The Empress Dowager looked majestically at the few palace maids and eunuchs below. "I'm asking you all—what do you know about this Ren Dong? Tell me everything truthfully!"
The palace maids and eunuchs did not need much time to think.
"This servant... this servant once saw her secretly go to Minghe Palace."
"This servant once saw her hiding in the rockery with Yixue, a palace maid from Minghe Palace, whispering about something."
"This servant also saw her whispering with Chuxue, a palace maid from Minghe Palace, in a corner of the Imperial Garden."
Consort Wan lowered her head, so no one could see the expression on her face. Chuxue and Yixue's faces had visibly turned deathly pale.
They had never expected that, despite being so careful, they would still be seen.
The Empress Dowager had actually noticed this matter long ago. She had simply kept it secret all this time.
After all, she favored neither Jingren Palace nor Minghe Palace.
She slapped the table hard and glared coldly at Ren Dong. "You insolent wretch! How dare you betray your master? Confess everything truthfully!"
"This servant... this servant..."
Ren Dong was as frantic as an ant on a hot pan, cold sweat covering her forehead.
She glanced at the Emperor, then at Consort Wan. Finally, she gritted her teeth. "It was all my young mistress who ordered me to do it. She instructed me."
Then she began to sob. "Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, I grew up with my young mistress. Her temperament has always been overbearing. Whatever she told me to do, I didn't dare disobey!"
Su Qiao merely glanced at her, her expression unchanged.
This girl had brought death upon herself. No one could stop her.
The little eunuch who had exposed her earlier spoke up in rebuttal. "That's not