"How dare you doubt the people around me?!"
The Queen Mother suddenly became angry again and glared at the Grand Concubine viciously.
Princess Ping immediately tried to smooth things over, "Queen Dowager, calm down. Mother didn't mean that. But Queen Dowager, think about it. What if someone wants to take advantage of your trust in the people around you to do something bad? If you don't find such a person, it will be dangerous for him to stay with you."
Linking the matter to the Queen Mother's own safety did indeed calm her anger, and she ordered people to bring in all the people who had come into contact with the pastries.
They interrogated everyone one by one at first, but naturally no one admitted it.
Then there was another body search, but nothing was found.
Later, the Imperial Concubine suggested that the poison powder was sprinkled on the surface of the pastry, because the Yuchan scroll had a process of sprinkling a little corn flour on the outside, so maybe it was added at that time.
So those who had touched the pastries were asked to stretch out their hands for the imperial physician to smell and see.
Obviously no one had much hope. After all, people who work in the kitchen have to be clean, which means washing hands frequently.
But I have no idea at the moment and I can only give it a try.
I didn't expect that I would actually discover something after trying it.
The same poison powder as that on the cakes was found on the cuffs and inside the wrists of the palace maid Lianxin.
"No, no, it's not me. I didn't poison you. Madam Fu, please save me. I really didn't. Madam, mother, godmother, please save Xin'er. I really didn't poison you!"
The palace maid named Lianxin was suddenly panicked and started to kowtow immediately.
And she just happened to have another identity, she was the goddaughter of Aunt Fu.
Nanny Fu never married in her life and served the Empress Dowager. It was not a big deal for her to adopt a goddaughter in her old age. But now that poison powder was found on her goddaughter, it is intriguing.
The Queen Mother was so angry that she threw the cup at hand away fiercely, "Fuzhi, what's going on? Explain it to me!"
"Empress Dowager, I don't know either. There must be a misunderstanding." Nanny Fu immediately knelt down, feeling a little uneasy. "I have served the Empress Dowager all my life and would never dare to have second thoughts. Lianxin has been trained by me since she entered the palace at the age of thirteen. Over the years, I don't say how capable she is, but her character is very good. She would never do something like murdering the heir to the throne."
After all, she was the goddaughter she had personally raised, so Nanny Fu still pleaded for mercy.
She still believed in compassion.
The Grand Concubine coughed uncomfortably twice and agreed, "Your Majesty, Madam Fu is your personal servant. If she had second thoughts, how could you have lived in peace until now? But it's hard to say about this girl. If it wasn't her, how could the poison powder be found on her?"
Although the words seemed to be exonerating the Queen Mother, saying that there was something wrong with Lianxin, the mention of Nanny Fu's loyalty always made people wonder whether the Queen Mother had instructed Lianxin to poison through Nanny Fu.
But in this kind of situation, those involved are always confused while those who are watching can see more clearly.
The Queen Mother, Nanny Fu and others were so caught up in it that they subconsciously blocked out other information and only heard things that were beneficial to them. They didn't understand any other meanings, but the concubines next to them heard it all.
If you really say that it was the Queen Mother who did it, it makes sense.
The Queen Mother has always disliked Myeong So-won, but she loves the eldest prince. However, given the eldest prince's physical condition, he can only inherit the throne after all the other princes are dead.
Now is a good time to get rid of the Fourth Prince while Ming Zhaoyuan is not in the palace.
Especially since today's snacks were brought by the Imperial Concubine, it would be too easy to put the blame on others.
At the moment, it seems that this may be an accident caused by poor planning.
"Queen Dowager, why don't you take this palace maid away for a thorough interrogation? The children are all frightened, Hui Zhaoyuan has just escaped from danger, and you, Queen Dowager, are not fully recovered yet." Princess Ping whispered again.
Although it was very frustrating to encounter such a bad thing after entering the palace, there was nothing that could be done since it had already happened.
Looking at the Fourth Prince, who was nestling in Bai Zhu's arms with tears still on his face, and the Second Princess, who was still sobbing in the arms of her wet nurse, the Queen Mother frowned but still asked someone to take Lianxin away first.
At this moment, the imperial concubine fainted.
There was another flurry of activity as the Concubine Dowager was carried back.
With things developing to this point, Princess Ping could no longer leave the palace and return home. She had no choice but to ask her personal maid to send the children out of the palace, while she stayed by the side of the Grand Noble Consort to take care of her.
Such a thing naturally could not be hidden from the Emperor, even if the Queen Mother did not want to tell anyone.
However, since it concerned the royal heir, after much consideration, he decided to send someone to the mountains outside the capital to deliver the letter.
However, there was a delay. It gets dark early in winter, and by the time the messenger arrived at Yanqing Temple, it was already completely dark.
Ning Chen didn't check it early when he was free today. He was having dinner with Ye Jun at this moment when he suddenly heard that the Fourth Prince's pastries were poisoned. He immediately threw down his chopsticks.
But Ye Jun was one step faster than him and rushed to the eunuch who was delivering the message.
"How is the Fourth Prince? Is he okay? Tell me now!"
"Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince is fine. He didn't eat the snack. Hui Zhaoyuan ate it." The eunuch named Ye Jun looked so cold that his voice trembled.
Ye Jun breathed a sigh of relief, but then asked again, "How is Hui Zhaoyuan? Is she seriously injured? Is the second princess okay?"
"Don't worry, your Majesty. Everything is fine. Hui Zhaoyuan has been rescued. The second princess was just frightened. She's fine." The young eunuch said truthfully.
After hearing these two sentences, Ye Jun finally felt relieved and stumbled back without noticing.
Ning Chen quickly supported the man and said, "Don't be afraid, as long as the child is fine, you stay in the temple. I will go back to the palace to see the scenery."
"No, I will go back with the emperor. I am worried and I must see with my own eyes that Jing'er is fine." Ye Jun shook her head with a firm look.
Seeing her like this, Ning Chen knew that she had made up her mind and could not be shaken, so he asked Yuan Jiu to prepare the carriage.
But he was rejected by Ye Jun again.
"The roads are slippery in winter, and the carriage can't go fast. I will ride back on horseback."
Nan Zhi was worried and hurriedly advised, "But Madam, it's dark outside and freezing cold, and you haven't ridden a horse for many years. What will happen if you fall?"
"These are all trivial matters. I'm worried about Jing'er. Hurry up and prepare a horse for me, the fastest horse!" Ye Jun frowned, his eyes full of anxiety and worry.
"No need to prepare a horse for her." Ning Chen suddenly spoke.
Ye Jun looked back at him in confusion.
Ning Chen said, "I will ride back with you on one horse. You are not good at riding and shooting. What if you fall? I will take you back."
After he finished speaking, he took Ye Jun's hand and squeezed it soothingly.
Meeting the man's calm eyes, Ye Jun finally calmed down a little and nodded.
Nan Zhi immediately went to find the fox fur cloaks for the two of them and helped them put them on.
Watching their master being carried onto the horse's back by the emperor, the two of them disappeared on the dark mountain road accompanied and escorted by the imperial cavalry.
While they were rushing back, Nanny Fu heard that Lianxin refused to confess under torture, so she went to the Ministry of Punishment.
But not long after she entered, Lianxin started strangling herself like a madman.
Aunt Fu tried to pry her hands open but was pushed away instead and her hands were scratched.
When she came to her senses and took a closer look, Lianxin had already strangled herself to death.
When the guard heard the noise and came in, he saw Nanny Fu, with a terrified look on her face and wounded hands, sitting next to Lianxin's body.