The news that Dugu Yu entered the palace and Nanny Song went to the Imperial Hospital soon spread to Huayang Palace.
Lingyun breathed a sigh of relief. "Lord Dugu is a man of integrity and uprightness. He will surely not go along with the Queen. With the Queen Mother in charge, the little prince will be safe."
Fu Qianyu raised her eyebrows: "That being said, we still can't take it lightly."
Lingyun nodded, "Your Majesty is right. No one can predict the outcome until the very last moment."
Nanny Song came back very quickly, but her face looked even uglier than before she left.
"Empress Dowager, I asked a new imperial physician, and he said the dosage of the labor-inducing drug was much stronger than usual. If Concubine Yi drank it, both mother and child would die!"
"presumptuous!!"
The Queen Mother was extremely angry and shouted, "How dare Han Suliang play tricks under my nose?"
Nanny Song sighed, "Wealth and honor are sought through risk. The person behind this is sure you will compromise for the sake of the Emperor and the Great Jing Empire. Who will care about the cause of Concubine Yi's death then?"
"Where is Han Suliang now?"
"I'm afraid he's still serving the Emperor."
The Queen Mother snorted coldly, her eyes filled with murderous intent. "Go and ask the Queen to come over, and then call Fan Li and Han Suliang over to me. I want to see who is so bold as to plot against the Emperor and my grandson."
"Yes, I will go immediately."
Hearing the Queen Mother's summons, the Queen was stunned for a moment, "Madame Song, why is Mother so anxious? What happened?"
Nanny Song smiled respectfully, "How dare this servant speculate on the Empress Dowager's order? Your Majesty will know once you go there."
Although the queen had her doubts, she did not dare to delay and hurried to the side hall to change her clothes.
"Yingchun, you said that the Queen Mother summoned Imperial Physician Han and Deputy Envoy Fan at this time. Could it be that it's still about Concubine Yi?" The Queen murmured, "But isn't this matter settled? What else is there to discuss?"
Yingchun lowered her head and stammered, "Your servant, your servant doesn't know either. Perhaps the Queen Mother is concerned about the succession to the Emperor, so she wants to ask Deputy Envoy Fan if there are any other solutions."
The Queen hummed, "I also feel that this matter is somewhat sinful, but for the sake of the Great Jing Empire, this is the only way."
Seeing that Jinmei was not around, the Queen exclaimed, "Where is Jinmei?"
"Jin, Sister Jinmei is feeling a little unwell. She's going back to the palace to rest."
The Queen took a deep breath and said, "She has been serving the Emperor during his coma. It must have been very hard for her. Please accompany me to see the Queen Mother."
"yes."
After coming out of Fengqi Palace, Yingchun's heart was frying in oil. Seeing Ci'an Palace right in front of her, she could no longer hold back and spoke out what was in her heart.
"My Lady, I have something to say!"
The queen lifted the curtain and looked at her with a frown: "What's wrong?"
Yingchun knelt down and said anxiously, "I know what the Queen Mother wants to ask. Your Majesty, please save Sister Jinmei."
The queen's eyes gradually darkened.
After finding a secluded place, Yingchun knelt in front of the queen and told her everything.
Upon hearing this, the Queen flew into a rage and cursed in a low voice, "Jinmei has committed such a heinous act, and you dare to hide it for her?"
"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong, but now that the Queen Mother has summoned me, I'm afraid she's already known the whole story. Sister Jinmei's life is in danger. Please, for the sake of her growing up with you, please save her!"
The Queen shook Yingchun's hand away, furious, "She dared to drug the Emperor. Just based on this, not to mention her, even I can't escape easily. How do you expect me to save her?"
"Your Majesty..."
Yingchun seemed to have lost all her strength and sat down on the ground.
The Queen was extremely anxious and felt dizzy. She stretched out her hands to support herself on the rockery and tried her best to hold herself together. "No matter what, Jinmei can't be saved. No matter what, she can't get close to me."
"Empress!"
Yingchun looked at the Queen in surprise and said in disbelief, "Are you going to abandon Jinmei?"
"She dared to do such a rebellious thing, so she should have expected the consequences today." The Queen's tone gradually became fierce. She ignored Yingchun's surprised look and called the eunuch Xiao Luzi from Fengqi Palace to whisper a few words in his ear.
Although Xiao Luzi was surprised when he heard this, he did not dare to disobey and hurried back to Fengqi Palace.
When they arrived at Ci'an Palace, Imperial Physician Han and Fan Li were already waiting. The Empress took a deep breath and walked towards the Empress Dowager, kneeling and bowing. "Your Highness, I pay my respects to you. May you live a thousand years and live a long and happy life."
"Get up, sit down and talk."
"Thank you, Queen."
The Queen was helped to sit down, and then she heard the Queen Mother coldly ask Fan Li, "Deputy Envoy Fan, I still feel that what you said yesterday was inappropriate. I summoned you here to ask if there is any way to achieve the best of both worlds."
Fan Li stepped forward and knelt on the ground, still insisting on what he had said yesterday. He said sadly, "I know the Queen Mother is kind-hearted, but this matter concerns the country and the people. It is fate, and I can do nothing about it."
"What nonsense!"
The Queen Mother slammed the table and shouted angrily, "Tell me, who on earth ordered you to murder the heir to the throne?"
Fan Li was startled and looked at the Queen Mother in panic, saying tremblingly, "Queen Mother, what do you mean by this? I, I don't understand!"
Nanny Song continued, "Deputy Envoy Fan, you don't know. The Queen Mother feels that this matter is detrimental to the harmony of Heaven, so she invited Master Dugu into the palace. However, Master Dugu's words contradict yours. Is it because the two Masters disagree, or is someone being instigated by others to kill the dragon fetus in the Queen's womb? Only you know for sure!"
Fan Li's shoulders were trembling visibly, and even Han Suliang's breathing became rapid.
"Your Majesty, perhaps I am not well-trained, but I have never been ordered to do anything by others."
"Really?"
The Empress Dowager sneered and waved her hand. Mao Cheng immediately stepped forward and handed over a property deed. "Deputy Envoy Fan, you are only a fifth-rank official, yet you are able to purchase a large courtyard with three entrances and exits on the outskirts of the capital, and even pay off gambling debts of hundreds of taels at a time. I would like to ask you, where does all this money come from?"
"Where did you get this deed?"
The Queen Mother held the teacup in her hand and said slowly, "Doctor Han, how many years have you served in the palace?"
Han Suliang wiped the sweat from his forehead and trembled, "Replying to the Queen Mother, I entered the palace at the age of seventeen, and it has been forty years."
"According to palace rules, imperial physicians can retire at the age of sixty. You've endured forty years, so why would you do something so foolish at this critical moment?"
Although the Queen Mother's voice was soft, it was resounding, like a thousand-pound copper lock, which made it impossible for Doctor Han to raise his head.
"Please spare my life, Queen Dowager, please spare my life. I have no other choice."
"I see you're not forced to do this, but out of sheer audacity. Otherwise, how could you dare commit this capital crime? Confess the truth now!"
"It was Aunt Jinmei who was beside the Empress. She was the one who ordered this humble minister to do this!"
At this point, Fan Li naturally didn't dare to hide anything and had to tell the truth, "Yes, yes, it was Aunt Jinmei who told me to say this!"
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