Chapter 430 The Interrogation (1/2)
Yun Shang asked Qian Yin to help her get dressed and made her hair in a bun. Then an eunuch by the empress' side came to visit, and he was not Liu Wenan. ”Your Highness, Princess Qian Ling had a stomachache last night. The imperial physician diagnosed that she was poisoned. The empress is calling for you to come to the Imperial Palace.”
Yun Shang lifted her hand and held the plum blossom hairpin in her bun. She frowned as if she was very surprised, ”Princess Qian Ling was poisoned?”
The eunuch hurriedly said yes and continued, ”the empress has summoned all the people who have contact with Princess Qian Ling yesterday. Princess Qian Ling went to her highness' mansion yesterday, and Lady Rui sent her back to the palace in person. The empress said that lady rui was so kind that she would never do such a thing. But she also said that she had to go through the proper procedures, or people would not believe it.”
”Well...” Yun Shang squinted and nodded her head, ”I'll go to the imperial palace with you.”
When Yun Shang arrived at the palace, lady Yun's Yunqi Palace was full of people. The empress was the first to see her. ”Lady rui, you are here? Come and sit here. ” Then she asked some maids to bring a stool for her. Yun Shang curtsied to the empress, and sat down beside her. She looked worried, ”I heard that Princess Qian Ling was poisoned in the early morning. How is she now?”
”The physician has been making a diagnosis and treatment for her stomach for a whole night. I went to see her just now and her face was so pale. I feel very sorry for her.” The empress looked miserable.
”Have you found the culprit yet?” Yun Shang lifted her eyes to look at the people in the hall. In addition to many maids and eunuchs, there were also two or three imperial concubines sitting in the hall. All of them had heavy faces.
The empress shook her head, ”not yet. His majesty has always loved Princess Qian Ling. Now someone has committed such a terrible crime. The culprit must be punished.” Then the empress turned around and looked at an old maid who was a little old. ”Madam, it seems that Qian Ling also went to the Xiang Zhu Palace yesterday. Has the Lady Xiang come yet?”
The lady whom she have been talking about is Ning Qian?
Yun Shang was stunned for a while and then said to the empress, ”Princess Qian Ling went to the Xiang Zhu Palace with me yesterday. The emperor was there and the princess was in his Majesty's arms. But it seems that she didn't get in contact with the lady.”
”Well, it's not necessarily a solid evidence to prove she's innocent. I also didn't get in contact with Princess Qian Ling, but she's always fond of food. She ate almonds in my palace, and maybe she had some in the Xiang Zhu Palace as well.” A woman who was dressed a little coquettishly snorted and responded dismissively.
The empress frowned and seemed a little displeased. She glanced at the lady and ordered quietly, ”send someone to the Xiang Zhu Palace to invite the lady Xiang.”