The Empress Dowager was displeased, but due to the Queen Zhao's words, she had to weigh the matter again. After all, since the Zhao family's downfall, the Emperor had only imprisoned the Queen Zhao instead of deposing her. It was partly because she had given birth to the Great Prince and the Tenth Prince. Although the Great Prince had died prematurely and the Tenth Prince was like a useless person, which was a pity, the Emperor didn't want the Tenth Prince to be separated from his birth mother.
Wei Dongling felt increasingly uneasy seeing the Empress Dowager hesitating. If she didn't take this opportunity to get rid of Nanny Gao, there might be endless troubles.
Just when Wei Dongling was at a loss, Concubine Shu cleared her throat and stepped forward. She bowed respectfully to the Empress Dowager and softly called out, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I saw with my own eyes Nanny Gao committing murder."
The maid beside her also stepped forward and said, "Your servant was with Concubine Shu. We both saw Nanny Gao committing murder. If our mistress hadn't passed by by chance, Princess Fifth might have already lost her life in Nanny Gao's hands!"
Wei Dongling was shocked. Concubine Shu and her maid were like living bodhisattvas who saved the suffering! Not only did they tell lies with their eyes open, but they also helped cover up the lies! This step - mother was even kinder than her own mother!
Concubine Shu: I can't take this. I'm only two years older than you! It's not that exaggerated!
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager was furious. "This is simply outrageous!"
Nanny Gao looked at Concubine Shu and her maid in astonishment. She never expected that they would stand up to support Wei Dongling and help her cover up the lies!
The Queen Zhao knelt on the ground and wanted to say something else. The Empress Dowager roared, "Zhao has failed to manage her subordinates properly, which has led to a great mistake. Drag her down and beat her ten big boards! Nanny Gao committed murder. Beat her to death with a stick!"
"Yes!"
The Queen Zhao was stunned. She grabbed Nanny Gao's hand tightly and wailed, "Mother! You've wronged me! Mother! Please spare Nanny Gao's life!"
The Empress Dowager's face was ashen. She didn't even want to pay attention to her. She turned to look at Wei Dongling and waved her hand to comfort her. "Don't be too sad. Have Minfang buried with due respect."
Seeing that the Empress Dowager was going to execute Nanny Gao, Wei Dongling finally felt relieved. She nodded with red - rimmed eyes. "Yes!"
Just as the imperial guards were about to drag the Queen Zhao and Nanny Gao away for execution, a figure suddenly rushed out and blocked in front of Nanny Gao, protecting her.
Wei Dongling secretly thought it was bad. The person who rushed out was actually the Tenth Prince!
Weren't the imperial guards supposed to drag him back and lock him up? How did he manage to escape? Thinking carefully, no one knew that the Tenth Prince was highly skilled in martial arts, so naturally they didn't guard against him. He could just jump down from the second floor of the Ten - Thousand Buddhas Pagoda. They simply couldn't stop him!
Just when everyone was in shock, the Tenth Prince lifted his robe and knelt in front of the Empress Dowager. He pleaded, "Grandmother! Please spare Nanny Gao!"
The Tenth Prince, who had never spoken before, could actually talk! And at this moment, there were no symptoms of madness at all. His behavior was as proper as that of a normal prince!
The Empress Dowager was so shocked that her body trembled. She carefully examined the Tenth Prince's pale face and kept asking, "You are... You are my good grandson, the Tenth Prince Mu Rong Yunqian? Your illness is all cured?"
The Queen Zhao quickly stepped forward and replied, "Replying to Mother, our son Yunqian's consciousness gradually recovered a month ago, and he could speak."
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager was overjoyed. She already doted on her grandchildren. Coupled with the sudden suicide of the Fourth Prince, which made her extremely heart - broken, the sudden appearance of a normal Tenth Prince made her both surprised and happy!
