The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 1052 - 239: Passing the Throne to Prince Yongle_2

Chapter 1052: Chapter 239: Passing the Throne to Prince Yongle_2

Shi Su knew the moment he received the order that he was to be sacrificed, his life and the lives of his subordinates exchanged for that of Pei Qin. Only with his death and the death of those beneath him could the evidence be traced to someone else, allowing Prince He Qing to be exonerated.

Clutching the medicine bag, Shi Su took a deep breath and sneered. To be accompanied in death by the legendary deity general Pei Qin made his demise worthwhile!

At the banquet, a continuous stream of exquisite dishes were served, along with chilled bowls of iced milk curd and fine wine from the foreign country.

Emperor Chu Wen specially bestowed a small flask to Pei Qin, "You still have residual poison, but you may have a little of this grape wine."

Pei Qin obliged with thanks and sat down.

Shi Su personally brought the wine over and personally poured it for Pei Qin.

Although the other chancellors were envious, they knew that General Pei was currently in the Emperor’s favor, so they praised him and offered toasts.

Shen Bi also held up a cup, "With General Pei overseeing our military affairs, My Great Chu will be as impregnable as a metal stronghold. On behalf of the people of Great Chu, I toast General Pei!"

He was Shen Songming’s uncle, and Pei Qin gave him the face he deserved, lifting her cup, "It is Elder Shen who tirelessly worries and toils for the nation and its people. This cup ought to be offered by this official in respect to Elder Shen."

Shen Bi chuckled heartily and motioned for her to lift the cup.

The onlookers watched, each with their own thoughts. But Emperor Chu Wen was truly elated within his heart — with Pei Qin for martial affairs and Shen Bi for civil, the whole land of Great Chu was secure and mighty!

With a faint smile, Pei Qin raised her cup to drink.

A little palace maid approached to add dishes, but stumbled, cried out in alarm, and fell onto Pei Qin.

Pei Qin hadn’t expected a well-trained palace maid to fall on her, so she quickly reached out to catch her, and the wine spilled over the table all at once.

The cup hit the floor and shattered, wine spreading all over.

Pei Qin, who was supporting the little palace maid that had fallen onto her, looked down and her expression instantly changed.

Shi Su, too, turned pale with alarm, his eyes filled with murderous intent as he scolded the little palace maid, "Do you not know your place, daring to interfere with the wine of the General Protectorate!?"

Pei Qin did not speak, but helped the little palace maid stand.

The ones sitting nearby saw the grape wine on the floor foaming and their faces turned ghastly pale, "Is there poison in the wine!?"

Shock rippled through the crowd.

Emperor Chu Wen roared in anger, "How could there be poison in the wine! And how did it end up in Pei Hansan’s hands?" Someone was trying to kill Pei Qin right before his eyes, which enraged Emperor Chu Wen beyond measure, "Shi Rui! Investigate at once!"

Shi Rui responded forthwith, his piercing gaze instantly turning towards his most prized disciple, Shi Su, "Shi Su, it was you who personally opened and poured the wine, wasn’t it!?"

Shi Su, terrified, turned as white as a sheet and knelt with a thud, "It’s not this servant, Your Majesty! This servant is wronged! The wine came from the foreign country, and while I opened it and poured the wine, others were around and might have touched it. In my carelessness, someone managed to poison General Pei’s drink. This servant deserves death for that! But the poison was certainly not put in by this servant!"

"Arrest everyone who touched the wine or came into contact with the cups and bowls and interrogate them thoroughly!" Emperor Chu Wen ordered furiously.

Shi Su and several little eunuchs were immediately seized, although he still tried to argue desperately in his defense.

"This wine passed through your hands, yet another had the opportunity to touch it and add poison. After serving so many years beside the Emperor, how could you not comprehend the rules here?" Shi Rui had already concluded that his disciple had been bought off by someone intent on assassinating Pei Qin.

Especially when he heard several chancellors angrily demanding the execution as a form of apology.

"To think that this vile servant would poison the General Protectorate! No amount of slicing and dicing would be too much!" Xiao Guangjing said coldly.

Seeing Xiao Guangbi speak up, a smug and sinister smirk flashed across his eyes, and he also stood up with an expression of outrage, "Father Emperor! The General Protectorate bears no grudge against this servant, yet this servant dared to attempt murder in front of Father Emperor, in front of all the chancellors; surely someone instigated this!"

Everyone knew that although Shi Su, a eunuch, was not the Grand Steward, being a steward nonetheless meant that once his master Shi Rui retired, his prospects were limitless. Yet he tried to poison the General Protectorate, who was currently in the Emperor’s favor, which meant he was surely under someone’s instigation. Someone did not wish for the General Protectorate to remain alive!

Xiao Guangzhao sat quietly, watching as the chancellors murmured speculations of Wa Ci assassins, Rong Clan spies, and foreign spies, and he pressed his lips together coldly.

Xiao Guangbi then mentioned that Shi Su was from Dong County, the place where Consort Jing’s family rose to prominence. And although Consort Jing, mother to Prince Yong’an, had passed away many years ago, her family would surely still support and endorse Prince Yong’an, Xiao Guangjing.

After giving him a glance, Xiao Guangjing’s eyes flashed with deep mockery. Him, murder Pei Qin? Even Pei Qin would not believe such a claim!

But Shi Su gritted his teeth and, still kneeling, crawled towards him, "Prince! Prince save me! Save this servant!" He reached out to grasp at his legs.

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