I Married a Disabled Prince in Prison

Chapter 86

"Heng'er, you're back!" Liang Qingzhen stood up excitedly, taking a few steps toward him. Her eyes seemed unable to see, and she groped hesitantly. "During the six months you were missing, I washed my face with tears every day, grief-stricken. My eyes turned blind from tears. I was plundered out of the palace by that unfilial son, King Jin. I never thought he would rebel. Heng'er, it's good that you've come back."

A sarcastic smile curled at the corner of Xiao Yeheng's lips. "You really know how to act. At this point, you still want to pretend?"

"Heng'er, what are you saying?" Liang Qingzhen's old face looked puzzled. "Why are you calling me 'you'? I'm your mother."

"The Emperor has already ordered the removal of your empress dowager title. You're not worthy of this position."

"Heng'er! How could you be so unfilial..."

"Shut up!" Xiao Yeheng shouted sternly. "I've been deceived by your hypocrisy for over twenty years, and I don't want to see your vicious appearance anymore. Someone, come and bring them all here!"

Several guards brought in Liu Fu, who had served beside the former empress dowager for decades; generals Dai Hui; imperial physician Zhang Dingyuan; inner court supervisor Quan Lu; and soldier Wang Xian... Over a dozen people had their hands bound and knelt inside the tent.

"Start with Liu Fu." Xiao Yeheng's tone was icy.

All the prisoners had knives on their necks, so they had no choice but to comply. Liu Fu's teeth chattered. "That night, more than half a year ago, the Empress Dowager instructed me to put medicines in the food in advance. It wouldn't affect anyone if eaten separately, but combined, it would cause unconsciousness. Before King An lost consciousness, the Empress Dowager pretended to faint first. When King An lost consciousness, the Empress Dowager ordered me to end King An's life. But King Jin didn't want King An to die too easily, so he personally chopped off a piece of King An's left leg and threw him into a private death cell."

"You... you liar!" Liang Qingzhen pointed at Liu Fu tremblingly. "You old thing, I've treated you well for decades. How could you betray me?"

"I didn't want to either." Liu Fu's face was filled with sorrow. "But King An said that if I confessed, only I would die. If I didn't, my whole family would be buried with me. I have brothers and sisters outside the palace, along with children and grandchildren. I really didn't want my sins to drag them down. Besides, King An has already uncovered everything. Whether I tell the truth or not, your empress dowager... will end up the same."

Liang Qingzhen scowled. "You, Liu Fu, are full of nonsense."

General Dai Hui continued Liu Fu's words: "It was I who administered the drugs to King An along the way, and when he woke up, he was already in the prison in Duanji City. We followed King Jin's orders: whoever paid a hefty sum, we would capture them and send them to prison to die. Initially, Minister of Rites Yan Qing's eldest daughter, Yan Xiangling, bought the life of her half-sister, Yan Shuixin, with money, resulting in Yan Shuixin being captured and thrown into the death cell. There are many other cases like this..."

"The faults committed by my son, Xiao Shen, cannot be attributed to me!" Liang Qingzhen argued cunningly.

Imperial physician Zhang Dingyuan spoke up, "The former Empress Dowager's claim of crying herself blind due to King An's disappearance was completely false. It was just temporary blindness caused by taking a certain medicine, and it would be fine once the antidote was taken. Just two days ago, the former Empress Dowager took the antidote, and now she can see."

Liang Qingzhen's unfocused gaze suddenly sharpened as her yellowed eyes became astute. There was no point in pretending to be blind anymore.

One by one, Inner Court Supervisor Quan Lu continued, "The fourth prince, Xiao Chengyu, was born to a palace maid who died early. Although the fourth prince did not receive the late emperor's favor, no palace maid dared to bully him. It was the former empress dowager Liang Qingzhen, who was then the consort Liang, who ordered servants to secretly bully Xiao Chengyu from time to time. Over time, the fourth prince, Xiao Chengyu, became insecure, weak, distrustful of everyone, and sensitive.