The words sent a chill through the sleeping chambers, and all eyes turned towards the Empress. She remained unfazed, her expression calm, while Mu Qingzhu, struck with terror, immediately fell to her knees.
"Qingzhu didn't, Qingzhu didn't! Your Majesty, please investigate, please investigate."
Mu Qingyao, though aware of Mu Qingzhu's nature, knew that while her sister could be arrogant and overbearing, she lacked the true ruthlessness. If she possessed such qualities, she wouldn't have been so easily provoked by the former Mu Qingyao. However, with the Empress Dowager's accusation, Mu Qingzhu found herself unable to defend herself, her face draining of all color. She understood this, hence her panic.
"How could Mother Consort believe Qingzhu poisoned her? Does she harbor some deep hatred towards Mother Consort?"
Mu Qingyao spoke slowly, her demeanor calm and composed, neither showing anger nor distress. She inquired of the Empress Dowager. Even the Empress Dowager couldn't help but admire the woman before her. At such a moment, she remained so composed, especially when the accused was her own elder sister. Was she truly cold-hearted, or was there something more to it?
The Empress Dowager's gaze was dark and inscrutable. Princess Ru Yin, upon hearing Mu Qingyao's words, spoke with palpable anger.
"Empress, Mother Consort is poisoned. You should immediately arrest her, interrogate her severely, and make her confess why she poisoned Mother Consort, and if anyone was behind her."
Princess Ru Yin's words caused many in the chambers to gasp. What did the princess mean by her statement? The intelligent ones understood the implication: she was suggesting the Empress instigated her sister to poison the Empress Dowager. This seemed unlikely, as the Empress was known to be intelligent and would not commit such a foolish act. However, with the two major powers in the palace clashing, others were happy to watch the spectacle. Chu Yuyan and Ximen Xinyue, observing from the side, showed a glint of amusement in their eyes, their expressions indicating keen interest as they remained silent.
The Emperor maintained his silence, his handsome face devoid of any expression, his dark eyes sharp and penetrating. His silence was the greatest assistance to Mu Qingyao. With the Emperor not speaking, the Empress held the highest authority here and thus had the power to handle any matter.
The Empress Dowager and Princess Ru Yin watched the Emperor's action, fueling their resentment. They had forgotten that the Emperor had always only protected the Empress and never believed them. Thus, their current scheme was likely to fail. With this thought, their faces contorted with displeasure as they glared fiercely at Mu Qingyao, refusing to believe she had any solution to their predicament.
The current situation was indeed difficult to resolve, but Mu Qingyao refused to believe that the Empress Dowager had calculated every step.
"Princess, your words are quite thoughtless. To arrest someone based solely on the Empress Dowager's word? Moreover, she does not admit to poisoning anyone. Does Your Majesty currently have any physical or testimonial evidence?"
Upon hearing Mu Qingyao's words, a flicker of triumph crossed the Empress Dowager's still-lovely face. Fortunately, she had made preparations. However, she remained silent. Mu Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the Empress Dowager had no witnesses or evidence, she could not convict Mu Qingzhu. But why were these two women present in the Empress Dowager's palace?
Mu Qingyao cast a sidelong glance. Mu Qingzhu's face was ashen, while Mu Qingxiang appeared dazed and foolish. It seemed their visit to the palace had been a harsh lesson. But why was Mu Qingxiang's expression so unusual? The sleeping chambers were deathly quiet. Everyone looked towards the Empress Dowager, observing her inaction. It was clear she had no evidence. Without evidence, Mu Qingzhu could not be found guilty.
Consort Chu Yuyan and Ximen Xinyue felt a touch of disappointment. They had hoped for more entertainment and had not expected it to conclude so quickly. Was the Empress Dowager truly so incompetent? However, the matter was far from over.
Bao Zheng, the maidservant who had been kneeling behind Mu Qingzhu, suddenly stepped forward two paces. Her clear voice rang out, "Reporting to His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, it was the eldest miss who poisoned Mother Consort. This servant saw it with my own eyes."
Her words struck the audience like a thunderclap, creating a massive uproar. Bao Zheng was a maidservant from the Mu mansion, and now she was coming forward to accuse her own mistress. It was evident she had been bribed by the Empress Dowager. Many people looked down on this maidservant, but the situation had suddenly shifted. It was likely that even the Empress would find it difficult to extricate herself.
Mu Qingzhu was stunned, unable to react for a long time. Bao Zheng was her maidservant, having served her for over ten years, and now she was accusing her own mistress of poisoning. More importantly, she hadn't poisoned anyone! Mu Qingyao's face turned cold, her eyes glacial. She had always found Bao Zheng to be opportunistic, and now, after entering the palace, she had become even worse, even harming her own mistress. Her testimony left Mu Qingzhu speechless. After all, Bao Zheng was her personal maidservant.
"Bao Zheng, why?" Mu Qingzhu murmured, her eyes fixed on her maidservant, unable to utter another word. Mu Qingzhu was framed by Bao Zheng, and even if she were to jump into the Yellow River, she could not clear her name. Was this her day of reckoning? It was laughable and pathetic. Mu Qingzhu let out a bitter laugh. She realized that her own actions had led to this retribution.
In despair, Mu Qingzhu spoke, "Bao Zheng, one should accumulate virtue. You will face retribution for doing this."
"Miss, what are you saying? Bao Zheng is merely speaking the truth. This servant could not bear to see Mother Consort suffer, so I am telling you. Miss, you asked me to bring the poison in earlier. There is still some left in the Chuxiu Palace."
In the chambers, Ru Yin's lips curled into a sneer. She spoke with chilling resolve, "Come, immediately take people to the Chuxiu Palace to search for the evidence. Now that there are both witness and evidence, Mu Qingzhu, what else do you have to say?"
Mu Qingzhu dazedly looked back at the princess's ferocious face in the bright light, saying nothing. What else could she say? Tears streamed down her face. Her father had not approved of their coming to the palace this time. Before they left, he had warned them to be careful of everything, especially the Empress Dowager. If they had second thoughts, they should leave the palace immediately. But now, it was too late to say anything.
At the princess's command, Eunuch Li of Guangyang Palace immediately led several young eunuchs towards the Chuxiu Palace. Since Bao Zheng claimed there was evidence in the Chuxiu Palace, the trap had been set long ago.
The Empress Dowager now wore an expression of profound sorrow, as if deeply pained. Her gentle gaze fell upon Mu Qingzhu. "Mu Qingzhu, what deep hatred do I hold against you that you would poison me? Or were you threatened into doing this?"
Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's firm words, Mu Qingyao smiled. This stratagem of killing three birds with one stone was truly clever. It turned out the ultimate source was her. Her words now clearly carried a hidden meaning. If Mu Qingzhu could reveal the mastermind behind this, she could escape unscathed. Was that the implication?
Everyone in the hall looked at Mu Qingzhu, some with meaningful glances, some with amusement, and others with an inscrutable expression. In essence, Mu Qingzhu's words at this moment could determine the Empress's fate. In this critical juncture, everyone had reason to believe that Mu Qingzhu would choose the winning side and would not sacrifice her life for the Empress. Moreover, they had heard earlier that their relationship was not good, making it truly difficult for the Empress to escape this predicament.