Chapter 681 Who is the murderer?
Wei Jia shook her head. "It's just my intuition."
After careful consideration, Wei Jia analyzed, "There are only two possibilities for the Empress Dowager's death: either she died a natural death or she was murdered."
"Judging from the circumstances when Madam Zheng was invited to the palace, I'm afraid the Empress Dowager was murdered."
Qiao Qinghe was startled, and her heart was filled with turbulent emotions.
She was too shocked by the Empress Dowager's death to remain calm and rational, and failed to see even such an obvious fact.
She took a deep breath and silently told herself to stay calm, to remain rational, and to keep a clear head so that she could see through the surface and understand the true nature of the matter.
"Mother, don't worry. Everyone knows about the relationship between Madam Zheng and the Empress Dowager. Even if someone tries to frame Madam Zheng, His Majesty won't believe it."
"As long as the matter is explained clearly, I believe Madam Zheng will be fine."
Wei Jia calmly comforted Qiao Qinghe, "Besides, didn't Princess Huaiyang also enter the palace?"
"With her here, she will protect Madam Zheng."
Qiao Qinghe nodded, "Have someone keep a close eye on news from the palace."
"Don't worry, Mother, I've already arranged for someone to keep an eye on things."
***
Meanwhile, in the Empress Dowager's palace.
Emperor Xiaozhao looked at Consort Liu Hui, Prince Qi, Prince Chu, Li Sanqi, and Lady Zheng kneeling before him, and said with a grim expression, "Lady Zheng, please rise. You are not well, so you don't need to kneel to answer my questions."
"Someone, please have a seat."
Soon a young eunuch brought over a round stool and placed it aside.
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."
Madam Zheng thanked the emperor, rose, and took her seat. The heavy weight in her heart lifted slightly.
Upon entering the palace, they saw Prince Qi and others kneeling on the ground, and even Consort Liu Hui was kneeling obediently.
Originally, Madam Zheng was only concerned about the death of the Empress Dowager, but when she arrived at the Empress Dowager's palace and saw this scene, she immediately felt uneasy.
Sure enough, right after the greetings were exchanged, Emperor Xiaozhao said that Consort Liu Hui had identified her as having seen the Empress Dowager in the past few days, and that the Empress Dowager was completely unsuspecting of her. How could they know that she wasn't the one who poisoned the Empress Dowager?
Lady Zheng was startled. Seeing that she was completely confused, Emperor Xiaozhao asked Li Sanqi to explain the situation to her.
Only then did she learn that the Empress Dowager had died from poisoning.
The poisoning will not last more than five days.
In the past five days, apart from the people who serve the Empress Dowager, only Lady Zheng and Consort Liu have seen her.
Almost everyone ruled out Madam Zheng immediately.
Only Consort Liu Hui was left.
But how could Consort Liu possibly admit it?
He immediately burst into tears, saying that he went to the Empress Dowager only to ask her to make a decision and get back the child that Prince Qi had been fostered in the Qiao family.
There was absolutely no motive to harm the Empress Dowager.
Upon hearing this, Madam Zheng flew into a rage. "Does Consort Hui mean that I have a motive to harm the Empress Dowager?"
"Ha, who in the world doesn't know that I have a life-or-death bond with the Empress Dowager?"
"To put it bluntly, our Duke of Jin's mansion has only been able to remain stable to this day thanks to the protection of the Empress Dowager."
"The Empress Dowager is our Duke of Jin's greatest support!"
"I dare say I am the least likely person in the world to plot against the Empress Dowager!"
After thinking for a moment, Madam Zheng added, "I, Zheng Yao, dare to swear to Heaven that if I have even the slightest intention to harm the Empress Dowager, may my Duke of Jin's mansion be ransacked and my clan exterminated, and may I, Zheng Yao, be childless and without descendants!"
A look of astonishment flashed across Consort Liu's face. Such a vicious oath... she dared to utter it without even blinking?
It was precisely because of Lady Zheng's words that Emperor Xiaozhao softened his expression, allowed Lady Zheng to rise and speak, and even offered her a seat.
"Consort Hui, what else do you have to say?" Emperor Xiaozhao looked at Consort Liu Hui, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes.
Consort Liu quickly said, "Your Majesty, even if the poison wasn't administered by Madam Zheng, you can't conclude that it was me who administered it, can you?"
"Your Majesty, I am innocent! I truly had no reason to poison you!"
"In the past few days, apart from Madam Zheng, you are the only one who has seen the Empress Dowager. Who else could it be but you?"
Consort Liu clenched her fists hidden in her sleeves, and suddenly realized something. "Your Majesty, someone must have bribed the maids around the Empress Dowager. The poison must have been administered by these maids."
"Your Majesty, I beg you to severely interrogate these slaves!"
Emperor Xiaozhao raised his hand, and Liu Xin immediately ordered someone to take the palace servants from the Empress Dowager's side to interrogate him.
Soon, the palace servants received their results.
"Your Majesty, two palace servants have identified the person as... and they say..."
Liu Xin glanced at Li Sanqi with fear before continuing, "Two people identified Princess Huaiyang as the one who ordered them to poison the Empress Dowager."
Everyone was shocked by these words.
While shocked, Consort Liu couldn't help but show the joy of surviving a disaster.
King Qi also breathed a sigh of relief.
God knows how panicked he was when he was summoned to the palace to face accusations that his mother had murdered the Empress Dowager.
At this point, the palace servants' testimonies pointed to Li Sanqi, which was somewhat unexpected, but at least it cleared the mother of the crime.
Thank goodness! Thank goodness!
At this moment, the King of Chu retorted incredulously, "This is impossible! Father, you are wise enough to know that Seventh Sister and Grandmother have always been very close. How could Seventh Sister possibly plot against Grandmother?"
"There must be some misunderstanding here!"
Before Emperor Xiaozhao could speak, Consort Liu Hui interrupted, "Does Your Highness, Prince Chu, not know that six days ago, Princess Huaiyang and the Empress Dowager had a big argument and parted on bad terms?"
"Many people saw Princess Huaiyang leaving the Empress Dowager's palace in tears."
"Although no one knows what the Empress Dowager and Princess Huaiyang said, it's hard to say whether Princess Huaiyang held a grudge and had the Empress Dowager poisoned!"
Emperor Xiaozhao looked at Li Sanqi, "Do you have anything to say?"
Li Sanqi looked at Emperor Xiaozhao without fear and said calmly, "I ask Father to bring those two palace maids here. I want to confront them personally."
Emperor Xiaozhao gestured to Liu Xin.
Soon, the two palace servants who identified Li Sanqi were brought in.
One of them was a young palace maid who looked only seventeen or eighteen years old, and the other was the Empress Dowager's personal maid.
Both women had blood streaming down their hands, whip marks on their bodies, and bloodstains on the hems of their skirts. Their legs hung limply, and they didn't even have the strength to kneel.
As soon as the person who brought them in let go, the two women collapsed to the ground, completely exhausted.
If their eyes hadn't been still moving, they probably would have been mistaken for dead.
Li Sanqi turned to look at the two of them, his eyes full of sarcasm.
“I recognize you. You are a lowly maid who is responsible for sweeping and cleaning in the Empress Dowager’s palace,” Li Sanqi said, pointing to the young palace maid.
"You're just a lowly maidservant, unable to even get close to the Empress Dowager. What ability do you have to poison her? Do you think I should bribe you?"
Li Sanqi's words were full of sarcasm.
"I, though I am a lowly maid, can move around freely and go anywhere. I am very, very useful!"
The young maid said with certainty, "Princess, you said I had a much greater chance of poisoning than others, which is why you chose me."
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