Chapter 47 Who administered the poison?

Xu Shu raised his head and immediately pinpointed the source of that terrifying killing intent.

It was none other than Zhu Yuanzhang, walking straight toward him.

At this sight, Xu Shu shuddered all over, quickened his pace, and stepped forward to ask, "Your Majesty, have you already heard?"

The informants of Butcher Zhu were truly formidable!

What had just happened in the Imperial Hospital was already known to him.

"The Third Imperial Grandson is fine, the poisoning is not deep," Xu Shu hurriedly added, driven by an overwhelming instinct for survival.

Zhu Yuanzhang could see that Xu Shu had rushed over to report the poisoning. Hearing that it was not deep, the bone-chilling killing intent radiating from his entire body subsided just a fraction, though it remained terrifyingly fierce.

"Where is Yunxian?"

Zhu Yuanzhang demanded again.

Xu Shu was already drenched in a cold sweat, and fresh beads of perspiration instantly broke out anew. Lowering his head, he replied, "His Highness is still at the Imperial Hospital. Before coming here, Your Minister already ordered two imperial physicians to prepare the medicine for His Highness."

"Pass the order to Jiang Huan: seal off the entire Eastern Palace."

Zhu Yuanzhang's frosty demeanor softened slightly before he strode forward toward the Imperial Hospital.

Xu Shu had no choice but to follow at his side. After a moment of hesitation, he began by briefing Zhu Yuanzhang on Zhu Yunxian's current physical condition and the nature of the poison.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhu Di followed them as well.

The group marched straight to the Imperial Hospital.

However, none of them dared to breathe too heavily now, primarily because Old Zhu's aura was too overpowering and his killing intent too razor-sharp, making it feel as though he might hack them into a thousand pieces at any second.

Zhu Yunxian remained inside the Imperial Hospital. The two head physicians had finished compounding the medicine with the utmost speed and were now busy brewing it.

Everyone present had slightly trembling legs.

Fear was, of course, inevitable.

Who knew if Butcher Zhu was about to embark on another major massacre.

Zhu Yunxian was waiting with a sense of boredom when he suddenly felt the air grow sharply cold.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

The high-pitched voice of the attendant rang out from outside.

No wonder it had suddenly turned cold; it turned out that Zhu Yuanzhang had arrived, walking in with an aura of absolute slaughter.

Zhu Yunxian muttered inwardly: with the murderous Butcher Zhu here, it would be strange if the temperature didn't drop.

Hearing that Zhu Yuanzhang had arrived, everyone in the room dropped to their knees.

"Imperial Grandfather."

Zhu Yunxian had no choice but to go out to greet him. Catching sight of another figure behind him, he smiled and said, "Why has the Fourth Uncle come as well?"

"Are you alright?"

Zhu Yuanzhang anxiously grabbed Zhu Yunxian's hand and asked, "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine!"

Zhu Yunxian replied.

As long as he didn't engage in strenuous exercise, his body felt as good as new.

Chen Junzuo forced himself to bite the bullet and said, "Your Majesty, the Third Imperial Grandson's poisoning is not deep. Our Imperial Hospital has a remedy, and we have already brewed the medicine for His Highness."

"Hurry up, and watch the fire closely."

Zhu Yuanzhang ordered immediately.

Chen Junzuo and Dai Sigong felt a sense of relief wash over them as they quickly got up and went back to tend to the medicine.

"Xu Shu,"

Zhu Yuanzhang said coldly, "Is there truly no serious danger?"

Xu Shu affirmed without hesitation, "Truly, Your Minister would not dare deceive Your Majesty. Fortunately, the Third Imperial Grandson discovered his physical discomfort in time."

"Where might this poison have come from?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked coldly once more.

"This..."

Fresh beads of sweat dripped down Xu Shu's forehead.

There were some matters he truly dared not voice; they might very well involve the power struggles within the inner palace. Say too much, and he might find himself dead very soon.

"Place the Directorate of Imperial Banquets under arrest as well, and bring that old bastard Xu Xingzu here."

Even without Xu Shu spelling it out, Zhu Yuanzhang could guess the reason.

It was either the Eastern Palace or the Directorate of Imperial Banquets.

Only in these places was it possible to administer poison to Zhu Yunxian.

According to what Xu Shu had said, it was a cumulative poison—a chronic one that would not take effect immediately, but as it accumulated over time, the victim's physical condition would gradually deteriorate until they died.

At this thought, Zhu Yuanzhang's killing intent threatened to break past his control.

Whoever intended to kill his grandson, he would exterminate their entire clan down to the ninth degree.

