Chapter 409: Turning the tables

"Your Majesty, what this lowly servant said is not credible."

"She said that I had my men mistreat Chaohua, but everyone in the palace knew that Chaohua was not mistreated. Every time she appeared before them, she was radiant and had no scars on her body. She was dressed in silk and satin, and adorned with all kinds of gemstones and jewelry."

"If I had really treated Chaohua harshly, how could I have given her all this? This lowly maidservant was clearly sent by someone with ulterior motives to frame me, taking advantage of my son's imminent death!"

The maid raised her head and met the Queen's sharp gaze. She was not afraid and said boldly:

"The reason outsiders didn't see any injuries on the Sixth Princess is because your Majesty, every time you ordered those people to torture the Sixth Princess, the methods used were extremely vicious."

The maid looked towards the emperor, not daring to look him in the face. She only stared at the old emperor's boots and said:

"Your Majesty, please send a maid to examine the Sixth Princess's old injuries. Most of the injuries are on her thighs, back, abdomen, upper arms, etc."

"They were all needle pricks and burns."

Apart from the Sixth Princess herself and her future husband, who else can see these private parts of the Sixth Princess?

The old emperor immediately ordered, "Go and examine the Sixth Princess's injuries!"

Immediately, a palace maid took the order and walked towards the inner hall.

The Queen's anger grew stronger and stronger.

How dare this slut betray me!

I will cut her into pieces!

The maid ignored the queen's murderous look and continued:

"The Empress said that every time outsiders see the Sixth Princess, she is always dressed in splendid clothes. That's because every time the Sixth Princess steps out of the Buddhist temple, she is summoned by the Empress."

"Before the Sixth Princess leaves the Buddhist temple, Her Majesty's servants will dress her in silk, satin, and jewelry. Normally, the Sixth Princess wears ill-fitting dresses made of fabrics so coarse that even servants like her despise them."

"Your Majesty, please send someone to check. There is not a single silk dress or decent jewelry in the Sixth Princess's bedroom."

As she spoke, the palace maid pointed to the plump nanny kneeling beside her and said:

"The dresses and jewelry that the Queen gave to the Sixth Princess to show off are all in her room."

The fat nanny was shaking like a sieve.

You don't need to check, just look at the reaction of this fat nanny and you will know that what this palace maid said is true.

The old emperor shouted angrily: "Go check it for me!"

At this time, the palace maid who went to check the hidden injuries on the Sixth Princess came back.

"Your Majesty, the Sixth Princess has numerous needle marks and burns on her abdomen, upper arms, thighs, back, and chest."

Except for Shen Zhao and the others who knew about it, everyone else looked at the queen with gloomy eyes.

The Sixth Princess is her biological daughter.

How could she be so cruel!

It is said that women have the most vicious hearts, and this is really true.

The old emperor glared at the queen.

"Are you going to try to make excuses now?"

The queen calmed herself down.

"Your Majesty, Chaohua has been devoted to Buddhism since she was young and has lived alone in the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas. I felt sorry for her daily worship, so I skipped her morning and evening visits. I honestly don't know where her injuries came from."

"Your Majesty, even a tiger wouldn't eat its own cubs, let alone a mother like me. I can't pity her enough and love her enough. It must be that cunning servant who was just confusing right and wrong."

As she spoke, the queen pointed at the first palace maid who stood up to expose her evil deeds.

"This lowly servant took advantage of Chaohua's coma to frame me for the evil she and her master had done. Your Majesty, please punish her severely and make her confess the truth!"

At this time, the person who went to the fat nanny's room to search for clothes and jewelry also came back.

They were holding things they had collected from Fat Mammy's room.

There are exquisite dresses and priceless jewelry.

There were even many valuable items that were not in keeping with her status as a servant, such as tribute tea and tribute fruit, which only the masters in the palace could enjoy.

"Empress, oh Empress, do you think that I and my ministers are fools? If I remember correctly, this nanny was brought into the palace by you from the Pang family, and you also assigned her to be Chaohua's foster nanny."

"Now that everything has been found in her room, are you saying that she has been bribed?"

"You're deliberately mistreating Chaohua and stealing your master's share!"

As soon as the old emperor finished speaking, the fat nanny began to kowtow to the queen.

"I'm sorry to the Empress and the Sixth Princess. I was blinded by greed and accepted favors from Concubine Hui. I tortured and humiliated the Sixth Princess behind the Empress's back. It's all my fault. I deserve death. Please, Empress, don't consider the relationship between master and servant and execute me..."

The fat nanny kept kowtowing to the queen.

She knew that someone had to come out to take the blame today, otherwise their mother would be accused of abusing her own daughter.

The emperor will also take the opportunity to reduce the queen's power, and even use this opportunity to control the queen.

Your Majesty has worked hard for so many years, how can it be ruined by today's incident?

There was a flash of pity and heartache in the queen's eyes.

The nanny had been with her for decades and even stayed single for her whole life. How could she bear to watch the nanny die for her?

"You are confused. Tell me that it was Concubine Hui who threatened you. I don't believe you would betray me for such a small profit. Although Concubine Hui is the most favored among the six palaces, and although I am powerless, I can still protect you."

The fat nanny immediately understood what the queen meant.

She said with tears in her eyes:

"Your Majesty, please don't ask. This old servant is willing to shoulder all the blame. I only pray that Your Majesty and the Sixth Princess can survive in the palace."

"This old slave... This old slave feels sorry for the Sixth Princess. If this old slave doesn't follow that person's instructions, this old slave... This old slave is afraid that she will hurt the Empress and take the Sixth Princess' life..."

"Mammy...it's all because I, the Queen, am useless..."

The master and servant sang the same tune and put all the blame on Concubine Hui.

The imperial physician and the others all seemed to have an epiphany in an instant.

There is no mother in the world who would kill her own children.

It turns out that the Imperial Concubine was the mastermind behind all this.

The imperial concubine and the queen have never gotten along, so this is not impossible.

"Enough! Queen, you yourself are so cruel and ruthless that you poisoned Chaohua, and now you want to throw dirty water on Concubine Hui's head."

"You brought this slave from Pang's mansion into the palace. She is loyal to you. How could she be easily bribed?"

The queen's eyes were red.

"The Emperor also said that I brought her into the palace from the Pang Mansion. It's impossible for her to be easily bribed by others. But what if that person threatens her with my life?"

"Your Majesty! I know that my status in your heart is not as high as that of the Imperial Concubine, but Chaohua is your biological daughter. She has been tortured like this, and you still want to protect the mastermind behind this?"

Shen Zhao couldn't help but sigh that the queen was really smart. She had mastered the art of turning the tables.

Not only did he instantly push all the blame onto Concubine Hui, but he also created a pitiful image for her as someone who was out of favor in the harem and was forced to have no chance of survival.

The emperor was even portrayed as a tyrant who favored his concubine and suppressed the empress, and who disregarded the life and death of the royal heir for the sake of his favored concubine.

"You..." The old emperor was furious.

The queen covered her face with a handkerchief while shedding tears, and secretly raised the corners of her mouth.

She won this round again today.

At this time Pang Qingyun stood up again.

Does that fake girl really think she can turn things around today?

His eyes turned cold as he looked at the nanny who was still kowtowing.

He took a step forward and said: