She had just intended to show goodwill, but was interrupted halfway. Seeing how unclose the young emperor was to her, she felt it ridiculous.
"Seems like elder sister has grown closer to the emperor. This is a great blessing for the royal family."
Shi Muyuan cast an impatient glance at her and pulled the young emperor to sit beside her.
"Since this little maid has been brought back, we should start the interrogation. I suddenly feel this little maid doesn't have the guts. There might be others behind this."
Concubine Rui instantly panicked. She had planned to quietly execute this maid without a sound, but never thought it would bring her trouble.
"Elder sister doesn't need to dig too deep, right? Anyway, that commoner has just testified that it was this maid who spread the rumors."
The young emperor thought it was too perfunctory.
"Since the empress dowager thinks this matter deserves further investigation, then the imperial concubine should look into it."
So far, no one in this world dared to disrespect the young emperor, and Concubine Rui was no exception. She could only reluctantly step forward to interrogate the little maid.
The little maid was shivering all over at this moment. "Your servant knows her mistake. Please, empress dowager and emperor, spare your servant. Your servant will never dare again."
"It's not me interrogating you today. Explain everything clearly to the imperial concubine."
Shi Muyuan was peeling an orange for the young emperor with an indifferent look.
The little maid had no choice but to kneel in front of Concubine Rui.
"Imperial concubine, please spare me this once for the sake of all the years I've served you."
Concubine Rui wished she could die right away today. She had messed things up and still had the nerve to ask for forgiveness.
She kicked out, and the little maid was sent flying to the side.
"Although you did take care of me before, you slandered the empress dowager. I can't protect you. Just confess your purpose obediently. Don't force me to take action myself."
The little maid was crying miserably. She had done everything on Fei's orders, but now she was being pushed out as a scapegoat. Seeing that she was about to lose her life, she would never let those who had harmed her off easily.
So, she changed her attitude, got up from the ground.
"Heh, doesn't the empress dowager want to know who instigated me to do all this? Today, I'll give you an answer. It's the person right in front of you. And the porridge - giving event was just her way to gain public sympathy."
As soon as these words were out, Concubine Rui's face changed instantly.
"Seems like you've gone crazy from the shock. Otherwise, you wouldn't say such things. How could I possibly frame elder sister now? I've turned over a new leaf. You're just slandering me. It seems I have to teach you a lesson before you'll tell the truth."
She gave a wink to a eunuch beside her. The eunuch immediately understood and stepped forward to take the maid away.
However, Shi Muyuan had long anticipated this move.
"What are you planning to do, younger sister?"
"Sigh, elder sister doesn't understand. Only by teaching these low - class maids a lesson will they learn. What are you looking at? Hurry up and take this maid away. Do you want me to do it myself?"
Hearing this, the eunuch was about to drag the maid away, but this time it was the guards who stopped them.
Then, Shi Muyuan patted the non - existent dust on her skirt and walked down from the high seat.
"You're right, younger sister. But since the emperor is here today, both I and the emperor want to know the truth. You won't refuse, right?"
She was fully exerting her power. Since she had said so, if Concubine Rui still argued, it would be like slapping the empress dowager and the emperor in the face.
Concubine Rui could only wave her hand and call the eunuch back. "The empress dowager said to interrogate here. Be gentle. Don't let there be too much blood. We don't want to sully the empress dowager's and the emperor's eyes."
When she said this, she especially emphasized the word "gentle". Having been in the harem for so long, the eunuch instantly understood.
He nodded and said, "Don't worry, my lords."
Just like this, soon, other palace servants brought up some torture instruments. The whip lashed on the maid's body again and again, but the maid couldn't utter a sound because the eunuch had gagged her before the torture.
Watching the maid's tears streaming down one by one, although Shi Muyuan wasn't a naive person, such a cruel interrogation method would never exist in modern times.
Seeing Concubine Rui's matter - of - fact look, she disliked this woman even more.
Finally, she couldn't hold back first.
"Enough. I'm getting old. I can't bear to see such bloody things anymore. This maid has been gagged all this time. Even if she wants to say something, she can't now."
Hearing this, the eunuch embarrassedly pulled out the cloth from the maid's mouth. "The empress dowager is so kind - hearted that she can't bear to see such a scene. It's our negligence. We should have dragged this little maid out earlier."
Humph, this eunuch was clearly blaming her between the lines. How could Shi Muyuan not hear it? But she didn't take it to heart at all.
"Okay, quickly pull out the cloth from this little maid's mouth."
"Yes."
This time, the little maid still insisted on her previous statement and even said something that surprised everyone.
"If the emperor and the empress dowager don't believe your servant, you can search the rooms. Your servant left some evidence just in case. I didn't say it before because I wanted to save my life, but now it seems I have to."
A glimmer of hope appeared in Shi Muyuan's eyes. She had been wondering how to pin this matter on Concubine Rui, and now it was just like a pillow being sent when she was sleepy.
Concubine Rui on the other side obviously didn't expect that this maid had such a trick up her sleeve. She clearly remembered that she had destroyed all the evidence before. How could there still be any left?
No, this little maid must be talking nonsense. That's right, it must be.
She quickly stepped in front of them. If they really searched her Qingning Palace based on the maid's words, many things in her palace might be discovered.
"Empress dowager, emperor, there's no need for this. Who knows if what this maid said is true? Maybe she's just trying to deceive you, trying to escape punishment and deliberately stalling for time."
"Oh? Then what do you think she can achieve by stalling for time?"