zChapter 1072 - The Truth Is Out (1/2)
Xuan Tianmo looked towards Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui, that woman was still slumped on the ground, barely breathing due to the pain. He actually really wanted to ask what exactly had happened to that Gu Master and why the situation suddenly became like this? But the gaze Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui directed at him already contained hatred, mother and son falling out was already something which could not be reversed and he could not ask that question.
It was Imperial Concubine Li who suddenly spoke, glaring at Xuan Tianmo and Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui, asking them loudly: “Accusing This One of harming His Majesty, what evidence do you have? Since when did This One implant a Gu and harm His Majesty?”
Once Imperial Concubine Li spoke, Xuan Tianfeng also spoke to the Empress: “For this matter, This Son asks for Your Highness the Empress to investigate this properly, This Son believes that my own Imperial Concubine Mother will not do anything to harm Father Emperor, and does not believe that my Imperial Concubine Mother can use any Gu techniques. Moreover, if she really knows it and can really control Father Emperor using Gu techniques, then she would have asked for herself to gain favour and This Son to gain favour. She would not have asked for Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui and Eighth Brother to rise above her.”
The Empress nodded, “Feng-er is correct.”
“It’s not!” Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui suddenly shouted shrilly, “It was Imperial Concubine Li who did it, she is Mo-er’s aunt, helping Mo-er would be helping herself. If Mo-er ascends to the throne one day, she will also get a good position. She mentioned this matter to me before, but I did not agree. However, I did not expect that she would act on her own. She has a bracelet with her! She has a bracelet, there is Gu inside!”
When she heard Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui mention the bracelet, Imperial Concubine Li was very surprised, holding out her wrist and replying: “You are talking about this? This bracelet was given to me by you! You said Grandmother gave one to each of us, you have one, I also have one. Why would Gu be hidden inside? I don’t know, I really don’t know anything!”
Imperial Concubine Li had a minor breakdown, though she frequently did some crazy things, but she really never harmed the Emperor before. If today was to expose her actions of cursing Xuan Tianming, she would have no choice but to admit this sin since she had done it before. But what has the huge change in the Emperor’s temperament have to do with her? Why was this blamed on her?
Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui did not budge, insisting that there was Gu in the bracelet. And at this time, Xuan Tianming suddenly opened his mouth and spoke: “Whether there is Gu inside, we will know with an inspection. Where the Gu came from can also be known with an inspection. Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui, why are you so hasty?” After he said this, he had the people who followed him into the palace come forward, then spoke to everyone once more: “To tell all of you the truth, this person is Gu Shu’s ruler and had entered the capital in advance yesterday, staying at Yu Palace the whole time. Gu Shu is very proficient in Gu techniques, therefore as to whether there is Gu in the bracelet, why don’t we ask the Gu Shu ruler to verify?”
When they heard that the Gu Shu ruler had come, everyone was a little stunned, including the Empress. But the Empress was a smart person, the huge change in the Emperor’s temperament was clearly not natural. And suddenly throwing up so many snakes today, no matter how ignorant she was, she would have understood that it had something to do with Gu techniques. Gu techniques were prevalent in the south, and Gu Shu was the most proficient. Xuan Tianming and Feng Yuheng kept a low profile during these few months and the thought that the two of them were prepared to not care about this anymore had crossed her mind at one point in time. It was only today that she knew that these two already thought that the Emperor had been inflicted by Gu and had been thinking of solutions the whole time. Seeing the Gu Shu ruler suddenly appear, she finally understood the solution that Xuan Tianming and Feng Yuheng had thought of.
To cure a Gu infliction, the best way would be to counter Gu with Gu. And which person could be hailed as the number one in Gu techniques? It was definitely the Gu Shu ruler.
The Empress nodded, looking towards the Gu Shu ruler in gratitude, saying: “My thanks to Monarch for lending us a hand, when His Majesty wakes up, he will definitely thank you personally.”
As this was said, the people who were a bit smarter understood, the reason why the Emperor suddenly cleared his mind was because the Ninth Prince’s side executed a huge move and invited the Gu Shu ruler over to help. In the past, they did not know why the Emperor would suddenly favour Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui and the Eighth Prince, and the explanation that he was inflicted by a Gu had also been discussed in private before, but they were only guesses and no one could confirm it. Moreover, how daring was Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui, actually inflicting the Emperor with Gu? And where did she get a Gu Master from?
It was only until today when they heard that the Emperor had vomited piles and piles of small snakes from his stomach was everyone convinced about the explanation of Gu infliction.
The sudden appearance of the Gu Shu ruler caused Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui to fall into some kind of despair, though she knew that there was definitely a Gu hidden inside Imperial Concubine Li’s bracelet because she put it in herself, originally thinking that if Imperial Concubine Li was favoured then and if the Emperor treated Imperial Concubine Li well, she could at least use that Gu to control Imperial Concubine Li and gain some benefits for herself. The Gu bug was brought in by someone from outside, it came from that Gu Master who taught her the method. It was simple and easy to control and she could do the controlling herself. However, Imperial Concubine Li only regained her concubine position and stayed in Chang Ning Palace, not gaining further benefits, so she pushed this matter aside. Until today, when she had no other methods, she thought to push Imperial Concubine Li out, because Imperial Concubine Li had a Gu, so she decided to have Imperial Concubine Li take the fall.
But in front of the Gu Shu ruler, in front of a skilled Gu technique wielder, could this lie still hold any water?
Xuan Tianmo hated that Gu Shu ruler until his teeth itched, he pointed at the other party, saying: “You are the ruler of a subordinate country, why didn’t you come to the palace first to greet the Emperor when you entered the capital? Actually living at Yu Palace? You are a skilled Gu Master, Father Emperor’s illness was caused by you, right?”
Fan Tianli seemed to have lost the smile on his face after hearing this, he asked Xuan Tianmo in return: Just now, you were adamant that it was done by Imperial Concubine Li, but after a while, you pushed the blame onto This Monarch? Da Shun’s Eighth Prince, doing this, is it really a good idea?” After saying this, he bowed deeply to the Empress, “This Monarch, greets Your Highness the Empress. Visiting in advance without notice, I hope that Your Highness the Empress can forgive this.”
The Empress said with a smile: “What are you saying, Gu Shu Monarch, rushing over in such a prompt manner and solving the Emperor’s crisis, you are Da Shun’s benefactor. This One only feels gratitude towards you, how can we talk about forgiveness now. It is chaotic in the imperial palace today and we have shown Gu Shu’s Monarch an embarrassing scene, but since you have rushed here for this matter, then This One would like to request for Monarch to do things until the end, help us see, that bracelet belonging to Imperial Concubine Li, what trick is contained in it?”
The Gu Shu ruler bowed again, Xuan Tianming asked someone to bring Imperial Concubine Li’s bracelet over. In an instant, everyone’s attention was focused on this end, staring intently, waiting for the Gu Shu ruler to make his appraisal.
The Sixth Prince Xuan Tianfeng spoke then: “The bracelet was given by Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui, this is not something originally owned by my Imperial Concubine Mother, since Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui insisted that there is Gu inside, I wonder if Monarch can tell when the Gu was placed into the bracelet?”