Chapter 292 Another Case Involving Consort Su

Soon, two palace maids came up with the same story, saying, "We heard the maids in the laundry department gossiping that His Highness the Crown Prince is keeping a mistress in a golden house. Even the ladies of the Eastern Palace are not as noble as the one in His Highness's room, not even... not even the Crown Princess."

Hearing this, Xie Shang was furious. He summoned Lin Feng and Ye Ying and said in a deep voice, "Continue to investigate the Laundry Department. Bring those two palace maids there and make them identify who is spreading the rumors. If they can't, they don't need to live either." Clearly, he had forgotten about Su Tingwan being punished by him and sent to the Laundry Department.

Jiang Fenghua knew that the investigation would eventually reach this point. Since Ye Susu had joined forces with Su Tingwan, if Song Qing wasn't made to take the blame, the worst outcome would be for Su Tingwan to take the blame. In any case, Su Tingwan had already lost Xie Shang's heart, so this was the worst that could happen.

Can he still kill her?

Su Tingwan also had Xie Shang firmly under her control. She had the Su family behind her, and her elder brother was a general, so he wouldn't kill her. If he wanted to kill her, he would have done so outside the palace long ago. Why would he bring her into the palace, lock her up in the East Palace, and even make her do the lowest-level work in the laundry department without stripping her of her status as a concubine?

Jiang Fenghua stared at Ye Susu. What a skill! She softened Xie Shang's heart with just a few words. Ha! That's men for you.

If it's found that the information originated from the laundry department, then it has nothing to do with Ye Susu.

Since that's the case, I'll show you what it means to be one step ahead of the devil.

She winked at Hongxiu, who understood and quietly left Chenxi Palace.

Jiang Fenghua won't be a peacemaker now, and won't give Xie Shang a way out again. If you want to make trouble, then make trouble. If you want to investigate, then investigate Su Tingwan directly. This will only deepen the hatred between you. You two loved each other so much. In the previous life, you were the one who supported his wife to become empress even after he deposed her. You must feel heartbroken knowing that everything is fake now!

This little pain is nothing compared to the harm they caused her.

She wanted to make sure Ye Susu couldn't get any mutton and ended up getting into trouble for no reason.

Soon, Lin Feng and Ye Ying brought several people who were mainly spreading rumors in the laundry department. They all pointed out, "The person who first said it was Consort Su. We didn't take it seriously. We even secretly went to check under the pretext of delivering clothes. That's when we found out that what Consort Su said was true. There is a palace maid in Chengguang Palace."

Upon hearing this, Xie Shang frowned even more deeply.

Lin Feng asked, "Should this subordinate summon Consort Su for questioning?"

Tang Qianran boldly said, "Of course it should be reported. If she hadn't been spreading rumors, I wouldn't have been beaten like this. Your Highness, you must do justice for me!"

Tang Qianran knew that things were far beyond her imagination and had nothing to do with her. She had been beaten so badly by Lu Xuefei, and she was determined to get an explanation.

Song Qing was also filled with lingering fear, "I was truly wronged."

They won't let this opportunity to clarify go unnoticed for their own benefit.

Jiang Fenghua was very satisfied with their reaction. She had thought they were all mute, but once it was confirmed that they had nothing to do with her, they all came back to life.

She deliberately asked Ye Susu, "Does Consort Ye also think we should invite Consort Su over to find out the truth?"

Ye Susu clenched her fingers and said gently, "It's entirely up to Your Highness to decide."

Song Qing glared at her, feeling that it was related to Ye Susu, since she had only told Ye Susu. She said, "Your Highness will naturally investigate this matter. We have not seen this Consort Su since we entered the East Palace. Why is she spreading rumors about Your Highness without showing up to be punished?"

Xie Shang frowned, not bringing Su Tingwan over for questioning, as if he were protecting her.

Su Tingwan has been grounded and then sent to the laundry department, yet she still won't stop causing trouble.

