PFC Chapter 409: The Little Palace Maid Reluctant to End Her Life (16)
Chapter 409: The Little Palace Maid Reluctant to End Her Life (16)
The little palace maid is from the East Palace.
"Aunt Mu, this is the tranquilizing medicine that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ordered me to bring. You were frightened today, and this medicine will help you sleep better at night."
The little palace maid spoke nicely and respectfully. After delivering the medicine, she left quietly without disturbing anyone else in Shu Fei's palace.
Mu Zhou looked at the bowl of black medicine and drank it in one gulp with a smile.
*
Early the next morning, Mu Zhou went to see Shu Fei and briefly told her what happened yesterday.
It was just luck that there were trees and weeds to cushion the fall when they fell off the cliff, so no one was seriously hurt. The prince seemed to have been injured. After resting for a long time at the bottom of the cliff, he met the guards who came to find him.
Shu Fei comforted her with a few words and gave her half a day off.
On the other side, Concubine Yao was furious when she heard the news. She never expected that Mu Zhou would come back safe and sound.
"Bitch, you're lucky."
Concubine Yao walked past the teacups she had smashed, sat down on the chaise longue, closed her eyes for a moment, and then suddenly smiled:
"We'll see."
*
The assassin's case has been investigated thoroughly, and the prince is fine. After the emperor issued an order to appease the people, Zhaoqing Garden resumed its peace and prosperity.
On this day, a troupe of actors was invited to the Western Garden, and all the concubines and ladies with imperial titles gathered together.
A few concubines who were not on good terms with each other were arguing with each other. Some of them were laughing heartily, while others had a grim look on their faces.
At this moment, a little palace maid suddenly said in panic:
"Mother, what's wrong with you?"
The atmosphere suddenly froze for a moment, and everyone looked towards the voice, and it turned out to be the palace maid beside Concubine Yao.
I saw Concubine Yao covering her face, looking extremely painful.
"Call the doctor!"
Someone shouted, and the scene suddenly became chaotic, with many people showing panic expressions on their faces.
You have to know that Concubine Yao is the most favored concubine in the six harems and the person the emperor holds in his heart. If something happens to her here, everyone will definitely not escape the blame.
The imperial physician arrived soon.
While everyone was waiting outside, the emperor finally arrived.
His eyebrows were cold and his face was fierce. The powerful aura of the emperor made people feel terrified. Some people were so frightened that they were trembling and could only stand with the help of maids.
Qin Moyao was sitting at the very top. When his eyes caught sight of the familiar figure in the corner, his expression suddenly darkened.
In the past few days since Mu Zhou returned safely, Qin Moyao has been deliberately avoiding her and not thinking about her.
She was just an interesting palace maid, not worth his attention. It was her achievement that she came back alive. There was nothing to be thankful for.
This is what Qin Moyao told himself.
But he didn't go looking for Mu Zhou, and Mu Zhou didn't appear in front of him.
This made Qin Moyao extremely unhappy, and the fire that he had been suppressing seemed to burn even more fiercely.
Even at this moment, when he looked at Mu Zhou, there was still a hint of anger in his eyes.
Soon, the chief eunuch Su Hai came out from the hall and reported in a low voice:
"Your Majesty, Concubine Yao has been poisoned. The imperial physician examined her diet and found candle flowers in her snacks. Ingestion of these flowers can cause facial disfigurement. Fortunately, she ate very little, so the pain on her face is only temporary and can still be treated."
Su Hai said all in one breath and stood there quietly waiting for instructions.
"Oh?"
Qin Moyao was a little bored.
The harem is nothing more than these methods, boring.
He leaned back lazily in his chair and ordered in a neutral tone:
"Go check."
"Yes, I'll go right away."
After a while, Su Hai came back.
His expression was different, as if he was in some trouble.
Qin Moyao glanced at him:
"explain."
"Yes."
Qin Moyao, who was originally calm, suddenly raised his eyebrows after listening to Su Hai's report, and looked straight in a certain direction with his sharp eyes.
Shu Fei panicked and knelt down instantly:
"Your Majesty, I have been wronged!"
All the palace maids around her knelt down in fear.
Especially Mu Zhou.
Because after Su Hai's investigation, he found out that before the dessert was served, apart from the palace maids in the imperial kitchen, only Mu Zhou had touched it.
Mu Zhou is Shu Fei's maid-in-law. Her every move represents Shu Fei's will, so the spearhead is naturally directed at Shu Fei.
Shu Fei was busy protesting her innocence and did not notice that Qin Moyao's gaze passed over her and fell on Mu Zhou.
Nor did she notice the dangerous glint in his eyes.
At this time, Concubine Yao also came out of the palace with the help of the palace maids. She knelt directly at Qin Moyao's feet:
"Your Majesty, please make the decision for me."
Concubine Yao covered half of her face with a handkerchief, looking weak and pitiful. She looked towards Concubine Shu's position from afar, then looked away:
"Your Majesty, although I was nearly disfigured, I cannot easily wrongly accuse my sister. We must conduct a thorough trial."
Qin Moyao glanced at her playfully and sneered mockingly, "Then do as my beloved concubine requires." He looked at Su Hai and said, "Take that maid away for trial."
Mu Zhou suddenly raised his head and looked at Qin Moyao in panic. After his lips moved, he bit his lower lip tightly and said in a trembling voice:
"I believe that the Emperor will definitely clear the name of this servant and the Empress."
He looked righteous and awe-inspiring.
Qin Moyao chuckled.
He is so stubborn that he doesn't even know how to surrender and beg for mercy.
*
Mu Zhou was not taken to a place specifically for interrogation and punishment of palace servants.
Instead, he was taken to an unused palace.
The nanny who brought her here did not use any force; on the contrary, she was even a little terrified.
Mu Zhou looked around in confusion, and finally sat down on a chair in the corner, waiting anxiously.
Her face was pale and her brows were slightly furrowed.
But in my heart, I was extremely calm.
She knew that Concubine Yao had staged this act herself today just to frame her.
However, she couldn't be framed for nothing.
Concubine Zhuhua Yao was reluctant to show her face and didn't dare to show it for too long, but Mu Zhou was willing to do so.
Concubine Yao cherishes her beautiful face the most. It remains to be seen whether she will regret it after she shoots herself in the foot.
Just as Mu Zhou was lost in thought, the person who had been hiding in the dark and spying on her finally showed up after seeing her becoming more and more panicked.
The door creaked open.
The sudden sound startled Mu Zhou from his chair.
"emperor……"
Her almond-shaped eyes widened slightly, as if she had never expected that the person who came to interrogate her would be the emperor.
She was about to bow and greet in a hurry, but a big hand held her arm to stop her and helped her up.
The hot palm made Mu Zhou's face change, and he obviously stepped back and kept his distance.
The delicate little face turned red and white.
Qin Moyao didn't care about her avoidance.
He stared at Mu Zhou, and after realizing that she was not completely indifferent to his approach, he raised the corners of his lips and smiled quickly. Then he walked to the center of the hall, lifted the hem of his dragon robe and sat down.
He sat upright, looking as if he really wanted to interrogate her seriously.
Mu Zhou twisted his fingers, calmed himself down, and began to defend himself.
She argued with reason and evidence that she would not be the one who poisoned him.
"Your Majesty, I am truly wronged."
Seeing that the emperor remained silent, but just looked at her meaningfully, she wanted to continue explaining.
Qin Moyao raised his hand to signal her not to say anything more.
"I know you are innocent."