Chapter 73 - Hanged To Death
The Emperor was sitting on the chair beside the bed of the Crown prince. The Royal physician was treating the Crown Prince whose face had turned pale. He had used the acupuncture needles to take out the poison from the Crown prince's body. Beside him, there was a nurse who was making a paste that had to be applied on the Crown Prince's throat and stomach.
The Royal physician was getting nervous as the pulse was getting weaker and weaker with time.
"Your majesty, I think we shall search for its antidote as well. I think the method I am using is ineffective against this poison. Luckily, the Crown Prince has been taking the small quantity of the poison so he is alive," the Royal Physician informed the Emperor whose heart sank upon hearing that.
Han Wenji looked at Xing-Fu who was on the verge of crying. "Call General Xiao here," Han Wenji ordered. Xing-Fu bowed his head and strode out of the room. He went towards the barracks to ask about General Xiao. There he met commander Tao who told the soldiers to inform General Xiao.
Xing-Fu went with those three soldiers to the Interrogation House. There he found the Crown Princess and General Xiao were questioning the Palace servants. Seeing Xing-Fu there, Ying Lili came towards him. "How is the Crown Prince?" She had tears in her eyes.
Xing-Fu refused. "Your highness, his majesty has called for General Xiao," Xing-Fu passed the message. Xiao Zhan came to him. "Let's go. Your highness, please continue the interrogation," Xiao Zhan spoke politely. Ying Lili nodded. She quickly took out a pendant that she had worn on her neck.
"General Xiao, this pendant was given by grandmother to ward off the surrounding evil. Make sure that the Crown Prince will wear it," Ying Lili requested as a teardrop rolled down her cheek.
Xiao Zhan took the pendant from Ying Lili and left from there. She wiped a tear off her cheek and went back to the front. "None of you see anyone going inside my resting chamber?" Ying Lili asked all the Palace servants in a stern expression.
No one answered and had lowered their heads. "I do not want you to stand mute. I want answers," Ying Lili shouted as she kept walking from the middle of the Palace servants. She was noticing the body language of each of the servants there. "Everyone of you will be punished for not doing your duties. Commander Yang, take them away for the punishment," Ying Lili ordered when.
The servants came to their knees. "We have done nothing, your highness. Please spare us," they said in unison.
"Your pleadings will not turn things right. None of you could see that someone has entered my chamber. How can you be so irresponsible?" Ying Lili bellowed at them. Ying Lili came to the front again when commander Yang came near to Yong Lili.
"Your highness, this might be a work of a spy. The Palace servants could not notice that" Commander Yang opined. Commander Tao too reached there with a small piece of the army. He bowed his head in front of the Crown princess, "The maidservant which had accompanied her highness in the morning is caught."
Ying Lili smiled upon hearing those words. She was delighted because now she could prove her innocence.
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General Xiao reached the resting chamber of the Crown prince. Bowing his head in front of the Emperor, General Xiao spoke, "Your majesty, I am here." Han Wenji whose eyes were fixated on Sheng Li turned to look at Xiao Zhan.
"Interrogate the King of Juyan, Song Li Xiu, regarding the antidote of this poison. Bring the person who has the antidote. Ask the Crown Princess as well about this. She is from Juyan so, she must know this," Han Wenji ordered Xiao Zhan who bowed his head.
"Your majesty, the Crown Princess has sent this pendant for the Crown Prince. May I put it beside the Crown prince's pillow?" Xiao Zhan asked for permission.
"You may do that," Han Wenji permitted. Xiao Zhan went towards the bed on which the Crown Prince was lying. He was baffled to see the face of the Crown prince, which had turned pale because of the deadly poison. Xiao Zhan placed the pendant beside the pillow and stepped back. "I will find the antidote," Xiao Zhan assured the Emperor and took his leave.
He came to the punishment Hall and saw the servants and guards were not there anymore. "How is Sheng Li?" Ying Lili asked Xiao Zhan.
"The Crown Prince is not in a pleasant state. Your highness, do you know about the antidote of the poison?" Xiao Zhan queried the Crown princess.
