Chapter 99 Your Majesty, why are your clothes torn?

However, this palace maid was not the one I saw at Changyin Pavilion that day. It makes sense, since that palace maid would have advised Consort Yue to be patient, and wouldn't have just watched her do this.

Upon hearing this, many people's expressions changed.

Consort Rong's face darkened, and she was about to speak when Xie Yuxiao stopped her.

Xie Yunqi was the first to stand up and point at her: "What nonsense are you spouting? You just start spouting slanderous words as soon as you open your mouth. I've been watching my sister the whole time. She's right next to me. How could I be wrong? I saw it clearly!"

Xie Yunwen also said, "Father, I can also testify that my second sister did not do such a thing! You see, my second sister was drinking flower tea the whole time, with both hands holding the cup. Where would she have gotten a third hand to throw things?"

Consort Yue secretly pinched the hand of the palace maid who was supporting her. The maid hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, the two princes and the second princess have a deep relationship. Perhaps it's a cover-up. This servant clearly saw..."

Xie Yuxiao didn't give her a chance to speak before smashing a wine glass down, the sound of which was even louder than the sound of the zither just now.

"I have been keeping an eye on the Second Princess all along. Are you implying that I am also protecting her?"

The palace maid was so frightened that she knelt down immediately, her face turned pale, and she kept trembling.

When she took the money, Consort Yue didn't mention that His Majesty would also get involved!

The atmosphere in the Golden Hall suddenly became tense, and the officials dared not even breathe loudly.

Consort Jing stood to the side, at a loss, once again completely bewildered. Minister Li, watching from below, was filled with trepidation and frowned deeply.

Consort Yue clearly hadn't expected that so many people's attention would be on Sheng Sheng at that time.

Consort Yue's eyes darted around, and she quickly came up with a clever idea: "Your Majesty, please calm down. Su Yu has been with me for many years, and she was just in a hurry. Su Yu was waiting at a distance, so it's normal that she couldn't see clearly from her angle. Perhaps she mistook the Second Princess for someone else?"

Su Yu, being quick-witted, immediately said, "Yes, yes! This servant was mistaken; it must have been lost by His Highness the hostage!"

Pei Ji: ...

Sheng Sheng: ...Huh?

What has Pei Ji done to cause this time?

Consort Yue remained silent. Su Yu glanced at her, then continued to insist, "Yes, it was His Highness the Hostage! I saw it with my own eyes. The pebble came from this direction. The Second Princess was sitting on the left, and from my perspective, she was in front of His Highness the Hostage, which is why I subconsciously thought it was the Second Princess. Actually, it must have been His Highness the Hostage who threw it, causing my lady to fall!"

Su Yu spoke with conviction, asserting that the pebble had indeed appeared out of thin air. Just now, many people were looking in Sheng Sheng's direction, and out of the corner of their eye, they did see a small pebble suddenly appear in that direction.

It wasn't the second princess who led the group to suddenly question the princes.

Pei Ji became the target of public criticism.

Pei Ji remained calm, showing no sign of panic, and even took a sip of tea with remarkable composure.

Xie Yunqi chuckled and pointed at Su Yu, saying, "Hey, you're really something. One's on my left and one's on my right. Are you going to say 'Your Highness' next?"

With Pei Ji and Sheng Sheng right beside him, how could he not know if there was any commotion?

Isn't this insulting his intelligence?!

Su Yu was startled: "This servant...this servant wouldn't dare!"

Consort Yue hadn't expected so many people to be watching Xie Yunsheng, so she thought she'd take the opportunity to throw mud at the little dumpling. Even if she knew she might not succeed in the end, it would be good to cause her some unhappiness.

Who knew that one or two of them would protect her like this?

Okay, then she'll splash someone else.

His Majesty dotes on Xie Yunsheng, surely he wouldn't dote on Pei Ji!

Anyway, she couldn't let Pei Ji gain power in Yu. Wasn't he on good terms with Xie Yunsheng? Today, she would make them sour each other!

It seems that Consort Yue is determined to cause some trouble today.

Xie Yunchuan became even more convinced of his thoughts: this Consort Yue was probably just someone the other party was using as a front.

Although the emperor of Song was old and senile, he was not so foolish as to let such an idiot govern these affairs in Yu.

If that's true, then Xie Yunchuan wouldn't be surprised if the Song state was defeated and gradually declining, or even about to perish.

Xie Yuxiao frowned and asked, "Pei Ji, what do you have to say?"

Sheng Sheng frowned and answered for him, "Then tell me, why would Brother Pei Ji throw stones at you for no reason?"

"That's right, if anyone's going to be lost, it should be me, His Highness, who should be the one to lose it, right?" Xie Yunqi snorted coldly, speaking with a pointed remark.

As everyone knows, a few days ago at Changyin Pavilion, Consort Yue even tried to frame Xie Yunqi!

Pei Ji and Consort Yue have absolutely no connection, so why would he throw stones at her in public?

Moreover, Pei Ji's identity is sensitive, so why would he want to cause trouble for himself?

Sheng Sheng nodded in deep agreement, but then she suddenly remembered that when Cui Lan tried to assassinate her that day, a small pebble thrown from outside the window temporarily stopped Cui Lan.

Sheng Sheng: Uh, really?

Sheng Sheng blinked, looking at Pei Ji with a somewhat blank expression. Pei Ji, with an innocent and harmless smile, shrugged at her.

Consort Yue was taken aback by the question. She didn't think much about it; she just wanted to quickly find someone to pin the blame on.

Today is her last chance. She has already been imprisoned in the cold palace because of Xie Yunsheng. If she can't turn things around today, she will drag someone down with her!

Since the performance was already underway, Consort Yue couldn't very well say that she was overthinking things at this point, and besides, the stone really did suddenly appear from some corner, it wasn't something she arranged.

Thinking of this, Consort Yue felt more confident. She gritted her teeth, pinched herself, and looked up pitifully, saying, "Your Majesty, I don't mean to blame anyone. It's just that I practiced this dance with Consort Jing for a long time, hoping to present it to Your Majesty at the palace banquet. I don't know where this stone came from, and it's also my fault for being too immersed in the dance and not noticing that I twisted my ankle... I can't perform for Your Majesty anymore, please don't blame me! Consort Jing, it's all my fault for dragging you down."

Consort Jing: "Uh, it's alright?"

Xie Yuxiao was having a headache. He had just banished Consort Yue to the Cold Palace a few days ago, but he hadn't expected that Consort Yue would still cause trouble.

Xie Yuxiao wasn't stupid; he could tell that Consort Yue was resentful about being in the Cold Palace and wanted to cause some trouble.

But this stone did indeed appear halfway through the journey, so we can't pretend we didn't see it.

Just as Xie Yuxiao was about to speak, Su Yu asked again, "Your Highness, why are your clothes torn?"

Everyone's gaze immediately followed Su Yu's words and they saw that Yue Pin's water sleeve had fallen off halfway, revealing the delicate silk threads and a section of her lotus-root arm.

"ah!"

Consort Yue was shocked and quickly covered her arm.

The emperor's consorts were not for just anyone to look at; everyone was afraid of losing their heads. The male guests present all lowered their heads to avoid suspicion, and only raised their heads when a palace maid brought a cloak for Consort Yue to put on.

Sheng Sheng raised an eyebrow: "Oh ho!"

So that's where she was waiting!