The poisoner

The items had vanished, just as Zhu Yuntong had expected.

Everyone around him belonged to Lü Shi. Zhu Yuntong guessed that she must have learned he was going to the Imperial Medical Bureau, leaving her enough time to destroy that particular evidence.

There really had been something wrong with that incense.

Danger truly lurked everywhere in the Eastern Palace.

"If it's gone, forget it."

Zhu Yuntong waved a hand and went outside again.

Jiang Jue and the others were reporting their latest findings. They had thoroughly searched the Eastern Palace but found nothing.

Lü Shi stood nervously to one side, yet she still managed to keep a faint smile on her face, as though none of this had anything to do with her. Zhu Yunwen, meanwhile, dared neither speak nor let his eyes wander.

He must have known about those things!

"Imperial Grandfather, what should we do?"

Zhu Yuntong asked, his face full of helplessness.

"Come back with me first."

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Replace the Eastern Palace's servants!"

Although they had found nothing in the Eastern Palace, there was definitely still something wrong with its servants.

"Yes!"

Lü Shi lowered her head. "Your daughter-in-law understands."

"Let's go!"

Zhu Yuanzhang took Zhu Yuntong away from the Eastern Palace and headed back to the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Lü Shi could only watch them disappear into the distance. Her heart, which she had kept under control for so long, finally began pounding wildly. Had she slipped even a little just now, failing to appear composed enough, they might have noticed something. Fortunately, nothing had happened!

As long as nothing happened!

"Mother, what should we do?"

Zhu Yunwen's voice trembled, and his whole body shook.

"Naturally, we must cooperate with your imperial grandfather and find whoever poisoned Yuntong."

Seeing how timid her son was, Lü Shi felt frustrated. But he was her son, after all, and she added, "We'll go back. Don't do anything, and don't ask anything. Just cooperate with the Embroidered Guard."

Zhu Yunwen nodded repeatedly, but he truly could not calm down.

He remained terrified inside, panicking whenever something serious happened. That was simply his nature.

Following Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Yuntong soon arrived at the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Throughout the journey, Old Zhu's expression remained dark. He looked ready to kill at any moment, his icy demeanor keeping everyone at a distance.

"Yuntong, who do you find most suspicious?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked quietly, his voice restrained.

Zhu Yuntong cast aside his reservations and answered bluntly, "If you ask who I find most suspicious, it has to be Lü Shi. Once I'm dead, no one can compete with Zhu Yunwen. But I have no evidence."

He accused Lü Shi directly. There was an eighty percent chance she was responsible.

"Lü Shi may be somewhat harsh, but she isn't so ruthless."

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head slightly. "The Embroidered Guard found nothing in the Eastern Palace just now, either. I don't think it was her."

"That's why I said I had no evidence," Zhu Yuntong replied.

Bringing Lü Shi down without evidence would not be easy. She was the Crown Princess, after all.

Zhu Yuanzhang fell silent for a moment, then said, "Whoever it is, once I find them, they will die!"

In an instant, murderous intent surged from him again.

Even Zhu Yuntong, sitting beside him, could feel a chill rushing straight at him.

This was an emperor's majesty. Yet Zhu Yuntong was not afraid. Instead, he was deeply envious, wishing he could possess such majesty himself.

"Your Majesty!"

Just then, Jiang Jue entered from outside. "We have results."

"You found the culprit?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked.

Jiang Jue lowered his head. "We did. It was the man who cooked for the Third Imperial Grandson. I found some blue gold and mercury in his bedding, and he admitted to administering the poison."

"As for his motive, the Crown Prince had beaten and scolded him in the past, and he bore a grudge. Since he happened to be responsible for the Third Imperial Grandson's meals, he decided to poison him to take revenge on the Crown Prince."

"He bought the blue gold and mercury when he left the palace. He once accompanied the eunuchs who went out to purchase ingredients. I found the corresponding records of his departure."

"Beyond that, we have found nothing else about him for now. He had no particularly close ties or dealings with anyone else in the palace."

Zhu Yuntong was not surprised by Jiang Jue's report.

