The next day. Zhao Ming Hall.
The Empress was still the Empress, her grace and elegance undiminished. She was wearing a bright yellow robe woven with gold and rosy clouds. The front of her chest was embroidered with a phoenix patch. There was an extremely narrow lace collar with a gold and silver buckle. The shawl on her body was shining.
After the concubines arrived, they bowed. The room was so quiet that one could even hear the slight rustling of the hem of her clothes.
The Empress smiled faintly." What's wrong with you today? Why are you all acting like gourds with their mouths sawed?"”
Zhen Huan raised her eyebrows and smiled charmingly." I don't know either. Perhaps the Empress didn't say anything, so the sisters were too scared to say anything."”Now, the competition for favor in the harem is fierce. Although Si Lang still treats me very well, I don't know why I feel that his heart is no longer with me. My heart is cold. Even if it's not with me, it can't be with anyone else.
The concubines 'expressions did not change, but they probably had their own ulterior motives in their hearts.
Mei Zhuang smiled gently. ChenQie felt that the Empress was amiable and was the mother of the world. Why would the sisters be afraid?" The Empress is not an easy person to get along with, but you, Zhen Huan, who would like you other than the Emperor? I don't believe that you, Wan Fei, can be good for long!
The Empress smiled and said nothing. Consort Jing smiled elegantly." It's almost the new year now. ChenQie has been looking forward to the new year for a long time. This winter is very cold!”The harem is full of disputes, I hope it's safe.
Noble Qi laughed sarcastically." I think it's nothing much. It makes sense. I'm afraid that only Wan Guipin and An Wanyi are not afraid of the cold in the entire harem. Who asked the two sisters to be so lovable?"”Forget about Zhen Huan, who was An Wanyi? She's just the daughter of a county magistrate. My status is much higher than hers, but the Empress Dowager dotes on her so much! These two b * tches deserved to die!
Zhen Huan said disdainfully," You can't say that. The Emperor knows who he has in his heart. It's a great disrespect to speculate on the Emperor's heart!" Noble Qi, don't make the same mistake as Noble Xiang, ah?”An Lingrong? They were just lowly ants! So what if the Empress Dowager liked her? The person the emperor loves the most is me! It was too easy to kill her!
Noble Qi's body trembled, Noble Xiang's face turned pale, and he didn't dare to speak nonsense. Previously, Noble Xiang had said that all the concubines in the harem, other than the Empress, were nothing but the past. The Emperor had punished Noble Xiang because of this. He had not been lucky for half a month.
The Empress smiled magnanimously." Forget it. The most important thing in the harem is harmony. Only then will the Emperor have no worries. All the younger sisters are the Emperor's concubines. The Emperor will treat them equally. As for Wan Guipin, it's fine if the Emperor dotes on her, but An Wanyi is filial in front of the Empress Dowager every day, so don't talk nonsense!”
That broad smile, those gentle eyes, what a considerate and magnanimous mistress of the house! Unfortunately, was that the case?
Everyone in the harem looked at Wan Guipin and me with a half-smile, but there were more people who hated Zhen Huan. They were just jealous and unconvinced of me.
The Empress dismissed everyone but left me behind.
"You haven't seen Hui Xue for a long time.”the Empress said lightly. Hui Xue is in bengong's hands, you must be obedient! Otherwise-
Surprise flashed across my face. After all, the Empress never let me see Hui Xue.”After saying that, he turned around and left respectfully.
Just as she stepped over the threshold, the Empress's flat tone sounded." A person must know their own duty. It's like a concubine forever being a concubine, never being able to be the head of the family!”Don't think that just because the Empress Dowager dotes on you, you are lawless. BenGong is the Empress!
I left without looking back.
In the embroidery room.
Hui Xue was sleeping on the bed. Her face was very pale. The sunlight shone on her face through the window. She looked very gentle and cute.
I caressed her forehead and gently called out,"Hui Xue?"”
Hui Xue opened her eyes and saw me. She touched my hand uncertainly and smiled happily. Sister An came to see me again. I'm so happy! I've always wanted to go back, but Aunt Jianqiu refused.
I held her hand and asked gently,"Are you okay?" No one will make things difficult for you here, right? It was her sister who was useless. She couldn't bring Xue back and leave this place!”I lowered my head, my heart filled with hatred for the Empress.
Hui Xue smiled gently and held my hand tightly. She shook her head to show that she was doing well. Sister is so concerned about me, and Jian Qiu and the others have been testing me, asking me about my sister's situation. Sister is such a good person, so I won't say anything.
I felt a pain in my heart and said sadly," I didn't expect you to suffer so much by following me. It's my fault!”
