"No, I didn't, I didn't." Yu Ying kowtowed desperately, trembling with fear. She was destined to die today, but for her family's sake, she could not betray the eldest princess.
Qi Shaocheng naturally knew that Xie Yun's tea did not contain any aphrodisiacs, but he was also present when Old Hong said that the four-colored herb could cure all poisons in the world.
They then searched Yu Ying's sleeve and found a packet of aphrodisiac paper: "This is the evidence!"
Another imperial guard threw a servant from the Third Princess's residence to the ground. Qi Shaocheng shouted, "Speak! What did you do?!"
"I, I just lied to Young Master Xie and told him to wait in that side room. I told him that I would bring him something delicious in a little while. He, he obediently waited in the side room. After that, I, I don't know what happened."
"Who told you to do this?"
The servant pointed at Yu Ying: "It's her! She said it was the eldest princess who ordered it."
"How dare you! Who do you think you are, to slander this princess like this? You're spouting nonsense!" the eldest princess shouted angrily.
Lu Xiaoyun glanced at her: "Why are you in such a hurry, Eldest Sister? This is only the first thing; there's a second one to come."
The Empress Dowager said coldly, "Ruorou, did I give you permission to speak? Shut up! General Qi, continue."
The eldest princess shut her mouth.
Qi Shaocheng said yes, then turned to You Zihui: "Young Master You, do you recognize this person?"
Zhu Dan looked at You Zihui with an icy expression.
You Zihui shuddered. Although everyone said that the emperor was gentle and a gentleman, the second prince's rebellion and the execution of thousands of people at Caishikou at the end of March were personally supervised by this emperor.
How could he dare to hide anything now? As for the eldest princess's warning look, it was nothing compared to the emperor's.
“Yes, I recognize her. It was her. She found me half an hour ago and said that the eldest princess had instructed me to hide behind the artificial hill and wait for Miss Zhao to push Princess Zhenguo into the water before jumping in to save her. That way, Princess Zhenguo would have no choice but to marry me.”
"Heh, dream on," Zhu Yu rolled his eyes at him.
The Empress Dowager slammed her hand heavily on the table, making even the teacups shake: "Zhu Ruorou, look what you've done!"
The eldest princess knelt down with a thud: "Grandmother, Grandmother, I am innocent! I am innocent! Who knows who instructed this lowly maid to slander me? You must do justice for me!"
Zhu Dan snorted, "Eldest sister, she is your personal maid. Who can bribe her!"
Yu Ying kowtowed repeatedly: "Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, it has nothing to do with the eldest princess. It was this servant who was bewitched and couldn't stand the arrogant and domineering behavior of the Princess Zhenguo and wanted to harm her. It was all this servant's fault."
“Yu Ying, you think you are loyal to the eldest princess, but do you know that your parents and younger brother have all been poisoned by her! Whether this matter succeeds or fails today, you and your family will not live to see tomorrow morning!” Qi Shaocheng said.
"Don't talk nonsense! This matter has nothing to do with the eldest princess. It was all done by me alone!"
"Looks like you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin. Someone, bring the person in."
Immediately, the Imperial Guards brought Yu Ying's parents and younger brother over.
As soon as they saw Yu Ying, they rushed over to her.
"Father, Mother, Little Brother, what's wrong with you all?"
Yu Ying's father choked up and said, "Yu Ying, just now, several people suddenly broke into our house and tried to force medicine into our mouths. It was these adults who saved us."
The Imperial Guards then brought in the men who had planned to poison Yu Ying's parents; they were all from the Grand Princess's residence.
Yu Ying's face turned pale, and she kept shaking her head: "Impossible, impossible, Your Highness! You promised me that as long as I got things done today, you would spare my family. How could you do this, Your Highness!"
The eldest princess collapsed to the ground.
"Zhu Ruorou, what else do you have to say!" the Empress Dowager roared.
The eldest princess sneered: "Grandmother, are you going to kill your granddaughter for the sake of a mere subject's daughter? Yes, I did both of these things today, but so what? Lu Xiaoyun is sitting right here, and these people aren't dead, are they?"
The Empress Dowager was so angry that she couldn't speak.
Zhu Dan frowned, his voice filled with obvious anger, and said, "You are utterly stubborn! Guards, immediately send the eldest princess to the northwest to reunite with the Grand Prince Consort. She is not to enter the capital without an imperial edict!"
The eldest princess looked at Zhu Dan in disbelief: "Fifth brother, you want to exile me? I am your eldest sister, and you actually exile your own eldest sister for the sake of a lowly woman! Have you become so heartless since you ascended the throne!"
Zhu Dan ignored her: "Qi Shaocheng, drag the eldest princess out and send her on her way immediately!"
Qi Shaocheng accepted the order and left.
Princess Zhu Ruorou wasn't even allowed to return to her residence to pack her things; she was shoved into a carriage and sent away.
Zhu Dan pointed at Yu Ying, who was kneeling on the ground, and the servant from the Third Princess's residence: "Drag these two away and beat them to death!"
The Empress Dowager's brow twitched.
Everyone kept their heads down, not daring to breathe.
You Zihui thought about what Miss Zhao looked like. Hmm, she seemed pretty good-looking, with fair skin. He touched her underwater, and she was well-endowed.
You Zihui's father was the newly appointed Minister of Works, and was a distant relative of the Empress Dowager. Although You Zihui was a playboy, he was sweet-talking and knew how to please people.
Seeing that the Empress Dowager was in a depressed mood, he rolled his eyes, knelt down before her with a thud, crawled two steps to her, and gently massaged her legs.
The Empress Dowager, who had been so angry that she had her eyes half-closed, opened them a crack and saw that it was this scoundrel. She snorted at him and said, "You little rascal, what do you want to say now?"
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