“Your Majesty, please understand!” Xue Zhaoyi rose and bowed.
“This concubine has never seen this palace maid before, nor does she know when she came to Qionghua Garden.”
As soon as she finished speaking, her head maid, Yinzhu, understanding the implied meaning, knelt down and said: “Your Majesty, please forgive me. Cai Ye and I are old acquaintances. Today, she came to speak with me. However, she only spoke a few words to me, and I know nothing else…”
Ning Wanyin looked at Cai Ye: “I have ordered that palace servants of Lingxue Pavilion are not allowed to have private dealings with others. Those who violate this rule will be punished with fifty strokes of the cane and sent to the Xinzheku. You risked punishment just to go and talk to her?”
Everyone looked puzzled.
Indeed, this was highly illogical.
Xue Zhaoyi showed no fear and calmly replied: “Cai Ye, as long as you tell the truth, although you have committed a capital crime today, in view of your merit in pointing out the real culprit, I, Zhaoyi, will definitely take care of your entire family.”
Cai Ye trembled and prostrated herself on the ground.
“Thank you, Xue Zhaoyi! This servant dared not fail to report the truth… Your Majesty, all of this…was instigated by Ning Meiren. She threatened my entire family’s lives, so I dared not disobey! I know I deserve to die, and since Xue Zhaoyi is willing to spare my family, I cannot frame Xue Zhaoyi any further…”
“Ning Meiren ordered me to bribe eunuchs and palace maids to set fire to Linlang Palace. This morning, she also suddenly ordered me to Qionghua Garden…”
“This servant is lowly; how could I possibly see Xue Zhaoyi? So I went to Qionghua Garden and spoke a few words to a palace maid I knew…”
“Your Majesty, please understand. This servant was forced into this. Ning Meiren knows where this servant lives. This servant only asks for the safety of my family. This servant is willing to die…”
The palace servants of Changchun Palace and Lingxue Pavilion had all been investigated by Ning Wanyin, and their families were investigated for the nine generations.
If she were truly being blackmailed by Ning Wanyin using her family, with Xue Zhaoyi vouching for her, it would be perfectly reasonable for her to turn against Ning Wanyin on the spot.
In an instant, everyone’s gaze fell upon Ning Wanyin again.
Xue Zhaoyi sneered inwardly: Ning Wanyin, are these all the tricks you have? You think you can fight me? You’re too shallow.
On the surface, however, she wore a shocked expression: “So that’s how it is… Ning Wanyin, you have such a vicious mind…”
“Your Majesty, please understand. If my Master had intended to harm Zhuang Fei, why would she have reported it beforehand…” Lian Rui quickly knelt down to clarify.
Xue Zhaoyi said coldly, “Of course, it’s because her target isn’t Zhuang Fei, but me. She’s set up a whole scheme, crying ‘stop thief’ while being the thief herself, falsely accusing me of plotting to murder Zhuang Fei…”
She looked at Helian Qi with a wronged expression.
“Your Majesty, please do justice for me! Ning Wanyin is vicious and deliberately framed me. Cai Ye is her maid. She just made an excuse to come to my palace, and now it’s become my doing…”
“So, in the future, if someone’s maid commits a crime, they can simply make an excuse to go to someone else’s palace beforehand and frame someone else?”
Shu Fei seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire: “Your Majesty, Xue Zhaoyi is right. Ning Meiren said that Xue Zhaoyi ordered Cai Ye to do it, but it is impossible to verify whether Cai Ye had ever met Xue Zhaoyi. On the contrary, Cai Ye’s arson of Linlang Palace was caught red-handed, and the evidence is conclusive.”
“As the person in charge, Ning Meiren should be put to death.”
Cen Jieyu watched the drama unfold quietly. She had originally intended to win over Ning Wanyin, but since Ning Wanyin was no match for Xue Zhaoyi, there was no point in trying to win her over.
Wen Meiren’s heart was pounding with fear. Luckily, Ning Wanyin hadn’t agreed to befriend her, otherwise, she would have been implicated in today’s events…
Fang Zhaoyi was overjoyed. Ning Wanyin ruined her plans; her death was gratifying!
Wei Yingya thought to herself: Just as I expected. She knew that the other party wouldn’t survive more than three chapters!
The assembled concubines either watched coldly, gloated, or kicked her while she was down.
Only Helian Qi frowned and looked at Ning Wanyin: “Do you have anything to say in your defense?”
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Meow meow On TPH Chapter 26.1