In the years of famine, I was well versed in history and pampered the Northern Army

After saying this, the Queen Mother took His Royal Highness Prince Jing and began to search the palace for any relevant evidence.

Normally, the Queen Mother always appeared weak and vulnerable. Although she would occasionally display some dignity, it was only when necessary. This was the first time they saw the Queen Mother truly angry, and everyone in the palace was shocked.

Even some palace maids who might have tampered with the matter were executed on the spot by the Empress. Even if Lu Qian felt something was wrong, he had no right to intervene. After all, the Empress had the final say in all matters of the harem.

"Why? Why haven't you found it yet?"

They have been conducting various interrogations and investigations in the harem for three hours. It will be dawn soon, but they have not found any real traces. Apart from the execution of some palace maids who participated in giving away Ruyi Powder, there are no other clues.

At this time, Lu Yan was not in a hurry. He sat quietly aside and began to think about the intricacies of all these things.

The Empress Dowager did die after taking Ruyi Powder.

Ruyi Powder was indeed the final blow that killed the Empress Dowager, but it was also a longevity drug, and if anyone else had taken it, it wouldn't have been a problem. As early as the day the Empress Dowager died, the Emperor had already tried Ruyi Powder on many palace maids. This clearly showed that there must have been something in the Empress Dowager's body that made Ruyi Powder so fatal.

The more Lu Yan thought about it, the closer he felt to the answer, but he still couldn't figure it out.

When he went to interrogate the palace servant who was in charge of the Queen Mother's daily diet and daily life, he saw that the servant was trembling with tears on his face:

"Everything the Empress Dowager eats is provided by the Imperial Kitchen. The food in the Imperial Kitchen is prepared one by one. Who would dare to neglect the Empress Dowager?"

"Are you sure that everything the Queen Mother eats is provided by the Imperial Kitchen?"

Lu Yan found it strange, because it was absolutely impossible for the imperial kitchen to tamper with the Empress Dowager's food. But if there was nothing wrong with the Empress Dowager's health, why would Ruyi Powder be so fatal?

If she had any long-standing illness, it would have been revealed when she was asked about her pulse.

Hearing Lu Yan's question, the palace lady suddenly woke up from a dream and began to speak:

"Yes, there's more than just the Imperial Kitchen. After all, the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Concubine are both from the Western Regions. They have a lot in common and a very good relationship. They often eat the cakes sent by the Imperial Concubine. However, these cakes have all been inspected, so there's absolutely nothing wrong with them."

Now a third person suddenly appeared, and it was also the person that Lu Yan believed would never poison the Empress Dowager.

The case was becoming increasingly confusing. Could it be that the Empress Dowager had poisoned the Imperial Concubine? But the food she ate had already been tested.

But now that there is a clue in front of him, he absolutely cannot let it go. No matter what it is, he must find out first.

But it must be said that the Imperial Concubine's spies are more extensive than those of the Empress in the entire harem.

As soon as the matter was traced back to the Imperial Concubine, she arrived with her sedan chair in great fanfare.

"Oh, I've heard that His Royal Highness Prince Jing is incredibly insightful, but I never thought that today's investigation into this case would lead to me."

I haven't seen the imperial concubine for such a long time, and then I saw her coming. She had changed her clothes today, and her face looked rosy, as if she had just walked from the emperor's place.

"I'm sorry. It's not that Lu Yan wants to investigate the Imperial Concubine, but this matter has been traced back to the Imperial Concubine. Moreover, His Majesty has given me full authority to handle this matter. Lu Yan must take responsibility. I can only say that I'm sorry."

Although all the words he said were polite and respectful, there was indeed nothing overly respectful in Lu Yan's expression. The imperial concubine also saw that Lu Yan did not want to talk to him any more and chuckled:

"As expected, you've become very capable after spending so many years in the North. I never thought you could come back alive. Now that you're so powerful, you dare to investigate me. Even your mother has to be polite to me."

Although Lu Yan was shocked that the imperial concubine dared to say this in front of his mother, he also felt a sigh. After all, his mother had not had a good life for so many years, and he could only say that he felt heartbroken.

"My mother is the Empress, after all. If she's being courteous to you, it's because of His Majesty's face. Now that the investigation has led to you, it's also because of His Majesty's face. I hope that Your Majesty will not interfere."

She had never expected Lu Yan to become so eloquent after such a long time. She could only exclaim "good" three times in a row:

"Okay, okay, then I'll let you investigate. I'll see what you can find out. This palace is innocent."

After saying this, the pastries that the Imperial Concubine had made for the Empress Dowager that day were delivered. This thing looked really beautiful. The Empress Dowager loved it very much on weekdays, but the Imperial Kitchen couldn't make it. Only the Imperial Concubine could make it.

It looked so beautiful and perfect that there was nothing wrong with it. Even though this pastry had been tasted by other palace servants, there was nothing wrong with it.

"The Empress Dowager has been eating this stuff I made every day for three years. How could there be any problem? Since you dare to investigate, if you can't find anything, then I will settle the score with you."

After saying this, the imperial concubine glared at him fiercely and turned away.

Actually, to be honest, Lu Yan himself was also very puzzled. There were only two suspicious points in front of him, one was Ruyi Powder, and the other was this pastry.

Since the Empress Dowager was said to have been eating this pastry for the past three years, there shouldn't be anything wrong with it. Moreover, it was the Ruyi Umbrella that actually caused the Empress Dowager's death.

But his intuition told him that there must be something wrong with the pastry. Since he couldn't find it out himself, he would let Xu Qingyin take a look. The world she lived in was always so omnipotent.

After saying this, Lu Yan hurriedly took the thing back. As for other matters in the palace, he left them to the Queen Mother to investigate. The Queen Mother usually managed the harem and was naturally most familiar with it. As a man, it was not a good thing for him to stay in the harem for too long.

"How is it, is my mother okay?"

"Right now, they're just saying Xumu is a suspect, but they haven't convicted her of any crime, so you don't have to worry too much."

Xu Qingyin sighed.

"But I want to trouble you for one thing, which is to check if there is anything wrong with this pastry?"

After saying this, Xu Qingyin immediately picked up the cake and called out to 101:

"Check this thing for me."