Zui Gu🔞 ( mtl)

87

　　The emperor looked cold, raised his hand and waved his sleeve to signal the guards waiting outside to come in and drag the man away. The pair of eyes that looked at Yan Zhaozhao were full of joy, as if he had finally removed a thorn in his side.

　　"Wait!" Yan Zhaozhao asked anxiously, kneeling on the ground with a straight posture, neither humble nor arrogant, and her words were powerful as she asked the emperor a question. "May I ask your Majesty, is there any evidence that I am the murderer who poisoned the Queen Mother?"

　　The emperor sneered, "You dare to quibble now!" As if thinking that Yan Zhaozhao's fate was already decided, he became much lazier, leaning back on the soft couch, rubbing the emerald jade ring on his thumb with his fingertips, "You ordered the imperial kitchen to prepare the blood swallows that the Queen Mother took, am I right?"

　　Yan Zhaozhao gritted her teeth, but had to admit, "Yes."

　　The emperor asked again, "Today, in the inner hall, except for the Queen Mother's close aunt Yumin, you are the only one who came to this inner hall. Am I right?"

　　"Yes." At this time, Yan Zhaozhao was completely clear that all this was a huge conspiracy from the beginning, and she was the real target. After the Queen Mother passed away, she was pulled down from the position of Queen. This was the real purpose of the person behind the scenes. That person was just using the Queen Mother's death to put her handle nakedly in the hands of the emperor. Next, she didn't need to do anything at all, just wait for the emperor to depose her.

　　Yan Zhaozhao raised her eyes and looked at Yan Zhiman who was standing quietly beside the emperor. Noticing her gaze, Yan Zhiman also looked back at her, as if she felt that she had already won and there was no need to pretend anymore. Yan Zhiman's eyes no longer had the previous weakness and gentleness, but looked down at her with the attitude of a winner.

　　It was as if Yan Zhiman had stepped on her at this moment.

　　The emperor's cold voice suddenly brought her back to her senses, "You ordered the imperial kitchen to stew the blood swallows, and there were only you, Aunt Yumin and the queen mother in the inner hall. Tell me, if it wasn't you who poisoned it, who else could it be?!"

　　Yan Zhaozhao opened her mouth, but hesitated. She glanced at the delicate woman beside the emperor intentionally or unintentionally, and seeing Yan Zhiman's fearless look, she knew that no matter what she said now, no one would believe it, and the emperor who had been planning to depose her would do everything to depose her from the position of queen.

　　"May I ask your Majesty, there is no one in the inner hall, so how can you prove that I am the one who poisoned the food? Moreover, I have also said that from the moment the blood swallows were stewed in the imperial kitchen until Aunt Yumin brought it back to feed my mother, I have never touched the bowl of soup, so how could I have poisoned it?" Yan Zhaozhao's straight back never bent even a bit, even though she knew that the road ahead was bleak and what she was doing now was just a dying struggle, but even if there was only a glimmer of hope, she would earn a way out for herself with her own hands and never be a prey to others!

　　An unnatural look flashed across the emperor's face, "You are still making such remarks now! It's ridiculous!" He slammed the table in anger, and the teacup on it also trembled. "You have stayed in the inner hall for such a long time, and there are only three of you in the hall. Not to mention my mother, it would not be difficult for you to poison the blood swallows when Aunt Yumin was not paying attention."

　　Yan Zhaozhao took a deep breath, "It is difficult for me to prove my innocence. Your Majesty can ask the palace guards to search Fengyi Palace to see if they can find arsenic or other poisons in it." She looked directly into the emperor's slightly guilty eyes, her eyes were cold but her conscience was clear, "I dare to swear on my life that I have never poisoned my mother in order to murder her life! Please, Your Majesty, understand!" The