"Something's happened!" Yao Shiyu's face changed drastically when she heard the scream coming from the room. She murmured in a trembling voice, "His Highness Prince Yi has killed someone!" In her panic, she involuntarily released her grip on Lu Anrou's wrist.
Memories of her previous life surfaced in her mind, and a chill ran through Yao Shiyu's heart.
At the flower-viewing banquet that year, Lu Anrou attempted to drug Xie Yi, but he saw through her plan on the spot.
That cold-blooded man drew his sword in full view of everyone and killed Lu Anrou without hesitation.
That bloody scene still haunts Yao Shiyu's mind like a nightmare. Her fingers trembled involuntarily, and her eyes were filled with fear.
Lu Anrou's face also turned deathly pale, clearly terrified. The two of them turned to look at the side room at the same time, only to see Jiang Yunjiao staggering out of it.
She clutched her arm tightly with one hand, blood flowing continuously from between her fingers, staining her peach-pink dress red; the once vibrant color now appeared exceptionally pale.
Jiang Yunjiao was pale, flustered, and her eyes still held lingering fear. She took several steps back and almost lost her balance.
The tall and upright figure slowly walked out of the room, dressed in clean and neat black clothes without a single wrinkle.
He held a blood-stained dagger that had not yet been wiped clean in his hand. Every step he took was as steady and powerful as a soaring sky. Not a single strand of his hair was disheveled. The coldness and clarity in his eyes made people feel a chill.
At this moment, he didn't look like he had been drugged at all. Instead, he looked like a god of death who had walked out of hell, exuding a chilling aura that made people afraid to look him in the eye.
On the other side, a group led by Empress Dowager Du rushed over, and the scene instantly descended into chaos.
Upon seeing Jiang Yunjiao's disheveled appearance, Lu Baimei's legs went weak, and after stumbling a couple of steps, she rushed over.
She hugged Jiang Yunjiao tightly, her voice filled with panic and heartache: "Yunjiao, who hurt you?"
Jiang Yunjiao's face was pale, her eyes filled with terror, and she didn't even have the courage to look at Xie Yizhi. Seeing this, Lu Baimei's anger flared, and she immediately shouted, "Someone! Quickly, go and fetch the imperial physician!"
Empress Dowager Du stood not far away, her gaze sweeping across the scene, especially noticing Xie Yizhi's murderous appearance. He still held a bloodstained dagger in his hand, resembling a demon, his aura so oppressive that the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
Empress Dowager Du frowned, her voice turning deep, filled with authority and anger as she sternly rebuked, "Xie Yizhi! What are you doing! What exactly happened?"
Xie Yizhi's lips curled into a mocking smile, his tone low but every word sharp: "Mother, aren't you going to ask how this flower-viewing banquet was actually held?"
They even let in some people with ulterior motives, who were plotting to harm the prince.
How much courage does she actually have?
Jiang Yunjiao knelt on the ground, her face as pale as paper, shaking her head repeatedly, her voice trembling: "Your Highness Prince Yi, I'm innocent! I had no intention of harming you!"
Xie Yizhi gave a cold laugh, his gaze as sharp as a knife as he looked at her, his voice low and icy: "Oh? Then tell me, why did you put aphrodisiac in my cup?"
These words caused an uproar among the crowd, and whispers immediately filled the air. Suspicious and uncertain gazes were cast toward Jiang Yunjiao, and the scene instantly became awkward and tense.
Although no one dared to discuss it openly, their hushed voices were filled with undisguised astonishment and disdain.
"Who gave her the audacity to put drugs in His Highness Prince Yi's wine cup?"
“Framing a prince is a capital offense.”
"Still using that kind of drug... Is she so desperate for a man she's gone mad?"
Upon hearing the words "aphrodisiac," Empress Dowager Du's face instantly darkened. Such a disgraceful incident at her flower-viewing banquet was undoubtedly a severe slap in the face.
Although she was seething with anger, she didn't say much on the surface. She just glanced coldly at the room, her expression revealing authority and displeasure, which made everyone tremble with fear.
Jiang Luoluo glanced around and saw Lu Anrou and Yao Shiyu standing silently in the crowd with their heads down, looking particularly inconspicuous.
She originally thought it was Lu Anrou who went to that room, but unexpectedly it was Jiang Yunjiao who went in.
Someone must have done something behind the scenes. Jiang Luoluo's gaze shifted and landed on Yao Shiyu, where she noticed a clear handprint on her right cheek.
Clearly, it was Yao Shiyu who held Lu Anrou back, which led to Lu Anrou slapping her.
Upon hearing Xie Yizhi's words, Lu Baimei was stunned. She knew very well that Jiang Yunjiao had always been in love with Xie Yizhi.
Today's flower viewing banquet was originally intended by Lu Baimei to give Du Yi a chance to meet and plan a more secure future for her.
However, Du Yi has not appeared since the start of the banquet.
Lu Baimei was still thinking that after the banquet, she would go to Consort Lu's palace in person to discuss this matter properly with her.
Unexpectedly, before the banquet was even over, Jiang Yunjiao caused such a disgraceful incident!
Xie Yizhi was known for his brutality and bloodthirstiness. If he could stab Jiang Yunjiao in the arm without mercy, he could just as easily deliver a fatal blow to her neck.
But Jiang Yunjiao was, after all, her daughter. What could Lu Baimei do? She was extremely flustered, but dared not show the slightest dissatisfaction on her face. She could only swallow her bitterness.
With a thud, Lu Baimei knelt down, her voice filled with terror and pleading: "Your Highness, Yun Jiao is not that kind of person! I swear on my life, she has been wronged!"
She kowtowed, turned to Empress Dowager Du, and pleaded with tears streaming down her face, "Your Majesty, I beg you to investigate. Yun Jiao is timid by nature and would never do such a rebellious thing!"
The cries of pleading echoed in the silent air, sounding particularly desolate and helpless.
Standing at the back of the crowd, Jiang Muyan sighed almost imperceptibly and shook his head helplessly.
He had warned Lu Baimei long ago that she must discipline Jiang Yunjiao properly, but Lu Baimei didn't take it seriously at all.
Even though Jiang Yunjiao made such a big blunder last time, Lu Baimei not only did not punish her, but also kept blaming Jiang Luoluo for being ruthless.
Empress Dowager Du frowned and said coldly, "Xie Yizhi, you say it's Jiang Yunjiao, but do you have any evidence?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Mo Feng led a servant out from behind the crowd.
He brought the man before Xie Yizhi and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Highness, the man has been captured."
Xie Yizhi's gaze was like a knife, coldly sweeping over the servant. His tone was concise yet carried an undeniable air of authority: "Speak."
The servant was already so frightened that his face turned pale and his legs went weak.
He raised his hand with trembling hands, pointing to Jiang Yunjiao kneeling on the ground, his voice trembling with sobs: "It was this young lady... she gave me... one hundred taels of silver, asking me to put the medicine into His Highness Prince Yi's wine cup."
These words immediately caused an uproar in the room. Amidst whispers, everyone's eyes turned to Jiang Yunjiao, filled with shock and disbelief.
Lu Anrou, however, let out a long sigh of relief.
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