"No. Father never told me about him," Ying Lili replied. She was looking as if she would break into tears any time. Xiao Zhan, without saying anything walked out from there. He went to the prison where Song Li Xiu was tied to the chains. Seeing the general there, the prison keeper opened the lock.
"If you want to go alive from here, tell about the antidote and the person who has the antidote," Xiao Zhan demanded answers from Song Li Xiu who was beaten up badly.
"The one who had the antidote has died last year. No one knows about the antidote anymore," Song Li Xiu spoke the words which the prime minister had told him.
"Don't lie," Xiao Zhan loudly said in a threatening tone as he took out a hot iron rod from the small furnace made there. He brought it to the front of Song Li Xiu's chest and was going to pierce him when Song Li Xiu spoke. "Please believe me. He is already dead so, is the antidote. His name was Chou Mang So who died a year ago."
"How can I trust you who killed his own brother for the throne," Xiao Zhan shouted and the hot iron rod touched the skin of Song Li Xiu who cried out in pain when commander Tao came running there. "General Xiao, the maidservant is telling that she gave the poison to the Crown Prince at the request of the Crown princess," Tao Zedong informed Xiao Zhan who handed the hot iron rod to the soldier standing beside him.
Xiao Zhan walked out of the prison and went back to the punishment chamber. "Why are you lying?" Ying Lili questioned that maidservant.
Xiao Zhan told the Crown Princess to step aside. "Your entire family can get punished for lying to us. Just say the truth," Xiao Zhan said in exasperation.
"Your highness, I am saying the truth. On the instructions of the Crown princess, I have done this," the maidservant told who was on her knees and was crying. The prime minister came there along with other court ministers who were being informed about that by a soldier.
"Your highness, you said that you did not do this, but the witness has accepted the truth," Wei Zhang Yong asserted.
"Respected Prime minister, we shall call the emergency court meeting and report to his majesty for the expeditious delivery of justice," requested the Justice and law minister, Shoi-Ming.
"General Xiao, please inform his majesty to come to the court. The decision has to be taken now," requested the prime minister. Xiao Zhan could not help but agreeing with the prime minister as he was bound by his duty.
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Ying Lili was brought to the court by commander Yang, along with the major witness. Han Wenji was seated on the dragon throne and asked about the emergency call to organize the court.
Wei Zhang Yong stood up from his seat and bowed his head. "Your majesty, this witness has accepted the truth that she mixed the poison in the custard on the instructions of the Crown princess," Wei Zhang Yong pronounced.
Han Wenji looked at the maidservant. "Is this true?"
The maid had lowered her eyes and was on her knees. "Yes, your majesty. I did this on the instructions of the Crown princess."
"She is lying, your majesty. Why would I ask to search for her if I had told her to mix the poison, your majesty? I would have killed her to clear the evidence against me, but I asked general Xiao to search for her," Ying Lili defended herself.
Wei Zhang Yong smiled and spoke, "Your majesty, the Crown princess is known for her kindness. She could not have dared to kill her. But, the people of Han are loyal to it. That's why this maidservant, despite the danger, accepted the truth. I do not know why his majesty is giving the chances to the Crown Princess when she is the one for the critical condition of the Crown prince," Wei Zhang Yong proclaimed as he lowered his head.
The Justice and Law minister also supported the prime minister along with the other court ministers. "Crown Princess, I have given you the chance to prove your innocence. The witnesses say that it is done by you. The condition of Sheng Li is not good at all and I cannot be biased about doing justice. You will be uncrowned tomorrow morning and will be hanged to death along with your entire regal family of Juyan," Han Wenji announced the decision.
Ying Lili fell on her knees. "I did nothing, your majesty. Please believe me. Every evidence is against me because someone wants…" Ying Lili could not complete her words as her voice choked.
"Take away the Crown Princess to the prison," Han Wenji commanded and walked out from there. Ying Lili was taken away from there to the prison.
Before going to the prison, a maidservant helped Ying Lili in taking out the Royal robes and made her wear the white-colored robes. The jewelry that Crown Princess was wearing was removed and then she was taken to prison by General Xiao.
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