Just as the queen was about to continue questioning, suddenly a solemn sound of footsteps was heard from outside the door.
Everyone turned around and saw the emperor wearing a dragon robe and looking majestic, walking slowly in from outside.
"The Emperor has arrived!" the eunuch's shrill voice rang out.
Everyone knelt down again and shouted in unison: "Your Highness!"
"Stand up."
The emperor waved his hand, his voice was steady and majestic, but his eyes were cold.
He walked slowly into the hall, his eyes lingering for a moment on the mess on the ground and the faces of several noble ladies.
His brows were slightly furrowed, obviously extremely unhappy with the scene before him.
The air was filled with a faint smell of medicine, and the ladies' cheeks were still red and swollen.
Several of them were still covering their faces, their eyes full of grievance.
The emperor's gaze swept across the crowd and finally landed on Fang Qingyue.
Fang Qingyue remained calm, standing upright, without a trace of panic on her face.
Although she was the daughter of a criminal, she remained neither humble nor arrogant when facing the emperor's interrogation and appeared extremely calm.
She bent her knees slightly and said softly, "Qingyue pays respect to the Emperor."
The emperor nodded slightly, quite satisfied with her courtesy.
He looked at the queen beside him and asked in a low voice: "Queen, what exactly happened here?"
The Queen immediately replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, I have done some research and have a general understanding of the matter."
"The Liu Mansion held a flower viewing banquet today. Fang Qingyue came here at Liu Yunyun's invitation, but unexpectedly, a twist occurred."
"In my humble opinion, the cause of this incident was that Liu Yunyun put safflower in the tea, intending to harm Fang Qingyue's unborn baby, but Fang Qingyue saw through her plan."
"After the situation escalated, Fang Qingyue spread the poison powder to protect herself, causing several noble ladies to be injured."
The queen spoke concisely and made the key points of the matter clear.
Although the tone was calm, every word hinted at Liu Yunyun's evil deeds.
After hearing this, the emperor frowned again.
His eyes swept across Liu Yunyun's pale face, and he asked with dissatisfaction: "Liu Yunyun, do you have anything to explain?"
Liu Yunyun was shocked and knew that it was useless to argue at this moment, but she still tried to seize the last chance.
She fell to the ground, her voice filled with tears: "Your Majesty, I did not mean to harm anyone..."
"I just... I just wanted to play a joke on Fang Qingyue, but who knew she would..."
"A joke?" the emperor interrupted her coldly, his voice filled with obvious anger. "Do you know the harm that safflower can cause to pregnant women? Is this what you call a 'joke'?"
Liu Yunyun was suddenly speechless, her body trembling slightly, and cold sweat slid down her forehead.
She knelt on the ground, clutching her sleeves tightly with both hands, as if she would collapse at any time.
"Your Majesty, Qingyue was merely following Sister Liu's invitation. Who could have known that this banquet would lead to such a crisis?"
Fang Qingyue's voice was gentle. She raised her head neither humbly nor arrogantly, her eyes clear and firm.
She knew that although she was the daughter of a criminal.
But the incident was witnessed by everyone, and as long as the emperor conducted a fair trial, the truth would surely come to light.
The emperor looked at Fang Qingyue, was silent for a moment, and then nodded, with a hint of appreciation in his eyes.
What's more, she is pregnant with Shen Yuhan's child, and Shen Yuhan is the most trusted general in the current court. He has made many outstanding achievements and is deeply trusted by the emperor.
If Liu Yunyun really harmed Shen Yuhan’s wife and children in today’s incident, it would probably cause even greater waves.
"Fang Qingyue, although you come from a special background, it seems today that you have behaved appropriately and have a sense of propriety. You have not lost your manners."
The emperor's voice softened a bit, and his tone was no longer as harsh as before. "This matter is indeed not your fault."
The emperor's words instantly shocked the noble ladies present.
Their hearts sank, as they had originally thought that the emperor would be biased against Fang Qingyue.
However, the emperor openly sided with her in public, which made Liu Yunyun and several other noble ladies feel disappointed.
Liu Yunyun suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with fear: "Your Majesty, your servant..."
However, before she could finish her words, the emperor interrupted her coldly: "Liu Yunyun, if you really intended to harm others in what happened today, then as the legitimate daughter of the Liu family, you must pay the price for your actions."
The emperor's voice was low, "As for the ladies, as daughters of the royal family, you should also know your limits."
"Although this matter has little to do with you, since you are involved, you will be confined for a month to reflect on your mistakes behind closed doors."
Upon hearing this, the noble ladies turned pale and kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy: "Your Majesty, please spare us. We had no intention of getting involved in this matter and were truly unaware..."
The emperor ignored them and just waved his hand: "It's your own fault."
The noble ladies wanted to argue again, but were stared at coldly by the guards behind them.
I could only hold back my tears and retreat tremblingly.
When Fang Qingyue heard the emperor's lenient verdict, she felt a little relieved, but her face did not show any pride.
The emperor still has some appreciation for her, and since she is now pregnant with Shen Yuhan's child, her position is slightly more stable than before.
If I don't mention it now, I'm afraid I will never have the chance to seek justice for my father.
She thought quickly, thoughts flooding into her mind.
Fang Qingyue bowed slightly and said softly, "Your Majesty, I thought I couldn't escape the blame for what happened today, but I never expected Your Majesty to be so lenient. I am deeply grateful."
"But today I have a bold request for the Emperor's mercy. Please ensure that my father's name is cleared."
When these words were spoken, everyone was shocked, and Liu Yunyun and the other noble ladies were even more shocked.
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