frightfiction Chapter 1305: Concubine Zhuang, You Have a Vicious Heart (158 million reward points added)
Chapter 1305: Concubine Zhuang, You Have a Vicious Heart (158 million reward points added)
"His Majesty."
Concubine Zhuang had regained her dignified yet worried look, but her tone had become unusually calm, clear, and very logical.
"This palace maid is from Shuixi Pavilion. Even if we find poison residue on her, it would be difficult to prove Concubine Chun's innocence."
She frowned slightly, as if analyzing something in her mind, but her eyes swept over Concubine Chun calmly: "From the time Yun'er left Shuixi Pavilion, to the time she returned to Changchun Palace and became poisoned, to the time you summoned Concubine Chun here..."
"The time in between is neither long nor short."
"It's enough for a meticulous person to carefully clean all traces of poison on his hands and body."
"Even... it was enough for her to find a scapegoat and cleverly place some 'evidence' on an insignificant palace servant."
Concubine Zhuang's words were like a soft knife, killing without shedding blood.
She did not directly accuse Concubine Chun of being the murderer, but used rigorous logic to easily extinguish the fire of hope that Concubine Chun had just ignited.
Some even interpreted this incident as proof that Concubine Chun was meticulous and looking for a scapegoat!
Concubine Zhuang continued, "Your Majesty, I feel that Concubine Chun was so eager to check everyone just now. Now I think..."
She paused at the right moment, leaving endless room for imagination, before saying, "It's as if they've been prepared for this long ago, eager to dispel suspicion."
These words were reasonable and took advantage of the time difference to force Concubine Chun into a dead end again.
Concubine Chun was so angry that she was shaking all over and her nails dug deep into her palms!
This bitch, Concubine Zhuang, is so vicious and meticulous!
"You are so slanderous!"
She could no longer maintain her composure and retorted, "If it was really me who poisoned her, why didn't I deal with this maid as well? Instead, I left such an obvious clue for others to investigate?!"
Concubine Zhuang simply glanced at Concubine Chun calmly, her tone even tinged with pity: "That may be because... you didn't expect His Majesty to investigate so quickly and thoroughly."
"I didn't expect the imperial physician to be able to detect the poison so quickly and create an antidote. This disrupted your steps, leaving you no time to perfect it."
She spoke a few words lightly, blocking Concubine Chun's rebuttal.
Nangong Xuanyu listened to the confrontation between the two, and his eyes became deep and unfathomable again.
Concubine Zhuang's words did point out a possibility that could not be ignored.
Time is enough to change a lot of evidence.
The emperor's gaze fell on the little palace maid who was almost fainting from fear, and he was filled with murderous intent: "Drag this lowly maid away and interrogate her strictly!"
"I want to know who ordered her to do this!"
No matter what the truth is, this palace maid who was directly contaminated with poison cannot be innocent.
"Yes!"
Immediately, a eunuch from the Ministry of Punishment came forward and dragged the little palace maid, who was crying and begging for mercy, away like a dead dog.
Her shrill screams quickly disappeared outside the hall.
Concubine Chun knelt on the spot, feeling cold all over.
With just a few casual words, Concubine Zhuang cut off the last glimmer of hope that she had finally gained.
The emperor's suspicion was obviously not eliminated.
She could only raise her head again, pinning all her hopes on the emperor's fear of her theories about the Western Regions conspiracy, and said in a plaintive voice, "Your Majesty, I am innocent!"
"This is clearly a deliberate trap set up by someone! Your Majesty, I beg you to investigate!"
The emperor ignored Concubine Chun.
Not long after, Su Quanye appeared at the door again.
He still had that calm expression, but there were a few barely noticeable dark bloodstains on the cuffs of his robe.
Su Quanye quickly walked up to Nangong Xuanyu and bowed to report: "Your Majesty, this servant has interrogated Xiaoxi, the palace maid of Shuixi Pavilion."
"She has confessed that she was instructed by Concubine Chun to poison the milk tea that the eldest princess drank while she was visiting Shuixi Pavilion today."
He paused briefly before continuing, "According to Xiaoxi's confession, Concubine Chun harbored a grudge against the Imperial Concubine because of her previous miscarriage, but she had no way to retaliate. Therefore, she harbored the evil intention of poisoning the eldest princess, causing the Imperial Concubine to lose her beloved daughter, in order to vent her personal anger."
Concubine Zhuang burst into tears instantly: "Your Majesty, you heard everything!"
"Your Majesty, please make a decision for me and Yun'er!"
"Yun'er is still so young, yet she has to suffer such an unexpected disaster..."
"If it weren't for your Majesty's protection and the imperial physician's best efforts, I... I would never have seen Yun'er again!"
This cry was so sincere and moving that it moved the listeners.
"Ridiculous! This is impossible!"
Concubine Chun looked up suddenly as if struck by lightning, and retorted sharply: "Your Majesty, please understand!"
"Xiaoxi is only a third-class maid in charge of sweeping the outer room of Shuixi Pavilion. She doesn't even have the qualifications to serve me closely, let alone be my confidant."
"Even if I really wanted to do something shameful, why would I assign such an insignificant, low-ranking palace maid to do something so easy to do bad things? This is clearly a frame-up!"
Her rebuttal was hasty but to the point.
It is unreasonable that a minor official would use poison to murder the royal heir and instruct a palace maid who was not his confidant to do so.
Upon hearing this, Concubine Zhuang raised her tearful eyes, a hint of scorn flashing in them.
As if she had already expected Concubine Chun to make such an excuse, she said, "Your Majesty, this is exactly where Concubine Chun's cunning lies."
"She deliberately chose a seemingly unrelated, low-ranking palace maid, precisely so that she could exonerate herself after the truth was revealed. She said Xiaoxi was bribed and deliberately framed her."
"Hasn't Concubine Chun been using all sorts of excuses just now? First, she threatened to commit suicide, then she framed her so-called enemies in the Western Regions. Now that she has found solid evidence, she immediately claims that the palace maid is not her confidant."
"Your Majesty, his intentions are clearly unfathomable!"
Concubine Zhuang's words were like an airtight net, blocking all of Concubine Chun's escape routes!
No matter how she defended herself, it could be interpreted as a pre-determined cunning statement.
In a flash, Concubine Chun saw the almost imperceptible cold eyes beneath Concubine Zhuang's sad face.
A terrible thought suddenly popped into her mind, making Concubine Chun feel cold all over!
Yes!
It’s Concubine Zhuang!
All of this is the evil scheme of this hypocritical woman!
Xiaoxi is probably the hidden chess piece that Concubine Zhuang quietly planted in Shuixi Pavilion a long time ago.
He is inconspicuous on weekdays and may even act clumsy on purpose, just to give her a fatal blow at the critical moment, like today!
And I didn't even notice...
After realizing this, Concubine Chun suddenly pointed at Concubine Zhuang, no longer able to maintain any pretense. Her voice was filled with extreme anger: "It's you! You planned all this!"
"Xiao Xi is yours! You planned today's drama a long time ago!"
"Empress Zhuang, you have such a vicious heart!"