The Crown Prince Chases His Wife
Chapter 138 Poisoning
In the fourth lunar month, the early summer.
On a drizzly morning, the He family, led by the Minister of War in the capital, welcomed a great piece of news.
He Xiao’s concubine, Nanxu, had been walking leisurely in the courtyard the previous night when she lost her footing on a stone step and fell into the flowerbed, causing a disturbance to her pregnancy. There were even signs of premature labor.
The imperial physician and midwife rushed to the house overnight, working tirelessly for half the night until Nanxu’s condition finally stabilized somewhat.
This morning, Nanxu safely gave birth to a son.
Though the child was premature, his physique and complexion were both healthy. After being weighed, he turned out to be six pounds and eight teals, which was quite rare for a premature baby. Everyone praised how well Nanxu had nurtured the child during her pregnancy.
Nanxu, who had just given birth, lay weakly on the bed, smiling faintly as she listened to the cries of the baby in the adjoining room, the compliments from everyone about the child, and the soft patter of the rain outside the window. In a daze, the scene seemed to overlap with that of the night from last year’s Mid-Autumn festival.
This child, after all, had been born.
The continuing rainy weather didn’t dampen the joy of He Yanming, the Minister of War, and his son He Xiao. Even He Xiao’s younger brother, He Zhou, who was supposed to be at the Hanlin Academy on duty, stayed in the mansion, lingering and delaying his departure.
The three men carefully took turns holding the baby, their faces filled with excitement and joy that they could not hide.
At last, He Xiao had an heir.
———-
While feeling happy, He Xiao suddenly spoke, proposing an idea that instantly silenced both He Yanming and He Zhou.
“I want to elevate Nanxu to the status of wife.”
Upon hearing this, both He Yanming and He Zhou’s faces changed dramatically.
He Zhou had the wet nurse take the child away and, pushing He Xiao’s wheelchair, the three of them left the room and headed to the study.
Once inside the study, neither He Yanming nor He Zhou immediately tried to dissuade He Xiao from his absurd idea. They didn’t want to spoil his rare good mood.
After a moment of silence, He Xiao spoke again, “Father, Second Younger Brother, I know your concerns. Is it related to the matter of the Right Prime Minister’s resignation?”
He Yanming furrowed his brows. Since He Xiao understood the implications of this situation, he shouldn’t have brought up such a thought.
He Zhou crouched down and, in a low voice, addressed He Xiao, who was seated in the wheelchair, “Big Brother, for some time now, the whole court has been circulating rumors that the Right Prime Minister Qin, resigned because the Imperial Censor Bureau was planning to impeach him over his attempt to elevate a concubine in his household to the status of wife.”
He Zhou’s face was somewhat uncomfortable as he spoke. After all, the former Right Prime Minister Qin had once been his brother He Xiao’s father-in-law, and the concubine who was raised by Prime Minister Qin to his equal wife was, in fact, He Xiao’s mother-in-law.
However, there were some things He Zhou felt he had to say. What his elder brother had mentioned wasn’t just his own matter. If not handled carefully, it could implicate the entire He family.
He Zhou paused slightly before continuing, “I’m not sure whether Prime Minister Qin truly has such intentions, but I have occasionally overheard some colleagues from the Imperial Censor Bureau mentioning that they were considering impeaching him on the grounds of ‘favoring a concubine over the wife.'”
“Big Brother…”
He Zhou didn’t wish to push further and stopped speaking.
After a brief silence, He Xiao spoke again, “I will petition His Majesty for this favor in my name, as it’s unlikely I will have any more children in the future…”
“If His Majesty agrees, then there will be no issue with the Imperial Censor Bureau. If His Majesty refuses, then that’s the end of it, and I will never bring it up again.”
———–
That night, Qin Nian, filled with fury, found He Xiao, “He Xiao, you want to raise that concubine to the status of wife?”
He Xiao drank the wine in his hand in one gulp, then refilled his cup from the wine jug.
