Tangli Fried Snow

How can you allow others to snore on the side of the bed?

As long as Zhao Hehua lived, her son's throne would remain unstable. Therefore, after Empress Jin finished her husband's funeral and put her son on the throne, the first thing she did was to deal with the former crown prince.

It was the same recipe, the same familiar taste, and even the location and the presiding judge were almost the same.

There was still a circle of adults dressed in red and purple robes surrounding them.

The young emperor, dressed in a dragon robe, sat in the presiding judge's seat. The crown prince was dragged in by two guards. He only glanced up once before knowing that he would not be able to leave here alive today.

The Empress Jin's phoenix eyes were filled with murderous intent, and the frost within them seemed about to pierce through his body.

Lu Tingwei and Shen Shibai stood in the presiding judge's position. When they saw the Crown Prince being brought up, disheveled and covered in filth, they were both filled with emotion.

The struggle for power has always been like this: it's either you die or I die; there's never a middle ground. This Zhao Hehua was indecisive and obsessed with women. He couldn't make sense of important matters, so it's no wonder he lost the throne he had in his grasp and became a prisoner, used as a sacrifice.

The hall was deathly silent. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts and had their own agendas, so no one spoke.

The young emperor, having just recovered from a serious illness, had a sallow complexion and dull eyes. He sat in a large chair, looking rather pitiful. Still young and innocent, he couldn't understand why his elder brother had come to judge him.

How could my elder brother possibly poison Father? He's always been gentle and polite to everyone. Not only to people, but even when the dog in the Eastern Palace had puppies, he'd order people to prepare postpartum meals for the mother dog. He was also very good to his horses. Once, when it was raining, he took off his cloak and draped it over his horse. When someone asked, he said he was worried the rain would ruin his horse, Liuyun, and it would break his heart. My elder brother's smile is so much like Father's, and when he looks at Father, his face is filled with filial piety. Even if someone held a sword to his throat, he would never poison Father.

Originally, he was just a carefree elementary school student. His biggest worries were that his tutor was too strict; if he couldn't memorize the text, he would be punished with a slap on the hand. His mother wouldn't let him eat too much of the foods he liked, and he always lost the pitch-pot competition with Princess Mingyu. The happiest time was when his uncle, Jin Cheng, came to visit. Every time his uncle came, his mother would be very happy. His uncle would teach him to ride horses and shoot arrows, take him to fly kites, and tell him stories of the battlefield. He would vividly describe to his uncle how beautiful the grasslands were, how hearty the girls on the grasslands were when they drank, and how fun it was to go swimming in the wild, filling his little world with many aspirations.

He was only sick for a few days when his father passed away. He did not wear mourning clothes or perform any rituals for his father. He simply lay in bed for a few days but then inherited his father's throne.

After becoming emperor, apart from the enthronement ceremony which he attended personally, Empress Dowager Jin handled all the daily affairs of state and military matters. Even his presence here today was merely a formality. As soon as he sat down and presided over the opening, a eunuch announced: "Your Majesty is unwell. The rest of the matter will be handled by the Empress Dowager, with Prime Minister Shen and Lord Lu Tingwei assisting in the trial."

The officials respectfully saw the young emperor off; the child was still ill and shouldn't have to witness such bloodshed. The crown prince was thrown to the ground, and the courtiers held their breath, all knowing the outcome of the trial.

It was still Lord Yuan who took the lead in impeaching the Crown Prince for his immoral conduct, bringing a deadly poison to His Majesty's bedside with the intention of murdering the Emperor. He accused the Crown Prince of treason and his intentions were deserving of death. Lord Yuan even listed his previous crimes of sowing discord between the Emperor and his ministers, forming cliques, and plotting treason. Finally, Lord Yuan pleaded with the Empress Dowager to punish Zhao Hehua and have him beheaded and displayed to the public.

Lord Lu and Shen Shibai worked in tandem, one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop, presenting all the so-called witnesses and evidence in court.

Even the Empress Dowager was questioned a few times, since she was the first person to discover that the Crown Prince was carrying poison at the scene.

After Lu Tingwei finished questioning the imperial physician, the entire interrogation process was complete. The evidence was conclusive, and the witnesses and evidence were all present. The Crown Prince's charge of carrying poison and intending to assassinate the Emperor was now irrefutable.

Looking at the silent Crown Prince, Lu Tingwei said in a deep voice, "Zhao Hehua, do you plead guilty?"

Zhao Hehua remained relatively calm at this point, and looked up to say, "I am innocent. Even if I am guilty, it is for misjudging people."

"I was assassinated before. Does Lord Lu know about this?"

