Chapter 750: Warm the wine, just confess your guilt
Without pausing, Concubine De continued, "According to what you said, Sister, I think everyone in the hall is suspicious. After all, the food was brought to the Empress Dowager in the hall. Others also had the opportunity to take advantage of it. According to Sister, not only the courtyards of the Crown Prince, the Prince of Zhi, and other princes, but also the Emperor's Palace of Purity should be thoroughly searched. Will you be satisfied after searching the palace?"
"Defei! You are sophistry."
Concubine De sneered: "Sister, that's not sophistry?"
Concubine Hui narrowed her eyes. "Today, this servant has already seen something unclean on her body while she was drinking wine, yet you have been preventing her from being searched. If you were to search, she would be able to prove her innocence. What are your intentions? Could it be that you have something unspeakable in mind?"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone around looked at each other in surprise.
Now the highest ranking concubines were fighting over the position, and the Empress Dowager was also involved. Everyone was just watching and waiting. Even Concubine Rong and Concubine Yi did not dare to interrupt easily.
He even stood a little further away, fearing that he would be implicated.
Although Concubine Hui was strong, she was unable to move forward when facing the equally strong Concubine De. For a moment, both sides were deadlocked and no one dared to move.
"Master, the Queen Mother is fine. I've checked her, and her health is better than before. I just don't know why she's been so comatose. Perhaps it's the spiritual spring water that's warming her body?"
Wenjiu was relieved for a moment when Xiaojin, who was sent by Wenjiu to check the Queen Mother's body, came back.
Then, he took a step forward and said, "To be honest, I was the one who spread the powder. She was right. It wasn't just hearsay."
As Wen Jiu spoke, he pulled out a packet of powder from his sleeve: "This is what I sprinkled on the barbecue."
"Wine!" Concubine De's eyes widened, and she looked at the warm wine in shock.
Concubine Hui almost burst out laughing as she shouted, "Wenjiu, just plead guilty." Then, looking at Concubine De, she said, "Concubine De, are you still shielding this sinister villain? Little do you know, she's already confessed. Someone, take her down and investigate thoroughly!"
Concubine Hui didn't expect such a big pie to fall into her arms suddenly. She thought that she could just check the East Third Office, but unexpectedly, she ran into trouble directly.
"Wait a minute," Wen Jiu frowned, "Who told you this thing is bad for your health?"
"You've caught me red-handed, and you still dare to argue?"
Just as Concubine Hui finished her words, she heard a voice singing an announcement from outside...
"The Emperor has arrived~"
Everyone immediately came forward to welcome Emperor Kangxi.
"Your Majesty, I, your concubine (daughter-in-law), greet you! May your Majesty be blessed."
Emperor Kangxi walked in and gave them a cold glance: "The Empress is not feeling well, what are you doing here? I heard your quarreling before I even came in."
Then, upon seeing Concubine Hui, his brows immediately furrowed. "Didn't I tell you to stay in the palace? Why are you coming out?"
Concubine Hui immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is not feeling well. How can I sit still? I know it was my fault yesterday. I will never act so petty again."
But today's matter is of grave importance. Your Majesty, the warm wine was tampered with the Empress Dowager's food! This despicable method was used on the Empress Dowager, and she has not yet woken up. When I learned of this, my heart was boiling like fire. That's why I hurried out."
Emperor Kangxi's face, which originally contained a hint of anger, suddenly darkened. His gaze, as sharp as substance, swept towards Wenjiu: "What's going on?"
Wenjiu met Emperor Kangxi's gaze, and in just a second, a layer of cold sweat broke out on his back.
On weekdays, the emperor always looked kind, so much so that Wen Jiu sometimes even forgot that he was the emperor.
He quickly gathered his thoughts and presented the small oil-paper bag in his hand. "Your Majesty, this is the powder I sprinkled on the barbecue. Today, Concubine Hui said someone saw Jiu'er sprinkle some stuff on the food. She insisted that Jiu'er poisoned the Empress Dowager. But this stuff is just some seasoning. We put it on most of the food yesterday."
"Nonsense! If that were the case, why did the Queen Mother fall unconscious after consuming your meal?"
"Your Highness, Concubine Hui, your words are a bit biased. The meals I've prepared these past two days weren't just served to the Empress Dowager. Everyone from the Emperor to the servants, even the children at home, ate quite a bit. If this is truly a food problem, then wouldn't everyone be feeling unwell?"
"Jiu'er's words make sense," De Fei responded, then immediately asked, "Ever since Jiu'er entered the room, Hui Fei has been pestering me and others to hold us accountable. Up until now, not only has she been preventing me from seeing the Empress Dowager, but she hasn't even allowed me to see the Imperial Physician. Your Majesty, does Hui Fei have the final say on the Empress Dowager's health? You should at least hear what the Imperial Physician has to say, right?"
"Your Majesty is right." Wen Jiu immediately said, "Your Majesty, if it is really the food that Jiu'er prepared that made the Empress Dowager feel unwell, Jiu'er is willing to accept the punishment without a second thought."
"When did I ever stop you from seeing the Empress Dowager? Your Majesty, the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law are in cahoots, throwing a huge pot of dirty water on me. I feel so wronged!" Concubine Hui frowned and moved closer to Emperor Kangxi: "Your Majesty, how dare I allow someone with such ulterior motives to go before the Empress Dowager? The imperial physicians are all guarding the Empress Dowager inside and are busy. How dare I disturb them? It would be disastrous if they delayed the Empress Dowager's health."
"Sister Huifei, what is there to be afraid of? I was just about to order a search of the fourth son's East Three Residences. My poor son followed you, the emperor, out without knowing anything, and now he is being framed like this." said Concubine De.
When Emperor Kangxi heard the word "search", he glanced at Concubine Hui, and then suddenly looked at Liang Jiugong.
Liang Jiugong immediately took the powder in Wenjiu's hand and brought it to the front.
Soon, a younger imperial physician came trotting over and said, "Your Majesty, may you be well and healthy."
Emperor Kangxi: "How is the Empress Dowager's health?"
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager's pulse is a little weak, but her symptoms haven't worsened. She hasn't woken up yet. Perhaps... perhaps..."
"What is it?" Emperor Kangxi frowned.
"Maybe it's because I'm too tired."
"Imperial Physician, the Empress Dowager has not woken up yet. Is it related to what she ate?" Concubine Hui asked worriedly.
"Your Majesty,...this possibility cannot be ruled out."
Concubine Hui finally loosened her clenched fists a little and said, "Your Majesty, listen, there is always something wrong with the food."
The imperial physician then continued, "The Queen Mother has not enjoyed her meals recently. She has been eating more, which may have caused her to become sleepy. But it seems that this is not a bad thing."
As soon as these words were spoken, Concubine Hui choked and her face was full of disbelief.
Emperor Kangxi nodded when he heard this, and casually pushed the packet of powder used to warm the wine away: "What is this?"
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