The Ming Dynasty: The most ruthless imperial grandson, Old Zhu begged me not to kill him.

Chapter 718 Are you still trying to argue?
After speaking, the shadowy figure turned and left, disappearing into the night.

……

The next morning, the palace maid found Zhu Xiong Ying unconscious and immediately reported to the Empress.

The Empress was shocked and immediately sent someone to summon the imperial physician.

After examining His Majesty, the imperial physician said with a grave expression, "His Majesty has been poisoned, I'm afraid..."

Upon hearing this, the Empress burst into tears.

"Imperial Physician, you must save His Majesty!" the Empress pleaded tearfully.

The imperial physician sighed and said, "I have done my best, but the poison Your Majesty has been afflicted with is extremely rare, and I am not entirely confident in my ability to cure it."

……

The news sent panic through the entire palace.

Officials from both civil and military ranks rushed to visit him, but they were all helpless.

Bai Suzhen was extremely anxious. She searched everywhere for a way to detoxify, but to no avail.

……

Just when everyone was in despair, a mysterious old man arrived at the palace.

The old man claimed to be a reclusive master, skilled in medicine, and capable of curing the poison in Zhu Xiong Ying's body.

The Empress was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately asked the old man to treat Zhu Xiong Ying.

The old man carefully examined Zhu Xiong Ying's condition and then said, "The poison Your Majesty has been afflicted with is called 'Black Widow,' an extremely rare and deadly poison. Without an antidote, Your Majesty will surely die within three days."

Upon hearing this, the Empress's face turned even paler.

"Old sir, please save His Majesty!" the Empress pleaded tearfully.

The old man smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I have the antidote."

The old man took out a porcelain bottle from his pocket, poured out a black pill, and handed it to the empress.

"Give this pill to His Majesty, and he will wake up in less than an hour," the old man said.

The Empress was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly took the pills and gave them to Zhu Xiong Ying.

……

An hour later, Zhu Xiong Ying indeed woke up.

"Your Majesty, you've finally woken up!" Bai Suzhen cried tears of joy.

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at Bai Su Zhen with tenderness in his eyes.

"Suzhen, I'm alright now," Zhu Xiong Ying said. "Thanks to this old gentleman."

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at the old man and said gratefully, "Thank you so much for saving my life, sir."

The old man smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty, you needn't be so polite. It was just a small favor for me."

"Old sir, I will never forget your great kindness," Zhu Xiong Ying said. "I will definitely repay you properly."

The old man waved his hand and said, "Your Majesty is too kind. I was merely doing my duty. There's no need to worry about it." After saying this, the old man turned and left, disappearing from everyone's sight.

Zhu Xiong Ying watched the old man's departing figure, her heart filled with doubt.

Who exactly is this old man? Why is he in the palace? And how did he know he had been poisoned by the "Black Widow"?

All of this was like a mystery, troubling Zhu Xiong Ying.

Unbeknownst to him, a far greater conspiracy was quietly closing in on him...

Zhu Xiong Ying slowly opened his eyes, and what he saw was Bai Suzhen's tear-streaked face. Her eyes were red and swollen, clearly she had been crying for a long time. Seeing him awake, Bai Suzhen smiled through her tears, grabbed his hand, and choked out, "Your Majesty, you're finally awake! You scared me to death!"

Zhu Xiong Ying grasped her hand in return and said softly, "I'm fine now. I'm sorry to have worried you, my beloved consort." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the imperial physicians and palace maids around him, finally settling on the empty doorway, and asked, "Where is that old gentleman?"

Everyone looked at each other, shaking their heads in confusion. The imperial physician replied tremblingly, "Your Majesty, after that old gentleman gave you the pill, he left quietly, and no one knows where he went."

Zhu Xiong Ying's doubts deepened. The old man's arrival and departure were both suspicious, as if he appeared out of thin air and disappeared just as suddenly. The "Black Widow" poison he had been afflicted with was extremely rare, yet the old man could identify it at a glance and produce the antidote, which made Zhu Xiong Ying wary.

“Suzhen,” Zhu Xiong Ying said in a low voice, “I feel there is something strange about this matter. Send someone to secretly investigate the background of this old gentleman.”

"Your Majesty, I obey." Bai Suzhen nodded in response.

Over the next few days, Zhu Xiong Ying's health gradually recovered, but the doubts in his heart lingered. He secretly sent his Imperial Guards to inquire about the old man's whereabouts, but to no avail. The old man had vanished without a trace, like a drop of water falling into the ocean.

Meanwhile, undercurrents were stirring within the imperial court. After news of Zhu Xiong Ying's poisoning and coma spread, some ambitious officials began to stir, attempting to seize power. Among them, the faction led by Chancellor Li Shanchang was the most active, secretly conspiring and rallying supporters, intending to enthrone Crown Prince Zhu Biao.

Zhu Xiong Ying observed all of this without showing any emotion. He knew that during the time he was poisoned and unconscious, the power dynamics in the court had subtly shifted, and he needed to regain control and eliminate these unsettling factors.

One day, Zhu Xiong Ying summoned his ministers for a meeting. He sat on the dragon throne, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd below, and said in a deep voice, "I was able to recover from my poisoning thanks to the meticulous care of the Empress and the imperial physicians. I am very gratified."

The officials all knelt down and shouted, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Zhu Xiong Ying sneered and continued, "However, I have also heard some rumors that someone plotted a rebellion while I was in a coma, which I find deeply distressing."

Upon hearing this, the court fell into complete silence. Li Shanchang and the others turned pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads.

Zhu Xiong Ying stared intently at Li Shan Chang and said, "Prime Minister Li, as the head of all officials, what is your opinion on this matter?"

Li Shanchang feigned composure and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I have never heard of such rumors. It must be malicious slander. Your Majesty must not believe them."

"Oh? Is that so?" Zhu Xiong Ying sneered. "Then I'll show you what evidence really is!"

He clapped his hands, and several Imperial Guards carried in a box. Zhu Xiong Ying opened the box, which was filled with letters and account books.

"These are all letters and account books exchanged privately between Prime Minister Li and other court officials. They clearly record your conspiracies and schemes," Zhu Xiong Ying said coldly, pointing to the contents of the box. "Prime Minister Li, do you still want to deny it?"

Li Shanchang's face turned deathly pale. Knowing that his fate was sealed, he knelt down with a thud and cried out, "Your Majesty, spare my life! I was confused for a moment and committed such a grave mistake. Please, Your Majesty, have mercy!"

Other court officials involved also knelt down and begged for mercy.

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at the kneeling courtiers without a trace of pity. These people had risked their lives to seize power while he was unconscious, and now they were putting on a show of weeping and wailing—it was truly disgusting.

He snorted coldly and said, "Men, seize all these traitors!"

The Imperial Guards swarmed forward and arrested Li Shanchang and his men.

(End of this chapter)