The Virtuous Concubine

Kangxi's face darkened, and he turned to look at Malu: "What's going on?"

Malu was also shocked. She knelt down hurriedly, her voice trembling: "Your Majesty, I really didn't know anything. Xiaofeng... How could she do such a thing... Your Majesty came here suddenly today. This... Is this targeting me and my dragon fetus?"

Xiaofeng cried and said intermittently: "Your Majesty... I was forced... Someone threatened me, saying that if I didn't do this, my whole family would be killed... Your Majesty, I really don't want to do this..."

Kangxi said in a deep voice: "If you confess the truth, I can spare the lives of your family members."

Xiaofeng sobbed and hesitated for a moment, but finally mustered up the courage to tell Kangxi the whole story.

A strange-looking maid brought her father, mother and brother's personal belongings and five hundred taels of silver notes, and told her to first use the opportunity of taking care of flowers and plants to let Concubine Wu Ya grow the poisonous Dieffenbachia.

The whole plant of this variegated ivy is poisonous. When the juice comes into contact with the skin, it will cause severe itching and redness and swelling. If you eat a piece of it, your throat will be extremely painful, which can lead to vocal cord paralysis, swelling of the mouth and tongue, and even suffocation.

What's more, the most vicious thing about this poison is that if you ingest too much, it will stimulate saliva production. And because it will cause swelling of the mouth and tongue, people will be choked to death by their own saliva!

After hearing this, Kangxi and Malu looked at each other and felt a chill all over their bodies. If Malu ate even a little bit, it would definitely end in one death and two lives. If Kangxi ate it... then no one alive would leave Yonghe Palace.

Every day, a nanny would come to teach her what to do, how to talk, and how to plant flowers. Soon she was assigned to the Yonghe Palace, tending to flowers and plants every day, waiting for Malu to take the bait.

Even the Suguan Lotus was brought in by the mastermind behind the plot. After all, most people would still prefer the precious orchid, and there was nothing wrong with the orchid.

If someone is interested, they will go to check and will most likely focus on orchids.

Today's tea and dishes are made with the juice and leaves of Dieffenbachia, which are extremely toxic. Even though Xiaofeng had taken the antidote in advance, the abnormal redness, swelling and scratches on her hands were still shocking.

Kangxi lost his patience when he heard this. He asked directly, "Who is that nanny? Who ordered you to do that?"

Xiaofeng hesitated to speak, and after organizing her words, she said, "I don't know who the nanny who threatened me is, but one time when she came to see me, I secretly looked at her hands and body, and there seemed to be traces of rice noodles."

Kangxi felt that he was fooled: "Rice noodles? Do you mean this nanny is from the imperial kitchen?"

He thought it was impossible! Wuya Ecan was Malu's grandfather! Could someone in his imperial kitchen harm his granddaughter? Was Xiaofeng deceived, or was Xiaofeng deceiving himself?

Everyone present thought it was impossible, except Bai Fu, who seemed to have suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "This servant... this servant also knows if there is anyone in the harem whose maid might have rice noodles..."

Seeing Kangxi looking at her, Bai Fu did not dare to keep it a secret and knelt down: "Your Majesty, please understand. Although the six palaces know about this, we are the only ones who kept it secret for the sake of our master's health and mood..."

As he spoke, Bai Xia also knelt down and kowtowed to Malu, and then Bai Fu explained the whole story.

It was well known in the palace that the one who used rice powder the most was Concubine An. Because of the friendship between Dachun and Malu, Concubine An often abused Dachun. Later, she even made Dachun use rice powder and charcoal pencils to imitate Malu's dress as a palace maid and walk around the six palaces to mock Concubine Wuya.

Because Empress Nianhulu was exempted from paying respects, and the servants in Yonghe Palace did not want to upset their master, the matter was kept secret.

After hearing this, Malu burst into tears: "You are so confused! Dachun——"

As she was about to leave, Kangxi quickly hugged her and comforted her softly, "Don't worry, let me handle this matter."

Kangxi immediately ordered, "Pass the order down and summon Concubine An and others immediately."

Wei Zhu led his men to Anpin's palace and split them into two groups. One group searched for evidence, while the other group took Anpin, Dachun, and Anpin's servants to Yonghe Palace for interrogation.

Soon, Concubine An was brought to the front of the palace. She saw the angry Kangxi, the tearful Malu, and Xiaofeng lying on the ground beside her, and she was secretly panicked. However, she still pretended to be innocent and bowed generously.

Kangxi looked at her coldly and asked, "Princess An, do you admit your guilt?"

Concubine An was slightly startled, then she said loudly: "Your Majesty, I don't know what crime I have committed. Please tell me clearly! If Your Majesty believed what I said, please investigate clearly——"

Kangxi sneered: "Do you think I don't know what you did? Beating Dachun, forcing her to imitate Malu, even using rice powder and charcoal to humiliate Concubine Wuya, and poisoning Concubine Wuya, and even nearly poisoning me to death, do you still dare to quibble about these things?"

Anpin's face turned pale instantly. She didn't know that this incident would affect Kangxi! This was a serious crime that would punish all nine generations of her clan. It was something she couldn't bear, nor could Li Shi bear it!

She stopped quibbling and said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, I know my crime. I was just jealous and resentful at the moment, so I made such a big mistake. I didn't mean to hurt Your Majesty. Please spare my life!"

Seeing Anpin's appearance, Malu could not suppress the anger in his heart, and could not help but step forward and question: "Anpin, do you know how much Dachun has suffered? Do you know that your behavior almost hurt the emperor's dragon body and endangered the safety of the Qing Dynasty?!"

Concubine An lowered her head and said nothing, no longer able to defend herself.

Kangxi watched this scene and was filled with anger and disappointment when he saw that Concubine An admitted it before Liang Jiugong finished searching.

He said in a deep voice: "Princess An, I will not let you off easily. From today on, your title will be revoked, and you will be demoted to a commoner. You will never be allowed to set foot in the palace again."

When Concubine An heard the verdict, she collapsed to the ground and burst into tears. Kangxi waved his hand and signaled the guards to take her away.

Unexpectedly, Liang Jiugong came to report that people around Li Shuren had confessed that Zhang Changzai's arsenic and the idea of ​​poisoning himself and framing Concubine Uya were also Concubine An's ideas.

Because this trick failed, Concubine An became even more disgusted with Concubine Wuya, thinking that she was cunning and treacherous, which led to the subsequent situation with the Dieffenbachia.

Malu was so angry that she laughed when she heard this. Her concubine An had poisoned someone and framed her in an attempt to kill two people, but it was unintentional. She was jealous because she loved Kangxi too much.

I just discovered her trap in time. I am just cunning and treacherous, right?

After hearing what was said before and after, Kangxi was furious. He regretted it!

He felt that being demoted to a commoner was too light a punishment. But a gentleman's word was as good as gold, and he couldn't go back on his word. He also had to consider the military power of the Li family, so he could only send this bitch off afterwards.