"No, the master has never done it. Concubine, please don't talk nonsense." Liu Mei knelt down towards Hongli and said, "Your Majesty, the master was wronged. She did not harm anyone. Please believe in the master!"
Xianyue continued: "Seeing that her conspiracy was exposed, Concubine Jia was afraid of being convicted by the emperor, so she resorted to a cruel trick in order to frame the crime on Concubine Yi. Although it was more dangerous, it would be fine as long as she survived.
I retreated unscathed, I'm afraid I would do the same thing if I were replaced."
Kang Delu said excitedly: "That's just your idea, my master. The master has never thought that she was harmed by others."
Xianyue said coldly: "You know best whether you are the victim or the mastermind. Kang Delu, you and the criminal Liu Mei deceived the emperor. Do you know the crime?"
"I don't have a slave, I'm wronged." Kang Delu kowtowed repeatedly and said sadly to Hongli: "Your Majesty, there is not a single falsehood in the words of the slave and the master. It is the noble concubine who deliberately wronged her! Besides...if the master makes shoes and hats, why?
Everyone in the palace said they had never seen it before, even the third elder brother said the same?"
Xianyue couldn't figure this out either. The Jin family had just come up with the trick on the spur of the moment. It was impossible for them to collude with others to confess in advance. It was just the other palace people. Even Yongzhang said he had never seen it, which was really strange.
Just when he was puzzled, Jin Ping stepped forward and knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I remember that I haven't seen Kang Delu for a while. Could it be that he took advantage of this time to go to Yonghe Palace?"
Kang Delu said with an ugly face: "Don't talk nonsense, I have always been here and I have never left."
Xianyue thought for a moment and said, "Jinping, are you sure Kang Delu has left?"
Jin Ping lowered his head and thought for a while and said, "There were a lot of people just now, and I was arguing with Liu Mei about clothes, so I didn't pay too much attention, but I did not see Kang Delu for a while."
Hearing this, Concubine Yu said, "If that's the case, send the palace officials from Yonghe Palace and ask again."
Xianyue shook her head and said: "It's useless. If they really colluded with Kang Delu to confess, how could they tell the truth?"
Concubine Yu said coldly: "I don't believe that they don't tell the truth even under torture and interrogation."
Xianyue glanced at her and said, "What if Kang Delu didn't collude with them to confess? If we do this, isn't it just a sign of defeat?"
"Then what should we do according to the wishes of the empress?" Faced with Concubine Yu's words, Xianyue remained silent. After some thought, she said: "Your Majesty, although the people in Yonghe Palace cannot testify, Kang Delu has been doing this all the way.
Someone must have seen it in the past, and as long as you follow the road to Yonghe Palace and ask questions along the way, you should be able to find clues."
Her words made Kang Delu's scalp tingle. This Concubine Xian was so thoughtful that she even thought of this. Damn it, she did meet a few palace people on the way back and forth. If Concubine Xian was...
If found, the master's crime will be confirmed.
Kang Delu was so panicked that he broke out in cold sweat, but he could not say anything. Once he did, he would feel guilty and could only be forced to listen to Hongli's answer.
Regarding Xianyue's suggestion, Hongli nodded and said: "This is also a way, Sixi, you and A Luo go along the road to ask. As soon as there is news, come and report it immediately."
After the two of them left, Xianyue said: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid it will take some time for them to inquire all the way. It's past noon, and they must all be a little hungry. I asked the imperial kitchen to send some snacks.
, is it good to cushion your hunger?"
"That's fine." Seeing Hongli's agreement, Xianyue ordered Zhichun to go to the imperial kitchen to send a message. Soon, the imperial kitchen sent various pastries. Everyone took a few pieces each, and then waited for news from Sixi and the others.
Time passed bit by bit, and the sun's shadow gradually faded, but the two people never came back. Just when Hongli was losing his patience, Sixi and Aluo walked in quickly. Among the people, the most nervous one was Kang Delu.
and Liu Mei, but when they saw that there was no one else behind them, they all breathed a sigh of relief. According to this situation, it seems that no one could be found who could identify Kang Delu.
Hongli looked at the two people who were saluting him and said, "But no one has seen Kang Delu?"
A'luo glanced at Kang Delu next to her, with a sneer in her eyes. She lowered her head and said, "When I return to the emperor, I and your father-in-law found a eunuch named Xiao Zhangzi, but he just entered the palace not long ago, so he didn't know him."
Eunuch Dekang, so I can't be sure who the person I saw at that time is. I need to identify it with my own eyes. He is waiting outside at the moment."
Hearing this, Hongli perked up and said quickly: "Send him in immediately."
Opposite to Hongli were Kang Delu and the two. For a moment, they seemed to have fallen from the clouds into the abyss. They were covered in cold sweat and secretly prayed that the man would not recognize Kang Delu.
A Luo stood up to summon him. After a while, a young eunuch followed A Luo and walked in. After he bowed cautiously, Xianyue said: "Xiao Zhangzi, raise your head and see if you are there to see me."
That person who passed."
"Hey!" Xiao Zhangzi raised his head as instructed, and after looking around for a while, he pointed at Kang Delu and said, "Ms. Qi, the person I saw is him."
Xianyue glanced at the trembling Kang Delu and asked, "When did you see him?"
Xiao Zhangzi thought about it carefully and said: "Ms. Qi, it was around Mao hour today. My servant was sweeping near Yonghe Palace. I saw him walking over and then entered Yonghe Palace. After about half an hour, he came to us.
Came out again."
Kang Delu said in a trembling voice: "No, I have never returned to Yonghe Palace. He must have been bribed by A Luo and deliberately said such words to wrong the servant."
When Xiao Zhangzi heard this, he shook his head repeatedly and said: "No, no one has taken slaves. The slaves really saw this father-in-law."
Si Xi said in a deep voice: "Kang Delu, our family and Miss A Luo found Xiao Zhangzi together. You said that he was bribed by Miss A Luo. Could it be that our family was also bribed?"
Kang Delu said quickly: "That's not what I meant. It's just that A Luo is very cunning. He might have secretly bribed Xiao Zhangzi when you weren't paying attention."
Sixi bowed to Hongli and said: "Your Majesty, all the servants were with Miss Aluo along the way. There was definitely no bribery or anything like that."
Hongli glanced at Kang Delu coldly and walked to Nuange. Jin was drinking medicine and Yongzhang was guarding her bed. When he saw Hongli coming in, Yongzhang rushed over, grabbed Hongli's sleeve and said: "
Huang Ama, have you found the murderer of your mother?"
Hongli lowered his eyes and said slowly: "Yes, we have indeed found it." Before Yongzhang could ask again, Hongli ordered his nanny to take him down.
Although Jin had not heard what they had said before, Hongli's actions and the ugly looks on Kang Delu's face made her feel ominous. Before she could speak, Hongli had already said: "Peihan, I will wait for you."