With anger surging in his eyes, Emperor Jingming asked solemnly, "Can you admit that you have shown favor to little Dengzi?"

Concubine Xian looked calmer and looked directly at Emperor Jingming and said, "I did not show any favor to Xiao Dengzi. I just happened to see him trying to jump into the lake that year, and I couldn't bear to see a young eunuch lose his life because of a bowl of lychees."

As she spoke, she clenched her hands. Her bare nails did not cause any pain, only an unfamiliar itching sensation.

Her heart was so tense that it almost stopped beating, but perhaps because she was in a desperate situation, she looked calm.

A last-ditch effort to calm down.

In Concubine Xian's view, being guilty and panicking at this time would lead to death, and only by arguing with reason could there be a chance of survival.

Little Dengzi actually failed.

Murdering the princess in broad daylight may seem audacious and reckless, but in fact such a simple and crude approach can often be fatal and is much more effective than roundabout and subtle calculations.

But now the Fourteenth Princess is dead, and Princess Fuqing is safe and sound. It can only be said that luck is not on her side.

What is even more unexpected is that when she showed favor to Xiao Dengzi, it was obviously only Xiao Zhuozi who was with Xiao Dengzi who knew about it. Later, she silenced Xiao Zhuozi. How come Xiao Lezi, Pan Hai's apprentice, happened to see it?

Is it true that the law is so vast that nothing can escape it?

At this moment, Concubine Xian was a little shaken and frightened, but she quickly suppressed these emotions and said calmly: "If the emperor regards my reluctance as a favor, then I have nothing to say."

She can't accept the reputation of being a benefactor everywhere.

Emperor Jingming could not find fault with Concubine Xian's words, but his anger grew even worse. He said coldly, "How heartless! Since you admitted that you saved Xiao Dengzi because you couldn't bear it, and Pan Hai took you to identify the body just now, why do you say you don't know Xiao Dengzi?"

At this point, Emperor Jingming couldn't help but raise his voice: "You lied in front of me, aren't you guilty?"

Xiao Dengzi is from Chunhua Palace. Originally, between Concubine Xian and Concubine Ning, Concubine Ning was more suspicious, but Concubine Xian started lying as soon as she arrived, so he had to focus on Concubine Xian.

This woman lied and refused to admit it. She won't cry until she sees the coffin!

Concubine Xian's voice also got louder: "I'm not lying!"

She looked at the Empress, then at Concubine Ning, and finally at Emperor Jingming. She said frankly, "I have always been kind to others. I pity the palace maids and never criticize them. I don't know how many things like Xiao Dengzi have done since I entered the palace. The Emperor asked Pan Hai to take me to identify the body of a little eunuch who I had an encounter with ten years ago. It would be strange if I could recognize him, right?"

Emperor Jingming was stunned and had nothing to say.

Concubine Xian, however, had more to say. She looked directly at Emperor Jingming and asked, "Is it wrong for me to be kind to others? If I had treated these palace ladies as ants and not cared about their lives and deaths, wouldn't I have gotten into trouble for nothing and been laughed at by others like I am today?"

At this point, Concubine Xian became agitated and covered her mouth with a handkerchief, coughing heart-wrenchingly.

When she finished coughing, she took a closer look at her handkerchief, then quickly folded it and put it into her sleeve.

At that moment, Emperor Jingming caught a glimpse of a hint of crimson on the snow-white handkerchief.

His heart skipped a beat: Is Concubine Xian's health so bad?

Seeing the surprise and pity in Emperor Jingming's eyes, Concubine Xian sneered in her heart.

Xiao Dengzi is dead and there is no evidence. Who can say that she was the mastermind?

How to make the final decision depends on who the emperor trusts more between her and Concubine Ning.

With the corner of her eye she glanced at Concubine Ning, who was looking indignant, and Concubine Xian slightly curled the corners of her lips.

One is full of murderous intent, the other is weak and feeble. She knows too well the emperor's soft heart.

Emperor Jingming was stumped for a moment.

The person is already dead, and now two concubines related to her have been found. How can we make a conclusion if there is no conclusive evidence?

Emperor Jingming's eyes shifted between Concubine Xian and Concubine Ning.

Could it be that they would rather kill someone by mistake than let them go, and deal with both of them?

The queen pursed her lips tightly, ready to explode.

Your Majesty, don’t try to smooth things over this time. No matter whether it is Concubine Xian or Concubine Ning, she will make the main messenger pay the price.

Fourteenth died to save Fuqing. If she cannot seek justice for Fourteenth and resolve the future troubles for Fuqing, she will not only be unworthy of being a mother, but also unworthy of being an empress.

If the emperor dares to be soft-hearted today, she will fight him.

The nervous queen suddenly felt someone gently touching her sleeve. She turned her head and saw that it was Jiang Si who had stood behind her without her noticing.

Jiang Si gave the queen a wink.

The queen understood, silently took a few steps back, then turned around and walked out.

Jiang Si followed him out.

At this time, everyone's attention was focused on Concubine Xian and Concubine Ning, and no one cared about the Queen's departure.

After they reached a secluded place, the queen asked softly, "What's the matter?"

"Mother, do you think the one who instigated Xiao Dengzi is one of the two concubines?"

The Queen sneered: "There is no smoke without fire. Since the investigation has been carried out on the two of them, who else could it be if not one of them?"

"Who do you think is most likely?"

The Queen frowned, "It's hard to say. Concubine Xian has done a favor to Xiao Dengzi, and it's very likely that Xiao Dengzi followed her instructions to repay her kindness. And Concubine Ning is Xiao Dengzi's master. At present, Concubine Ning shows that she treats Xiao Dengzi as an ordinary eunuch, but who knows whether there is a deeper relationship between them? Concubine Ning has the most convenient conditions to cultivate Xiao Dengzi into a confidant without being known to others."

At this point, the queen began to wonder, "Why are you asking these questions?"

Jiang Si said frankly, "There have been incidents in the palace one after another, and innocent people have died one after another. My daughter-in-law thinks that the person who caused the trouble is too abominable, and we cannot let him go unpunished and continue to harm people."

"You are right. We cannot just let this happen today!"

"My daughter-in-law has a way to try it."

The queen was stunned: "What can we do?"

"Please ask the Second Consort to go and see the Fourteenth Princess first, and I will tell you in detail later..."

On the side of Emperor Jingming, Concubine Ning was already annoyed: "I did not instruct Xiao Dengzi to kill the princess. If the emperor does not believe it, just give me three feet of white silk!"

Concubine Xian smiled bitterly and said, "I normally can't bear to step on an ant, so how could I kill someone? Besides, what good would it do me to kill the princess? If the emperor believes that I did it, I have nothing to say and can only let you deal with it."

"You——" Emperor Jingming's face was gloomy.

Both of them were concubines who had followed him for decades. The one who caused trouble should be killed, but how could he have the heart to kill innocent people?

The Queen came over and said, "You two sisters, aren't you making things difficult for the Emperor?"

The two concubines looked at the queen at the same time.

The Queen sighed and said, "I really don't want to doubt either of my sisters. If you have a clear conscience, please send one and send fourteen. The child has lost his mother, and now she is gone too. It's really pitiful."

The Queen's proposal surprised several people.

Emperor Jingming couldn't help but say: "The Queen——"

The Queen glared at him and Emperor Jingming immediately shut up.