The Empress Dowager’s expression was filled with shock and uncertainty, her hands involuntarily gripping the armrests of her chair tightly.
“You’re saying that Princess Consort Zhongshun’s food box fell, and Snowball died after eating from it? Consort Yu, are you telling the truth? If you dare lie to deceive me, I’ll definitely make you pay!”
“Empress Dowager, this subject dares not lie—what I said is true! Princess Consort Zhongshun poisoned my beloved dog, then turned and fled. The guards have gone to pursue her.”
At this point, Li Helan, Consort Yun, and Princess Tana all came to their senses.
Li Helan looked at the Empress Dowager in shock, “Mother, the bird’s nest Qin woman was delivering—wasn’t that what you bestowed upon the First Prince! How could… how could…”
Princess Tana said, “She poisoned it?”
“Ah!?” Consort Yu cried out, collapsing to the ground in terror, “How could this be! You mean Qin woman intended to poison the First Prince, but I accidentally disrupted her plans halfway, and Snowball mistakenly ate the bird’s nest meant for the First Prince?”
With these words, the room fell into complete silence.
Everyone understood what crime murdering imperial offspring constituted. Had Qin Yining gone mad to strike at such an opportunity!
Consort Yun kept wringing the handkerchief in her hands, her face deathly pale.
Li Helan anxiously said, “Mother, why don’t you quickly arrest that vixen! She actually dared poison Hao’er—this is rebellion!”
The Empress Dowager murmured, “If you hadn’t encountered her halfway, wouldn’t my eldest grandson have been harmed!”
With a “slap” on the table, the Empress Dowager angrily rose, saying through gritted teeth, “Arrest the Qin woman for me!”
Princess Tana said, “Empress Dowager, you must severely punish that poisonous woman! It must be because you had her perform etiquette earlier that she harbored resentment and took this opportunity to poison the bird’s nest!”
“It must be so!” Consort Yun also said, “Who would have thought she’d be so audacious as to poison imperial offspring! Her crime deserves death!”
Princess Tana seized the opportunity, “Indeed. Isn’t it strange that a mere woman would do such a thing? Could someone have instructed her?” Her words directly targeted Pang Xiao.
Li Helan’s heart skipped a beat. Still favoring Pang Xiao, she said, “Maybe she did it to get revenge on Mother. She hasn’t left recently—how could she be instructed by anyone?”
Princess Tana, unaware of the past connection between Li Helan and Pang Xiao, thought this was just Li Helan’s personal opinion. Wanting to refute but hesitant to argue with the Empress Dowager’s biological daughter in her presence, she only said, “Whatever the case, we’ll know once we investigate.”
While they spoke, urgent, chaotic footsteps could be heard outside. A guard rushed to report to the eunuch outside the warm pavilion.
After listening, the eunuch immediately entered and bowed, “Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the guard captain has brought the criminal.”
“Bring her in!” the Empress Dowager commanded coldly.
With the Empress Dowager’s order to “bring her in,” Qin Yining was indeed escorted in by the guard captain, pushed roughly and losing balance to fall sitting on the ground.
The Empress Dowager sat in the main seat, her face dark as water, “What happened!”
The guard captain bowed, “Reporting to the Empress Dowager, while patrolling the Imperial Garden, this subject heard someone shouting about assassins, rushed over, and arrested the fleeing Princess Consort Zhongshun.”
The Empress Dowager waved her hand, and the guard captain bowed and withdrew to outside the door.
The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes, coldly glaring at Qin Yining, “Qin woman, why did you attempt to murder imperial offspring! Speak—who instructed you!”
Qin Yining struggled to stand, but two eunuchs from Ci’an Palace stood on her left and right. Seeing her attempt to rise, they immediately pushed her down hard. Another eunuch kicked the back of Qin Yining’s knees, forcing her back down just as she was about to stand.
Qin Yining groaned, her legs in severe pain. Knowing she was outnumbered and couldn’t gain the upper hand, she simply sat on the ground and looked sideways at the Empress Dowager, “Responding to the Empress Dowager, this subject’s wife did not poison anyone. That bird’s nest came from the small kitchen in your palace—I didn’t make it myself. How many hands did it pass through? If there’s poison, shouldn’t you investigate from the source?
“Moreover, you’ve already placed this enormous accusation on me before any investigation. Even court trials have three-court hearings and time to gather evidence. How is it that here with the Empress Dowager, you determine my guilt with a single sentence? If word spreads, aren’t you afraid the world will mock you?”
“You!” The Empress Dowager grabbed her teacup and hurled it at Qin Yining. The porcelain shards smashed in front of her, the flying fragments cutting her hand.
“Audacious! How dare you openly contradict me! Someone, slap her mouth hard!”
“Yes!”
An elderly nanny behind the Empress Dowager immediately rolled up her sleeves, came forward, and raised her palm to strike hard.
Qin Yining’s face was struck to one side, her lip immediately split, a trickle of blood flowing down.
Qin Yining wanted to resist, but this was the imperial palace, surrounded by the Empress Dowager’s people. If she resisted, it would only bring harsher abuse. She had no choice but to endure.
The nanny struck with both hands, slapping Qin Yining four or five times. The loud slaps echoed in the warm pavilion as Qin Yining’s cheeks quickly swelled red, blood from her lip dripping onto her clothing like blooming red plum blossoms.
