"Empress Dowager!"
The young palace maid's words were like a thunderclap.
Lei Dejianyang froze on the spot.
No, what did she do to deserve this?
Why did this girl start cursing at her right away?
The young palace maid said with venomous eyes, "I know, Your Majesty, you are a narrow-minded, suspicious, and jealous person. Even if I am fortunate enough to escape today's favor, you will still kill me in the future. Rather than that, I would rather die!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the little palace maid took out the silver hairpin that she had hidden beforehand and plunged it into her own carotid artery with a "plop".
The blood gushing from her body shot out like a fountain, spraying all over Jian Yang's skirt.
All of this happened so fast that Jian Yang had no time to react before she saw the palace maid who had just been cursing her lying on the ground, her eyes wide open in death.
The two screams behind her left her stunned for a long time.
This scene was incredibly impactful.
When she realized what had happened, her legs went weak and she was about to fall to the ground.
Just as she lost her balance, a familiar embrace caught her.
"Your Majesty, I...she...I didn't..." Jian Yang clutched the emperor's robe tightly, her words somewhat incoherent.
Just as the emperor was about to speak, Consort Yu interrupted him, saying with a mixture of shock and fear, "Empress, even if you are intolerant of people, you could simply send her away. Why did you have to drive her to her death?"
Consort Xian covered her mouth and remained silent, seemingly quite frightened.
Jian Yang shook her head and said, "No, I did not force her, and I have never seen her. You all saw it with your own eyes. I have no idea why she wanted to commit suicide."
She was trembling all over as she said this.
The emperor sensed her fear and held her even tighter.
"If you hadn't forced her, she would have enjoyed endless wealth and glory in the future. Why did she have to die?" Consort Yu became increasingly aggressive.
Jian Yang was speechless.
She didn't know how to defend herself.
Even if she could prove it herself, the fact remains that the palace maid did die before her eyes and expressed her resentment towards her before her death.
No matter what, she couldn't get rid of them completely.
"Stop talking nonsense!" The Emperor looked coldly at Consort Yu. "I was in the side hall the whole time, and I know everything that happened. You are not allowed to slander the Empress here!"
Consort Yu was stunned by the emperor's sudden outburst of power and immediately knelt down, admitting defeat in a second.
"Your Majesty, I saw that human life was at stake and I was momentarily negligent. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness!"
The emperor snorted coldly and led the distraught Jian Yang away from Yunying Palace.
As soon as they left, several eunuchs came in, carried the body away, and began cleaning up the scene.
At this moment, Consort Xian's face no longer showed any fear. She simply helped Consort Yu up with her usual composure and said lightly, "Alas, as a woman myself, I truly envy my sister, the Empress, for being so favored and trusted by the Emperor."
After saying this, Consort Xian turned and left.
Consort Yu stood there, almost grinding her teeth to powder. The flames of hatred burned even more fiercely because of Consort Xian's casual remark.
Yes, as women, why is it that Jian Yang can win the emperor's favor while she is publicly criticized and loses face?
She was not convinced.
After the emperor sent Jian Yang back to Weiyang Palace, he did not leave.
He first had Eunuch Zhang summon the imperial physician, who prescribed two doses of calming and soothing medicine for Jian Yang, and then personally fed them to her.
Seeing that she had finally calmed down, he said gently, "Empress, I did not sleep with that palace maid."
Jian Yang looked at him, puzzled.
The emperor said, "I drank a few too many cups at the banquet last night. Who knew that the wine would have such a strong aftereffect? This palace maid said she would help me to rest, so I agreed."
Next, Jian Yang learned the whole story from the emperor's description.
It turned out that after the emperor got drunk, the palace maid took advantage of the fact that Eunuch Zhang went to the outhouse and took the opportunity to help the emperor into the Yunying Palace, where she took care of him for the whole night.
Although the emperor was dizzy, he was certain that he had not done anything to the palace maid.
When he woke up the next day, he found that both he and the palace maid were disheveled.
The palace maid, in particular, wept bitterly, saying that the emperor had favored her.
The emperor, of course, refused to admit to doing something he hadn't done, and in a fit of anger, ordered the palace maid to get out of there.
Who would have thought that the palace maid would roll all the way to the main hall, then kneel there and never leave.
Just as the emperor was wondering what she was up to this time, Jian Yang arrived at Yunying Palace with Consort Yu and Consort Xian. Then, a palace maid committed suicide in front of Jian Yang.
Jian Yang had regained most of her rationality by this time. After listening to the emperor's description, she intuitively felt that the whole matter was shrouded in a conspiracy.
"Does Your Majesty remember what kind of wine you drank last night?"
"It is the same wine that I usually drink, and it is called Hundred Flowers Wine."
"Would you easily get drunk if you drank this wine on a normal day?"
"Absolutely impossible."
After their conversation, the two became even more convinced that everything from Eunuch Zhang's diarrhea to the emperor's drunkenness was caused by someone deliberately poisoning him.
As for the purpose, it was naturally aimed at Jian Yang.
The emperor comforted her, saying, "I have already suppressed what happened today. Empress, rest assured, no one will dare to mention this matter again."
Jian Yang shook his head with a wry smile: "Your Majesty, today's events are probably just the beginning."
The emperor, of course, had also considered this.
"Don't be afraid, I can protect you."
Jian Yang smiled and didn't say anything more.
Today's events were such a blow to her mental state that she hasn't recovered all day.
She woke up early the next day.
Seeing this, Lianxia was quite surprised, "Why did Your Highness get up so early today?"
Jian Yang said quietly, "A storm is brewing, I can't sleep."
Lianxia glanced out the window and asked in confusion, "It's a sunny day, where's the rain?"
Jian Yang poked her forehead, "Heartless."
The imperial court was in an uproar.
"Your Majesty, the Empress has abused her power in the harem and disregarded human life. Such heinous acts must be severely punished!"
"Your Majesty, the Empress has been unable to bear children, which is a breach of virtue for a woman. She is unfit to remain Empress and should be deposed!"
"Your Majesty, the Empress is colluding with her relatives, forming cliques, and threatening the court. You must be on guard!"
"Bullshit!" Jian Hong finally couldn't take it anymore. "Who's the maternal relative? You dare say it again?"
The minister who had offered the advice shrank back and muttered under his breath, "What kind of decorum is this, making such a racket in the imperial court!"
Jian Hong ignored him and instead bowed to the emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, since returning to the capital, I have always kept my distance from the Empress. I never expected that these ignorant people would still smear the Empress and my Jian family. I beg Your Majesty to do justice for the Empress!"
When the most boisterous ministers heard that they had been called "shameless," they immediately protested and started huddling together, chattering and arguing with Jian Hong.
Jian Hong was no pushover either; with his sharp tongue and witty remarks, he debated with the group of scholars and held his own against them.
The emperor rubbed his temples and finally said in a deep voice, "Shut up, all of you!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com