boyutpedia Chapter 65 Shifting the Blame East
Chapter 65 Shifting the Blame East
Upon hearing these veiled threats, Qiu Zhu's face turned deathly pale, and she trembled violently, stammering, "This...this servant...this servant..."
"Since Consort Shu has asked you to tell the truth, then speak freely." Chu Qingyin looked at Qiu Zhu with a reassuring gaze.
Qiu Zhu received her gaze and then slowly spoke: "Zijuan, the head maid of Consort Shu, and I were colleagues in the Imperial Bedchamber Bureau. Later, when I was assigned to Consort Qiao's quarters, the two of us never lost contact."
"On the night of the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, Zijuan suddenly found me and coerced me into stealing Consort Qiao's personal clothing and giving it to her. Consort Shu wanted to use this to frame her for having an affair with another man."
"You wretched servant, how dare you frame me!"
Consort Shu shouted angrily and was about to get up, making a move to hit Qiu Zhu.
"Consort Shu, be mindful of your status!" Empress Wang warned with a stern gaze.
Consort Shu glared hatefully at Qiu Zhu before turning to Empress Wang, her voice aggrieved: "Your Majesty, please understand, this lowly servant is clearly framing me. Although I am not particularly close to Consort Qiao, I would never have such a despicable thought to frame her. This is absolutely a false accusation!"
She spoke with unwavering conviction, each word ringing with conviction, causing Empress Wang to furrow her brow as if trying to discern her meaning.
Seeing this, Consort Shu suddenly thought of something and pressed her advantage, looking at Chu Qingyin: "Sister Qiao, could it be that you are holding a grudge about what happened in the Imperial Garden this afternoon, feeling that I did not protect you, and that's why you deliberately had your maid frame me? Oh dear, then I am truly wronged!"
Chu Qingyin: "..."
Consort Shu's shamelessness in distorting the truth and crying wolf hasn't changed at all.
Just as she took a deep breath, about to retort, a dignified and profound male voice suddenly rang out from outside the hall: "Who are you saying is framing you?"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked towards the direction outside the hall.
In the dim afternoon light, a young emperor, dressed in a black robe embroidered with gold dragon patterns, strode in.
The emperor first glanced at Chu Qingyin, and seeing that she was safe and sound, gave her a reassuring look before walking toward Empress Wang.
Lu Mingzhu, who was standing to the side, saw everything clearly and couldn't help but feel resentful.
His Majesty entered without even glancing at me, not even sparing a glance. It was truly infuriating!
Pei Yuanling sat down beside Empress Wang, then looked around at everyone in the hall before saying in a deep voice, "You may continue. I also want to see who has the audacity to try and frame my two beloved concubines with such a scheme."
“Your Majesty, I am not lying at all. This matter was instructed by Consort Shu. I also have benefits from Zijuan.”
As Qiu Zhu spoke, she hurriedly took out a red gold silk bracelet from her bosom. "This was given to me by Zi Juan. She said that after the matter is accomplished, Consort Shu will give me a generous reward."
Empress Wang gave Lin Qing a wink, and he immediately stepped forward to take the red gold twisted bracelet and presented it to Pei Yuanling. "Your Majesty, please take a look."
Upon seeing this, Zijuan's mind went blank, her body suddenly went limp, and she collapsed to the ground.
Everyone immediately turned to look at her.
Consort Shu's face showed a hint of panic, but she quickly regained her composure and angrily questioned, "Zijuan, what exactly is going on?"
"This servant, this servant..." Zijuan was about to explain, but the moment she looked up and met Consort Shu's gaze, she shut her mouth in an embarrassed manner.
Empress Wang looked at the bracelet and said in a low voice, "If I remember correctly, this bracelet was a reward I gave to the concubines when they entered the Prince's residence. The late Noble Consort, the Virtuous Consort, and the Gentle Consort each had one."
Upon hearing this, Pei Yuanling's face turned ashen, and he raised his hand, throwing the crimson gold silk bracelet in front of Consort Shu: "The evidence is irrefutable, what else do you have to say?"
"Your Majesty, I am innocent!"
Consort Shu rose and lunged at Pei Yuanling, but stopped just before she could touch him, under the man's cold gaze.
"Your Majesty, I am innocent!" she cried out sorrowfully. "This was all done by Zijuan; I have absolutely no connection to it!"
Pei Yuanling didn't believe it at all: "She is a maid in your palace. Who could order her around without your permission?"
Consort Shu choked, then suddenly seemed to remember something and turned to look at Zijuan: "Zijuan, tell me, who exactly did you conspire with to frame me and Consort Qiao?"
Chu Qingyin watched coldly from the side, already vaguely guessing that Consort Shu was trying to cut off her own arm and shift the blame to others.
