He respected His Highness Prince An, but he still knew what was more important.
Cui Yunfeng grabbed Cui Yunchu's hand and refused to let go.
"I'll go with you, eldest sister."
The eunuch looked at Prince An in a dilemma. "Your Highness, His Majesty has instructed to see only Eldest Miss Cui."
Prince An tried his best to persuade Cui Yunfeng, but it was no match for Cui Yunchu's glare. "Cui Yunfeng, let go."
Cui Yunfeng pouted aggrievedly and slowly let go of her. "If there's any sudden accident, just shout. Don't be afraid. I'll be right outside and will definitely keep you safe."
Cui Yunchu gently stroked her head and said, "Don't worry," then followed the little eunuch away.
She also wanted to go herself, even if it was just to take a distant look at him.
To know how serious his injuries were, what kind of poison he had been poisoned with, and whether he was out of danger.
Cui Yunfeng's eyes were red - rimmed. She was so anxious that she wrung her hands and paced back and forth on the spot.
Tang Qingwan comforted her beside.
As long as Uncle came in time, everything would be all right.
Suddenly, Cui Yunfeng turned to Xiao Yi. "Can I speak freely here?"
Xiao Yi was afraid that she would do something that would shock him. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "You can whisper to me."
Cui Yunfeng stood on tiptoe and whispered in Xiao Yi's ear. Xiao Yi also cooperated by bending down and lowering his head. "Husband, if the emperor wants to kill my eldest sister, you should rebel."
"..."
Xiao Yi was briefly speechless.
He felt as if a mountain had suddenly crashed down on his head. But facing Cui Yunfeng's unwavering gaze, he still reluctantly nodded against his conscience.
Rebelling for Cui Yunchu was something he had never even thought about in his life.
"Don't worry. As long as that person doesn't die, Cui Yunchu won't die."
He coaxed Cui Yunfeng perfunctorily.
#
Cui Yunchu was taken to the side hall. As she passed by the couch where Shen Xiabai was lying, his eyes were slightly closed, his face and lips were purple. He was surrounded by several imperial doctors who were bustling around treating his wounds.
Cui Yunchu watched as several imperial doctors turned him over and cut the fabric near the wound on his back.
The red blood had soaked his entire back and was tightly stuck to his broad back.
Cui Yunchu didn't dare to stare. She just kept her head down deeply and stole glances at him from time to time.
She walked to the center of the side hall and knelt down to salute.
The bright - yellow robe and boots were hanging steadily on the ground. Cui Yunchu's gaze fell on them.
There was silence in the hall for a long time. The atmosphere was so oppressive that people couldn't help but breathe more quietly.
Cui Yunchu just knelt there, and suddenly she calmed down.
She never expected Cui Qingyuan to protect her.
With Shen Xiabai down, except for the little fool outside who was well - intentioned but lacked the ability, there should be no one else to protect her.
Cui Yunchu spoke again, "I pay my respects to Your Majesty."
She pricked up her ears, listening to the movement beside the couch behind her.
After a long time, the emperor's voice finally slowly sounded. "Are you the eldest daughter of my dear Cui?"
"Your Majesty, I'm the eldest illegitimate daughter of Prime Minister Cui."
"Illegitimate?" The emperor raised his eyebrows. His meaningful gaze swept across Cui Yunchu and landed on the several imperial doctors bustling beside the couch.
"The knife was poisoned," the emperor said.
Cui Yunchu lowered her head even more and said nothing.
"Raise your head," the emperor ordered. Cui Yunchu tightened her palms and slightly raised her head.
The emperor's gaze lingered on her beautiful face for a moment. His tiger - like eyes were deep. "My beloved Minister Shen risked his life to save you. Aren't you worried?"
Only then did Cui Yunchu reluctantly turn her head and took a blatant look at the couch, then quickly averted her gaze. She said timidly, "I... I'm waiting for my father to come."
Hearing this, the emperor frowned. "What does your father's coming have to do with Minister Shen's injury?"
Cui Yunchu pursed her lips several times. "I dare not say."
"Speak," the emperor's voice sank. Cui Yunchu immediately trembled.
