The Empress Dowager swallowed back the words she wanted to say. “Since the person was found, then let her come in to speak. The truth of the matter should always be investigated. We must not let people throw the chambers of imperial concubines into disarray.”
Before long, the guard brought in a palace maid and said, “I saw her carrying a bundle and acting suspiciously. It seemed she was trying to escape, so I caught her, only to find out that she is a palace maid from the East Palace.”
The palace maid looked up and suddenly shivered with cold. She cried and threw herself at Shen Yunya, saying, “Miss Shen, you must save me. You said you will keep me safe and sound.”
Yuan Fangfei raised her hand to push away the palace maid who pounced over. She said, “What nonsense are you spouting? Our family’s Ya’er did nothing. You are framing her. Watch out for your own life.”
After the palace maid was pushed to the ground, she faced Xi Jin and bowed. She begged, “Crown Prince, please help me. I do not want to die. Miss Shen, please save me.”
The Empress Dowager saw her panicked and spoke out of turn. She spoke in a deep voice, saying, “Speak properly. Otherwise you will be dragged down and have your fingernails pulled out before you can come up to speak again.”
“Empress Dowager, I do not know this palace maid…”
After the Empress Dowager gave Yuan Fangfei a cold stare, she icily scolded her, saying, “Shut your mouth. Did I allow you to speak?”
Hearing that her fingernails would be pulled out, the palace maid trembled violently and immediately bowed. Words rushed out of her mouth as she told the truth. She said, “Miss Shen gave me something, telling me that it was a tonic. She asked me to put it in the Crown Prince’s drink and also instructed me to go to the front hall to report that the Crown Prince had fallen. She gave me a Marrow Cleansing Pill. I have a brother at home who likes to cultivate, so I agreed…”
This palace maid gave a lot of details and was methodical in her account. Her account was complete and included everything that was done in order for Shen Yunya to climb into the Crown Prince’s bed.
“Empress Dowager, please spare my life. I was blinded. I beg the Empress Dowager to please not hurt my family. Don’t let Lady Shen hurt my family. Please, I beg you,” pleaded the palace maid as she smacked her head hard. She hit her head until she was bleeding, and she did not care.
Yuan Fangfei shook from anger while listening to the maid’s words. She pointed her finger at her, wanting to speak but dared not. The Empress Dowager forbade her to speak.
Shen Yunya was stunned as she listened because she had never done these things. And she was also aware of these statements for the first time. But the palace maid’s words were all testimony pointing toward her.
“Big Brother Jin, you have to believe me. I did not do such a thing.” Shen Yunya looked at Xi Jin with pleading eyes. She simply did not know about these things. How could she have done it?
Xi Jin nodded at her gently and looked at the Empress Dowager to say, “Imperial Grandmother, this palace maid is full of nonsense. She should be dragged down and beaten to death. This matter will not be mentioned again.”
“Jin’er, you…”
“I really like Ya’er. I really want to marry her. Don’t bring this matter up again. I’m to blame for everything and drinking in excess.” Xi Jin took the blame for everything. He obviously wanted to protect Shen Yunya.
Hearing Xi Jin’s words, Shen Yunya was so moved that she cried out loud. In the ten years that she had loved this man, she had never felt that he was more deserving than she did now. It was worth doing everything for him only because of his trust and the fact that he shouldered the responsibility for everything.
The Empress Dowager saw his insistence and did not say more. “Even so, a mistake made is still a mistake. Today was supposed to be the wedding night for you and the secondary consort. Instead, Shen Yunya came in the middle of it in the end. You can marry her if you want, but she cannot be the Crown Princess Consort. She can only be a consort.”
“Imperial Grandmother, seeing how I sincerely like her, can Ya’er be a secondary consort, just like Yun’er?” Xi Jin looked up and implored the Empress Dowager.
