Seeing that the Praetorian Guards were getting closer and closer, Mu Jingzhao stepped forward in two steps, pulled the tablecloth and lifted it hard, and the tablecloth fell to the ground, covering the charred braised pork squarely.

"I really didn't expect that there are really so many rats in this cold palace, Niangniang, I really wronged you."

A janissary entered the house with a fat mouse, its slender tail clutched tightly by the young janitor's fingers, and its short claws struggled in the air with a "squeak" sound.

One after another, the forbidden army entered the house, and one of the forbidden soldiers took the lead in speaking, "What kind of smell does this smell so bad!" ”

"How did this happen?"

There were more and more forbidden troops entering the house, and when the forbidden soldiers who stepped into the house saw their leaders kneeling in front of Mu Jingzhao, they probably understood that something was wrong, so they knelt on the ground like him.

Soon, the house was full of Praetorian Guards kneeling on the ground.

Mu Jingzhao stood in front of the mess, his face was gloomy, and he returned to his usual unsmiling appearance, "None of you can reveal half a cent of what happened here today." ”

His gaze swept over all the Praetorian Guards present, "If I hear all the rumors about tonight, I will be killed." ”

His tone was slow and heavy, and every word pressed down on every forbidden soldier present like a boulder.

The Praetorian Army trembled and fell to the ground, trembling like chaff.

"Yes! Don't dare! ”

"Stand down."

"Yes."

With an answer, the Praetorian Guards all retreated, and only Mu Jingzhao and Jiang Ning were left in the house.

Mu Jingzhao walked quickly to the doors and windows, pushed open all the doors and windows, and the cold wind poured in, and the pungent smell finally slowly dissipated in the air.

"Your Majesty—" Jiang Ning exhaled with all his might, trying to suppress the panic and uneasiness in his heart, "That, that's not what the concubine prepared. ”

Mu Jingzhao turned his head to look at her, his eyes were heavy, and after a long time, he slowly spoke, "You wait here for a while, I have something to deal with." ”

Jiang Ning nodded a little indifferently.

"Don't touch anything on the ground yet, I'll find someone to sort it out." He walked towards the door, and when he reached the door, he looked back at Jiang Ning again, "This is your agreement with me, if the poison is really yours, I will not punish you." ”

He opened his mouth, as if adjusting his tone, and after a while, he finally pursed his lips and gave Jiang Ning a smile, "Don't worry, I will let Vice General Chen send someone to guard the door." ”

The last word fell to the ground, and Mu Jingzhao finally raised his feet and walked towards the door.

Jiang Ning was the only one left in the room, and she stood in place, not moving for a long time.

The braised pork covered by the tablecloth had long since lost its black smoke, but the slight sizzling sound seemed to still linger in her ears.

She hesitated, walked over to the parrot cage, and picked it up.

The feathers of the green-feathered parrot inside were scattered all around, perhaps because it was struggling so violently that even a small piece of the tip of its right wing was missing.

The reddened skin inside is revealed.

Jiang Ning put the cage on the table and touched the cage with some pity.

But when she didn't expect it, the parrot under the excessive fright fluttered and pecked at her palm.

A tingling pain came, Jiang Ning's hand was withdrawn instantly, she smiled helplessly, came to the window with the birdcage, and pulled the switch.

The parrot fluttered into the night, never to be found.

The moonlight sprinkled unscrupulously on Jiang Ning's face, she looked up at the moon, and her thoughts gradually became clear in the night wind.

If something like this happens to Mu Jingzhao, he will definitely investigate it thoroughly.

When the time comes, if she wants to protect herself, she must truthfully tell the truth that she has gone to get rat poison.

It's just that...

Jiang Ning held her chin and thought about it, and suddenly she lowered her head and muttered to herself, "No matter what, you can't let the imperial doctor be implicated." ”

She straightened up and turned to walk towards the back door of the cold palace.

————

On the other side, the Imperial Garden, on the gazebo by the koi pond.

The moon shadow illuminates the pavilion, leaving two opposite reflections on the surface of the lake.

"You threw the stone, Ah Zheng." The breeze blows across the lake, disturbing the shadows of the people.

Lin Zheng arched his hand, "Yes, when the minister returned to the palace today, he saw Niangniang walking towards the imperial study with a rat poison bag, and he felt that something was wrong, so he followed all the way and witnessed everything." ”

Mu Jingzhao nodded slightly, and said thoughtfully, "Do you know that our meal tonight was highly poisoned. ”

"Poisonous?" Lin Zheng was a little stunned.

Mu Jingzhao nodded heavily, "It's a pot of braised pork." ”

Lin Zheng shook his head again and again, "Impossible, I have been following her since Niangniang walked out of the imperial dining room, I watched her add rat poison to that pot of chicken soup, and other than that, she didn't touch the other dishes at all." ”

I don't know if it's because the night is too cold, and Lin Zheng's words even have a slight trembling.

"Chen personally went to confirm with Imperial Doctor Zhang, and Niangniang did indeed only take a pack of mild rat poison."

Mu Jingzhao paced slowly, walked to the pavilion, looked down at his reflection in the water, and in the moonlight, his expression was obscure.

"I know it wasn't Concubine Ning's handiwork."

The breeze blew, and Mu Jingzhao's figure dispersed with the waves.

"Braised pork, my favorite dish, I eat two pieces before every meal, this is a habit that only those closest to me know."

The wind gradually subsided, the lake returned to calm, and Mu Jingzhao's solemn face gradually became clear on the lake.

"Who could it be, you say?"

He looked at his own reflection in the lake and asked as if muttering to himself.

"I don't know."

The night was hazy, and the light mist slowly enveloped Mu Jingzhao's reflection and stopped on his face.

"No, that's not right, maybe Concubine Ning can know"

The cloak with a light purple magnolia pattern that was drying in the corner of the cold palace flashed in Mu Jingzhao's mind.

Without waiting for Lin Zheng to ask, he continued to speak to himself, "Concubine Liu." ”

Lin Zheng was stunned, he didn't understand what connection Jiang Ning had with Liu Jinfu, so he didn't open his mouth to assert himself, and just waited quietly for Mu Jingzhao to continue.

"Could it be like this, Jiang Qingyuan and Liu Yue colluded with each other, Jiang Qingyuan found a puppet to lower my vigilance, and Liu Guifei in the palace played an auxiliary role." As soon as he was halfway through his words, Mu Jingzhao shook his head in self-denial, "No, Concubine Liu would not do such a thing." ”

"Hmm." Lin Zheng replied shallowly, "If the concubine is dissatisfied with you, she will directly raise her weapon and rush in front of you." ”

Lin Zheng's words seemed to evoke some bad memories for Mu Jingzhao, and his brows became tighter and tighter, "Ah Zheng, I lost my words." ”

He exhaled deeply and continued, "These days, you help me keep an eye on the exchanges between Concubine Guifei and Concubine Ning. ”

"Yes."

Mu Jingzhao twisted his eyebrows, and his expression eased slightly, "How did you investigate Concubine Ning's background?" ”

"It's quite rewarding."

"Oh?" Mu Jingzhao raised his eyebrows, "I'll talk about it later, Concubine Ning accidentally ingested rat poison, I'll go and see how she is." ”

Saying this, Mu Jingzhao turned his head and walked out of the pavilion, and behind him, there was no longer Lin Zheng in the pavilion.