Chapter Forty-Four: Testing for Poison, Grievance

They charged all the way into the capital, then straight to the Imperial City. At that point, Peng Liang shifted from carrying Lord Di in his arms to hoisting him onto his shoulder. With one hand supporting Lord Di and the other raising his own guard’s badge, he summoned his inner strength and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Lord Di has been poisoned! Summon the Imperial Physicians, quickly!” His voice echoed through the palace grounds, soon reverberating above the Imperial City itself.

The elderly emperor, who had been resting with closed eyes, startled upright. She pricked up her ears to listen, then immediately rose to her feet. Eunuch Su hurried forward, attending to her with the utmost care. The emperor brushed aside his hand and commanded, “Never mind me, go, see what’s happened! No—send the Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau at once to treat Di Ying. Make haste!”

As she watched Eunuch Su give a hurried bow and rush out of the hall, the emperor rose slowly and paced to the threshold. She craned her neck to look outside, then turned back, restless. A vague unease gnawed at her heart, but mostly, she was furious.

Since ascending the throne, she had exhausted herself nurturing and promoting members of her mother’s Wu clan—going so far as to risk the condemnation of the realm. Yet among them, there were always those who, ungrateful and lacking restraint, grew ever more brazen and reckless, emboldened by her protection and the privileges of high rank. It was as though she worked tirelessly to repair the high courtyard walls while they labored just as hard to tear them down.

For years, she had scoured the land for talent, appointing capable people—was it not all to patch the breaches these others had made? Why did they never stop dismantling what she built? Did they not know how hard she struggled to hold everything together? Did they not realize that if the walls collapsed, everyone would be doomed?

Now, after finally finding someone capable of mending those cracks, they had managed to break him too—breaking him, and in the process, slapping her, the emperor, squarely in the face. Di Ying was someone she had only just come to value, and already their claws had reached out to him. Wasn’t that a direct affront to her authority? Wasn’t it?

The more she thought, the angrier she grew, standing there with hands on her hips. Only when Eunuch Su returned, supporting Di Ying inside, did she relent.

At the sight of Di Ying’s ashen face, the emperor could not help but gasp. Still, seeing him alive brought some relief.

She strode forward and asked, “Lord Di, are you all right?” Di Ying tilted his head, casting a sidelong glance at Her Majesty, then lowered his gaze and murmured a faint assent. The emperor frowned, “...Are you blaming me for asking the obvious?” Di Ying released Eunuch Su’s hand, swayed as he bowed deeply, and replied weakly, “Your servant wouldn’t dare.”

“...Very well, it was a foolish question. Then let me ask something more useful: how were you poisoned?”

As she finished, Di Ying dropped to his knees, startling the emperor. She leaned forward, watching him closely.

He replied, his voice feeble, “Your Majesty... your servant learned that the flowers in the conservatory are used to make your rouge and powders. Lord Zuo, the Vice Minister, reported a theft at his villa, but it was a false case—what he truly lost were those precious blossoms. For Your Majesty’s sake, your servant found a pretext and inspected the conservatory personally.

Your Majesty, you may not know, but within those expensive flowers destined for tribute, many weeds had taken root. Concerned that their neglect might endanger Your Majesty, yet unable to identify the weeds, your servant could only test them personally—and was thus poisoned. Fortunately, it seems the danger has been discovered.”

As he spoke, Di Ying pressed his hand to his chest, his eyes reddening with emotion as he looked at the emperor, worry and devoted loyalty plain to see.

The emperor’s heart quivered at the sight. She knelt to help Di Ying up, grasping his arm to steady him. Remembering the blemish that had appeared on her face that very day, she turned a cold gaze on Eunuch Su.

“Go. Summon the Director and Deputy Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau. Have them thoroughly test all the rouge and powders presented to me as tribute!”

Eunuch Su accepted the order and departed, but as he reached the door, he turned back and reported, “Your Majesty, Lord Di’s guard, Peng Liang, is making a commotion in the palace, demanding that Lord Zuo compensate him in silver.”

“Compensate! Let him pay! However much Peng Liang demands, Wu Jianhui must pay every coin!”

The emperor nodded without hesitation. In her view, for such a grave matter, to settle it with mere silver was a bargain for Wu Jianhui—she suspected Di Ying was being lenient only out of consideration for her.

Yet Eunuch Su did not leave, but continued, “However, some officials are intervening, accusing Peng Liang of extortion.”

“Nonsense!”

The emperor’s fury blazed forth.

“Di Ying risked his life for me—a fourth-rank official personally testing poison for my sake, nearly losing his life—and Wu Jianhui is only required to pay silver, and that’s called extortion? What are those officials even good for? Is this their understanding of the law? If I were harmed, would they not punish Wu Jianhui? Or would that too be ‘extortion’?

Go—convey my decree: If anyone dares say such a thing again, they are to leave the capital and eat grubs in Lingnan! Otherwise, let them serve as my poison-tasters themselves and see if they have the courage!”

Eunuch Su bowed and hurried off to carry out her orders.

The emperor took a deep breath, suppressing her anger, then composed herself and guided Di Ying to a couch at the side, seating him gently. She was about to inquire further when a report came from outside the hall: “Wu Desen, Prefect of the Capital, seeks audience!”

The emperor’s face darkened.

“What is he here for? To plead for Wu Jianhui? Tell him to leave!”

With a final growl, she muttered bitterly, “One after another, they shirk their duties. If not for Di Ying’s vigilance, would my face now be ruined by their negligence? Would my very life be at risk next? And still, they dare to plead for mercy? The gall!”

Di Ying, hearing this, bowed his head in silence. He did not echo her anger, but his expression was mournful, as though contemplating the terrible consequences that could have been.

The emperor felt a pang of pain for him. What a fine official—risking his life, being accused of extortion over a little silver, yet not even angry, only ever thinking of her. When had she ever encountered such a loyal and considerate subject? The rest—every one of them only schemed for their own gain. Hmph!

Still distressed and indignant, she heard Di Ying speak softly, “Your Majesty... The poisonous weed was consumed voluntarily by your servant. As soon as I collapsed, Peng Liang carried me away from the scene. There is likely no evidence left now.

If you insist on demanding compensation from Lord Zuo, without proof, he might well accuse your servant of extortion. Please, do not be angry. I do not wish to make a spectacle of things and end up in prison for failing to solve the case. What is a little silver? Peng Liang was being thoughtless; I do not need it. Your health is what matters.”

With that, Di Ying’s lips pursed in deep, heartfelt grievance.