"Stone Maiden Flower Pollen?" Zhao Yuancheng frowned, his face tense. "What is that?"
Doctor Xun bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, the Stone Maiden Flower is a wildflower that grows in the fields. Its effects are just as its name suggests. Smelling it for a long time can harm the mother's body. If a pregnant woman accidentally touches it, she may have a miscarriage."
Hearing this, Zhao Yuancheng slammed his hand on the table and shouted angrily, "How can a greenhouse operate? Such a filthy thing actually sneaked in!"
"Zhu Yu, go call the steward of the flower room. I want to see who dares to stir up trouble in the harem!"
"Yes, I will go right away."
As Zhu Yu left, what happened in Huayang Palace spread throughout the harem like a cold autumn wind.
Liu Zhaoyi was holding her son to coax him to sleep, but after hearing what Yun'er said, her face instantly turned cold and she ordered the wet nurse to take the second prince away.
After Yun'er closed the door, she lowered her voice and asked, "How did you do it? How did Huayang Palace find out so early?"
Yun'er trembled with fear, "I don't know either. It seems that when the flowers were delivered to the flower room, Concubine Wan was there too, and we were discovered."
Liu Zhaoyi sat on the couch, fiddling with her armor, but said nothing.
Yun'er was a little scared, "My Queen, could Concubine Wan have seen something? Will she tell others about us?"
Liu Zhaoyi narrowed her eyes. "If Concubine Wan really knew that it was us who did it, she should have told Fu Shi long ago. Why wait until now? Unless..."
"Unless what?"
"Unless she wants to use this to curry favor with the Fu family and do her a favor!"
Yun'er's hands were shaking. "What should we do? Eunuch Zhu has already gone to the flower room to get someone. If they really continue to investigate, they will definitely find us! Your Majesty, you have to think of a solution!"
Liu Zhaoyi glanced at Yun'er and said unhappily, "I am the prince's biological mother. How can she dare to speak nonsense without any evidence? Besides, there is Concubine Xi here. It's just a pity that so much energy is wasted."
Something that shouldn't have appeared in Huayang Palace appeared. As the master of the six palaces, the Queen naturally had to go and check it out. But before going, the little palace maid from Fengqi Palace quietly went to the greenhouse.
In the main hall, Zhao Yuancheng sat at the top, with the queen sitting beside him.
Nanny Zhang, the flower room's head keeper, knelt on the ground, trembling all over. "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I have no idea how this filth could have found its way into the flowers provided to the concubines! Please, Your Majesty, investigate."
The Queen's eyes were heavy. "Has anyone been in or out of the greenhouse during this period?"
Nanny Zhang prostrated herself on the ground, searching her mind for the people who had entered and left the greenhouse during this period. Suddenly, she thought of someone.
"I remember that during this period, only Concubine Xi often came to the flower room to pick chrysanthemums. No one else came here anymore."
Wan Jieyu took the opportunity to speak, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, it's no secret that Concubine Xi goes to the flower room every day to pick fresh chrysanthemums to make chrysanthemum soup for Your Majesty. If it was really Concubine Xi who did it, it would be too ostentatious."
The Queen nodded, seeming to agree with Concubine Wan's words. "Sister Wan is right. Your Majesty, in my opinion, it would be better to summon Concubine Xi to ask about it. It won't be too late to make plans later."
Zhao Yuancheng said without hesitation: "Go and invite him."
Zhilin Palace.
Concubine Xi was a little surprised at Zhu Yu's arrival.
"Why is the father-in-law here at this hour?"
Zhu Yu was very polite to Concubine Xi, "In reply to your Majesty, the Emperor requests that you go to Huayang Palace immediately."
Xibin was stunned. "What happened?"
"The Emperor would like to ask you a few questions. As for what happened, you will know when you go there."
Xipin took a deep breath and said, "I understand. You go out and wait. I'll change my clothes and go to Huayang Palace immediately."
After Zhu Yu left, Qiancao said with some concern, "I heard something happened to Consort Yi, but why would the Emperor send you there for no reason?"
Xibin's eyes were as sharp as a knife. "No matter what she is, it has nothing to do with me anyway."
When she arrived at Huayang Palace, Concubine Xi was momentarily overwhelmed by the oppressive atmosphere in the palace. After taking a deep breath, she straightened her back and walked in.
"I pay my respects to the Emperor and the Empress."
"This concubine greets the Queen Xi."
After exchanging greetings, Zhao Yuancheng asked coldly, "Have you been to the greenhouse these days?"
Concubine Xi spoke frankly, "I know that Your Majesty likes to eat chrysanthemum soup, so I go to the flower room every day to pick fresh petals. But I haven't been there in the past few days. I wonder why Your Majesty asked this question?"
The Queen looked at her coldly, "Today, the flower room sent two pots of chrysanthemums to Consort Yi, but the petals were sprinkled with pollen from the stone lady flower. And during this period, you were the only one who went in and out of the flower room the most."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Xi was horrified and said, "Empress, are you saying that I poisoned Concubine Yi?"
Immediately, Concubine Xi knelt on the ground and said anxiously, "Your Majesty, I have no grudge against Concubine Yi. Why would I poison her? Moreover, even if I really wanted to poison her, why would I go to the flower room in person? Wouldn't that be admitting my guilt? Someone must have deliberately framed me!"
The Queen pursed her lips and turned to look at Zhao Yuancheng. "Your Majesty, what Xipin said is not without reason. Although she is a bit arrogant, I don't think she would have the courage to do such a thing."
Hearing the Queen's plea for mercy, Concubine Xi breathed a sigh of relief. "Your Majesty, I am young and ignorant, but I know my limits and what I can and cannot do. But please, Your Majesty, be clear!"
The conversation between the three people in the main hall fell into Fu Qianyu's ears.
Peirong, beside her, was gritting her teeth with hatred. She angrily said, "This Xipin is truly eloquent. Everyone in the palace knows that she has always been disrespectful to you. Last time it was the Snow Soul Grass, and this time it's the Stone Maiden Flower. Her heart is worse than a demon."
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