Hui Xue shook her head nervously. Her eyes were slightly red, but she refused to cry.
I paused and said gently," Huixue, you must take good care of yourself. Don't be bullied by others. If someone makes things difficult for you, you must be patient. I will definitely bring you back!”I caressed her hair lovingly.
Hui Xue couldn't help but shed tears. She nodded silently and looked at me firmly. I knew she would take care of herself. I believe that my sister will definitely come and pick me up.
Jian Qiu pushed open the door and respectfully bowed with a smile,"Little master, the Empress Dowager is not feeling well, please go and serve her!"”In her heart, she thought that although An Wanyi didn't have the emperor's heart, the empress dowager couldn't leave her more and more. She had to accompany An Wanyi all day long. Half a month had passed, but the empress dowager's love for her didn't decrease at all.
I nodded." Got it." He turned to Hui Xue and comforted her,"Hui Xue, take care of yourself." Sister will definitely come and pick you up!" With that, he stood up and left sadly.
Hui Xue's eyes were red as she watched me leave. Jian Qiu looked at Hui Xue with a faint smile. This girl was the lifeline that controlled An Wanyi. He definitely couldn't let An Wanyi take her away!
Looking at the gloomy sky, it was just like my mood.
Yongshou Palace. The four pots of charcoal were all burning red, and they felt a little cold.
The Empress Dowager was lying on the bed in plain pajamas. Her face was pale and her eyes were filled with fatigue. Her breath was weak as if she was very tired and seriously ill. She coughed from time to time. Bamboo Breath thoughtfully waited by the side.
I hurried over and respectfully saluted,"Empress Dowager, I'm late. Empress Dowager, please forgive me!"”
The Empress Dowager gently said," Get up. It's just a headache. Zhu Xi and the others will go and invite you."”
I respectfully said,"The Empress Dowager is not feeling well, and the concubines are uneasy. We must come and take a look."”
The Empress Dowager smiled gently and said,"Try this pastry!" The Empress sent it over this morning!" As he spoke, he pointed at a plate of golden pastries on the table. The color was alluring.
After thanking him respectfully, he casually picked up a piece and tasted it before saying,"This pastry tastes really refreshing. I wonder what it's called?"”
The Empress Dowager smiled faintly and said nothing. Bamboo Breath gently said," Little Master, this is called Golden Cake. It was personally made by the Empress. This kind of pastry is the most smooth and delicate, sweet and sour!”
I thought about it and said,"Is it made from hawthorn?"”
Zhu Xi nodded and smiled," The Empress is also thoughtful. The Empress Dowager doesn't have much appetite to eat this. It's just that the Empress Dowager is so unwilling to eat a bite and insists that it's for the little girl to eat, so she left it for the little lord!"”
I was moved and said,"The Empress Dowager loves me, I'm so happy!"”
The Empress Dowager said gently," Although your personality is cold, your words are the most honest!”
After she finished speaking, she retreated to the side and took the teacup from Bamboo Breath Granny. She personally brought it to the Empress Dowager respectfully. The Empress Dowager saw this and did not say anything. She gently sipped her tea and slowly smiled." Such a good girl, but you have to do such trivial things for me. It must have been hard on you!"”
I lightly said,"Empress Dowager, what are you talking about?" The concubine was clumsy and did not know if it was appropriate. If she was as intelligent as the Empress, she would have prepared snacks and sent them over every day. Moreover, this pastry is really not bad!”
The Empress Dowager smiled warmly and picked up a piece of cake to slowly taste. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my chest and couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of black blood. I looked at the Empress Dowager anxiously and said," Empress Dowager, don't eat it!”As he spoke, his vision turned black and he fainted!
The Empress Dowager was so shocked that a small piece of pastry rolled on the ground and she didn't even know it. She panicked and asked," What's going on? Quickly call the Imperial Physician! Hurry!" Who dared to be so impudent, actually daring to take aijia's life! Empress? No, if this widow falls, what benefits does she, the empress, have! The more he tried to breathe, the harder it became. He vomited a mouthful of black blood and fainted.
Zhu Xi quickly supported the Empress Dowager and shouted,"Quickly call the Imperial Physician, and invite the Emperor and Empress!"”
Everyone in the room was shocked. There was definitely something wrong with this pastry! He even implicated the innocent An Wanyi. Now that the Empress Dowager had fainted from the poison, who was the person this person wanted to harm? It went without saying! All of a sudden, he felt a chill crawl up his feet, and he broke out in cold sweat! If something happened to the Empress Dowager, these servants could forget about living!
For a moment, all the servants were anxious.
