The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 600 - 600 Empress Dowager Takes Action (Part 5) - Double

Chapter 600: Empress Dowager Takes Action (Part 5) – Double Update Chapter 600: Empress Dowager Takes Action (Part 5) – Double Update Tang Yueshan suddenly lifted his head!

Deceiving people, the Empress Dowager was a professional.

Empress Dowager Zhuang spoke earnestly, “I’ve met Mingming. Although he can be a bit proud, he is not evil by nature. Although I have no evidence, I feel that they might’ve been attempting to add the sleeping drug into Mingming’s drink last night during their visit to the Marshal Residence. They were so proficient at adding the drug that I began to wonder, did they do it before too? That’s why I brought Changsui in for questioning.”

This suspicion was like a ray of sunlight after a thunderstorm.

When a person was thrown into the mud, they didn’t need to return to their original high position, just lifting them back to the ground would be enough for them to gratefully accept their circumstances.

Tang Yueshan clung to it like a lifeline, unwilling to sink back into the mud. “Was it a drug? It must have been a drug! How could a good child like Mingming do such a thing? He must have been drugged!”

Empress Dowager Zhuang continued her deception: “This morning, I had someone fetched Commandant Gu’s water skin, and found the same sleeping drug in his water as well.”

Tang Yueshan’s expression froze.

Empress Dowager Zhuang sighed, “Ah, Commandant Gu had the motive to kill Mingming, but he wouldn’t be foolish enough to harm Mingming in public view. After all, they are only half-brothers, so would he really risk so much for him?”

Tang Yueshan felt the Empress Dowager made a lot of sense!

He hesitantly asked, “So he… was also drugged?”

Empress Dowager Zhuang looked at him calmly: “Correct.”

Gu Changqing and Tang Ming were victims together. If Tang Yueshan wanted to believe in one, he must also believe in the other.

Would Tang Yueshan believe this?

The answer was affirmative.

He would rather accept that Gu Changqing was not the real murderer than suspect his own son of being a pervert.

By this point, all of Tang Ming’s hatred towards Gu Changqing had ceased, and his only hatred was towards the mysterious schemer behind the scenes!

He raged, “Who is it? Who is stirring up trouble between the Marshal and Marquis Residences?”

Empress Dowager Zhuang rubbed her not-so-painful eyebrows and sighed, “I’m clueless too. The murders last night happened so fast that we didn’t even have time for interrogation. And it’s partially your fault for not explaining the details as well. If it wasn’t for Eunuch Qin discovering clues while burying the bodies, I wouldn’t have found any leads at all!”

Tang Yueshan was filled with regret. Yes, why did he not inform the Empress Dowager more thoroughly? The Empress Dowager had already discovered so many clues just from two corpses, if he had persuaded her to keep a few alive, wouldn’t the person behind the scenes already be revealed?

What does it mean when you’ve been cheated out of your money and still count it for the person who cheated you? This was it.

Seeing that she had pretty much convinced him, Empress Dowager Zhuang prepared to wrap up the conversation: “I’ve said what needs to be said. You can decide what to do next. If you really want to execute Commandant Gu, I won’t stop you. Killing an emperor’s man is no loss.”

There was no loss, but… Thinking about how doing so would fulfill the schemer’s plans, Tang Yueshan felt indignant!

Could he let the person, who ruined Mingming, get away with it?

Was he stupid?

He chuckled coldly, not only would he not kill Gu Changqing, once the fuss died down, he would actually promote and advance Gu Changqing!

He wanted to show the person behind the scenes, that he, Tang Yueshan, was not a fool!

–

After the news of Gu Changqing’s impending execution emerged, the old Marquis couldn’t sleep all night.

He couldn’t even eat breakfast as he rushed to the Imperial Palace to see the Emperor at dawn.

The Emperor knew why he was here.

The Emperor was also very upset.

For such matters happening in any other place, he might have a solution, but it’s happening in the military camp this time.

Everything had to follow military law strictly, even the Emperor and Empress Dowager had no place to interfere.

Tang Yueshan hadn’t arrested Gu Changqing for injuring Tang Ming’s arm but for attempting to escape from prison in the middle of the night.

This was a capital offense, regardless of rank.

Not to mention, he had also killed two innocent soldiers.

“Your Majesty! My grandson has been wronged! There must be more to this!”

