Wen Yi's small and soft body couldn't bear it, and she almost suffocated and trembled. She choked and cried, and her little face turned blue from holding back.

Cao Qinmo, who loved her daughter at the side, couldn't help it any longer and burst into tears. She snatched the baby from the wet nurse's hands, held it upright, put her cheek against Wen Yi's face, and patted her back gently with gestures.

Seeing this, Concubine Hua pinched the soft flesh of her waist and burst into tears from the pain. She endured the pain and reached out to hug Wen Yi in front of everyone.

Cao Qinmo, who had just hugged his daughter, was stunned for a moment, but did not let go immediately. Instead, he glanced at An Lingrong, who was watching, and the corners of his eyes turned red.

Concubine Hua was afraid that she would offend Concubine Cao and the scene would not go on, so she let go and stood back in her seat.

For a moment, everyone except the attentive An Lingrong winked at Baojuan, who took the order and went out to look for the person.

The rest of the people were in chaos, and it could be said that they were on their backs.

When the emperor heard his daughter crying, he was immediately furious. He took two steps forward and pointed at the imperial doctor: "What's going on? After three days of treatment, it's not getting better. Wen Yi's illness is even worse!"

Seeing Long Yan's anger, the imperial doctor was so frightened that he hurriedly knelt on the ground.

I saw him kowtow and said: "Wei, Weichen really doesn't know. Logically speaking, babies usually spit up milk within one or two months after birth. It is caused by the narrow pylorus. Now the princess is one year old..."

After talking for a long time, he couldn't speak. He could only wipe the sweat on his forehead with his sleeve, and he looked so trembling that it was pitiful.

The emperor shouted angrily: "Trash! Useless thing! It can't even cure a child's vomiting."

The queen wished Wen Yi was gone, but she was the queen after all and needed to appease the emperor.

So, the Queen quickly tried to comfort her: "Your Majesty, please don't be angry, otherwise it will hurt your body and cause harm. Let the imperial doctor examine it carefully."

The imperial doctor kowtowed and said yes.

After thinking for a moment, the imperial doctor said: "Weichen has repeatedly thought that it may be caused by a bad gastrointestinal problem. He thinks it is due to taking something that hurts the stomach. Weichen wants to check what the princess has eaten since the day when the princess vomited milk seriously."

The emperor said without hesitation: "Okay."

The baby's food was laid out one by one on the long rosewood table. The imperial doctor checked each item and found nothing unusual, his face getting darker and darker.

If there is no problem with the food, it can only mean that his medical skills are not good, and it may not be as simple as just leaving the hospital.

Everyone stood behind the Queen, and could not help but whisper for a while.

Until the imperial doctor picked up the half-eaten water chestnut soup that Wen Yi had just eaten and took a closer look. Suddenly, a look of joy appeared on his brown face.

The imperial doctor immediately became solemn and immediately knelt down and said, "Wei Chen feels that there is something wrong with this soup. To be cautious, I would like to ask the emperor's father-in-law to come and taste the food in the imperial dining room to make a diagnosis together."

The emperor's face darkened when he heard these words, and he frowned and said, "Go and tell Zhang Youlu from the imperial kitchen to come."

Zhang Youlu arrived in a moment, rinsed his mouth with water, tested it with a silver needle to see if it was poisonous, and then took a sip with a spoon and tasted it slowly.

He frowned slightly, took another spoonful, tasted it, and replied: "This horseshoe soup is not poisonous, but it is not made only with water chestnut flour, it is mixed with tapioca flour."

The emperor frowned and said, "Tapioca flour, what is that?"

The imperial doctor replied from the side: "Cassava is also called cassava, tree sweet potato, and cassava. It belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family, and cassava is the scientific name."

"It is a specialty product of Nanyang tribute. Our country does not produce it. Cassava can be ground into powder to make snacks, but the roots and leaves are poisonous and must be handled with care."

The queen was shocked and said: "You mean someone poisoned you?"

The imperial doctor shook his head and said: "Tapioca flour is generally non-toxic, but babies have delicate stomachs. Eating cassava flour will irritate the stomach and cause vomiting or spitting up milk. In the long run, they will become weak and die."

Then, he added: "Tapioca flour and water chestnut flour are similar in color and shape, and it is not easy to detect them when mixed together."

The concubines who had just eaten the water chestnut soup were immediately panicked and felt like vomiting, and several of them sobbed uncontrollably and burst into tears.

The imperial doctor hurriedly said: "My dear mistresses, please don't panic. I dare to conclude that this tapioca flour is non-toxic, and the dosage will only irritate the baby's stomach and intestines, and will not have any effect on my mistress."

People are relieved.

The emperor's face was livid, "How does the imperial kitchen do things, and even this can be wrong?"

Zhang Youlu kowtowed and did not dare to speak. Concubine Hua said: "The imperial kitchen is good at this and will never make a mistake. It seems that someone did it deliberately."

The emperor was furious: "You are so vicious, are you going to kill my little girl?"

Everyone looked at each other in shock, and no one dared to say anything for a while.