"My father said that there is a feud between our family and the Shen family and asked me to stay away from the Shen family. So I'm afraid... afraid that there is a plot against my family. That's why I dare not say anything and have to wait for my father to come."
She was so scared that she was shaking all over and crying with snot and tears all over her face, looking extremely ugly.
The emperor, "..."
The daughter raised by Old Fox Cui was really honest.
Kings are always suspicious. He scrutinized Cui Yunchu for a long time and then said calmly, "Since there is a feud, why did Minister Shen risk his life to save you?"
"He is scheming against me and trying to harm my father. Please Your Majesty uphold justice for me."
The emperor, "."
"He took a knife for you. What could he possibly harm your father for?"
Cui Yunchu, "I don't know." She cried as she spoke. "I've been called simple - minded since I was a child. How can I understand the affairs in the officialdom?"
"If Your Majesty doesn't believe me, you can send someone to ask how the outside world evaluates me."
The little eunuch beside whispered something in the emperor's ear. The emperor's eyes suddenly widened a bit, and then he looked at Cui Yunchu again.
So she was the girl who had chased after his two princes at the same time.
He was silent for a moment. Deep in his heart, he thought it was unlikely that Shen Xiabai was that blind.
"Your logic is quite clear," the emperor said.
Cui Yunchu's sobbing stopped for a moment, but only for an instant, then she resumed crying as usual.
The emperor stared closely at her, and his face suddenly became extremely gloomy. "I'll ask you one last time. Are you familiar with Minister Shen?"
Cui Yunchu shook her head without hesitation. In her heart, she was already thinking about how to act more realistically at this moment. Should she pee her pants to add more credibility?
The emperor didn't say a word. Just when Cui Yunchu was about to pee her pants out of fear to gain his trust, the emperor spoke.
"So, what the maid said just now is all true."
What truth?
Cui Yunchu stopped thinking for the moment. She stared blankly at the emperor.
"The maid testified that she was instructed by you to harm Minister Shen."
"..."
Cui Yunchu stared at the emperor's mouth, feeling dizzy and shocked. It was like the devil was always one step ahead of the good.
If she was good at talking nonsense, then the emperor was her master.
Making up stories out of thin air and talking nonsense!
"Me instructing the maid to harm Lord Shen?"
Then why didn't she directly stab Shen Xiabai but instead stab herself?
Just listen to what you're saying. Does it make any sense?
The emperor, "Minister Shen is an upright man. Naturally, he wouldn't watch you, a young girl, die in front of him. You took advantage of this and set up this scheme to harm him."
"..."
Cui Yunchu thought: If you want to extract a false confession by torture, you can just beat me directly. There's no need for such a lame reason.
Where did Shen Xiabai have anything to do with the word "upright"?
"Your Majesty, I didn't do it." You're framing me.
"Bring the maid up," the emperor ordered.
The maid knelt on the ground and pointed at Cui Yunchu. "Your Majesty, I was indeed instructed by her. Your Majesty, please have mercy on me and spare my life."
Then, the maid was dragged away.
Cui Yunchu was caught off guard by the frame - up.
"Your Majesty, I really didn't do it. Even if you gave me a few more guts, I wouldn't dare to commit murder in the palace."
No one knows your innocence better than the person who frames you.
Although Cui Yunchu said so, she was already thinking about her last words in her heart.
She had thought about her last words twice today.
She often wronged others, so she knew it was useless to say anything. However, she couldn't help but shout; otherwise, she would arouse more suspicion.
The emperor said, "Causing harm to a high - ranking court official is a capital offense."
Cui Yunchu knew that the emperor was threatening her and giving her a chance. As long as she said what was in his mind, as long as she told the truth, she could "temporarily" avoid death.
Why did Shen Xiabai risk his life to save her?
The emperor didn't believe her nonsense.
Cui Yunchu was afraid of death, timid, and even more afraid of pain. She always said that she was selfish and extremely cherishing of her own life.
"Your Majesty, Lord Shen's poison has been cured."
Cui Yunchu glanced back at the person on the couch. Her eyes were extremely calm. Then she turned back, knelt down, and kowtowed as she replied, "Your Majesty, this commoner girl didn't give any instructions. That maid slandered me."
