Chapter 155: Lure the Snake Out of Its Hole
"What did the imperial concubine say?" The emperor turned to look at the imperial concubine, the emotion in his eyes was unclear.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine is right. I am in charge of the harem, but I am suspected of poisoning a lady of honor. How can I convince others in the future?
The wife of Marquis Wuning, the wife of Prime Minister Xue, and the second daughter of the Xue family are already waiting in the side hall. Why don't you invite them over to check? ”
The smile on the queen's face remained graceful and calm.
Everyone in the palace was surprised. Concubine Xiao's eyes flickered slightly, but she still nodded with a gentle smile: "The Queen has always been upright in her actions, and she will definitely not give people a chance to criticize her."
Only then did the nanny invite Su Qianqian and Madam Xiao and her daughter into the main hall. Lu Zhiqing had a calm expression and was not surprised at all.
When they entered the hall and paid their respects to the Emperor and Empress, the Emperor raised his hand to signal that Defei, Xianfei and other concubines were pardoned. They quickly bowed and hurriedly withdrew, fearing that they would know the inside story a step late and be implicated in the future.
[De Fei loves to listen to fun but is the most timid. When she pays respects to the Empress every day, it is her happiest time. She takes the opportunity to exchange interesting stories with the concubines.
She had brought several melons with her to show off today, but now she was so scared that her underwear was wet. She had to walk with her legs squeezed together for fear of peeing and incurring the emperor's wrath. She was so pitiful. 】
The system also ate the melon of Concubine De.
Su Qianqian didn't find it funny just like the system did. She just felt that the fate of these women in the harem was not in their own hands, which was really pitiful.
Madam Xiao glanced at the backs of the concubines, then her gaze fell on her sister, Concubine Xiao. She lowered her eyes when she withdrew her gaze.
"Call Imperial Physician Zhu." Emperor Gan De gave the order in a deep voice, and the eunuchs hurriedly received the order and passed it on.
"Madam Wuning Hou, have you been feeling unwell recently?" The queen asked the three of them to sit down and asked in a gentle voice.
Su Qianqian frowned, thought for a moment, pointed at her throat and shook her head.
Madam Xiao glanced at Lu Zhiqing and said, "Your Majesty, Zhiqing and the wife of Marquis Wuning have both caught a cold. Their throats hurt and they can't speak, but they are fine."
"Sister, we'd better check it out. Since you were in the side hall just now, you should have heard it. The poison can kill people. Zhiqing has only been in your house for a few days. If anything goes wrong..."
Concubine Xiao took up a handkerchief and covered her mouth and nose, about to cry.
"Don't be sad, Concubine. Even if it's poison, I will find someone to treat them and won't let anything happen to them." The emperor looked at Concubine Xiao lovingly and comforted her in a gentle voice. When he turned his head, his eyes swept across Madam Xiao's face.
The queen didn't say much, she just sipped her tea slowly...
Concubine Yi remained kneeling on the ground, as if she had been forgotten by everyone.
Doctor Zhu rushed over. He was an expert in detecting and curing poisons, and he was not often used on weekdays. When he heard that the emperor had come personally to instruct him, his heart was in his throat. When he entered the hall, he saw that the emperor and empress were both sitting steadily, and the imperial concubine next to them did not look like she was poisoned. He was a little dazed for a moment.
The emperor ordered Doctor Zhu to check for poison in the wife of Marquis Wuning and Lu Zhiqing. Doctor Zhu secretly breathed a sigh of relief: the risk of losing his head was much smaller.
There was a screen in the hall, and Doctor Zhu took Su Qianqian and Lu Zhiqing's pulses, checked their nails, and pricked their blood for tests, but he found no poison.
Doctor Zhu began to sweat again. He was worried that there was poison, but he was also worried that he couldn't find the cause, fearing that the emperor would suspect that he was incapable of doing it.
But no means no, Imperial Physician Zhu reported to the Emperor that they were not poisoned.
Concubine Yi, who was kneeling on the ground, raised her head, a trace of confusion appeared in her eyes, and then quickly lowered her head.
Concubine Xiao smiled, but her smile was stiff: "Doctor Zhu, please take a closer look. If something happens to them in the future, it won't be a problem for others, but Doctor Zhu, you may not be able to take the responsibility."
Doctor Zhu knelt on the palace bricks, wiping the sweat off his face with his sleeves in fear. He looked at the screen, where Su Qianqian and Lu Zhiqing were still behind him. He then looked at the Emperor and Empress, and stammered in reply:
"I am an old minister of little talent and knowledge, and I really can't tell what kind of poison he has been poisoned by. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"Since there is no poisoning, but just a cold, let's not mention this matter anymore. Doctor Zhu, please leave." The emperor said calmly.
"Your Majesty, it's good that she's not poisoned. But don't delay Madam Wuning and Zhiqing. It would be better to find a doctor who is good at identifying poisons..."
"My noble concubine, you are wondering why they haven't found out yet. You are so sure that there must be a reason. I will help you solve this doubt. Someone, bring them in."
The Queen gave the order with a smile, and then, under the shocked gazes of Concubine Xiao and Concubine Yi, two palace maids were brought in.
They were the two palace servants who served drinks to the Marquis of Wuning and the Prime Minister's Mansion at the palace banquet.
"They are not..." Concubine Yi was so frightened that she couldn't help but mutter.
"Didn't they already leave the palace and die on the way? How could this be possible?" The Queen finished the second half of the sentence for Concubine Yi.
"No, no, no. I only know that they left the palace because the Empress took advantage of the situation and poisoned their wine..." Concubine Yi was so panicked that she blurted out the truth.
"Shut up! Someone, send Concubine Yi to the palace." The emperor interrupted Concubine Yi coldly.
"No, Queen, I was wrong, Imperial Concubine, please save me..." Concubine Yi shouted in panic. She was dragged away by the eunuch and soon lost her voice.
Su Qianqian felt her hairs stand on end, as if something like poison wine was circling around her head.
"Tell me, who ordered you to poison, let you out of the palace, and then had someone kill you on the road?"
The queen looked at the two palace maids calmly, but Su Qianqian seemed to see a hand tightening the mouth of the bag, which contained the monster.
[Alas, why did she do this...] The system sighed softly.
"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, please spare my life. We servants don't have the guts to harm the two nobles. It was... it was Eunuch Fu from Fengyi Palace who ordered us to do so. We dare not disobey. Empress Dowager, please investigate..."
"Yes, Eunuch Fu said that it is a medicine that can make people suffer from colds. As long as the two nobles drink it, we can leave the palace early. Our parents are not in good health and are eagerly looking forward to our return. We have taught some palace rules and earned more money by being a palace maid, so we agreed..."
Concubine Xiao looked at the two palace maids with interest, as if the Fengyi Palace they were talking about was not her palace, and Eunuch Fu was not the eunuch in charge of Fengyi Palace.
"Noble Concubine Xiao, should we ask Eunuch Fu to come over and ask?" The Queen turned to look at Noble Concubine Xiao and whispered to consult.
"No need, he..." When Concubine Xiao said this, a eunuch outside reported that Eunuch Fu of Fengyi Palace had hanged himself in his bedroom.
Su Qianqian and Madam Xiao looked at each other and turned to look at Concubine Xiao.
Concubine Xiao's face suddenly lost color. She stood up abruptly from her seat, took a few quick steps toward the door, and then slowly stopped, giggling:
"It's good to die. What's the fun of living? It's just a life of taking the blame for others. It's good to die!"
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