Chapter 236 The Mother-Murderer
Zhaopin's eyes immediately turned red. She stared at Xiao Heng blankly and said in a hoarse voice, "You don't believe me?"
Xiao Heng didn't look at her, but said, "I don't know if I can still trust you right now."
"Princess Zhao, if you were completely unaware of this matter, I could spare you the punishment out of consideration for our past friendship. But if this was your intention, I... will have no choice but to punish you according to the rules."
He thought, if Shen Qingtang had done so many things without telling him, then she must have done even more things behind his back that harmed others and benefited herself.
If she is not severely punished, one day she might reach out to Miaomiao again.
"Punishment according to the rules?" Zhaopin's throat was rolling, as if she was in unstoppable heartbreak and pain.
"What's the punishment? Demotion? Or banishment to the cold palace?"
She didn't expect that the man who once vowed to protect her for the rest of her life would now doubt her again and again.
Xiao Heng did not answer her question, but only said: "Come here, drag all the palace maids around Concubine Zhao to the Ministry of Punishment for strict interrogation."
When they heard about the Ministry of Punishment, all the palace ladies were terrified.
Few people can come out alive from places like the Ministry of Punishment.
Even if you hold on to your life and refuse to give in, you will be a useless person if you come out alive.
At Madam Kong's age, she would surely die if she went in.
Zhaopin immediately swallowed the bitterness in her throat and pleaded, "Your Majesty... Nanny is old. How could she withstand the torture of the Ministry of Punishment? How could you suspect me because of a handkerchief and send my wet nurse to the Ministry of Punishment?"
Xiao Heng's eyes were slightly furious. "Princess Zhao, I am not stupid. Please do not disobey my imperial decree."
After saying that, Xiao Heng waved his hand, and the guards came forward to take Madam Kong and the others away.
Liang Shan was immediately terrified and shouted in a hoarse voice: "Your Majesty, please have mercy on me, Your Majesty."
When the guards dragged him to the door, he could no longer hold back and blurted out, "Your Majesty... the mastermind behind this incident wasn't me... it was Madam Kong, it was Madam Kong."
Everyone in the hall looked changed.
Upon hearing this, the guard turned to look at Xiao Heng.
Seeing him give a look, he let go of Liang Shan.
Liang Shan crawled to the hall on his knees and blurted out everything: "Your Majesty, that day, Nanny Kong secretly planned to kill Concubine Rou's unborn child without Concubine Zhao's knowledge. Concubine Lan accidentally overheard them, and Nanny Kong wanted to kill Concubine Lan."
"Madame Kong is half the master of Yaohua Palace. I dare not disobey her, otherwise my life will be in danger."
As soon as he finished speaking, he kowtowed heavily, not caring about the blood spurting out.
Nanny Kong knew that this disaster would happen eventually, her knees went weak and she fell heavily onto the gold bricks.
Su Nanqing's eyes were filled with a biting coldness, and she glared at Madam Kong fiercely: "Madam Kong! Now that the evidence is irrefutable, what else do you have to say?"
Madam Kong raised her head and closed her cloudy eyes: "Yes, this servant did all this."
When she opened her eyes, she glanced at Zhaopin, signaling her to remember what she had said before - there was no need to beg for mercy, and she must clear herself of all charges.
When Concubine Zhao met Madam Kong's gaze, tears immediately filled her eyes and she bit her lips tightly, not daring to make a sound.
Su Nanqing's scarlet eyes were also filled with tears, but they were tears of hatred and grief.
She staggered to Madam Kong and slapped her in the face with a loud slap.
"Evil woman! You committed such a heinous act, yet you admitted it so calmly, without even a hint of guilt."
Madam Kong remained calm and said, "I did it, but I don't regret it."
She glanced at Concubine Zhao casually, emotion surging in her cloudy eyes: "Concubine Zhao is kind-hearted and can watch the birth of royal heirs one after another, but I cannot. So I wanted to get rid of the royal heir in your belly, but Concubine Lan didn't hear it, so she saved your life."
She naturally concealed the fact that she had given Su Nanqing the red flower.
Since Liang Shan did not mention this matter, it was impossible for her to confess her guilt immediately.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Heng's face became extremely gloomy. He was about to speak when he was interrupted by Zhaopin.
"Madam Kong, why do you do this?"
Zhaopin's face was filled with grief and confusion, her voice choked with sobs: "Why did you hide this from me?"
Madam Kong looked at Concubine Zhao, her eyes filled with determination. "Your Majesty, you are kind-hearted, but this palace has no place for those who are kind-hearted. I know you love the Emperor, so you would never lay a hand on any of the heirs in the harem. But I feel sorry for you! So even if my hands are stained with blood, I will not regret it."
Although she said this to Xiao Heng, every word she said was from the heart.
Zhaopin could no longer hold back, hot tears streaming down her face. She bit her lips tightly not to make a sound, and she didn't even notice the tiny beads of blood oozing from her lower lip.
Su Nanqing was so angry that his chest heaved repeatedly: "You are just a servant. How dare you murder the royal heir without the master's order?"
"How dare you say that! Concubine Zhao has no idea what you did?"
Nanny Kong looked up and looked straight into Su Nanqing's eyes without a trace of avoidance.
"I can guarantee it! Concubine Zhao has never thought of harming you or the heir in your womb. I swear to heaven! I even swear on Concubine Zhao's life!"
As she spoke, she raised her finger high above her head and looked at Xiao Heng: "Your Majesty, you and Concubine Zhao have known each other since childhood. You should know that I am her wet nurse. I treat her as my own daughter. Today, I dare to swear in her name that she has absolutely no intention of harming the heir to the throne or Concubine Lan."
"Besides, Your Majesty, you have known the Empress for over ten years. You are her closest relative, the person she cares about most in the world. You should trust her character! She loves you, your family, and your children. Her hands have always been clean!"
Su Nanqing looked at the two people in front of him suspiciously. Nanny Kong's words were so confident that they reawakened the emperor's old feelings for Concubine Zhao.
I'm afraid that Zhaopin can escape safely from today's incident.
Zhaopin burst into tears, prostrating herself on the ground, her hot tears falling on the gold bricks: "Your Majesty, Madam is old and confused, and her actions are muddle-headed. Please, Your Majesty, for my sake, give her a lighter punishment."
Upon hearing this, Su Nanqing's eyes immediately turned red with anxiety: "Empress Zhaopin, she is just a wet nurse, yet you care so much about her. What about my concubine's mother? She is my biological mother."
"When she killed the concubines and the concubines, she should have thought that there would be a day of retribution!"
Zhaopin ignored Su Nanqing and knelt down beside Xiao Heng, grasping the corner of his clothes and begging, "Your Majesty... I have never begged you for anything before, but this time, I beg you..."
Her big tears fell on the golden embroidery of the python pattern, and she sobbed, "My parents are gone, and I can't live without a nanny anymore."
"emperor……"
Looking at Concubine Zhao with tears streaming down her face, Xiao Heng suddenly tightened his fingertips in his sleeves and turned his head away.
"National law does not tolerate personal feelings. Concubine Rou is right. When she killed someone, she should have thought about the consequences today."
Zhaopin froze and said sadly, "Your Majesty...are you really going to be so heartless?"
"Princess Zhao!" Xiao Heng turned around and looked at her coldly.
"Stop talking nonsense! Go back to your Yaohua Palace."
Zhaopin trembled at the scolding.
This was the first time in history that Xiao Heng was angry with her.
Every word was like countless silver needles, densely packed, piercing into the heart, leaving it full of wounds.
"Come here, bring Concubine Zhao back to Yaohua Palace."
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