0p0 Chapter 251: Misfortune falls from the sky
Chapter 251: Misfortune falls from the sky
"Your Majesty, if it weren't for something of utmost importance, how could this servant dare to disturb you and the Emperor?"
"What happened?"
"Something has happened to Lady Cui; she's been kidnapped and taken to Changshou Palace..."
"What? What happened to my mother?"
Xiao Fang's expression shifted slightly, and she said softly:
"It is said that she was instructed by the Crown Princess to poison Consort Zhen, but Consort Zhen saw through her scheme and took her to Changshou Palace. She is now waiting for the Crown Princess to confront her."
"what?"
Ling Lanhua was immediately terrified and trembled all over. Xiao Fang quickly stepped forward to support her.
"Mother, are you okay?"
She shook her head and waved her hands.
"I'm fine. Go check on the Longevity Palace and report back as soon as you have any news."
"Yes, slave, go right away."
Ling Lanhua didn't come to her senses until Xiao Fang left.
She guessed that her mother's attempt to harm Consort Zhen must have been for her sake.
Now that Mother wants to pin the blame on Lan Zhi, how easy is that?
However, before she could figure out the situation at Changshou Palace, she couldn't ask the Emperor for help, lest people suspect that she was involved. She decided to hold back for now.
Thinking of this, she blinked a few times, then smiled faintly and walked towards the Emperor.
Longevity Palace
Lan Zhi calmly walked into the hall. When she saw Cui Shi, who was bound hand and foot and kneeling on the ground, she immediately had a bad feeling.
She was certain that Cui must have caused some trouble in the palace and was being made to take the blame.
It seems it's time to clarify my relationship with her.
Before she could speak, the Empress Dowager asked in an icy tone:
Do you recognize this woman?
Lan Zhi replied calmly:
“I recognize her, she’s my aunt…”
"You're talking nonsense..."
Seeing that she addressed her as "Auntie" in front of the Empress Dowager, Madam Cui immediately became anxious.
"Ling Lanzhi, I really didn't expect that after raising you for eighteen years, taking care of you from infancy to adulthood, now that you've become successful and the Crown Princess, you don't want to acknowledge me as your mother anymore?"
Lan Zhi found her pretentious manner annoying.
She immediately replied in a cold voice:
"You did raise me, but you didn't give birth to me, so we are not related by blood."
"Fine, you've used me, and now that things have gone wrong, you want to kick me to the curb, huh? Ling Lanzhi, you're so heartless!"
She used her?
When did she take advantage of her?
It seems she was right; she must have gotten into some trouble and then shifted the blame onto her.
At this moment, the Empress Dowager suddenly let out a displeased shout.
"Hmph, this isn't your home, and I have no time to listen to your petty chatter. Lan Zhi, you say you ordered her to poison Consort Zhen. Do you admit it?"
Poisoning? Harming Consort Zhen?
Lan Zhi smiled innocently.
"Empress Dowager, why would I want to harm Consort Zhen? Besides, even if I wanted to harm Consort Zhen, I wouldn't go to her. I haven't seen her for half a year. How could I have the opportunity to instruct her to do these things?"
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager also felt there was a flaw in Cui's words and immediately rebuked her:
"Cui, you say the Crown Princess ordered you to poison Consort Zhen. Then tell me, when did she order you to do it, and when did she give you the arsenic?"
Because things happened so suddenly, Cui didn't expect to be exposed so quickly, so she didn't have time to think about it at all.
She stammered, unsure how to answer, and Lan Zhi immediately offered the Empress Dowager a suggestion.
"Your Majesty, there are only one or two pharmacies in the capital that sell arsenic. Why don't you send someone to the pharmacy to ask who has recently bought arsenic? Wouldn't that make the truth clear?"
