The Farm Girl's Charismatic Fortune-Chapter 355 - 351 Empress Dowager Steals Her Lines

The Imperial Physician finally arrived and checked on Ruo Xuan and Yin Xiaoxue, confirming they were poisoned.

It wasn’t a lethal poison, merely one that induced measles, causing one’s entire body to be covered in small, itchy bumps for a few days. Even without medication, the rash would fade away after some time.

But with the selection process looming, such a poisoning was nothing short of malicious!

Wasn’t this clearly an attempt to prevent someone from participating in the selection, ruining their future?

The countenances of the ladies and women present all changed upon hearing this!

Was there really poison?

They had been dining with Princess Wuyou, hadn’t they?

Some people suddenly felt a tad uncomfortable in their bodies, involuntarily scratching all over, but no bumps appeared.

The Empress Dowager said sternly, "Check which dish was poisoned."

After examining the food again, he reported, "Your Majesty, there is no poison in the food."

Was this specifically aimed at Xuanbao? The Empress Dowager, angered, said, "Check Princess Wuyou’s and this lady’s bowls and tea."

As for why the other lady was poisoned, the Empress Dowager thought it must be because she had offended Kangyi.

The Empress Dowager was also well aware of Princess Kangyi’s reputation.

The Imperial Physician then separately examined their bowls, chopsticks, and tea, yet still found no trace of poison.

The Empress Dowager demanded, "Check everyone else, see if anyone else has been poisoned. Keep looking!"

The Imperial Physician took the pulse of each lady and woman present and found that several had been mildly poisoned. Although there were no symptoms yet, they might develop measles in the night if they catch a cold.

Only after Xuanyuan Que saw the Imperial Physician’s continued failure did he speak up, "The poisoning occurred after inhaling the scent of the flower petals, then eating the food from this table."

The Empress Dowager ordered, "Collect some petals and bring them here."

Princess Kangyi glanced at Xuanyuan Que.

Her ninth cousin was still so sharp, nothing could escape his eyes.

But since the Imperial Physician hadn’t discovered anything, she could claim she knew nothing. How could she have known that simply sprinkling some flowers and inviting everyone to an all-lotus feast could lead to poisoning?

It was purely an accident—who would have thought that these two things combined could cause poisoning?

Princess Kangyi had calmed down.

Indeed, even if it were discovered, what of it? Each item was not poisonous on its own—it was the combination that was toxic. She could argue it was a coincidence.

The petals were quickly brought over, and when checked alone, they showed no poison.

However, when mixed into a certain dish and stirred, a slight poison was detected.

With a cold huff, the Empress Dowager declared, "Whoever did this, come forward and confess, and I shall be lenient."

No one spoke.

No one would be so foolish as to admit it.

The Empress Dowager warned, "If you dare not confess, soon, my patience will run thin."

Still, no one spoke.

The Empress Dowager asked, "Kangyi, was it you?"

Princess Kangyi’s lips moved as if to deny the allegation.

The Empress Dowager stated soberly, "Think carefully before you answer. The thunder in the Capital City is exceptionally divine. Lying will bring the thunder of heaven upon you!"

Ruo Xuan thought, "..."

Weren’t these her own words?

Why was the Empress Dowager stealing her lines now?

But she had no plans to trouble the heavens today! ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

She just wanted to use a little "truth-telling" technique.

No, she intended for Divine Lord Xuanyuan to cast a "truth-telling" spell.

Thinking of the recent thunderstorms, Princess Kangyi hesitated. She looked up at the clear blue sky. Could it really be that responsive?

"Boom!"

It seemed like the heavens were not pleased with her questioning as suddenly a loud rumble came from the sky.

Princess Kangyi: "..."

Everyone looked up at the sky.

The sky was still clear and azure, cloudless, as if it hadn’t made a sound.

The Empress Dowager glanced at the sky and then continued, "Kangyi, did you administer the poison?"

