Her Power and Favor Span the World

Chapter 59

Empress Chu looked at Auntie Bao in shock and doubt, "What did you hear wrong? This palace told you to return the bead, how did you report it?"

"My Lady..." Auntie Bao's lips turned pale, and kept trembling, "This foolish servant took the initiative, thinking that Princess Chu sent the bead for Prince Chu, so I said an extra sentence, saying that Princess Chu asked My Lady to say a few good words for Prince Chu."

Empress Chu was furious, "You actually made random guesses? You are so bold!"

Empress Chu suddenly calmed herself down. Auntie Bao had been with her for many years and was always steady in nature. She would not say random guessing words in front of the Emperor.

She immediately thought of Chu Mingcui.

Earlier, Chu Mingcui had suggested going to find Consort Xian, but she thought there was no need to oppose Consort Xian for the time being. Consort Xian was the niece of the Empress Dowager, offending her would make things more difficult.

Emperor Ming Yuan's expression immediately turned very ugly. How could Auntie Bao dare to do this? It must be instructed by the Empress. His eyes glanced coldly over Empress Chu's face.

Empress Chu had no choice but to clarify her stance. She slapped Auntie Bao in the face and angrily scolded, "Insolent! You actually told the Emperor your own random guesses? How dare you!"

Auntie Bao knelt on the ground, not even daring to cover her face, just kept pleading, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, please forgive me!"

Emperor Ming Yuan expressionlessly ordered, "Come, drag Auntie Bao out and severely punish her with thirty strokes of the rod."

Empress Chu felt heartache but could not speak for her, and just indignantly said, "You got off easy, don't you know to thank His Majesty's grace?"

Auntie Bao kowtowed with her body already half limp, her face ashen as she said, "Thank His Majesty for the punishment."

Auntie Bao was dragged out. Soon, the sound of rods striking and muffled groans could be heard from outside.

Empress Chu's expression was calm, but she was extremely anxious inside, cursing Chu Mingcui for being reckless.

At this moment, Consort Xian just wanted to watch the show. She had originally thought that the daughter-in-law went to fawn on the Empress and humiliated her. She didn't expect so many twists and turns. She had to watch carefully.

Emperor Ming Yuan looked at Princess Chu, his eyes complicated.

He could not pursue this matter further. Even if Princess Chu had instructed Xi Mama to send the bead, he could only rest the spear for now.

In case something unexpected was found out.

After all, Xi Mama was from the Retired Emperor's side, he couldn't make any mistakes, lest the Retired Emperor got angry and hurt his health.

After thinking for a moment, he lightly said, "Since the matter is clear, the guilty has been punished. You may all withdraw."

The Empress knew that the Emperor had misunderstood her, thinking that she deliberately slandered Prince Chu. But explaining now would be useless. She had to carefully ask Chu Mingcui first before acting, so she quickly withdrew.

Consort Xian glanced at Princess Chu and also withdrew. She understood in her heart, but the Emperor obviously didn't want to expose the ugliness under this fa?ade. The imperial family had to keep face.

Xi Mama also wanted to withdraw, but Princess Chu said, "Mama, there is one thing I want to ask you."

Emperor Ming Yuan warned, "Princess Chu, the matter ends here."

Princess Chu's expression changed from calm to insistence, "Father, this is a major issue that must be clarified."

Xi Mama looked at Princess Chu and said lightly, "What does the Princess want to say? That the bead was not sent to the Empress by your order? Since the Princess does not admit it, then take it as this old servant taking matters into her own hands. This old servant pleads guilty."

Princess Chu looked at her and said, "Whether it was your own initiative or not, we all know in our hearts, but what I want to ask is why did you switch out the Retired Emperor's elixir and frame Xiao Luo Zi?"

As soon as she said this, Emperor Ming Yuan's eyes turned cold in an instant, "Princess Chu, what nonsense are you talking about?"

Princess Chu looked straight at Emperor Ming Yuan, "Father, however bold I am, I would not randomly fabricate charges and frame the Retired Emperor's trusted aide."

