Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1086 - 125: Southern Wei People Deserve to Die! (Part 2)

When the cloyingly sweet voice of Noble Princess Consort Rong reached their ears, Empress Xie and Princess Consort De both experienced a surge of revulsion. Scorn flickered across their gazes.

Empress Xie and Princess Consort De offered respectful greetings to the emperor, saying, "Your Majesty."

"You may all rise." The emperor turned his gaze toward Empress Xie and Princess Consort De, inquiring, "Have you come to beg mercy for them too?"

Empress Xie and Princess Consort De gave slight nods.

"You are aware of the reason for their arrest."

"Cousin, they merely purchased some Divine Pills—did it really warrant capturing everyone?" Noble Princess Consort Rong pulled at the emperor’s sleeve, shaking it softly. "Cousin, this isn’t about killing or burning things down; why lock them up? I’ve heard the prison of the Imperial Court of Judicial Review is dreadful—my brother definitely can’t endure it."

The emperor eyed the three women. "Has any of you consumed the Divine Pill?"

Empress Xie’s gaze wavered briefly, her pulse quickening inwardly, though her expression stayed composed.

"I have not."

"I’m still so youthful and lovely; I don’t need Divine Pills to preserve my beauty." Noble Princess Consort Rong finished speaking and shot a sideways look at Empress Xie, who now looked remarkably more youthful and attractive, then sneered, "Yet it appears Her Majesty the Empress has rejuvenated greatly. Has Her Majesty used the Divine Pills?"

Empress Xie shot Noble Princess Consort Rong a fierce glare, her face darkening as she warned, "Noble Princess Consort Rong, mind your tongue."

Princess Consort De stayed out of the spat between Noble Princess Consort Rong and Empress Xie. "I have not."

"It’s good that none of you have." The emperor cast a profound look at the noticeably younger Empress Xie. "Divine Pills count as banned substances; anyone involved in buying or ingesting them faces full scrutiny. After the probe concludes, the Imperial Court of Judicial Review will release Marquis Xuanping and the rest."

"Cousin, Minister Guo from the Court Martial uses harsh questioning tactics—what if he harms my brother?" Noble Princess Consort Rong pressed on. "Aren’t Divine Pills a wondrous remedy? How have they turned into forbidden drugs?"

"What they call Divine Pills are simply toxic substances. Fortunately, you avoided them."

At these words, Noble Princess Consort Rong and the others paled in shock. "Toxic substances?"

Empress Xie’s complexion drained of color right away, terror briefly flashing in her eyes.

Divine Pills were actually poison?!

Princess Consort De hadn’t ingested them herself, but a member of Duke Anyang Mansion had. She quickly demanded, "How could it be poison? No one’s reported dying from Divine Pills."

"Exactly, I’ve heard plenty took them and grew healthier and more youthful, without any poisoning cases. Cousin, maybe you’re mistaken?"

"It acts as a gradual poison. Your brother and others have only begun using it and taken little, so symptoms haven’t shown." The emperor clarified. "With prolonged use, poisoning will set in, and not even gods could cure them then."

Terror-stricken, Noble Princess Consort Rong and the rest turned ashen. "That severe?"

"Why do you think I banned it?" The emperor lightly tapped Noble Princess Consort Rong’s forehead. "The instant your brother learned of the Divine Pill, he rashly bought and swallowed it without verifying. Arresting them now serves as a harsh lesson against blindly trusting so-called miracle cures."

"Cousin, will my brother come out fine?"

"What harm could befall him?"

"I fear the Court Martial’s tortures."

"If they confess truthfully, the Court Martial won’t harass them." The emperor placed a hand on Noble Princess Consort Rong’s shoulder. "I have duties to handle—leave now."

Noble Princess Consort Rong and the others refrained from lingering and retreated obediently.

"Empress, the emperor called Divine Pills poison—you should watch yourself." Noble Princess Consort Rong smirked mockingly at Empress Xie, taunting boldly, "You’ve regained your youth and beauty; don’t drop dead soon after."

Hit squarely on her weakness, Empress Xie’s expression grew thunderous; fury boiling, she snapped, "Noble Princess Consort Rong, such a venomous wish for my demise!"

"I speak only for your benefit, Empress—how can you misjudge me so?" Noble Princess Consort Rong feigned offense. "Indeed, good advice falls on deaf ears."

"You envy my restored youth and loveliness."

Noble Princess Consort Rong burst into laughter as if at the greatest jest. "Envy your youth and beauty? Empress, perhaps check a mirror first?"

Princess Consort De paid no heed to the bickering of Empress Xie and Noble Princess Consort Rong, simply departing.

Noble Princess Consort Rong lost interest in Empress Xie’s vanity. She scanned Empress Xie with contempt. "You with your so-called beauty—how laughable." With that, she spun around and departed.

If not for being right outside the Imperial Study, Empress Xie would have shredded Noble Princess Consort Rong’s face.

Sun Doudou, standing nearby, caught Empress Xie’s savage stare like she’d swallow someone whole and hastily bowed his head, acting as if he’d heard nothing.