eurekapd Chapter 363 Blood Test
Chapter 363 Blood Test
Concubine Qi, however, remained unyielding, raising her voice and saying, "The fact that Concubine Xi was already pregnant when she returned from outside the palace is already a cause for concern. At that time, the only people serving Concubine Xi were Jinxi, Huanbi, and Liuzhu. In my humble opinion, the only way to achieve something is to torture them severely."
Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan's eyebrows immediately rose in anger, and she shouted sternly, "How dare you! Severe punishments will inevitably lead to many false accusations and wrongful convictions. How can you arbitrarily abuse private punishment to obtain evidence?"
However, Concubine Qi was not intimidated by Zhen Huan's words at all. Instead, she spoke confidently, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, in this situation, we have no choice but to use severe punishment on Jinxi and Huanbi. Otherwise, we will have to put Concubine Xi and Prince Guo in the wrong. These people are just cheap skin and flesh. How can they confess without torture? If they can truly endure all 72 punishments from the Ministry of Punishment and still resolutely refuse to change their confession, then perhaps there is some credibility."
Su Peisheng stood behind the emperor and said quietly, "If he really had to endure all 72 punishments from the Ministry of Punishment, he would be crippled if not dead. Even if we cleared his name, what would be the point?"
Jin Xi knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, to protect the innocence of the Empress, I am willing to bear any punishment. However, the body of the Empress Xi is precious and cannot be left unattended. I beg Your Majesty to spare Miss Huanbi and Miss Liuzhu from punishment."
Zhen Huan showed that she couldn't bear it and bent down to help Jin Xi.
Yongzheng looked at the people below and was about to nod in agreement when he heard An Lingrong's voice:
"Since Noble Qi keeps saying she'll use torture to uncover the truth, then in my opinion, you and Jingbai are the ones who deserve it most. You're trying to implicate a noble concubine and a prince based solely on her one-sided account. Isn't this behavior ridiculous?"
Not willing to be outdone, Concubine Qi immediately retorted, "Jingbai and Concubine Xi have no past or present grudges, so how could they wrongly accuse her for no reason? There must be real evidence behind this."
An Lingrong sneered, her gaze piercing at Concubine Qi, her words sharp as a needle. "She may not have any grudge against Concubine Xi, but she does have a grudge against me. Everyone in the palace knows the relationship between me and Concubine Xi. And you, Concubine Qi, the enmity between you and Concubine Xi is well known. I'm afraid the two of you must have hit it off, concocting this scheme full of loopholes that plays everyone else off. Did you really think we couldn't see your intentions?"
After she finished speaking, she pointed at Jin Xi who was kneeling on the ground and said, "You want to send her to the Ministry of Punishment? Fine, but before she goes in."
She raised her jade hand and slowly moved it in front of Concubine Qi: "You must go in first and accept the seventy-two punishments. If you still insist on identifying Concubine Xi, it won't be too late to send Jinxi in later. What do you think? Do you dare?"
Concubine Qi turned pale and shrank back at the series of questions.
"say!"
An Lingrong raised her voice.
Concubine Qi trembled as she spoke, "Your humble concubine... Your humble concubine is a noble concubine. How can you compare me with a lowly servant?"
An Lingrong sneered, "Noble? Imperial Concubine Xi gave birth to a prince, expanded the royal family, and made great contributions. Compared to her, how noble can you be?"
When Concubine Qi heard this, her face turned pale and blue in an instant. She clenched the corners of her clothes tightly with both hands. Although she was unwilling in her heart, she was speechless for a moment and could not think of a word to refute.
An Lingrong ignored her and turned to Yongzheng, saying, "Your Majesty, I know all the twists and turns that Concubine Xi faced when she returned to the palace, and you know it too. If she had an affair with Prince Guo, she could have just left. Why would she return to the palace?"
The atmosphere in the hall was so solemn that it was hard to breathe. Everyone's eyes were focused on the center. Prince Guo stood tall but his face was frosty. He took a step forward, and the corner of his robe rose slightly with the movement.
"Brother Your Majesty, I am your brother, yet I have been insulted to this degree by a mere noble. How can I possibly live in this world?" Prince Guo spoke earnestly, his face filled with humiliation. "If Your Majesty does not punish those who wantonly slandered your relatives, thoroughly investigate the mastermind behind this, and give me justice, I will proceed to the Imperial Ancestral Temple today to die as a testament to my loyalty."
After saying that, he knelt heavily on his knees and tapped the ground with his forehead, looking determined.
The Empress consoled him, "Seventeenth Brother, the matter has not been thoroughly investigated yet, so please do not speak in such a way. If you have not done such a thing, I will definitely clear your name." Then, turning to Yongzheng, she said, "Your Majesty, each side holds its own opinion. I beg your Majesty to make the final decision."
Yongzheng's face was terribly gloomy. He narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced at the palace and the others. The candlelight in the hall swayed gently, reflecting his cold face, adding a bit of majesty.
He stroked the beads and thought carefully, remembering Prince Guo's greetings and protection for Zhen Huan on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet. He couldn't help but feel a little doubtful, and then turned his gaze to Prince Guo.
Prince Guo felt Yongzheng's gaze and felt a slight chill in his heart, but he remained calm and met Yongzheng's gaze calmly.
The Queen sat to the side, a faint smile playing on her lips. She knew that relying solely on Jingbai's one-sided statement was far from enough to convict Concubine Xi, and this was not her true purpose. Her real killer move was yet to come; this was merely a prelude to the main event.
Seeing the faint suspicion on Yongzheng's face, the Empress felt secretly pleased. She knew her intention had been successfully achieved. However, she maintained a gentle demeanor and said softly, "Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance. It not only concerns the reputation of the royal family, but also the safety of the harem. I hope Your Majesty will make a careful decision."
Zhen Huan also sensed Yongzheng's suspicions. She exchanged a glance with An Lingrong and, seeing her confident expression, felt more at ease. She looked at Yongzheng and said, "Your Majesty, since entering the palace, I have always adhered to my duties and have been loyal to Your Majesty. There is nothing wrong between me and Prince Guo. I hope Your Majesty will understand."
The hall was silent except for the faint sound of Yongzheng plucking the beads.
"My dear brother, please see your royal brother."
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Shen Beile had already walked into the hall and knelt on the ground.
Yongzheng stopped what he was doing and said calmly, "Why are you here?"
The atmosphere in the hall was solemn, and everyone's eyes were focused on Yunxi.
Yunxi bowed slightly, his manner respectful and clear, saying, "I prayed for the Empress Dowager. Afterwards, I had planned to leave the palace with my Seventeenth Brother. Unexpectedly, my Seventeenth Brother was suddenly summoned back by you, the Emperor. I was truly worried about him, so I hurried along."
With a sincere expression, he added, "Your Majesty, this minister and Seventeenth Brother have always held you in high esteem and respect. We have always treated the concubines in the harem with the utmost respect and courtesy, never daring to offend them in the slightest. Since Noble Concubine Hui took over as assistant to the Six Palaces, she has been incredibly caring towards this minister and Seventeenth Brother's mother. Therefore, if Noble Concubine Hui were to encounter any difficulties and require my assistance, I would be obliged to do so. All of this is out of deep gratitude for your immense kindness, Your Majesty, and without any other selfish motives."