44 Protecting one's shortcomings
◎Thank you, Mr. Xue, for helping me out today◎
Yu Xie changed the subject and said, "I want to report Consort Cui. She was the one who instigated all this!"
Everyone was shocked upon hearing this. They were completely caught off guard, not expecting things to unfold so quickly. However, only Rong Qianyu was aware that Yu Xie had been aware of the situation around the time she and Wen Xiaqing were planning to elope, but it wasn't until she caught Cui Rumei and Fu Hua having an affair that she was finally convinced.
"What's going on, Buddha? I just tried to persuade you to behave yourself, but I didn't expect you to act so recklessly."
Yu Xie: "I was told to do this by Cui Cairen. My family needs help, so I had these evil thoughts!"
Rong Qianyu was helpless and puzzled. "Help me? Have I helped you enough? Have I ever done anything wrong to you? Why do you have to ask outsiders for help when you have family matters?"
Yujie crawled to her feet, unable to hold back her tears. "I'm so sorry, Master. I'm unfaithful and unfilial, but I have my reasons, Madam!"
After she said that, Cui Rumei couldn't sit still anymore. "You're talking as if I forced you to do it. I should have thought about you, you bastard!"
A cornered dog will do something desperate. Everything that happened tonight was too absurd.
"Shut her mouth for me! I don't want to hear another word from her!"
Bai Yi called Nanny Sun to cover Cui Rumei's mouth. She was already annoying, and she was even more annoyed when she heard her talking. She was really scared this time and hid behind Fu Hua, hoping that he would beg for mercy.
"If you dare to plead for mercy today, I will drag her out and beat her to death!" Bai Yi had never been so furious before, and everyone present was shocked. "You idiot! You keep indulging me and you really think I have a good temper. You ungrateful bitch! You even dare to plot against the heir to the throne and your master!"
She wasn't in good health to begin with, and she'd never been this angry before. Her lips were pale and her whole body was trembling. "Forget it, it's too late. Let Concubine Liu get some rest. Let's go to the East Palace and call Xue Ji over. None of you are allowed to go and tip off!"
This time, it was Aunt Sun who went to the Imperial Household Department in person to call. Since the Empress's aunt who came with her dowry had come to visit, Xue Ji knew that it was probably not a good thing.
"Sir, the Queen invites you to the East Palace."
"The Queen asked me to come over? I never..."
"You'll know when you get there."
Xue Ji asked again tentatively, "What's the matter so late?"
The other party remained silent, "Sir, the Queen is urgently summoning you."
Bai Yi was furious today. It was already three quarters past midnight, and this matter would not end until it was concluded. "We'll solve them one by one. Don't even think about getting away with this matter so easily!"
"Why did the Crown Princess ask your maid to leave the palace? Tell me clearly!"
Rong Qianyu looked at Fu Hua, who felt a little embarrassed. They both knew that they could no longer hide it.
Fu Hua didn't blame her. Although he was biased, he could distinguish right from wrong. He also knew that he was sorry for her and that she was just hiding it for him.
Bai Zhen: "Crown Princess."
Rong Qianyu wanted Fu Hua to come to her rescue, "Your Highness..."
"Mother, let me speak."
"Let her speak!"
Fu Hua had no choice but to nod and admit defeat, "Just tell the truth if I ask you to."
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. It's not that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is meeting a friend, it's..." Rong Qianyu really didn't know how to start. Should she anger Bai Yi again?
This was truly a difficult situation. Although she didn't want to hide it for him, it was just too boring to talk about such shameful things. "The Crown Prince visited a brothel and upon returning to the palace, he discovered he had smallpox. I was afraid this would become a big deal and it would be too late to summon Lord Xue to the palace. So, I sent Rong Pan out of the palace alone so Lord Xue could investigate privately without mobilizing a large force."
"You left the palace to visit a brothel!?"
"yes……"
Upon hearing this, Bai Yi was so angry that he threw a colorful porcelain vase on the table. His relaxed facial features wrinkled into a ball, and he picked up the teacup like a madman and smashed it on Fu Hua's head.
No matter how she beat and scolded him, Fu Hua just knelt on the ground and dared not move. Everyone present was terrified, especially Cui Rumei, who had always been fearless, but this time she was really afraid that her head would be separated from her body.
"Are you going to die? You left the palace to visit brothels and even contracted smallpox. How could there be such a ridiculous heir to the throne as you?"
"It's all my fault." Fu Hua knelt on the ground in front of his biological mother and his wives, concubines and servants. His mouth trembled and he dared not say a word, for fear that if he spoke too loudly, it would cause his mother to scold him harshly.
"With you being so idle as this, how can your father dare to hand over the throne to you after a hundred years?!"
