TICIEC Chapter 66.1

On the fifth day of the fourth month, the group arrived at Zijin Mountain from the capital.

That day, Ning Wanyin received a visit from her family at the palace during the day, and in the evening, she went to a bonfire banquet with the Emperor, returning to the palace together.

So she definitely wouldn’t be free on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.

Li Rao thought for a moment and then gave a rather vague explanation, “After the summer hunt began, on the sixth or seventh day, or maybe the eighth, I didn’t pay much attention. I just remember that it was at dusk when His Majesty hadn’t returned from the hunt. You took the opportunity to meet with Song Chengyi in secret!”

“Unfortunately, I did not leave the Zijin Palace at dusk on the sixth, seventh, and eighth days of April. All the palace servants in the Zijin Palace can testify for me.” Ning Wanyin said calmly.

As was well known, Ning Wanyin and the Emperor lived in the main palace of the Zijin Palace.

The palace servants there were all the Emperor’s people, so they were naturally trustworthy.

“That’s a little earlier than dusk…” Li Rao tried to explain.

“I stayed at the palace from morning till night for those three days.” Ning Wanyin said.

Li Rao choked for a moment: “It’s been too long, so I can’t remember clearly… In short, it was one of the days of the summer hunt when you secretly left the palace while His Majesty was away! Does Ning Jieyu mean to say that she never left the palace at all?”

“Apart from the banquet with His Majesty on the fifth day of the lunar new year, I have indeed not stepped out of the palace once!”

Ning Wanyin’s thin lips curled into a cold sneer.

Because she was afraid of being assassinated, Ning Wanyin had never left the palace.

The Zijin Palace, where she and the Emperor lived, was guarded three layers deep by the Emperor’s guards. Apart from this palace, every other place, in Ning Wanyin’s eyes, was extremely dangerous!

How could someone as cautious as Ning Wanyin dare to risk being assassinated by going out for a stroll?

During those days, she would call her mother over every day to talk.

She would stay by herself, reading and embroidering.

She didn’t step out of the palace gates even once!

Everyone was stunned and found it unbelievable.

Because no other concubine would stay indoors like her.

Having seen enough of the sky from the four corners of the palace, it was a rare treat for the concubines to come out and stroll around Zijin Mountain to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Cen Jieyu’s originally calm expression froze instantly upon hearing these words.

Because Ning Wanyin lived with the Emperor, it was inconvenient to send someone to secretly spy on her, so no one knew that Ning Wanyin hadn’t really gone out.

Except for the Emperor.

The Zijin Palace was filled with the Emperor’s people, both inside and out.

How could he not know whether Ning Wanyin had left the palace or not?

This was also why, when Li Rao reported Ning Wanyin’s affair with Song Chengyi during the summer hunt, the Emperor impatiently questioned him about his crime.

Wasn’t this blatant framing and slander?

“Your Majesty, apart from traveling with you, I have never stepped out of the palace gates. I beg Your Majesty to investigate.” Ning Wanyin said aggrievedly.

Helian Qi nodded: “I know.”

Seeing the stunned crowd, Wang Degui explained, “This is indeed true. The palace servants who were working at the palace at the time can all testify to it!”

“Your Majesty, Lord Li is deliberately framing me! This proves that all those witnesses and evidence are false…”

Ning Wanyin was on the verge of tears, her eyes blurry with emotion.

“Lord Li has fabricated lies and framed me out of thin air. I beg Your Majesty to do justice for me!”

Song Chengyi was completely flustered, but seeing that Ning Wanyin had actually proven there was no secret rendezvous with him and turned the tables by showing that the other evidence was false, he came back to his senses.

He immediately knelt down, saying, “Your Majesty, please investigate. I have been wronged. This servant once stole my jade pendant and sold it. After being caught, he was beaten and expelled from the mansion. Because of this matter, he harbors hatred toward me and has therefore slandered and fabricated accusations against me.”

“As for what Master Duan said, it is indeed true. However, I was only curious about who had deciphered the chess manual at the time, and I only asked one more question. The rest was all fabricated. Master Duan also said that he had never seen us meet in private.”

 

 

 

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