Noble Consort Zhang felt a sense of foreboding as she looked at Yue Qing. Given Yue Qing's strange methods, the palace maid might expose her. She racked her brain, contemplating how to handle the situation that was about to unfold.
At the same time, Noble Consort Zhang harbored extreme resentment towards Yue Qing. If it weren't for her sudden appearance and defense of Qi Wan'er, her plan would have succeeded, and Qi Wan'er would already be dead.
Yue Qing sensed Noble Consort Zhang's hatred. She looked up at the noble consort and offered a slight, provocative smile.
In an instant, Noble Consort Zhang felt a chill run through her. She had a premonition that Yue Qing had known about her actions all along and was only now exposing them step by step.
Noble Consort Zhang seethed with anger internally, but she was resolute in her refusal to admit to framing Qi Wan'er.
She lowered her gaze and thought for a moment before turning her attention to the managing nanny behind her.
This managing nanny was her confidante, brought from the General's mansion. She had served Noble Consort Zhang since childhood and was fiercely loyal.
The schemes to frame Qi Wan'er had all been carried out through this managing nanny.
At this moment, the managing nanny's expression was also grim.
Noble Consort Zhang gave the managing nanny a meaningful glance.
The managing nanny understood the implied meaning behind Noble Consort Zhang's look.
If the palace maid were to identify Noble Consort Zhang later, she would step forward and take all the blame, protecting Noble Consort Zhang.
The managing nanny regarded Noble Consort Zhang as her own daughter and was extremely devoted to her.
Therefore, she nodded at Noble Consort Zhang, signaling that she would bear the responsibility.
Seeing the managing nanny nod, a flicker of guilt crossed Noble Consort Zhang's mind, but it quickly vanished, replaced by a sense of relief.
Yue Qing perceived the silent exchange between Noble Consort Zhang and her managing nanny and gave a cold laugh inwardly.
After a short wait, Xue Mei brought the palace maids waiting outside Noble Consort Zhang's chambers into the hall.
As the palace maids entered, they knelt and paid their respects to the assembled dignitaries.
Yue Qing pointed to the group of palace maids and asked Qi Wan'er's personal maid, "Who is the person you saw?"
The personal maid looked up at the maids and pointed to one of them, saying, "It was her."
Yue Qing then asked the guard, "Is this the palace maid who delivered the message to you in the garden tonight?"
The guard examined them closely and replied, "No, the palace maid I saw was a bit shorter."
Yue Qing nodded, thinking that the one who delivered the message to the guard in the garden was likely the small palace maid from the imperial kitchen, but she was probably already in dire straits.
Yue Qing waved her hand, signaling Xue Mei to keep the person identified by the personal maid and to escort the others out.
Noble Consort Zhang's palace maid knelt in fear and anxiety, likely guessing the reason for her being singled out.
She subtly glanced at Noble Consort Zhang, whose eyes were filled with fierce warning. Immediately, she understood what she was supposed to say.
Yue Qing approached Noble Consort Zhang's palace maid and asked directly, "Did you instigate the small palace maid from the imperial kitchen to have the beautiful consort's maid frame the beautiful consort? And who was the person behind you?"
Noble Consort Zhang's heart leaped into her throat.
Although she had warned the maid with her eyes, and Yue Qing had not used her strange interrogation methods just now, she still had a bad feeling.
Yue Qing curved her lips slightly and continued to use her mental energy to disrupt Noble Consort Zhang's palace maid.
Noble Consort Zhang's palace maid's eyes glazed over, and she replied, "Yes, this servant did instigate the small palace maid from the imperial kitchen to have the beautiful consort's maid frame the beautiful consort. It was Noble Consort and the managing nanny who ordered this servant to do it."
As soon as she finished speaking, Li Heng's fury erupted. He stood up, pointing at Noble Consort Zhang, and roared, "Noble Consort Zhang, do you have anything more to say? Your palace maid has identified you as the instigator, and you still want to deny it? You have truly disappointed me."
Empress Jiang, as the mistress of the harem, feigned anger, saying, "Noble Consort Zhang, you have indeed gone too far this time."
Noble Consort Zhang and the managing nanny were stunned when they heard the palace maid's answer. When they recovered, their faces were filled with pure terror.
Noble Consort Zhang immediately knelt before Li Heng, weeping and saying, "Your Majesty, this concubine truly did not frame the beautiful consort. This palace maid is falsely accusing this concubine. This concubine is wronged. This concubine can swear to the heavens that if this concubine framed the beautiful consort, may she die a terrible death."
Seeing Noble Consort Zhang's earnest and tearful plea, Li Heng did not believe a word. Just as he was about to scold her, he saw the managing nanny rush in front of Noble Consort Zhang.
The managing nanny knelt and cried out to the emperor, "Your Majesty, this matter was truly not done by Noble Consort. She is being framed. All of it was done by this old servant. It was this old servant who ordered this palace maid to do those things, and it was this old servant who wanted to frame the beautiful consort for having an illicit affair with the guard. This old servant intended to ruin the beautiful consort's reputation and see her die a terrible death."
"It was you," Li Heng said, his voice icy. He did not believe her words but still asked, "Why did you frame the beautiful consort?"
Hatred welled up in the managing nanny's eyes. She said hatefully, "This old servant hates the beautiful consort for stealing the favor that rightfully belonged to Noble Consort. Before the beautiful consort entered the palace, Your Majesty's greatest favorite was Noble Consort. At that time, Noble Consort's heart was filled with love for Your Majesty, and she smiled every day."
"But ever since the beautiful consort entered the palace, Your Majesty has doted solely on her and has never visited Noble Consort's chambers again. This old servant watched Noble Consort become dispirited day by day, and even fall ill from excessive grief. This old servant was heartbroken and developed hatred for the beautiful consort."
"This old servant thought, it would be wonderful if the beautiful consort were dead. So, this old servant plotted everything, intending to have the beautiful consort disgraced and die. This way, Your Majesty would once again favor Noble Consort. All these actions were done by this old servant, and Noble Consort is innocent. I beg Your Majesty not to mistake Noble Consort."
Yue Qing stood silently by, watching Noble Consort Zhang and the managing nanny perform their act. She did not intervene further to disrupt the managing nanny.
Because Li Heng now knew the true culprit behind framing Qi Wan'er, and knew it was Noble Consort Zhang. After all, Li Heng was aware of the power struggles within the harem.
Even though the managing nanny took all the blame, it couldn't change his mind.
However, Noble Consort Zhang's maternal clan was the Zhenyuan Grand General's Mansion, which held significant military power. Li Heng had not yet resolved the military authority of the Zhenyuan Grand General's Mansion. Therefore, even if he knew Noble Consort Zhang had framed Qi Wan'er, his beloved woman, and even if Noble Consort Zhang was indeed at fault, he could not punish her.
Otherwise, if the Zhenyuan Grand General's Mansion found out, it would surely cause an uproar in court, leading to undesirable consequences.
He had been on the throne for three years, and the court was finally stable, only to be disrupted by this incident.