When Su Tingwan was brought before Xie Shang, she was dressed in coarse linen clothes, her fingers were washed until they turned white, and her face was rough, making her look pitiful.

Only then did everyone get a clear look at what Consort Su, whom His Highness the Crown Prince favored, looked like.

Everyone scoffed, saying they were nothing special, not even worth a single strand of their hair!

She must have made some terrible mistake for His Highness the Crown Prince to send her to the laundry department to do menial work.

Su Tingwan knelt down gracefully, "This concubine greets the Crown Prince and Crown Princess."

Xie Shang hadn't expected that Su Tingwan was actually so ordinary. He couldn't even see the playfulness and cuteness she used to have. She must have suffered a lot in the laundry department!

He said coldly, "Are you spreading rumors about the Hall of Inheritance? And where did you get that information from?"

"I know nothing of any rumors." With so many people in the laundry department, why would she say that she spread them? What difference does it make if she doesn't admit it?

Tang Qianran said, "The palace maids in the laundry department have all admitted that it was you who told them, and you still want to deny it."

“I have always worked in the laundry department. When did I ever say such things? It is clearly a deliberate attempt to frame me,” Su Tingwan insisted, refusing to admit it.

At this point, the palace maids in the laundry department began to complain, "She doesn't really wash clothes when she comes to the laundry department. The nannies don't dare to let her wash them. If they ask her to do something, she will beat them. She also said that she is the daughter of a great general and that she will kill anyone who dares to order her around."

"Yes, the nanny gives the clothes that are washed for her to the servants to wash, and the servants are all afraid of her..."

"She's from the Eastern Palace and is also His Highness the Crown Prince's concubine, so naturally we servants wouldn't dare to actually let her wash clothes..."

The palace maid who had just identified her said again, "Everything we said is true. Consort Su also said that His Highness the Crown Prince kept a mistress in a golden house. She was clearly a candidate for the imperial concubine, but ended up as a palace maid. How much His Highness must like that woman to spend every night with her."

Su Tingwan continued to argue, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"We brought the old women in to confront her, and the truth came out immediately. No one dared to let her work anymore..."

"Yes, Cha..."

"Consort Su does absolutely no work..."

After hearing this, Xie Shang stared at Su Tingwan for a couple more moments. It turned out that she was deliberately making a scene to gain sympathy.

Jiang Fenghua said in a deep voice, "Stop arguing. Since it was Consort Su who told you, where did Consort Su get the news? Ever since the Crown Prince confined her to her quarters, she has not been allowed to leave the Sandalwood Pavilion except to go to the laundry department every day. She has no chance to enter Chengguang Palace." She was practically saying that unless she had helpers.

Just then, Lu Xuefei, dressed in clean clothes, stepped out from the crowd and bowed respectfully. "This servant greets Your Highness and Your Highness. Today's matter arose because of this servant, causing all of you to have doubts. This servant has told Your Highness that everything is in the clear. I'm sure you won't believe my empty words. You all believe what Your Highness says!"

Everyone looked at the Crown Prince. Indeed, the point of contention was whether the Crown Prince was truly keeping a mistress in a golden house, and now the parties involved had arrived.

The girl in front of me isn't exactly beautiful, and she's far less so than the Crown Princess. She does have a unique air about her, but who knows if His Highness might actually like her?

However, if the Crown Prince truly liked her, she was clearly a candidate for the imperial concubine selection and could openly become his woman. Why go through the trouble of becoming a palace maid? Everyone was puzzled, which is why this incident happened today.

Jiang Fenghua also deliberately glanced at Xie Shang. If Lu Xuefei hadn't confessed to her, she would have just symbolically shown her jealousy today.

Xie Shang indeed didn't tell anyone about this. As the Crown Prince, he had no need to explain these things to anyone. When he saw Jiang Fenghua staring at him, he explained, "My relationship with Miss Lu is completely innocent. Ruan Ruan, you believe me, right?"