The old imperial concubine looked at Consort Wei in disbelief.
Consort Wei hurriedly defended herself, "I didn't, Old Imperial Concubine, I didn't. Believe me, I didn't!"
Consort Wei was on the verge of tears.
In all the scenarios she had imagined, none involved Wang Qingyao dying in her chambers.
At this moment, she felt a pang of resentment towards Bian Siyue.
Why choose this morning to administer the poison?
Yinzhu pointed at Consort Wei, tears streaming down her face as she accused, "It was you! It was you! Our Princess Consort was always healthy, rarely even catching a cold. How could she suddenly die? She was fine this morning, fine at the Old Imperial Concubine's just now, and now she's dead after having tea and snacks at your place? I suspect you, jealous of the Prince's favor towards the Princess Consort, poisoned her tea and snacks!"
"I'm not stupid. Even if I wanted to poison the Princess Consort, why would I do it in the tea and snacks in my own room? The Princess Consort's death has nothing to do with me. If you don't believe me, you can ask a physician to examine these tea and snacks!"
Consort Wei, having calmed down, began to counterattack.
Yinzhu sneered, "Perhaps you're doing the opposite! People's thinking is fixed. The more they think the killer wouldn't act in their own room, the more the killer will exploit that."
"Don't slander me!"
"Pah! You killed our Princess Consort and you dare accuse me of slander? I'll beat you to death, you black-hearted, venomous woman!"
Yinzhu had disliked Consort Wei for a long time and wouldn't let go of this opportunity.
She leaped up from the ground and lunged at Consort Wei like a leopard. Consort Wei was caught off guard and screamed as she was knocked to the ground.
Yinzhu rode on top of Consort Wei, clawing at her head and face.
Consort Wei, unwilling to be beaten, struggled and swung her arms to fight back.
The maids from Linglong Pavilion moved to help Consort Wei, but Zhenzhu drew her sword, "Who dares to move?"
The maids retreated.
Despite being a concubine's daughter, Consort Wei was a young lady raised in a sheltered environment, her maids even wringing her face towels for her. How much strength could she have in her hands?
She was no match for Yinzhu.
Yinzhu, already having the upper hand and being prepared, left Consort Wei with a bruised face and disheveled hair, looking like a madwoman, without even touching a single strand of Yinzhu's hair.
"Help! Help! This is rebellion!"
Consort Wei wailed for a while. The old imperial concubine, lost in grief, regained some clarity. Seeing the chaos in the room, her face darkened, "Stop it, all of you! What kind of behavior is this?"
Yinzhu finally stopped, spat fiercely at Consort Wei, and then rose, acting like a docile lamb, and knelt sorrowfully beside Wang Qingyao's body.
There was no trace of her earlier ferocity.
Consort Wei, supported by her maids, stood up in a disheveled state.
She trembled with anger and pointed at Yinzhu, cursing, "You are insubordinate, I I I..."
After stuttering "I" several times, she burst into tears and knelt by the old imperial concubine's legs, "Old Imperial Concubine, you must give me justice! I truly did not harm the Princess Consort, truly not!"
Her disheveled appearance, injuries on her face, and tearful crying made her appear quite pitiable at first glance.
The old imperial concubine, having lost her grandson's wife, was filled with grief, appearing ten years older in an instant.
Consort Wei's plea of innocence sounded genuine, and the old imperial concubine couldn't immediately discern the truth.
Just as she was about to order someone to summon Xiao Yun from the Ministry of Personnel, someone outside announced, "The Prince is back."
Xiao Yun strode in, carrying someone in his hand, and threw the person to the ground as soon as he entered.
The person yelped in pain. It was Liuxing, the confidante maid Consort Wei had sent to spread the news.
Consort Wei's face turned pale.
Xiao Yun cast a sorrowful glance at Wang Qingyao, then his sharp gaze, like knives, pierced Consort Wei.
"Since Consort Wei did not administer the poison, why did she send her trusted maid to spread the word?"
Consort Wei was speechless. She felt truly wronged. Although she had given the poison to Bian Siyue, she hadn't actually poisoned anyone!
"Your Highness, I truly didn't. I was afraid of being framed, so I asked Liuxing to go back to her family for help..."
"Still trying to quibble!" Xiao Yun roared, "Imperial Physician Lu!"
Following his voice, Imperial Physician Lu slowly rounded from behind the door.
"Your subordinate greets the Old Imperial Concubine, Your Highness, and..."
"Enough with the greetings!" Xiao Yun impatiently interrupted him, pulling him to Wang Qingyao's side. "Take the Princess Consort's pulse and see why she met with this misfortune."
Imperial Physician Lu took Wang Qingyao's pulse and reported, "Reporting to Your Highness, the Princess Consort died of poisoning. As for the specific poison, please forgive this subordinate's incompetence, it cannot be identified at this time!"
Xiao Yun glared furiously at Consort Wei, "Do you have anything else to say?"
Consort Wei sobbed, "The Princess Consort died of poisoning, how can you be so sure it was me who poisoned her?"
"It was you!" Yinzhu interjected, "Your Highness, the Princess Consort died after eating the tea and snacks sent by Consort Wei. Wasn't it her doing?"
"Your Highness," Consort Wei thought quickly, "It truly wasn't me. If Your Highness doesn't believe me, you can have the imperial physician examine the tea and snacks the Princess Consort just ate."
Xiao Yun nodded.
Imperial Physician Lu stepped forward.
He looked at the teacup, which was empty.
He then picked up the teapot and looked at it; it was also empty.
Consort Wei's face turned even paler. How could Wang Qingyao drink so much?
There were a few pastries left. Imperial Physician Lu examined them and declared that the remaining pastries were not poisoned.
Yinzhu chimed in again, "Heh, Consort Wei must have put the poison in the tea. Knowing our Princess Consort loves tea..."
Consort Wei: She didn't know that!
"I knew it! Why was she constantly urging the Princess Consort to drink tea, while not taking a sip herself! So she had such malicious intentions!"
Consort Wei hated Yinzhu.
She was just being polite!
She didn't drink because she wasn't thirsty!
"Your Highness, if I had truly put poison in the tea, even if the Princess Consort drank it all, the imperial physician should still be able to detect it, right?"
Consort Wei looked at Imperial Physician Lu with hopeful eyes.
Imperial Physician Lu coughed lightly, cupping his fist to his mouth, "Well... some colorless and odorless poisons cannot be detected, cough cough."
Consort Wei was utterly despairing, "Your Highness, please believe me, it truly wasn't me."
Xiao Yun's face was cold, "Guards, Consort Wei has murdered the Princess Consort! Tie her up! I will personally avenge the Princess Consort!"
Consort Wei saw murderous intent in Xiao Yun's eyes. She shivered and cried out, "Your Highness, actually, the Princess Consort committed suicide!"