Wen Hui truly wished she could throw Ji Zizhao out of the palace, but facing the Emperor's questioning, she dared not show any anger, only kneeling on the ground with her head bowed, sobbing uncontrollably.
Just then, a palace attendant hurried in.
"Reporting to Princess Wen Hui, this servant just found the jade pendant you dropped."
As the attendant spoke, he presented the jade pendant with both hands.
Wen Hui looked at the jade pendant, her expression one of surprise. "This is not my jade pendant, where did you find it?"
The attendant lowered his head and replied, "To Princess Wen Hui, it was found in the grass by the side of the ear room."
Wen Hui shook her head, a look of confusion on her face. "I have never been to the ear room, and besides, this jade pendant is certainly not mine..."
Everyone listening instinctively looked at the jade pendant in the attendant's hand.
Consort Sun, who had been observing coldly, froze on the spot at this glance.
Noble Consort Xi also let out a cold laugh.
She hadn't expected Wen Hui to be so sharp. She had prepared quite thoroughly. If that was the case, it wouldn't hurt to lend a hand.
"If this concubine recalls correctly, this jade pendant seems to belong to the Eighth Prince." Noble Consort Xi said, looking towards Consort Sun not far away.
Consort Sun understood what was happening at this point. Although she hated Wen Hui and Noble Consort Xi fiercely, her son had already been demoted. If she were to offend Noble Consort Xi further, what hope would she have for the future?
"Noble Consort Xi is correct, it indeed belongs to the Eighth Prince." Consort Sun's words were practically squeezed through her teeth. She still needed to find a way to save her son and absolutely could not afford to make any more mistakes at this time.
Now, the truth seemed to be revealed.
The ear rooms were where the maids and eunuchs of each sleeping quarter resided. The Eighth Prince had already been demoted due to matters concerning the Fourth Prince. Now, his jade pendant appearing near the ear room of Wen Hui's sleeping quarter, what could this signify?
It meant that the maids in Wen Hui's sleeping quarter had not only spread rumors about the Fourth Prince but also potentially colluded with the Eighth Prince to frame the Fourth Prince! Su Dan Novel Network.
Ji Zizhao truly hadn't expected Wen Hui to have even obtained the Eighth Prince's jade pendant, nor had she anticipated Noble Consort Xi actively helping Wen Hui.
However, upon closer thought, it all made sense. The Emperor was likely still secretly investigating Xie Jinglan's matters. Noble Consort Xi's assistance to Wen Hui at this moment was, in essence, helping herself. After all, if this maid could truly take the blame, the Emperor would cease his investigation.
"Audacious! Utterly audacious!" Emperor Xiaochang's face darkened, but only he knew that his anger was not at the maid spreading rumors, but rather at the increased suspicion regarding Xie Jinglan's identity.
Rumors never arose from nothing. If something hadn't truly been heard, how would a mere servant dare to gossip about a reigning prince?
"Imperial Father, please calm your anger and take care of your health. It is all this child's fault; I have failed in my upbringing..." Wen Hui knelt on the ground, begging fervently, but beneath her tear-filled eyes, a malicious gleam flickered.
Regardless of whether Xie Jinglan was real or fake now, it no longer mattered. As long as the Emperor believed the maid was a rumor-monger, he would continue to doubt Xie Jinglan's lineage. In this way, even if Xie Jinglan truly returned to the imperial city, the Emperor would surely not tolerate him.
If she couldn't have it, no one else should!
Ji Zizhao looked at the triumph in Wen Hui's eyes, her heart turning to ice.
Xie Jinglan was indeed not the Fourth Prince of Yulin, but he had never done anything to harm Yulin. He sought no power, no glory; he merely wished to repay a kindness...
What wrong had he committed!
"Why are you all still standing there? Hurry and take this person away to be executed!" Noble Consort Xi commanded.
The palace attendants at the door instinctively looked towards the Emperor.
Emperor Xiaochang's face was grim, but he made no move to stop it.
Facing the Emperor's tacit approval, Ji Zizhao's heart skipped a beat.
If this maid died, it would truly be a case of no witnesses left!
By her calculation, Baihe should also have news soon. She could not let this maid die just like that.
"Why is Noble Consort Xi in such a hurry? Since this matter involves this maid, she should be interrogated more carefully." At a critical moment, Empress Zhong's voice rang out again.
Although Empress Zhong did not know what Ji Zizhao was plotting, she could see that Ji Zizhao desperately needed time. While no one dared to be presumptuous in the Emperor's fury, she, as the Emperor's only wife, could still manage to buy some time.
Ji Zizhao looked at the Empress, her palms sweating.
The Empress's intervention was too timely.
"The Fourth Prince was raised by Empress. Normally, shouldn't Empress be angrier than everyone else? To be so calm now, it rather confuses this concubine." Noble Consort Xi raised an eyebrow, attempting to draw the Empress into the scheme as well.
Empress Zhong replied unhurriedly, "Old Fourth was indeed raised by this Empress. Precisely because of this, this Empress wishes to investigate more thoroughly and clear Old Fourth's name. Noble Consort Xi is too hasty. If this Empress had the same temper as Noble Consort Xi, wouldn't this inner court be in chaos?"
A concubine is just a concubine. To challenge the principal wife is to court humiliation.
Noble Consort Xi gasped in anger before forcing a smile. "This concubine truly admires Empress's calmness."
Empress Zhong nodded. "Noble Consort Xi can slowly learn."
Noble Consort Xi: "..."
For the first time, she realized the Empress could be this shameless!
Empress Zhong no longer paid attention to Noble Consort Xi and turned to look at the Emperor with a gentle gaze. "Your Majesty, this matter is of great consequence. This Empress believes it is best to investigate thoroughly. As the saying goes, a fake cannot become real, and a real cannot disappear. Noble Consort Xi is correct, Old Fourth was indeed raised by this Empress's side. This Empress also hopes for a resolution."
In Emperor Xiaochang's heart, the Empress had always been strong and dignified. Her current frail demeanor made his heart ache.
Old Fourth's matter was his hidden pain, something he had been guarding against and avoiding for years. Seeing the Empress's state, Emperor Xiaochang felt it was time to bring things to a close.
"Since the Empress has spoken so, then..."
"Bang—!"
Just as Emperor Xiaochang was about to nod, a muffled sound suddenly came.
Everyone looked towards the sound and saw Wen Hui collapse to the ground.
"Princess Wen Hui!"
"Someone, quickly send for help!"
Faced with Wen Hui's sudden collapse, the people in the sleeping quarter were thrown into complete disarray. Although Ji Zizhao was an imperial physician, she naturally had to avoid suspicion at this moment. The Emperor also did not intend for Ji Zizhao to attend to her, instructing Feng Gu beside him to summon another imperial physician from the Imperial Medical Academy.