He Xuan unconsciously glanced at Gongzi Hou, who nodded slightly at her.

Everyone waited in anxiety, and finally the palace people checked the imperial dining room and took people to Yuquan Palace to return to the emperor.

A little eunuch trembled and knelt on the ground, and Eunuch Zhang next to him said: "The servant just sent someone to search the imperial dining room and found traces of cinnabar, and saw that this little eunuch was sneakily trying to escape, so he immediately detained it, and also found cinnabar from his clothes. ”

The emperor looked coldly at the little eunuch in front of him, who was like a frightened bird, and didn't say a word.

Zhang Dajian knew the emperor's temperament best, so he angrily reprimanded the little eunuch and said: "In front of Your Majesty, you still haven't recruited from the truth!" Who asked you to use these cinnabar in Concubine Lian's diet? ”

"Minions ... Minion... I beg Your Majesty to spare the minions, and I beg Your Majesty to spare the minions! The little eunuch prostrated again and again, and his forehead was already oozing blood.

The emperor glanced at Eunuch Zhang, who immediately slapped the little eunuch dozens of times and said, "Don't say it yet!" ”

"Yes ... It's the palace maid Yun'er girl next to Qi Xiuyi... Your Majesty spares your life, Your Majesty spares your life! The little eunuch clasped his head fiercely, and several streams of blood flowed down.

"Oh?" The emperor immediately turned his head to Qi Xiuyi, and Qi Xiuyi and the people around her hurriedly knelt down.

"Your Majesty, Yun'er was assigned to her concubine about a year ago. Ji Qi, the eighth prince who secretly poisoned her concubine before, was fortunately bumped into by Gongzi Hou, otherwise Qi'er would have been killed by her. The concubine detained Yun'er in the palace, but because she didn't know who was behind the scenes, she didn't make a statement. Please also Your Majesty to be clear! Qi Xiuyi's face was full of grievances, and it didn't look like she was pretending.

He Xuan glanced at Empress Zhao with his afterglow, and Empress Zhao seemed to grit his teeth quietly.

The emperor immediately said: "Give the widow the palace maid Yun'er!" ”

Yun'er was originally a smart little palace maid, but now she was tied up with a rope and brought to the main hall. Although her face was colorless, there were no visible scars on her body. Eunuch Zhang kicked Yun'er's knee, and the latter immediately fell to her knees.

"Yun'er, the widow asked you, why did you poison the Eighth Prince? Why did you poison Concubine Lian again? The Emperor asked impatiently.

Yun'er probably knew that she was certain to die now, so she said happily: "It was Xin'er, the palace maid beside Concubine Lian, who instructed the slave and maid, and promised the slave and maid gold and jewelry. ”

At this moment, everyone thought that this matter was simply incredible.

The palace maid Xin'er next to Concubine Lian instructed Qi Xiuyi's palace maid Yun'er to poison the Eighth Prince, perhaps it was a farce caused by the jealousy of the two concubines, such a thing is understandable.

However, why did Xin'er let Yun'er poison Concubine Lian? Just now, the imperial doctor also said that this cinnabar is highly poisonous, and Concubine Lian has taken it for a long time, and her life will not be long. In this way, this judgment cannot be a deliberate bureau set up by Concubine Lian in order to frame Qi Xiuyi, and no one will be stupid enough to kill themselves first in order to harm others.

Moreover, if there is no support from Concubine Lian, where would Xin'er, a little palace maid, get the precious cinnabar, gold, and jewelry?

Even the Emperor fell into deep contemplation, pondering the truth of every word of the people in the palace.

He Xuan glanced at Empress Zhao again, and Empress Zhao's expression seemed to be the same as before.

This palace maid named Xin'er was immediately carried over by the eunuchs and thrown to the ground.

Xin'er, the palace maid, looks fifteen or sixteen years old, and her appearance is average, she is honest and honest.

The emperor said coldly: "You explain it to the widow clearly!" Why did you instruct Yun'er to poison the Eighth Prince? Why did you instruct Yun'er to poison Concubine Lian! ”

Xin'er was a little stunned, as if she hadn't come back to her senses.

Seeing this, Eunuch Zhang asked the little eunuchs to punch and kick, and then grabbed Xin'er's shoulder, who was limp on the ground, and shouted: "Don't recruit from the truth!" ”

Xin'er burst into tears at this time, her body was covered with scars, and her eyes secretly glanced at Empress Zhao.

Empress Zhao said quietly: "Xin'er, if you recruit from the truth, this palace may be able to protect your clansmen with a way to live." ”

As soon as these words came out, Xin'er woke up like a dream, and immediately said: "The slave and the maid are guilty, the slave and the maid are guilty, everything is done by the slave and the maid, and it is Yun'er who is instructed by the slave and the maid." I beg Your Majesty to forgive the slaves and maids, and I beg Your Majesty to forgive the slaves and maids! ”

"You wicked palace maid!" The emperor said hatefully, thought about it again, and continued: "Then why did you poison the Eighth Emperor and Concubine Lian? ”

This question seemed to stump Xin'er, Xin'er thought about it, and cried bitterly: "Because... Because... Poison the Eighth Prince... It was instructed by Concubine Lian! ”

As soon as these words came out, the emperor's face immediately changed, and he said: "You, a palace maid, not only have a vicious mind, but also bite your master at will and beat the widow!" ”

The eunuchs were just about to make a move, and the little palace maid shouted: "Please Your Majesty don't fight, Concubine Lian doesn't like Qi Xiuyi... said that a concubine sent to His Majesty by the Qi State is not as good as Concubine Lian, why can Qi Xiuyi be a third-grade woman, while Concubine Lian Niangniang can only be a fourth-grade woman. So... That's why Concubine Lian is going to poison the Eighth Prince! ”

Empress Zhao secretly lowered her head and smiled on the side. The emperor seemed to be thinking about what the little palace maid said.

