Concubine Jing didn't believe what Lanpin said at all. She didn't believe Qiandai would betray her: "If you want to accuse someone of a crime, you can always find a pretext. How do you know that it wasn't someone's deliberate frame-up?" Concubine Jing said calmly.
"Deliberate frame-up?" Lanpin's expression was no longer as aggrieved and weak as before. She said calmly, "Then why not carefully interrogate Qiandai beside you? We'll know if it's a frame-up!"
After saying that, Lanpin turned her gaze to Qiandai, who had been following behind Concubine Jing obediently, and said quietly, "Qiandai, now that all the evidence points to you, we must interrogate you.
You know the interrogation methods in the palace. If you don't want to suffer, you'd better confess honestly. As long as you tell the truth and identify the murderer, I will ask the emperor to show you leniency! "
For a moment, everyone's eyes fell on Qiandai who was standing beside Concubine Jing. Qiandai did not speak, and lowered her head so that her expression could not be seen clearly.
Upon seeing this, Concubine Jing frowned slightly and took a step forward to block the oppressive gazes of the crowd that were falling on Qiandai.
Lanpin waited for Qiandai for a long time without saying anything, with a look of surprise on her face: "Qiandai, I advise you to explain it as soon as possible. Tell me how you planned it.
Are there any correspondence or anything like that? If they are discovered, not only will your life be in danger, but your family will also be implicated."
Everyone seemed to think these words were perfectly normal. They were merely ordinary words of advice, yet Qian Dai, who had been keeping her head down and silent, became flustered after hearing them.
She suddenly looked up at Lanpin, who was looking at her with a smile, and her eyes gradually became sharper.
Qiandai seemed to be frightened by her sharp eyes and fell to her knees with a plop.
Before anyone could react, they heard Qian Dai calmly say, "Madam Zhao, I did give her that bracelet, so that she could poison the Sixth Prince!"
A single stone caused a thousand ripples, and everyone was stunned for a moment, as if they had not expected her to admit it so readily.
Concubine Jing looked at Qiandai in astonishment. Qiandai was kneeling on the ground, and Concubine Jing could only see her back. Qiandai seemed to feel the burning gaze from behind her, and her back became more hunched as she lay on the ground.
The Queen was the first to react. She shouted angrily, "You bold and lowly servant! To murder the heir to the throne is a capital crime. Tell me, why did you do this?"
The emperor frowned tightly, his eyes shooting at her like sharp swords.
Lanpin changed her aggressive tone from when she had questioned Qiandai earlier. She covered her face with her sleeves and said to Jingfei with tears in her eyes, "Wuwuwu... Sister, why...why did you want to harm my child? He is also your nephew, how could you have the heart to do that?"
Concubine Jing looked at her coldly and was about to speak when she saw that Concubine Lan was staggering as if she was exhausted.
Seeing this, her maid Biyun quickly supported the person and said, "My queen, are you okay?"
Fortunately, Lanpin didn't really faint. She supported Biyun with one hand and her forehead with the other, saying weakly: "I... am fine..."
As she spoke, she turned to look at the Emperor: "Your Majesty, I don't know how I offended my sister, causing her to do such a cruel thing. I ask for nothing else, but only... only ask Your Majesty not to let the murderer go easily, and to give justice to the Sixth Prince..."
Gu Qilan was silent for a moment, then said, "Come here, take Lanpin down to rest first!"
Seeing this, Concubine Lan's heart sank. Is the Emperor still going to protect Concubine Jing?
She no longer cared about pretending to be weak and said a little excitedly, "No, no, I will not leave! Your Majesty, I am fine. Please make the decision for the Sixth Prince!"
The unconscious pressure in her tone made the emperor frown even deeper.
The Queen's eyes turned, and she suddenly said, "Your Majesty, Lanpin is the Sixth Prince's biological mother. She is worried about the Sixth Prince's current condition. Please don't be angry. The best thing to do now is to get to the bottom of this matter. After all, the Sixth Prince hasn't woken up yet."
As she spoke, she looked at Lanpin with disapproval: "Lanpin, you too, haven't investigated the matter thoroughly yet, and you insist that it was Concubine Jing who murdered your Sixth Prince. How can this be disgraceful?
The Emperor is here to handle today's matter. He is wise and will get to the bottom of this matter. He will definitely not let the murderer go unpunished, so you can rest assured."
After saying this, the Queen looked at the Emperor again and said softly, "What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Gu Qilan glanced at the queen and saw that she lowered her head respectfully, as if she left everything to him.
Gu Qilan's tone was indistinguishable from his joy and anger: "What the Queen said is absolutely right!"
After hearing what the Queen said, Concubine Lan realized that she had said such words in the heat of the moment. The Emperor hated being coerced the most.
But the Queen's subsequent words indirectly helped her get the Emperor's promise, making the Emperor promise to handle the matter impartially, and Lanpin felt a little relieved.
There was no time to make amends. The most important thing now was to kill Concubine Jing. While everyone was not paying attention, she looked at Qiandai with a cold gaze, her eyes full of warnings.
Qiandai received the signal and her hunched body collapsed again on the ground. She closed her eyes deeply, tears already streaming down her face.
At this moment, the Queen spoke majestically: "Qian Dai, why don't you tell the truth!"
Qian Dai slowly raised her head and choked with sobs, saying, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I...I was ordered by Concubine Jing to poison the Sixth Prince!"
When these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked.
Concubine Jing looked at Qiandai in astonishment and said in disbelief: "Qiandai...you..."
Qiandai fell to the ground with tears falling down her face. She didn't dare to turn around and look at Concubine Jing's face.
Gu Qilan's tone was cold: "Think carefully before you speak. If I find out that what you said is untrue, I will tear you into pieces!"
Qian Dai trembled, and suddenly raised her head cautiously, looking at the emperor with complicated eyes. After a long time, she lowered her eyes and said in a calm voice:
"Every word I said is true. Concubine Jing resents Concubine Lan for her repeated provocations and for repeatedly sending the Emperor to her. She is also jealous of Concubine Lan for giving birth to a son.
A few days ago, the Emperor went to Concubine Jing's place again. Concubine Lan hid the Emperor and took him to her palace on the pretext of the Sixth Prince. Concubine Jing, resentful, ordered me to poison the Sixth Prince. I then contacted Madam Zhao and asked her to find a way to get the poison to the Sixth Prince's wet nurse.
"Where did the medicine come from? Is there any left?" asked the queen.
"Replying to the Empress, that medicine... that medicine is called Shiling, and it is not a poison. Empress Jing has been weak since childhood and needs to take medicine all year round. That medicine is one of the ingredients in the Empress's prescription.
It's not poisonous to normal adults, and even beneficial when taken with other herbs. However, consuming it alone can be fatal to infants and frail elderly people!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the Empress looked at the Imperial Physician who was waiting beside her. The Imperial Physician hurried forward and said, "Your Majesty, Empress, the medicine that Concubine Jing has been taking all year round does contain Shi Ling."
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