The queen woke up in the middle of the night and dreamed of a ghost crying to her, telling her that he died unjustly.
Xia Chan hurriedly got out of bed, put on her clothes, and ran in to ask, "Empress, how are you?"
The queen was still in shock and took Xia Chan's hand, "The palace is not clean. Call more people and light the candles quickly."
The queen wrapped herself tightly in the quilt, and the maids placed several hand warmers on her bed. Xia Chan personally poured her a cup of hot tea. After drinking the tea, the queen calmed down a lot.
"Don't leave, guard this palace."
"Don't worry, Queen. I'm not going anywhere."
The queen's bedroom was brightly lit and filled with people. The previously lit candles were removed and replaced with large solid candles that burned for a long time, making the room as bright as day.
The queen closed her eyes and took a nap, and after a while she finally fell asleep.
The maids and old women dozed off against the door frame, their eyes full of fatigue. The master's nightmare became the nightmare of all the servants.
The next morning, the queen woke up and ordered a thorough investigation.
The concubines accompanying the emperor came to pay their respects to the empress. When Concubine Yi learned that the empress was not sleeping well, she specially brought a statue of Guanyin Buddha.
The Queen accepted the gift and invited Concubine Yi to sit down and have tea.
The four ladies Zhao, Qian, Sun and Li were not qualified to sit down, nor were they qualified to drink the tea brewed by the Queen herself. They came to say a few auspicious words, but when they saw that the Queen had no intention of keeping them for tea, they left tactfully.
Under the towering ancient trees in the palace, the Empress and Concubine Yi sat opposite each other drinking tea, the aroma of tea wafting from the spout of the pot and the fragrance lingering around their noses.
"The palace is located in the mountains, and the mountain tea and mist are indeed well-deserved of their reputation." Concubine Yi took a sip of tea, a smile appearing in the corners of her eyes and eyebrows.
The queen was of noble birth and was skilled in the tea ceremony. As long as she was calm and did not humiliate the concubines at will, Concubine Yi was very happy to accompany her for tea.
There are twelve hours in a day. It would be boring to stay alone all the time. But when there is someone to talk to, time will pass quickly.
"There are many clouds and fogs in the mountains, and fogs give rise to fog ghosts."
The queen's eyebrows twitched, and her whole body was filled with hostility.
"Your Majesty, I have been respectful throughout the journey. Your Majesty will understand."
"I was just kidding you. It seems the fog ghost is not you."
Concubine Yi knelt upright, and the Queen could not see any other emotions from her face. "Xia Chan, help Concubine Yi up."
Concubine Yi was extremely respectful and docile.
When leaving the Queen's bedroom, Concubine Yi's mouth curled up, her plan succeeded.
Yesterday she secretly added fiber phosphorus powder to the candles that the queen lit at night. The smell of this substance when burning can induce fear in people's hearts.
It was windy last night, so the doors and windows of the Queen's bedroom must have been closed tightly. Before the Queen went to bed, Concubine Yi deliberately asked the little palace maid to go and inform Xia Chan.
It was said that a palace maid had died by Concubine Jin's side, and the tragic scene of the maid's death was described in vivid detail. The empress did not take it seriously at first, but when the phosphorus powder began to burn, the empress had hallucinations and could not help but think of the maid's death.
The queen was extremely frightened and ordered people to keep watch all night. The palace maids opened and closed doors and went in and out. The smell of fiber phosphorus powder gradually dissipated, and the queen was able to sleep well.
As soon as the queen woke up, she naturally wanted to find out the villain around her. The palace maid who delivered the message yesterday was from Concubine Yi's side, so Concubine Yi naturally became the first person the queen interrogated.
The Queen carefully planned every step and induced Concubine Yi. Concubine Yi's answers were proper and she did not make any mistakes or show any guilt.
The Queen knew that she couldn't get anything out of Concubine Yi, so she sent her back early.
The same pot of tea, the same ancient tree, the queen poured a cup of tea herself, but the person drinking the tea changed from Concubine Yi to Concubine Rou.
"You savor it carefully."
"I tasted it, Camellia Clouds."
The fragrance of tea spread from her mouth, and Concubine Rou felt relaxed all over, as if she had just woken up from a good sleep.
"There are many clouds and fogs in the mountains, and fogs give rise to fog ghosts."
Concubine Rou's satisfied look quickly faded, and she tightly gripped the teacup in her hand. She was extremely nervous, as if a steel knife was about to fall on her neck at the next moment.
"Your Majesty, I am your concubine... your concubine."
Concubine Rou was extremely scared. Could it be that the matter was exposed and the Queen had discovered the flaw? The crime of drugging the Emperor was a serious one and she could not bear all the responsibility herself.
The Queen did not have much evidence and did not know Concubine Rou's plan. Her years of experience as a superior allowed her to see the clues from Concubine Rou's panic. She struck while the iron was hot and deliberately raised her voice and grabbed Concubine Rou's collar.
"Rou Fei, you are so bold to deceive your superiors and subordinates."
The Queen was upright and spoke in a strong and powerful voice. Concubine Rou felt guilty and lowered her head in shame, her voice as soft as a mosquito.
"I am innocent. Everything was Concubine Jin's idea."
The Queen sat up straight, slowly took off her armor, and pointed at the coffee table with her two index fingers. "Speak for yourself, or I'll find another witness to speak."
Concubine Rou thought to herself that this was not good. The Queen even had a witness, and now she had to protect herself.
"Your Highness... Your Highness... was confused for a moment."
The Queen listened carefully, and Concubine Rou suddenly realized that there was something wrong with the Queen's expression. If the Queen had 100% evidence, she could have directly convicted her. After all, the Queen was in a high position and had great power, and she didn't need a reason to punish a concubine who had made a mistake.
But the queen was waiting for her to reveal it herself. Xia Chan held the notebook and a pen in her hand and was responsible for recording.
Concubine Rou thought of what the Queen had just said. She accused herself of deceiving her superiors and concealing the truth from her subordinates. The four words "deceiving her superiors and concealing the truth from her subordinates" covered too broad a range. If the Queen knew the truth and if there were witnesses, she could accuse her of murder and poisoning.
Concubine Yi knelt on the ground, thinking quickly about countermeasures.
There was a commotion outside the door, and Concubine Jin, dressed in a pink palace dress, came quickly. She kicked over the palace maid who was blocking her way and ran over to look at the queen.
The queen was sitting lazily, while Concubine Jin was standing straight. Only Xia Chan was beside the queen, while Concubine Jin was accompanied by a large group of strong maids.
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