Zhang Mi had been running wildly all the way here. When he arrived at Yongshou Palace, he couldn't help but pant heavily and wipe his sweat. After he calmed down, he quickly took the Empress Dowager's pulse.
In a short while, the palace maids were extremely busy changing the medicine. Although the people in the room were anxious, they still went in and out in an orderly manner.
The empress dowager collapsed on the soft couch. Her face was pale and cold sweat kept appearing on her forehead. Her eye bags were blue and black, and her lips were purple. From time to time, she would spit out a mouthful of black blood. Zhang Mi's old face wrinkled, anxious and angry.
The Empress held Jian Qiu's hand and walked to the Empress Dowager anxiously. Why did you faint?" The other concubines, such as Concubine Jing, also rushed over after hearing the news.
Xuan Ling rushed over with Li Chang. When she saw the Empress Dowager vomiting blood, her heart ached and she shouted," What's going on? How is the Empress Dowager now?"
Zhu Xi turned around and looked at Xuan Ling as he bowed. His eyes were red as he hesitated and said," The Empress Dowager ate the golden cake that the Empress sent this morning. She only ate a few mouthfuls before vomiting black blood and fainting!”
Xuan Ling only felt that something was stirring in his heart. His handsome face was tense as he looked at everyone and said sternly," Empress? Golden cake? Go and investigate. How dare you poison the Empress Dowager? This is a capital crime! I must kill his entire family!"
The Emperor was furious. The entire room of concubines, including the Empress and servants, knelt on the ground.
The Empress cried,"Your Majesty, ChenQie has been wronged!" How could ChenQie harm her own aunt!”The Empress had long lost her cool and kept crying.
Consort Jing and Mei Zhuang looked at each other and thought at the same time that this was incredible! If he was not careful, something big could happen! The concubines in the room were shocked and afraid.
Xuan Ling said coldly with an expressionless face,"I've already sent someone to investigate." I hope it's not what I think!"
The Empress looked at Xuan Ling in shock as she collapsed in disbelief. The Emperor actually suspected her? Who was it! How dare you splash dirty water on bengong! Bengong will definitely not let her off!
The entire hall was solemn. Zhang Mi was covered in cold sweat as she knelt in front of Xuan Ling and said in fear," Your Majesty, this poison is really rare! If you want to get rid of it, you have to think carefully, otherwise-"
Xuan Ling's eyes were about to split open as he shouted,"Zhen wants the Empress Dowager to be safe and sound. Otherwise, the entire Imperial Academy of Medicine will be buried with her!"”
Zhang Mi's body trembled as she stuttered," Please send a few more imperial physicians to examine the patient. This old minister can also discuss it!"”
Xuan Ling's eyes were red as she said fiercely,"Yes!"”His tone was filled with killing intent.
No one dared to speak in the furious Emperor. In the hall, one could hear a pin drop.
After a while, Zhen Huan came over and felt the abnormal atmosphere. Xuan Ling, who was suppressing his anger, walked forward and bowed respectfully. She said softly," Your Majesty, don't be angry and ruin your health!"”But in his heart, he thought,'You personally gave me the knife An Lingrong used to kill you!' Don't blame me for being heartless!
Xuan Ling looked at Zhen Huan and said coldly with a stiff face," You're here too?”
Zhen Huan looked at Xuan Ling sadly and said softly," Your Majesty, I heard that the Empress Dowager was ill and should have come in advance. However, I just received news and was late!"”Her tone was so gentle that water could drip out.
Everyone in the room looked at Zhen Huan in confusion, but at the same time, they hoped that this news had nothing to do with them.。
Xuan Ling raised her eyebrows and said coldly,"What is more important than the Empress Dowager's health?"”His gaze was unfriendly.
Zhen Huan's heart skipped a beat. She fell to her knees on the cold floor and cried," The poisoning of the Emperor and Empress Dowager was caused by An Wanyi!"”Her face was covered in thick powder. When she cried, it could be said that she had melted into mud, right? The ugly scar was slowly exposed.
"Wanfei, do you know what you're saying?" How could it be An Wanyi?" In his heart, he thought that it would be good if he could get through this and drag An Wanyi along. Who asked her to be too outstanding!
The volcano in Xuan Ling's heart had already erupted, and it was getting more and more intense.”
Zhen Huan's face was covered in scars from crying, and she couldn't help but feel nauseous. However, she unconsciously said," The Emperor has never liked An Wanyi. She couldn't get the title ceremony and was laughed at by the people in the harem. That day, she even performed an ink dance to win the Emperor's favor, but she still didn't get the Emperor's favor. Therefore, An Wanyi was resentful. The Emperor has always been kind and filial to let An Wanyi serve the Empress Dowager, but he didn't want her to poison the Empress Dowager!" In fact, it's revenge on the emperor!"