Cao Qin couldn't help but shed tears and said with sincerity: "I have no virtue. If I am punished for being immoral, please ask God to show mercy and let Wen Yi go. As his mother, I am willing to accept any punishment from heaven."

Concubine Hua sneered, pulled her up and said, "What's the use of praying to God, I'm afraid someone is causing trouble and deliberately trying to make things difficult for you and your daughter!"

After Concubine Hua finished speaking, she knelt down and said to the Emperor: "Please, Your Majesty, have mercy on Cao Qinmo and her daughter, and investigate this matter thoroughly so that the palace can be cleaned up."

The emperor's eyes flashed coldly and he said: "Check! Investigate thoroughly immediately!"

As soon as this statement comes out, who else dares to do things without asking for help?

It was quickly discovered that the consumption of water chestnut soup began on the night Wen Yi suffered from severe vomiting, which was the day of the night banquet.

Wen Yi has been taking this soup for the past few days, which shows that the problem is indeed caused by the tapioca flour mixed in the soup.

When the supervisor of the imperial kitchen and the internal supervisor finished checking the concubines who had received tapioca flour, their faces became pale and embarrassed, and their words were hesitant.

After being pressed by the emperor and empress, they finally said: "Only Xinbin and Chun Changzai sent people to pick up the tapioca flour four days ago and said they would make pearl dumplings. There is no one else."

Everyone's eyes immediately fell on Xin Bin who was eating melon, and there was silence all around.

Xin Bin suddenly felt a loud sound in her ears and raised her head in shock, knowing that something was wrong.

She just had a clear conscience and didn't pay attention to others. She just stood in accordance with the etiquette and said: "Four days ago, I asked the palace maid to get it because I wanted to eat water chestnut cake. When the palace maid came back, she did bring tapioca flour to make pearls for my concubine. Mariko.”

"Then I dare to ask Xin Bin, is the cassava flour still there?"

Xin Bin did not hesitate and said calmly: "I must not have used it up yet."

The emperor asked: "Only someone in the palace received it, no one else?"

The inner warden hesitated and did not answer.

Seeing this, An Lingrong took the initiative to speak out, stood in front of Xin's concubine, and said to Cao Qinmo, who was in a daze, "I also received it and used it to make cow's milk."

The emperor's eyes swept across An Lingrong's face intentionally or unintentionally, and said calmly: "Since both An and Xin have received it, it cannot prove that they did it."

As soon as the emperor finished speaking, one of the maids suddenly knelt down and said, "That night at the banquet, Concubine An went out alone. I saw that the young master seemed to be heading towards Yanyuzhai."

The emperor suddenly raised his eyes and said to the maid: "Did you see it with your own eyes?"

The palace maid said respectfully: "Yes, I have seen it with my own eyes, and it is absolutely true." Jinxi knelt down and said: "Back to the emperor, the empress is alone, without anyone else."

The spearhead is pointed directly at An Lingrong, and it seems conclusive that she dropped the cassava flour into the water chestnut powder to harm Wen Yi.

Meizhuang could not let An Lingrong be framed, and said in surprise: "If this soup is really mixed with tapioca flour, and Lingrong also ate it just now, I'm afraid there is some misunderstanding in it, right?"

The noble Fu Cha said disdainfully: "Didn't the imperial doctor just say that eating something like this won't kill a person? If she doesn't eat it... hmph!"

Concubine Hua looked at An Lingrong coldly and said, "Why don't you kneel down?"

Cao Qinmo walked up to me and cried: "Sister may have behaved inappropriately and unintentionally offended Concubine An, but please don't embarrass my Wen Yi, she is still an infant."

With that said, Cao Qinmo was about to kneel to An Lingrong.

An Lingrong grabbed her and said: "Sister Cao, why do you say that? I have never felt that my sister has offended me in any way, so how can I hold grudges and say that I have sinned?"

An Ling paused for a moment and then asked, "Does it mean that my sister thinks that she has done something to be sorry for her, but my sister doesn't think so?"

Cao Qinmo was speechless for a moment and just held An Lingrong's sleeves and cried incessantly.

The queen said: "Cao Qinmo, what are you doing? We haven't found out yet. How is it appropriate to cry like this?"

Concubine Hua spoke up: "I think it's not that I haven't investigated clearly, but it's very clear. I'm afraid the Queen is deliberately protecting Concubine An by saying this?"

The queen was not angry when Concubine Hua spoke rudely like this. She only said slowly: "Concubine Hua, are you following the etiquette that you should have when speaking to me? Or do you just ignore me because of your position as a concubine?"

Concubine Hua's face didn't look good either, and she said stubbornly: "I don't mean to offend, I just feel pity for the princess's suffering and feel sorry for Cao Qinmo."

With that said, she said to the emperor: "Please let the emperor make the decision."

The emperor said: "Even if you care about Wen Yi, you must respect the queen. After all, she is the master of the harem."

After speaking, the emperor paused, looked at An Lingrong, and said, "Whatever you want to say, just say it."

An Lingrong said calmly: "I have not done such a thing, and I will not do such a thing."

"So, did you go out to Yanyuzhai alone that night?"

"No concubine."