The little palace maid Xin'er continued: "As for... instructed Yun'er to poison Concubine Lian. . . Be... It's because the slave hates Concubine Lian so much that she wishes she was going to die! The palace maid seemed to be ruthless, bit her lip and said.

The emperor felt that the whole thing was very strange, and wondered: "Why do you hate Concubine Lian so much, you must poison her to death?" ”

"This... Concubine Lian Niangniang abused the slave maid for a long time, and the slave maid followed Concubine Lian Niangniang to live and die, therefore... Slaves... hated her and wanted to find an opportunity to kill her. ”

The crowd fell into deep thought. He Xuan looked at Zhao Hou and seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking about whether to stand up and say something. Finally, she couldn't help but stand up and said, "Father, the ministers think that what this little palace maid Xin'er said is very strange. Since she hates Concubine Lian, why does she want to help Concubine Lian to harm the Eighth Prince? Moreover, cinnabar, gold and jade jewelry, where can a little palace maid take it out casually? ”

The emperor glanced at He Xuan, nodded thoughtfully, and continued to ask, "You come to answer the second princess's question." ”

Xin'er was already embarrassed at this time, her face was full of tears mixed with sweat, and her body was beaten to the ground.

Empress Zhao's eyes looked at He Xuan coldly, with scrutiny and an unquestionable authority in those eyes.

At this moment, He Xuan thought in his heart that with the qualifications of this palace maid, he would definitely not be able to answer such a question, not to mention that this palace maid was already a little delirious. In this way, it is possible for her to let Empress Zhao show her feet.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Lin slowly stood up and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, this matter is very simple to explain. ”

"Oh? Let's talk about it! The emperor said cheerfully.

"Concubine Lian instructed this little palace maid to harm the Eighth Prince, this little palace maid Xin'er didn't dare not do it, otherwise, as she said, Concubine Lian Niangniang might kill her immediately. However, she was fed up with Concubine Lian's torture, and if she poisoned herself, she would inevitably be easily discovered by the people around Concubine Lian. However, if she borrowed Qi Xiuyi's mother's hand, even if Concubine Lian found out, she would not suspect this palace maid Xin'er. Zhao Lin replied methodically.

Zhao Lin glanced at He Xuan in the distance, and continued: "The second princess just asked why this palace maid Xin'er was able to make such a generous move, I think Concubine Lian also knew that she needed to go up and down when she forced her to poison the eighth prince, so naturally she gave this palace maid gold and jewelry." If the palace maid is not enough, she can still steal Concubine Lian's jewelry. I heard that Your Majesty has rewarded Concubine Lian with a lot of gold, silver and jewelry, and if you lose one or two pieces, Concubine Lian will not be bad for a while. ”

The emperor thought for a moment, nodded and said, "Zhao Lin, you are only fifteen years old, and you see things so exquisitely. The widow thinks that what you said is the Tao, and the confusion in his heart has been solved. In this case, these palace maids who have made mistakes will all be killed. As for Concubine Lian, let her fend for herself in the cold palace, and Imperial Doctor Cheng doesn't have to heal her anymore. Qi Xiuyi, you have merit in protecting the Eighth Prince, reward! ”

He Xuan sat aside, took a sip of tea, and tightened his sleeve with one hand. She said in her heart, this Zhao Lin, how can he be involved in everything. Obviously, Hexuan had already grasped the question just now, and the palace maid couldn't answer such a question, and Empress Zhao's identity was inconvenient to answer.

Who would have thought that Zhao Lin, who usually sat on the side and only cared about his own chic and comfortable, would speak at this moment, and he said it so logically. If He Xuan was entangled at this time, it seemed that she was deliberately embarrassed by Zhao Lin. So she scolded this Zhao Lin in her heart for being a nasty ghost, and the next time she sees him, she will definitely not be polite to him.

Zhao Lin smiled evilly at He Xuan, and then looked at Empress Zhao. Empress Zhao gave Zhao Lin an appreciative look.

So everyone continued to celebrate Empress Zhao's birthday according to the original arrangement. It's just that everyone's interest has long been gone, and it didn't take long for it to end.

Walking to the gate of the palace, Qi Hou caught up with Hexuan's footsteps and said, "Sister Hexuan, although I have caught Yun'er a long time ago about today's incident, I don't know that there is such a trick as Concubine Lian's poisoning." ”

"It's not your fault. When you told me a few days ago, I couldn't imagine what Concubine Lian was poisoning the Eighth Prince for. Now it seems that the main envoy behind this is not Concubine Lian. He Xuan still said with some indignation.

"I know it's not Concubine Lian, didn't the hall just say that Xin'er did it?" Qi Hou's voice was still so gentle.

He Xuan raised his eyebrows, glanced at Qi Hou and said, "You don't really believe that a palace maid can have such a skill, right?" My aunt touched Empress Zhao, she couldn't get used to Concubine Lian's pampering and arrogance, so she had to borrow Qi Xiuyi's hand, so that the two concubines plus the Eighth Prince could be killed because of this one thing, which was beneficial and harmless to Empress Zhao. ”

Qi Hou pondered for a long time, and said slowly: "Sister Hexuan, you are really a blue heart. I don't know everything you have to say, but I believe everything you say. ”

He Xuan looked at Qi Hou's affectionate eyes, and thought: "Brother Qi Hou, we have to guard against Empress Zhao in the future!" ”