In a side hall of the imperial palace.
"Zheng Longtu, was it you who poisoned me? Everything your Zheng family has today depends on me. If I die, what good does that do you?"
Zhang Yuanqing pressed his back against the lattice door, not daring to move. Yuanshi Tianzun had faced death countless times; even at the brink of life and death, he would never feel cowardice or fear. But right now, he was a foolish tyrant.
To be honest, the plot had once again developed beyond his expectations. Logically speaking, the Zheng family was related to the imperial clan by marriage, and their power depended on the emperor. Zhao Shun had no heirs. Once he died, the new emperor would certainly weaken the Zheng family's influence. There was no reason for them to murder the emperor.
"Good?" Zheng Longtu sneered. "The good, naturally, is the Southern Dynasty's vast realm. Don't be afraid. I won't kill you with a single stroke of my sword. There are only the two of us in this hall. If you die by the blade, I won't be able to clear my name even if I jumped into the Yellow River."
As he spoke, he sheathed his sword, seized Zhang Yuanqing by the throat, and dragged him to the table.
Then, Zheng Longtu pulled a wooden box from his robes and snapped it open. Inside lay a purple pill the size of a longan.
"Your Majesty, you are the ruler of a nation. Dying by blade would be far too undignified. I'll leave you an intact corpse. Swallow this pill, and you'll have died at an assassin's hand, with nothing to do with me." Zheng Longtu pried open the emperor's mouth and stuffed the pill inside.
Zhang Yuanqing clutched his throat and stubbornly refused to