When He Xiao was about to drink again, Qin Nian rushed over in two steps and snatched the wine glass from He Xiao’s hand, but was slapped hard by He Xiao, and Qin Nian was slapped to the ground with the glass.
Qin Nian covered her face and climbed up, standing five steps away from He Xiao, and asked sharply, “What is Nanxu’s background? The descendant of a criminal! A prostitute from Qianshui Lake!”
“You elevate her to be an equal wife and treat her as an equal to me?”
“He Xiao, who do you think I am!”
He Xiao chuckled, reached out to pick up the blue and white wine pot on the table, raised it high, and tilted his head back to let the mellow wine flow into his mouth.
He Xiao swallowed the wine and taunted Qin Nian, “Do you still think you are the daughter of the Prime Minister?”
“Qin Nian, let me help you recall how you got your status as a legitimate daughter.”
“Oh, isn’t it because your lowly birth mother, a concubine, was promoted to an equal wife by Prime Minister Qin that you and your brother were able to…”
“He Xiao!” Qin Nian’s face flushed, and he interrupted He Xiao with an angry shout.
He Xiao took another large gulp from the wine jug and continued, speaking lazily, “You say Nanxu’s background is lowly, but how noble is your mother, Song Mei’s, background?”
“Is she noble enough to sit on equal terms with the legitimate daughters of the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion?”
“What a joke, truly a joke…”
Unable to answer, Qin Nian found herself subjected to a humiliating tirade from He Xiao.
He Xiao was treating her family as if they were powerless!
Qin Nian didn’t say anything more, holding back her tears as she quickly left the room.
————–
Since the birth of the young master, the entire He family, which had been overshadowed by He Xiao’s injury upon returning to the capital, suddenly felt like it had emerged from the gloom. The entire household was filled with joy.
In recent days, He Yanming had heard more than once from outside that people were whispering about He Xiao’s inability to father a child, and the birth of the grandson brought He Yanming not only great joy but also a sigh of relief.
He Yanming made a decisive decision to hold the grandson’s full moon celebration early, choosing the “Twelve Dynasties” theme to symbolize completeness and good fortune. On the twelfth day after the child’s birth, He’s household would hold a grand banquet to celebrate the joy of a son’s birth.
On the day of the full moon banquet, the He Mansion was filled with distinguished guests, bustling with lively excitement.
The banquet had not been going on for long when the housekeeper led a man dressed in simple yet elegant silk robes, holding a finely crafted and exquisite brocade box, directly to He Yanming.
The housekeeper bowed to He Yanming and said, “Master, this gentleman is the steward from the Minister of Personnel, Lord Ji’s household. He was sent by Lord Ji with instructions to personally deliver a gift to the eldest young master.”
He Yanming’s expression showed some doubt. The newly appointed Minister of Personnel, Ji Mu, was a rising star in the court, but He Yanming had no personal connection with the influential Ji Mu.
A few days ago, when Lord Ji had just been promoted to his new position, He Yanming had also sent a congratulatory gift to the Ji Mansion as was customary.
However, today, the Ji Mansion had sent someone specifically to deliver the gift to He Xiao, which didn’t seem like a simple exchange of courtesies.
He Yanming hesitated for a moment but decided not to refuse the visitor. He instructed the housekeeper to bring the person over. Yet, uneasy, he rose after a brief pause and made his way toward He Xiao’s direction.
———–
At that moment, He Xiao was in high spirits, laughing and toasting with a group of old friends. The housekeeper bowed as he approached, interrupting the lively conversation.
The man from the Ji Mansion presented the gift and said, “General He, I apologize for the interruption. My lord has a message that he wishes to deliver personally to you.”
The housekeeper explained the visitor’s identity to He Xiao, and He Xiao frowned, “Alone?”
He Xiao felt his mood sour as the man before him interrupted his enjoyment.
“Today, I am in a good mood. If you have something to say, say it here,” He Xiao said, his tone slightly impatient.
The man in the fine robes seemed a bit hesitant, and after a brief pause, he spoke, “General He, my lord wishes to thank you for your kindness in not marrying Young Lady Wang.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone around them immediately changed their expressions.