Not a single one would be spared!

"Imperial Father!"

Zhu Di spoke up, "As long as Yunxian is fine, that's what matters. But what about Yunxian's future? Staying in the palace is simply unsafe."

This was precisely the moment Zhu Yunxian had been waiting for. Not expecting Zhu Di to deliver an assist so promptly, he quickly chimed in, "Imperial Grandfather, Your Grandson still wishes to move out."

"Shut up!"

Zhu Yuanzhang glared at Zhu Di, then commanded, "Sit down, don't move around, and drink your medicine first."

His commanding presence was so overwhelming that Zhu Yunxian dared not disobey.

Zhu Di also fell silent, but he continued to follow alongside them, eager to see what would happen next.

Not long after, Xu Xingzu was brought in by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The entire Directorate of Imperial Banquets had also been sealed off by the guards.

"Your Majesty!"

As soon as he arrived, Xu Xingzu dropped to his knees before Zhu Yuanzhang and kowtowed, pleading, "May I ask what has happened, Your Majesty? Has Your Minister committed another mistake?"

No matter what the situation was, confessing guilt first was always the right move.

Besides, the Embroidered Uniform Guard had acted fiercely earlier, placing the entire Directorate under lockdown.

As the emperor's chief chef, he had almost been dragged away by the guards. His heart had been pounding wildly with panic—thankfully, he wasn't taken to the prison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but brought to the Imperial Hospital instead. Yet being at the Imperial Hospital was terrifying in its own right!

Something major must have happened.

"Yunxian has been poisoned. Do you know anything about this?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked coldly.

The icy chill in his tone felt as though it could freeze Xu Xingzu solid.

"What?"

Xu Xingzu cried out in shock, "Replying to Your Majesty, Your Minister knows nothing of this! Your Minister can guarantee that the meals prepared for His Highness were absolutely without fault."

With that, he kowtowed heavily.

Hearing that Zhu Yunxian had been poisoned made him feel like dying.

Among the places in the palace where an imperial grandson was most likely to be poisoned, aside from the Eastern Palace, the Directorate of Imperial Banquets was the only other possibility.

If the investigation revealed that it truly originated from the Directorate, Xu Xingzu wondered what options he would have left.

He did not dare to think any further.

"In the past, Your Minister was not the one exclusively in charge of the Third Imperial Grandson's meals,"

Xu Xingzu said, collecting his thoughts. "It was only on that morning that Your Minister personally oversaw the Third Imperial Grandson's meal, and I can guarantee it was completely safe."

Zhu Yuanzhang demanded, "Who was in charge before?"

"A eunuch!"

Xu Xingzu replied, "Your Minister can assist the Embroidered Uniform Guard in identifying that eunuch. Having served by Your Majesty's side for so many years, Your Majesty knows my character best."

Zhu Yuanzhang indeed knew what kind of person Xu Xingzu was.

Otherwise, he would have already planted a fierce kick squarely in his chest and replaced him with a new chef.

"Be on your way then!"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved a hand dismissively.

"Many thanks, Your Majesty, for giving Your Minister a chance to redeem himself through meritorious service."

Having spoken, Xu Xingzu hurried away, accompanied by members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Zhu Yunxian said, "Imperial Grandfather, Your Grandson is fine. Please do not kill too many people!"

"Those who deserve to die must all be killed!"

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly. "It's fortunate that you are unharmed, otherwise I would have had everyone in this palace put to death."

True to his name as Butcher Zhu!

Zhu Yunxian knew that Old Zhu was entirely serious.

He was quite capable of executing everyone in the palace just to serve as funeral companions for him.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness!"

Dai Sigong emerged once more, holding a tray bearing a bowl of pitch-black medicinal soup. "The medicine is ready."

"Drink it quickly. Once you're finished, I will take you back to the Eastern Palace."

"Fourth, don't just stand there gawking, go back! There's nothing here for you to do."

"And as for today's events, see that word of it doesn't spread outside, or I'll deal with you first."

Old Zhu certainly had no desire for outsiders to learn of these imperial scandals.

Zhu Di had no choice but to depart, thinking with helpless frustration that he had failed to secure Zhu Yuanzhang's stance—everything had been ruined by this incident, alas!

Zhu Yunxian had no alternative but to blow on the medicinal soup. Enduring the bitterness and foul odor, he pinched his nose and drank it all down.

This time, he wondered if he would be able to finish off Lady Lü.

If there was concrete evidence, it should be possible; he only feared that the Embroidered Uniform Guard might fail to find proof.