The Empress Dowager held the Tenth Prince's hand and said happily while scolding the Queen Zhao, "Such a happy event happened a month ago. You should have informed me immediately. Why did you wait until today to say it? Look at how thin you've raised my grandson! If the Emperor knew, he would be so heart - broken!"
Wei Dongling secretly thought it was bad. She could only stare blankly at the murderer without any way to deal with it.
Mu Rong Yunqian, the Tenth Prince, held the Empress Dowager's hand and imitated all of Wei Dongling's complaints. "Grandmother! If it weren't for Nanny Gao's careful care and teaching all the time, grandson might still be a crazy person who doesn't understand human nature until now! Please be merciful and forgive Nanny Gao this time! Grandson dares to swear with his life that Nanny Gao will never accidentally commit murder again! Grandmother, please have pity on grandson's ignorance over the years and spare her life!"
"This..." The Empress Dowager saw her grandson in front of her looking sallow and thin, wearing simple clothes. His two eyes were as wet as a young animal's, which was very cute. She couldn't help but soften her heart. Her motherly love instantly overflowed.
Wei Dongling was secretly anxious. She felt extremely frustrated. She knew that the Empress Dowager would definitely soften her heart this time.
Concubine Shu stepped forward and said calmly, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, it's really a great happy event that the Tenth Prince has recovered! If the Emperor knew about this, he would surely be overjoyed!"
The Empress Dowager nodded and said happily with a smile, "Indeed! Yunqian, get up quickly. After you tidy up, I'll take you to see your father!"
Mu Rong Yunqian, the Tenth Prince, said anxiously, "Grandmother, grandson wants to see father! Grandson is willing to listen to you in everything! But grandson can't live without Nanny Gao! Recently, Nanny Gao has been teaching grandson to copy Buddhist scriptures, and grandson has learned very fast! Please be kind and spare her!" The Tenth Prince knew that the Empress Dowager always had Buddhist scriptures in her hand, so he quickly said this to imply that Nanny Gao had no ill intentions.
Sure enough, the Empress Dowager glanced at Nanny Gao and sighed in her heart.
Wei Dongling gritted her teeth, stepped forward, and knelt down. "Grandmother! It's really a cause for celebration that the Tenth Brother is now as normal as others! But Aunt Minfang died so miserably. If the murderer is allowed to go unpunished, it may be difficult to calm the public's anger! If Aunt Minfang knew in the underworld, she would probably be heart - broken!"
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager frowned slightly.
Concubine Shu nodded. "Princess Fifth is absolutely right! A life for a life is only natural. If we easily let the murderer go, aren't we just indulging the murderer to be more insatiable? If such chaos continues in the future, the harem will be in danger!"
Nanny Gao immediately shouted, "This old servant knows her mistake! I hope Your Majesty the Empress Dowager will give this old servant a chance to atone for her sins! This old servant guarantees that she will never make the same mistake again!" Since the Tenth Prince had suddenly decided to return to the public's sight, Nanny Gao was naturally willing to take all the blame.
Seeing the Empress Dowager looking embarrassed, Concubine Shu said, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Nanny Gao was still teaching the Tenth Prince to copy scriptures at the desk yesterday, but today she has committed a sin. It's really not suitable for her to teach the Tenth Prince anymore. We should send a scholar with excellent character and learning to make up for the Tenth Prince's lessons one by one!"
Wei Dongling nodded frantically.
The Empress Dowager pondered. "That's true! Considering that she has taught the Tenth Prince well, the death penalty can be waived, but the living penalty is hard to escape. Send her to the prison of the Ministry of Justice for life imprisonment!"
Wei Dongling and Concubine Shu glanced at each other. Concubine Shu slightly shook her head at her, indicating that she could only accept this result and shouldn't say anything more.
The Tenth Prince was about to say something else. The Queen Zhao was afraid that he would anger the Empress Dowager and make her change her mind. She quickly shouted, "Thank you, Mother, for your magnanimity in sparing Nanny Gao's life!"
The Tenth Prince could only lower his head and say, "Grandson thanks Grandmother!"