Young Lady Wang? Wang Jingyi? He Xiao’s former fiancée?
After handing the gift to the butler, the man bowed slightly and quickly left.
He Xiao’s expression darkened. He motioned for the housekeeper to open the brocade box.
The contents inside made everyone gasp in surprise.
Inside the box was a complete white jade scholar’s set. Judging by the quality of the jade, it was undoubtedly quite valuable.
The Minister of Personnel, Ji Mu, certainly had a generous hand. But this gesture only made He Xiao’s expression grow even darker.
If it weren’t for the earlier words of Ji Mu’s messenger, this full moon gift for the young master would have seemed appropriate and fitting.
But this…
Everyone exchanged glances, and no one dared to speak further. The only sound heard was the faint melody of the opera on the stage.
———-
He Yanming stood not far off, observing the scene that had just unfolded. He waved to the housekeeper and signaled for He Xiao, along with his wheelchair, to be taken to a quiet corner where no one was around.
Both He Yanming and He Xiao had serious expressions, and after a moment of silence, He Yanming held his frustration in check and chose not to directly scold He Xiao for his rashness.
If He Xiao hadn’t refused to speak alone with the messenger, the awkwardness from earlier would not have occurred.
Yet, He Yanming couldn’t hide his displeasure. He tried to suppress his anger as he spoke, “The Ministry of Personnel is the head of the six ministries. For Ji Mu to rise to the position of Minister at such a young age, it’s clear that, apart from the possible support from the Crown Prince, his abilities are far beyond those of ordinary people.”
“Though we haven’t heard any news of Young Lady Wang being officially engaged, it’s clear that Lord Ji has an interest in the Wang family’s eldest daughter.”
“Now that Miss Wang has gone to the Imperial Censor Bureau to serve as a female official, she’s performing well, with a rank and reputation that surpasses all the female officials in the court.”
“If it weren’t for the…”
“Father,” He Xiao interrupted coldly, his face dark as he cut He Yanming off.
He Xiao was somewhat irritated. He didn’t want to hear how well his former fiancée, Wang Jingyi, was living now or how some newly risen court officials were pursuing her.
Back then?
If it hadn’t been for Wang Jingyi’s betrayal, he never would have ended up in this situation!
At that moment, the housekeeper came in with the news, “Shizi Xie from the Marquis of Yongding Mansion has arrived.”
Both He Yanming and He Xiao composed themselves and went to welcome him.
———–
Xie Changyuan was escorted to He Xiao’s table, and after a few rounds of toasts, He Xiao, with a broad smile, instructed the servant, “Bring my son over here for Shizi Xie to see.”
Seeing He Xiao’s prideful demeanor, Xie Changyuan could understand the joy He Xiao was feeling. He raised his cup and clinked it with He Xiao’s, then drank it all in one go.
Xie Changyuan was genuinely happy for He Xiao. After all the hardships he had endured, it was rare to see He Xiao in such high spirits.
A son…
Ah Yan had left while pregnant, and calculating the days, it seemed it was around this time…
“Wa… wa…” A baby’s loud cries interrupted Xie Changyuan’s thoughts.
A swaddled infant, surrounded by several wet nurses to shield it from the wind, was brought over. The butler guided them to the space between He Xiao and Xie Changyuan.
Among the wet nurses, one was a new hire for today. As she glanced at the table, she mistakenly assumed the most distinguished-looking man was her master, the eldest son, He Xiao.
The wet nurse beamed with a smile and complimented Xie Changyuan, “Young Master, the little master really takes after you! Look at the nose, the eyes, the eyebrows, it’s like he was made from the same mold. Don’t you think so?”
She glanced at the other wet nurses for confirmation, but upon seeing their suddenly changed expressions, she realized something was wrong. Her smile froze on her face.
Her voice had been loud enough for everyone to hear the compliment aimed at Xie Changyuan, and the awkwardness was palpable as the room fell silent.
