"Niangniang," Huang Yang's forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat. He worriedly looked at the Empress who was eating at the table. He didn't even dare to breathe too loudly, as though the slightest movement would enrage the Empress.
"What is it?" Qu Qing Ju slowly ate a bowl of chicken porridge. Paired with the freshly soaked pickled cabbage, it was quite flavorful. She saw that Huang Yang looked as though he wanted to speak but didn't dare. She took the teacup that Jin Zhan handed over to rinse her mouth. She took the handkerchief from Yin Liu's hand to wipe her mouth, "Speak, what is it that makes you so anxious?"
Huang Yang's legs softened and he knelt by Qu Qing Ju's feet: "Han liangdi was found this morning in the lotus pond in the Imperial Gardens. Her body was swollen from soaking."
Qu Qing Ju stilled. Han Qing He died?
"Is this something that can be said in front of niangniang?" Mu Jin frowned. Now that niangniang was pregnant, if this matter reached niangniang's ears, wouldn't it frighten niangniang and the Little Highness in her womb, "Quick, shut up."
"It's fine," Qu Qing Ju's left hand gently caressed her slightly bulging belly, "Your expression is so ugly, it definitely isn't because of such a small matter. Is it related to the cause of Han liangdi's death?"
Huang Yang saw niangniang's calm expression and gritted his teeth to say: "The people of the Department of Household Affairs found a white jade hairpin in Han liangdi's bosom. Someone recognized that it was niangniang's."
Hearing this, Jin Zhan and Yu Zhan were so frightened their expressions changed. Usually, niangniang's hairpins and clothing were managed by them. If niangniang's things were lost, they would be the biggest suspects. The two instantly knelt down, their faces ugly as they pleaded: "Niangniang, nubi did not manage well, niangniang, please punish us."
Qu Qing Ju laughed out loud and motioned for the two to stand. She then stood, declaring: "In the dead of winter, such a show has been put on. Even the white jade hairpin that ben gong had lost for half a month has been found. Since it is the two muhou who are managing the hougong, let's go to Fu Shou Palace. Ben gong is also very curious about this matter. "
Huang Yang looked in confusion at the Empress. The Empress didn't seem to be angry at all.
Mu Jin was stunned for a moment before she recovered her smile. "That's right. Huang Yang, quickly prepare the phoenix carriage. It has been snowing since last night. Mistress is carrying His Highness in her belly and can't be exposed to the wind."
"Yes." Huang Yang stood up happily and turned to have the servants prepare the phoenix carriage.
In Fu Shou Palace, the two Empress Dowagers, He Heng, Jin An Princess Royal, the other three feipin, as well as the main supervisor and junior supervisor of the Department of Household Affairs were all present. They were all here for the matter of Han liangdi's drowning.
After Empress Dowager Wei finished listening to the report from the palace maid kneeling on the ground, her face was calm as she said: "What you mean is, last night, Han liangdi left her residence by herself. At four quarters after the hour, you felt something wasn't right and searched with the other servants. The result was that you found Han liangdi's corpse?"
"Yes." The one who answered was Han liangdi's personal palace maid. She appeared somewhat timid in front of a room full of powerful people. "Before Master left, she said …"
"What else?" He Heng asked coldly.
"She said that as long as the Empress valued her, in the future, she would receive the Emperor's favor." When the palace maid finished, she touched her forehead to the ground, her entire body trembling in fear.
"According to the meaning of this palace maid, the one who invited Han liangdi out was the Empress, and the people of the Department of Household Affairs found the Empress' hairpin on Han liangdi's body," Empress Dowager Wei jerked the corner of her mouth, carrying a tone of disdain, "The meaning is that the Empress is the culprit that killed Han liangdi?"
He Heng frowned, questioning: "Muhou, Qing Ju is the Empress of a country. Why would she harm an unimportant little feipin?" Last night, he had stayed in the front hall of Tian Qi Palace and hadn't been with Qing Ju, but he believed that the matter of Han liangdi had nothing to do with Qu Qing Ju.
Hearing her son accidentally call out her erxi's name in front of so many people, Empress Dowager Wei raised an eyebrow to look at him before continuing: "Aijia is also very suspicious of this matter."
"Empress Dowager, Emperor," The palace maid's voice trembled as she said: "Because half a month ago, mistress had sung for Emperor in the garden and was found by the Empress. Not long after that, there were people who deducted mistress's portion. So mistress went alone to see the Empress last night. She really had no other choice. Empress Dowager and Emperor, please uphold justice for mistress. "
"Last night, it started to snow at around eight o 'clock. The Empress is already three months pregnant. She actually went to see Han liangdi on a snowy day, and pushed Han liangdi into the lotus pond," Jin An Princess Royal snorted, "After doing all that, she didn't even realize she had lost something. She turned and went back to the rear hall of Tian Qi Palace to rest. That huang sao's stamina is too good."
"Nubi didn't say that the matter was done by the Empress," The palace maid's head shrunk back as she stammered, "And nubi thinks that it could have been done by servants … …"
"Impudent, zhen doesn't know who is in zhen's palace and when they leave the door?" He Heng slapped the table, "There are guards in Tian Qi Palace every twenty-four hours. Not just the Empress, even the normal palace maids and taijian would be recorded. You didn't succeed in framing the Empress, so you want to frame the people around the Empress. What are your intentions?!"
The palace maid clearly hadn't thought of this. She had been brought in by Han Qing He from the wang fu. She didn't know that Tian Qi Palace would be so heavily guarded. A beat later, she started to kowtow: "Nubi didn't mean that. Please, Empress Dowager and Emperor, investigate."
