The Empress Dowager's face was bewildered, and she couldn't help but grip the armrest of her chair tightly.
"You're saying that the Prince Zhongshun's food box was knocked over, and Snowball ate it and was poisoned to death? Concubine Yu, are you telling the truth? If you dare to lie to me, I'll definitely teach you a lesson! "
"Empress Dowager, I don't dare, I'm telling the truth! The Prince Zhongshun poisoned my beloved dog, then turned around and ran away, and the guards chased after her. "
At this time, Li Helan, Concubine Yi, and Princess Ta Na all came back to their senses.
Li Helan looked at the Empress Dowager in astonishment, "Mother, the Qin Clan's bird's nest, wasn't it you who gave it to the Eldest Prince? How, how … "
Princess Ta Na said, "She poisoned it?"
"Ah!?" Concubine Yu exclaimed, falling to the ground, and said in horror, "How could this be! So, the Qin Clan wanted to poison the Eldest Prince, but was accidentally discovered by me, and Snowball ate the bird's nest that should have been given to the Eldest Prince by mistake? "
When this was said, the room was silent.
Plotting to murder an imperial heir, everyone knew what kind of crime it was. The Qin Yining must have gone crazy, to take advantage of this opportunity to make a move!
Concubine Yi kept twisting the handkerchief in her hand, her face pale.
Li Helan anxiously said, "Mother, why aren't you arresting that slut? She actually dared to poison Hao ge 'er, she wants to rebel!"
The Empress Dowager murmured, "If I didn't meet you halfway, wouldn't my eldest grandson have been harmed?"
Slapping the table, the Empress Dowager angrily stood up, gnashing her teeth, "Arrest the Qin Clan for me!"
Princess Ta Na said, "Empress Dowager, you must severely punish that poisonous woman! It must be because you made her perform etiquette, and she held a grudge, so she took the opportunity to poison the bird's nest! "
"It must be so!" Concubine Yi also said, "I didn't expect her to be so daring, daring to poison an imperial heir! She deserves to be punished! "
Princess Tana said, "That's true. Isn't it strange for a woman to do this? Is there someone who instigated you? "The accusation was directed at Pang Xiao.
Li Helan's heart skipped a beat. In the end, he still sided with Pang Xiao and said, "Maybe she wants to take revenge on Imperial Mother. She hasn't gone out these days. How could she be ordered?"
Princess Tana didn't know the history between Li Helan and Pang Xiao in the past. She just thought it was Li Helan's own opinion. She wanted to refute it, but because Empress Dowager was present, she couldn't argue with Empress Dowager's daughter. So, she just said, "What's going on? We will know after investigating."
While they were talking, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside. A guard dashed over to reply to the middle-ranking official outside the warm room.
When the officer heard this, he immediately came in and saluted, "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the Imperial Bodyguard Commander has already brought the criminal."
"Bring her in!" The Empress Dowager coldly rebuked.
Because the Empress Dowager said "bring her in", Qin Yining was really brought in by the Imperial Bodyguard Commander. She lost her balance and fell to the ground.
The Empress Dowager sat on the main seat and said with a sullen face, "What's going on?"
The Imperial Bodyguard Commander cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, when I was patrolling the Imperial Garden, I heard someone shouting that there was an assassin. I rushed over and arrested the Prince Zhongshun who was running away."
The Empress Dowager waved her hand. The Imperial Bodyguard Commander nodded and retreated outside the door.
The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes and stared coldly at Qin Yining, "Qin Clan, why do you want to murder the Imperial Heir? Tell me, who instigated you? "
Qin Yining struggled to get up, but there were two eunuchs from Ci 'an Palace standing on either side of her. When they saw that she wanted to get up, they immediately went forward and pushed her hard. One of the eunuchs kicked Qin Yining's knee, causing Qin Yining, who was just about to stand up, to kneel down again.
Qin Yining groaned and felt a sharp pain in her legs. She also knew that she was alone and couldn't gain the upper hand, so she simply sat on the ground and cast a sidelong glance at the Empress Dowager, "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, I didn't poison it. The bird's nest was brought out from the small kitchen in the Empress Dowager's palace. It wasn't made by myself. How many people have done it? If you say it's poisoned, shouldn't you investigate from the source?
"Moreover, I haven't been charged with any crime, and you've already pinned such a big accusation on me. The imperial court has a three-court joint trial for criminals, and there's also time to find evidence. How can you convict me of a crime with just a few words? Isn't the Empress Dowager afraid that the world will laugh at you if this spreads? "
"You!" The Empress Dowager grabbed the teacup and fiercely threw it at Qin Yining. The broken pieces of porcelain fell in front of Qin Yining, and the flying pieces scraped the back of her hand.
"How dare you! You actually dare to talk back to me in public! Someone come, fiercely slap her mouth for me! "
"Yes!"
An elderly mama behind the Empress Dowager immediately rolled up her sleeves and walked to the front. She raised her hand and fiercely slapped Qin Yining.
Qin Yining's face was slapped to one side. The corner of her mouth immediately split open, and a trace of blood flowed down.
Qin Yining wanted to resist, but this was the imperial palace, and she was surrounded by the Empress Dowager's people. If she resisted, she would only receive more severe abuse. She had no other choice but to endure.
The mama used both hands and slapped Qin Yining four or five times in a row. The loud slaps echoed in the warm room. Qin Yining's cheeks quickly became red and swollen. The blood at the corner of her mouth dripped onto her lapel, and several beautiful red plum blossoms bloomed.
The Empress Dowager raised her hand, and the mama stopped and stood to the side.