Since Lü Shi had prepared in advance, and had even dared to poison an Imperial Grandson, she must have arranged everything thoroughly.

If the matter came to light, someone would take the blame for her and divert attention.

Her calculations covered every angle. The women in the palace were no simple characters.

For now, that seemed to be all they could uncover. Even the Embroidered Guard was not all-powerful.

"Damn him!"

Zhu Yuanzhang roared.

Everyone around him except Zhu Yuntong instantly dropped to their knees.

Under the full force of his presence, they all trembled slightly, not even daring to raise their heads.

Witnessing an emperor's might once again, Zhu Yuntong thought that Old Zhu truly lived up to being an emperor who had fought his way out of a chaotic age. This majesty had not merely come from executing corrupt officials. It must also have accumulated through his struggle for the realm and endured to this day.

What overwhelming majesty!

I've learned something, Zhu Yuntong thought.

"Drag that eunuch away and execute him by a thousand cuts. Exterminate three generations of the family of whoever sold him the blue gold and mercury."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was cold.

"Yes!"

Jiang Jue was about to withdraw and order the Embroidered Guard to carry it out.

But Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to feel that this was still not enough to vent his anger. He added, "Kill everyone in the Imperial Food Service except that old fellow Xu Xingzu. Kill all the Eastern Palace's servants, too. Leave none alive!"

Once something had happened, it no longer mattered whether they were involved. They could not be allowed to remain.

They all had to die.

Unless he could be certain those people were innocent.

If he could not be certain, they all had to be killed.

"Yes!"

Jiang Jue acknowledged the order.

Even after ordering so many deaths, Zhu Yuanzhang's anger remained unabated, his chest rising and falling.

Someone had dared poison his grandson right under his nose?

They all deserved to die!

"Imperial Grandfather, anger is bad for your health."

Zhu Yuntong hurried to soothe him, then added, "Please spare Liu Liu, who serves me. He's quite useful, and there's nothing wrong with him."

He had, in a sense, won this servant over to his side.

Keeping him was the best choice. Otherwise, who knew whether the next one would also be a problem?

"Then spare Liu Liu."

Zhu Yuanzhang said.

Zhu Yuntong comforted him. "Imperial Grandfather, please don't be angry. I'm all right. The bureau director and the others said they could save me."

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly. "Fortunately, they have a way. Otherwise, I'd kill them too."

After a pause, he added, "Do you think I'm too cruel, killing people at the slightest provocation?"

"Imperial Grandfather holds the power of life and death. It's only natural to establish authority through killing."

Zhu Yuntong said, "Without some ruthlessness, it's hard to make those below you feel reverence and fear."

"Well said!" Zhu Yuanzhang praised him.

He had known Zhu Yuntong understood his mind best.

"If your father were still here, he would certainly argue with me and tell me not to kill so many people." Zhu Yuanzhang thought of his beloved eldest son again.

This unruly grandson resembled him, not Zhu Biao.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt that Zhu Biao had been more like Empress Ma. In the past, Empress Ma had always urged him not to kill so many people, and Zhu Biao had argued with him over the killings too. Those scenes felt warm when he recalled them, but sadly, he would never see them again.

Now Empress Ma was gone, and so was Zhu Biao.

When it came to killing, Old Zhu was gradually losing control, killing whoever he wanted. That was what had happened to Lan Yu in history. He had slaughtered almost the entire Huai West nobility.

"Father and Grandmother were alike. They were both kindhearted."

Zhu Yuntong thought for a moment, realizing he could strengthen their family bond, and added, "I might be like Imperial Grandfather. Whoever refuses to submit, I'll kill."

"You unruly grandson!"

Zhu Yuanzhang bristled, his beard puffing out, and gave a light snort. "Are you saying I'm a murderous butcher?"

Only then did the murderous intent filling his chest subside, and his mood improved considerably.

He found that sometimes, merely talking to Zhu Yuntong eased his worries.

Knowing he was not truly angry, Zhu Yuntong smiled. "I didn't say anything. Imperial Grandfather admitted it himself!"

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled too. Only this unruly grandson dared joke with him.