“Just like what Empress Qi said, it’s almost the same, but the difference is that although Yu Daming is unconscious, she is still aware.”

After hearing what Zhang Mi said, Xin Changzai curiously asked:

“Then, can we, the people here, still be heard by Yu Daming?”

Zhang Mi nodded. “Yes, but Yu Daming cannot respond.”

“Then please, Dr. Zhang, take good care of Yu Daming’s health.”

Dr. Zhang, looking at the Empress, cupped his hands and said, “This is my duty, Your Majesty. Please rest assured.”

Why did so many bats suddenly appear?

Could it really be a coincidence?

Tofu?

It can’t be that tofu!

Bats don’t like foul smells!

Could it be the flowers placed at the door?

And the stinky tofu was used to cover up the smell of the flowers?

To prevent An Lingrong, who is very sensitive to smells, from noticing anything unusual?

It seems everything has been arranged in advance, and the only one who could have arranged this is the host of this banquet—the Empress.

As Zhen Huan was thinking about these things, the Empress suddenly asked one of the palace maids a question.

“Where are the close-attending palace maids of An Changzai and Yu Daming?”

Juqing, Baojuan, and Huasui all nervously stepped forward.

“How did you serve your masters? What were you doing when An Changzai and Yu Daming had their accidents?”

Facing the Empress’s interrogation, Juqing and Huasui both looked guilty and sorrowful, while Baojuan seemed unfazed, as if nothing had happened.

Zhen Huan remembered that in her previous life, An Lingrong’s most trusted person was Baojuan, and she would take her everywhere.

Why did Baojuan seem so guilty now?

“These servants failed to serve their masters well. What use is there in keeping them?”

“In my opinion, it’s better to send them to the Ministry of Punishments to reflect on their mistakes.”

Hua Fei, already irritated by the loss of Yu Ying’er, was eager to urge the Emperor to punish these servants.

An Lingrong pleaded for Juqing and Baojuan:

“Your Majesty, Juqing and Baojuan have always been by my side, protecting me. The events today happened so suddenly.”

“And Yu Daming was injured while trying to save me, and it has nothing to do with Huasui.”

“If Empress Hua feels wronged, then punish me instead.”

The Emperor, seeing that An Lingrong was pregnant and had been shocked so much, agreed to let them stay and serve well in the future to make up for today’s mistake.

An Lingrong thanked him with a bow, and the Emperor told her not to kneel too much to avoid hurting her child.

“But how could today’s events be so coincidental? First, An Changzai almost fell off the building, then Yu Daming…”

Qi Fei seemed to be talking to herself, but also to Xin Changzai.

Baojuan seemed to panic when she heard Qi Fei’s words.

The Empress immediately picked up on Qi Fei’s comment: “Are you implying that today’s events were not a coincidence?”

“Empress, I was just casually saying, I’m a bit curious,” she replied.

Xin Changzai also chimed in:

“Yes, Yuanmingyuan is the perfect place to escape the heat, so how could thousands of bats suddenly attack for no reason?”

Jianqiu also added:

“Your Majesty, I remember someone screamed that Yu Daming had fallen off the building…”

With each comment, the Empress now had a reason to investigate further.

In Zhen Huan’s eyes, this was just the Empress trying to shift the blame.

But from how eager the Empress was about this matter, Zhen Huan knew that today, the Empress not only wanted to cause An Lingrong to miscarry but also had other motives.

“An Changzai, you’re the person involved. Do you think there was anything unusual at that time?”

The Empress asked An Lingrong first. An Lingrong confirmed that she indeed felt someone had pushed her from behind.

Upon hearing this, even though the Empress’s arm hurt, her spirits seemed lifted. She turned to the Emperor and asked:

“Your Majesty, what do you think of this matter?”

The Emperor remained silent for a moment before replying:

“Who was the first to discover that Yu Daming had fallen?”

“It was me.” Baojuan stepped forward from behind An Lingrong.

“What was the situation at the time? Do you remember?”

Baojuan looked extremely nervous:

“I remember there were many bats. After Yu Daming pulled the Young Mistress up, Juqing and I guarded her…”

Baojuan swallowed nervously:

“Later, I was knocked down by someone, and just then, I heard a dull thud. When I turned around, I couldn’t see Yu Daming anymore.”

“I was frightened and screamed out.”

“Did you see clearly? Who was closest to Yu Daming at that time?”

The Empress could no longer hold back and asked.

While everyone was listening attentively, Zhen Huan shifted her attention to the Empress and Jianqiu.

She clearly saw Baojuan look at the Empress when Jianqiu gave her a glance.

If Zhen Huan wasn’t mistaken, Baojuan had already been bought off by the Empress.

The incident of pushing An Lingrong and Yu Ying’er down the building definitely had something to do with Baojuan.

Thinking of this, Zhen Huan gritted her teeth in anger.

The Empress would stop at nothing to make others lose their children!

“I saw… I saw…”

Baojuan was speaking hesitantly.

“What did you see? Spit it out! Do you still want to hide it in front of the Emperor?”

Qi Fei impatiently urged Baojuan.

“I saw… I saw… Empress… Empress Hua was the closest.”

Feeling bored, Hua Fei immediately became alert upon hearing this.

“You vile maid! Who gave you the courage to slander me!”

She immediately went to kick Baojuan.

“Enough!”

The Emperor’s face darkened, and he spoke in a low voice.

Upon hearing the Emperor’s anger, Hua Fei immediately changed her expression:

“Your Majesty, please don’t believe this vile servant’s words…”

“The scene was chaotic. I was too busy looking after myself. How could I have pushed Yu Daming?”

“Moreover, Your Majesty, I’ve never had any grudges with Yu Daming!”

“Hua Fei, you may not have any grudges with Yu Daming, but you certainly have with An Changzai!”

“Qi Fei, keep quiet! When have I ever had a grudge with An Changzai?”

Hua Fei had lost all sense of reason. Whether she pushed or not, she wouldn’t tolerate anyone falsely accusing her.

“At the banquet today, Hua Fei, you knew An Changzai was pregnant, yet you purposely made things difficult for her and had her drink wine. Everyone saw that.”

“Had it not been for the Empress and Concubine Wan stopping her, An Changzai would have had to drink that cup of wine!”

With the Empress supporting her, Qi Fei had always disliked Hua Fei. Now that she had a hold over Hua Fei, she would speak freely.

The Emperor, fiddling with the prayer beads in his hand, asked, “Empress, did this really happen today?”

The Empress didn’t directly answer but instead said gently:

“Your Majesty, An Changzai didn’t drink, but Concubine Wan did drink a lot on her behalf.”

When the Emperor heard that Concubine Wan had drunk a lot, his anger instantly flared:

“Hua Fei, you knew An Changzai was pregnant, and yet you made her drink wine. Tell me, what were you thinking?”

The Emperor slammed the prayer beads on the table with a loud crack.