Chapter 234: The Accusation

When Yue Mingxuan heard this, he smiled faintly and replied, “A sickness of the heart requires a cure of the heart. Mingxuan’s knowledge is shallow, and he does not know what sort of ’heart medicine’ could heal Your Highness’s condition. Your Highness would do better to seek someone more capable.”

Seeing that Yue Mingxuan had made it clear he had no intention of wading into this muddy water, Imperial Consort Hua did not grow angry. She merely said, “One may have no intention of harming a tiger, yet the tiger may still harbor the intent to harm. I’m just acting for the sake of self preservation.”

Yue Mingxuan took a step back and said earnestly, “With Your Highness’s current standing and abilities, it would not be easy for anyone to harm you.”

He was a doctor, not a strategist, this distinction he understood very clearly.

With that, he rose to his feet, preparing to leave this den of trouble, but Imperial Consort Hua stopped him.

“Prince Yue, why rush off so quickly? Why not stay and chat a little longer?”

As she spoke, her personal servant had already placed a gold ingot onto the table.

Seeing the gleaming gold, Yue Mingxuan could not help but hesitate.

Perhaps… it wouldn’t hurt to chat for the sake of one more ingot?

That thought had barely formed before his body reacted ahead of his mind.

He swiftly tucked the gold into his sleeve, then gave an awkward smile and said, “I don’t have anything pressing to attend to. Accompanying Your Highness in conversation would be just fine.”

Seeing this, a faint smile appeared on Imperial Consort Hua’s face.

As long as a person had weaknesses, they could be used by her and Yue Mingxuan was naturally no exception.

The two of them returned to the pavilion and sat down once more.

Yue Mingxuan then spoke first, “What Your Highness seeks, Mingxuan truly cannot accomplish.”

Imperial Consort Hua smiled and said, “If you were not a foreign born prince, I would say you are worthy of Shan’er.”

As she spoke, she removed the jade bracelet that she had been wearing on her wrist and insisted on placing it onto Yue Mingxuan’s arm.

Yue Mingxuan accepted Imperial Consort Hua’s “gift” with some resignation, while his thoughts raced as he quietly considered how best to extricate himself from the situation without incident.

However, after Imperial Consort Hua gave him the bracelet, she did not say anything further.

Although Yue Mingxuan felt a slight sense of relief in his heart, he still kept a taut string drawn tight in his mind, not daring to relax in the slightest.

The two of them sat facing each other in silence.

After a short while, a young eunuch stepped up to Imperial Consort Hua’s side and whispered something into her ear several times.

A trace of smug satisfaction appeared on Imperial Consort Hua’s face.

“I’ll will not detain Prince Yue any longer,” she said as she rose to her feet. “I hope that in the future, you will be able to think things through clearly.”

Yue Mingxuan did not dwell on the deeper meaning of her words.

It was not until he found himself surrounded by a group of imperial guards at Imperial Garden that his temples began to throb violently with anger.

The imperial guard leading the group maintained a fairly courteous attitude.

“Prince Yue, His Majesty has issued a decree summoning you to an audience.”

Although this was the first time he had encountered such a grand display, Yue Mingxuan did not lose his composure.

“What day is it today, to warrant such a large mobilization?”

“If the Prince comes with me, you’ll know soon enough.” The guard did not say much more and politely invited him into the carriage.

Before long, the carriage came to a stop.

Yue Mingxuan looked outside and was surprised to see that they had arrived at the Cold Palace.

Recalling how several of his past confrontations had taken place here, Yue Mingxuan pressed his lips together and smiled faintly.

This Cold Palace is really unlucky place.

Yet the farther he walked inside, the more unsettled he felt.

The atmosphere was strangely oppressive, an eerie stillness hanging over the place.

Perhaps because the emperor was present, those madwomen who cried and laughed hysterically had long since been cleared out.

With that thought in mind, Yue Mingxuan became more attentive to his surroundings, only to realize that they seemed to be heading toward Xie Lianhua’s residence.

After passing through a narrow path, Yue Mingxuan followed the imperial guards to Xie Lianhua’s quarters.

Many guards stood watch all around.

One glance was enough to tell that the emperor was inside.

The leading guard said to Yue Mingxuan, “Prince Yue, His Majesty is waiting for you inside.”

Although he felt utterly baffled, Yue Mingxuan still pushed the door open and walked in.

Inside the room stood the Emperor and Imperial Consort Zhou, along with a royal physician from the Imperial Medical Bureau whose face looked unfamiliar.

“Yue Mingxuan, do you know your crime?” Imperial Consort Zhouspoke first, her voice sharp and commanding as soon as she saw him enter. “You have poisoned Princess Xie. I advise you to confess early, so you won’t have to suffer unnecessary physical pain later.”

Hearing her say this, Yue Mingxuan was utterly shocked.

Xie Lianhua was dead? Someone he had spoken with just a few hours ago had died only hours later?

Seeing that the astonishment in Yue Mingxuan’s eyes did not seem feigned, the Emperor’s expression softened somewhat as he spoke. “Yue Mingxuan, Imperial Consort Zhou accuses you of plotting to murder Princess Xie. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Yue Mingxuan gradually recovered from his shock. He steadied himself and replied, “In response to Your Majesty, I did not do it.”

As a doctor, he saved lives, he did not take them. He would never acknowledge such a wrongful charge.

Imperial Consort Zhou let out a cold laugh. “There are many who can testify that before Princess Xie ’s poison took effect, the only person she saw was you. Moreover, the bottle used to hold the poison was found in her room, and it originated from your place. With both witnesses and physical evidence present, what room is there left for you to argue?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep