Chapter 78 Do You Plead Guilty?

Chapter 78: Do You Know Your Crime

As soon as Cui Ji heard the words "Southern barbarian tribes," his expression turned extremely grim.

Wu Cangji continued, "This poison is colorless and odorless, but it will take effect within half an incense stick.

Once the poison takes hold, it attacks the heart meridians, causing frequent vomiting of blood, and the internal organs will fester, leading to death.

Moreover, this poison is extremely potent; ordinary antidotes are useless."

"Is there an antidote?" Cheng Ge quickly jumped off the couch and asked immediately.

Wu Cangji was silent for a moment before speaking slowly, "There is an antidote. I have heard that there is a treasure in the palace known as the 'Mystic Spirit Jade Marrow' that can cure this poison."

Upon hearing this, Cui Ji immediately summoned a guard and ordered, "Go to the palace at once and fetch the Mystic Spirit Jade Marrow to save the Crown Prince. Tell His Majesty the Crown Prince is dying."

The guard accepted the order and left. Zhou Zhan remained unconscious, his face as pale as paper.

Cheng Ge was panicking on the side, his mind in a mess. If Zhou Zhan died, he'd lose his own head too.

How did he get poisoned? The poison takes effect within half an incense stick, which means no more than fifteen minutes.

But Zhou Zhan had been there a while—definitely over fifteen minutes, so it was very likely that he was poisoned in Cheng Ge's room.

Cheng Ge's eyes went wide.

His mind quickly recalled all the details of the evening. After a while, he seemed to catch something.

He grabbed Lin Nanshu by the wrist and said, "It's the chicken soup! There's something wrong with that chicken soup!"

Lin Nanshu also realized it and was about to speak.

But Cui Ji stepped right in front of him and subtly pulled Cheng Ge's hand off Lin Nanshu.

Lin Nanshu was speechless.

Cheng Ge didn't notice this small gesture, instead he turned and grabbed Cui Ji's hand, speaking urgently: "Someone in the manor poisoned the food—those servants are up to something."

Cui Ji helped him up and turned to order, "Arrest everyone from the kitchen. I'll interrogate them one by one."

Cheng Ge was still shaken. The poisoner was clearly aiming to kill.

And that chicken soup was originally prepared specially for him and Lin Nanshu. If Cui Ji and the Crown Prince hadn't suddenly shown up, the soup would have gone into their stomachs.

Besides, there was only one Mystic Spirit Jade Marrow pill, a palace treasure, so it definitely wouldn't be used on Cheng Ge.

The poisoner had planned every step—truly vicious.

Imagining his guts rotting away, Cheng Ge felt a chill down his spine.

"The Emperor has arrived!" With a loud announcement, Zhou Mingqi strode in, followed by a eunuch carrying the "Mystic Spirit Jade Marrow."

Everyone knelt in greeting.

Zhou Mingqi looked at the unconscious Zhou Zhan on the couch, frowned deeply, and quickly stepped forward to sit beside him. "How is the Crown Prince?"

The imperial physician came forward and gave Zhou Mingqi a full report.

After hearing this, Zhou Mingqi's face darkened ominously. He turned to look at the people below.

Seeing this, Cui Ji and Lin Nanshu, with rare coordination, moved to hide Cheng Ge behind them.

Zhou Mingqi fed the Mystic Spirit Jade Marrow to Zhou Zhan. After a while, Zhou Zhan's eyelids twitched.

Zhou Mingqi leaned over and called softly a few times, "Zhan'er? Can you hear your father?"

Just then, Zhou Zhan, who had been unconscious, slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry, and he couldn't see clearly.

"Zhan'er?"

Hearing the familiar concern, Zhou Zhan's eyes welled up again, and he asked weakly, "Dad... am I dying?"

Zhou Mingqi patted his brow and was about to reassure him when Zhou Zhan spoke again: "Where's Cheng Muyu? Is he dead?"

Everyone: "..."

Cheng Ge thought: "What the heck?" Oh my god, don't drag me into this, man!

Zhou Mingqi took a deep breath and looked back at the others.

His eyes swept past Lin Nanshu and Cui Ji, landing right on that familiar figure.

That round head was nearly touching the ground, just like an ostrich.

Cheng Ge: "Can't see me, can't see me!"

"You may rise," Zhou Mingqi said.

Cheng Ge slowly got up, his head hanging low. He shuffled his feet, about to hide behind Cui Ji.

Zhou Mingqi: "Cheng Muyu, come closer."

Cheng Ge: "..."

Cheng Ge reluctantly shuffled forward a few steps, still not daring to look up.

Lin Nanshu turned slightly and gently hooked his pinky, giving him a reassuring look.

"Your Majesty." Cheng Ge knelt before the couch, gave a proper bow, and said.

Zhou Mingqi looked at him appraisingly, about to question him.

But Zhou Zhan cut in, his voice piercing, almost giving Cheng Ge a heart attack: "Cheng Muyu, how many concubines are you hiding?"

Zhou Mingqi's expression changed slightly, and his gaze unconsciously went to Cheng Ge, but his face gave nothing away.

"I don't..." Cheng Ge's head ached, and he immediately denied it.

But before he finished, Zhou Zhan said weakly, "Don't lie. I saw it all.

Each one was big and strong, hugging and clinging to you without any hint of ladylike behavior."

Everyone: "..."

Secret Guard A: Did you see that? I didn't see any concubines.

Secret Guard B: Probably not. Ever since the cuckolding incident last time, even the dogs in the manor are male.

Secret Guard Chief knocked on his head: "Don't get it? Male concubines count too. But with our general's looks, he'll get promoted to primary spouse for sure."

Cheng Ge wanted to cry but had no tears, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward the two concubines below.

If he were any more fragile, he'd have jumped off a building.

Lin Nanshu said, "Your Highness was poisoned at the time; you must have misidentified it."

Cui Ji added, "If the Crown Prince still has lingering poison, let the imperial physician examine him again. Don't talk nonsense and lose your dignity over nothing."

Cheng Ge whipped his head up to look at Cui Ji, disbelief written all over his face.

Does your family have a get-out-of-jail-free card? How dare you be so insolent?

But then Cheng Ge thought again, dammit! Cui Ji’s family really did have a get-out-of-jail-free card!

Zhou Mingqi looked annoyed, stood up, and said, "Enough, let the imperial physician stay and wait.

Prince of Zhenbei, get to the bottom of this matter quickly. If there's nothing else, everyone may withdraw!"

The crowd bowed and took their leave. Cheng Ge, as if granted a pardon, turned to follow them out.

"Cheng Muyu, you stay."

Cheng Ge stopped in his tracks, and his face filled with despair. He had no choice but to turn back.

After everyone else had left, he shuffled back like a tortoise.

"Cheng Muyu, do you know your crime?"

Cheng Ge dropped to his knees with a thud, bowed his head, and said, "Your Majesty, I admit my guilt."

Whether he was actually guilty or not didn’t matter; the attitude had to be right. When the emperor says you're guilty, you're guilty.

"Since you admit guilt... guards, drag him out and give him fifty strokes with a cane."

Cheng Ge was speechless.