The daughter of the emperor is beautiful and holds the power over the world

Si Yan looked at the woman who took the initiative to stand up and asked softly, "What's your name?"

The woman spoke respectfully, "My name is Mo'er."

Si Yan looked at the woman's pretty face and asked, "Which palace do you usually serve in?"

Mo'er said respectfully, "I usually serve in the Taiji Hall, mainly responsible for sweeping and cleaning. Today, I will be in charge of checking on the ministers at the palace banquet."

Si Yan's expression was cold and gloomy. "Have you been in the Tai Chi Hall the entire day? Including when everyone moved to the training ground?"

Moer nodded: "Yes, I have been serving here the entire time and have never left."

Today is the New Year's Eve palace banquet. The Imperial Concubine ordered some people to be dispatched from various palaces to help, so there are many palace servants in Taiji Hall.

But she had been serving in the Tai Chi Hall, and even when everyone moved to the martial arts training ground, she stayed here.

Si Yan said nothing, his cold eyes sweeping around: "Besides Mo'er, who else has been to Prince Yong's table? It's not too late to step forward now. If you wait for my people to point it out, you will be lying. Lying in front of His Majesty is a crime of deceiving the emperor."

Si Yan knew how to use the emperor's majesty to intimidate people. As soon as she finished speaking, two more palace maids stood up.

A palace maid trembled and said, "Master Si Yan, I have also been to Prince Yong's table. I was refilling wine for Master Situ and passed by the seat where His Highness Prince Yong was sitting. But I definitely did not poison Prince Yong."

The palace maid who was speaking was trembling all over. She tried her best to control herself, but she still couldn't stop being nervous.

She had been hesitating about whether her passing by Prince Yong's seat could be considered as being close to Prince Yong's seat?

"You are shaking." Si Yan said softly.

The maid replied nervously, "Yes, sir, but I really did not poison Prince Yong."

Si Yan looked at her without saying anything. After a while, he turned his gaze to another palace maid.

Another maid spoke calmly, "Your Excellency, I have been here before. I was refilling the wine jug of His Royal Highness Prince Yong."

The palace maid appeared extremely calm, but her eyes and micro-expressions were not as natural as her voice.

Si Yan's eyes fell on her and he asked softly, "What's your name? Which palace are you from?"

The maid quickly spoke, "My name is Lingjiu. I work for the Empress. I was assigned here because they needed help with the New Year's Eve banquet in Taiji Hall. I've been serving in Taiji Hall ever since. I didn't leave even when His Majesty and the others moved to the martial arts training grounds."

The Queen couldn't help but raise her eyes and look at her servant Ling Jiu: "Ling Jiu is my servant. She has been serving me all these years."

However, she discovered that this palace maid often went to other palaces.

The Queen raised her eyes to look at Si Yan: "However, Sir Si Yan, you should investigate as you wish. Don't be reluctant to question them just because they are my people."

To others, the Queen's words sounded simple, but Si Yan sensed something else.

What the Queen meant was that she should investigate Ling Jiu thoroughly.

In other words, the Queen doesn't really trust Lingjiu.

Si Yan looked at the three people kneeling on the ground and asked, "Did you three see anyone else approaching Prince Yong's position?"

"I didn't see it." The three of them pondered for a while and shook their heads.

Si Yan looked at Mo'er and the other woman: "You two are innocent."

As soon as the words fell, Lingjiu's expression changed immediately.

But she soon regained her composure: "Master Si Yan, do you think I am suspicious?"

Before Si Yan could speak, Ling Jiu continued, "Lord Si Yan, I went to Prince Yong's location when His Majesty and the others moved to the martial arts training ground. But the doctor next to Prince Yong just said that he checked Prince Yong's wine after he came back and found no poison. This means that none of us who stayed in the Taiji Hall poisoned Prince Yong."

Si Yan turned around and looked at the maid who was earnestly explaining herself: "So, you think you are innocent too?"

Ling Jiu said calmly, "Master Si Yan, this servant is innocent!"

Lingjiu was shocked when she saw the suspicious look in Si Yan's eyes, but she tried her best to remain calm.

Si Yan said calmly, "Okay, let's change the question now. After returning from the martial arts training ground, have you approached Prince Yong?"

Ling Jiu said calmly, "I am responsible for pouring wine for the gentlemen, and I am specifically responsible for the gentlemen on the side of Prince Yong and Prince An. As soon as I see that Prince Yong's cup is empty, I will go and pour wine for him. Lord Si Yan can't doubt me for this, right?"

Ling Jiu looked at Si Yan, and there was even a hint of provocation in her eyes.

Prince Yong never let her touch the wine jug, and every time she wanted to pour wine for Prince Yong, she was rejected by him.

She didn't pour the wine, so it's impossible for her to poison it.

"Of course not." Si Yan's expression was as cold as ice, staring coldly at Ling Jiu. "But after everyone returned to the main hall from the martial arts training ground, you were the only one who approached Prince Yong, besides Wu Wan'er who performed the dance. If he didn't suspect you, who else could he suspect?"

Although Si Yan was eating carelessly, he kept his eyes on Prince Yong beside him.

After they came back from the martial arts training ground, apart from Wu Wan'er dancing around Prince Yong, only Ling Jiu had approached Prince Yong.

Ling Jiu was stunned for a moment, frowning and asked, "How does Lord Si Yan know that no one else has approached Prince Yong?"

Si Yan glanced around the table and spoke in a deep voice, "Everyone here is watching. Since you gentlemen returned from the martial arts training grounds, has anyone seen anyone approach Prince Yong?"

All the court officials shook their heads. After they came back, they all seriously enjoyed the songs and dances of the Northern Mang Kingdom, and most of them did not leave their seats.

Ling Jiu's eyes flushed as she said, "That doesn't prove she's a slave. Isn't Wu Wan'er from Beimang Country a more suspicious person? She's been jumping around Prince Yong, so she must have some ulterior motive."

Wu Wan'er was immediately displeased when she heard this: "I thought it was you. When I first came up to dance, I saw you pouring wine for Prince Yong. Prince Yong said the wine was still full..."

Si Yan turned to look at Qi Ziyu: "Your Highness Prince Yong, since you came back from the martial arts training ground, has anyone else approached you besides Wu Wan'er and Ling Jiu?"

"No more." Qi Ziyu thought about it carefully and finally shook his head. "Only Lingjiu came several times, and she always said she wanted to pour wine for me, but I didn't let her."

Ling Jiu was immediately filled with grievances: "Doesn't this prove that it wasn't me who poisoned Prince Yong? I didn't even pour wine for Prince Yong, so how could I have poisoned him?"

Di Hao immediately stood up and said, "Your Majesty, Wu Wan'er would never poison Prince Yong. She danced around him because she saw he was poisoned, so she moved closer to observe his expression."

Di Hao pointed at Ling Jiu and said, "This woman must have done it."

If Wu Wan'er became the poisoner, then it would be his Beimang Kingdom that poisoned King Yong, and he could not bear this responsibility.

Ling Jiu is the Queen's person. If she confesses, the Queen will be implicated, and his mortal enemy, King Yong of Beimang Kingdom, will also be implicated.

By then, Prince Xin might become the crown prince.

At this moment, Ling Jiu fell to her knees with a plop: "Empress, I am your servant. Please tell His Majesty that I will never poison Prince Yong."

When everyone heard this, they were stunned. Yes, how could someone close to the Queen poison Prince Yong?