Chapter 567 - Chapter 567: Chapter 567: I Want to Take You Away from the Capital City_1 (1/2)
Chapter 567: Chapter 567: I Want to Take You Away from the Capital City_1
Once seated, Wei Jinyi proceeded to explain the comprehensive details of the matter to Wei Ruo.
Apparently, Wei Jinyi had arranged this from the start. He had planted insiders in the palace long ago. Taking advantage of Imperial Concubine Qi’s fallen favor, he approached her and divulged some information:
King Rui’s current frail health might be a result of a condition he was born with; the Empress at that time, while in Jing’an Temple, could have been poisoned, which eventually led to labor complications that cost her her life. Otherwise, given the Empress’s robust health – known for being a warrior’s daughter – it was unlikely she’d die from complications during childbirth.
Also, he made Imperial Concubine Qi realize that with the fall of the Qi Family, King Yu would lose his position as a candidate for the crown prince. Given the Emperor’s current state of ill health and limited time, the future seemed ominous.
In not so distant future, Chu Lan could ascend the throne as the new Emperor, leaving no way out for her and King Yu.
This realization was what led to Imperial Concubine Qi’s reaction when summoned and interrogated by the Emperor.
Imperial Concubine Qi intended to shift the blame onto Queen Jing, to cause her to lose favor too, subsequently attacking King Jing.
However, directly accusing Queen Jing was rather challenging, particularly now that she was not in the Emperor’s favor.
So, she chose to admit it first and frame Queen Jing as a co-conspirator, thereby making her own confession seem more credible.
There are no permanent enemies in the royal court. Although she and Queen Jing were not on good terms over the years, both had been neglected concubines during the time of the Emperor’s exclusive favor for the Empress.
The idea of them working together under such circumstances was not implausible.
Imperial Concubine Qi had connections and resources, while Queen Jing was one of the few concubines trusted by the Empress back in the day, with the opportunity to get close and possibly poison her.
Therefore, her line of reasoning was plausible.
Understanding that her actions could lead her to execution, Imperial Concubine Qi still chose to proceed with this risky move.
She probably realized that even if she vehemently denied her involvement, the Emperor might not believe her. Considering her son was already at a disadvantage, if they didn’t act, they would meet a dead end.
Inflicting mutual destruction was a better alternative to a complete defeat! There might even be a glimmer of hope for her son!
However, the reality was that the Empress didn’t die due to poisoning during childbirth. Instead, it was the massive blow from a family scandal that left her exhausted during delivery.
The entire matter was a trap set by Wei Jinyi for Imperial Concubine Qi, which he had laid since his first appearance before the Emperor.
His initial weak demeanor was designed to make it easier for others to believe the cause of the Empress’s death was indeed a result of poisoning, thereby accounting for Wei Jinyi’s inherited weaknesses.
After Wei Jinyi’s explanation, Wei Ruo took some time to digest the scheme.
Wei Ruo had always known that Wei Jinyi would find a way to deal with Imperial Concubine Qi in the palace, but she had no idea what method he would employ.
Now knowing his strategy, she was somewhat taken aback, to say the least. This was a method she had not thought of before.
Moreover, this method would not only lead to Imperial Concubine Qi’s doom but also endangered Queen Jing and Chu Lan.
Wei Ruo then inquired, “What was the situation in the palace when you left, Brother?”
Wei Ruo speculated that, considering the Emperor’s affection for the Empress, the situation must be far from settled. She supposed the early return of her brother was due to the Emperor’s consideration for his health; it must still be chaotic within the palace.
“When I left, the Emperor had already sent people to search Queen Jing’s sleeping chambers. Imperial Concubine Qi had been caned ten times and was still under interrogation in the Imperial Study. Queen Jing herself had been caned thrice, and she too was held up in the Imperial Study.” Wei Jinyi reported.
It seems that Wei Jinyi’s plan was a success.
With a sigh of amazement, Wei Ruo commented: “With such a move, brother, you have brought down Queen Jing, Imperial Concubine Qi, King Jing, and King Yu all together. Their power is now significantly reduced, clearing the way for you, and becoming the crown prince doesn’t seem too far off now.”
Wei Jinyi stared at Wei Ruo, looking grave.