Mei Zhuang and Consort Jing's hearts trembled. Zhen Huan's vicious mind was trying to kill Ling Rong!
Xuan Ling only felt his heart tremble faintly. He did not know how much strength he had to expend to restrain the trembling in his body. He forcefully suppressed his emotions, and his eyes seemed to be flickering. Wronging An Wanyi wasn't a big deal, but letting the real murderer get away with it was a crime!”
Zhu Xi wanted to say something, but Zhen Huan interrupted him." How dare I lie to the Emperor!" The emperor might not know, but An Wanyi had never spoken to the emperor or the harem because she already had someone she loved. She even embroidered a pouch as a token of love and wore it every day!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the concubines whispered and discussed. Mei Zhuang's face turned pale as she looked at Zhen Huan in disbelief. She was actually so vicious! Ling Rong had never harmed her!
The words that Zhu Xi wanted to say had already been forgotten in shock. Consort Jing didn't even think,"The emperor is slandering, how could An Wanyi be such a person!"”The Emperor will definitely protect Sister An, and Sister An will not harm the Empress Dowager!
However, Zhen Huan did not give up." Your Majesty, you can send someone to search her. The sachet must be with An Wanyi!" An Wanyi was clearly talented but she didn't bother to speak to the emperor. Wasn't the emperor suspicious?”
Mei Zhuang sneered,"Wan Guipin, how do you know An Wanyi has a sachet?"”Zhen Huan, you disgust me!
The Empress came back to her senses and was shocked. It seemed that Zhen Huan was prepared. Hui Xue was still in the Zhaoming Hall, and he was in deep trouble for murdering the Empress Dowager. Although he was confident that he would not be implicated, it was related to the Empress Dowager. The Emperor would definitely investigate very carefully. His many years of deployment in the harem and what he had done would inevitably lead to clues because of murdering the Empress Dowager! Now, it even involved An Wanyi's womanly morals. This was a crime of adultery!
The Empress 'face was filled with pain as she said,"Emperor, no matter what, Wan Guipin wouldn't say this for no reason. It's better to ask someone to search!"”
Zhen Huan sneered." How did I know? Someone reported me."”Could it be that she had to say that she and Shen Mei Zhuang already knew? Then wouldn't she be charged with the crime of deceiving the emperor?
Xuan Ling clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms. The pain finally made him feel much more clear-headed. He said coldly," Men, search!”Although he did not believe that Rong 'er was such a person, it seemed that the Empress and Zhen Huan would not let Rong' er off.
Xiao Xiazi personally brought people to search. After a while, he held a sachet and knelt in front of the candidate in fear." Reporting to the emperor, we found a mandarin duck sachet!"”
Xuan Ling was furious, but he knew that this was not the time to lose his temper. His gaze was cold as if he was looking at a corpse instead of a sachet. He said coldly," Don't treat me as an idiot. Can a sachet be considered a capital crime for murdering the Empress Dowager?”His cold gaze looked around at everyone. Everyone here wants my Ling Rong to die! Good! That was great!
Zhen Huan hated An Lingrong even more. After all, the Emperor had always doted on her and obeyed her, but now he didn't trust her because of An Lingrong. Zhen Huan stuttered and said," Your Majesty, when I heard that the Empress Dowager was poisoned, An Wanyi was by her side. Now that the Empress Dowager is in trouble, An Wanyi is fine!"”
Zhu Xi couldn't stand it anymore. He looked at Xuan Ling and said sincerely," The emperor An Wanyi also ate the pastry and fainted from poisoning. She's in the emergency room now!"”
The snow outside the window was getting heavier and heavier, but it was all snow beads, hitting the roof tiles bit by bit. A cold wind blew in, and Xuan Ling felt cold. She clenched her hands tightly, and her veins were bulging. She suddenly became anxious and said calmly,"It seems that An Wanyi is not necessarily guilty, but she can't be said to be innocent!"”Was she poisoned? However, I can't protect her, otherwise…
The Empress looked at Xuan Ling suspiciously, but her mouth was filled with shock and anger." Emperor, no matter what, this was personally found on An Wanyi. Now that the Empress Dowager is poisoned, An Wanyi is the most suspicious person!”
Bamboo Breath thought for a moment and said," Although An Wanyi was poisoned, she only ate a small mouthful of pastry. It's not a big deal.”