Emperor Ming Yuan was stunned for a moment, thinking that she would not fire blanks.

She turned to stare at Xi Mama, "The Retired Emperor treats you well, so why do you want to harm his life?"

"Shut up!" Xi Mama stared at her coldly, "This old servant has never had any intention of harming the Retired Emperor."

"You dare to say you didn't switch the medicine?" Princess Chu asked.

Xi Mama fell silent.

Emperor Ming Yuan was about to slam the table, but his hand slowly lowered. He quietly looked at Xi Mama, and his heart slowly sank.

Xi Mama could have directly refuted it, but she did not.

She was acquiescing.

Emperor Ming Yuan was both shocked and angry. How could it be Xi Mama?

"Princess Chu, do you have evidence?" Mu Ru eunuch asked anxiously.

Princess Chu said indifferently, "The evidence is in Qian Kun Palace, in front of the Retired Emperor. Xi Mama, don't you have to admit it in front of the Retired Emperor? You have harmed him once, surely you don't care if he gets angry and ill because of you. Let's confront each other in Qian Kun Palace. "

Xi Mama almost instantly lowered her head, the light in her eyes fading inch by inch, and the taut skin on her face slowly went limp, sagging at the corners of her eyes, making her seem several years older all of a sudden.

"There is no need to go to Qian Kun Palace. This old servant admits it!" She slowly knelt down.

There was dead silence in the hall, apart from the angry breathing of Emperor Ming Yuan, there was no other sound.

After a long pause, Emperor Ming Yuan's voice slowly rang out, empty and pale, "Why?"

A smile uglier than crying appeared on Xi Mama's face, "This old servant never intended to harm the Retired Emperor. It was this old servant who switched the medicine, but this old servant did not know it was poison, it was too late when I found out."

"So you killed Xiao Luo Zi and framed him!" Princess Chu said coldly.

"It wasn't me who killed him." Xi Mama said.

"Who instructed you to switch the medicine?" Emperor Ming Yuan felt a chill down his back. Not many people in the palace could instruct Xi Mama.

Xi Mama kowtowed, "Your Majesty, execute this old servant, but this old servant will not say."

"You..." Emperor Ming Yuan was extremely disappointed, "Things have come to this, yet you are still unwilling to name the person behind it? It is clear the Retired Emperor trusted you in vain."

Xi Mama's lips trembled, full of regret and despair, "Your Majesty, just grant this old servant a quick death. For old times' sake when this old servant helped Your Majesty a lot, don't torture this old servant for a confession. Once this old servant bites her tongue and dies, she will never relent. Also save this old servant from suffering before death."

Emperor Ming Yuan really couldn't bear to be so cruel. He was by no means a soft-hearted person, but he didn't see Xi Mama and Eunuch Chang as ordinary servants. When he was still the Crown Prince, the two of them helped him a lot.

Princess Chu knew she wouldn't talk.

In Xi Mama's heart, the Retired Emperor held a very important position.

She was even willing to give her life to the Retired Emperor.

She did this for someone more important than the Retired Emperor, and she was willing to die rather than expose this person.

Princess Chu then asked about the bead, "So who instructed you to give the bead to the Empress?"

Xi Mama was silent for a moment, still hesitant to speak.

Emperor Ming Yuan angrily said, "Can't you even say this much?"

Two teardrops slid down Xi Mama's eyes. She choked out a breath, sobbing, "Giving the bead to Her Majesty the Empress was Princess Qi's idea. She resented Princess Chu for scheming to win Prince Chu back then, so she wanted to take revenge on her."

"Was switching the medicine Princess Qi's idea?" Emperor Ming Yuan's eyes were filled with rage.

Xi Mama shook her head, "It wasn't her, she doesn't have the ability to order this old servant to deal with the Retired Emperor."

"But she is capable of ordering you to harm Princess Chu?" Emperor Ming Yuan said coldly.