Chapter 81
The moment the powder reacted, staining the official’s fingertips with an unmistakable dark hue, a collective gasp rippled through the hall. The emperor’s expression darkened instantly, his sharp gaze locking onto the trembling official, Xun Zhong. The weight of the imperial presence bore down like an executioner’s blade, suffocating all who dared to remain in the room.
"Your Majesty, I-!" Xun Zhong stammered, hastily retracting his hands as if to hide the evidence. "This must be a mistake! Someone must have planted this on me! I swear, I had no part in this!"
Feng Jiao Xue’s gaze remained cold, unyielding. "You claim innocence, yet the reaction is undeniable. The poison was on you, Official Xun. Are you suggesting the emperor’s own imperial healers are mistaken?"
Xun Zhong’s face paled further. "N-no! Of course not! But please, Your Majesty, I have served the empire loyally for decades-there must be some misunderstanding! I would never-!"
A sharp crack echoed through the hall as the emperor slammed his hand against the armrest of his chair. "Silence!" he thundered. The sheer force of his voice made the air tremble, and Xun Zhong fell to his knees, forehead pressed against the cold floor.
"You dare try to lie to Us even when the truth is laid bare before all?" the emperor’s voice dripped with fury. "Poisoning this crown- your ruler! And my old friend, a hero to our beloved empire! Have you no shame?! Betraying the empire that has granted you status, wealth, and honor! You expect Us to believe you were unaware? Do you take Us for a fool?"
The crowd held its breath. None dared move. None dared speak. The weight of the emperor’s wrath was suffocating, absolute.
"Your Majesty, please! I was only-" Xun Zhong’s voice cracked. His lips trembled as desperation clawed at his throat. "I had no choice! They... they have my wife!"
Whispers erupted at once.
"Eh, didn’t his wife die because of illness?"
"Yeah, I heard she is secretly burried somewhere in his basement"