After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

Chapter 493 Tiger poison does not eat its seeds

"Consort Li, who did this?"

Princess Huai'an roared angrily.

The Second Prince's Consort and Consort Sun both trembled involuntarily.

The second prince quickly stepped forward to smooth things over, saying, "Grandmother, Aunt, Consort Li and Jing'er were like this because they fell into the dry pond; it was all an accident."

The Empress Dowager stared intently at Murong Xu. "Second son, do you think I'm blind? I can tell the difference between a fall and a beating! Granny Gui, please invite Consort Li and her daughter to the side hall and summon the imperial physician."

"Grandmother!" the Second Prince cried out anxiously.

The Empress Dowager slammed her fist on the table in anger, “Murong Xu! Even tigers don’t eat their cubs! Tell me honestly, how did Jing’er get her injuries!”

“Grandmother, Jing’er did indeed fall and get injured. It’s the New Year, and I’ve already had the imperial physician apply medicine to her, so there’s no need to summon him!” Murong Xu knelt there and kowtowed forcefully.

The more he did this, the angrier the Empress Dowager became, so she let him kowtow without letting go.

Everyone was astonished.

Zhao Wanyi wiped away her tears with heartache, quickly knelt down to stop Murong Xu, and kowtowed along with him, "Empress Dowager, it's all my fault, it has nothing to do with the Second Prince, please punish me!"

"Second son's wife, how could you beat Li Shi and Jing'er like that?" The Empress Dowager's angry eyes were filled with shock and disappointment.

With tears in her eyes, Zhao Wanyi hurriedly defended herself, "It was Consort Li who instructed Jing'er to tamper with my medicine. My daughter-in-law caught her red-handed, and in a fit of anger, she had her mother and daughter beaten. It's all my fault!"

The Empress Dowager grew increasingly furious, slamming her hand on the table. "Guards, bring Consort Li and her daughter here! Today, I will get to the bottom of this!"

Consort Li and Murong Jing re-entered the main hall, and seeing everyone staring at them, they quickly knelt down.

The Empress Dowager asked coldly, "Consort Li, the Second Prince's wife accuses you of instigating your daughter to poison her medicine. Is this true?"

"I'm innocent, Your Majesty! I'm innocent!" Consort Li knelt on the ground and kowtowed desperately.

The second prince angrily rebuked, "The evidence is irrefutable, and you still dare to deny it?"

Consort Li shook her head vigorously with tears in her eyes, "Your Majesty, please understand. I still don't know why the Second Prince and the Princess Consort insist that I instigated the child to poison her. That day, Jing'er was beaten half to death and brought back. I was devastated. Before I could even see His Highness and the Princess Consort, the steward came with a group of guards and imprisoned my daughter and me in the courtyard, leaving us to fend for ourselves."

Jing'er almost didn't survive. Fortunately, we still had some medicine left over from what we had prepared for her injuries. These past few days, my daughter and I have been gritting our teeth and enduring it all. We beg Your Majesty to have a wise judgment!

The Empress Dowager, trembling, supported herself with Gui Mama's hand and staggered to Murong Jing. She lifted her arm and saw the shocking wound. Her chest was instantly filled with anger, and she turned around and slapped Murong Xu hard.

Zhao Wanyi turned pale with fright and was about to speak.

The Empress Dowager suddenly gave a cold order, "Guards, take the Second Prince, the Second Prince's Consort, Consort Li, and Miss Jing away and interrogate them separately!"

"Grandmother! Grandmother! Your grandson knows he was wrong! Grandmother, please forgive your grandson this once!" Murong Xu was dragged away by the guards in a panic.

The people in the hall looked at each other, unsure of what to say for a moment.

The Empress Dowager expressionlessly sent someone to invite the Emperor and Empress.

Princess Huai'an hurriedly took the lead in bidding farewell.

Even after leaving the Empress Dowager's palace, the group kept turning back and whispering among themselves.