Zijuan had been by Consort Shu's side for many years. As soon as she saw Consort Shu's gaze, she immediately understood that the Empress was going to use her as a pawn to be discarded.
Although she felt despair, the thought that her family outside the palace was still in Consort Shu's hands made her grit her teeth, scan the crowd in front of her, and finally settle on Lu Mingzhu.
"It's...it's Consort Lu!"
Zijuan said with her eyes closed, "This matter has nothing to do with Consort Shu. It was all at the behest of Consort Lu. I was confused for a moment and that's why I did it."
"what?!"
Lu Mingzhu was unjustly accused, and her face immediately turned red with anger. She pointed at Zijuan and cursed, "You're talking nonsense! I never arranged for you to do this. You little bitch, how dare you frame me! I'll skin you alive!"
Upon seeing this, Empress Wang immediately shouted angrily, "Stop!"
The eunuchs and palace maids also stepped forward to stop her. Lu Mingzhu's eyes reddened, and she looked at Pei Yuanling with a wronged expression: "Your Majesty, this matter really has nothing to do with me. Please investigate."
Pei Yuanling didn't look at her, his gaze fixed on Zijuan: "You say you were instructed by Consort Lu, do you have any evidence?"
Yes, yes!
Zijuan hurriedly said, "Consort Lu is jealous of Consort Qiao's favor with the emperor, so she asked me to help her set up a scheme to frame Consort Qiao through Consort Shu. That way, whether the framing succeeds or not, no one will suspect her."
Zijuan continued, "Yuxiu, who served Consort Lu, found me earlier and gave me a pearl bracelet. The bracelet is under my pillow in my room! I tell you the truth, I dare not lie. If Your Majesty does not believe me, you may send someone to investigate."
Pei Yuanling lowered his gaze and looked at the Empress.
Empress Wang understood and nodded to the chief eunuch Lin Qing, "Go to Consort Lu's palace and bring Yu Xiu and the evidence together."
Seeing Lin Qing lead his men down, Lu Mingzhu's expression became somewhat subtle.
She never expected that this matter would be related to Yuxiu.
Could it be that Yuxiu, that wretched girl, really colluded with Consort Shu's palace behind her back?
Chu Qingyin sat to the side, a hint of interest rising in her heart.
Today, the original intention was to remove Consort Shu from power, but unexpectedly, Lu Mingzhu was also dragged into the mess by accident.
Consort Shu's reach is truly extensive; she not only schemed against herself but also planted someone in Lu Mingzhu's territory.
She was truly unafraid that Lu Zhiheng would hold a grudge and, in the future, frame her General's Mansion for treason, just as he had done with the Chu family.
However, if the two families really become enemies because of this, it would be a win for her.
Thinking of this, the frustration that had been building up because of Xianglan's injury suddenly lifted.
About half an hour later, Yuxiu was brought close by someone.
After learning the whole story, Yuxiu, trembling, lay on the ground and replied, "This servant...this servant is innocent..."
"Pah, you're innocent?"
Zijuan, however, wouldn't allow Yuxiu to explain, and pressed on, "Dare you say that a few days ago, your mistress wasn't extremely jealous about Consort Qiao's favor with the emperor? Did she even go to see Grand Secretary Lu because of it?"
"After being rejected by Grand Secretary Lu, you came to me again. You said that as long as I agreed to cooperate with you to frame Consort Qiao, it would be a win-win situation for both my master and Consort Lu."
"And this pearl necklace, wasn't it a gift from you?"
Zijuan spoke each word clearly and logically, yet it was all half true and half false.
It's true that they're looking for Lord Lu, but everything else is just a lie!
Yu Xiu felt deeply wronged and repeatedly denied it: "I...I didn't. It's true that I gave you the pearl necklace, but it was to befriend you, not to let you frame Consort Qiao—"
Upon hearing that the pearl necklace was real, Lu Mingzhu strode forward and slapped her across the face: "You treacherous, lowly servant, how dare you befriend outsiders behind my back?"
There was still room for discussion, but Lu Mingzhu's attitude has already made everything clear.
Even if she had nothing to do with today's events, it was undeniable that she had been secretly cultivating relationships with people in Consort Shu's palace.
Chu Qingyin couldn't help but sigh inwardly: This Lu Mingzhu is really incredibly stupid.
Seeing that the blame had been shifted to the east, Consort Shu's expression brightened. She looked at Lu Mingzhu and said sarcastically, "Now that things have come to this, Consort Lu, I advise you to admit it as soon as possible, so that we don't waste our time with you."
Lu Mingzhu was naturally indignant. "Why should I be accused of something I didn't do?"
"enough!"
Pei Yuanling's face was ashen. He slammed his palm on the table beside him, causing everyone's ears to ring.
"Since you are going to make such a big deal out of this, I think it would be better to hand this matter over to the Ministry of Justice. Under severe punishment, the truth will come out."