The atmosphere became tense, and both He Xiao and Xie Changyuan immediately darkened their expressions.
The head nurse gave a nervous laugh and quickly apologized, “Apologies, this new hire has poor eyesight. Please don’t take offense, my lords.”
The head maid quickly turned and kicked the wet nurse who had spoken out of turn, then pointed in He Xiao’s direction, signaling for her to apologize, “This is the eldest young master. Quickly, apologize.”
The wet nurse, still dazed and confused, scanned between Xie Changyuan, He Xiao, and the swaddled infant, as if uncertain about the maid’s words.
The guests at the table were also affected by the wet nurse’s confusion, and their gazes shifted toward Xie Changyuan, He Xiao, and the baby.
The atmosphere became uncomfortably awkward.
He Xiao’s face darkened further. Ignoring the presence of guests, he snapped, “If you have poor eyesight, then you should be dismissed. Do you want to keep her until the New Year?”
The wet nurse, still stunned, was promptly escorted away by the housekeeper.
What an unfortunate misstep.
However…
It was only after the maid’s remark that people began to realize something surprising.
Those who had seen the He family’s young master before couldn’t help but compare the baby to He Xiao… and it seemed…
Compared to the eldest young master, this little prince indeed resembled Xie Changyuan more…
Xie Changyuan also sensed the subtle shift in the atmosphere. After sharing a few more drinks with He Xiao, he politely excused himself, citing his busy schedule.
However, the guests quickly began to gossip about the “misunderstanding” caused by the wet nurse.
Feeling the weight of several meaningful glances cast his way, He Xiao’s face darkened, and he left the banquet early.
This scene of confusion quickly spread through the maidservants gossiping as they took the baby back, eventually reaching Nanxu’s ears.
Nanxu instinctively clenched the bedding in her hands. Heaven only knew how many times she had prayed that the child she bore would be a girl, someone whose appearance wouldn’t reveal too much…
Her grip on the sheets loosened, and her thoughts gradually settled.
She needed to think carefully. If He Xiao came to confront her, should she tell him the truth?
———–
He Xiao, who had intended to go directly to Nanxu’s room, unexpectedly detoured to his own room.
He sat alone in his room for an hour.
The words the wet nurse had carelessly spoken earlier today seemed to act as a trigger, causing He Xiao’s mind to relentlessly connect past events. His suspicions deepened as the hours passed.
Last year, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Xie Changyuan had been drugged, and it was said that he had a relationship with A Yan from his mansion.
That night, Xie Changyuan stayed at Nanxu’s place. He claimed to have been drunk, but whether he and Nanxu… actually shared anything more that night remained unclear.
Xie Changyuan had said he was heavily intoxicated and hadn’t done anything else. From what He Xiao knew of Xie Changyuan, he didn’t think Xie Changyuan would lie to him and there would be no reason to deceive him.
But what if Xie Changyuan had done something while drunk and didn’t remember? Or perhaps Nanxu…
After all, Nanxu had admired Xie Changyuan for many years, and it wasn’t impossible that, in a moment of impulse, she might have acted recklessly.
If the child wasn’t He Xiao’s, was Nanxu deliberately hiding the truth, or was she herself unsure of the child’s biological father?
The more He Xiao thought, the more irritable he became. He held back his frustration, but if he confronted Nanxu impulsively and it turned out to be a misunderstanding, he would feel guilty for wrongly accusing her.
After sitting in silence for another incense length of time, He Xiao’s irritation turned to a kind of violent agitation. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. A servant entered, holding a tray, “Young Master, this is the pear blossom spring tea you requested.”
The servant placed the wine set in front of He Xiao on the round table and stood to the side, waiting for further instructions.
At first, He Xiao was a little puzzled, when had he asked for wine?
However, he didn’t think much about it. At that moment, he needed something to clear his mind, and a cup of wine seemed like it might help.
He instructed the servant to fill his cup, and then, without hesitation, he lifted the wine cup and drank it in one go.
