Chapter 781: No less than a Death Sentence
Chapter 781: No less than a Death Sentence
Ying Lili promptly rose to her feet when Eunuch Xing-Fu informed her about the Emperor's arrival.
"Where is he?" Ying Lili asked with curiosity.
"His Majesty has gone to the Imperial Court. Empress Dowager is summoned to the court," Xing-Fu replied. Ying Lili scrunched her brows. It was confirmed that Sheng Li found something against Deng Hui that he called for an emergency court session.
"Court Lady Xu, the things I gave you last night, could you please hand them to me?" Ying Lili requested her.
"Sure, Your Majesty."
After a few minutes, Court Lady Xu returned with a box in her hand. Ying Lili stepped forward to go out when Eunuch Xing-Fu asked her about it.
"I need to go to the imperial court," Ying Lili stated. "Please get aside and follow my lead," she commanded Eunuch Xing-Fu, who stepped away from her way.
Xing-Fu took the box from Court Lady Xu's hands and they left after the Empress. Soon, they reached outside the imperial court. They heard the voices from inside where Deng Hui challenged Sheng Li to present proof, which could show she was the real culprit behind all this.
The royal guards opened the door for the Empress, who stepped inside.
Sheng Li, who was on the throne, saw Ying Lili coming in and he stood up. "Lili," he whispered. The ministers turned to look and the Princes turned to look and bowed to greet her.
Ying Lili halted and stood beside Deng Hui. She bowed her head before Sheng Li, before lifting it. Sheng Li was seated on the throne and ordered to bring a chair for Ying Lili.
"It is not needed, Your Majesty. I am well," Ying Lili assured Sheng Li, who didn't listen to her and looked at Wang Hao. In a while, a chair was brought and Ying Lili sat on it.
She looked at Nianzu and said, "Brother Nianzu, thank you for saving me that day from consuming the poisonous sweets. I would not have been alive if Brother Nianzu had not intervened that day," Ying Lili expressed her gratitude.
Deng Hui wondered what Ying Lili was trying to say.
"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager used a mild poison to kill me and she is the one who ordered to kill the Emperor as well. I will present the following evidence," Ying Lili said and tilted her head slightly.
Xing-Fu swiftly came forward and stood by Ying Lili's side, keeping his head low. "Empress Dowager must know what this box is for," Ying Lili said, gazing into her eyes.
Deng Hui glanced at the box which was indeed hers. But how did Ying Lili get her hands on that?
"What is inside this?" Sheng Li asked when Ying Lili opened it and several letters were found along with a few porcelain bottles which
had poison in them. Ying Lili picked the first letter and showed it to everyone.
"We all thought that Empress Dowager does not know how to read and write. However, we all were in an illusion. These letters are in her writing," Ying Lili revealed the first truth in front of everyone.
"The letter in my hand is the one in which someone has sent a response to her in writing about the situation in Changying. She already knew what would happen in Changying," Ying Lili pronounced and then picked the second one.
"This one she wrote to find a well-trained shooter to kill the Emperor. Lord Wushi was also hired by her, who already has lost his life," Ying Lili pronounced.
"Now, Empress Dowager is wondering how I found out these letters which weren't supposed to be here. She forgot that if she had ordered to kill him, then she should have replaced the other evidence too," Ying Lili affirmed.
She recalled how Huo Jin came to her the previous night and handed her the belongings which he recovered from Lord Wushi's resting place. Also, last night, he somehow sneaked into Empress Dowager's manor and managed to bring the most important evidence that everyone needed.
"Your Majesty, the servant, who took the blame on him has testified that he was forced to lie about it. Empress Dowager was the one who had prepared the sweets," Wang Hao asserted.
Deng Hui fiddled with her fingers and gulped. She was terrified because of the consequences awaiting her.
"Empress Dowager, will you still deny your crimes? Luckily, the shooter has accompanied us, who was hired to kill me," Sheng Li said and gestured to Xiao Zhan, who walked out of the court. After a while, he entered with the middle-aged man, the shooter.
He greeted the Emperor first and testified that he was given the message to kill the Emperor. A sketch was also provided as he had never seen the Emperor. He took the letter and sketch out of his pocket. Xiao Zhan handed them to Sheng Li.
"Every artist leaves his unique signature behind. The sketch of mine that Empress Dowager prepared was prepared by our famous royal painter. If she still wants to deny it, I will call him in court. His confession would be enough to tell that Empress Dowager was behind all this," Sheng Li pronounced.
Deng Hui's throat went dry upon hearing him.
"What do the Court Ministers think? What punishment shall Empress Dowager be given?" Sheng Li asked his ministers.
"Prince Nianzu, say something. They are accusing your mother," Deng Hui urged her son.
"Your Majesty," Nianzu turned to look at Sheng Li, "a lifetime imprisonment will not be good enough for Empress Dowager. I request you to give her a death sentence for scheming against the E
mperor and the Empress."
Deng Hui was shocked to hear the words of her son. He requested the Emperor to give her a death sentence! Tears streamed down her cheeks because this was all for her son. She walked to Nianzu and asked him what he was saying.
Nianzu averted his gaze from him. "I was the one who made a formal request to the late Father to give status to my mother. I was wrong about it. My father knew what my mother was like. Still, for his son, he accepted the request. I am truly guilty for what my mother did today. I, Han Nianzu, seek justice from His Majesty. He shall give no less than a death sentence to Empress Dowager," Nianzu said with a firm tone as his eyes turned misty.