On the other side, after Concubine Chu left Concubine Dong's palace, a smug smile lingered on her lips. Her goal had been achieved, and now all she had to do was wait for good news.
Meanwhile, in Cining Palace.
When the Empress Dowager was in the Queen's palace, she heard from the servants there that the incident of Dongfang Yi and the Emperor fainting was related to Concubine Chu. At first, she was rather skeptical, as she quite favored Concubine Chu. But later, after sending Nanny Li to investigate, she found that all the people who knew about that day had disappeared without a trace.
This made her couldn't help but feel suspicious. If there was nothing to hide, why would they get rid of all the witnesses? There must be something fishy going on. Thinking of this, she frowned, feeling that all her trust in that woman had been in vain. Then she said to Nanny Li beside her, "Go and summon Concubine Chu to me!"
Less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick later, Concubine Chu rushed over. Due to her haste, there were still beads of sweat on her forehead. She was still wearing a plain dress, with no makeup on her face and no hair ornaments.
Seeing her like this, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but raise her eyebrows and ask, "Why is Concubine Chu dressed so plainly today?"
She remembered that this woman was usually quite showy and always dressed in a flamboyant way.
Concubine Chu slightly lowered her head, then frowned and said with a worried look on her face, "I heard what happened to the Dong family in the capital. I really feel sorry for the Dong family and pity Concubine Dong. So I dressed plainly to mourn the dead."
She said every word sincerely. If others didn't know what was on her mind, they would surely think she was a kind and virtuous lady. But in fact, her heart was completely different from her outwardly respectful appearance.
Hearing her words, the Empress Dowager's frown relaxed a bit. She was quite satisfied with what Concubine Chu said. After all, she had been a vegetarian and devout Buddhist for several years and was deeply touched by killing. Now that the incident of the Dong family had happened, she also felt desolate. Even though she already knew that the Dong family was involved in the assassination of the Emperor, she still felt that too many people had died, which made her feel powerless. Concubine Chu's words were very much to her liking.
But she wasn't confused by just these two sentences. She still remembered the purpose of summoning Concubine Chu here. Then she continued to ask, "Concubine Chu, do you know your crime?!"
To her surprise, Concubine Chu didn't offer a single word of defense. She knelt on the ground immediately, then lowered her head and admitted her guilt, saying, "Empress Dowager, I'm guilty!"
As she said this, tears welled up in her eyes. On her makeup - free face, she looked extremely pitiful.
Seeing her like this, the Empress Dowager was a bit flustered. Then she continued to ask, "Oh? Then tell me what your crime is?!"
Then they saw Concubine Chu wiping her tears while answering pitifully, "I was wrong to have harassed Concubine Yi and accidentally injured the Emperor. It's all because I'm too gullible. I listened to the slander of others and did such a despicable thing. Empress Dowager, please punish me quickly!"
Her tears kept falling, and she stammered on and on.
After hearing this, the Empress Dowager frowned. She didn't expect that Concubine Chu would directly admit what she had done. Then she asked, "Gullible and listened to slander? Who on earth instigated you?!"
As soon as her words came out, the woman kneeling in front of her showed a smug smile where no one could see. She thought that her words had hooked the Empress Dowager.
But then she still pretended to be aggrieved and continued to answer, "Empress Dowager... I don't know how to say it..."
"What are you afraid of? Do you still need to hide something from me?!" the Empress Dowager shouted at her, with a hint of dissatisfaction in her words.
Only then did Concubine Chu lower her head and say word by word, "It's like this, Empress Dowager. It's all because of Concubine Dong. She bewitched me and made me wrongly think that Concubine Yi was targeting me. She also spread some bad rumors about me. That's why I lost control. But I never thought that I would accidentally injure the Emperor..."
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager frowned even more tightly. She couldn't help but feel a bit skeptical. Then she asked, "Is what you said true? You should know that Concubine Dong has always been gentle and kind. How could she do what you just described?!"
Although she said so, she didn't really think so in her heart. Instead, she thought that what the woman in front of her said made some sense.
After all, just a few days ago, they had found out that the assassination of the Emperor was masterminded by Concubine Dong and the Dong family, which had caused the Emperor to be poisoned for so long. Although they hadn't found the evidence yet, they were almost certain that the culprits were them.
Now hearing what the woman in front of her said, she felt that her attitude towards Concubine Dong really needed to change.
"Empress Dowager, how dare I deceive you? Otherwise, how could I so easily admit my guilt and ask for your punishment? Moreover, what kind of person Concubine Dong is, you'll know at a glance, Empress Dowager!" Concubine Chu said like this, with an unshakable firmness in her eyes.
What she said was indeed reasonable. After all, she had just gone to provoke Concubine Dong. It would be strange if Concubine Dong could still be as kind and virtuous as usual. In this way, it would be easier for Concubine Dong to expose herself in front of the Empress Dowager. Then with the protection of the Empress Dowager, she wouldn't have to be afraid of what the Emperor would do to her.
Thinking of this, she played the role of the poor even more diligently, trying to completely confuse the woman in front of her.
The Empress Dowager already believed half of what she said, so she was going to go to Concubine Dong's palace to investigate carefully. If Concubine Dong was really as Concubine Chu described, it would be really terrifying. No matter what means she had to use, she wouldn't let that woman live any longer.
Thinking of this, she said to the woman in front of her, "Get up. Come with me to Concubine Dong's palace and have a look."
But at this moment, a young eunuch rushed into the palace in a hurry. Out of breath, he said, "Report to the Empress Dowager! The Emperor has woken up!"
"What?!" The Empress Dowager was immediately startled by his words and stood up. Then she asked with an excited tone.
"Really. The Emperor has invited you to go there!" The eunuch said another sentence, confirming the accuracy of the news he brought.
The Empress Dowager replied with a smile, "Good, good, good! I'll go there right away!" Her eyebrows relaxed.
After all, nothing was more important than the Emperor waking up. So all other things had to take a back seat.