Chapter 178 Mother and Son

The words of the palace maid Defei made everyone in the palace look different.

Apparently, someone among them did know about this.

The queen glanced at everyone in the hall, her cheeks puffed slightly because she was gritting her teeth.

"I have so much to do, I don't have time to listen to your idle chatter!"

The Queen Mother patted her hands again and said to Concubine De, "I didn't know about this either. The eldest prince has been ill for a long time and has rarely been out. I was very surprised to see him today."

Yun Qin had been listening quietly to their conversation. She raised her eyes slightly and glanced at the Queen's expression.

Her eyes were slightly red because of anger, and she didn't look fake.

Is the target actually the Queen?

She looked again at the little kid who was crying non-stop because Concubine De held his hand while he was trying to scratch the rash on his neck.

The situation just now was indeed dangerous and it was definitely not fake.

Concubine De would never be so heartbroken as to risk her own child.

Could this be another strategy of killing two birds with one stone?

If he succeeds, neither Concubine De nor the Empress will be in trouble.

Yun Qin couldn't help but glance sideways and glanced at the concubines below the steps, but who did all this?

With the Queen Mother's support, the Queen's expression softened a bit, and she said in a cold voice: "I didn't even know the eldest prince was coming, so how could I deliberately let someone put peanuts in the almond cakes!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Dezi walked in with his body bent.

After paying his respects, he said to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, I have asked the chef who made this snack today, and he admitted that he did put the peanuts in it. He said that it was to make the almond crisps taste more fragrant and better."

"He also said that no one instructed him, and no one told him, that peanuts cannot be put in snacks."

Xiao Dezi took a breath and continued, "I also asked, the oil used by Chef Yu to cook today also contains peanut oil."

Huo Jinchi immediately glanced at the eldest prince, and couldn't help feeling a little scared. He had only eaten some snacks today, and not vegetables, otherwise it would definitely be more serious than it is now...

"Your Majesty, you have heard it, this is all normal." The Queen continued, "I can bribe one chef, can I bribe all the chefs who will cook tonight?"

"If one chef can withstand the questioning, can all the chefs stand up and say that no one is instructing them?"

Defei's maid immediately said, "The Empress didn't tell the chef not to use peanut kernels or peanut oil!"

"I said I didn't know the eldest prince would come to the palace banquet. If I had known in advance, why would I have told Chef Yu?"

"Since the eldest prince has come to the palace, why didn't the queen mention this matter?" the palace maid continued to question.

The Queen bit her lower lip lightly. She hadn't remembered this at all. She only remembered it when Concubine De called out.

But who would believe this when it is said?

"It was I, I was negligent."

The queen finally lowered her eyes. There was no evidence in the first place, and if she admitted her mistake, it would give the empress dowager some room to maneuver.

The De Fei, who had been silent the whole time, finally cried, "It was my fault. I thought Your Majesty knew, so I didn't..."

Both sides seem to have their reasons. In the absence of conclusive evidence, it depends on who Hawking believes.

But before he could say anything, the Queen Mother suddenly said, "I think what happened today was just a coincidence. Although the Queen was negligent, as a mother, Concubine De should have been more cautious. Why didn't you ask in the palace just now?"

"Yes, it's all my fault." Defei hugged the eldest prince and burst into tears, almost heartbroken.

Huo Jinchi patted her back and then looked at the queen coldly, "This matter was indeed your negligence..."

Before he could finish, the Queen Mother continued, "I saw that the eldest prince seemed to ask Xi for permission to come over for food."

Since there is no evidence, just stir the water.

Yun Qin suddenly heard the Queen Mother mention her and immediately understood her intention.

Fortunately, she has always been very cautious.

Now that this matter was mentioned, Yun Qin had no choice but to step forward and kneel on the ground, saying, "Your Highness, the Queen Mother, the eldest prince did ask me for some snacks, but..."

Halfway through her words, her face became redder and redder.

Just speak, why are you blushing?

Amidst the confusion, she coughed lightly and then continued, "I saw that the eldest prince was adorable, so I teased him for a while, and even made him cry."

Hearing her say this, everyone present remembered that the eldest prince seemed to have cried before.

Huo Jinchi lowered his eyes to look at her, a smile flashed in his eyes, and he said, "I can testify that I was the one who gave the snack to the eldest prince in the end."

After he finished speaking, Yun Qin's face instantly turned red, and she looked so embarrassed that she couldn't raise her head.

The people in the palace looked at her with expressions that were difficult to describe.

I didn't realize that the timid yet arrogant Xi Danying would have such a personality.

"Mother, you watched so carefully, didn't you see that it was the snacks that I brought for the eldest prince?" Huo Jinchi looked at the empress dowager, his tone casual but his eyes were a little cold.

The Queen Mother seemed not to notice and just laughed, "The eldest prince is crying because of this."

She looked at Yunqin and said, "I forgot how old Xi Danying was. No wonder the eldest prince was so close to her and even asked her to wipe his face."

Yun Qin instantly clenched the handkerchief in her hand.

What does this old lady want to do? Does she want to put this on her head?

Huo Jinchi's face also turned cold and he winked at Xu An.

Xu An immediately walked to Yun Qin and whispered, "Xi Danying, can you let me see your handkerchief?"

Yun Qin raised her eyes to look at the empress dowager, said nothing, and reached out to hand her handkerchief to Xu An.

She hadn't done anything, so she wasn't afraid of being checked.

Xu An took her handkerchief and presented it to Jiang Yuanzheng.

Jiang Yuanzheng looked over, glanced at Yunqin, sighed slightly in his heart, then lowered his head and said, "There is nothing wrong with this handkerchief."

"Are you relieved, mother?" Huo Jinchi asked the Queen Mother.

The Queen Mother smiled again and said, "I just said it casually, but you guys are suspicious."

She changed the subject, "But I heard that some poisons are very easy to volatilize. It has been such a long time..."

Huo Jinchi's face turned completely cold. "What does the Queen Mother mean?"

"Since we want to investigate, then let Lian Xi agree to investigate together." The Queen Mother's eyes also turned cold, and she looked at Huo Jinchi and said, "Send someone to Yanning Palace and search the palace!"

Huo Jinchi did not say anything, but just looked at the Queen Mother with cold eyes.

At this moment, the rift between mother and son that had been hidden for a long time was finally exposed.

The atmosphere in the hall immediately became cold again, and some people couldn't help but look at Yun Qin.

There is a hint of suspicion, but more of sympathy.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that she had clearly suffered an unprovoked disaster.

Yun Qin knew in her heart that the Queen Mother was using her as a bargaining chip to negotiate terms with the Emperor in case the Emperor severely punished the Queen.

She sneered in her heart, unfortunately, her bargaining chip was not that important.

It's just a palace search, there's nothing to be afraid of. If something of hers is really damaged, she will ask the emperor for double the amount!

As she was thinking, she heard Huo Jinchi say coldly: "Your Majesty, don't you even trust Jiang Yuanzheng? As long as there is a trace, it will definitely not escape his eyes."

Yun Qin looked up in surprise, only to see Huo Jinchi's slightly cold and hard profile.

He added: "Today's incident seems to be just a coincidence. The Queen should fine him one month's salary as a warning!"

After hearing this, the Queen Mother's expression also eased slightly, "Your Highness is right, Jiang Yuanzheng can't be wrong."

She lowered her eyes, straightened her clothes, and said to the queen, "I am tired too. Queen, please accompany me back to the palace."