Upon hearing this, Consort Lan said with indignation and sorrow, "Miss Chang, I have no grudge against you, nor have I ever neglected you. I was very happy when you gave me the longevity lock, but I never expected... I never expected you to be so vicious, that you would actually kill my unborn child..."
Chang Lili felt a chill run down her spine and wanted to offer another explanation, but Meng Yuxiu, who was beside her, spoke up in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, this matter is suspicious and there are many doubts. We cannot make a hasty conclusion."
The Emperor roared, "What? You still want to protect this woman? The evidence is conclusive. Tell me, what are the doubts?"
Without the slightest hesitation, Meng Yuxiu said sincerely, "First of all, Chang Lili has no motive to harm Consort Lan. Secondly, I think no one would be foolish enough to use such an obvious method to harm someone else, and then walk right into the trap afterward."
Before Consort Lan and the Emperor could say anything, Xiao Shu'er gracefully approached from inside the hall.
"Your Majesty, speaking of Chang Lili's motives for harming my unborn nephew," she said, her face full of sorrow, which made Consort Lan and the Emperor even more heartbroken. "There is something I must say."
Chang Lili immediately became certain that this matter was inextricably linked to Xiao Shuer.
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty, otherwise I dare not speak," Xiao Shu'er said, feeling wronged.
Chang Lili suppressed the urge to vomit and clenched her fists.
The emperor looked haggard and sighed, "Speak, and I will pardon you."
Xiao Shuer then slowly said, "A few days ago, I discovered that my imperial nephew Xiao Lingshou had been guarding the imperial mausoleum for three years. His mourning period was over, and his return date was set, but he had not returned to the palace for a long time, so I couldn't help but send someone to investigate."
The Emperor's face immediately darkened with displeasure: "Why did you bring him up?"
Consort Lan stretched out her slender fingers and gently stroked the wrinkles between the Emperor's brows.
Xiao Shuer said aggrievedly, "I just feel that this little prince is innocent, and I would be going against my conscience if I didn't talk about it."
Chang Lili couldn't help but curse inwardly that her conscience had long been eaten by dogs.
Meng Yuxiu, however, sensed danger and couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, we still need to investigate carefully. What exactly happened after the longevity lock was given to Consort Lan? Has it been tampered with? It's hard to say..."
Before he could finish speaking, Consort Lan raised her eyebrows and questioned in a sharp voice, "What does General Meng mean? Are you saying that I was careless or careless, or that I poisoned this thing?"
The Emperor then ordered the two to shut up, but let Xiao Shu'er continue speaking.
"I found out... I found out that Prince Ling Shou has already returned to the capital, but he did not return to the palace. Instead, he stayed at the military manufacturing office under General Meng's jurisdiction." Xiao Shu'er looked embarrassed, as if she had said something she shouldn't have.
No one spoke, but the Emperor's hands clenched into fists, his bones cracking, and he suddenly turned to look at Chang Lili, his gaze fierce as if he wanted to grind her to dust.
Chang Lili, who prides herself on being fearless, began to turn pale.
"Your Majesty, didn't you send me to thoroughly investigate the Imperial Mausoleum massacre? After I found the First Prince, I wanted to find out the mastermind behind the crime that was detrimental to him, so I left him at the Military Construction Bureau to lure him out..." Meng Yuxiu spoke eloquently.
Chang Lili knew this wasn't the truth; Meng Yuxiu had been hoping Xiao Lingshou would leave as soon as possible during those days.
"Shut up! Yuxiu, I don't want you to be involved in this matter. You are the number one general of Yun Kingdom. Are you telling me your stance?" the emperor roared, his cheeks burning red with anger.
It's getting muddier the more you try to stir things up, and it's getting worse the more you try to explain.
"I also heard from the people who went to investigate that Ling Shou's nephew and Chang Lili have a very close relationship," Xiao Shu'er said somewhat timidly.
Chang Lili was extremely frustrated, but at this moment she only felt powerless.
Although Xiao Shu'er was despicable, the Emperor's affection for her was known to all, so he naturally trusted her.
She lowered her head, and a sudden sense of peace washed over her. Her mind was clear as a mirror, and she instantly understood Xiao Shu'er's scheme.
She said calmly, "I did not know his true identity at the time, nor did His Highness the First Prince tell me. If Your Majesty does not believe me, you may summon the First Prince to confront me."
"What exactly is the situation, and what is the nature of your relationship? Only you two can decide for yourselves. How can outsiders know?" Xiao Shu'er stepped forward and said.
But Meng Yuxiu suddenly turned his head, his cold gaze sweeping over Xiao Shuer, causing her voice to fall lower.
"Guards!" the Emperor suddenly roared. "Take Chang Lili to the dungeon and interrogate her thoroughly!"
"Your Majesty!" Meng Yuxiu said urgently, "This matter is of great importance and has far-reaching implications. Before the matter is fully investigated, please reconsider!"
Immediately, an eunuch came forward, grabbed Chang Lili's arm, and dragged her out of Huilan Palace without any mercy.
Chang Lili's hands and feet were ice-cold. She was panicked but did not struggle. She felt the supreme power and overwhelming victory, while she herself was just a drop in the ocean, insignificant and powerless.
But seeing how eagerly Meng Yuxiu wanted to take her away, she felt a pang of pain in her heart.
"Meng Yuxiu! Do you want to rebel?!" the Emperor roared in fury.
Meng Yuxiu then stopped what he was doing, and looked at Chang Lili with heartache as her father-in-law dragged her away.
The moment she was dragged out of Huilan Palace, Chang Lili twitched the corners of her mouth, trying to give him a comforting smile, but that smile was tinged with bitterness.
Meng Yuxiu forced himself to remain calm and knelt down before the Emperor again: "Your Majesty, there must be more to this matter than meets the eye. I believe Lili would not do such a thing."
The Emperor revealed a disdainful smile: "Can't do such a thing? I think you're bewitched by this woman. Just for that, I should get rid of her!"
Xiao Shuer stood to the side, her face beaming with the triumph and satisfaction of having avenged herself.
Meng Yuxiu opened his lowered eyelids, a flash of murderous intent in his eyes that softened the Emperor's attitude.
He sighed and said, "Yuxiu, you don't need to concern yourself with this matter. I believe you have nothing to do with it."
Meng Yuxiu knew that the Emperor believed Xiao Shuer's words and was convinced that Chang Lili was acting under Xiao Lingshou's orders. If that was the case, Chang Lili was doomed.
The Emperor would not harm the only eldest prince, nor could he harm him; his anger would inevitably need to be channeled to someone else.
He took a deep breath and kept telling himself to stay calm. If he couldn't clear Chang Lili's name right now, he wouldn't be able to rescue her.
The most urgent task is to find out the truth.
Without uttering a word or regard for court etiquette, he stood up and stared at the emperor with an unfriendly expression, saying, "Then this humble subject will take his leave."
The emperor said nothing more, only waved his hand.
Meng Yuxiu immediately strode out of Huilan Palace, walking towards the palace gate with the speed of the wind.
At this moment, he felt a pang of regret. He had never regretted anything in his life, but now he regretted bringing Chang Lili to this banquet and wading into the quagmire of the palace.
If she hadn't come today, she wouldn't have been imprisoned in the dungeon; she would still be frolicking in the military workshop or the general's mansion.
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