Thomas Adams nodded repeatedly, his face full of terror.

Samuel Hayes reached out and pulled the cloth from Thomas Adams's mouth.

As soon as the cloth was removed, Thomas Adams immediately shouted, “Your Majesty, they…”

Bang.

He didn’t finish before Samuel Hayes punched him in the jaw.

Thomas Adams cried out in pain, his eyes filled with anger, but his expression was fearful and he dared not shout again.

Abraham Lincoln said, “First question: on the day I fell into the well, what were you doing?”

Thomas Adams was stunned for a moment, then recalled, “That day I was ordered to deliver something to Qing Shou Hall. On the way, I ran into Your Majesty. After delivering the item, I returned to Ci Ning Hall and didn’t go out again…”

Abraham Lincoln frowned slightly and said, “That day, you just happened to run into me?”

Thomas Adams knew that Abraham Lincoln had been attacked and that the palace was investigating. Seeing Abraham Lincoln’s expression, he suddenly shouted, “Your Majesty, I only ran into you by chance and walked with you for a few steps. I wasn’t the one who harmed you…”

“Shut up!” Ethan Brooks snapped in disgust.

Thomas Adams immediately fell silent, looking anxiously at Abraham Lincoln and said, “Your Majesty, I only met you on the road from Fu Ning Hall to Qing Shou Hall. I don’t know anything about the rest…”

Abraham Lincoln stared at Thomas Adams, his gaze sharp, and said, “You met me on the way to Qing Shou Hall, so why did I fall into the well at Huang Yi Hall?”

Huang Yi Hall, Fu Ning Hall, and Qing Shou Hall are diagonally aligned north to south, in completely opposite directions!

Thomas Adams shook his head and said, “I don’t know. I just saw Your Majesty enter Qing Shou Hall. I don’t know anything else.”

Abraham Lincoln scrutinized Thomas Adams, full of doubts.

Thomas Adams didn’t have the ability to trick him from Qing Shou Hall to Huang Yi Hall. In broad daylight, with so many people along the way, it was impossible that no one saw.

‘In other words, that day I must have used some method, or someone used some method on me, to avoid everyone’s sight and get from Qing Shou Hall to Huang Yi Hall, and then I was pushed into the well…’

Abraham Lincoln’s eyes flickered slightly. This wasn’t something an ordinary person could do. Either he cooperated, or he lost consciousness.

Either way, the person behind this was definitely not simple—perhaps someone he trusted deeply, someone he had no guard against.

Knock, knock, knock.

Suddenly, there was a gentle knock at the door.

Abraham Lincoln, Ethan Brooks, Samuel Hayes, and Thomas Adams were all startled and turned to look at the door.

Samuel Hayes quickly whispered, “Your Majesty, it’s a mark I made.”

Abraham Lincoln lifted his chin, signaling him to open the door.

Samuel Hayes walked over and opened the door. The person outside whispered a few words and then quietly left.

Samuel Hayes came back and whispered to Abraham Lincoln, “Your Majesty, the palace maid in Thomas Adams’s room has killed herself out of shame and anger.”

Upon hearing this, Ethan Brooks suddenly lunged at Thomas Adams, gripping his neck tightly and shouted angrily, “Beast, I’ll kill you!”

Chapter Thirteen: Kill

Samuel Hayes hurriedly pulled him away, both of their eyes on Abraham Lincoln.

Thomas Adams shrank back in fear, not daring to look at Abraham Lincoln, and muttered, “People die in the palace every day. It’s just a palace maid, it’s nothing…”

When Abraham Lincoln heard this, the corner of his eye twitched involuntarily, a cold glint in his eyes. He glanced at Ethan Brooks, then suddenly stood up and looked coldly at Thomas Adams, saying, “You’re lying! I clearly fell into the water at Huang Yi Hall, yet you say you saw me at Qing Shou Hall—nonsense! It seems you’re the one who harmed me. Samuel Hayes, restrain him and bring him with me to see Grandmother.”

Ethan Brooks, who had been furious, was startled and said, “Your Majesty, are we going to see Her Majesty?”

Thomas Adams was one of Empress Dowager Gao’s people. If Thomas Adams was the one who harmed His Majesty, then the mastermind behind the scenes would be obvious!

Thomas Adams was even more terrified, shouting, “Your Majesty, I’m not lying! It really wasn’t me who pushed you into the well, please see the truth…”

Abraham Lincoln walked forward expressionlessly, pushed open the door, and said, “Let’s go.”

Ethan Brooks and Samuel Hayes exchanged a glance, both looking panicked and at a loss.

Are they really going to confront the Grand Empress Dowager?

Samuel Hayes was bolder than Ethan Brooks. Seeing there was no way out, he immediately gagged Thomas Adams and followed Abraham Lincoln.

Ethan Brooks gritted his teeth and quickly followed Abraham Lincoln, no longer trying to persuade him, his face full of resolve.

Fu Ning Hall and Ci Ning Hall were not far apart. Abraham Lincoln arrived at Ci Ning Hall late at night, having captured Thomas Adams. The entire Ci Ning Hall was in a panic. Henry Clark woke the Empress Dowager Gao and brought her to the side hall.

Empress Dowager Gao looked at the tightly bound Thomas Adams, her expression unchanged as she turned to Abraham Lincoln, who was seated at her right, and said, “Your Majesty, what has happened?”

Abraham Lincoln snorted coldly and said, “Grandmother, I remember now—it was Thomas Adams who pushed me into the well that day. I’ve brought him here for you to deal with.”

Thomas Adams, gagged, shook his head desperately, looking at Empress Dowager Gao with a face full of grievance and pleading.

Empress Dowager Gao glanced over Abraham Lincoln’s angry face, then looked at Henry Clark and said, “What do you think should be done?”

Henry Clark was completely confused. He remembered very clearly that when His Majesty fell into the water, Thomas Adams was right beside him. The Grand Empress Dowager’s question was “what should be done,” not whether Thomas Adams was being wronged.

Henry Clark looked up at Empress Dowager Gao’s cold eyes, feeling a chill in his heart, and quickly replied cautiously, “In response to Your Majesty, attempting to harm His Majesty is an unforgivable crime. According to palace law, the punishment is beating to death.”

Thomas Adams was terrified, his eyes wide open as he struggled desperately, looking toward Empress Dowager Gao and Henry Clark, muffled cries coming from his mouth.