
"Consort Qing, if you also like this ink tea, I will generously give it to you. Why be so cold and sarcastic here?" Su Nuannuan smiled and responded, but her words showed no intention of backing down and directly exposed Consort Qing's thoughts.
Consort Qing originally wanted to say a few words in her defense, but when her eyes fell on the Emperor's face, which was so gloomy it seemed to drip water, she couldn't help but feel a chill. All the words that were about to come out of her mouth were swallowed back. She quickly shut her mouth and dared not utter another word, for fear of angering the Emperor.
The minor disturbance subsided temporarily, and the palace banquet for the Reunion Festival proceeded as usual. The melodious sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air, and the dancers moved gracefully and lightly, creating a lively and festive scene. As time passed, the banquet gradually drew to a close, and as is customary, the final desserts and pastries were to be served.
Sure enough, a short while later, a group of palace maids filed in, each carrying an exquisite tray laden with all sorts of mooncakes. These mooncakes were not only beautiful in appearance but also had an enticing aroma that made one's mouth water.
The mooncakes used at this banquet were all made by the Imperial Kitchen, and were carefully baked by many chefs who worked day and night.
Actually, they had initially considered ordering mooncakes from the renowned Huanxi Zhai outside the palace. However, when the palace staff went to negotiate, they were politely refused by the manager of Huanxi Zhai. The manager's reason was simple and clear—Huanxi Zhai simply could not bear such a great honor and wealth.
After all, these mooncakes are meant for the enjoyment of everyone in the palace. Even though they undergo rigorous inspections before entering the palace, who can guarantee that no one will tamper with them along the way? If something goes wrong, the entire Huanxizhai could face annihilation.
At this moment, Su Nuannuan stared quietly at the tempting mooncakes in front of her, but her expression suddenly turned very ugly.
Just as the Crown Prince reached out to pick up the exquisite and tempting mooncake on the table and taste it, Su Nuannuan quickly stopped him.
Immediately, Su Nuannuan stood up without hesitation, her originally gentle and graceful face now turning serious and cold. She slightly raised her head, her gaze fixed firmly on His Majesty the Emperor seated on the dragon throne above her, and said in a cold and clear voice, "Your Majesty, there is something wrong with these mooncakes!"
These words were like a thunderclap, silencing the entire palace. Those who were busy bringing mooncakes to their mouths were startled and dropped their mooncakes back onto the plates as if they were hot potatoes. All eyes turned to Su Nuannuan.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor's face immediately showed a hint of displeasure. He frowned, stared coldly at Su Nuannuan, and asked in a stiff tone, "What exactly is wrong with this mooncake?"
Faced with the Emperor's questioning, Su Nuannuan showed no fear and maintained her dignified demeanor as she replied, "Your Majesty, as for whether the other people's mooncakes are abnormal, I am unaware, but the mooncake in front of me is indeed problematic."
Normally, a mooncake should have a smooth and clean surface, and there should be no white powder or other foreign matter on it. However, my plate of mooncakes has scattered bits of white powder on it. If I hadn't stopped Your Highness in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Therefore, I humbly request Your Majesty to immediately summon the imperial physicians to examine the mooncakes. If it is ultimately determined that these mooncakes are not poisonous, that would be of the best, and everyone could enjoy them with peace of mind; however, if poison is detected, then this matter is surely more serious than it appears, and someone is undoubtedly plotting to harm the Crown Prince and attempting to frame me. I implore Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and not allow such treacherous individuals to succeed!
Upon hearing that someone dared to harm her son, the Empress was instantly filled with dread. She could no longer remain seated; her expression panicked, she abruptly stood up, her face filled with anxiety, her voice trembling slightly with tension, and urgently cried out, "Your Majesty—"
Seeing this, the Emperor frowned slightly and gently waved his hand to the Empress, signaling her to calm down. Then, his face darkened, and he roared in a commanding tone, "Guards! Immediately summon the imperial physician! I want to see who is so audacious as to dare harm the Crown Prince and Consort Zhuang at this solemn state banquet! And where is the commander of the Imperial Guards?"
Before the words were finished, a loud reply came from outside the hall: "Your subordinate is here!" Then, a burly, imposing figure swiftly entered the hall—it was Zhang Quan, the commander of the Imperial Guards. He knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a respectful salute to the Emperor, and proclaimed loudly, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
The Emperor's gaze was piercing as he stared intently at Zhang Quan, and he said sternly, "Commander Zhang, I order you to immediately dispatch men to strictly control the Imperial Kitchen and all palace servants who have come into contact with the food, and to ensure that there are no mistakes! Anyone who disobeys will be severely punished!"
"Your subordinate obeys the order!" Zhang Quan dared not delay for a moment. After bowing again, he quickly left the main hall like an arrow and began to arrange for troops to surround the imperial kitchen and arrest the palace maids who had come into contact with the food.
Standing to the side, Su Nuannuan subtly turned her gaze towards Consort Qing. Sure enough, she keenly noticed the subtle change in Consort Qing's face that was difficult to conceal. Consort Qing's originally calm and composed face had now become somewhat pale, and a hint of panic had appeared in her eyes.
"Hmph, how utterly foolish! I wonder if she used her own palace staff or servants from other palaces this time... How dare she cause trouble at such an important state banquet! She must have a death wish! Once the truth is revealed, she will likely face the severe punishment of having her entire family implicated." Su Nuannuan thought to herself, secretly expressing her contempt.
Consort Qing was secretly surprised. How could the person who poisoned her be so stupid! But it was alright, since this matter had nothing to do with her palace. Even if it was thoroughly investigated, it would definitely not implicate her.
With a quick change of heart, Consort Qing's face swiftly regained its usual dignified expression. Su Nuannuan, who was standing to the side, took all of this in and understood that the poisoning was definitely not done by Consort Qing's people, but it must have been instigated by her.
Just then, a series of footsteps approached from afar, followed by a group of imperial physicians entering the room.
Upon entering the hall, the imperial physicians shouted in unison, "Your humble servants pay their respects to Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!" They then knelt down and respectfully kowtowed to the Emperor on the dragon throne.
The Emperor slightly raised his hand, gesturing for everyone to rise, and said slowly, "My dear ministers, please rise. I have summoned you here today to entrust you with a matter. Please carefully examine the mooncakes in front of you and see if there is anything unusual." After speaking, he turned his gaze to Physician Zhang, who was standing to one side, and continued to instruct, "Physician Zhang, please pay special attention to the mooncake in front of Consort Zhuang and see what the powder on it is."
"Your Majesty, I obey." Imperial Physician Zhang acknowledged and strode to Su Nuannuan's desk. He carefully picked up one of the mooncakes, bringing it close to his nose and sniffing it gently. Then, he took out a pure white, elegant handkerchief from his robes, laid it out, and carefully used a silver needle to scrape away the white powder from the mooncake's surface, little by little, onto the handkerchief. After collecting all the powder, Imperial Physician Zhang examined the silver needle closely, only to find that it remained as bright and new as ever, without any discoloration.
Physician Zhang frowned, then dipped a tiny bit of white powder into his finger and put it in his mouth.