Upon hearing this, Lady Cui immediately went limp and slumped to the ground in despair. At this moment, the Empress mocked her:
"Today's events have been quite a spectacle. First, Cui poisoned Consort Zhen, then the Crown Princess was implicated. Now that the Crown Princess has arrived, she claims Cui is not her biological mother. But when the Crown Princess was questioned about her background before she was made a Consort, she didn't say she wasn't Cui's daughter. Also, she wasn't surprised when she saw Cui, which means she knows Consort Lan's true identity. Why would she hide it for Consort Lan? Consort Lan is clearly her sister, yet she's marrying the Emperor and becoming her elder. Mother! I feel these things are so confusing. You must investigate this thoroughly, otherwise, our harem will never have a peaceful day."
Between the Crown Princess and Consort Lan, these people hated Consort Lan even more.
Therefore, everyone has been pointing the finger at Consort Lan.
Consort Jiang echoed this sentiment:
"That's right! Consort Lan knew that her sister was already married to the Crown Prince, yet she still tried to seduce the Emperor. This is clearly incest! Empress Dowager, you must do something about this!"
Even the usually taciturn Consort Duan whispered:
"This relationship is indeed a bit complicated; even I find it awkward to listen to."
Consort Zhen also pouted and said with a wronged expression:
"Your Majesty, putting aside their lack of respect for elders, you must stand up for me against Cui's attempt to harm me!"
Consort Zhen's words brought everyone back to their senses.
The Empress Dowager immediately nodded.
“Consort Zhen is right. Cui intended to murder Consort Zhen and then blamed the Crown Princess for it. This crime is enough to warrant her being executed by slow slicing.”
"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me!"
At this moment, Cui was truly panicked. She had originally thought that Lan Zhi would be afraid of exposing her identity and would agree to this matter.
Unexpectedly, the first thing she did after entering was to clarify the relationship between them.
It's too late to frame her now; all I can do is try to save my own life.
She knew the Emperor was in Zhenlan Garden. As long as Lan Hua pleaded with the Emperor, even if she committed a terrible mistake, the Emperor would forgive her.
Thinking of this, she immediately shouted:
"I want to see the Emperor! I want to see Consort Lan!"
Hearing her call out Consort Lan's name, the women became even angrier, and the Empress, in a fit of rage, directly roared:
"Guards, slap him!"
These women originally wanted to vent their anger on Consort Lan, but the Emperor stayed in Zhenlan Garden all day, so they had no chance at all.
Now that her own mother has fallen into their hands, they can take this opportunity to vent their anger.
Two old women stepped forward and, to Cui's horrified gaze, took turns slapping her face.
"Clap! Clap! Clap!"
The continuous sound of slaps, coupled with Cui's wails, immediately echoed within the Changshou Palace.
Lan Zhi originally wanted to plead for her, but when she thought about how she had poisoned Consort Zhen and then tried to frame her, she lost interest in pleading for her and instead stood aside and watched the show as if nothing had happened.
In no time, the old woman got tired of beating her, and Cui Shi was also beaten until her mouth and nose were bleeding.
She turned to look at Lan Zhi and accused her fiercely:
"You are a heartless woman. I raised you for eighteen years for nothing, and you didn't say a word in my defense."
Lan Zhi's expression changed slightly, and a contemptuous smile curved her lips.
“Cui, I’ve already settled accounts with you. It’s true I’ve lived in your house for eighteen years, but during those eighteen years, I did all the work your whole family was supposed to do. I ate your leftovers, lived in a leaky woodshed that let in rain in the summer and snow in the winter, and wore clothes that Ling Lanhua, who was two years younger than me, had worn. If it weren’t for my elder brother, I wouldn’t be alive today. You then sold me to Wei Jianning, who was paralyzed in bed at the time, and never asked if I lived or died. Now you’re accusing me of being heartless? Then let me ask you, why did you frame me when you poisoned Consort Zhen? When you framed me, did you ever think about the eighteen years we’ve spent together?”
As Lan Zhi spoke these words, tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of the past, leaving Cui Shi speechless for a moment, and everyone began to sympathize with Lan Zhi.
She had long wanted to make her relationship with the Ling family public, so that she wouldn't have to worry about others knowing about her relationship with Ling Lanhua.
Even if she lied to everyone back then, now that she's pregnant, no one will do anything to her.
……