The emperor, empress and their entourage soon arrived at the Empress Dowager's palace.
When they arrived, the Empress Dowager was sitting on the armchair, leaning back and not looking very well.
Two palace maids were massaging her shoulders, one on each side.
Many eunuchs were standing on the side, all staring at the old woman kneeling in the middle. Judging from her clothes, the old woman seemed to be a servant in the imperial kitchen.
When the Empress Dowager saw Long Yi, Qiao Wanyou and others coming over, she straightened up in her chair.
"Why is the emperor here?"
Her heart skipped a beat. What if Long Yi was the one who poisoned her? What would happen then?
"I heard that my mother was poisoned. I was extremely worried, so I came here with the Queen."
Long Yikuo stepped inside.
Qiao Wanyou, supported by Fu Nanyao, also went inside.
Following behind them were Fu Ciyi, Yan Funing and Fu Beimo.
"Everyone, please sit down."
The Empress Dowager raised her hand and looked at Eunuch Mo with cloudy eyes.
Eunuch Mo had no choice but to report the truth: "When I went to look for the Queen, the Emperor was dining with the Empress."
Without saying anything else, the Empress Dowager understood immediately that Long Yi had to be brought along for the current matter.
"In that case, I'd like the Emperor to try them all together."
If it was really the emperor who did it, then that's all that could be done.
Long Yi nodded, and looked at the old woman kneeling below with a dignified look: "Where are you on duty?"
The old woman was trembling, and her voice was shaking too. She spoke more slowly because she was shaking so much, "The Imperial Kitchen."
"What's going on in the imperial kitchen?" Fu Beimo asked. "How can someone be so slow in replying? How long are you going to report this to me? Or are you plotting something?"
After a few questions came out, the old woman was frightened and immediately crawled on the ground, shaking even more violently.
Although she worked in the palace, she did menial labor. The most powerful people she encountered were the eunuchs in charge of various offices and the maids and aunts.
Ever since her master was banished to the cold palace, she was sent to the imperial kitchen to cook.
Since then, I have never seen my master or anyone of honor.
At this moment, she saw the Empress Dowager, the Emperor and the Empress at the same time. When she heard the Empress Dowager say that she wanted the Emperor to interrogate her personally, she was so frightened that her heart, liver and lungs were about to shatter.
The Empress Dowager said, "Slap him."
Immediately a maid came forward and the sound of slapping was heard.
The crisp sound of slaps rang in her ears. The Empress Dowager looked at the Emperor with dissatisfaction: "This man is very stubborn. We just caught him, but he still hasn't explained anything."
She wanted to see the emperor's attitude and expression.
She was his legal mother, and he eliminated her to make way for his biological mother.
There is nothing else.
The emperor looked at Eunuch Mo and asked in a deep voice, "How did you catch him?"
Eunuch Mo said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager's meals require a long cooking time, much longer than those of the other palace masters. This woman also took longer to light the fire. This afternoon, she took advantage of the situation and sprinkled the prepared poison into the food. I caught her red-handed."
"Since we've caught him on the spot, just slapping him in the face won't be of any use," said Long Yi.
Turning to look at the Empress Dowager, "Your Majesty, you've been in the harem for decades, and you have many ways of dealing with palace maids. For example, covering someone with a quilt and then hitting them with a blunt object can break ribs without revealing any external injuries. Your Majesty, why not try these methods more often? Then the old woman before you will probably be more receptive."
The Empress Dowager choked, and her already uncomfortable body felt even worse, and her face looked even uglier.
"Emperor, where did you hear this? Am I such a person?"
It must have been said by the Empress Dowager and Long Yi.
This is good for every mother and child.
Everyone hoped she would die soon.
Now that she is old and the world is in Long Yi's hands, she can only ask Qiao Wanyou for help.
I hope that because Long Yi still has feelings for Qiao Wanyou, he won't kill her.
Thinking of this, she said to Qiao Wanyou: "Queen, please say a few words."
Qiao Wanyou was unaware of the Empress Dowager's suspicions about Long Yi, and since her children hadn't warned her of anything amiss, she said whatever she felt comfortable saying, "Those kneeling here, please tell us who ordered you to tamper with the Empress Dowager's food. Simply tell us everything you know, and I'm sure the Empress Dowager and the Emperor will handle this fairly."
The old woman shook her head: "No, no one ordered me to do that."
Fu Ciyi said calmly, "Servants like you live and eat in the palace. It's not easy to get the poison. If you don't have someone to instruct you, no one will believe you if you tell others about it."
Yan Funing also said, "Yes, you work in the Imperial Kitchen and don't usually see the Empress Dowager. But please don't lie that the Empress Dowager punished you and try to cover up for your master."
The old woman lowered her head and said, "Someone did ask me to give you medicine, but I didn't know it was poison."
"I've ordered you to give me some medicine, but is it a good medicine?" Eunuch Mo sneered.
"Although I know the medicine is not good, I still took action. This is because the man said that he had received kindness from my old master, and now my old master is suffering, and he wants me to avenge his anger."
"Who is your old master?" asked Eunuch Mo.
"I dare not say." The old woman lowered her head even lower.
The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes and asked coldly, "What does the person who ordered you to poison look like?"
The old woman thought that her whole family was in the hands of that man, and she bit her tongue hard. Blood immediately flowed from the corner of her lips, and she fell to the ground.
Eunuch Mo hurried to remove her jaw, but he was a step too late.
The old woman's tongue was broken and she could no longer speak. It looked like her life was in danger.
The Empress Dowager waved her hand and said, "It's bad luck. Throw it out."
Eunuch Mo agreed and took people to carry the old woman away.
Fu Ciyi said, "Everyone who works in the palace is listed in a roster. Their names, birthplaces, ages, and previous masters are all included. You can find out with a simple check."
"Yes." The Empress Dowager immediately ordered the nanny beside her, "Go check."
The nanny said yes and left quickly.
The scene of the old woman being carried away was discovered by someone, who quickly reported what he saw to the Empress Dowager.
"Your Highness, I've inquired and learned that the old woman bit her tongue to commit suicide. Now the Empress Dowager has no other options."
"That's very good." The Empress Dowager smiled, "I am still confident in your work."
"It is a blessing for this old servant to be able to always be by the Queen Mother's side."
The Empress Dowager touched his face and said, "I'm sorry to trouble you."
The man closed his eyes, feeling the Empress Dowager's tenderness, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, this is what I should do."
Suddenly, she thought of something and her expression turned serious. "No, what if the old woman investigates further and finds out about you?"
"No, she believes everything I tell her. Even if her former master is called in for a confrontation, we don't have to worry." He laughed as he spoke. "Just based on what the Queen Mother said, I'm willing to die for her!"
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager leaned on his shoulder.
"In this life, the person I owe the most to is you. If you weren't by my side, I really don't know what I would do."
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