Chapter 37 Exposing Lies
The people from the Imperial Household Department actually pointed out the young palace maid directly.
Xu An immediately ordered his men to take the bag from the maid's back. Even though the maid was afraid, she still refused to let go, saying, "These are all women's private belongings."
During the scramble, the bag was torn apart, and the contents instantly fell to the ground. They turned out to be some broken pieces of flower pots mixed with many roots.
"This is the style of pot we use for our pennywort in the greenhouse!"
In fact, even though the people in Shanglinyuan didn't say anything, everyone had already guessed it.
Jiang Yuanzheng also stepped forward to check the roots, then bowed to Huo Jinchi and said, "Your Majesty, these are the roots of the money grass."
"It must be because there are people watching everywhere in Chunxi Palace. She can't deal with these things in the palace, so she can only take the risk to go out!" Xu An immediately figured out the reason.
Jiang Yuanzheng continued, "There are only roots in the flowerpot. I guess the leaves and stems were cut off and dried, and then Huiyue hid them in the kitchen to plant them."
Even he couldn't help but sigh: "It's really a series of links. Not only can they hide the refined money grass potion, but they can also mislead people and put all their attention on the scapegoat who made snacks in the kitchen. The depth of their scheming and their viciousness are terrifying."
The eunuch of Shanglin Garden also took a look at the bag of money grass and confirmed it, "What Jiang Yuanzheng said is true. If we put the money grass in a room with charcoal burning, we can get so many leaves and stems in three months."
Zhang Huaide kicked the eunuch who was kneeling on the ground and said to Huo Jinchi in a sad tone: "If it weren't for this thief in the Imperial Household Department, the evildoers wouldn't have succeeded. I am guilty of this and I hope Your Majesty will punish me."
"If you want to be punished, it's not your turn now!" Xu An snorted coldly, turned around and looked at the palace maid, and said in a sharp voice: "Why don't you tell me why you specially asked someone to buy money grass!"
The little palace maid was not as frightened as the others. She stood up and pointed directly at Zisang.
"It was her. She was the one who ordered me to do this. I had no choice but to do things for her because she had the upper hand over me. In fact, I have long wished she would die!"
Zisang turned around and looked at the little palace maid. A look of resentment first appeared on her face. She probably knew that her situation was hopeless, so she finally revealed her true face and looked at Huipin in the inner hall with hatred in her eyes.
"Yes, it was me who did it. I just hate Concubine Hui and I wish she would die!" She gritted her teeth and said, "Ever since she became pregnant, Yue Ying has been crying every day, and she even asked Doctor Zhang Yu to treat the Empress, using this as an excuse to mock Yue Ying for not getting pregnant for many years! I just want to see how she can still be so arrogant if she doesn't have a child!"
"I just regret that time is too short. In a few days, even if Huipin can save her life, she will never be able to get pregnant again in this life!"
Her vicious words made everyone in the palace feel cold in their hearts.
Especially Huipin, she couldn't help but cover her stomach, her face became paler.
She probably didn't expect that something she did casually and had long forgotten about would actually bring her a fatal disaster, almost killing the baby in her belly and her own life.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..." This time, the fear and panic on her face were no longer fake.
Huo Jinchi glanced at her and motioned Xu An to continue the interrogation. He then stood up and walked into the inner hall, holding Huipin's icy hand.
Seeing this scene, Yun Qin began to wonder if Huo Jinchi was some kind of reincarnated demon who had some ability to see into people's minds. He was simply Huibin's nemesis.
When Huipin was pretending, he would pretend not to see it. Only when Huipin was really scared would he give her some comfort so that her emotions would not be too excited.
I don't know if he is so cruel to people because he sees through everything, or if he sees through things so clearly because he is cruel.
These thoughts flashed through Yun Qin's mind, and she retracted her gaze and looked at Zi Sang who was kneeling on the ground again. She didn't believe a word of what she had just said.
She stepped forward and said, "I am also a victim of this matter. Can you allow me to ask a few questions?"
Xu An nodded naturally. In his heart, he was very attentive to her, but he did not dare to show it. After all, the emperor pretended not to know her.
He just said calmly: "Ask!"
Yun Qin bowed to him, then asked the eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, "Do you still remember the time when the palace maid asked you for money and grass?"
The eunuch shuddered reflexively when he heard the question and replied, "I only remember it was three months ago. It seemed that it was not long after Concubine Hui was promoted to the position. At that time, I went to Chunxi Palace to deliver something."
It is true.
Yun Qin sneered at Zi Sang and said, "You just said that you planned to harm Concubine Hui after Doctor Zhang Yu went to see Kong Danying. At that time, the Concubine had been on the throne for more than half a month!"
"Besides, you still have to go to Shanglin Garden to confirm whether there is any money grass in the greenhouse. I see that you have been planning this matter since the queen just found out that she was pregnant!"
Her voice was not loud, but it made Zisang's body tremble.
Everyone knew what was going on after seeing her performance.
It seems that Zi Sang was not telling the truth.
The looks they gave Yun Qin were different, some were surprise, some were admiration, and some were scrutiny.
Yun Qin knew how to stop when she was ahead and not to show off too much, so she stopped questioning Zi Sang and said to Xu An, "Eunuch Xu, I have finished my questioning."
Xu An nodded politely at her, "Thanks to Miss Yunqin, otherwise I would have been fooled by her!"
Yun Qin smiled back, then stepped aside and continued to be her own invisible person.
When Xu An looked at Zi Sang again, the smile on his face had disappeared. "Why don't you tell the truth? I need you to ask the people in Shanglin Garden again. Why did you go to the greenhouse?"
"I remember it very clearly. She went to the greenhouse the day after Concubine Hui was promoted to the throne. Concubine Hui's promotion was a great event in the palace. The person who sent Holly that day even received a reward and showed off to us, so I remember it very clearly!"
The eunuch of Shanglin Garden was quite sensible. He explained the time clearly without being asked.
With the testimony of these two people, Zisang couldn't deny it even if he wanted to.
"You still want to hide it at this time? Do you want to protect the person who is directing you behind the scenes?" Huipin in the inner hall suddenly shouted angrily, but her eyes were not fixed on Zisang, but on Kong Danying who was kneeling on the ground without saying a word, her heart full of anger.
This finally made Zi Sang react, and he immediately yelled at her: "You are talking nonsense, no one ordered me to do this, I just hate you, I want to kill you!"
She looked at Huipin with hatred in her eyes, "You said that just to make me frame my family for a promise, don't even think about it!"
"Your Majesty, look at her like this, she must be feeling guilty. Send her to the Ministry of Punishment for a thorough interrogation right away, and make sure to catch the mastermind behind this! Otherwise, I will not be able to sleep peacefully!" Huipin grabbed the emperor's hand, her body trembling a little, and it was obvious that her fear was not pretended.
Huo Jinchi patted the back of her hand and looked at Zi Sang, "You haven't explained how you got that bottle of money grass potion!"
His voice was emotionless, even a little careless, but it got to the heart of the matter.