After being forced to marry as a substitute, I became famous in the limbo

Chapter 25 The Emperor's Assassination Plan ([-])

Seeing the imperial guards getting closer, Mu Jingzhao stepped forward in two steps, grabbed the tablecloth and lifted it vigorously, the tablecloth floated to the ground, covering the ball of charred braised pork.

"I didn't expect that there are really so many mice in this cold palace. Madam, I have really wronged you."

A guard carried a fat mouse into the house. The mouse's slender tail was held tightly by the two fingers of the young guard. Its short four claws kept struggling in the air, making a "squeak" sound.

One after another, the imperial guards entered the house one after another, and one of the imperial guards was the first to speak, "What kind of smell is this? It smells so bad!"

"How did it become like this here?"

More and more imperial guards entered the house. Seeing their leader kneeling in front of Mu Jingzhao, the imperial guards who entered the house probably understood that something was wrong, so they also knelt down on the ground like him.

Soon, the house was filled with guards kneeling all over the floor.

Standing in front of the mess, Mu Jingzhao's face was gloomy, and he returned to his usual serious appearance, "None of you can reveal half of what happened here today."

He glanced at all the imperial guards present, "If I hear all the rumors about tonight, I will kill them all."

His tone was slow and heavy, and every word was like a huge boulder weighing on the bodies of every forbidden soldier present.

The imperial guards trembled and fell to the ground, shaking like chaff.

"Yes! I absolutely dare not!"

"Go back."

"Yes."

With a reply, all the imperial guards retreated, leaving only Mu Jingzhao and Jiang Ning in the room.

Mu Jingzhao walked quickly to the doors and windows, and pushed all the doors and windows open. The cold wind poured in, and the pungent smell finally dissipated in the air.

"Your Majesty—" Jiang Ning exhaled with all his strength, trying to suppress the panic and uneasiness in his heart, "That, that is not something prepared by my concubine."

Mu Jingzhao turned his head to look at her, his gaze was heavy, and after a long time, he said slowly, "You wait here for a while, I have something to attend to."

Jiang Ning nodded numbly.

"Don't touch the things on the ground, I'll find someone to clean them up later." He walked towards the door, and when he reached the door, he looked back at Jiang Ning, "This is an agreement between you and me, if that You are the one who put the poison, and I will not punish you."

He opened his mouth, as if he was adjusting his tone. After a while, he finally pursed his lips and gave Jiang Ning a smile, "Don't worry, I will ask Vice General Chen to send someone to guard the door later."

After the last word fell to the ground, Mu Jingzhao finally lifted his foot and walked towards the door.

Jiang Ning was the only one left in the room, and she stood there dumbfounded, without moving for a while.

The braised pork that was covered by the tablecloth no longer emitted black smoke, but the slight whistling sound seemed to still be lingering in her ears.

She hesitated for a moment, walked to the side of the parrot cage, and picked up the parrot cage.

The feathers of the green-feathered parrot inside were scattered around, perhaps because of too much struggle, the top of its right wing even lost a small piece.

The reddened skin inside was exposed.

Jiang Ning put the cage on the table, and touched the cage with some pity.

But when she didn't expect it, the overly frightened parrot thumped and pecked at her palm.

A stabbing pain came, and Jiang Ning's hand was withdrawn instantly. She smiled helplessly, went to the window with the birdcage in her hand, and pulled the switch.

The parrot plunged into the night without a trace.

The moonlight shone unscrupulously on Jiang Ning's face, she looked up at the moon, her thoughts gradually became clear in the night wind.

If something like this happened to Mu Jingzhao, he will definitely investigate thoroughly.

At that time, if she wants to protect herself, she must truthfully tell the truth about the fact that she went to get rat poison.

just this way...

Jiang Ning held her chin in thought, and suddenly she lowered her head and muttered to herself, "No matter what, the imperial doctor must not be implicated."

She stood up straight, turned and walked towards the back door of the cold palace.

----

On the other side, the imperial garden, on the gazebo by the koi pond.

The shadow of the moon was so bright that it illuminated the pavilion, leaving two opposite reflections on the lake.

"That stone, you threw it, Ah Zheng." The breeze blew the lake surface, disturbing the shadows.

Lin Zheng cupped his hands, "Yes, when I returned to the palace to return to my command today, I saw my mother walking towards the imperial study with a bag of rat poison. I felt something wrong in my heart, so I followed all the way and witnessed everything."

Mu Jingzhao nodded slightly, and spoke carefully, "You know, we were poisoned in our meal tonight."

"Extremely poisonous?" Lin Zheng was a little stunned.

Mu Jingzhao nodded heavily, "It's a pot of braised pork."

Lin Zheng shook his head again and again, "Impossible, I have been following her since she walked out of the imperial dining room, and I watched her add rat poison to the pot of chicken soup with my own eyes, other than that, she didn't touch the other dishes at all. Pass."

I don't know if it was because the night was too cold, Lin Zheng's words even trembled slightly.

"I personally went to confirm with Doctor Zhang that the empress did indeed only take away a pack of mild rat poison."

Mu Jingzhao paced slowly, walked to the gazebo, and looked down at his own reflection in the water. In the moonlight, his expression was dim.

"I know it's not Concubine Ning's handwriting."

As the breeze blew, Mu Jingzhao's figure disappeared with the waves.

"Braised pork, my favorite dish, I always eat two pieces before every meal. This is a habit that only those closest to me know."

The wind gradually subsided, and the lake surface returned to calm. Mu Jingzhao's serious face gradually became clear on the lake surface.

"Who do you think it would be?"

He looked at his reflection in the lake, and asked a question as if muttering to himself.

"I don't know."

The night was hazy, and the light mist slowly enveloped Mu Jingzhao's reflection and landed on his face.

"No, no, maybe Concubine Ning can know."

The cloak with light purple magnolia pattern that was drying in the corner of the cold palace flashed through Mu Jingzhao's mind.

Before Lin Zheng could ask, he continued on his own, "Concubine Liu Gui."

Lin Zheng was stunned. He didn't understand what kind of connection Jiang Ning had with Liu Jinfu, so he didn't make any assertions. He just quietly waited for Mu Jingzhao to speak.

"Could it be like this, Jiang Qingyuan and Liu Yue colluded with each other, Jiang Qingyuan found a puppet to lower my vigilance, and Concubine Liu Gui in the palace played a supporting role." Just halfway through the sentence, Mu Jingzhao denied himself Shaking her head like that, "No, Concubine Liu Gui would not do such a thing."

"En." Lin Zheng responded shallowly, "If the noble concubine is dissatisfied with you, she will directly raise her weapon and rush in front of you."

Lin Zheng's words seemed to bring back some bad memories in Mu Jingzhao, his brows became tighter and tighter, "Ah Zheng, I made a slip of the tongue."

He took a deep breath and continued, "These days, you help me keep an eye on the contacts between Concubine Gui and Concubine Ning."

"Yes."

Mu Jingzhao frowned, his expression softened slightly, "How is your investigation of Concubine Ning's background going?"

"Quite rewarding."

"Oh?" Mu Jingzhao raised his eyebrows, "Let's talk about it later, Concubine Ning ate rat poison by mistake, I'm going to see how she is doing."

Having said that, Mu Jingzhao turned his head and stepped out of the gazebo. Behind him, Lin Zheng was no longer in the gazebo.

(End of this chapter)