Everyone was shocked to see Empress Dowgar in front of them.
Everyone thought "Didn't she go to temple for prayer? Why did she in here?"
"No one will go to save that wretched ugly woman" Empress Dowgar ordered with authoritative tone.
Hearing her remarks against his daughter prime minister greeted his teeth in anger.
For marrying his daughter this mother and son pleded with him back then and now not only that son brought another woman but that mother also punish his daughter.
His daughter was truly very unfortunate.
Poor girl lost her mother at a young age, everyone mocked her for that burn mark on her face and even he ignored her and now her husband and in laws despised her.
Prime minister felt very angry thinking about it.
He bowed down in front of Empress Dowgar and said "Your highness, my daughter's health is not good. She can not tolerate any punishment right now. Please show mercy, your majesty. I will talk to her and she will never caused any trouble".
Hearing Prime Minister's words Empress Dowgar snorted and said "I am the Empress Dowgar and I gave that wretched woman that punishment for hurting Su Yaoqin and no one can protect that girl from the punishment".
Hearing her words both the Emperor and Su Yaoqin felt relieved.
Su Yaoqin thought "They didn't want anyone to find her dead body in the cold palece either. It's better if Empress Dowgar took that blame on herself."
The Emperor and Su Yaoqin stood there silently and let Empress Dowgar handle the situation.
Seeing this old woman's unreasonable demand Prince Regent smirked and thought "This woman is truly despicable. She only knows how to seduced their master and become their concubine but didn't know how the power works in the court ".
Then he looked at the Empress Dowgar and said with serious tone "Your majesty, please think about this again. This is concerning to the royal family ".
Hearing Prince Regent's words she became furious and asked "What do you mean by that? I am the mother of the Emperor . How dare you question my decision?"
She hate previous Empress and her son very much.
That woman only knew how to give order and insult her!
Her son was no better.
He always compete with her own son for favour but still everyone support that woman's son.
She can't tolerate this person.
Hearing her remarks Prince Regent smirked and thought "Like mother like son. Both are really foolish. Well it's good for me. "
He ignored her remarks and said with calming tone "Empress Dowgar, As a member of Royal family, it's concern to me that people gossip about us. No one ever put fingure toward us but now everyone criticize us. This is damaging our reputation. And as the Prince Regent I can not stand and see that to happen ".
Empress Dowgar snorted and said "She was the one with I'll intention. She harmed Su Yaoqin and that's why I punished her. What's wrong with punishing my daughter in law?"
Before Prince Regent said anything, Prime Minister said with calming tone "And where is the evidence against my daughter? Or, Empress Dowgar only believe in a concubine's word only and punish the Empress?"
Hearing that Empress Dowgar was stunned.
She never thought about evidence.
Whenever Su Yaoqin accused Xue Lanxuan they all believed it without any questions.
Su Yaoqin's face became pale after hearing it.
Before Empress Dowgar replied this time Emperor said "Of course there is an evidence. We never accuse anyone without any evidence ".
After hearing that Empress Dowgar and Su Yaoqin were shocked .
They knew there was no evidence against Xue Lanxuan then how can Zhao Yuncheng said that.
All the nobles murmured and one of them said with hesitate voice "We should talk about this later. First we should check on our Empress. After that we can talk about her punishment ".
Another noble said "Yes, We should supress that rumour. Otherwise Royal family's reputation will be damaged ".
Everyone agreed with him.
No one wanted to listen to Empress Dowgar anymore.
They had their suspicion.
And they can not offend Prime Minister and Prince Regent.
Prince Regent smirked and said to the Emperor "If the rumours are not true then Emperor should allow us to witness that ".
"But..." Empress Dowgar tried to protest but Emperor stopped her and said "Fine, then let's go to the cold palece and see the Empress with your own eyes. She is perfectly fine."
Then he looked at the Prince Regent and said with calming tone "We don't have anything to hide anyway".
He knew that if he resist anymore everyone suspicious about him.
