A few people exchanged some jokes.
The Emperor then inquired about the poisoning incident of the day.
"Mother, do you recall what you ate today?"
"I had a few spoonfuls of the Eight-Treasure Congee brought by Fang Qing this morning, nothing else. I felt a burning sensation in my throat, a metallic taste in my mouth, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea... Then Fang Qing immediately summoned the imperial physicians, and it was discovered that I had been poisoned by arsenic," the Empress Dowager recounted the events.
"Strange, the Empress Dowager's diet is managed with extreme strictness. How could she have been poisoned so outrageously?" Leng Ruo Li suddenly mused aloud.
Upon hearing this, everyone's brows furrowed.
"Granny Fang, besides yourself, who else handled this bowl of Eight-Treasure Congee today?" the Emperor asked Fang Qing.
"Your Majesty, this bowl of congee was personally brought by your servant from the Imperial Kitchen for the Empress Dowager."
Granny Fang opened her stiff lips and spoke calmly, appearing somewhat unnatural.
However, no one paid it much mind.
"Guards, go to the Imperial Kitchen and apprehend everyone who handled the Empress Dowager's food today!" the Emperor roared at the Commander of the Imperial Guards outside.
Upon receiving the order, the Commander of the Imperial Guards departed swiftly.
After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the Commander of the Imperial Guards escorted a group of men and women to the entrance of the Longevity Palace. They all knelt on the ground, trembling.
The Emperor, accompanied by Jun Mo Han and Leng Ruo Li, emerged. His majestic tiger-like eyes cast a cold glance over the kneeling crowd.
"Whoever among you handled the Empress Dowager's meals today, raise your hand!" the Emperor commanded sternly, his eyes narrowed.
In response, a total of five people raised their hands.
The Emperor pointed to one of them and asked, "What is your duty?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant is primarily responsible for washing rice in the Imperial Kitchen. But... but this servant truly lacks the audacity to poison the Empress Dowager's food," the man stammered, kneeling on the ground.
"And you?" the Emperor asked, pointing to another.
"Reporting... Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant is primarily responsible for cooking congee for the Empress Dowager. I would not dare to risk decapitation by harming the Empress Dowager," the man stated, forcing himself to remain composed.
"And you? Speak!"
Startled by the Emperor's shout, this imperial chef immediately wet himself, and the air was instantly filled with the stench of urine, assaulting the noses of the Emperor, Jun Mo Han, and Leng Ruo Li.
"How disgusting!"
"Han'er and young lady Leng, I shall leave the investigation of the Empress Dowager's poisoning case to the two of you. I will go in and check on the Empress Dowager first."
The Emperor turned and instructed Jun Mo Han and Leng Ruo Li, then immediately strode into the hall.
Jun Mo Han and Leng Ruo Li: "..."
Subsequently, Jun Mo Han and Leng Ruo Li interrogated the remaining individuals but found nothing suspicious about them. Leng Ruo Li also detected no arsenic on them, so she had Jun Mo Han release them.
The two walked into the Empress Dowager's chambers with furrowed brows.
Upon seeing them enter, the Emperor immediately inquired.
"Have the culprits who poisoned the Empress Dowager with arsenic been found?"
"Reporting to Father Emperor (Your Majesty), not yet!"
Jun Mo Han and Leng Ruo Li answered truthfully.
"Then why haven't you two hurried to investigate?" the Emperor urged impatiently.
"Your Majesty, this humble subject has a few questions for Granny Fang," Leng Ruo Li said respectfully with a bow.
"Miss Leng, feel free to ask."
Granny Fang smiled at Leng Ruo Li and replied.
"Granny Fang, I just wanted to ask if anyone else handled this bowl of Eight-Treasure Congee on its way back to the palace," Leng Ruo Li asked, intently watching Granny Fang's face.
Granny Fang paused slightly, her eyes flickering, which Leng Ruo Li keenly noticed.
"Miss Leng, I carried it back by myself the entire way, and it did not pass through anyone else's hands," Granny Fang answered somewhat guiltily.
"Oh!"
Leng Ruo Li nodded slightly upon hearing this. Although she herself didn't believe Granny Fang would poison the Empress Dowager, Granny Fang was the most suspicious in this poisoning incident.
"Were there any other palace maids following you on the way?" Leng Ruo Li asked curiously.
"I went with Ying Xiang and Li Xiang," Granny Fang replied calmly.
Following this, Leng Ruo Li had the two palace maids, Ying Xiang and Li Xiang, summoned to the Empress Dowager's chambers.
As Ying Xiang and Li Xiang entered, they exchanged a glance with Granny Fang and slowly approached the Emperor and Empress Dowager to kneel and pay their respects.
"When you went with Granny Fang to the Imperial Kitchen to fetch the Eight-Treasure Congee for the Empress Dowager's palace, did you encounter anyone? Tell the truth," Leng Ruo Li asked sharply.
"N-no!"
Ying Xiang and Li Xiang's lips trembled as they answered in unison.
"If you do not speak truthfully, I shall consider you the culprits and immediately decree the execution of your entire clans." The Emperor coldly glanced at the two and said mercilessly.
Upon hearing this, the two palace maids immediately became frightened.
"No, no, no, please Your Majesty, do not execute our clans. We will tell the truth. When we two accompanied Granny Fang to the kitchen to fetch the Eight-Treasure Congee for the Empress Dowager, we met Miss Xi Qiu, a palace maid from Feng Wu Palace. Miss Xi Qiu was also carrying a bowl of Eight-Treasure Congee for the Empress. As we passed through the corridor, she accidentally twisted her ankle. Granny Fang then asked us two to help Miss Xi Qiu up. After we helped Miss Xi Qiu up as per Granny Fang's instructions, the two of us and Granny Fang left," Ying Xiang trembled as she spoke.
"Ying Xiang is telling the truth. When we returned to the Longevity Palace, Granny Fang warned us several times not to reveal what happened today. Miss Leng, we truly did not poison the Empress Dowager!" Li Xiang added.
At this moment, everyone's gaze collectively shifted towards Granny Fang. Knowing that the matter could no longer be concealed, Granny Fang immediately knelt and confessed her guilt to the Emperor and Empress Dowager.
"Empress Dowager, this arsenic was added to your congee by this old servant."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager felt deeply distressed.
Fang Qing had served her for over thirty years, and she had treated Fang Qing as her own daughter. She had never imagined that Fang Qing would betray her; she was deeply wounded by this revelation.
Leng Ruo Li, standing by, was contemplating Granny Fang's motive for poisoning.
Fang Qing and the Empress Dowager were as close as mother and daughter. During the period she had been treating the Empress Dowager for tuberculosis, Leng Ruo Li had deeply experienced their strong bond, surpassing that of mother and daughter.
Therefore, she suspected that Granny Fang was protecting someone.
Thus, Leng Ruo Li tugged at Jun Mo Han's sleeve, causing him to lower his head, and whispered a few words into his ear.
Jun Mo Han immediately walked out of the Empress Dowager's chambers.
A moment later, Jun Mo Han rushed back into the Empress Dowager's chambers and whispered a few more words into Leng Ruo Li's ear.
"Granny Fang, what is your relation to that Miss Xi Qiu?" Leng Ruo Li suddenly asked her.
"Miss Leng, I have no relation to Miss Xi Qiu whatsoever," Granny Fang stated decisively, distancing herself from Xi Qiu.
"You are lying. Xi Qiu is your niece, isn't she?"
Upon hearing this, Granny Fang looked at Leng Ruo Li with shock.