Although Di Jingcheng hated the person who drugged him to the core, all he wanted to do right now was spend time with his beloved. He would leave the investigation to his subordinates; he only needed to make those people pay the price they deserved.
Inside the main hall, the noble ladies and ladies of high rank were already aching from sitting all day, forbidden to leave and without proper food. The palace servants had taken away all the dishes from the morning, and those who hadn't eaten much were now starving, but dared not say a word.
The Empress's condition is currently unknown, and the lady who was slapped by Prince Yuan is still kneeling in the chilly corridor, her fate uncertain. If a snowstorm were to strike, she might be dead; they certainly don't want to join her. Even though there's not much food here, at least it's warm, and they can sit down.
After waiting all night, the Emperor and Empress still did not appear, and there was no movement outside, causing everyone to feel anxious and uneasy.
As dawn broke, many people in the hall had already fallen asleep while sitting, their bodies unsteady, leaning against the maids behind them.
Yesterday's banquet, which was supposed to be held in the Taiji Hall, was also canceled. The ministers were all confused when they received the news. It wasn't until news came from the palace that the Empress had been poisoned and the ladies and young ladies had been detained that they could only worry helplessly.
As dawn broke, Di Jingyuan strode in menacingly, his black cloak still damp with snow. He waved to the Imperial Guards behind him: "Take down the Li family!"
His cold, stern voice was slightly hoarse, and his eyes were filled with ruthlessness, as if he wanted to devour the Li family. Everyone's impression of Prince Yuan was that of a gentle, refined, and handsome man; they had never seen him like this before, and they shrank back in fear.
Both Madam Li and Madam Li showed signs of panic, but then, as if remembering something, they forced themselves to calm down. Madam Li, without a trace of shame for framing others, asked arrogantly, "What is the meaning of this, Prince Yuan?"
Emperor Jingyuan didn't want to waste words with her, so he ordered the Imperial Guards to take her down.
Old Madam Li panicked, and Madam Li herself was somewhat at a loss. She gripped her mother-in-law's arm tightly. Old Madam Li raised her voice, raising her trembling hand and pointing at Di Jingyuan:
“My son is a Protector of the Nation General, and my grandson is a Guardian of the Nation General. Now my son is guarding the frontier, and my grandson will soon become the consort of Princess Changning. How dare Prince Yuan touch our Li family! Besides, the Emperor and Empress are the ones who call the shots in this palace!”
“If Your Highness wants to punish us, you should at least give a reason,” Madam Li added, but the panic in her eyes was clearly undisguised.
"I was ordered by the Emperor to arrest the traitor who plotted against the Empress. Now the truth has come out and the evidence is conclusive. We have witnesses, and as for physical evidence..." Di Jingyuan's lips curled slightly as he slowly walked forward, walked to Madam Li's side, and grabbed the maid behind her.
The maidservant trembled and shrugged, looking pitiful as Di Jingyuan threw her into the hands of the Imperial Guards to be restrained.
"Your Highness, you are wronging me. I have been staying in the palace and have not gone out." The maid seemed timid and submissive, yet she dared to talk back to the prince. She was no ordinary person.
The crowd had a better understanding of the situation, so they lowered their heads and listened attentively, trying to minimize their presence to avoid getting into trouble.
"Still dare to argue? The palace servants of Taiji Hall are all witnesses, and General Li is also a witness!" Di Jingyuan shouted sternly. The palace maid shrank back in fear and looked at Madam Li with trepidation.
The imperial guards searched the palace maid but found nothing. Emperor Jingyuan suspected the medicine was on Madam Li and ordered a matron to search her. Madam Li took two steps back in fear: "How dare you! I am the wife of a first-rank general, and I hold an official title!"
The old woman didn't care about any of that; no matter how noble her status, it was still a royal honor. Two imperial guards stepped forward to restrain her, and the old woman carefully searched her body, but found nothing on her.
Madam Li breathed a sigh of relief and was about to make a scene when, to her surprise, the experienced nanny suddenly squatted down, lifted her foot, and took off her shoes in front of everyone.
Instantly, a packet of white powder spilled out. Madam Li kicked around frantically, her face turning pale. The old nanny was kicked so hard she sat down on the ground, but she still managed to pick up the remaining powder wrapped in paper.
Di Jingyuan took it and held it in his hand: "Madam Li wanted evidence, and here it is. Arrest them!"
Upon seeing this, Madam Li panicked instantly. She looked at her daughter-in-law with disbelief and grief, saying, "Are you out of your mind? How dare you plot against the Empress! Are you trying to place our Li family in a position of disloyalty and injustice? I don't have a daughter-in-law like you. You have disappointed me so much!"
Then, amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, she turned to Prince Yuan, her eyes reddening: "Your Highness, I was very rude just now, please forgive me. But I really didn't know that my foolish and ignorant daughter-in-law would dare to do such a rebellious thing."
Madam Li felt as if she could stop breathing. She stared wide-eyed at Old Madam Li: "Mother, how could you do this! It was clearly your idea!"
Fearing that she would reveal what happened later, Madam Li knelt down with a thud, pleading as if weeping: "Your Highness, please punish this traitor so that the Emperor and the Empress may be at ease."
Looking at the old lady before her, who seemed determined to remain uninvolved, Madam Li suddenly burst into laughter: "Do you think you can stay out of this?"
Madam Li didn't say anything, she just sadly wiped away her tears on the ground.
Everyone was stunned by the old lady's sudden change. Watching the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law start bickering, even their exhaustion and hunger lessened a bit. It was really quite amusing.
"To plot against the Empress is a heinous crime, and His Majesty will personally handle the matter. Arrest them!" Di Jingyuan coldly watched them finish their act, thinking that those present should understand the situation, and public opinion would not be disturbed as a result.
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