Selling wife for fame? Kick out the scumbag and marry the new emperor to enjoy the harem of favors

Chapter 135 Hypocrisy

"If that's the case, why didn't you report it from the beginning!" Xie Jiu said anxiously.

Wang Shiqing glanced at her, his face showing shame.

"Your humble servant is skilled in treating illnesses like colds and coughs, but is not very proficient in using poisons. In addition, the person who administered the medicine was extremely cautious, and the dosage was so minute that it was difficult to detect. Furthermore, Lord Xie had already started taking medicine to treat his cough, which further influenced my judgment. Therefore, I dare not make any rash pronouncements. I will only dare to make a conclusion if Lord Xie's condition does not improve after taking my prescription."

This is not the whole truth.

Furthermore, because the person administering the drug uses a very small amount, it must be done diligently every day to make it so difficult to detect.

Who could tamper with Xie Mingshen's medicine every day?

It must be someone from the Xie family.

Yang was the first suspect.

Therefore, Wang Shiqing found it even more difficult to say these words to outsiders.

Can he just casually say that Xie Jieyu's mother poisoned her father?
Without solid evidence, I would never dare.

Even if he didn't say it, Xie Jiu had already guessed it.

"The only person capable of such exquisite skill to tamper with Father's medicine must be someone from the manor."

After saying this, Xie Jiu closed his eyes slightly to calm his mind before speaking to Zhao Xingjin.

"Your Majesty, please have Lord Wang leave. He truly has no way to respond to these words."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shiqing was immediately filled with gratitude towards Xie Jiu.

He was afraid that Xie Jiu, his favored concubine, would hold him back and make it difficult to explain himself. Fortunately, she was a sensible person.

Upon hearing Xie Jiu's words, Zhao Xingjin had already guessed what was going on, so he took the opportunity to ask Wang Shiqing to leave first.

"What are your thoughts?" Zhao Xingjin asked in a deep voice.

Xie Jiu took a deep breath. "My father always cleans up his messes. Even if my mother's accident wasn't an accident, I'm afraid we won't be able to find any crucial evidence."

This statement essentially defines the nature of the entire incident.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xingjin lowered his eyes. "If it was deliberate, I'm afraid..."

I'm afraid Yang won't survive.

He was somewhat reluctant to say it aloud, but Xie Jiu already understood.

He stood up again and knelt properly before Zhao Xingjin.

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that Your Majesty allow me to leave the palace to see my mother. My mother has always been gentle and kind, even towards the servants in the house. If it were not for my sake, she would never, ever dare to, do such a thing. Please allow me to personally see my mother off."

After gathering various pieces of information, Xie Jiu had already reviewed and speculated about the recent events that had occurred at home.

Xie Mingshen was naturally suspicious, so he must have become suspicious of his illness. He sent people to investigate and used various means to find out that Yang had secretly poisoned him. He was furious, but he couldn't take action openly because of Xie Jiu and Xie Wei, who was about to return to the capital.

So they arranged for Yang to go out to pray for blessings, and then arranged for so-called robbers to do the work for him.

In this way, he would be a man suffering from illness and who had suddenly lost his beloved wife. Who would suspect him?
Zhao Xingjin looked at the woman kneeling before him.

This was the third time Xie Jiu had begged him. Even though she knew it was against the rules, she still pleaded with him again and again, which showed how distressed Xie Jiu was.

"Fine, I grant your permission. However, you can only go in secret. After all, if a concubine leaves the palace according to the rules, it is to visit her family, and the Ministry of Rites must be notified first for arrangements."

"Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful for your great kindness!" Xie Jiu immediately kowtowed. "I would do anything as long as I can leave the palace to see my mother!"

Zhao Xingjin pondered for a moment.

"Then let's go tonight. Let my imperial guards and Qingdong accompany you."

Xie Jiu had no objection and immediately agreed.

Night fell. Before the palace gates were locked, the group quietly left the palace. The carriage sped along and finally came to a smooth stop at the back gate of the Xie residence.

Hearing the commotion, the old woman guarding the gate came out with a lantern to investigate. When she saw that the person getting off the carriage was Chunrong, she was immediately startled.

Chunrong didn't say much to her, but opened the door and helped Xie Jiu, whose face was covered by a thin veil, into the mansion.

Without first greeting Xie Mingshen, Xie Jiu went straight to Yang's courtyard.

Those who served her were all dumbfounded when they saw her.

He wondered to himself, "Isn't my young lady in the palace? Why has she suddenly returned?"
But no one dared to stop them, and they all immediately stepped aside.

Xie Jiu strode into the inner room and immediately saw Yang Shi lying on the couch, barely breathing.

"mother!"

She called out, but received no response. Xie Jiu knelt by the bed with red eyes, trembling as she took Yang's hand and gently pressed it to her face.

"Mother, I'm back. Please open your eyes and look at your daughter, Mother?"

Yang's hand was slightly cold, which made Xie Jiu's heart sink to the bottom. A sense of panic and helplessness spread through her, and she couldn't help but clench Yang's hand even tighter, as if her mother would leave her immediately if she loosened her grip even slightly.

"Mother, please don't scare me! My brother and sister-in-law will be back soon, along with my nephews and nieces. You haven't seen them for years, and now it's time for a family reunion. You can't let anything happen to you, Mother!"

Tears streamed down her face as Xie Jiu sobbed and lay on Yang Shi's body, her emotions already somewhat out of control.

Chunrong stood to the side, also secretly wiping away tears.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door, followed by Xie Mingshen's voice.

"Your subject Xie Mingshen greets Consort Jieyu!"

Upon hearing his voice, Xie Jiu's eyes suddenly flashed with intense hatred, and her crying gradually subsided.

After a long while, she wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and gestured for Chunrong to help her up.

"Father, there's no need for formalities."

Suppressing the hatred in her heart, Xie Jiu spoke in a low voice.

Even if she hates the person in front of her now, it's not the time to turn against them.

Xie Mingshen slowly straightened up, not letting his guard down despite Xie Jiu's calm demeanor. He discreetly observed Xie Jiu's expression and asked in a fatherly tone.

"Why has Consort Jieyu suddenly left the palace? I have failed to greet her properly, which is truly impolite."

"My mother is in danger and her life is in imminent danger. I am really worried about her, so I asked the Emperor to let me go out of the palace to visit her. This time I am going out incognito so that no one outside the palace will know about it. Father, please do not tell anyone either," Xie Jiu said.

Xie Mingshen was well aware of the implications of this situation and immediately nodded.

He then glanced at Madam Yang on the bed, a look of grief appearing on his face.

"Your mother insisted on going to the temple to pray for blessings, saying that it was partly for my illness and partly because your brother and the others were about to return to the capital, and our whole family would be reunited. She felt she should go and fulfill her vow, but she never expected that this would happen!"

After speaking, he coughed violently, so violently that he bent over.

Looking at his hypocritical appearance, Xie Jiu felt disgusted and wanted to vomit. A cold light flickered in her eyes, and she wished she could skin the person in front of her alive.

But she can't do that yet.

Xie Jiu dug her fingernails into her palm, the pain forcing her to suppress her agitated emotions and try her best to calm down.

At the same time, he put on a sorrowful yet angry expression, "Have those bandits who injured my mother been caught? Under the very nose of the emperor, how dare they be so audacious as to stop the emperor's carriage and injure people!"

After speaking, she was on the verge of tears again, like a little girl who had lost her backbone, and said in a trembling voice.

"Father, Mother is now seriously injured. I'm afraid that before my brother can return, we will be separated by life and death. What should we do?"