Concubine Hua said indifferently: "That day there was a night banquet in the palace. Most of the palace ladies and eunuchs in the Misty Rain Palace were waiting outside the Fuli Hall. The remaining servants were also taking a break to drink and take a nap. I don't think anyone would notice whether you entered the Misty Rain Palace."

"But in the palace, apart from the imperial dining room, you and Concubine Xin are the only ones who have cassava flour, and a palace maid saw you going to Yanyuzhai. After you went, Princess Wen Yi started to have seizures. I'm afraid it can't be a coincidence." Let's just pass it by."

An Lingrong ignored her and said: "Without any supporting evidence, just using the palace maids to accuse the harem concubines, is Concubine Hua being a bit arbitrary?"

Concubine Hua said coldly: "At this point, it's useless to make excuses."

An Lingrong smiled and said: "Concubine Hua insists on blaming the concubine and I have nothing to say, but the concubine is definitely not such a snake-hearted person."

The emperor said: "Since you said no, then after you left the banquet that night, did you meet anyone who can prove that you did not enter Yanyuzhai, which can also prove that you have nothing to do with this matter."

An Lingrong counted the time, then smiled at Concubine Hua's party and said word by word: "Yes."

Concubine Hua and Cao Qinmo changed their expressions, and said in unison: "But your palace servant?"

The emperor and queen also stared at An Lingrong, waiting for An Lingrong's reply.

An Lingrong shook her head and replied with a smile: "Of course I'm not a servant in the palace, but..."

Before An Lingrong finished speaking, a frail female voice came up from behind An Lingrong: "That night, Concubine An was with me."

Concubine Hua was startled when she heard this, and instinctively turned her head to see Concubine Duan, who was being supported by the maids on the left and right, standing outside the Shende Hall.

Cao Qinmo was also slightly confused and couldn't turn around in a hurry.

Concubine Duan came in slowly, tremblingly about to salute the emperor.

Seeing this, the emperor hurriedly said: "Didn't I tell you earlier that you would be exempt from courtesy?"

Fu showed a surprised look and said, "Why did you come out? Didn't the imperial doctor tell you not to go out in the heat?"

While she was talking, a sensible maid moved a rosewood chair to invite her to sit down.

Concubine Duan said: "I just came here not long ago. I saw something big happened in the hall, so I stopped for a while and didn't dare to come in."

The queen sighed and said: "Concubine Duan, is it better that I haven't seen you for a while?"

Concubine Duan sat in front of the emperor and empress, bowed and said respectfully: "I should have come to pay my respects to the emperor and empress every day, but I am so weak that I feel ashamed."

"I heard that Princess Wen Yi was unwell early this morning. I was worried, so I rushed to have a look."

After a pause, Concubine Duan smiled again and said to the emperor: "Fortunately, I am here, otherwise I am afraid that Dou E's injustice will be blamed in Shende Hall."

The emperor said: "Concubine Duan just said that she was with Concubine An that night. Is it true?"

Concubine Duan smiled faintly and said eloquently: "Ye Chen's concubine saw An Bin coming out of Fuli Palace alone from a distance and seemed to be drunk. She was worried for a while and went to visit with her maid. They had a very happy conversation and chatted for a while. It was definitely not the case. I went to the princess’s kitchen as my servant said.”

Her smile was like a pale cloud, and she turned to the maid beside her and said, "As you wish."

The palace maid named Ruyi knelt down and said, "Yes. That night, the empress and An Bin were talking about the Queen Mother's Buddhist affairs, and they got along very well. Later, An Bin said that it was getting late, so she hurried back to Fuli Palace."

The queen said with a smile: "In this case, Princess Wen Yi's affairs have nothing to do with An Bin."

Concubine Hua turned her eyes sweetly, looked at Concubine Duan and said, "It's such a coincidence that Sister Duan Concubine has come, it's like a timely rain."

He said with a faint smile, his eyebrows slightly raised, and his eyes filled with fire.

"I heard that my sister has been unwell and is recuperating in the palace. Why was she in such a good mood that night that she went out at night despite the imperial doctor's advice?"

Concubine Duan looked slightly shy and said calmly: "It is true that people who are chronically ill should not go out. But being in the palace for a long time is also very boring. I heard that there was a banquet in the palace that night, so I thought I would not disturb others, so I brought the palace maid with me. Come out and relax.”

After finishing speaking, Concubine Duan looked at An Lingrong with a gentle smile, "I yearn for Concubine An's healthy figure and want to witness the prayer dance with my own eyes."

"Your Majesty, only those with pure minds can dance well in the God-praying Dance. If An Bi really framed Princess Wen Yi as the servant said, how could the dance dedicated to the gods of the nine heavens be performed so well? "

An Lingrong knew that what she told Baojuan to bring had an effect. Concubine Duan helped her just like she helped Zhen Huan, and then smiled at everyone without saying a word.

"Oh?"

Concubine Hua's eyes were slightly narrowed, and her long eyelashes cast a pair of crow-green arcs on the snow-white powder. The gold beads on her eyelashes seemed to be overwhelmed, densely flashing with numerous rays of light, which made her feel dazzling and distinct, and extremely luxurious.

She said: "Then what's the explanation for Concubine Xin?"


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