Without hesitation, she made a firm decision and had all the servants in the imperial concubine's palace taken away. Before leaving, she reminded, "Your Highness, the people I've left behind are all from the Emperor. You can use them with confidence."
Concubine Hua looked at the ten people. She dared not use them precisely because they were from the Emperor. Now, she had to be extremely cautious in everything she did. Damn Mu Fengqie! She would never let her off.
Mu Fengqie took the servants from Concubine Hua's palace and went straight back to her side hall without going anywhere else. She had the group stand in two rows, one for the eunuchs and one for the maids.
Mu Fengqie looked at them and said, "You all know that I'm a doctor. I'm not good at other things, but I'm extremely familiar with medicine."
Saying so, Mu Fengqie observed everyone's expressions on the scene and continued, "I can easily find out who the culprit is. After all, you must have gotten a bit of the medicine on you when you administered it. Even if you didn't, the smell would do.
"I'll give you a chance. Step forward on your own, and I can plead for your lives. But if I find out who it is, you can imagine your fate." After saying that, Mu Fengqie told Zhu Fei to prepare a basin of clean water.
Mu Fengqie glanced at everyone, but no one stepped forward. "Since you're all so confident, then line up one by one and wash your hands."
The eunuchs and maids didn't dare to delay. They quickly lined up and began to wash their hands. However, the way of washing hands was different from usual. Mu Fengqie added some medicinal powder to the water, and soon the water turned blue.
"Put your hands into the water. Whoever's hand changes color is the one who administered the medicine."
A maid in the line stiffened slightly upon hearing Mu Fengqie's words but quickly regained her composure. This maid was the chief maid beside Concubine Hua and the one who had come from the Flower - Full Country.
Mu Fengqie also noticed the maid's expression. It seemed the culprit had been found. Even if it wasn't this person, she must know who did it.
When it was almost the maid's turn, Mu Fengqie saw her nervousness. Just then, Jing Xinche came over and asked her to go and have something to eat and take a rest. Mu Fengqie didn't refuse. If she didn't give the culprit a chance to act, how could she catch the fox's tail?
"What's up? You've found the culprit? You look so happy." Jing Xinche peeled a sweet orange for Mu Fengqie and fed her the segments one by one, saying that he mustn't let Qier get tired.
"Of course. That person is highly suspect. She'll soon fall into our trap." Mu Fengqie pointed to the maid. There was only one person left before it was her turn.
"Really? What do you plan to do then?" Jing Xinche clearly saw the mockery in Mu Fengqie's eyes. This maid was in trouble.
"She's Concubine Hua's person. How dare I touch her?" Although Mu Fengqie said so, her expression was different. She wished she could take the maid away and execute her immediately.
Since there was a one - meter gap between each person, those at the back couldn't see clearly whether the people in front had put their hands into the water. Moreover, after the people in front had washed their hands, Mu Fengqie had them arranged to go to another place, so they were separated from the others.
Soon it was the maid's turn. She quietly looked around and, seeing that no one was paying attention, let out a sigh of relief. She put her hand into the basin, then wiped it with a cloth beside and followed the others to another place.
Mu Fengqie saw that there was nothing on the maid's hand and smiled. But she wasn't in a hurry. She waited until everyone had washed their hands before bringing them all together.
"Now I already know who the culprit is." As she said this, she gave the maid a veiled look.
"In that case, please, Princess Tianlin, bring out the culprit quickly." The chief maid said proudly.
Mu Fengqie said, "Don't be in a hurry. Let's first discuss the punishment for that person. After all, you're all from Concubine Hua's palace."
"What else is there to say? Of course, beat that person to death with sticks." The chief maid said without hesitation. Anyway, she didn't think she would be found out. What did other people's lives matter to her?
"What about you? Everyone, share your opinions." Mu Fengqie looked at them with great interest.
"We'll all follow what the aunt says. We have no objections." They were completely unanimous.
Mu Fengqie nodded in satisfaction. "Then, please step forward, aunt. You said yourself that the culprit should be beaten to death with sticks."
"What is Princess Tianlin talking about? This servant doesn't understand." The chief maid looked at her in a panic. How could they have found out it was her? It was impossible. Clearly, there was no change in her hand.
"You may not know that as long as one has washed their hands in this water, the blue color will stay on the hands and won't wash off. But your hand..." Mu Fengqie lifted the maid's hand, and it was clearly clean.
"How is that possible?! Didn't you say that those with clean hands were not suspects?" The chief maid questioned. Was this Mu Fengqie just being difficult?
Mu Fengqie didn't say anything in response to her words. She just asked everyone present to show their hands. Everyone's hands had a blue tint.
For a moment, the chief maid panicked. "This..." At this moment, she realized she had been tricked.
"Just based on this, you can say I administered the poison? I'm from the Flower - Full Country. This servant is absolutely loyal." The chief maid said arrogantly, believing they wouldn't dare to touch her since she was from the Flower - Full Country.
"I don't care where you're from. Your mistress is now the Emperor's woman, so she's from the Qin Dynasty, and naturally, you are too." Mu Fengqie didn't take the maid's last - ditch struggle seriously.
"Qier, don't waste your breath on her. Just hand the person over to the Emperor." How to deal with the culprit was someone else's business. Their task was to find the culprit.
Mu Fengqie nodded and told Zhu Fei to tie up the maid and drag her all the way to the Emperor's political affairs hall.
"Your Majesty, the culprit has been found. It's a maid from Concubine Hua's palace." Saying so, Mu Fengqie brought the person in.
Yuan Yuchuan recognized the chief maid. He just didn't expect this maid to betray her mistress. "Do you have anything else to say?" Now he had reason to suspect whether this incident was a play self - directed and self - acted by Concubine Hua and her people.
"Your Majesty, this was all instigated by Consort Mu. This servant was blinded by the promise of profit for a moment. Please, Your Majesty, investigate thoroughly." Even if she was going to die, she would drag someone else down with her.