As the liquid flowed down his throat, he immediately felt a sharp pain in his stomach. His eyes widened in shock, and his hands instinctively pressed against his aching abdomen. Within moments, he collapsed to the floor, blood pouring from his mouth in a violent stream. The servant, startled and horrified, staggered back several steps.
It didn’t take long for the servant to recover from the shock and shout for help, “Quick, someone, help!”
But by the time the servant called for help, He Xiao’s body had already convulsed a few times before his eyes went blank, his life extinguished with bitter hatred.
It was clear to everyone that the wine had been laced with deadly poison.
———-
That same night, at the banquet celebrating the birth of the young master in the Ministry of War’s He family Mansion, the eldest son, He Xiao, was found dead from poisoning.
The entire capital was shaken, with every person expressing shock and sorrow at the tragic and sudden demise of He Xiao.
Some people whispered that the date for the full moon banquet had been poorly chosen.
Others speculated that the newborn He family’s little master had such a strong fate that he had inadvertently caused the death of his own father.
After the overwhelming grief, Minister of War He Yanming, despite the pain in his heart, eventually reported the matter to the authorities.
At this point, it was impossible not to mention the current Jingzhao Prefect, Jin Wang Feng Xian.
It seemed that Jin Wang had become rather accustomed to his position as the Prefect of the Capital. Over the past few months, he had unearthed and resolved several long-forgotten old cases, gaining considerable praise for his ability to solve them.
In fact, it was not entirely surprising that the situation in the Jingzhao Prefecture had taken this turn. With his royal identity, Jin Wang Feng Xian had access to resources and privileges that ordinary officials could only dream of, making his investigations easier than most.
After successfully uncovering a few miscarriages of justice, Jin Wang had earned admiration throughout the court.
As for He Xiao’s poisoning case, it quickly came to light.
The mastermind behind the poisoning was none other than He Xiao’s legitimate wife, Qin Nian, the second daughter of the former Right Prime Minister Qin.
Qin Nian had not been very careful in her planning, leaving many traces behind. When she was apprehended, she seemed almost deranged, constantly muttering, “He Xiao should die, He Xiao should die…”
Once Qin Nian was brought into the Jingzhao Prefecture, and with the undeniable physical evidence, the case was quickly concluded.
Minister of War He Yanming is always keeping an eye on the progress of the case, and Feng Xian cannot openly shield his cousin Qin Nian.
Qin Nian murdered her husband with a deadly poison, and her methods were cruel. She will be executed this autumn.
Jin Wang Feng Xian was very sad about this result.
Qin Nian was his cousin and was once his imperial mother favored.
His imperial mother, Madam Qin, Lady Song, and his grandmother passed away one after another, and his uncle Qin Wenzheng resigned and returned home. And now, his cousin Qin Nian was sentenced to death and was waiting for execution…
Thinking back to a year ago, at that time…
It was only been a year, but it felt like things changed with the passage of time.
———-
Qin Nian murdered her husband!
This news caused a stir in all the major restaurants and teahouses in the capital city.
Jingzhao Prefecture Prison.
Qin Nian gradually woke up from her trance, and she was now afraid of being sentenced to death and her whole body was cold.
She hugged her arms and curled up in the filthy corner, trembling for a moment. Then, suddenly, she got up and stumbled toward the cell door, shouting loudly, “Let me out! I want to see the Taizifei! I want to see Taizifei Qin Yan, Qin Yan is my sister, the Taizifei is my real sister! Let my sister save me, let… ah…”
In response, the jailer threw a basin of cold water at Qin Nian.
She fell back into the corner again, clutching her arms, shivering all over, mumbling incoherently, “The Taizifei is my sister, Qin Yan is my sister, save me, save me…”
———–
At the same time, far in the southwest of Great Xia, at the Wang Yizhou Mansion.
Wang Yizhou Ye Qinghe’s favored concubine, Madam Yan, successfully “gave birth” to a baby girl.
However, the Yizhou Wangfei, Song Yin, knew very well that this child could not possibly be A Yan’s.
So, what exactly is she planning to do…