Seizing the throne, abolishing the adopted son, the imperial concubine rose to prominence

This would not only remove his suspicion, but also get rid of Xiao Yunzi.

What she feared most was that Xiao Yunzi would confess that she wanted to harm the eldest prince. Now that this had happened, even if Xiao Yunzi confessed, his words would no longer be credible.

"Your Majesty, Queen Mother, although the eunuch is dead, Xiao Yunzi is still in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Why not bring him here to confront Fourth Miss Gu? That way, we can clearly determine who is right and who is wrong."

The Queen suggested to the Emperor.

"This subject has a clear conscience and is willing to confront Xiao Yunzi."

The Queen's words undoubtedly gave Gu Youxin another reassurance.

"Cao Zhong, go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and send someone."

The emperor's eyes were as cold as frost. If this was not a personal revenge by the girl from the Gu family, then it was other women in the palace who were trying to harm the prince.

He Jin had already reported Xiao Yunzi's matter to him yesterday.

He had just come to see Zheng'er in person during the day yesterday, and someone dared to attack her in the evening. He acted so brazenly that he didn't take her, the emperor, seriously at all.

At this point, Gu Youxin lying on the ground was obviously relaxed, and the queen still looked like the generous and kind queen mother. Xiao Yun'an's face looked a little ugly, and his hands kept rubbing his cuffs.

As for Concubine Zheng, although she looked like she was going to convict Gu Youxin just now, she showed no change of expression when she saw the situation had turned around.

However, Gu Youning noticed that the palace maids around her quietly retreated out of the hall.

Judging by the time, He'er should have finished everything.

It was already late at night. The Queen Mother had suffered from severe headaches for the past two days, and now she had another headache. She couldn't help but put her hand on her forehead.

"Is the Queen Mother feeling unwell?"

The emperor hurriedly asked with concern.

"Your Majesty, I see that the Queen Mother looks very unwell tonight. Although this is an old illness, it cannot be ignored. I would like to ask the imperial physician to come and take a look."

Concubine Zheng frowned, looking very concerned about the empress dowager's health.

"What Concubine Zheng said is true. Mother's health is the most important thing. Please ask the imperial physician to come and take a look so that we can feel at ease."

The queen also looked worried.

"Come here, call the imperial physician."

"Help the Queen Mother to rest on the couch."

"Don't worry, mother. I'm here to take care of things."

Empress Dowager Cui had a severe headache at the moment, so she followed the emperor's instructions and asked the palace maid to help her to the soft couch beside her.

A quarter of an hour later, He Jin came hurriedly.

"This servant pays respects to the Emperor and his masters."

Seeing the anxiety on He Jin's face, Gu Youning knew that Xiao Yunzi might have been in trouble.

The Queen was indeed very quick in her actions. No wonder she had just hinted to Gu Youxin to find someone to confront him.

This is another case of death without evidence.

"What about people?"

"This slave deserves to die. Xiao Yunzi has died suddenly in the torture chamber."

He Jin slammed his head heavily on the ground.

"Sudden death? When did this happen?"

The queen looked very anxious.

"The exact time still needs to wait for the autopsy results, but when I brought people there, Xiao Yunzi's body was still warm."

Gu Youning's eyes moved slightly. The body was still warm. In such a cold day, it was probably within this hour. Even the coroner could not be sure of the exact time. It was difficult to say whether it was a quarter of an hour more or less.

The only person who could prove Gu Youxin's innocence died by such a coincidence, and the emperor knew that Xiao Yunzi was suspected of deliberately frightening Zheng'er. In this way, in the eyes of the emperor, Gu Youxin seemed even more innocent.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, with Xiao Yunzi's death, there is no one left to prove my innocence. Why did he die at this time? Someone must be trying to frame me. Please, Your Majesty and Your Majesty, help me."

Gu Youxin reacted quickly this time. She lay weakly on the ground, crying in fear.

"Go check if anyone has left Ci'an Palace just now."

The emperor's face looked extremely ugly, and his slightly cold gaze occasionally swept across Concubine Zheng who was sitting below him.

Gu Youning, who was standing by, saw it all.

Although the queen's move seemed a bit risky, every step she took touched the emperor's heart.

Xiao Yunzi's death was at such a timely moment, it was very likely that someone in the palace leaked the news. Excluding her, the Queen's intention of "protecting" Gu Youxin was very clear. The Queen Mother and the people in the Imperial Court could not have done it, so the only people left were those on Concubine Zheng's side.

"Your Majesty, do you suspect me?"

Xiao Heng's gaze was not obvious, but Concubine Zheng cared too much about the emperor and was extremely concerned about his every word and action.

"I am jealous of Concubine Gu's favor and envy her the chance to have the eldest prince as her lover. I am not as magnanimous as the Empress, but I hate to see you worry about the affairs of the harem besides the affairs of the court."

"Besides, I am weak and unlucky. I am already terrified that I cannot bear an heir for Your Majesty. How could I possibly harm the eldest prince?"

The pain on Concubine Zheng's face was real, but her calculation was also real.

As soon as the incident between Shaoyaohua and Mandragora came to light, not only would Gu Youxin's vicious heart be known to everyone, her previous words would naturally become unreliable. Moreover, the more heartbroken she was at this time, the more the emperor would distrust her. After the truth came out, the emperor would treat her more kindly out of guilt.

She had tried this trick many times in the harem, and many concubines had suffered consequences because of it, even He Chongyuan was no exception.

"Sister Zheng, there's no need to be so. The Emperor may not have such intentions. Just wait for Eunuch Cao to investigate the matter thoroughly, and then everything will become clear."

The Queen looked at Concubine Zheng, who was covering her chest with her hands, with a pale face. She glanced at the Emperor beside her with embarrassment, whose expression was still cold, and whispered to her.

"I am innocent and have no fear of investigation. Your Majesty, there is no need to rush to convict me."

Concubine Zheng did not appreciate it and snorted coldly.

"Your Majesty, be careful what you say."

The emperor scolded coldly.

At this time, Cao Zhong just walked in quickly from outside the hall.

"Your Majesty, the only people who entered and exited the palace just now were the eunuchs who went to fetch the imperial physician. However, Miss Caifu, who was with the Imperial Concubine, did leave the main hall. I wonder where she went?"

Cao Zhong's words rang out in the palace like a thunderclap. The queen's look of disbelief, Xiao Yun'an's secret frown in thought, and the emperor's expression that was hard to tell whether he was happy or angry, all fell into the eyes of Gu Youning who was pretending to be confused.

"I want to..."

"Even if Caifu went outside the palace, so what? To deliver a message to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, one must leave the palace."

Concubine Zheng interrupted Caifu's words of defense.

"Sister Zheng, as long as Caifu can tell us where to go, it will naturally resolve everyone's doubts."

The Queen advised.

Concubine Zheng, however, had a stubborn look on her face and said nothing.

Everyone's eyes turned to the emperor.

"Since the Imperial Concubine is innocent, could Miss Caifu please tell us where she went?"

Gu Youning stood up and walked in front of Concubine Zheng, his tone seemed a little rude because of his anxiety.

Since the imperial concubine wanted to deepen the emperor's guilt and friendship towards her, she would add fuel to the fire.

"Gu Jieyu, I am a First-Rank Imperial Concubine, my rank far surpasses yours. How can you question me without any evidence?"

As she expected, Concubine Zheng's eyes were full of anger.

"I dare not, Your Majesty. I just want to know who wants to harm Zheng'er?"

Gu Youning seemed to have lost his strength, kneeling on the ground and speaking to the emperor at the top.