vrcanaries Chapter 400: Found the Water Moon Flower in the Defei Palace (54 votes plus more)
Chapter 400: Found the Water Moon Flower in the Defei Palace (54 votes plus more)
"…Your Majesty, after investigation, the greenhouse has recently cultivated a total of thirty pots of Impatiens."
"Ten of them were sent to the ladies in the harem. The remaining twenty are in the courtyard of Concubine De."
No matter how low the young lady's position was, she was still His Majesty's woman. Without His Majesty's order, the people from the Ministry of Punishment did not dare to enter their residence to investigate, so Su Quanye came to ask for instructions.
Nangong Xuanyu said: "Keep investigating!"
As he said this, he glanced at Concubine De vaguely.
Many people's eyes also fell on Concubine De.
After all, although Nangong Xuanyu did not make it public that Concubine Liang was imprisoned because she was framed by Concubine De, who in the harem is not a shrewd person?
As soon as the confinement in Changchun Palace was lifted, the uncle of Concubine De was exiled to Yazhou. The whole family of the guard who accused Concubine Liang was punished by His Majesty. Didn't they understand?
Concubine De and Concubine Liang have been holding grudges against each other for a long time. Concubine De was worried that Concubine Liang would retaliate against her after she came to power, so it was not impossible for her to strike first.
Defei finally experienced the feeling of a mute eating coptis root.
But everyone just looked at her with suspicion, and no one jumped out and said that she was the murderer. She couldn't defend herself, so she could only look at the inner room worriedly.
"Yes, it is better to find out what is going on. Otherwise, there will be other sisters in the harem who will follow the same fate as Concubine Liang."
"Eunuch Su, you can take the people from the Ministry of Punishment to investigate. All my impatiens are placed in the yard, and the people from Chengqian Palace will definitely cooperate with us!"
Su Quanye bent down and stepped back: "Yes!"
Shen Zhinian had some suspicions before that the poison in Concubine Liang was actually injected by her herself, in order to drag someone into the water.
After all, Xiao Mingzi had said before that Concubine Liang had been trying to win over Xunyou, the palace maid who used to serve Liu Ruyan and was familiar with poisons.
It is not easy to poison yourself with plants that are incompatible with yours.
If this is true, Concubine Liang was too ruthless in her revenge on Concubine De.
After all, the imperial physician just said that if these two toxins were mixed together, it would be life-threatening if one was not careful.
Anyway, this fire can't burn her, Shen Zhinian is not afraid of making trouble, and said with concern: "We have to investigate it thoroughly."
"What if the Impatiens in the palace of Concubine De are mixed with Water Moon Flowers? If one day Concubine De has the leisure time to use it to dye her nails, and accidentally touches the Golden Jade Grass, what should we do?"
For some reason, Concubine De always felt that Concubine Rou's words were a bit sarcastic. But when she looked closely, she saw a genuine smile on her face, as if she really cared about her.
Concubine De also showed an impeccable smile: "Thank you, sister Roufei, for your concern. I believe in the ability of the Ministry of Punishment to handle cases."
What Shen Zhinian understood, she, the person involved, certainly understood as well.
Concubine De is now very suspicious that all this is a self-torture trick by Concubine Liang!
However, the other party had set up this trap without her noticing, catching her off guard. It was too late for Concubine De to react now.
Fortunately, she has already thought of a way to break the impasse.
Although His Majesty may not believe it, as long as I can clear myself of the charges openly...
The low-ranking imperial concubines who had Impatiens planted in their courtyards did not understand all these twists and turns and looked somewhat frightened.
They just love beauty and want to paint their nails prettier, so why are they suspected of murdering Concubine Liang?
I hope the Ministry of Punishment can find out the truth and not let them suffer innocently!
Not long after, Su Quanye came back with the final result: "...Your Majesty, after the imperial physician's examination, there is nothing wrong with the Impatiens in your ladies' palaces."
"In fact... in the palace of Concubine De, among the twenty pots, there is one that is not Impatiens, but Water Moon Flower..."
Those low-ranking palace concubines all breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, everyone's eyes fell on Concubine De.
It really is Concubine De!
She looks gentle and graceful, well-educated, and everything she does is more surprising than the last!
Shen Zhinian covered her mouth with a handkerchief and uttered a soft "Ah", and asked in surprise: "That shouldn't be the case, right?"
"I heard that there was some friction between Concubine De and Concubine Liang. But isn't it normal for concubines in the harem to have some minor frictions? Why would it endanger someone's life?"
"Eunuch Su, is there any misunderstanding?"
Perhaps she had been mentally prepared for this moment, Defei was not surprised at all. Instead, she felt as if her heart had fallen back into her chest.
It turned out that Concubine Liang came for her!
But this Concubine Rou, who seemed to be speaking for her, was actually confirming her guilt everywhere. How hateful!
"Your Majesty, I am wronged..."
"You also know that my face has not fully recovered yet. I have been staying in Chengqian Palace these days. How could I harm Sister Liangfei?"
"Besides, I don't understand poison theory. How do I know that people who have touched the Golden Jade Grass will be poisoned if they smell the fragrance of the Water Moon Flower?"
If it was someone else, the emperor might believe it. But in Nangong Xuanyu's mind, Concubine De had long been known to be a bad person.
He glanced at Concubine De coldly and asked, "Su Quanye, have you found out how Shuiyuehua entered Chengqian Palace?"
Su Quanye said respectfully, "Your Majesty, other people may confuse the water moon flower with the impatiens flower, but the craftsmen in the flower room deal with all kinds of flowers and plants every day, and they can tell the difference even with the slightest difference."
"I have already investigated. The twenty pots of flowers sent to Chengqian Palace are indeed Impatiens. As for why one of them turned into a Water Moon Flower... I'm afraid I have to ask the Empress Defei..."
It might not be easy for the young ladies to get things done outside the palace. If they don't have other skills, they will face many obstacles in doing even the smallest things.
But Concubine De was one of the four concubines, and the Third Prince was the only prince of the emperor so far, so his status was extremely noble!
As long as she wanted, there were many people willing to do things for her. It was not difficult to bring a pot of flowers that looked like Impatiens into the palace without anyone noticing!
Defei also wanted to say that it would be too easy for Liangfei, who was in charge of the six palaces, to transport a pot of water moon flower from outside the palace, and then let the people in the flower room mix it with the marigolds that were to be sent to Chengqian Palace.
But she also knew that she had lost the trust of His Majesty. If she said this without any evidence, His Majesty would only think that she had poisoned Concubine Liang and framed her, which was an even greater crime!
Concubine De lifted her skirt and knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, I really don't know where the Shuiyuehua in Chengqian Palace came from! Please enlighten me, Your Majesty!"
At this time, the palace maid's excited voice came from the inner room: "My queen, are you awake?!"
With Ruoli's help, Concubine Liang stood up and walked out slowly. Her pale face made people feel pity.