Murong Chen and Shen Tian, ​​with their child in tow, exchanged a glance and whispered, "This palace banquet will probably have to end abruptly. You take the child back first, and I'll stay and explain."

Shen Tian nodded and immediately followed Princess Huai'an. "Aunt, shall we go together?"

Princess Huai'an, with a solemn expression, took her arm and asked in a low voice, "Are you leaving the palace?"

"Yes, His Highness asked me to take the child back first. Aunt, do you know what happened?" Shen Tian asked softly.

Princess Huai'an met her curious yet fearful eyes and warned, "Don't ask, it's not a good thing. The second prince has become increasingly outrageous these past few years; he even beat his own daughter like that!"

"The Second Prince hit him? Wasn't it Second Sister-in-law?" Shen Tian pretended to be stupid.

Princess Huai'an sighed and shook her head, "You're too naive! If it really was the Second Prince's Consort who hit him, would he have reacted like that? No matter what, she's his daughter; he wouldn't cover for her! Sigh! Let's not talk about it anymore, it's too upsetting!"

Princess Huai'an hurriedly led Shen Tian out of the palace, where they happened to run into Princess Qingfeng, who had just entered the palace.

Princess Qingfeng hurriedly bowed and nodded politely and distantly to Shen Tiandian.

"The Eldest Princess and Consort Shen are leaving the palace? Isn't it still a long way off?"

Princess Huai'an gave a dignified smile and replied slowly, "If you don't want to stay, then go back. Please do as you wish, Princess."

Shen Tian followed obediently behind Princess Huai'an without saying a word.

Princess Qingfeng watched them leave without expression. "Hongqin, let's go! Let's go pay our respects to the Empress Dowager first."

The two, master and servant, were stopped by Granny Gui, who was standing at the door, as soon as they arrived outside the Empress Dowager's palace.

"Princess, the Empress Dowager is not seeing anyone. Please return!"

Princess Qingfeng's expression changed slightly. She glanced at the main hall, then obediently turned and left.

His face was solemn.

Inside the palace.

The Empress Dowager angrily clenched her fists, pounded her chest, and shook her head. "I used to think that the Second Prince was just a little unrestrained in his pursuit of women, but otherwise he was alright. Only today did I realize that he could be so ruthless! Emperor and Empress, look at Jing'er!"

Murong Jing was carried in on a stretcher after her medicine was applied.

The Empress rushed forward and accidentally bumped into Murong Jing's arm.

Murong Jing was in so much pain that tears welled up in her eyes, but she dared not utter a sound.

The Emperor and Empress leaned closer and, after carefully examining Murong Jing's injuries, their expressions changed.

The Empress felt dizzy and disoriented. "Mother, are you saying that the Second Prince did this to his daughter?"

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes and nodded emphatically. "I have just interrogated her carefully. Jing'er did nothing at all. She didn't drug the Second Prince's wife either. These are all excuses to frame Jing'er. Consort Li was implicated by Jing'er and was beaten as well, but she wasn't seriously injured."

The emperor was stunned. He immediately squatted down and looked at the child. "Jing'er, tell your imperial grandfather why your father hit you. Don't worry, with your imperial grandfather here, no one can do anything to you!"

Murong Jing shrank back in fear, her eyes filled with confusion. "Jing'er didn't do anything, and I don't know why Father hit me. Grandfather, does Father no longer love Jing'er?"

The three adults were all deeply saddened upon hearing this.

The emperor, being the emperor, quickly regained his composure and continued to ask, "Then think carefully, have you done anything to anger your father during this time, or seen anything or anyone you shouldn't have seen, or gone to any place you shouldn't have gone?"

Murong Jing honestly replied, "Jing'er used to play in the garden of the mansion. Mother Consort wouldn't let me go to other places. Later, when my sister returned to the mansion, I secretly went to see her a few times, but Aunt Cen wouldn't let Jing'er play with my sister. Jing'er could only watch secretly."