Chapter 287: Madam Zhuang takes the blame
At the seat in the Duke of Rong's Mansion, Chen Peilan was already terrified at this moment.
Chen Peilan knew that her daughter had some extraordinary ideas, but she didn't expect her to act so quickly.
How could she die before Zhen Bao was rescued?
Chen Peilan stumbled and knelt before the throne, kowtowed continuously, and muttered nonsense about being wronged.
Her daughter is the queen, who dares to touch her treasure!
If her daughter were to be crippled and die because of this, what would happen to her precious child?
Chen Peilan's face turned pale, and at this moment she had only one belief - nothing must happen to her daughter!
Duke Rong Xie Heqi also did not believe that his daughter would poison His Majesty.
Because he disliked his first wife, Chen, he didn't care much about the daughter she gave birth to.
But deep down, Xie Heqi has a heart that is loyal to the emperor and patriotic.
How could the Queen, his daughter, commit regicide? Ridiculous!
So, he stepped forward first, his voice firm.
"Your Majesty! Princess Taiping is absolutely right! The Empress is a model mother to the nation, of unblemished virtue, and shares a deep bond with Your Majesty. It is absolutely impossible for her to commit such an act that goes against human ethics! There must be something fishy going on here. Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly and do not allow the Empress to suffer an unjust accusation!"
"I second the motion!"
"I second this motion! Your Majesty, please consider this matter carefully!"
Suddenly, more than half of the ministers in the hall came out and knelt on the ground. The sound of their voices gathered together, faintly drowning out the panicked discussions just now.
However, Yan Shixu's expression on the throne did not ease at all because of this surging "wave".
He looked at Xie Zhenrong, who was kneeling down and crying so hard that she almost fainted.
And Yan Mingshu, who was standing beside her with a sincere look on her face, suddenly had an extremely cold look in her eyes.
Seven years of love? Mutual support?
Is it a favor to poison someone?
He had tried to be close to the queen and had also worked hard to maintain their relationship.
He had even planned to spare her life after the matter was investigated, and send her to Jingsi Temple to fend for herself.
But at this moment, every word they said sounded extremely ironic to him!
He slowly raised his hand.
The noisy requests for orders in the hall seemed to be strangled by his hand, and instantly became quiet until there was dead silence.
Yan Shixu's voice was not loud, but it echoed clearly in the hall.
"Empress Xie is implicated in a serious regicide case, and her suspicion is indelible. From this day forward, her Phoenix Seal will be stripped from her and she will be imprisoned in the clan residence. No one is allowed to enter or leave at will! Someone, come!"
"I am here!"
Zhang Sicheng strode out, knelt on one knee, and his armor clanged.
"I order you to immediately lead the imperial guards and thoroughly investigate all palace servants who handled the imperial wine and Seven Treasures Jade Dew Cake today! Anyone who appears suspicious, regardless of who they are, will be rigorously interrogated! We must get to the bottom of this matter."
"I obey the decree!"
Zhang Sicheng immediately stood up, holding his sword with one hand and waving his other hand outward.
The guards at the door moved closer, apparently ready to arrest the queen immediately.
When Xie Zhenrong heard the words "deprive of the Phoenix Seal", "taken to the clan office", and "thorough investigation", he felt dizzy and his vision went dark.
The overwhelming despair completely submerged her like an icy tide.
Her body began to tremble violently, her throat rolling, but she could not utter a complete syllable. She could only stretch out her hands in vain, as if trying to grab a life-saving straw.
And just when the imperial guards were about to forcibly take the queen away——
"The old slave is guilty!"
An old, hoarse, yet strangely penetrating voice suddenly came from the entrance of the hall.
Everyone's attention was instantly drawn over.
I saw a nanny in dark brown palace dress and with slightly gray hair, walking resolutely through the crowd kneeling on the ground, step by step, towards the imperial steps.
She was none other than Xie Zhenrong's wet nurse, Madam Zhuang.
Nanny Zhuang walked to the imperial steps and did not look at the queen who was lying limp on the ground. Instead, she knelt down deeply in the direction of Yan Shixu.
Her forehead hit the gold brick hard, making a dull "bang" sound.
"Your Majesty! I am guilty!" Her voice was hoarse with a desperate look.
"The poison in the Seven Treasures Rain and Dew Cake and the Imperial Wine was put there by this old slave!"
A huge uproar broke out in the hall again!
This sudden confession was even more shocking than Nangong Ziyun's revelation of his evil plot just now!
Nanny Zhuang raised her head, tears streaming down her wrinkled face.
"It was this old servant! This old servant couldn't bear to see the child he raised suffer injustice! Your Majesty!"
Her voice suddenly rose, filled with tearful accusations.
"The Empress is your first wife! She manages your harem! But you... you only have eyes and heart for the one in Bixi Palace! How much neglect has the Empress endured? How many grievances has she endured?"
Her gaze suddenly turned to the seat where Wen Li'er was sitting, and her voice was heavy with sorrow.
"The Imperial Concubine is favored, and the eldest prince, the third prince, and the little princess are all held in His Majesty's care! I see the Empress gradually becoming thinner and thinner, and see her weeping every day... This old servant's heart is broken! I am incompetent and cannot share my master's worries. I can only... can only resort to this last resort!"
Madam Zhuang's voice trembled violently with excitement, carrying a desperate courage.
"This old servant believes that as long as His Majesty and the Imperial Concubine...are gone...the ministers in the court will surely support the Second Prince as emperor! And then the Empress...will naturally never have to suffer any grievances again."
As she said this, her eyes filled with tears looked deeply, deeply at Xie Zhenrong who was lying limp on the ground.
The look was extremely complicated, containing attachment, farewell, entrustment... and a shocking determination.
Her eyes quickly swept over the second prince Yan Xingzhi, who was held in the arms of another nanny.
Just when everyone was stunned by her confession and hadn't reacted yet——
Madam Zhuang's skinny hand suddenly pulled out a short dagger that was flashing with cold light from her wide sleeves!
“Nurse——!!!”
Xie Zhenrong let out a shrill scream that was not like a human voice, her eyes were bloodshot, and she almost rolled and crawled over.
However, it was too late.
Phew!
There was a chilling sound of a sharp blade entering flesh.
Madam Zhuang used all her strength to stab the dagger into her heart fiercely and accurately!
Warm blood suddenly spurted out like a fountain!
A few drops of bright red blood even splashed onto Xie Zhenrong's face, like a few dazzling red plum blossoms suddenly blooming in the snow.
“Huh…”
Madam Zhuang's body fell limply to the ground, a short hoarse sound emanating from her throat. Her gradually cloudy eyes fixed on Yan Shixu on the throne, and she uttered with difficulty:
"Everyone... takes responsibility for their own actions. Please... Your Majesty, forgive the Queen..."
After she finished speaking, two lines of tears slid down the corners of her eyes and she slowly closed her eyes.
“Nurse——!!!”
Xie Zhenrong threw herself beside the still warm body of Madam Zhuang, clutched Madam Zhuang's blood-stained clothes tightly with both hands, and let out a heart-wrenching cry.
She never imagined that this wet nurse, whom she gradually disliked and alienated, would take the blame for her crime in such a tragic way.
"Imperial Physician! Imperial Physician! Please save her quickly, please save her."
The makeup on Xie Zhenrong's face was washed away by tears and despair, and her eyes were empty and crazy, as if the whole world was collapsing before her eyes.
The queen, who should have been extremely noble, was now kneeling so humbly to beg the imperial doctors, asking them to save the only wet nurse in the world who was devoted to her and gave her everything.
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