A side hall of Fengluan Palace.
The imperial physicians crowded in front, taking each patient's pulse and confirming their condition. Then, with worried expressions on their faces, they looked at each other. As the highest-ranking official, the director of the hospital was naturally responsible for reporting the results to the emperor.
So, he slowly walked outside the inner room, knelt down and kowtowed: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! I couldn't save the child with my concubine!"
"absurd."
Xie Yanci closed his eyes and uttered two words lightly.
The Queen, who was standing by, was furious when she saw this: "Is this all the Imperial Hospital staff can do? Concubine He is usually in good health and has never been in need of medical advice. She fell into the water today and didn't suffer a severe blow to the abdomen. How could this happen..."
"Sister, be careful with your words," Imperial Concubine Jin interrupted her slowly. "I heard earlier that He Changzai was worried about embarrassing herself in front of everyone and was very nervous during the Qushui Liushang ceremony. She was already frightened, and then she fell into the water, so it's understandable that she had a miscarriage."
"Sister, you don't feel bad for the unborn child. You've never been pregnant before, so it's understandable that you don't have a motherly heart."
The dispute between the two is about to break out!
The Queen practically took advantage of Concubine Jin's sore spot and stepped on it, and her words made everyone's faces change!
"After a miscarriage, Concubine He needs to rest. You're always making noises beside her. What's your intention?" Xie Yanci still chose to favor his beloved concubine. "Yang Mingrui, the queen is tired. Send her back to the main palace to rest."
"Your Majesty! I, your concubine..." "Be obedient."
Just two words made the country give up the opportunity to defend itself.
Her face turned pale, and she glared at Concubine Jin fiercely before leaving reluctantly.
Xie Yanci glanced at the concubines in the room: "What about Min's promise? Why isn't she here?"
"In reply to the emperor, Min promised that she was eager to save people and fell into the water together. She is now changing clothes in Sangyu Pavilion and will come to see you later."
Aunt Zijin was someone specially left behind by the Queen Mother. On the one hand, she was to act as a witness, and on the other hand, she was to wait for the development of the situation and then return to Shoukang Palace to report.
"Is that so... Did Auntie see it with her own eyes?"
"Exactly. When it happened, I was counting the ingredients in the cups. He Changzai suddenly felt dizzy and lost her balance, so she fell into the river. Min Yan was close by and reached out to hold her before I could, but the impact was so great that they both fell into the water."
Xie Yanci nodded slightly.
Just then, Eunuch Yang came in from outside, followed by Wei Shuyi, who had changed into plain palace attire.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. I am sorry for being late, and I hope you will forgive me."
"No problem. I heard that it was you who saved He Changzai?"
"I am incompetent. Although I wanted to, I was powerless. In the end, I failed to stop her." Wei Shuyi responded respectfully, but at the same time, she wanted to find out what was going on inside. "I wonder if He Changzai is okay?"
Xie Yanci did not answer, but instead ordered his men to present all the cups and bowls for today's game.
"Aunt Zijin has always had a good memory. Do you still remember what shape that cup was?"
"Let me see."
Before preparing for the questions, Zijin had registered the corresponding cups and bowls and wrote them down one by one. It was not difficult to review them.
After a while, she picked out a cup with a green bamboo pattern on it and said, "Your Majesty, this is it."
"Did the tea inside spill, or..."
"I saw it with my own eyes. I was always anxious and drank it all in one gulp."
Xie Yanci then looked at the old doctor who was still kneeling: "Director Jiang, could you check this tea?"
What's the meaning!
Wei Shuyi's heart trembled: Is he suspecting someone has poisoned the cup?!
However, the tea was prepared by the Empress Dowager. After Yin Zhu personally put the tea into the running water, it was up to fate which cup stayed where.
How could the poisonous tea possibly stop right in front of He Changzai?
Dean Jiang was as if he had been pardoned. He immediately stood up, picked up the teacup, and started studying on the table next to him with several other imperial doctors.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, save me..."
From the inner room, a woman's panicked muttering could be heard.
When he was emotionally agitated, He Changzai suddenly woke up and shouted, "Your Majesty, save me!"
Xie Yanci heard the sound and walked to the bed. Seeing the frightened woman, he felt pity for her: "I'm here, don't be afraid."
She looked at the crowded room full of concubines, as if she understood something. Her frail right hand touched her abdomen, and she asked painfully, "Is this my child..."
"He Changzai, you are still young." He hinted tactfully, put his arm around her shoulders and patted her gently, "I feel as bad as you do."
"I'm useless! I couldn't protect the baby in my belly! It was just a small gathering, but I was so scared! If I hadn't been so frightened that I couldn't control my steps, I wouldn't have..."
"Your Majesty! This cup is poisoned!"
Before she could finish her crying, Jiang Yuanzheng's voice passed through the palace concubines and reached the emperor.
"What's going on?!"
"Your Majesty, the tea in the cup is almost dry. We tried adding hot water, but found nothing." Jiang Yuan was slowly turning the cup. "However, there is some residual powder at the rim. I just carefully examined it and found that it is mixed with black grass and mandshurica! If the wrong amount is used, it will kill the young lady!"
When He Changzai heard this, tears formed on her face and she shrank back in fear: "Your Majesty, help me! Someone wants to kill me!"
Xie Yanci's face was gloomy: "Has anyone touched this cup?"
This sentence completely revealed his anger.
The concubines in front knelt together, and Wei Shuyi followed suit behind them. The gradually spreading coldness made her heart forget to beat.
Aunt Zijin hesitantly replied, "Your Majesty, I was responsible for retrieving the cups. At the time, cups and plates were resting in front of the two young ladies, so I placed them on the same tray and let them choose. Afterwards, Shi Min agreed to hand the remaining cup to Concubine He."
This was the truth. She didn't blame her aunt.
Before she could rack her brains to eliminate the suspicion, she actually spoke to the concubine: "Impossible! Your Majesty, you know that I come from a poor family. The reason I was afraid to participate in the Qushui Liushang is because I was afraid of showing my weakness! It was Min who patiently taught me the poems, and it was also Min who promised to pick the key points that I was not good at. She would never harm me!"
"You know a person's face but not his heart. Why are you so sure?"
"Because... because Min agreed to live with me in Lin'an Palace. If she wanted to take action, she would have plenty of opportunities on any other day! Why did she choose today?"
Song Wanyi sighed, "Oh, what a pity! After being soaked in water and then returned to the palace, there's no way to verify what's hidden in the nails."
Xie Yanci looked up at her: "What do you mean?"
"I have no other intentions, I'm just curious. Look, my poor sister Chang Zai is as light as a swallow, and she's not a fat and strong man. How could she have caused Min to fall into the water with her? If you don't know, you would think she jumped in by herself!"
Seemingly unintentional teasing is the most deadly!
He Chang couldn't find any words to refute for a while, and the situation gradually became solemn and awkward.
Wei Shuyi only felt the emperor's gaze lingering over her, and then he called her in a low voice -
"Min agreed, what's your explanation?"
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