“Elder brother, it’s so lively here. There’s something fun to watch. Let’s take a look together.” A lazy voice rang from behind the crowd. Everyone hurriedly made a path when they heard the voice. They saw Feng Yuxuan and Feng Yuran walking towards them together. Even though Feng Yuran was a step behind Feng Yuxuan, the young ladies were all looking back at his handsome and attractive face as well as his wild aura.
Mo Xuetong immediately felt that all the girls around her were sighing in annoyance and jealousy. They all shot jealous glances at her. Now before she spoke, so many people were already jealous of her. She could not help but glare at Feng Yuran. “This man is really hateful.”
“Tong’er, why are you here too? You’re not being bullied, are you?” Feng Yuran looked as if he did not see Mo Xuetong’s glare. His lips curled up and a charming smile appeared on his handsome face. He looked at Mo Xuetong and walked towards her with large strides, ignoring the gazes of the others present.
The Empress’ face twitched when she heard that. Mo Xuetong was Consort Xuan, so she was the only one who could bully her. Feng Yuran’s words aroused her ire.
“Greetings, Queen Mother.” Feng Yuxuan curtsied respectfully to the Empress, and then to Consort Su.
“Oh, you’re also here, Queen Mother. What kind of case are you investigating? Do you need my help?” Feng Yuran seemed to just realize that the Empress was standing there. After he bowed to the Empress, his eyes fell on the maidservant kneeling on the ground.
At this time, everyone turned their eyes on the maidservant pulled out by the interrogating dog. It turned out to be a pretty girl, but she was so scared that her face turned pale.
“Who brought this maidservant here?” The Empress’ gaze landed on the maidservant’s face and she suddenly felt that she looked rather familiar.
Everyone was stunned. They all looked at each other and shook their heads.
“Is she from the palace?” The Empress’ expression changed. She looked at the imperial consorts beside her coldly. The consorts bowed their heads as they felt her gaze. But Consort Su smiled and said, “Your Majesty, obviously, this girl is not from the palace. It is easy to make her speak. Just send her to the Ministry of Justice. I don’t believe that she would not say anything.”
She had just finished speaking when the maidservant suddenly took two steps back. She knelt on the ground in shock and panic. Her mournful eyes suddenly landed on Mo Xuetong. There was a look of hopelessness in her eyes. She gritted her teeth tightly and did not say anything.
Everyone’s eyes fell on Mo Xuetong as she looked at her.
“Ah, I remember. She is one of the two maidservants of Madam Lian. But Madam Lian didn’t come today. How did she get in?” A madam suddenly remembered this maidservant usually dressed very well and followed Madam Lian!
Everyone knew what had happened in Minister Lian’s Manor recently, so it was normal that Madam Lian didn’t come to the palace after she asked for leave. But why did the maidservant come in when her master didn’t? And she looked at Consort Xuan desperately. Was it possible that she was brought in by Consort Xuan?
Using eye contact was more effective than saying it directly.
The interrogating eunuch awkwardly looked at the maidservant and then at Mo Xuetong. He felt especially flustered when he saw King Xuan’s cold eyes which were filled with protection towards his wife. It was not just others who were suspecting Mo Xuetong, but he was also suspecting her. However, how was he going to investigate this matter since it was regarding Consort Xuan?
“Investigate the matter clearly in case someone will use the banquet to assassinate His Majesty.” While in a daze, the interrogating eunuch received the cold gaze from the Empress.
She was putting pressure on him. Even though he was afraid of King Xuan, he could not ignore the fact that the maidservant was looking at Consort Xuan in front of so many people. The maidservant’s gaze at Consort Xuan was too suspicious. He could only force himself to ask, “Consort Xuan, take a look at this maidservant; did she come to the palace with you?”
Mo Xuetong smiled slightly as everyone looked at her. “I don’t have to look. I don’t have anything to do with the maidservant entering the palace, but she is indeed from King Xuan’s Manor.”
She said with a calm smile. Her tone was smooth and precise, without any panic. She stood there, looking elegant and peaceful as if she didn’t know that to recognize this maid was to admit the crime. Her bright eyes were full of light without any dust. She was neither humble nor arrogant. It was the first time the interrogating eunuch had seen such a calm woman.
He had interrogated many concubines in the imperial palace. Even the favored imperial concubines who were high and experienced in the imperial fight would be panicked when they encountered such a situation, but she, who was not yet 15, was so bold. How could the interrogating eunuch not admire her?
He could not help but look up at Feng Yuran, finding that the usually devilish and arrogant King Xuan was very calm right now. There was a hint of a smile on his lips. However, the smile made one feel cold and afraid for no reason.
There was another commotion in the crowd when they heard Mo Xuetong’s reply. Ling Rui’er smiled coldly when she saw that Mo Xuetong was in trouble. She wanted to add insult to injury. “Consort Xuan, so this person is from your manor. No wonder the maid looked at you. I wonder why Consort Xuan ordered the maid to strangle the palace maid from the Empress’ palace.”
It sounded like a question. There was a hint of amusement in her eyes, but there was a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
“Consort Chu, what are you talking about? Could it be that this maid is from Cousin Tong’s manor and she was sent by Cousin Tong? Why didn’t you say that since she was from Lian’s Manor, it was the people in Lian’s Manor to ask her to do something so evil?” Luo Mingzhu squeezed her way to Mo Xuetong’s side and was furious when she heard Ling Rui’er’s words.
