Wang Jinyao lifted her skirt, walked around the wine table and came to the center of the hall.
She said, "Your Majesty, today I was strolling in the nearby garden and accidentally saw Taoist Zhihuai."
"The medicine bottle in his hand fell to the ground, and someone put something in it when he wasn't paying attention."
"I'm not sure if it's poison. I have to wait for the doctor to test it. But I don't dare to take any chances. If it really is poison, I will be guilty of a grave sin if I don't stop Your Majesty in time."
Wang Jinyao's words made Su Zhilan's heart sink.
In the garden, the medicine bottle fell at her feet. Why did Wang Jinyao's words seem to be directed at her? But she didn't touch the medicine bottle.
Emperor Xuande thought what she said made sense and ordered someone to give the medicine to Mr. Zhou, now the King of Qi.
Mr. Zhou took it, looked at it, and stood up and said, "Your Majesty, someone has indeed put arsenic in it. If Your Majesty consumes it, you may die on the spot."
Emperor Xuande pondered for a moment and asked, "In your opinion, was the poison put into the elixir, or was it spilled from the bottle?"
Mr. Zhou replied, "The medicine itself is not poisonous. The poison is coated on the outside of the pill. The bottle mouth is also stained with quite a bit. It must have been spilled from the bottle mouth."
In fact, sufficient mercury and cinnabar were added to this pill.
Speaking of this pill, it is naturally non-toxic. Not only is it non-toxic, it is also beneficial to the body.
But if you take it for many years, the toxins in your body will accumulate to a certain level and you will be doomed.
But he said nothing. Neither the court officials nor the prince could say anything, so what position did he have to speak?
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuande asked Wang Jinyao, "You said you saw someone drug the place, but did you see who it was?"
Wang Jinyao shook her head slightly. "Your Majesty, I didn't see who that person was. I didn't know it was your Majesty's medicine at the time, so I didn't pay much attention."
"I only remember that she was a young lady, not very old, wearing a purple vine-colored dress embroidered with orchids."
This was also discussed by Wang Jinyao and Taoist Zhihuai. She was afraid that if she identified Su Zhilan, the Song family would suspect that she did it on purpose.
So she deliberately said that she didn't see clearly who it was, so that others would believe her more.
Su Zhilan looked down at her clothes, then looked at Wang Jinyao coldly. It seemed that this game was aimed at her.
After hearing what Wang Jinyao said, Emperor Xuande asked Taoist Zhihuai, "Did you drop the medicine bottle? Do you remember who picked it up?"
Taoist Zhihuai said, "Your Majesty, I did drop the medicine bottle. A young lady picked it up and handed it to me. I was looking down at my injuries at the time, so it's possible someone took advantage of me."
Emperor Xuande asked coldly, "Who is that person?"
Taoist Zhi Huai shook his head and said, "I don't know the identity of that person, but I saw that young lady when I just entered the hall."
As he spoke, Taoist Zhihuai turned to face the main hall, pointed at Su Zhilan and said, "That's the young lady."
When Zhi Huai finished speaking, not only the court officials present, but even Emperor Xuande was stunned.
He never imagined that the person Taoist Zhihuai pointed out was Su Zhilan.
Su Zhilan was the county lady he personally conferred upon her, his daughter-in-law who had never married him, and a hero in the Fujian navy's fight against the Japanese pirates.
Besides, she was just a little girl, how could she do such a cruel thing to him?
At this time, everyone in the hall had different expressions. Su Chengxun and Hai looked worried, but they didn't dare to speak rashly.
Song Hongshen's expression was cold, his eyes gleaming with icy brilliance. Shen Zhixiu's face was also somewhat gloomy as he stared at Taoist Zhihuai.
The rest of the people who were on good terms with the Song, Shen, and Su families mostly looked worried.
Naturally, there were also many people who watched the fun and gloated over others' misfortunes.
Su Zhilan, on the other hand, was still sitting there calmly, without showing much panic.
She was recalling the scene at that time, trying to see if there was any way to break the deadlock.
Emperor Xuande came back to his senses and asked Taoist Zhihuai in a deep voice, "Did you not mistake him?"
Taoist Zhihuai said firmly: "Your Majesty, this happened two quarters of an hour ago. I won't be wrong."
Emperor Xuande trusted Taoist Zhihuai, and he believed that as a cultivator, he would not lie.
Besides, Taoist Zhihuai has been in the palace all the time and has no grudges against Su Zhilan, so there is no need to wrongly accuse her.
To say that he was bribed was even more impossible. He gave Taoist Zhihuai many rewards, but Taoist Zhihuai always declined them and did not care about worldly things such as gold and silver.
Emperor Xuande looked at Su Zhilan with a sullen face, "Princess Anping, shouldn't you give me an explanation?"
Shen Zhixiu and Song Hongshen both knew something about Emperor Xuande. From his tone, they knew that he believed what Taoist Zhihuai said.
But both of them were still sitting steadily, and apart from their somewhat cold expressions, nothing else could be seen.
Wang Jinyao lowered her eyes and sneered. Today she was gambling, gambling that the emperor trusted Taoist Zhihuai.
Now it seems that she made the right bet.
Su Zhilan stood up, walked to the center of the hall, and knelt. "Your Majesty, I have indeed seen this Taoist priest. I also saw his medicine bottle fall to the ground, but I did not touch it."
When Emperor Xuande heard her say this, he subconsciously thought she was quibbling.
Then he asked, "Is there any witness?"
Su Zhilan thought for a moment and said, "My maid can testify."
She also knew that even if her maid testified, it would not count. However, there were not many people around at the time, so she really had no place to find a witness.
When Emperor Xuande heard her maid's testimony, he did not call her forward to speak, obviously not believing it.
While he was pondering, Song Wanwan stood up and walked to the middle of the hall.
"Your Majesty, I can testify."
When Emperor Xuande saw that it was Song Wanwan, his tone softened a bit, "Then tell me, what's going on."
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