Chapter 107 It Can’t Be Pei Jieyu

The hall was eerily quiet.

Except for the emperor and empress, all the concubines lowered their heads.

Lin Zhaorong took a deep breath and looked up at Xie Chen. "Your Majesty, we have some clues about this matter. Why not start from here? If Concubine Liang and Concubine Pei are innocent, we can then thoroughly investigate the six palaces in the east and west. If nothing is found, we can then investigate Fenghe Palace. This will also save the Empress's reputation."

Empress Cui had a tired look on her face. She pressed her aching temples and said, "Why go through so much trouble? I don't care about this. Just check everything you want to check."

For a moment, all the concubines looked at Xie Chen, waiting for his decision.

Xie was silent for a moment before he said, "The Queen is the head of the six palaces. The palaces cannot be searched at will. Let's do as Lin Zhaorong said."

Liang Yao heard the order and replied, "Then I will take people to check Yaohua Palace and Changle Palace."

He was about to leave when Xie Chen stopped him.

"What's the hurry? I haven't given any orders yet."

Liang Yao turned back and stood respectfully.

Xie Chen looked at Pei Tingyue among the concubines and said calmly: "Only search Yaohua Palace, there is no need to search Changle Palace."

The concubines were surprised.

A glint flashed across Concubine Xie's eyes: "Your Majesty, I know that Concubine Pei is likable, but you can't do whatever you want just because you favor Concubine Pei."

Xie Chen was very firm: "It can't be Concubine Pei."

Concubine Xie forced a smile: "Your Majesty..."

Xie Chen interrupted her calmly, "As I said earlier, the sachet containing musk must be worn close to the body. However, not only Concubine Li cannot smell musk, Concubine Pei cannot smell it either."

At first, the concubines were still skeptical about his words. Why was Concubine Pei so averse to the smell of musk? Then they suddenly realized.

Queen Cui's originally calm expression revealed a gentle smile: "Your Majesty means..."

Xie Chen nodded slightly: "Pei Jieyu is already three months pregnant."

This sentence made all eyes in the hall fall on Pei Tingyue's lower abdomen.

At first glance, nothing much.

But if you look closely, there seems to be some changes?

Empress Cui was the first to look away. She smiled gently and said, "When did this happen? How could I not have noticed it?"

Pei Tingyue Yingying stood up and explained softly, "Your Majesty, I vomited while eating a few days ago, so I asked the imperial physician to come. He took my pulse and diagnosed me with pregnancy. I was surprised and happy, but then I remembered what the imperial physician said about a woman's most unstable period during the first three months of pregnancy. So I begged the emperor not to spread the news. I didn't mean to deceive Your Majesty, please forgive me."

"Be careful. I'm relieved that you're so reliable." Empress Cui said with a warm smile, "If that's the case, then this matter has nothing to do with Concubine Pei. Liang Yao, go search Yaohua Palace. Concubine Liang is ill, so remember to be careful."

Ever since learning that Prime Minister Shen was exiled, Concubine Shen Liang has been ill every few days and has rarely been well. She took leave again this morning and did not come this evening. I guess she really can't get up.

After receiving the order, Liang Yao took the young eunuch with him.

Whenever they had some free time, the concubines came to congratulate Pei Tingyue, and each of them had a smile on their face in front of the emperor and empress.

Pei Tingyue also accepted them all with a smile.

About half an hour later, a thin figure entered the hall.

Everyone looked closely and found that this person was Concubine Shen Liang.

She was dressed in a moon-white dress, with her black hair scattered on her shoulders. The proud and elegant aura on her body turned into a sense of brokenness, like fragile glass.

Seeing her, Empress Cui said with concern: "Liang Fei, why don't you rest in Yaohua Palace and come here?"

Concubine Shen Liang ignored her and walked straight ahead.

Lin Zhaorong suddenly stood up and scolded, "Empress Liang, how could you be so presumptuous to the Empress?!"

Queen Cui raised her hand lightly.

Lin Zhaorong stopped talking.

Concubine Shen Liang didn't even glance at the other concubines in the palace. She knelt down in front of Xie Chen and asked softly, "Your Majesty, are you still willing to believe Yu Yao?"

Xie Chen gave a look to the palace maid next to him, indicating that they should help Concubine Liang up.

But as soon as the palace maid stepped forward, she was pushed away harshly by Concubine Shen Liang.

Concubine Shen Liang asked again as if with her last hope.

Xie Chen's voice was not loud, but it was stern and stern: "Yuyao, you must not be rude to the Queen."

If he didn't answer her, it would mean that he didn't trust her wholeheartedly.

Concubine Shen Liang closed her eyes, and two lines of tears flowed down her cheeks.

She really couldn't understand it.

Why is Ah Chen so cruel to his father? Also, why is Ah Chen, who once doted on her, so cold to her now?

Is it because of a change of heart?

It must be that bitch who bewitched him.

Concubine Shen Liang was filled with hatred, and a violent feeling welled up in her heart.

She can't be the only one suffering! She can't be the only one falling into the abyss!

She wanted Concubine Pei to accompany her, no matter what the cost.

Nowadays…

She's going to plead guilty.

If Ah Chen still believed in her, she might be able to turn the situation around.

But now Ah Chen no longer believed her, and there were witnesses to the crime. Even if Li Jieyu did not cause her to have blood, she had no chance to refute anything.

Cry out for injustice? Will anyone believe it?

I'm afraid that after all the investigation, the clue will eventually lead to her.

She was very familiar with the methods of these women in the harem.

The only solution now is to accept it and then use "old friendship" to plead for mercy, perhaps you can stop the loss.

Otherwise, what awaits her might be the cold palace.

Concubine Shen Liang said in a trembling voice, "Regarding Concubine Li, I was confused for a moment. Your Majesty, please forgive me for the sake of our old friendship."

The concubines were in an uproar.

What is Concubine Shen Liang doing? She actually admitted that she had harmed Concubine Li?

Liang Yao entered the palace panting. What was wrong with Concubine Shen Liang? She actually stopped him in Yaohua Palace and made him arrive so late.

"Your Majesty, I found something unburned in the incense burner in Yaohua Palace."

The evidence arrived late.

On the red lacquer tray lay half an unburned sachet and spices.

Xie Chen's eyebrows moved: "President Xia."

Judge Xia immediately stepped forward and examined the two items. After a while, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the spice in the sachet is musk."

Now that we had evidence and someone confessed, the matter was settled.

Empress Cui looked at the kneeling figure and said in grief: "Liang Fei, how could you be so cruel!"

The concubines also began to attack Concubine Kaichen Liang, saying all kinds of things.

Concubine Shen Liang looked at Xie Chen with red eyes: "It was my fault for being confused for a moment."

Xie Chen sat in the main seat for a long time without moving.

Finally, he rubbed his brows and said to Concubine Shen Liang, "I am very disappointed in you. You should move to the side hall."

This means demotion.

Still below the main seat.

As to what rank he would be demoted to, he did not say.

Xie Chen stood up and walked past the concubines, "The Queen will decide the rest."

This is for Queen Cui to decide.

After the emperor left, Empress Cui ordered the palace maids, "Carry Concubine Shen back to the palace."

Concubine Xie was very dissatisfied with this decision: "This Shen family wanted to murder the heir, so they demoted her by two ranks?"

Empress Cui looked at Concubine Xie from the side, her aura terrifying: "How about you come and sit on this phoenix chair of mine?"