Lu Tingwei didn't expect him to say that. He glanced at Shen Shibai and said, "Of course I know about this. What does that have to do with your plot to murder Kang Zu? Don't try to change the subject. As long as you admit your crime and sincerely repent, His Majesty might grant a general amnesty when he ascends the throne. You won't be beheaded and you might even save your life."

Zhao Hehua didn't believe his nonsense; the old man was wicked.

He bowed to the Empress Dowager before saying, "Your Majesty, I was once assassinated and injured, losing too much blood. I was later rescued by my personal guards, and ever since then I have lived with the constant fear of being assassinated."

"I had my men make this ring for me. It contains a miraculous medicine that can cure the dead and heal the wounded. I was afraid of being assassinated again and not being able to get medical treatment in time, so I prepared this life-saving medicine to carry with me at all times."

"That day, Emperor Kangzu was critically ill. I watched as my father was about to breathe his last before my eyes. In my desperation to save him, I thought of giving this medicine to Emperor Kangzu. Who knew that the medicine had barely been taken out..."

Zhao Hehua paused before saying, "The Empress Dowager shouted that I would poison Kang Zu with poison. I always carry this medicine with me and have never known what kind of deadly poison it is."

"Heaven is my witness, how could I possibly take out poison to murder Kang Zu right under the Empress Dowager's nose? How did the Empress Dowager know that I had poison?"

"Someone must have stolen my elixir and replaced it with poison!"

"Your Majesty, I have been wronged! Please, Your Majesty, do justice for me!"

The hall erupted in uproar. No one expected that the Crown Prince would actually ask the Empress Dowager to make decisions for him. Wasn't this like a chicken asking a weasel to heat its bathwater? The surrounding ministers began to whisper among themselves, and the scene became quite chaotic.

Shen Shibai snorted coldly, his sharp gaze sweeping across the entire room, causing everyone to fall silent involuntarily. Shen Shibai took a step forward, looked at Zhao Hehua, and asked, "Who gave you this ring and elixir?"

Zhao Hehua's eyes flickered as he said, "They are subordinates from the Eastern Palace."

Shen Shibai followed up with, "Which subordinate?"

Zhao Hehua said, "I've been locked up for days, and I still don't know where she is."

Shen Shibai raised his voice and asked, "Is she a prostitute kept by you, Zhao Hehua?"

These words sparked another round of whispers from those around them.

Zhao Hehua's face flushed and paled in turns, clearly angered by the word "prostitute." Her hatred for her deepened.

Seeing that Zhao Hehua remained silent, Shen Shibai said loudly, "Bring Chu Beitang."

A eunuch's high-pitched voice rang out, "Bring Chu Beitang, bring Chu Beitang~", and Zhao Hehua's heart pounded a few times with the sound of that name.

A moment later, a stunningly beautiful woman dressed in a pink hanbok entered the hall. She still had the delicate and innocent look of a pure white flower, and her makeup was still completely natural. A jade hairpin casually tied up her long black hair, revealing glimpses of water. Her pure and beautiful appearance was breathtaking.

Aside from the eunuchs and the Empress Dowager, all the men in the hall, including Zhao Hehua kneeling on the ground, couldn't help but cast admiring glances. It wasn't until this naturally beautiful and talented woman gracefully walked in from outside and stood in the hall to perform a grand salute to the Empress Dowager that they finally came back to their senses.

At this moment, Zhao Hehua's heart was racing. Looking at her stunning beauty and smelling her familiar fragrance, his hatred for her had vanished. Like everyone else, his gaze was fixed on Chu Beitang, unblinking.

Just moments ago, they openly called her a prostitute, but now no one dared to show any lecherous expressions. Firstly, the scene was too serious, and secondly, they were all captivated by her noble demeanor. Everyone automatically forgot about Shen Shibai's earlier use of the term "prostitute."

Shen Shibai was the first to challenge, but he was less dismissive than before, and asked in an almost amiable tone, "Does Miss Beitang know why you have been invited here today?"

Chu Beitang's beautiful eyes darted around the hall, excluding Zhao Hehua on the ground. Her gaze returned to Shen Shibai, and she smiled, "Lord Shen, there's no need to ask. I already knew when Lord Lu kept me there that day. But was it because of the ring I gave that person?"

When Zhao Hehua heard her call him "that person," he couldn't help but feel a surge of nausea and discomfort.

"That ring is my weapon for self-defense. It contains a deadly poison that kills instantly. I carry it with me to protect myself. After all, I am a weak woman who wanders around the world all year round, flattering people with ill intentions every day. If I encounter danger, I can protect myself, right?"

"You gentlemen are all outstanding individuals, so you can naturally understand my predicament."

Not only is she articulate and logically sound, but she also knows how to flatter people in a way that is both appropriate and pleasing, truly befitting a renowned courtesan who has toured the world.

