The search for the poisoner did not take long. By the very next day, a palace maid had been arrested.
Xing Ruolan came to report the news to Di Lingwei: “According to the Ministry of Justice’s investigation, Ying He is the one who administered the poison. As for whether there is someone else behind her, that is still under interrogation. However, Ying He is rather tight-lipped and has not yet provided any useful information.”
“Bring the person here. Also, fetch a copy of Ying He’s file. Zhen wishes to see it,” Di Lingwei commanded after a moment of thought.
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Xing Ruolan immediately left to relay the orders.
Di Lingwei had just finished bathing and was sitting at the vanity in her bedchamber, being coiffed and groomed by her palace maids.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Di Lingwei noticed she seemed somewhat haggard. Was it because yesterday’s events had placed too much pressure on her?
Upon reflection, it made sense. Who could remain unmoved upon learning someone sought to kill them and would act on it?
Still, as the Heavenly Mandate Empress, she had to maintain appearances. She could not allow herself to appear truly despondent.
With this thought, Di Lingwei maintained a stern expression as she gazed at herself in the bronze mirror. As long as her expression was serious, an intangible, overbearing aura would radiate from within, making that feeling of exhaustion difficult for others to detect.
Her grooming complete, she donned a resplendent pomegranate skirt. Di Lingwei could be described as possessing skin of ice and bones of jade, a beauty that could topple a kingdom.
The palace maids were subsequently dismissed. Di Lingwei then moved to the western chamber of the Phoenix Perch Palace, which, aside from the study, was the most suitable place for holding discussions.
Ying He was brought in shortly thereafter. Wei Nian personally escorted the prisoner inside, followed by Xing Ruolan, who carried a file.
“We pay respects to Your Majesty.”
“You may rise.”
Di Lingwei’s gaze fell upon Ying He.
Name: Ying He.
Identity: Palace Maid.
All other information was invisible.
Ying He was a rather delicate-looking maid, with bright eyes and white teeth, but at this moment, her expression was numb. Forced to kneel by a push from Wei Nian, she seemed to have lost any will to resist.
“Your Majesty, this is Ying He,” Xing Ruolan said softly, coming to Di Lingwei’s side and respectfully presenting the file with both hands.
It was Ying He’s personal file.
Wei Nian stood beside Ying He, watching her closely.
Di Lingwei sat upright on a comfortable chair, her appearance both beautiful and noble, radiating majesty and dominance in equal measure.
She casually flipped through Ying He’s file, saying nothing for the time being. With her remaining silent, no one else dared speak. The atmosphere grew somewhat oppressive, broken only by the sound of her turning pages.
After perusing it for a while, Di Lingwei closed the file, looked at Ying He, and asked in a deep voice, “So, it was you who wished to murder Zhen?”
Hearing Di Lingwei’s voice, Ying He finally reacted, lifting her head to glance at Di Lingwei. “What if it was?” she retorted.
It was as if she knew the fate awaiting her. Facing the Sovereign of a Nation, her words remained unyielding.
“And the reason? In what way did Zhen fall short, compelling you to take such a risk to harm Zhen? Speak, let Zhen hear it.” Di Lingwei’s tone was calm, as if she were unconcerned by another’s attempt on her life.
“A reason?” Ying He chuckled as if she’d heard a joke. “Di Lingwei, oh Di Lingwei, you know better than anyone how you came to sit on that throne. Those who wish to kill you are countless. Do you really think harming you requires a reason?”
“How dare you! Who permitted you to address Her Majesty by name?” Xing Ruolan immediately scolded, though even her rebuke was soft-spoken, lacking any real deterrent force.
Di Lingwei waved her hand, signaling Xing Ruolan to say no more. The latter promptly lowered her head and fell silent.
She had been reading many books lately and knew the original host had clawed her way to this position over mountains of corpses. Her ferocious reputation was well-earned. That she was detested was no strange thing.
Not pressing further for a reason, Di Lingwei shifted to another question: “Who ordered you to poison Zhen? Who gave you the poison?”
According to her file, Ying He had been in the palace for quite some years and had never left the Imperial Palace. There was no logical way she could possess a strange and wondrous poison without cause; someone must have given it to her. This indicated someone else was behind Ying He.
That person had to be ferreted out!
Ying He sneered coldly. “You want to know? Kneel and beg me, and perhaps I will tell you.”
The expressions of both Xing Ruolan and Wei Nian darkened. Such speech to the Empress was utterly treasonous. Both instinctively wanted to interject, but Di Lingwei preemptively raised her hand, forcing them to swallow their words.
Di Lingwei looked deeply at Ying He. “If you do not speak, do you understand what awaits you? It will be endless torment, a fate worse than death. Do you comprehend this?”
Ying He’s cold smile remained. “I know. Of course, I know. But so what? I may wish for death and not find it, but how can you live in peace? So many people want to kill you, yet you don’t know where they are. You only know they lurk within the Imperial Palace, perhaps even right beside you. Is that not a kind of torture in itself? They watch you every day, pondering methods to kill you. Even with absolute martial power, what can you do? Can you truly protect yourself at every second? You cannot. Sooner or later, Di Lingwei, your head will hang from the Imperial Palace walls…”
Her eyes widened, her voice sharp and brimming with aggression.
Seeing this, Di Lingwei had no wish to speak further. Professional matters were best left to professionals. She trusted the Ministry of Justice did not lack individuals skilled at prying open others’ mouths.
“Take her away,” Di Lingwei ordered with a wave of her hand.
“Die, you dog emperor!”
At that moment, Ying He suddenly erupted into action. Breaking free from Wei Nian, she lunged at Di Lingwei, her hand clenching into a fist that shot forward with astonishing speed.
She knew martial arts!
Di Lingwei’s pupils constricted. Her entire body tensed involuntarily.
The Heavenly Mandate Empress, with her unmatched martial skill, would naturally fear no such attack. But she was not that person. If she were struck, revealing the weak, vulnerable side of the Heavenly Mandate Empress, it would be nearly the end for her.
“How dare you!”
At the critical moment, Wei Nian let out a sharp cry. Moving after the fact but arriving first, she grabbed Ying He’s shoulder. A single pull hauled Ying He back, slamming her heavily to the ground.
Ying He remained unwilling to accept this outcome. Gritting her teeth, she clawed at Wei Nian’s eyes, seemingly intending to force Wei Nian back and resume her assault on Di Lingwei. But though she possessed martial skills, she was far outmatched by Wei Nian.
Facing the attack, Wei Nian slapped Ying He’s arm aside with her left hand while her other hand formed a fist and hammered down viciously.
Crack!
Along with the sound of breaking bone, Ying He’s eyes widened. Her body convulsed slightly before her head lolled to the side, and she completely lost all vitality.
Wei Nian’s punch had landed squarely on Ying He’s throat.