Just one peal of thunder, and Princess Kangyi dared not lie.

But she dared not admit it either!

Yet remaining silent was admission enough!

What more did the Empress Dowager need to understand?

The Empress Dowager then turned to the other three who had participated in the dance, "What about you? Are you aware? Did you participate?"

Zhou Wenxuan hurriedly made a formal bow, "Your Highness, this humble girl knows nothing of it! Please discern the truth, Empress Dowager! Pray that the heavens will see the truth!"

She truly knew nothing, and so her answer was very straightforward.

The corners of the mouths of those present twitched: Impressive! Now they’re even calling upon the heavens to discern the truth!

Zhou Jie, the daughter of the Minister of Personnel, also bowed, "Your Highness, I am completely unaware and absolutely did not partake in poisoning."

The Empress Dowager looked at the last person, Yin Xiaoxue, "And you?"

The Empress Dowager was merely asking; after all, Yin Xiaoxue had also been poisoned, so she probably did not participate.

Yin Xiaoxue dared not admit her guilt, but since the Empress Dowager asked, she could not remain silent. She could only pray that the punishment of heavenly thunder for liars was a myth.

She made a formal bow, "Your Highness, I definitely did not poison Princess Wuyou."

She only wanted to poison Yan Jiaojiao, so she didn’t consider herself as lying.

The Empress Dowager nodded and before she finished, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky!

Followed immediately by a "rumble."

Empress Dowager: "..."

Everyone: "..."

Yin Xiaoxue, charred black: "..."

The Empress Dowager became furious, "Won’t you confess the truth?"

Yin Xiaoxue knelt down and as she did so, her charred clothes turned to ash.

The crowd erupted in turmoil!

Xuanyuan Que turned his back, casually pulling Ruo Xuan with him to do the same.

Yin Xiaoxue’s face had gone white, though it wasn’t visible on her charred visage. It was over, her life was ruined, and with resignation, she said, "I did not poison Princess Wuyou, I meant to poison Yan Jiaojiao!"

Yan Jiaojiao: (⊙_⊙)?

What did this have to do with her?

Yan Jiaojiao was so shocked she couldn’t help but unleash a torrent of soul-searching questions, "Me? Poison me? You wanted to poison me? Are you mistaken? Why?"

Lady Zhou was also dumbfounded, "Xiaoxue, have you gone mad? Why would you poison Jiaojiao?"

Zhou Wenxuan was also bewildered, "Cousin, were you coerced? Jiaojiao is my elder brother’s fiancée!"

Yin Xiaoxue glowered at Yan Jiaojiao, "It’s all because of you! I can’t marry my cousin because of you! It’s because you’ve been betrothed to him since childhood that he has no eyes for me! You are nothing special, with just a better family background, but average looks and temperament, and no proficiency in music, chess, literature, or painting. How are you worthy of my cousin?"

Yan Jiaojiao was taken aback; it was the first time someone had so blatantly scorned her, "Am I really that bad?"

Although she preferred action to reading, enjoyed martial arts more than music, chess, literature, or painting, and wasn’t particularly skilled in those arts, she had learned quite a bit from Xuanbao’s side! And she was capable!

Moreover, she believed her artistic pursuits were superior to many others. Although she had never competed with the four great talents of the Capital City, the music she heard them play wasn’t better than hers, and their paintings lacked a bit of the essence that Xuanbao had said hers possessed.

But to claim mastery—that, she believed, was for Xuanbao and her ninth cousin to decide, irrelevant to her and to others.

"If not you, then who is lacking? If it were not for your prominent father, you would be so ordinary that not even a dog on the street would spare you a second glance. What makes you worthy of my cousin?"

Lady Zhou, fuming, stepped forward to slap her, "Silence! It is because Jiaojiao has a bright nature, lively spirit, and a kind heart that she is worthy of my son!"

She was enraged that the niece she had raised for so many years, who had had everything her own daughter did, could turn out to be such an ingratitude.