Empress Dowager Wei raised a teacup and looked coldly at the kowtowing palace maid. She didn't pay attention to her forehead that was bleeding. She tilted her head to say to Muhou Empress Dowager: "Not just these people, even us sisters didn't know of this matter until a few years after entering the palace. I don't know which daring thief would murder a palace fei and frame the Empress. It really is a great crime."
"Exactly. Aijia had entered the palace as Empress for almost a year before finding out that Tian Qi Palace had guards hiding in the shadows to protect the Emperor," Muhou Empress Dowager raised her head with a mirthless smile, her gaze sweeping across Jiang, Feng and Luo, "But in the past, no one came to frame aijia. Nowadays, the young people are even more daring."
Jiang, Feng and Luo couldn't sit still. The three walked together to the center of the hall and knelt. Before the matter was investigated, all three of them were suspicious. But the great crime of murdering the Empress and murdering a palace fei would implicate their families. How could they bear the consequences?
"Alright, you three don't have to kneel," Empress Dowager Wei put down the teacup, "Ben gong's erxi, aijia knows very well that she isn't the type to do such a thing. Even if she did, she wouldn't do it so stupidly. Aijia doesn't care who is so daring, but if she admits it herself, aijia won't pursue her family. But if aijia personally finds out, don't blame aijia for being heartless. "
The main supervisor and the two junior supervisors of the Department of Household Affairs could see that the two Empress Dowagers and the Emperor were all protecting the Empress. The three had worked together for many years and didn't even need to exchange a look to know what the other was thinking.
The main supervisor of the Department of Household Affairs stepped forward and reported: "Emperor, Empress Dowager, nucai has just found that the back of Han liangdi's neck has marks of being hit by a heavy object. From the location of the injury and the severity, the perpetrator should be slightly shorter than Han liangdi, and it should be a female. The Empress is slightly taller than Han liangdi, and it is forbidden for a pregnant person to lift heavy objects. So the perpetrator can't be the Empress. Nucai has also checked the records of the back hall of Tian Qi Palace from yesterday to this morning. The palace maids and taijian that serve the Empress are not suspicious. So from this, the matter of Han liangdi has nothing to do with the Empress. "
He Heng nodded, his expression warming: "It seems that someone wants to kill two birds with one stone," His gaze swept across the three feipin kneeling and finally landed on Luo Yin Xiu and Feng Zi Jin who were shorter than Han Qing He. His expression darkened again, "Capture all the palace maids and taijian that serve Luo guipin and Ping cairen and interrogate them one by one."
"Emperor!" Feng Zi Jin took two steps forward on her knees, "Qie is innocent, Emperor!"
Luo Yin Xiu looked at the excited Feng Zi Jin and continued to bury her head.
"Emperor, the Empress asks for an audience." Ming He came in to report.
"Summon," He Heng's cold expression instantly became warm. When Qu Qing Ju came in, he couldn't resist standing and helping the other to sit beside him, "It's snowing outside, why did you come?"
"Just now, I heard that Han liangdi was gone, and she had qie's hairpins on her body. Qie couldn't sit still," Qu Qing Ju's eyebrows creased, "Qie's hairpins were lost half a month ago. That time, qie fell asleep in the Imperial Garden and didn't know where it was. Emperor, you had specially bestowed qie a set of cat's eye stone hairpins. Who knew that it would appear with Han liangdi."
He Heng instantly remembered. Half a month ago, he and Qing Ju had listened to Han liangdi sing and Qing Ju had fallen asleep. After he had carried her all the way back to Tian Qi Palace, he found that two hairpins had been lost. The next day, he had Ming He deliver a box of cat's eye stone hairpins to the back hall of Tian Qi Palace. It seemed that white jade hairpin was one of the two that had been lost half a month ago.
"Don't be angry, zhen knows that this matter has nothing to do with you," He Heng patted the back of her hand, "Zhen will definitely get someone to investigate this matter and prove your innocence."
Qu Qing Ju sighed and then slowly nodded her head. She looked apologetically at the two Empress Dowagers: "Erxi is very unfilial to have made both muhou worry."
"What does this matter have to do with you," Muhou Empress Dowager said, "Empress, you are too honest. There are always people in this hougong that are so daring and malicious. Aijia and your muhou have been in the hougong for so many years, but we have never seen such a stupid move. Keeping this kind of person in the hougong, aijia doesn't dare to be at ease. "
"Exactly. You are pregnant now, don't waste your energy on such a small matter. Aijia will be here, you won't be wronged." After Empress Dowager Wei finished, she said to He Heng, "Quickly send the Empress back. There's no need to dirty people's ears with such an unlucky matter. You two, don't worry, aijia and jiejie will definitely get to the bottom of this matter. You should leave this place as soon as possible."
He Heng stood and bowed to the two, "Son doesn't have the energy to look after the matters of the hougong. This matter will have to trouble both muhou."
"Go, go," Empress Dowager Wei waved her hand and shooed the two away like she was shooing ducks. After the Emperor and Empress left, she gave a cold smile. She said in a neutral tone: "Anyone that is suspicious will be severely punished. Ben gong doesn't believe we can't find out."
Her cold eyes swept across He Heng's three feipin: "This hougong can't tolerate women that think themselves clever!"
Jiang, Feng and Luo couldn't help but tremble. Jiang Yong Yu's expression was stern as she respectfully bowed: "Thanks Empress Dowager for your teachings."
Empress Dowager Wei slightly nodded at her and then said to Feng and Luo who were kneeling: "Before the matter is investigated, the two of you will stay in the Sheng Shen Zhai behind Fu Shou Palace and reflect, so aijia doesn't have to order people to watch you."
"Yes." Luo Yin Xiu obediently kowtowed. She knew that the Empress Dowager was cutting off their path of retreat. But since it was something she hadn't done, what was there for her to be afraid of?
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