At this moment, the Empress Dowager was a bit scared. Beads of sweat even oozed from her forehead as she stared fixedly at the dark shadow on the ground.
Seeing this, Dongfang Yi gave a soft cough to catch her attention. Then she said with a laugh, "These are all fake. Don't be afraid. Just wait a bit."
Right after her words fell, they heard the dark shadow let out a startled scream, and then it tilted to one side.
Thinking that the ghost was angry, the Empress Dowager let out a scream. Dongfang Yi immediately rushed to her and held her hand, comforting her, "Don't be afraid, Empress Dowager."
Then she shouted out of the window, "Donghua, throw them in!"
The next moment, two people in black night - suits were thrown in through the window, along with a faceless paper figurine.
Dongfang Yi sneered and kicked the paper figurine on the ground with her foot, saying mockingly, "Sure enough, it's a paper figurine. The dark shadow just now must have been from this paper figurine!"
"So you've guessed it long ago!" the Empress Dowager said.
She tilted her head, indicating that she had. Then she added, "I knew you wouldn't believe me if I just told you, so I had to let you see it for yourself."
The Empress Dowager wanted to scold her, but the next moment she realized that her hand was still being held by the woman in front of her. Her face flushed, and the words on the tip of her tongue couldn't come out.
Dongfang Yi quickly withdrew her hand and scratched her head, saying, "Empress Dowager, now you can see that I'm innocent, right? I didn't do anything. It was all their tricks."
Seeing her like this and remembering what she had said just now, the Empress Dowager softened her heart. She sighed and said, "I've misunderstood you."
It was really rare for the Empress Dowager to admit her mistake. Dongfang Yi felt that this trip was really worth it. After helping the old woman to the armchair, she sent someone to invite Helian Qi.
She herself tore off the veils of the two black - clothed people. When she saw Cuiping's face, she was a bit surprised. If she remembered correctly, this maid should be from Concubine Shu's palace.
Could it be...
She didn't dare to think further. Then she asked sternly, "Who sent you?!"
Cuiping just sneered. She lowered her head, making it hard to see her expression. She didn't expect to be exposed so easily, and by the Empress she hated the most. She was on the verge of a breakdown.
Meanwhile, Lvjie started wailing. Her hoarse voice made people think of a ghost's cry.
"So it's you!" the Empress Dowager shouted. She coughed a few times because of her excitement.
Wasn't that ghostly sound they heard made by this maid?
"What's wrong with your voice?!" Dongfang Yi asked.
"I accidentally swallowed charcoal fire when I was a child, and my throat was burned," Lvjie stammered. Her courage had been scared away by the current situation.
After hearing her story, Dongfang Yi subconsciously touched her own throat and then asked, "Tell me, who sent you?!"
Before Lvjie could speak, Cuiping shouted loudly, "It's Concubine Chu. All this was ordered by her. She couldn't stand the Empress's prestige in the palace, so she wanted to kill you with the Empress Dowager's hand."
After saying that, she raised her head. Her eyes were full of blood - streaks. On closer inspection, one could see that her face was full of tears. She must have been crying when she had her head down.
Dongfang Yi frowned when she saw her and then asked the question in her mind, "Aren't you from Concubine Shu's palace? Why are you working for Concubine Chu?!"
"Hahaha!" Cuiping didn't answer but let out a wild laugh. Then blood flowed from the corner of her mouth, and the next moment she fell to the ground.
Donghua quickly rushed over to check her breath and then shook his head, indicating that Cuiping was dead.
Dongfang Yi didn't expect her to bite her tongue and kill herself, leaving only a sentence to identify the culprit.
Lvjie was scared out of her wits. She collapsed on the ground limply and then cried, "I really didn't mean to do this. All this was ordered by Concubine Chu. I didn't dare not do it, or I would lose my life!"
Hearing all this, the Empress Dowager coughed violently, as if she couldn't believe what she had heard.
"What? It was actually Concubine Chu who did this?!" she shouted, with a hint of disbelief in her tone.
She never thought that the Concubine Chu she had always protected and kept others from harming would do such things behind her back. It was really a waste of her efforts.
Dongfang Yi naturally saw the worry on her face. Then she walked over and asked, "Empress Dowager, what should we do now?"
She had actually guessed that all this was the work of Concubine Chu. After all, in this harem, the only one who hated her so much and wanted to kill her was Concubine Chu. She couldn't think of anyone else.
Doing all this was just to let the Empress Dowager know her true face.
The Empress Dowager thought for a while and then sighed, "It seems that I'm just getting old and can't even judge people right. Go and bring Concubine Chu to me!"
At this time, Helian Qi also rushed over. When he saw the dead maid's body on the ground, he couldn't help but feel worried. After seeing that the people he was worried about were all okay, he asked, "Have you found out anything?"
Dongfang Yi replied, "The ghost was fake, and all this was Concubine Chu's scheme. She wanted to kill me with the Empress Dowager's hand."
Hearing this, Helian Qi frowned tightly. The outcome was just as he had expected. It was still that venomous woman. This time, he would surely not let her go.
Soon, Concubine Chu was brought in. She was still dressed in her gaudy way. When she saw the Empress Dowager, she came over coquettishly. Then she opened her innocent big eyes and asked, "Empress Dowager, what on earth has happened? Why did you call me here in the middle of the night?"
She really looked as if she knew nothing. Dongfang Yi couldn't help but sneer. She thought that since she had known Concubine Chu, she had either pretended to be pitiful in front of the Emperor or in front of the Empress Dowager. Even now, she still resorted to the same trick. Didn't she feel bored?
Now the Empress Dowager had seen through what kind of person she was, so she naturally wouldn't believe her act anymore. She pushed her aside coldly and said in a deep voice, "Concubine Chu! Don't you know your crime yet?!"