Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1144 - 154: Father and Son Heart-to-Heart

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Previously on Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne...
Prince Han successfully performed the ancestral rites despite the displeasure of the court. The Emperor, still unwell, chose to dine alone rather than with the Empress and Noble Princess Consort Rong. Later, Prime Minister He and Grandmaster Liu visited the Emperor, confirming his old wound had flared up and assuring him they would handle court affairs. After their departure, the Emperor coughed up blood again. Prince Han, overhearing this, secretly instructed Xiao Jin to summon Lingyun, who revealed the Emperor had been poisoned.
Sun Kui entered and announced, "Your Majesty, Prince Han requests an audience." The emperor expressed surprise, "Why is that young scamp here?" It was already the hour of Xu in the evening, and the palace banquet in Zichen Hall had concluded. "Let him in." Soon, Sun Kui escorted Zhao Yao inside before exiting and taking his post by the door. Upon entering, Zhao Yao inquired directly, "Who administered the poison to you?" The emperor was briefly taken aback, then chuckled, "What poison?" Zhao Yao took a seat on the couch, his sharp gaze fixed on the feigning emperor. "Was it my eighth brother?" The emperor’s smile faltered, his expression rapidly turning grave, "How did you learn of my poisoning?" "Never mind how I know." Zhao Yao reached into his pocket, producing a small porcelain bottle which he tossed to the emperor. "This is a detoxification pill from Lingnan; it can cleanse all but the most potent poisons. Take it now." "Is it truly that miraculous?" The emperor poured a single pill from the miniature bottle and swallowed it without hesitation. "After consuming it, you will vomit black blood." Shortly thereafter, the emperor expelled a copious amount of black blood, startling Sun Kui, who had just re-entered. Following the expulsion of the dark blood, the emperor felt a marked improvement. Zhao Yao checked the emperor’s pulse. "The poison is neutralized, but your old wounds..." he stated, retrieving another small, blue porcelain bottle from his pocket. "Take one daily to alleviate the pain." "Where do you procure all these elixirs?" The emperor accepted the bottle and, once more, ingested the contents without reservation. "Just in case." Lingnan is rife with miasma, and he frequently faced assassination attempts, thus he always carried life-preserving medicine. After taking the medication, the emperor perceived a significant reduction in the pain stemming from his old injuries. "Your medicine is remarkably effective." "The witch doctors in Lingnan possess great skill." Zhao Yao glanced sideways at the emperor, remarking irritably, "You did not adhere to the prescribed dosage of the medicine I gave you previously. Had you done so, your old wounds would not have resurfaced so severely, nor would they be causing such pain." The emperor averted his gaze and retorted, "All medicine carries some inherent toxicity. Why would I consume it if there were no underlying issue?" "Serves you right for suffering from pain." The emperor shot back, "You impudent child!" Unwilling to prolong the argument with the emperor, Zhao Yao steered the conversation back on track. "Tell me, what sort of poison was it, and what was your eighth brother’s motive for poisoning you?" "It is not lethal, something they call Three-Cloud Green; it will not kill you." The emperor did not appear overly concerned about the poisoning. "Why do you presume it was the eighth brother who poisoned me?" "Who else besides my eighth brother possesses such capability? The fifth brother, perhaps?" Zhao Yao sneered, referencing Prince Han. "If he had the prowess, he would not have initiated a rebellion." At that moment, Sun Kui arrived with ginseng soup. Earlier, the emperor had vomited a large quantity of blood, prompting Sun Kui to believe replenishment was necessary. Naturally, Zhao Yao was also included. Zhao Yao had consumed very little at the evening banquet; the food had been served cold. Furthermore, the dishes were oily, and once cold, a thick film of grease formed, diminishing Zhao Yao’s appetite. "Steward Sun, I am famished. Please procure additional dishes." "I too am hungry; bring more," the emperor added. Sun Kui’s face lit up. "Yes, Your Majesty." Before long, Sun Kui had arranged a table laden with dishes for both the emperor and his son. Father and son settled onto the couch, partaking in the meal and engaging in conversation. "Why are you so convinced it was the eighth brother?" "As I stated, aside from my eighth brother, no one else possesses that level of competence." Zhao Yao’s brow furrowed slightly. "What is the eighth brother's objective?" "You should pose that question to him." "It is no simple feat to poison you; how did my eighth brother achieve it?" The emperor, prior to consuming any food or drink, would have a eunuch conduct a poison test. "What is your hypothesis?" "A gradual administration? To such an extent that the poison-testing eunuchs would not detect it?" Zhao Yao mused, this being the only plausible method he could conceive. "When did the eighth brother arrange for this poisoning to begin? A year ago? Or perhaps two years ago?" The emperor appeared taken aback by Zhao Yao’s comprehensive deductions and chuckled, "Clever child." "You still have not elucidated whether it was one year or two years ago." The emperor responded, "The Imperial Physician indicated the poisoning commenced two years prior." "Two years ago?" Zhao Yao pondered for a moment. "Was this before my departure for Lingnan?" The emperor gazed at Zhao Yao with astonishment. "How did you deduce that?""Just as I suspected!" Zhao Yao declared with a solemn expression. "You little imp, what theories have you concocted?" "The poisoning that occurred before my departure to Lingnan indicates that the eighth prince had meticulously orchestrated everything. His plans were long in the making," Zhao Yao narrowed his eyes, a pensive look crossing his face. "If that is the case, then the eighth prince was aware of my intended journey to Lingnan for quite some time. However, the question remains: why would he choose to poison you precisely because I am heading to Lingnan?"