Gu Changqing hadn’t said a word to the old Marquis, who knew nothing about the assassins or that Gu Changqing had visited Gu Yan.

However, the old Marquis believed that Gu Changqing would never harm innocent people or desert the army.

The Emperor sighed, “I want to save him too, but all the evidence is against him, and he has admitted it himself.”

This was indeed the key point. Gu Changqing had admitted to escaping from prison.

Even he as the Emperor could not overstep the boundary!

The Emperor gritted his teeth. “If there is really no other way, I… I will allow you to have your men storm the execution ground.”

But then, Gu Changqing wouldn’t be able to live under the sun anymore.

He also wouldn’t be able to inherit the Marquis Residence.

How was this different from killing a person?

The old Marquis collapsed weakly to the floor.

Suddenly, Eunuch Wei rushed in with a frantic expression. “Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Something big has happened! Commandant Gu… he… he…”

The elderly Marquis turned pale: “What happened to Changqing?”

Butler Wei laughed: “He’s been released without charges!”

The Emperor: “…”

The elderly Marquis: “…”

–

As soon as Dowager Empress Zhuang finished her daily rounds of deception, she hurriedly returned to the Renshou Palace.

“Jiaojiao, everything is done! Where’s my Syrup Egg?”

The eunuch Qin walking behind Dowager Empress Zhuang almost tripped!

You passionately conned everyone all morning, all for a bowl of Syrup Eggs?

You’re the Dowager Empress, have some dignity, will you?

“It’s ready.” Gu Jiao smirked, bringing out a bowl of Syrup Eggs from the small kitchen.

Dowager Empress Zhuang rubbed her hands, eagerly staring at her Syrup Eggs.

Jiaojiao said that she would add two extra spoonfuls of sugar and two more eggs!

Imagine that! Two extra spoonfuls of sugar!

Dowager Empress Zhuang salivated while glancing at the large soup bowl Gu Jiao placed on the table.

Just after a second, her face darkened.

Dowager Empress Zhuang: “You said you would add two extra spoonfuls of sugar.”

Gu Jiao: “I did.”

I just also added two extra bowls of water.

Dowager Empress Zhuang: “But, what about the extra two eggs?”

Gu Jiao: “I added them too.”

They were Little Mimi’s quail eggs, minus the yolks, though.

Dowager Empress Zhuang cried out silently in despair–

I’m wronged.

I’m not speaking!

Eunuch Qin, witnessing the rare occasion of Dowager Empress Zhuang being defeated, couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Dowager Empress Zhuang’s deadly glare shot right at him!

Eunuch Qin shuddered. The past fears ruled by Dowager Empress Zhuang rushed into his mind; he dropped to his knees out of fright, “Please forgive me, Your Majesty!”

Dowager Empress Zhuang squinted dangerously.

Just when Eunuch Qin thought he was doomed, Dowager Empress Zhuang suddenly raised her finger, pointing at him. She said to Gu Jiao, “Eunuch Qin has been working hard today as well. Jiaojiao, make him a bowl too.”

On hearing these words, Eunuch Qin wondered if he had indeed lost his mind out of fear.

The Dowager Empress appreciated his efforts?

And had Miss Gu cook him a bowl of Syrup Eggs?

Eunuch Qin hastily bowed, “Your humble servant doesn’t dare! Your humble servant doesn’t dare!”

Dowager Empress Zhuang sinisterly smirked, “No, you dare.”

A quarter of an hour later, Gu Jiao brought another bowl of Syrup Eggs. This bowl looked much richer, and one could smell the aroma of brown sugar from afar.

Dowager Empress Zhuang: “Eat with me.”

Eunuch Qin was so frightened he fell to his knees!

“Eunuch Qin, go ahead and eat.” Gu Jiao laughed.

Eunuch Qin trembled as he glanced at the Dowager Empress. He felt he was in a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation and reluctantly sat down.

Dowager Empress Zhuang seriously said, “Jiaojiao.”

“Hmm?”

“Someone is calling for you outside.”

“Really?”

Dowager Empress Zhuang nodded, “In the Imperial Garden!”

“Oh.” Gu Jiao’s brows quirked up as she stepped out.

As soon as she left, Dowager Empress Zhuang quickly snatched Eunuch Qin’s bowl of Syrup Eggs!

Eunuch Qin, looking dumbfounded: “…”