If they knew about Xue Lanxuan's death, he put all the blame on that maid and make sure she didn't say anything to anyone.
He greeted his teeth in frustration and thought "After he overcome from this situation, he will take care of his half brother."
Then everyone went to the cold palece to confirm the empress's condition.
....
Cold Palece
When everyone entered into the cold palece they felt a chill down in their spine.
They didn't know why they suddenly felt that.
The environment was silent in the cold palece.
They didn't see anyone in there.
Zhao Yuncheng and Su Yaoqin looked at eachother.
They didn't know where is the empress's body.
They looked around but didn't see anyone.
Suddenly they heard someone's footsteps and looked at that person.
Zhao Yuncheng and Su Yaoqin's eyes were widened in shock to see that maid in front of them.
They knew that maid didn't leave the cold palece because their people watched over the cold palece and they didn't see that maid came out from the cold palece.
Looking at the Emperor's and Su Yaoqin's panic expression Prince Regent understood that maid was the one who got orders from the emperor to kill the Empress.
An evil smile appeared on his face "Finally, it's time to reclaim my throne".
He looked at the maid and asked "Who are you? And what are you doing here? Where is the Empress?"
That maid's eyes were widened in shock and face became pale looking at him.
Looking at that maid's stunned face one of the noble asked "Why are you looking at our Prince Regent like that? Don't you hear what he asked?"
When she still didn't say anything another noble looked at her furiously and asked "you dare to ignore Prince Regent? Don't you want to live anymore?"
Prince Regent gave signal to that noble to calm down and asked again to that maid "Don't you understand what I am asking? Who are you? Where is the Empress?"
Hearing his words she came to her sense and thought "How could that be possible? Prince Regent? But his face is similar to that person ".
She kneeled down in front of them and said "This humble servant's name is Lingxi and I am here to look after the Empress ".
Prince Regent narrowed his eyes and said "I heard Empress didn't have any maid servant and I never saw you in this palace before".
Emperor said with anxious voice "Brother, you are the Prince Regent . You are always busy to fight in the war. You should not listen to those rumours"
Prince Regent ignored his brother's remark and asked "Where is the Empress?"
Emperor and Su Yaoqin's face became pale.
They didn't see the Empress.
They thought maybe that maid was cleaver enough to hide the empress's body.
But he directly asked her whereabouts.
What will she say?
She didn't answer and Prince Regent thought " I waited for long to get my throne back. I can not wait any longer. Today, I will make sure to get my throne back and no one can stop me ".
He asked again "You said you are the personal maid of the Empress. Am I Right?"
She nodded and replied "Yes, your highness."
He continued "Then you should know where is your mistress? Why is not she here? Is she okay ? Or Are you lying to us?"
Hearing this Lingxi wanted to say something but the emperor intrupted her and said " I also never saw you in this palace. Who are you? Where is the Empress? Did you do something to her? Answer me! If you hurt my empress, I will kill you and your family ".
Hearing Emperor's word Lingxi's eyes widened in shock and she thought "Humans are really despicable. Previously This person told me to poison his wife and now he acted like devoted husband. Now they can't wait to shift the blame on me."
Before she said anything Su Yaoqin said with teary voice "Do you harm my sister? I already forgive her for what she did to me. I don't want her to be harmed. Please, tell me where is my sister? "
Hearing this fear appeared in Prime Minister's heart.
He can't imagine if anything bad happened to his daughter.
He looked at the maid and said with pleaded voice "Please tell me that my daughter is not dead".
Emperor didn't want to give this maid any chance to confess in front of everyone.
That's why he ordered "capture this maid immediately and kill her for harming my empress!"
Prince Regent looked at that scene with amusement.
He could see how desperate the emperor was to silence the maid.
Before he said anything someone said with cold voice "I want to see who is bold enough to touch my people!"
Everyone's eyes were widened in shock to see the person infront of them and Prince Regent murmured "How can this be possible?"