The Empress Dowager said again, "Speak, why did you try to harm the imperial heir? Could it be that your husband's family wants to rebel? "
"Does the Empress Dowager plan to beat me into a confession?" Qin Yining's words were no longer fluent, but she still argued for what was right.
"First, this subject has no reason or motive to poison the imperial heir. This subject doesn't need to fight for favor in the imperial harem or plan a future for my child. Why would this subject do such a thing?
"Second, the bird's nest was sent from the Empress Dowager's Ci An Palace. From the palace servant who made the bird's nest to the palace servant who sent it on the road, how many hands did it pass through? Why didn't the Empress Dowager investigate? Instead, she indiscriminately insisted that this subject did it?
"Third, Concubine Yu purposely bumped into this subject in the imperial garden, causing the bird's nest to fall to the ground. She said that the pug she raised died from eating the bird's nest, but who can be sure that the pug didn't eat other poisonous things before?
"Among the common people, if there are discrepancies in a case, they still have to investigate. There are also coroners who can examine it. Why is it that when it comes to the Empress Dowager, she doesn't ask for evidence or reason and only uses this subject to condemn me? She even wants to implicate this subject's family!
"The Empress Dowager is doing this, isn't she afraid that the meritorious officials and the families of the nobles who founded the country will be disappointed?"
Qin Yining's words were reasonable and well-founded. In fact, everyone knew that this matter should be handled this way. The Empress Dowager's insistence that this was Qin Yining's doing without investigation was already very strange.
But who was the Empress Dowager? She was Your Majesty's birth mother and the master of the imperial harem. What she did might not represent Your Majesty's wishes. Who would have the guts to say anything at this time?
Moreover, if it was an ordinary noble, it would be fine. However, Pang Xiao was His Majesty's sworn brother. If they wanted to interrogate Qin Yining, they would have to go through the Imperial Clan Court. At the very least, there would be a joint trial by the three courts. However, the Empress Dowager directly convicted him.
Seeing that the Empress Dowager was rendered speechless by Qin Yining, Li Helan immediately slammed the table and stood up. He pointed at Qin Yining and cursed, "B * tch! I knew you were a black-hearted b * tch with blue guts! You murdered a prince, yet you still dare to speak with justice? Could it be that you want to use your silver tongue to clear your name? Let me tell you, you're dreaming! "
Li Helan turned to the Empress Dowager and said, "Imperial Mother, don't listen to her nonsense. Directly lock her up. As long as she doesn't confess, don't give her water or food. I don't believe that she won't tell the truth!"
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager nodded and ordered, "This matter involves the imperial heir. This is a serious matter. This Empress Dowager cannot let the person who harmed the imperial heir go unpunished. Guards!"
"Yes." The imperial bodyguards cupped their hands.
"Lock up Qin Clan for this Empress Dowager. Isn't there a side hall behind Ci 'an Palace? Lock her up there! "
"Imperial Mother, you're too merciful!" Li Helan said with dissatisfaction, "This kind of criminal should be locked up in the Ministry of Justice's prison! Why are you still keeping her in Ci 'an Palace? "
The Empress Dowager said in a low voice, "After all, she is Prince Zhongshun's official wife. Although she is guilty, Prince Zhongshun has wholeheartedly guarded the south for the country. She shouldn't insult Prince Zhongshun's status. Lock her up. This Empress Dowager will make a decision after asking Your Majesty. "
"Yes." The imperial bodyguards immediately stepped forward, grabbed Qin Yining's arms, and dragged her out.
Right at this moment, a middle-ranking official loudly announced outside the warm room, "The Empress has arrived!"
As soon as the voice fell, the Empress, who was wearing a red dress with narrow sleeves, quickly walked in. When she saw Qin Yining's long hair disheveled and her cheeks red and swollen, she immediately reprimanded, "All of you, stop!"
The imperial bodyguards hesitated, but in the end, they stopped.
The Empress gave Qin Yining a deep look, then quickly walked into the warm room. She curtsied to the Empress Dowager, "Empress Dowager, I don't know what wrong the Qin Clan has done to deserve such punishment. This matter … "
"Empress! The Qin Clan poisoned the bird's nest that this Empress Dowager sent to Hao ge 'er with the intention of harming the imperial heir. Don't tell me that as a mother, you no longer care about your own son's life and death and want to defend a criminal? "The Empress Dowager quickly interrupted the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager was stunned, her face turning pale. She immediately shook her head and said, "Empress Dowager, the Qin Clan isn't such a person. She even saved the eldest prince before. This Empress Dowager dares to guarantee that the Qin Clan wouldn't poison an innocent child.
”
"You guarantee? This Empress Dowager thinks that you're stupid! What innocent child? The Qin Clan clearly has the intention of rebelling! "
"Empress Dowager, please investigate! Have you investigated this matter? If you convict the Qin Clan without investigating, how can the world be convinced? "
"How dare you!" The Empress Dowager angrily shouted and pointed a finger at the Empress Dowager, "Very well, Empress Dowager, are you determined to side with outsiders? You're defending the Qin Clan in every possible way. Don't you worry about the eldest prince at all? You're simply unqualified to be a mother like this!
It seems that this Empress Dowager needs to raise Hao ge 'er by my side, so that he won't be harmed by ignorant people! "
The Empress Dowager's heart pounded. The Empress Dowager was threatening the Empress Dowager with her right to raise the prince!
The Empress Dowager wanted to raise her own child herself.
But her conscience wouldn't allow such a strange case to appear in front of her eyes!
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