Lu Tingwei asked, "Then how did the highly poisonous ring you used for self-defense end up in Zhao Hehua's hands?"

Chu Beitang still didn't glance at the man on the ground. She smiled sadly and said, "I was originally invited to perform songs and dances for His Majesty's birthday. Who knew that after I arrived in your Song Kingdom, I had just finished performing and hadn't even left the palace when the Crown Prince forcibly intercepted me and took me to the East Palace."

Her sweet voice, poignant tone, and captivating charm all resonated with the listener.

“Zhao Hehua intercepted me at the East Palace and forced himself on me on the very first day. Not only that, he kept me by his side for several months. Whenever he was in the mood, he would abuse me day and night. He not only ruthlessly violated me physically, but also made me say I loved him and was pleased with him every day. If I didn’t say it, he wouldn’t let me get out of bed. He tormented me for his own amusement. Those days were a nightmare. I have never been tormented like this, both physically and mentally.”

As she finished speaking, a single, crystal-clear tear welled up in her eye.

"When I said I wanted to leave, he became extremely violent and lost his temper, even injuring my shoulder. I told him I wanted to go to Penglai to celebrate my godmother's birthday, but he wouldn't let me go. I couldn't take it anymore, and in a fit of anger, I wanted to end it all with the poison in the ring... But who knew he would forcibly take it from me!"

The crowd couldn't help but sigh and lament, feeling both hatred and envy towards Zhao Hehua, and feeling indignant and heartbroken for the beautiful woman's plight.

Shen Shibai and Lu Tingwei were closest to her. She was like a delicate and fragile flower with dewdrops on it, exuding a subtle fragrance and looking pitiful, making people infatuated with her words.

It was Lord Lu, being old and shrewd, who resisted her temptation and was the first to come to his senses. He remembered the purpose of summoning her and said, "This ring containing deadly poison was originally yours, but Zhao Hehua forcibly took it away. He knew that the medicine inside was deadly poison, didn't he?"

Chu Beitang seemed to have been pulled out of his painful memories by his words, and nodded pitifully. Another murmur rippled through the hall.

Zhao Hehua felt as if he were in the deepest hell, his body alternating between cold and heat. The burning passion in his heart upon seeing her plummeted into the abyss like ice.

With a mournful cry, he collapsed to the ground in full view of everyone, pointing at the woman and laughing loudly. After laughing enough, he said, "You vicious woman with a heart of stone, when we were together, you were all lovey-dovey, calling me your sweetheart, saying you loved me every day, that you would retire for me, that you would help me become emperor, that you would marry me. Who knew you would turn out to be the most poisonous widow!"

"Hahahaha, my sincere heart was misplaced on a poisonous woman like you! Hahahaha, I regret it, I really regret it! It's such a pity I didn't know it contained deadly poison!"

“I should have used that poison on you, so that your poisonous mouth would never be able to utter another lie.” He pointed again at the high and mighty Empress Dowager Jin. “I shouldn’t have given the medicine to Father Emperor; I should have used it on you!”

"You did all of this, didn't you! You sent this woman to me and had her give me this poison!"

"I just took out the medicine, and you already knew it was poison! It's all your fault! You did it all!"

"Ha ha ha ha."

The crown prince burst into irrational laughter and venting, drawing scornful glances from the crowd. Zhao Hehua was doomed; he was certain to die today!

Empress Dowager Jin scolded him sharply, "Shut him up!"

Before anyone could come forward, the crown prince launched into another tirade of foul language, only stopping when the guards tied him up and stuffed rags into his mouth.

Shen Shibai bowed to the Empress Dowager and said, "Now that we have both witnesses and physical evidence, Zhao Hehua's crime of plotting against Kang Zu is established. I request Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager to issue an order to behead him and display his head to the public."

Kim Tae-hwa's expression softened slightly, and just as she was about to speak...

A eunuch's shrill voice came from outside the door: "The Empress Dowager has arrived!"

The Empress Dowager was escorted into the main hall by several palace maids and eunuchs, and everyone greeted her.

The Empress Dowager glanced at the Crown Prince, who was now bound like a crab after his frenzied state on the ground, and a trace of pity flashed in her eyes. She said to the old eunuch Su Fei beside her, "Su Fei, bring out the imperial edict."

Su Fei took out a yellow edict from his sleeve, showed it to everyone, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has a will from the late Emperor. The late Emperor was kind and had few children. He was most worried that someone would persecute his children after his death, so he left this will with the Empress Dowager. The will clearly states that whoever ascends the throne must not harm his brothers or sisters, and must not send his sisters to marry foreign rulers. Brothers and sisters must live in harmony and care for each other. If any new emperor dares to disobey the late Emperor's will, then his throne will be illegitimate and all the descendants of the Zhao family can be punished."