“I was wondering who it was. It’s Young Madam Li. Don’t deny the fact just because you want to protect your cousin. The maid now belongs to King Xuan’s Manor, so didn’t she listen to Consort Xuan? She wouldn’t listen to her former master after leaving Lian’s Manor. Look at how she is behaving. Does she look like she is going to defend herself? It seems that sometimes, the truth is just the truth.”
Ling Rui’er looked at Mo Xuetong and then at Luo Mingzhu. The corners of her lips curled up with complacent, but there was a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
Luo Mingzhu had always protected Mo Xuetong and would not allow Ling Rui’er to slander her. Ling Rui’er was framing Mo Xuetong for murdering the maid of the Empress’ palace. Who would be able to bear such a crime? Luo Mingzhu could not help but flush with anger. She looked at Ling Rui’er angrily and snapped, “Consort Chu, you only pushed the crime onto Cousin Tong, but that interrogating dog had tried to pounce on you. Does it mean that you were the person who had personally killed the maid, and everything happening now is just an act of hiding the details?”
Hearing her words, Ling Rui’er opened her mouth but could not find the words to explain herself. The interrogating dog had ferociously rushed over earlier and everyone had seen it clearly. It seemed to make sense.
Mo Xuetong reached out and patted Luo Mingzhu comfortingly when she noticed that the latter was really annoyed. She indicated for her to rest assured. She had waited until those people could not help but jump out to continue with the show. “Second Cousin, don’t worry. The matter is not over yet. Let’s watch it slowly.”
Hearing what Mo Xuetong said and seeing how calm she was, Luo Mingzhu calmed down. Mo Xuetong’s behavior made her feel at ease. Then, she turned to look at the handsome King Xuan, who was still standing by her cousin’s side, and she heaved a sigh of relief in the heart. In any case, it should not be a big deal with King Xuan protecting her cousin.
Ling Rui’er laughed coldly to herself. She had had to change because Mo Xuetong had made a fool of her earlier. Then, something like this happened later. She had already vented all her hatred on Mo Xuetong. No matter what, she would not make Mo Xuetong end up well today. However, when she was about to say something, she saw Feng Yuxuan. He was smiling, but his eyes were cold, making her scared. She suddenly remembered she had said that he had sent Mo Xuetong a South Pearl head accessory. Immediately, she felt guilty.
She stood a little bit back and didn’t dare to say anything.
The interrogating eunuch turned around and asked the maid, “Tell me, who brought you in?”
Since Consort Xuan said that she didn’t bring her here, of course, it must be someone else. A maid couldn’t have entered the strict imperial palace without anyone taking her in. There must be someone behind her.
The maid gritted her teeth tightly and remained silent. She lowered her head and did not look at anyone as if she was afraid that others would misunderstand her. However, this made one even more suspicious as they thought of the way she had looked at Mo Xuetong earlier.
“I don’t know how this palace maid has offended you that you wanted to kill her. She was so young, and her parents and family are waiting outside the palace,” Consort Zhao said with a sigh.
The palace maid who saw the female corpse suddenly seemed to think of something and said, “Your Majesty, I remember. When I came in with Fei Huan, I saw the maid behind Consort Xuan. She was hiding behind the rockery, so I didn’t see her clearly. But Fei Huan looked very scared, and she said, ‘I have to do it’…”
This meant that the death of Fei Huan was directly related to Consort Xuan. Did she refer to the maid standing beside Consort Xuan? The interrogating eunuch couldn’t make up his mind. She had to do it? Did she mean that she deliberately framed Consort Chu, stole a handkerchief from her, took it on her, and then risked her life to frame Consort Chu?
The interrogating eunuch frowned and asked, “What, what else did she say?”
“I don’t know. I remember she just said these words. She didn’t say anything else. But when I saw the maidservant coming out, she was very very scared, but she didn’t ask me for help. Fei Huan was a timid person, and she would never do anything big. I beg you to seek justice for her.”
As the palace maid said, her tears fell again.
Ling Rui’er could not help but open her mouth when she heard that she was mentioned again. However, when she met Feng Yuxuan’s sharp gaze, she shut her mouth immediately.
Consort Zhao suddenly came to a realization. She frowned and looked at Mo Xuetong, asking, “Consort Xuan, where were you when these things happened?”
“I was wandering in the garden.” Mo Xuetong glanced at Consort Zhao and said with a faint smile. Finally, without Ling Rui’er leading the way, Consort Zhao had no choice but to speak up on her own.
“Are you with anyone else?” Consort Zhao asked again, sounding as if she was concerned about Mo Xuetong. “Think about it again. If someone can prove that your maid was with you, it will be fine.”
On the contrary, if there was no one to prove it, Mo Xuetong would be highly suspected.
Mo Xuetong smiled lightly. Her clear eyes were charming and calm as if they were flowers blooming. “Other than me and Mo Ye, no one else noticed me and the maid beside me.”
She had not met Luo Mingzhu before and was not close to other ladies and madams. Furthermore, after what happened to Ling Rui’er, those people would rather try to avoid her than approach her. As such, she must be alone. Both the Empress and Consort Zhao knew of this, but Consort Zhao still asked her intentionally. It was really ludicrous.
