The emperor remained expressionless, looking only at Yuan Yao.
Yuan Yao's eyes widened, her face filled with shock: "How could this be..."
She wasn't surprised that the test came back positive for the toxin.
Since Consort Li dared to insist that the poison was administered by Qianhua Palace, she must have had it tested beforehand...
But for now, she could only feign surprise and fear.
The emperor withdrew his gaze and said listlessly, "Guards, seize Princess Yuan Yao."
Yuan Yao's heart sank immediately.
She knelt down with a thud: "May I ask Your Majesty, the items brought by Qianhua Palace were found to be poisoned. Was the poison administered by people from Qianhua Palace?"
“Princess, you mustn’t be so presumptuous.” Li Deshan glanced at the emperor and gave a token reprimand.
The emperor picked up his teacup, took a sip, and showed no displeasure.
Upon seeing this, Consort Li shrieked, "Princess Yuan Yao, the evidence is right here. Do you still want to deny it?"
Yuan Yao retorted, "Yao'er is merely stating the facts. How come it's become sophistry in Consort Li's eyes?"
Consort Li bit her lip, her eyes filled with resentment: "What a Princess Yuan Yao! No wonder she was raised by the Ninth Prince!"
At only three years old, his speech is already so eloquent, and his ability to twist the truth is truly a direct inheritance from the Emperor!
"Smack!"
The emperor slammed his hand on the tea table.
Consort Li trembled in shock and looked at the Emperor: "Your Majesty..."
The emperor frowned, his face dark and gloomy, making his already loose and swollen face even more terrifying.
He looked at Consort Li and said in a hoarse voice, "Consort Li, I understand your grief over losing your son, which is why I tolerated your disregard for etiquette and image and your baseless accusations."
I said to take Yuan Yao away, but I didn't say I would let you go.
Yuan Yao pursed her lips and looked at Consort Li.
Consort Li looked shocked and asked incredulously, "Your Majesty, what have I done wrong? Why are you taking me away? I am the victim!"
"Chen'er is gone. As his mother, I am more grief-stricken than anyone else. Why does the Emperor treat me like this?"
"Consort Li." The Empress, who had been silent all along, stood up. Her voice was low and gentle, yet carried a certain pressure: "Although Chen'er is your child, before the truth is found out, everyone in Fangfei Palace is a suspect, and you, as his mother, are no exception."
The Emperor's actions were also for the sake of fairness and justice, to ensure that innocent people were not wronged and that the poisoner would not escape justice.
Hearing this, Yuan Yao breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the emperor held power, the emperor and empress were not incompetent or foolish.
In this way, she wouldn't have to worry about being wrongly accused.
Yuan Yao gained confidence and knelt before the Emperor and Empress: "Yao'er thanks Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress."
The emperor spoke, "Issue my decree to seal off Fangfei Palace, take Princess Yuanyao to Ruyi Pavilion, and have people guard her."
Just then, a voice rang out: "Wait!"
Everyone looked out of the hall.
The emperor frowned: "Xie Zhi, what brings you here?"
Xie Zhi rushed in, carrying his robes, panting heavily, and said, "Your Majesty, I heard... that Prince Chen is gone, so I rushed to the palace to see..."
The emperor finally shifted to a more comfortable position and said unhappily, "This is none of the Crown Prince's business. Now that you've seen it, hurry up and leave."
Xie Zhi gasped for breath, lifted his robe, and knelt on the ground: "I won't leave! I also ate food from Qianhua Palace, and I don't want to see Xiao Yao'er wronged."
Your Majesty, the desserts that Xiao Yao'er sent us could not possibly be poisoned!
Huairou, Huaiyao, and I all ate those things, and each took a portion back to eat. Why was Lan Yue's portion poisoned? Doesn't Your Majesty find this strange?
"Shut up!" The emperor's brows furrowed into a deep frown. "These matters are none of your concern. You shall leave the palace immediately."
"I'm not leaving!" Xie Zhi looked at the emperor: "Your Majesty, Yao'er is so young, just weaned, she doesn't understand anything, how could she do something like poisoning and killing someone?"
Consort Li said resentfully, "Young Master Xie, Princess Yuan Yao is too young to poison someone. Does that mean Your Highness wouldn't?"
"Splash..."
With a loud crash, the emperor overturned the tea table.
Teacup shards, stained with tea and tea leaves, were splattered all over the floor.
Immediately, everyone in the hall, except for the Empress, knelt down, all prostrating themselves. The timid palace servants were trembling with fear.
Yuan Yao lay down on the ground and quietly looked up.
Just then, a voice whispered in her ear, "Lower your head."
The one speaking was Xie Zhi.
Yuan Yao didn't understand why, but she did as she was told.
"Consort Li!" The Emperor stretched out his hand, pointing a trembling finger at Consort Li: "Today, I have already tolerated you time and time again. If you continue to make baseless accusations, not only will you never see your son again, but you will also never see your adopted daughter again!"
"Your Majesty..." Consort Li exclaimed in surprise.
how so?
Why does the Emperor get so angry every time she mentions the Ninth Prince?
If the Ninth Prince is eliminated, wouldn't the Emperor be the biggest beneficiary?
The Emperor... seems to be protecting the Ninth Prince?
Could it be that she went in the wrong direction?
Consort Li gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, shocked and bewildered.
The Emperor glanced at Consort Li and said in a hoarse voice, "Chen'er's death was his fate, but as his mother, you did not take good care of him, which led to his death from poisoning."
Lan Yue is seven years old, but she is timid and cowardly and cannot be presented in public. As her mother, if you do not teach your daughter well, there are plenty of people in the harem who can teach her well!
"Regarding Chen'er's matter, I will send people to investigate. If you dare to obstruct me, I will send you to live in the Cold Palace!"
Upon hearing this, Consort Li covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face.
She looked at the emperor, her last hope lingering, and asked in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, what if the poison truly belongs to the Ninth Prince?"
The emperor clenched his fist on his lap and said coldly, "What do you want?"
Consort Li bit her lip, her features contorted, and slammed her forehead heavily against the ground: "Then let a life pay for a life! I beg Your Majesty to kill the Ninth Prince and pay for my son's life!"
To execute the Grand Secretary?
life for a life?
The emperor's swollen face took on a fierce look, and even the area around his eyes began to turn crimson.
The knuckles of both fists made a "crunching" sound.
Only Li Deshan knew that the Emperor had murderous intent...
Li Deshan lowered his voice and whispered in his ear, "Your Majesty, inhale and concentrate."
The emperor clenched his fist tightly, and it took him a great deal of effort to loosen it.
He spoke again, his voice hoarse: "Guards, lock Consort Li in the side hall. She shall not be released without my decree!"
At this moment, a weak, trembling voice, tinged with sobs, came from behind the screen: "Father, please, please spare Mother."
Princess Lan Yue?
It turned out that Princess Lan Yue had been sitting behind the screen, listening for who knows how long...
Li Deshan flicked his whisk, walked around the screen, and politely asked, "Princess Lan Yue, what are you doing huddled here?"
Lan Yue sobbed softly, "I... my little brother is gone, I'm scared, sob sob..."
The Empress said gently, "Lan Yue, come out and speak."
Li Deshan then took Lan Yue's hand and led her to the emperor.
With his eyes drooping and his voice hoarse, the emperor asked coldly, "I ask you, did Chen'er really get into trouble after eating the tea and snacks Yuan Yao gave him?"
Lan Yue's large eyes were filled with tears as she bit her lip and said, "Yue'er didn't know that Sister Yao'er gave me poisoned tea and snacks..."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao was so startled that she sat up straight.
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