Chapter 52 Scapegoat

After leaving Fuyao Palace, Xie Junyao slowed down his pace and said leisurely, "Let the eunuchs start the investigation. There's no need to alert the enemy."

Li Dexian bowed: "Yes."

Xie Junyao recalled the events of that day. When Wanwan was poisoned, Concubine Jin was clearly startled and retreated three meters away. Normal reactions can't fool anyone.

On the contrary, Lin Fenyi was very calm.

Xie Junyao glanced at Li Dexian: "What do you think?"

Li Dexian laughed awkwardly, "Your Majesty, you know that I have always been very dull."

"You're good at finding a way out of this."

Li Dexian smiled awkwardly. Not to mention that this matter involved many concubines, not to mention there were "big shots" like Concubine Jin and Concubine Ling. How could he dare to say it?

Concubine Jin returned to Baiyu Pavilion and was furious.

She was unhappy about all the dirty water being thrown at her.

It's true that Lin Fenyi told them that oleander is poisonous, but Concubine Zhengui took her words out of context.

How could An Xiuyi escape unscathed?

She knew that oleander was poisonous, so could it be that she was the one who poisoned it? Even she knew that if she wanted to get to the bottom of this matter, she would have to start with all the servants in Chaoyang Palace.

She wanted to poison everyone who was against her, but she didn't have time to do it.

Dongmei pondered for a moment and asked, "My lady, have you told anyone else what Lin Fenyi said in the Imperial Garden last time?"

Concubine Jin frowned: "What do you mean?"

Dongmei told her about her worries: "I am worried that someone will 'use' your name to do something."

After Dongmei's reminder, Concubine Jin suddenly understood.

If anyone else knew about this, they wouldn't be able to find anyone else. Because from an outsider's perspective, she, An Xiuyi, and Lin Fenyi were the most suspicious.

Concubine Jin paused for a moment, thinking that she had only told Concubine De what she saw and heard in the Imperial Garden.

But, Concubine De and she are on the same side. Could it really be Concubine De?

"My Lord, what are you going to do next?"

Concubine Jin said in a muffled voice, "Let's go to Concubine De's Qixiang Palace first."

Qixiang Palace

When Concubine De saw that it was Concubine Jin, she lowered her eyes and asked in the calmest tone, "Why is Concubine Jin here?"

Concubine Jin said with some distress, "Sister Defei, you also know what Lin Fenyi said in the Imperial Garden that day."

De Fei took a sip of tea and raised her eyes: "I don't understand what Concubine Jin said."

De Fei's words confirmed Concubine Jin's guess, and Concubine Jin's fingers couldn't help but tremble. If Dong Mei hadn't reminded her, she would have been kept in the dark and would not have known how she died.

Concubine Jin continued to probe, "Sister Defei, what should I do?"

"Princess Zhengui will definitely continue investigating..."

Defei paused.

The hand holding the teacup shrank slightly.

I sneered in my heart, thinking that Concubine Jin became smart at the critical moment.

"That's easy." De Fei put down the teacup, her tone becoming a little gentler than before: "If you can't find evidence to prove you didn't do it, then find someone..."

"What?"

Concubine De: "Scapegoat."

Concubine Jin felt a chill in her heart. Originally, she was also a scapegoat.

"Then who do you think is suitable, Sister Defei?"

De Fei smiled and said, "Sister Jin, it would be boring if you explained it too clearly."

Concubine Jin smiled gently, as if she was saying something perfectly normal. "My father was a minister, and was once a princess appointed by the late emperor. I can't swim, but I won't drown that easily."

Before leaving, Concubine Jin added, "Your Majesty, I will take my leave now."

Concubine De watched her leave with a smile.

Unable to contain her anger any longer, she flicked the teacup to the ground, "She's warning me not to underestimate her."

Could it be possible that she would be frightened by a concubine?

————

After Concubine Wan learned that Concubine Zhengui had called Lin Fenyi to Fuyao Palace, she became uneasy and asked people to keep an eye on the movements in Fuyao Palace at all times.

When the person who reported back said that Concubine Zhengui suspected that Concubine Jin and Lin Fenyi were involved in the poisoning, Concubine Wan couldn't help but curse.

She once asked Concubine Xu to beat Lin Fenyi.

Lin Fenyi must have known about the poison of oleander. The more Concubine Wan thought about it, the more she felt that Lin Fenyi was the real murderer.

"Tell Lin Fenyi to come here." Concubine Wan said angrily.

She had told Lin Fenyi more than once that everything must be done according to her instructions, and that no one was allowed to act or do anything without permission. Today was different from the past. Her brother was still in the Dali Temple, and Concubine Xu was still under house arrest.

It's better to take a long-term view. But Lin Fenyi actually ignored her words.

Lin Fenyi arrived soon and said, "Greetings to the Empress."

Before she could finish her words, she was slapped in the face. She lost her balance and fell to the ground. Lin Fenyi covered her face, still unaware, as if she had been stunned by the beating.

"What did I tell you? You're not allowed to act on your own. Things are different now. But what did you do? Did you have anything to do with their poisoning?"

Lin Fenyi was stunned for a moment, then choked up and said, "Your Majesty, their poisoning has nothing to do with me!"

Concubine Wan obviously didn't believe it. She took two steps back and sat on the chair: "Even now, you still refuse to tell the truth."

"Your Majesty, this really has nothing to do with me! I have always kept your words in mind. Your Majesty, please investigate."

Concubine Wan moved her lips, wondering if she had wronged Lin Fenyi. Could it be Concubine Jin? But she also saw Concubine Ling being poisoned at that time, and she also saw Concubine Jin's frightened look.

"Really? If you dare to lie to me..."

"I didn't lie." Lin Fenyi said, suppressing the grievance in her heart.

Concubine Wan breathed a sigh of relief temporarily. Since it was not Lin Fenyi, things became much simpler.

"Who do you think it is? Concubine Jin? An Xiuyi? Or someone else?"

Lin Fenyi: "I don't know..."

"However, I don't think it was Concubine Jin. Concubine Jin wouldn't be so foolish as to put herself in such a turmoil. Instead, it was An Xiuyi who revealed everything about the Imperial Garden."

Concubine Wan couldn't help but frown even more tightly, "Do you think it was An Xiuyi?"

"I think it was her... who deliberately revealed these things to clear herself of suspicion." Lin Fenyi guessed angrily.

"Based on Concubine Zhengui's personality, I'm afraid she'll have to maintain security and maintain the ceremony." Concubine Wan breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin Fenyi said angrily, "Even the Emperor thinks Concubine Zhengui is incompetent."

Concubine Wan's eyes lit up: "Is that what the Emperor said?"

She hated Concubine Zhengui, not only because she was self-righteous, but also because she always took advantage of the emperor's guilt towards her to do whatever she wanted.

She wished that the emperor would hate Concubine Zhengui from then on.

Lin Fenyi said, "Although he didn't say it directly...I can see that the emperor is unhappy about the concubine's accident."

Concubine Wan snorted.

"How is Concubine Ling?" Concubine Wan suddenly remembered and asked.

Hua Shan said, "Your Majesty, I heard that Concubine Ling is fine."

Concubine Wan was unhappy: "How can she be so lucky?" She didn't die.