Chapter 25: Evidence

"Your Majesty, Yingli, the maidservant from the Empress's side, has arrived."

Jiang Cong'an entered with his back hunched, bowing low, not daring to draw a full breath.

"In that case, bring her in. I should like to hear what she has to say." Xiao Zheng gave a cold snort, the pressure in the room dropping to a chilling level.

Yingli entered quickly. She knelt and kowtowed immediately, keeping her head lowered as she remained in that position. "I am guilty, Your Majesty. Please punish me."

Xiao Zheng sat on the Dragon Throne, expressionless, watching the woman prostrate on the floor. After a long silence, he spoke. "Do tell me, what is your crime?"

Yingli remained motionless.

"I come from humble beginnings and always hoped to provide for my kin back home. Imperial Physician Zhang and I have been close since childhood. In a moment of madness, I begged Her Majesty the Empress to have him appointed to the Imperial Medical Academy. I thought that as an imperial physician, he would have more freedom to travel in and out of the palace, and I hoped he might help carry things back to my hometown. I never imagined his medical skills would be so inadequate, nearly causing a catastrophe. I acknowledge my guilt; please, Your Majesty, calm your wrath."

Yingli’s voice was steady and unhurried, as if she were indifferent to how Xiao Zheng might deal with her. Of course, since she had stepped forward to take the blame, it was undoubtedly under the Empress's instruction.

Those who serve the Empress closely are always held by her through some leverage; otherwise, she would never trust them. For most, that leverage is their family, and Yingli was no exception.

The Empress cared only for her own interests and never concerned herself with the lives of others, nor did she truly trust anyone. Yingli was a bondservant, brought into the palace from the Empress's own maiden family. She had grown up alongside the Empress and served as her sharpened blade, handling all the matters the Empress found inconvenient to address herself.

Under normal circumstances, if the Crown Prince were to ascend the throne, Yingli would have attained a position similar to that of Nanny Song at the Empress Dowager’s side.

Alas, she would have no chance to enjoy such comfort, nor would she ever be addressed with the respectful title of "Nanny."

If she had not stepped forward today, someone else would have. The difference would be that she would have been forced to watch her family be slaughtered by the Empress before being executed herself.

The current outcome was acceptable; by sacrificing only herself, she could ensure the safety of her family. When the Empress reflected on how obediently she had gone to her death, she would likely treat her family with kindness.

It was the Empress who had used her family to threaten her, forcing her to become this scapegoat.

Upon hearing her, Xiao Zheng’s expression remained unchanged.

The animosity between the Empress and the Empress Dowager had existed for years. To suggest that a mere palace maid could manipulate an Imperial Physician into committing an act punishable by the extermination of one’s entire clan was a lie that wouldn't fool a fool, let alone an Emperor like Xiao Zheng, who had survived the chaos of the succession wars.

"You are truly capable. Do not think that because you are but a maid, I do not see the truth. The Empress was able to place your fellow villager, Physician Zhang, into the Medical Academy on your word alone—it shows just how deeply the Empress cherishes you. Tell me, you come to the Imperial Study to confess so suddenly, did the Empress not stop you? I do not believe the Empress is unaware that plotting against the Empress Dowager is a crime punishable by death for nine generations. Your coming here means not only your own head will be removed, but your family will not escape the same fate."

Although Xiao Zheng was not shouting, his calm tone was terrifying. His implications made everyone present tremble, and even Yingli, kneeling on the floor, could not help but shiver in panic.

"I beg Your Majesty to see the truth. I only wished for my fellow villager to live a less difficult life; I did not instruct him to harm the Empress Dowager. It was all due to Physician Zhang’s own incompetence, which led the Empress Dowager’s health to its current state. It has nothing to do with me, and I would never dare commit such a deed. I am selfish, yes, but a crime of this magnitude? I would never dare!"

She had agreed to be the scapegoat only because the Empress had threatened her family. If not for their lives, she would never be foolish enough to offer her own head. With Xiao Zheng’s threat, how could she remain calm?

"Are you saying that Physician Zhang acted on his own, with no one behind him?"

"I cannot guarantee if anyone instructed Physician Zhang, but I serve in the Phoenix Palace every day. The Empress rarely summoned him, and as she cannot do without me by her side, I had little opportunity to converse with him. The Phoenix Palace has never harbored any intention to harm the Empress Dowager. Please, Your Majesty, judge clearly!"

Physician Zhang, listening, realized Yingli's intent. The Empress had sent her to distance herself and discard him like a spent pawn.

Though he knew he likely would not survive, he had done much for the Empress during her two years of house arrest. Had it not been for him, she might have died from poisoned meals long ago. And the other concubines' lost pregnancies—if not for him, how could it be that no prince or princess had been born in the harem for two years? He had done all this for her, yet now that things were exposed, she was the first to push him to his death. How could he accept this? In an instant, forgetting that his own mother and wife were in her hands, he began to laugh grimly at Yingli.

"Your Majesty, I have something to report. I am indeed from the same village as Yingli, but it was not I who insisted on entering the palace, nor did Yingli come to our village. It was a minor servant from the Empress's side who came with Yingli's token. I did not believe such a stroke of luck possible until Yingli's parents saw the token and confirmed it was indeed hers. Only then did I pack my bags for the capital."

