The three-day deadline has arrived.
Wei Shuyi woke up early and waited outside Fengluan Palace. Jing'an and Jingning still had mournful expressions, as if defeat was inevitable.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
Hearing Eunuch Yang's shrill voice, she quickly bowed according to etiquette: "Your Highness, I pay my respects to you. May the Emperor live long and well."
"You, you're here early." Xie Yanci habitually wanted to reach out, but was stunned again, "Come in."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The concubines all remembered that today was a big day, and they all came early to pay their respects to the queen.
Only Rong Zhaoyi was late because she was punctual, as usual.
The Emperor and Empress sat in the main seats, with the Empress presiding over the overall situation.
"Now that all the sisters are here, it's time to put an end to the matter of Changzai's miscarriage! I wonder what Min promised to find out in the past three days? Can you prove that you had nothing to do with this matter?"
"I have indeed found some scattered clues. As for whether I can prove my innocence, it is up to the Emperor to decide."
"Oh?" the Queen hinted. "I heard that Min agreed to use your majesty's power to cause a big disturbance in the Imperial Hospital. What new tricks does she have to amaze the sisters now?"
Wei Shuyi understood what she said: It was probably Dean Jiang who was secretly complaining and making accusations, and now he couldn't wait to retaliate!
Well, it’s a good start.
"Thank you, Her Majesty, for reminding me. I will start with the clues from the Imperial Hospital!"
After saying this, Wei Shuyi looked up at the emperor's expression and said, "He Changzai drank tea laced with poisonous powder. I specifically asked about the efficacy of the herbs and also checked the records of their use, but... I returned empty-handed."
Song Wanyi cursed proudly from the side: "Tsk, it's a good thing you did, of course no one else can be found!"
"I was feeling distressed, thinking of Concubine He, who had been bedridden since her miscarriage, so I took my maids to visit her. Your Majesties have probably never seen the beauty of Heshun Hall. Inside and out, it's meticulously decorated with plants and flowers, comparable to a small imperial garden..."
"Min, you promised not to deliberately say such irrelevant things just to delay time, right?" The Queen lost her patience and interrupted her directly, "Just tell me all the clues you found, and don't dabble in useless things!"
Wei Shuyi knelt on the ground, kowtowed with a smile, "When a man is about to die, his words are kind. Your Majesty, just assume that I am doomed today. What's the harm in listening to a few more naggings?"
Seeing the Empress being challenged by Xiao Xiao's promise, Rong Zhaoyi also laughed out loud, "Your Majesty, I find her words very interesting. There is no rule in our dynasty that prohibits suspects from mentioning other matters when testifying, right?"
"you!"
"Empress, anger is harmful to your health. We already have another sickly sister in the palace. Why don't you be less angry and listen attentively?"
Xie Yanci was already accustomed to their tit-for-tat exchanges. After a light cough, the surroundings fell into silence.
Seeing this, Wei Shuyi continued to recall, "In that small courtyard, there was only a pot of dying green plum blossoms, which seemed out of place. I was about to go and see what was going on, but was sent away by the palace maid. I guess she is also a true lover of flowers, otherwise why would she be so nervous?"
As she spoke, she turned around and found Qiulian: "Is that so? Miss Qiulian."
An ordinary palace maid walked forward and knelt down, unable to utter anything other than "yes".
She stood up and said, "Your Majesty, this girl was brought from my family. She is not very talkative. I am afraid that I have shown my weakness. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"You're not feeling well, so just sit there."
Xie Yanci didn't mind. After giving a few instructions, he turned to look at Wei Shuyi and motioned her to continue.
"So, I have some suspicions. Concubine He is kind and benevolent. She is willing to keep such a clueless maid by her side, which shows how tolerant she is. However, if the maid is bribed by an outsider and takes advantage of this trust to harm the heir, then..."
"Min, please be careful with your words! Qiulian is my maiden, and we are like sisters. It is impossible for her to harm me for her own selfish reasons!" He Changzai denied it again, staring at her with resentful eyes, "If you frame Qiulian in order to clear your name, I will find it difficult to forgive you!"
Song Wanyi echoed, "That's right, at the Qushui Liushang event, Qiulian didn't even touch the cup. What nonsense are you talking about? You wouldn't use your status as a master to frame me, would you?"
All the unfavorable words were directed at Wei Shuyi.
The situation was at a standstill for a while. The queen smiled and began to drink tea calmly, waiting to watch the fun.
"Yes, I was inconsiderate." She suddenly grasped Qiulian's wrist and asked softly, "So, you tell us, when did you help your master develop the poison? How did you frame her? And how did you cover up your master's fake pregnancy to win favor?!"
Fake pregnancy to win favor!
Everyone present gasped and looked at He Changzai in surprise.
The woman, whose heart was pierced, rushed forward like a madman, trying to fight. "Min agreed! You are so vicious! Killing my child wasn't enough, you actually turned against me and blamed me for my kindness! You're throwing all the dirty water on me?!"
"Stop her!" Rong Zhaoyi ordered sternly, "How can you be so presumptuous in front of His Majesty? Do you really think this is a busy street?"
He Changzai was held beside Wei Shuyi, cursing under his breath, but his trembling body revealed his inner feelings.
She kowtowed again, this time begging the emperor: "Your Majesty, now that things have come to this, can the person I mentioned before come forward to testify?"
"Xuan."
Eunuch Yang understood and winked at Xiao Zhuozi, who hurried out and brought in several palace maids who were tied up with ropes!
"This one is from the Imperial Hospital... I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with men from other families." Wei Shuyi pointed at the man covered in scars. "However, the Emperor should have asked the Ministry of Punishment to find out the result."
"Speak for yourself."
Xie Yanci spoke coldly, and the man fell to the ground and begged for mercy: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I will never do it again! It was the director of the court who asked me to hide the records. I know I was wrong!"
"What are you hiding?"
"Yes, it was Miss Qiulian who came to take away the records of the black grass and the mantuo flower..."
Everyone looked at each other in shock.
She pointed to the other side. "These two are maids from the laundry department, responsible for the clothes of Heshun Hall. I found it strange before. Normal women would move as little as possible before the third month to protect the fetus in their womb. But He Changzai is very strange. Not only does she often come to visit me, but she even skips the sedan chair when she goes out. What is the reason? Do you know?"
"I don't know! My concubine's underwear hasn't been sent to the laundry for two months. As for the rest, I don't know anything!"
"Oh... so you mean my underwear is missing?" Wei Shuyi asked the trembling woman beside him directly, "Sister, could you explain why?"
He Changzai's face turned pale, his body tilted, and he fell to the ground!
Qiulian hurriedly shouted: "What did Min promise to do! You scared our young master! Please don't force her anymore!"
"If you had revealed the truth earlier, things wouldn't have turned out like this! Am I forcing her, or are you harming her?!" Wei Shuyi spoke bluntly, and suddenly softened his tone, "Besides, whether she really fainted or just pretended, we still don't know--"
As soon as he finished speaking, the servant dragged a palace maid and strode into Fengluan Palace!
Qiulian looked over in the direction of the sound and her expression changed immediately!
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