Madam Zhao gritted her teeth. "I want the Lu family to pay with my daughter's life, as well as the Fourth Prince and the Empress..."
"Agreed."
Tang Ning replied without hesitation.
Madam Zhao pressed her lips together. "I don't trust you."
Tang Ning raised her hand solemnly. "I swear by the spirits of my grandfather and my parents in heaven, that as long as Madam Zhao helps me today, I will fulfill my promise to you, clear Zhao Yinxuan's name, and avenge her. Otherwise, may my ancestors fall into hell and never reincarnate!"
Madam Zhao's expression wavered, and after a moment, she gritted her teeth.
"Fine, tell me, what should I do?"
The imperial summons for Xiao Yan arrived sooner than expected.
Yu Yanfeng rode ahead, urging the carriage driver to hurry, while inside the carriage sat Steward Feng, who had been sent to Jiyun Alley with the imperial edict, and two trusted imperial physicians from the Taiyi Bureau.
"Move faster!"
Yu Yanfeng spoke in a deep voice.
The two imperial physicians, unsure of the situation, were hastily pulled along. Seeing the heavily armored Imperial Guards accompanying them, they felt uneasy.
"Steward Feng, what's happening?"
One of the physicians cautiously inquired. They had been abruptly summoned, only knowing they were to see the severely injured Supervisor Xiao, but the large entourage made them feel something was amiss.
Steward Feng's face was grim. Although he served the emperor, he had covert dealings with Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan was powerful and influential; he had divulged many court secrets under duress. But today, things had taken an unexpected turn.
When Zhao's family caused a commotion in the palace, he wanted to send a secret message but was detained in the emperor's presence. Later, when the Fourth Prince's consort was in trouble, he had no chance to assist.
Glancing at Yu Yanfeng leading the Imperial Guards, Steward Feng felt a surge of panic. If something happened to Xiao Yan, he would be finished too.
Suppressing his unease, he was about to speak when he noticed the carriage suddenly come to a halt. Yu Yanfeng seemed surprised.
"Princess Xiangning?"
Steward Feng exclaimed. Song Tangning?
He hurriedly leaned forward, pulling back the curtain to see Song Tangning approaching with an anxious expression, accompanied by several people.
Tang Ning feigned surprise. "Captain Yu, Steward Feng, what brings you here?"
Steward Feng quickly exited the carriage. "I was accompanying Captain Yu to see Supervisor Xiao."
"See my brother?" Tang Ning's face showed surprise, which quickly turned to urgency. "Forget about that for now. I have urgent business to see the emperor."
Both Steward Feng and Yu Yanfeng were puzzled.
Steward Feng asked, "Why does the princess seek an audience with the emperor?"
"It's not for me; it's for someone else."
Tang Ning gestured behind her, and a middle-aged woman emerged from the carriage. Steward Feng immediately recognized her.
"Madam Zhao?" He exclaimed in surprise.
Madam Zhao appeared disheveled, her eyes red, and her face pale, as if she were unwell and needed support to stand.
"Steward Feng, I request an audience with the emperor." She spoke between labored breaths.
"My husband conspired with the Lu family to murder my daughter and attempted to harm Supervisor Xiao. They also plotted to usurp the throne. I accidentally discovered this and was drugged and confined in my residence. I barely escaped."
"I must see the emperor..."
As she spoke, she was overcome by a violent cough, and blood appeared at the corner of her mouth.
Tang Ning's expression changed. "Madam Zhao! Quickly, fetch a doctor..."
"No, I must see the emperor..." Madam Zhao gasped, clutching Tang Ning's hand.
Yu Yanfeng was already stunned by Madam Zhao's words. Steward Feng's heart sank. Seeing Madam Zhao spitting blood, he urgently called to the side.
"Doctors Yuan and Jiang, hurry, save her!"
The two physicians scrambled to dismount. By the time they reached Madam Zhao, she had collapsed.
After examining her, Physician Yuan said in a deep voice, "Madam Zhao has been poisoned. Princess Xiangning, lay her flat."
Tang Ning quickly ordered her attendants to lay Madam Zhao on the ground.
There were people watching this side from afar, but they were separated by the guards.
The two imperial doctors brought over the medicine box, fed Madam Zhao detoxification pills, and then gave her silver needles. Tang Ning looked at Madam Zhao with an anxious face.
Yu Yanfeng stood beside her and said, "May I ask, Princess, what happened? What did Madam Zhao mean by that?"
Tang Ning's face turned pale: "I don't know either."
"Today is the monthly exam of Rongsheng Academy. I just came out of the exam and wanted to go to Xijue Building to buy some snacks, when I ran into Madam Zhao who looked extremely embarrassed at the intersection of Fengxiang Street."
"Because of the matter of the Fourth Prince's Consort, Madam Zhao came to me to plead for mercy. I saw her fall to the side of the road and vomit blood, so I asked her a question. She just grabbed me and said that she wanted to go to the palace to see His Majesty immediately. She said that the Zhao family conspired with others to kill the Fourth Prince's Consort and that they wanted to seize the throne..."
Her eyes were uneasy, and her knuckles were pale as she clutched her sleeves.
"I originally wanted to take Madam Zhao back to Jiyun Lane, but someone was chasing Madam Zhao. As soon as I took her to the carriage, someone caught up with her and attacked her."
"My maid and guards were all injured. After the pursuers escaped, Madam Zhao begged me to send her to the palace immediately, saying that someone wanted to kill her to silence her. I was afraid that something serious had happened, so I had no choice but to take her to the palace."
Fengxiang Street is where the south and west of the city meet. The Zhao family is in the west of the city, Rongsheng Academy is in the south of the city, and the imperial palace is in the east of the city.
Yu Yanfeng looked at the panic-stricken Tang Ning with a gleam in his eyes: "The princess has been in the academy before?"
Tang Ning was stunned for a moment: "Yes, there is an exam at the academy today, I went there early in the morning. Commander Yu, what's wrong?"
"nothing."
Yu Yanfeng looked towards the carriage and saw that there were indeed two people with blood on their bodies. Their faces looked pale, as if they were injured.
Eunuch Feng didn't know what had happened to the Zhao family, but no matter what, Song Tangning was definitely on Xiao Yan's side.
He calmed down a little and asked the two doctors urgently, "Doctor Yuan, how is Madam Zhao doing?"
Doctor Yuan frowned, "The poison in Madam Zhao's body is extremely vicious, called Liulisha. After the poison takes effect, it will not kill you immediately, but will make you sleepy and fall asleep. It will take half a month for you to die, and after you die, it will look like you died of a sudden illness."
"Madam Zhao was poisoned and she took something to wake her up. She also ran vigorously. The clash of the drugs caused the poison to break out prematurely. Fortunately, I brought the antidote pills developed by the Imperial Medical Bureau. They can temporarily suppress the toxicity."
Previously, Madam Qin went in and out of the Imperial Medical Bureau and taught them some rare secret recipes. The people in the Imperial Medical Bureau worked together to develop some universal detoxification pills.
This thing has a restraining effect on common poisons, so people in the Imperial Hospital always carry a few of these with them at all times.
You can read ahead to chapterr 470 (100+ extra chapters) here
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