amaotonovel Chapter 112 Testifying
Chapter 112 Testifying
Lan Qingwu pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly, "I have been confined and isolated in Snow Song Pavilion. Its gates have been locked and never opened. I wonder who saw Your Majesty go to Snow Song Pavilion, and how Your Majesty entered? Or did anyone witness Your Majesty and me together? Can Qiulan prove all this?"
Concubine Chen smiled and said, "Does Concubine Yi mean you don't admit it?"
Lan Qingwu's mind turned slightly. This matter must not be admitted. Otherwise, not only would he be implicated, but His Majesty would also be criticized. As the emperor, he ignored his own safety and went to visit the concubines who were imprisoned due to the plague. How would the civil and military officials and the people of the world view and discuss the Emperor Shenwu?
Lan Qingwu said solemnly, "I have not seen Your Majesty during my imprisonment in Yinxue Pavilion. If the three ladies have any evidence, please feel free to bring it forward."
Concubine Jiang also didn't believe it. Was it possible that Emperor Shenwu would do such a thing for a concubine? She was more inclined to believe that this was just another case of strife and conspiracy within the harem.
Concubine Wan's eyes moved around, and she looked like she was enjoying the show. Concubine Chen had a faint smile on her lips, and she always looked gentle and quiet.
Concubine Jiang glanced slowly at the other concubines and said, "Go and call in Lady Ye."
The senior palace maid behind Concubine Jiang took the order and left.
In a moment, Lady Ye walked lightly into the main hall of the Cining Palace, followed by a young eunuch who looked unfamiliar to her.
After Concubine Ye bowed to everyone in turn, she didn't look up, but bowed her head and said softly, "I didn't see Your Majesty enter the Yinxue Pavilion with my own eyes. At that time, all the palaces were under lockdown, and I and others couldn't leave the palace. It was Shuangbao, the eunuch in the flower room, who saw it with my own eyes. I overheard Shuangbao mention it when he was delivering flowers to my palace. I later asked Qiulan, and it was indeed true. I don't know anything else."
The young eunuch Shuangbao, kneeling on the ground, kowtowed hurriedly: "Empress Dowager, ladies of the palace, this is it. I witnessed Your Majesty enter the Yinxue Pavilion with my own eyes. This servant is absolutely not lying!"
Lan Qingwu's gaze gently turned to Qiulan, who was still kneeling in the hall.
Empress Dowager Li frowned even more fiercely as she watched the scene in the palace. If this was truly the case, then the Emperor was truly outrageous, disregarding his own safety! And Concubine Yi hadn't even bothered to dissuade him. If something truly happened, wouldn't the Great Sheng Dynasty be doomed to collapse?
However, Empress Dowager Li still had a faint doubt in her heart. Would the emperor, who was always cold and heartless, do such a thing? Then Yipin was really different to the emperor. Therefore, the punishment for Yipin could not be too severe. The emperor finally had someone who was slightly favored. But if the punishment was too light, what would happen if such a thing happened again in the future?
Concubine Wan was about to speak when a voice suddenly came from outside: "Your Majesty has arrived!"
Emperor Shenwu, dressed in a black dragon robe, strode into the main hall of the Cining Palace.
Several people in the hall quickly gathered their clothes and stood up to pay their respects. Empress Dowager Li looked puzzled: "Emperor, why are you here at this time?"
Emperor Shenwu sat on the left side of Empress Dowager Li. "There are constant disturbances in the harem, which have implicated Mother and disturbed her peace and tranquility."
The three concubines were kneeling in the hall, and their hearts skipped a beat when they heard the words.
Empress Dowager Li shook her head slightly. "It's just that the Third Consort came to pay her respects to me. I just happened to encounter this matter. The Emperor would like to hear what this palace maid has to say."
Emperor Shenwu continued, "Everyone, get up! I heard it's related to me!"
Emperor Shenwu had a blank expression on his face. His fingers lightly brushed across his wide sleeves, and his voice carried an inexplicable pressure: "Speak."
The concubines sat in their seats one by one. Everyone's eyes were suddenly focused on Qiulan.
Qiulan, who had been kneeling on the ground, finally raised her head, her eyes clear and firm. "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and all the ladies and gentlemen, what I am about to say is absolutely true. My name is Qiulan, and I am a maid serving in the Qianzheng Palace. Some time ago, the palace was investigating the plague. Because two senior maids from the Suowu Palace were sent outside the palace for treatment, I was transferred to Yinxue Pavilion to serve Concubine Yi. During this time—I have never seen Your Majesty! Your Majesty did not visit Concubine Yi at Yinxue Pavilion!"
Lady Ye, who was still kneeling, became agitated upon hearing this: "You...you, a servant, why have you changed your words? You didn't say that yesterday!"
The eunuch Shuangbao behind Lady Ye kept kowtowing: "I didn't lie! I didn't lie...I really saw it..."
A hint of boredom flashed in Wan Fei's eyes, but Chen Fei's expression changed slightly.
Qiulan continued, "Yesterday, Lady Ye threatened me with my family. I had no choice but to agree to come to the Cining Palace to testify. However, I didn't intend to lie. Now I tell the truth. I only hope Lady Ye can let my family go. I am willing to exchange my life for it!"
When Lan Qingwu heard this, she felt something was wrong. She stood up in a hurry, but in her panic she only had time to call out the two words "Qiulan".
Qiulan had quickly pulled out the hairpin on her head and pointed it at her throat. An inconspicuous eunuch in the hall moved as fast as lightning, flashed to Qiulan's side and knocked the hairpin out of her hand. A shallow bloody mark was left on Qiulan's neck, and Qiulan was also brought to the ground.
Qiulan's action was so quick and sudden that before anyone in the hall could react, everything was over.
Empress Dowager Li's expression became even uglier as there were endless struggles and conspiracies in the harem.
The three concubines also looked unhappy.
Emperor Shenwu's face was as gloomy as water. "Li Xiang, send someone to Qiulan's house. I want to see who dares to kill someone in broad daylight in this imperial city under the feet of the sky!"
The emperor cast a cold gaze at the pale, dull-eyed Concubine Ye, and said with disgust, "Drag this little eunuch out and give him fifty lashes, Concubine Ye..."
Concubine Ye suddenly came to her senses and hurriedly kowtowed, begging for mercy: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was this little eunuch who deceived me. I only told the Empress Dowager and the three concubines for your sake... Please forgive me for my kindness to you!"
Emperor Shenwu's voice was icy cold: "Is it for me? Or are you framing the concubines in the palace and eliminating dissidents in the name of doing good for me? Concubine Ye, you have framed the concubines and even accused me of being disloyal, unrighteous, and unfilial. I will strip you of your title, demote you to a commoner, and banish you to the cold palace!"
Concubine Ye shook her head frantically in disbelief: "No... no... Your Majesty, you can't do this to me. Shuangbao didn't lie, he didn't lie, he swore that what he said was true..."
That little eunuch Shuangbao had already been gagged and dragged away by the palace servants?
Empress Dowager Li looked at Concubine Ye's crazy appearance and became even more impatient: "Why don't you drag Concubine Ye away quickly!"
A palace servant walked into the main hall and dragged Ye Shuren out of the main hall of Cining Palace with great force.