"Upon my arrival, the Empress sent word for me to join the Medical Academy to serve her. I was blinded by greed and have helped her commit many heinous crimes over the years. The pregnancies of Noble Lady Liu and Concubine Qi, and the death of Noble Lady Zhang in the Cold Palace—all were ordered by the Empress while she was under house arrest. I knew I had too much blood on my hands and wanted to leave, but the Empress threatened me, saying if I helped her one last time—to harm the Empress Dowager—she would let me go."

"I am not unaware that harming the Empress Dowager is a death sentence for nine generations, but when the Empress threatens my family, what difference does it make? The Empress Dowager’s poor health is not merely from old illness; the Empress obtained a drug that causes gradual, imperceptible decay—constant fatigue, deeper sleep, eventually leading to death in one's sleep. I thought this was foolproof, but we did not account for the arrival of the Sixth Miss of the Wen family."

"From the prescription Miss Wen wrote, I knew she had detected the poisoning. I recognized one of the ingredients in her soup as a specific antidote. I knew I was exposed, and though I intended to take the blame to repay the Empress's past patronage, I did not expect her to abandon me so quickly."

"Since that is the case, I have nothing left to hide for her."

Physician Zhang knelt on the floor, looking at Xiao Zheng with a gaze of utter resignation.

Yingli, hearing this, could no longer maintain her posture and jerked her head up.

"You are slandering her! The Empress is benevolent and virtuous; she would never do such a thing! Furthermore, it was I who, during a rare visit home, saw you struggling as a village doctor, unable to even afford food. It was out of my own kindness that I brought you to the Academy! How dare you distort the truth and smear the Empress's good intentions!"

If Zhang ruined this, her mission would be a failure, and the Empress would never spare her family. But Zhang had clearly given up on life, and she could not stop him. This was the Imperial Study; any rash move would see the guards descend upon her, and she would only further expose the Empress's involvement.

"If Your Majesty does not believe me, you may search my residence. From the letters the Empress sent me to the payments made after each task, I have kept everything. They are in a locked compartment in the drawer under my study desk. The key is on my person."

Xiao Zheng, clearly intrigued, immediately ordered Jiang Cong'an to search the Zhang residence.

Yingli’s face turned ash-gray. It was over. Everything was over.

Once Jiang Cong'an returned and confirmed the contents, he laid them before Xiao Zheng. As the Emperor flipped through the papers, he nodded repeatedly.

"Good! Truly a fine Empress!"

After reading everything, Xiao Zheng grabbed the pouch of silver and smashed it against Yingli’s head.

"The evidence is irrefutable. Even if you were merely an instrument of the Empress, you have committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor. You shall not escape. Guards! Bring brush and ink! I shall depose the Empress!"

Deposing an Empress is no small matter in any dynasty. It threatens the stability of the state. Usually, an Empress is said to have died of illness, or she remains in her position for life. To depose one mid-way involves cumbersome procedures and is considered highly inauspicious.

Alternatively, if an Empress commits a grave crime, the Emperor usually allows her to "die of illness" to preserve the dignity of the Imperial family, dealing with the matter in secret.

Jiang Cong'an, as the person closest to the Emperor, had a duty to advise caution, but Xiao Zheng was in a rage. If Jiang spoke, he risked his own life.

"Jiang Cong'an, are you deaf? Or do you wish to lose your head as well?"

Xiao Zheng had no patience. He was blinded by fury and the betrayal of those he had trusted.

"Yes, yes, this servant obeys. Your Majesty, please forgive me."

Just as Jiang Cong'an began to grind the ink, Wen Qiao entered from outside.

"Uncle, I have come to relay a message from Grandmother."

Wen Qiao bowed. Jiang Cong'an, hearing this, sighed with relief and slowed his movements. The Emperor was impulsive in his rage, but the Empress Dowager was not. She understood her son better than anyone.

"Is Mother awake? Does she still feel unwell?" Xiao Zheng momentarily forgot the Empress as his concern for the Empress Dowager took precedence.

"Yes, Grandmother is much better. I have checked her pulse, and as long as she follows the prescription, she will be well. Upon waking and learning of today's events, she specifically asked me to relay a message."

Xiao Zheng realized what the Empress Dowager must be trying to say. Though unhappy, he knew his earlier reaction had been impulsive. If he truly deposed the Empress now, the old men in the court would harp on it for days. He needed a graceful way to step down.

"Grandmother says that although she has been strict with the Empress, the Empress has always been respectful. She believes the Empress would never do such a thing; it must have been an underling who was led astray, implicating the Empress in the process. She hopes you will think twice. The Empress is the Mother of the Nation; she hopes you will not wrong her due to this affair."

Wen Qiao stood with lowered eyes. Though she felt the Empress deserved to die, she had to relay the Empress Dowager's words. The Empress's position was necessary for the sake of the greater good. Wen Qiao would have to wait for a more suitable time to dispose of the Empress quietly, sparing the Empress Dowager further worry.

"Mother is right. It is I who failed to investigate thoroughly. Thank you, Mother, for your concern. Qiao, return to Cining Palace and tell her I understand. Tell her to rest well; I will visit her once I have finished handling these matters."