The Emperor’s gaze fell on him for a moment, then moved away, landing on Huangfu Jing’s corpse again.

In the depths of Huangfu Hanyu’s eyes, a shadow loomed. Holding Huangfu Jing’s corpse, he kneeled before the Emperor and cried out in grief: "Father Emperor, please vindicate me. A year ago, I lost a son, and now, I’ve even lost my eldest! Father, as the Crown Prince, I am envied by others. But what wrong have my children done?"

Huangfu Hanyu brought up the death of his seventh son, Huangfu Hongzhi, on the way back to the vassal land a year ago again. Together with the sight of Huangfu Jing’s corpse right before them, it was alarming. The Emperor’s face became increasingly somber, and when his gaze fell on Huangfu Jingchen again, it was as sharp as swords.

However, Huangfu Jingchen stood there calmly, with a peaceful expression and a clear conscience.

The Emperor shifted his gaze again to Huangfu Jinxuan: "Why did you take the cup from him?"

Huangfu Jinxuan seemed stunned for a moment, then said: "Emperor, it was just a whim. I got into a fight with Prince Cheng’s Heir outside the palace gates and did it on purpose to annoy him. At that time, the palace servant had just poured a new round of wine. The cup was full, and I didn’t think much of it. But I never would have imagined that it was poisoned! Otherwise, I would have drunk the cup myself and never let Brother Jing drink it."

"Are you saying Prince Cheng’s Heir didn’t know the wine was poisoned?"

Huangfu Jinxuan said: "All the wine on our table was served by the palace servant. Prince Cheng’s Heir had already had several cups, and this one had just been filled. Before he could touch it, I took it. Even though I was annoyed with Prince Cheng’s Heir, I wouldn’t toss my morals aside to make up lies. Emperor, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have been at odds with Prince Cheng’s Heir. But Emperor, the one who poisoned the wine was truly wicked, even poisoning the wine aimed at Prince Cheng’s Heir. Brother Jing drank it by a fatal mistake!"

The Emperor’s gaze was as deep as the sea, not revealing any emotions. He summoned the Commander of the Imperial Guard and gave him an order.

The Commander immediately ordered batches of people to be checked.

Of course, everyone was still inside Tianhua Pavilion and couldn’t leave. From the start of the incident, the guards had locked down the scene, with only the Emperor and Empress, other concubines, the Crown Prince, Prince Li, and other princes resting on one side, while everyone else, including the serving palace staff, was under supervision.

The first to be questioned was Huangfu Jinxuan, as he was the one who had taken the cup of wine over.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard saw Huangfu Jinxuan and was quite troubled. He asked: "Why did you offer wine to Mr. Jing?"

Huangfu Jinxuan replied: "At that time, many cousins offered wine to Mr. Jing, but he refused them. Brother Zhuo at our table said, anyone who could get Mr. Jing to drink would be celebrated with a banquet at Moon Full Building tomorrow! It was my youthful impulse; I wanted to make a name for myself, so I went to offer him the wine!"

The Commander of the Imperial Guard quickly sent for Huangfu Zhuo, who had made the statement.

This Huangfu Zhuo is the grandson of the Seventh Imperial Uncle, who had been bedridden for a long time. After the Emperor’s accession to the throne, he showed sympathy for their plight.

Huangfu Zhuo was so frightened that he could barely speak, standing there trembling like a quail in the wind and rain.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard asked him questions, to which he quickly nodded, his face ashen, and said: "Brother Jing is someone I have always admired. At that time, we brothers tried to offer him wine, but he refused. That’s when I said those words. After I spoke, Huangfu Jinxuan went to offer him wine. But I truly did not know that Huangfu Jinxuan would bring a poisoned cup of wine! I knew nothing—I am innocent..."

The people at the table were questioned one by one, and the facts matched what Huangfu Jinxuan and Huangfu Zhuo said.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard asked Huangfu Jingchen: "Did Prince Jing know there was poison in the wine?"

Huangfu Jingchen gave him a glance: "Commander, the palace banquet was at the Emperor’s behest. It was a family feast, attended only by close relatives. If I had known there was poison in the wine, would I have dared to drink the earlier cups?"

The Commander of the Imperial Guard: "..."

He had already cross-questioned earlier; Prince Cheng’s Heir had had several cups of wine at the table. He was neither overly quiet nor overly flamboyant, but the wine was from the banquet, as were the dishes. His behavior showed no abnormality.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard: "Do you know who might want to poison you?"

Huangfu Jingchen sighed lightly and said: "You may find it hard to believe. A year ago, after the Emperor’s birthday banquet, I was attacked by several groups on my way back to Yunzhou. Fortunately, there were many with me, and I met someone who helped. That’s how I preserved my life. Now in the palace, despite offending no one, someone still wants to harm me. Perhaps I am naturally unlucky!"

The Commander of the Imperial Guard: "..."

How could he respond to that?

The days of the Imperial Family seem glamorous, high-born, immensely wealthy, but having seen many internal struggles within the royal family, he deeply understood that their lives were not necessarily easy. At least, not all princes and grandsons lived great lives.

Look at this Prince Cheng, who in his youth was unmatched and full of vigor. Among the princes, he was truly outstanding. As a teenager, he built up prestige in the army, leading to victory in battles and annihilating an invading barbarian tribe, resolving years of unrest at the Nanxia Border.

Such merits, who wouldn’t envy them? Yet this valiant young prince fell in love with a Jianghu woman.

That snowballed quickly, refusing the Emperor’s arrangement for a noblewoman from a prestigious family or a minister’s daughter as a consort. He defied the Emperor with great tenacity, enraging the Emperor to smash a jade ink stone on him in the Imperial Study Room, causing head wounds without yielding.

Eventually, the Emperor was enraged enough to bestow upon him the title of Prince Cheng and sent him to the vassal land, out of sight and out of mind. It’s been years, and the father-son relationship hasn’t improved!

Now his son just arrived at the Capital City and someone made a move against him.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard’s mind spun with conspiracy theories.

Would the Emperor truly move against him?

However, he quickly overturned his own thoughts; a tiger, though cruel, does not consume its cubs. What angered the Emperor back then was Prince Cheng; the Emperor wouldn’t make a move against Prince Cheng’s son.

This Prince Cheng’s Heir is truly unlucky, and according to the results of his questioning and analysis, the poisoner was not anyone at the table. One could only say that Prince Cheng’s Heir was a little lucky in his misfortune.

If he had drunk the cup, then the body lying there would have been his.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard continued to question everyone present.

At this moment, the people he sent to interrogate the palace maids and eunuchs reported back.

There was nothing suspicious with the palace maids and eunuchs responsible for the first table because the wine was taken from Huangfu Jinxuan’s table. Therefore, the maids and eunuchs responsible for wine and food at that table were the main focus of the investigation.