Zhen Huan knelt on the ground and said sadly," Your Majesty, who else could it be besides An Wanyi? An Wanyi accompanied the Empress Dowager every day and hated the Emperor! The Empress Dowager was poisoned, but An Wanyi was fine. It was really strange!”
Mei Zhuang sneered,"Wan Guipin seems to have already determined that An Wanyi is the criminal?" You don't have enough evidence. Everything is just your deduction! Besides, An Wanyi was poisoned herself. She doesn't even know what's going on now, and you're just trying to slander her?”
The Empress shouted,"Alright! What's with the noise? Is it just the cultivation of a concubine?" The Empress looked at everyone with an unfriendly gaze and continued,"But An Wanyi is indeed the most suspicious person!" Men, interrogate An Wanyi immediately!"
This time, everyone in the room was uncertain. This interrogation? Why was he poisoned?
Consort Jing said sadly with tears in her eyes,"Emperor, Empress, now that An Wanyi is poisoned, we don't even know what's going on, how can we interrogate her?" Moreover, it might not be An Wanyi's doing! ChenQie doesn't believe that An Wanyi is such a person!”
Noble Qi smiled coquettishly and said," Isn't that simple? If we drag her to the Punishment Division, there are plenty of ways to make her tell the truth!”
Before Xuan Ling could say anything, the Empress's face was cold as she shouted," Send An Wanyi to the Punishment Division for urgent interrogation!”
Xuan Ling's expression suddenly changed." An Wanyi has already been poisoned. If she is sent to the Punishment Division, it doesn't matter if she dies, but wouldn't the murderer of the Empress Dowager be left unpunished? Or are you using the Empress Dowager's matter to incite them for personal grudges?”After saying that, his expression became even uglier.
The Empress smiled and said,"Emperor, ChenQie knows that you are worried about the Empress Dowager, but no one knows who the murderer is, so ChenQie thinks that we can't let go of any possibility!"”An Lingrong must die, but the Emperor actually refused to punish her time and time again for her sake!
Noble Qi also smiled and said,"Since you don't want to send me to the Punishment Division, then I'll give you thirty strokes!" Let's see if she confesses!" Although the real murderer might not be An Wanyi, who asked her to win the Empress Dowager's favor?
Zhen Huan said bitterly," Your Majesty, An Wanyi is testing the poison with her body to lower everyone's guard! Emperor, I'm afraid An Wanyi won't tell the truth unless she's tortured!”
Xin Guipin said sarcastically," Let's not talk about the Emperor. The sachet that Eunuch Xiao Xiazi and his men found on An Wanyi's body is a problem. It was clearly a mandarin duck sachet, but he wore it himself instead of giving it to the Emperor. Moreover, this thread is old. I'm afraid it was something that happened before entering the palace!"”It was nothing if a person died, let alone a woman. There was no lack of women in the harem!
Mei Zhuang and Consort Jing's expressions changed. Mei Zhuang shouted,"Xin Guipin, what are your intentions?" It was just a sachet. What could it mean?”
The Empress said impatiently," We don't know who the murderer is now, and everything is pointing at An Wanyi. Come and beat An Wanyi thirty times!"”The guard obeyed the order and left.
Xuan Ling only felt that he was about to go crazy from anger. His heart was filled with rage and it was beating gloomily and fiercely. However, he could not say anything. Although he was the Emperor, all the disadvantages were directed at Rong 'er. Everyone is staring at Rong 'er. If I say anything, it will backfire.
After a long time, in less than half a cup of tea's time.
"Reporting to the Emperor!" The guard shouted and ran from behind to the front. He knelt in front of the Emperor, Empress, and the others. He wiped his tears and shouted in fear," Reporting to the Emperor, Young Master An Wanyi has a miscarriage!”
Xuan Ling's heart ached, and the hatred and despair in her eyes almost turned into burning flames. She said in disbelief," What did you say? An Wanyi had a miscarriage? How could that be?"
The Empress and the others felt their hearts pounding. They were shocked, afraid, and jealous! If An Wanyi was proven innocent today, then the person who said that he would punish An Wanyi severely was probably…
Xuan Ling's handsome face was already stiff from anger. His eyes were like a deep pool. The despair and regret in his eyes seemed to be about to spew out in the next moment and burn everything to ashes. He could feel his voice coming out from between his teeth." Please treat An Wanyi well. If anything happens to her, everyone, including you concubines, will die with her today!"”His voice was very soft, very soft, but it was resolute and cold.
The Empress and all the concubines looked at Xuan Ling in shock. They could not describe what they were feeling. They did not know if they were more afraid, more hateful, or more jealous. Everyone trembled, and a slight chill seeped out from their backs.
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