Chapter 549

As soon as Crown Prince Xiao Ting's words fell, everyone sucked in a breath.

Emperor Longqing was already frail and sickly; fainting now is normal, but if someone poisoned him, that's another matter.

Emperor Longqing recovered, realizing this time his unexplained faint made him lose face, his expression darkened.

Recently his body didn't hurt either, just some weakness, no other ailment; who would have thought he actually fainted at such a grand palace banquet?

Emperor Longqing was naturally suspicious; upon the crown prince saying this, he instantly felt a hint of killing intent.

"What do you mean, Crown Prince?" Emperor Longqing's stern, murderous voice still carried a hint of weakness.

Xiao Ting bowed even lower, prostrating himself and kowtowing loudly: "Father Emperor, please calm your anger; if I lacked solid evidence, I would never say this."

Those attending the palace banquet around them began to whisper: "Could the Crown Prince really have grasped some clue?"

Now the emperor is beyond cure; aside from the emperor himself, everyone knows his body can't hold out.

At this point, even those who hate the emperor most need not poison him, unless someone deliberately does so.

In that case, only those eager to replace him would want the emperor to die immediately.

Everyone's gaze fell on Xiao Ting and Bai Xiaosheng; now, in all of Southern Qi, the ones most wishing for Emperor Longqing's demise are probably just these two.

Upon the Crown Prince bringing this up, others immediately realized tonight might not end peacefully.

Emperor Longqing stared fixedly at the Crown Prince before him: "Go on!"

Xiao Ting's expression solemn, he spoke slowly: "Father Emperor, I have also discovered some things these days."

Xiao Ting clapped his hands; a few guards behind him escorted two people wearing hoods, slowly walking into Qionghua Hall.

As soon as those two appeared, a gasp went up all around.

Emperor Longqing's face looked unpleasant; clearly his son had come prepared today, and he wanted to see what tricks his good son would play.

The two were shoved before Emperor Longqing and made to kneel; then their black hoods were yanked off, revealing two faces with distinctly exotic features.

Both were roughly forty- to fifty-year-old Han men, merely with some burn scars on their faces, looking especially horrifying.

Xiao Ting pointed at the two and said loudly: "Father Emperor, these two were discovered in a village at the foot of Mang Shan."

When the Crown Prince mentioned Mang Shan, Emperor Longqing, as well as Xiao Yin and Gu Jiu Ling standing aside, all frowned slightly.

Gu Jiu Ling thought to herself, Xiao Ting isn't completely a fool; he actually investigated this deeply.

Emperor Longqing's expression shifted, he leaned on the Dragon Throne, his body trembling slightly.

Because he was so weak, a layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Seeing Emperor Longqing like that, a eunuch beside him wanted to wipe his sweat with a handkerchief, but the emperor glared fiercely, frightening the eunuch into kneeling and not daring to move.

Xiao Ting pointed at the two and said loudly: "Father Emperor, I have heard that these days the medicine primer used for your improvement is Bai Xiaosheng's blood."

"However, as I know, in that ancient village of Mang Shan, everyone's body carries gu poison, and their blood is toxic."

"Although it can briefly dispel the patient's bodily pain, giving a momentary pleasure, long-term the poison runs deep, leaving no chance for recovery."

"Bai Xiaosheng knows his own blood is toxic, yet he voluntarily supplies it to the Father Emperor; clearly he harbors ulterior motives!"

Emperor Longqing's brows furrowed slightly; Xiao Yin at the side curled his lip in a sneer.

"I thought the Crown Prince could produce some decent evidence, but Emperor Longqing already understood that his son comes from the original tribe of the Mang Shan village, whose bodies naturally carry gu poison."

Xiao Ting now brings up these things again, but before Emperor Longqing they obviously have no weight at all.

Sure enough, Emperor Longqing's brows knit tightly; he felt the Crown Prince was making a mountain out of a molehill.

He initially feared his son's bodily poison, but when in extreme pain, even a slight alleviation is a heaven-sent blessing.

These days he used Bai Xiaosheng's blood together with the prescriptions Gu Jiu Ling gave, and indeed he no longer suffers that heart-rending pain.

Upon hearing Xiao Ting meddling in this matter, Emperor Longqing's face darkened and he coldly said: "As Crown Prince, you should pay more attention to court affairs and people's livelihood; focusing on these issues is going too far."

Xiao Ting's heart gave a slight jolt; he had merely brought up Bai Xiaosheng's background, yet the Father Emperor shows such favoritism?

Xiao Ting swallowed his heartfelt bitterness, clapped his hands again, and this time the imperial guards brought several matrons and laborers, who all knelt in unison on the ground. 7k

Xiao Ting had the look of someone who had burned his boats and was resolved to fight to the death.

"These days Father Emperor has recovered his long-lost relatives; I, as his son, am also happy for him."

"But I have also become more cautious, for there are many charlatans in the martial world nowadays; I cannot let my guard down."

Xiao Ting gathered himself and raised his voice: "Everyone present surely knows of a sect in the martial world that probes the privacy of aristocratic officials, then resells the information for huge profit."

"And it maintains especially close ties with the Princess Consort of Rui!"

The three words "Princess Consort of Rui" were spat out by Xiao Ting with venom; Xiao Yin's face also finally changed slightly, and he coldly stared at Xiao Ting before him.

He never expected this brat to be able to dig so deep, and moreover to publicize their deeds to everyone.

Xiao Yin agreed to it; he never imagined this dog‑brazen little beast would actually have investigated Gu Jiu Ling herself.

Sure enough, Emperor Longqing, seated in the principal position, suddenly changed expression a few degrees, his eyes gradually turning cold.

Among those officials and nobles, who doesn't have some private matter? If it is seized by others and turned into gossip for sale, everyone inevitably feels a hint of disgust.

Good! Quite good!

Gu Jiu Ling couldn't help but let out a low laugh.

Xiao Ting finally revealed his claws toward her once again; the so‑called deep childhood affection and sweethearts‑since‑childhood are just a joke.

Gu Jiu Ling's lips curled in a mocking smile; Xiao Ting has grown capable, knows how to manipulate people, and can draw the emperor's resonance.

Now the reason Emperor Longqing endures and does not wish to die, aside from fear, is that he has not yet completely eradicated his great threat, Xiao Yin.

The Crown Prince's final thrust lands just right!

A Bai Xiaosheng whose body carries poison is not much of a threat; what about the Bai Xiaosheng who is colluding with the Rui Wang Fu?

Emperor Longqing coldly gazed at Bai Xiaosheng: "Do you have anything to say?"

Bai Xiaosheng slowly knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Emperor Longqing: "Father Emperor! I know my fault! I indeed previously engaged in those shameful deeds."

He drew a breath: "The Princess Consort of Rui has approached me for information purchases repeatedly—about seven or eight times—and she spends lavishly!"

Gu Jiu Ling's brows knit tightly; this Bai Xiaosheng confessed too quickly, didn't he?