The Empress Dowager raised her hand, and the nanny stopped and stood aside.
The Empress Dowager continued, “Speak! Why did you attempt to murder imperial offspring! Does your husband’s family want to rebel!”
“Is the Empress Dowager planning to force a confession through torture?” Qin Yining’s speech was no longer clear, but she still argued her case.
“First, this subject’s wife has no reason or motive to poison imperial offspring. I don’t compete for imperial favor or seek a future for my children—why would I do such a thing?
“Second, the bird’s nest came from the Empress Dowager’s Ci’an Palace, from the palace servants who made it in the small kitchen to those who delivered it. How many hands did it pass through? Why doesn’t the Empress Dowager investigate this, but instead indiscriminately accuses me without distinguishing right from wrong?
“Third, Consort Yu deliberately crashed into me in the Imperial Garden, causing the bird’s nest to fall. She claims her Pekingese died from eating the bird’s nest, but who can confirm that dog hadn’t eaten other poisonous substances before?
“Among common people, when cases have discrepancies, investigations are conducted, and coroners examine evidence. How is it that here with the Empress Dowager, you ignore evidence and causes, simply questioning me about crimes and insisting on implicating my family!
“Acting this way, aren’t you afraid that the founding heroes and noble families will feel disheartened when they learn of this!”
Qin Yining’s words were reasonable and well-founded. Indeed, everyone knew this was how such matters should be handled. The Empress Dowager’s immediate accusation of Qin Yining without investigation was inherently suspicious.
But who was the Empress Dowager? She was His Majesty’s birth mother, the mistress of the rear palace. Her actions might well represent His Majesty’s intentions. Who would dare speak up at this moment?
Moreover, if this were an ordinary noble family, it might be acceptable, but Pang Xiao was His Majesty’s sworn brother. To try Qin Yining should properly go through the Imperial Clan Court, or at least a three-court trial. For the Empress Dowager to directly determine guilt was inappropriate by any measure.
Seeing the Empress Dowager rendered speechless by Qin Yining’s retorts, Li Helan immediately stood up angrily, pointing at Qin Yining and cursing, “Vixen! I knew you were a black-hearted wretch! You murder a prince yet speak so righteously? Do you think you can clear your name with your glib tongue? Dream on!”
Li Helan turned to the Empress Dowager, “Mother, don’t listen to her rambling. Just lock her up—if she doesn’t confess in a day, give her no water or food. I don’t believe she won’t tell the truth!”
The Empress Dowager nodded and ordered, “This matter involves imperial offspring—the stakes are enormous. I absolutely cannot tolerate those who harm imperial offspring. Guards!”
“Yes.” The guards bowed.
“Lock up the Qin woman. Isn’t there a side hall behind Ci’an Palace? Lock her there!”
“Mother, you’re too merciful!” Li Helan said dissatisfied, “Such a criminal should be thrown into the Ministry of Justice prison! Why keep her in Ci’an Palace!”
The Empress Dowager said sternly, “She is, after all, Princess Consort Zhongshun’s legitimate wife. Though she’s guilty, Prince Zhongshun wholeheartedly serves the country guarding the south—we shouldn’t dishonor his status. Lock her up while I consult His Majesty before deciding.”
“Yes.” The guards immediately stepped forward, grabbing Qin Yining’s arms on both sides and dragging her outside.
Just then, a eunuch outside the warm pavilion announced loudly, “The Empress arrives!”
As soon as the words fell, the Empress in bright red narrow sleeves strode quickly forward. Seeing Qin Yining with disheveled hair and swollen cheeks being dragged, she immediately scolded, “Everyone stop!”
The guards hesitated but ultimately stopped.
The Empress looked deeply at Qin Yining, then quickly entered the warm pavilion and curtsied to the Empress Dowager, “Empress Dowager, I don’t know what wrong Qin woman has committed for you to punish her so. This matter…”
“Empress! The Qin woman poisoned the bird’s nest I sent to Hao’er, attempting to murder imperial offspring. As a mother, do you not care about your own son’s life yet defend a criminal woman?” The Empress Dowager rapidly interrupted the Empress’s words.
The Empress was startled, her face paling, then shook her head, “Responding to the Empress Dowager, Qin woman is not that kind of person. She even saved the First Prince before. This subject dares vouch with my own person that Qin woman would never poison an innocent child.”
“You vouch? I think you’re foolish! What innocent child—the Qin woman clearly harbors rebellious intentions!”
“Empress Dowager, please investigate clearly! Have you verified this matter? Determining Qin woman’s guilt without investigation or inquiry—how can this convince the world when it spreads?”
“Audacious!” The Empress Dowager roared angrily, pointing at the Empress, “Good! Empress, you’re determined to side with outsiders? You defend the Qin woman so thoroughly—don’t you worry about the First Prince at all? As a mother, you’re utterly unqualified! It seems I need to raise Hao’er myself to prevent him from being harmed by ignorant people!”
The Empress’s heart raced—the Empress Dowager was threatening her with the right to raise the prince!
The Empress wanted to personally raise her own child.
But her conscience wouldn’t allow such an obviously suspicious injustice to occur before her eyes!
“This subject trusts Qin woman. Moreover, if she had directly poisoned the bird’s nest, wouldn’t it be easily discovered? Qin woman isn’t stupid—why would she do something so obviously traceable to her?” The Empress argued reasonably.