"Your Majesty, this is definitely not my fault!"
Before I got close, I heard Concubine Min crying.
Xie Yanci suddenly felt a headache: he didn't like hearing women cry, especially those who sobbed endlessly, which made him even more annoyed. However, at certain moments, he always managed to conceal his emotions just right.
Like, right now. "What's going on?"
"Your Majesty, you're here!" The Queen immediately came over, holding the Guanyin statue, to complain, "I've found the culprit! That day, Xi Changzai suddenly fainted due to fetal movement. Just as Imperial Physician Jiang said, this wasn't a normal phenomenon, but someone did it on purpose!"
Xie Yanci looked at the mutton-fat jade statue of Guanyin, saying, "Put it there. I'll come and see it myself. It's not right to wave the statue around like this!"
"yes."
Noble Lady Wen was still kneeling on the ground, having stopped crying, but she still insisted, "Your Majesty, I have absolutely no intention of harming my sister. This is the most precious item I have ever obtained, and I brought it to you specifically as a gift. How could I possibly harm her?"
Yes, it is indeed a treasure. It would be better if it were cleaner.
The afterglow of the setting sun cast a shadow on the Guanyin statue, allowing Xie Yanci to see the handprints more clearly. "What is that? Why does it look a bit like oil?"
"Your Majesty, Concubine Wen has such a vicious mind! She actually tampered with this statue! It's coated with something like beeswax, and even mixed with a large amount of incomparable gold powder! Burning incense and praying to Buddha in the side halls usually melts the wax slowly. Concubine Xi has been staying there for a long time, so naturally she will be affected and her fetal movements will be frequent!"
Priceless?
Why are precious medicinal herbs that pregnant women should use with caution mixed into Buddha statues?
"Your Majesty, it really wasn't me! I was so eager to befriend Sister Changzai that I poisoned the gift I sent. Isn't this just shooting myself in the foot?"
"This substance is rare. Even the Imperial Hospital uses it in small quantities. To be able to obtain this much powder, your family must be very wealthy." Xie Yanci put down the Guanyin statue, looked around the hall, and finally looked at Concubine Wen. "Xi Changzai's allowance is only so much, and the Empress rarely returns to the Prime Minister's Residence. After all, you are the most suspicious."
"Could it be that in His Majesty's heart, I am such an unscrupulous person?" Concubine Wen raised her head with tears in her eyes and cried, and then she sighed softly, "Yes, I am not as important as my elder sister in your eyes."
"Why are you bringing this up with the Imperial Concubine?" the Queen scolded sternly. "The Imperial Concubine is kindhearted and would never do such a thing! The Emperor favors your elder sister, and it's only natural!"
Upon hearing this, Xie Yanci looked the empress up and down, fearing that she was someone else in disguise. Otherwise, why would he have gone to such lengths to intercede for Concubine Jin?
At this moment, Concubine Wen hugged Wei Shuyi's calf, her hands trembling. "Sister, I didn't want to tell you, for fear that others would accuse me of framing you... But now that things have come to this, I'm going to die if I don't tell you! Actually... Actually, this statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Childbirth, is a treasure I got from my eldest sister."
"My Lady Concubine?!"
"Yes, my elder sister wanted a royal heir more than anyone else. She kneels down and worships it devoutly every day, and she must have been imbued with some spiritual energy. To congratulate me on becoming a noble, my elder sister gave it to me." Noblewoman Wen lowered her eyes, tears still on her face, making her look particularly charming. "I was thinking...borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha is a good idea. I sincerely hope that my elder sister can give birth to a prince! I didn't expect it to backfire and almost ruin everything!"
Wei Shuyi leaned over and held her hand, vaguely sensing something in his heart.
Her palms were already covered in sweat, but she held on firmly, pleading, "Sister, I hope you can forgive me... I meant well but ended up doing something bad."
"This, this involves the Imperial Concubine. Your Majesty, would you like to summon her for questioning?"
Xie Yanci felt extremely confused and replied casually, "Of course."
In a short while, Concubine Jin arrived in a sedan chair.
"Your Majesty, I heard something happened in the side hall. I wonder if you could call me here..."
"Lady Wen said, was this the Guanyin of Childbirth given to her by you?"
Concubine Jin was confused and nodded in agreement, "Yes, I brought this from the storehouse to congratulate my younger sister on becoming a noble lady."
"Well, sisterly love is a good thing."
Xie Yanci beckoned her over, and in front of the Queen, he took her into his arms and sat down together. Although it was no different from usual, it revealed a strange feeling at this moment.
"Master Qu has been writing to you frequently lately. I know this, but since you miss your family so much, I've let you go. I wonder what you discuss in your letters?"
Concubine Jin always felt that the atmosphere was strange, and she was afraid that her careless sister would say something wrong and drag her father down from his high position. After several considerations, she quickly explained in a gentle voice:
"Father is worried about my health, so he sent me some medicinal herbs. I also asked my sister to bring some from home. Furthermore, as he's old, he's worried I'll be starving like I was in Yongzhou, so he also sent me some money from his own pocket..."
When she said this, the expressions of the people around her suddenly turned cold. She noticed it keenly, so she stopped talking and looked at everyone with some confusion.
"Your Majesty, did I say something wrong?"
"Sister, my father asked me to bring herbs into the palace for your health, not to harm anyone!" Concubine Wen looked at me aggrievedly. "It's okay for me to use this kind of thing, but since it only harms one of our own, I'll forgive you. But Xi Chang is the heir to the throne, how could you do this?"
"What did I do?" Imperial Concubine Jin looked at the emperor blankly. "Everyone in my Chengqian Palace knows that this statue of the Bodhisattva is worshipped day and night. What could be the problem?"
Xie Yanci looked at the two sisters' dissimilar faces, and his mind turned for a long time before he finally made a decision.
He released his right hand from around Concubine Jin's waist and stood up. "The statue is coated with a layer of filth, which is not good for pregnant women. Although it was sent by Concubine Wen, it still came from your palace."
Concubine Jin finally understood the situation and hurriedly knelt down and stared at the emperor: "Your Majesty, are you going to punish me?!"
"Most of the evidence has melted, and no one knows how many poisons the remaining pieces contain." Xie Yanci ordered in a deep voice, "The punishment is already light! Return to the palace, each copy three volumes of scriptures, and then go to the palace Buddhist temple to fast for half a month. Take care of yourselves!"
Being charged with the crime of murdering the royal heir is certainly not a severe punishment.
Concubine Jin knew she was innocent and couldn't argue any further. She could only glare at Concubine Wen fiercely and kowtow to express her gratitude: "Your Majesty, I obey your command. Thank you for your grace!"
The latter, still looking pitiful, kowtowed to Xie Yanci and then looked at Wei Shuyi: "Sister, I promise that next time I give you a gift, it won't go through anyone else's hands! Please don't blame me, okay?"
Does he really not understand the palace rules, or is he used to indulging himself in the residence of the Secretary of the Central Secretariat?
This untimely request was like thunder in the ears of everyone, and they were afraid of angering the emperor again.
Wei Shuyi took two steps forward, hooked her finger around his, and shook it. "I'm well again now, so please don't be angry. The Emperor's child is about to be born, and he can't bear to see his father's anger and bloodshed. Let's end this matter here."
Since Qu Yuexi gave her such a great gift, she naturally had to repay it with Qiong Yao.
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