Dong Ling raised her finger to swear an oath and solemnly said, "Your Majesty, this servant truly did not plot against Consort Chun! Even if this servant might deceive others, she would never deceive you!"

Yu Ying wanted to believe her, but given her past history of acting arbitrarily, Yu Ying couldn't help but have doubts.

"But you never consulted me about the things you did before..."

Weak Dongling shook her head in denial, ignoring the pain in her body, and continued to explain, "That time I was indeed reckless, but this time it really wasn't me who did it!"

Yu Ying reiterated, "I want to hear the truth. You must not lie, otherwise even I cannot save you!"

Looking around and seeing no one else, Dong Ling lowered her voice and said, "Your Highness, think about it! If I really had poisoned the lampshade, why would I have bothered to tamper with the horse? It would be pointless."

Yes! If Ruo Dongling has already poisoned the Bodhi fruit, then there's no need to risk poisoning the horse.

Thinking of this, Yu Ying no longer doubted her and believed her words, "Alright, I understand. I will do my best to get you out. No matter how they interrogate you, don't admit to doing it if you didn't do it."

"This servant understands, Your Majesty. Please rest assured, this servant will never do anything to harm you!"

As the mistress and servant were pouring out their hearts to each other, the wall behind them slowly opened, and guards emerged, looking directly at them.

"Your Majesty, please come with me!"

Upon seeing this, the two were dumbfounded. This...this was actually a secret room, and people could actually be hidden inside?

So this person heard everything Dong Ling said?

Yu Ying secretly sighed that things were not going well, but Dong Ling had already admitted it, and someone had overheard it. They had no choice but to go to the Emperor.

At that time, Hongli had already left the Hall of Mental Cultivation and returned to the Jingren Palace. The palace servants were asking whether to serve dinner when a guard came to report that there was a new clue!

Hongli was pleasantly surprised, it seemed that Yushan's method had worked.

Su Yushan was also eager to know the result, so she didn't have dinner served and wanted to find out the important matter first.

The guards reported the matter to the Emperor as soon as they entered the room.

Su Yushan listened silently, her beautiful eyes wide open, her heart already churning with turbulent waves!

The matter of the white horse suddenly going mad has remained unsolved. Hongli and Yushan both thought it was just an accident, but little did they know that someone was planning it!

Upon learning the truth, Hongli was furious. His gaze toward Dongling was sharp as a knife, and he wished he could tear her to pieces!

"Drugning the horse and plotting to kill Yu Shan—so this was your idea too! Dong Ling, you're really something!"

Dong Ling had no reason to deny it anymore, so she lowered her eyes and said in a mournful voice, "Your Majesty, I was confused for a moment and made a mistake, but I really had no idea that the lampshade was poisonous!"

This woman was a habitual liar; Hongli could no longer believe her explanations.

"Why didn't you admit it before? You only told the truth after being caught red-handed. I think you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin!"

Yu Ying chimed in, "Your Majesty, what Dong Ling said is indeed the truth. Think about it! If she had poisoned the lampshade beforehand, there would have been no need to drug the horse. This alone is enough to prove that Dong Ling is not the murderer."

Su Yushan remained silent. Logically, the Empress's logic was sound, but she seemed to have overlooked one thing.

Su Yushan glanced at Dong Ling with unusually cold eyes.

She could be kind in ordinary times, but Su Yushan would show no mercy to those who plotted against her and her child, coldly rebuking them:

"Leaving aside the matter of the lampshade, just considering the horse, Dong Ling's attempt to harm the dragon heir is enough to warrant being torn to pieces!"

The Empress always showed favoritism towards her own palace maids, which Hongli found hard to understand. How could she convince herself to say something that went against common sense?

"Your palace maid drugged the horse, nearly causing Consort Chun to be trampled and endangering the imperial heir. She committed such a despicable act, and you can still speak of it as if nothing happened?"

Fearing the Emperor would blame the Empress, Dongling hurriedly clarified, "Your Majesty, it was this servant who did it. It has nothing to do with Her Majesty the Empress. She had no idea about it at all!"

According to the guards, the Empress was not surprised at all; clearly, she knew about it beforehand.

"Anyone who knows but doesn't report is undoubtedly an accomplice! Don't say she didn't know; perhaps it was you and your servant who conspired together!"

Dong Ling was still explaining when Yu Ying's head started spinning; she had lost even the will to plead.

"Enough! If you're determined to frame me, you can always find a reason. There's no use in explaining anymore. The Emperor has already decided it was me. He finally found something on me, so why would he let me off so easily?"

Her remarks enraged Hongli, who retorted loudly.

"Let me ask you, is it true that Dong Ling tampered with the horses? If you knew about it, why didn't you report it? What right do you have to be so sarcastic, as if I'm wronging you!"

"Dongling has been with me for so many years, how could I possibly betray her? If it were Yunfang, would Consort Chun have betrayed her?"

Yunfang frowned in displeasure, "This servant has never intended to harm anyone, so please do not use me as an example, Your Majesty."

Su Yushan also believed in Yunfang's character, saying, "Yunfang would never do such a heinous thing. Even if, hypothetically, my palace servants dared to do something bad, I would never protect them or let them off lightly. I would personally bring them to justice!"

Yu Ying, however, believes this is only human nature. "That sounds nice, but if such a thing really happened, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to be truly fair."

Hongli was too lazy to listen to her rambling. "Stop rambling on. Dongling's crime is too grave and unforgivable. You don't need to make any more excuses!"

"Your Majesty, even if you kill Dongling, it won't make a difference. She didn't poison the lampshade; she's not the real culprit!" Yuying desperately wanted to save Dongling's life, but Hongli interrupted her.

"The matter of the lampshade is another matter, so you don't need to worry about it. What we're talking about now is the matter of drugging the horse. Dong Ling plotted to harm the Imperial Concubine and the Crown Prince, which is a heinous crime. He will be torn apart by five horses at noon tomorrow!"

The Empress has protected palace servants and is even suspected of conspiring with them. Effective immediately, the Empress is hereby deposed!

In the end, all Hongli wanted was to depose the empress. Yu Ying was heartbroken. She suddenly realized that it was all a trap, and she and her servant had unknowingly fallen into it...

Suddenly realizing what was happening, Yu Ying turned and glared angrily at Su Yu Shan, her eyes red with grief and resentment.

"Su Yushan! How could you be so vicious? My husband only loves you, my daughter and son have not grown up, but you have three children, and you are still not satisfied, so you have to resort to such underhanded tricks to depose me from my position as empress!"

Do you think that by defeating me, the Empress's throne will be yours? Don't even think about it! You're just a Han Chinese; even if I don't become Empress, it will never be you!