Xue Ji could hear the clamor coming from the Eastern Palace from afar. He figured Cui Rumei's plan had been discovered, and now he knew the reason, he felt a little relieved. "Your Highness, the Queen, and the Crown Prince! What orders have you sent for me?"
Bai Yi didn't say anything, but instead became concerned, "How old is Master Xue this year?"
"My Lady, I'm twenty-two."
"At this age, do you want to get married?"
"Your Majesty, you are joking. How can I marry a wife when I am a eunuch?"
"Does Master Xue have a woman he likes?"
"No."
"Master Xue has such a good-looking face that many women must have offered themselves to him. Have you never been attracted to any of them?"
She asked these questions as a test, just to sound the alarm for him. Bai Yi hated the eunuchs' power the most, especially such a handsome, powerful, young and energetic one.
Xue Ji knelt down and kowtowed deeply. "I only allow Your Majesty to serve me. My current fame and fortune are all bestowed by Your Majesty. I, a humble servant, am deeply grateful and dare not forget my roots. I will not take advantage of anything that is not my own, and I will not take even a single inch of anything that is not my own benefit."
After saying this, Bai Yi's expression immediately changed, and she actually became warm and gentle, smiling, a rare sight tonight. "Well said. If Lord Xue has a woman he likes in the future, just mention it to me. I will definitely arrange a marriage for you."
"Empress, the letter has arrived." After Xue Ji left, Aunt Sun ordered people to search the Imperial Household Department and found these letters.
"read."
"His Royal Highness has suddenly developed a high fever. After repeated inquiries, I discovered that the news has spread outside the palace. Lord Xue is His Royal Highness's confidant, so please handle it on his behalf. Your Royal Highness's rights are paramount in everything. Remember to keep a low profile and act quickly."
"Rong Pan is my trusted palace maid. Recently, the epidemic has been raging in the palace, making it inconvenient for people to enter and exit. Therefore, I want to keep her outside the palace temporarily. This girl is smart and can be used by you, my Lord. Hope she is well."
"Is that all?" Bai Yi asked.
"yes."
Bai Yi helped Rong Qianyu up and asked her to sit next to him, "I'm sorry to trouble you, Crown Princess."
These letters were written during their correspondence, and were prepared in advance for easy search. "I only hope that the Empress can distinguish right from wrong and not let others think that I am biased."
After the farce, only Yujie, the scapegoat, was not spared.
"Yujie, your name is Yujie, right? I'm asking you again, did anyone instruct you on these matters?"
"I……"
She knew she was powerless to defend herself. Cui Rumei could still protect herself, but she had no way out. If she said she acted on her own, it wouldn't get out of hand, and her death would be the end of it. But if she said she was ordered by Cui Rumei, then she would be colluding with concubines to murder the heir to the throne, a serious crime punishable by execution of her entire family.
Bai Yi knew she had something to hide, and hoped she would tell the truth so they could get rid of the bitch. "It's true that you've framed the Crown Princess. If you can tell the truth, the Crown Princess can forgive you and spare your life. But if you want to take it on yourself, the Crown Princess can't protect you."
She was sixteen years old, younger than Rong Qianyu, and had been in the palace for two or three years, so she wasn't really new. She fell to the ground, sobbing, thinking that she couldn't escape today no matter what, so she decided to leave some hope for her family.
"Talent Cui never said that... I was just trying to get revenge on the Crown Princess. I was jealous and had bad intentions. Talent Cui just asked me a few questions and never asked me to frame the Crown Prince or the Crown Princess."
Everyone in the hall except Cui Rumei breathed a sigh of relief, and were so surprised that they were speechless.
Xue Ji said, "You must answer carefully. Be careful not to implicate your father, brother, and family. The Queen will make the final decision for you!"
"Are you sure you have no one to command you?" Bai Yi asked.
"Cui Cairen said she was jealous of the Crown Princess's recent close relationship with the Crown Prince, so I helped Cui Cairen meet with the Crown Prince in private. Later, the Crown Princess discovered it... Other..."
"What's going on?"
Rong Qianyu interrupted and said, "This son has already dealt with this matter. Your Majesty, there is no need to pursue it further."
"What is it?!"
"yes……"
Fu Hua learned his lesson this time and took the initiative to take responsibility, saying that it was he who was bewitched and had sex with Cui in Weixuan Hall.
"Are you a dog? And that's still in the Crown Princess's Palace?"
Today, Bai Yi, her biological mother, is so angry that her soul is about to ascend to heaven.
Rong Qianyu stood beside her and comforted her: "Mother, don't be angry, don't be angry!" The situation took a turn for the better. The more she said this, the more Bai Yi felt sorry for his daughter-in-law.
After drinking a cup of tea to calm down, Bai Yi ordered Yu Xie to continue.
"And... I also put the fennel sachet there secretly. It has nothing to do with Cui Cairen. I wanted to put the blame on the Crown Princess."
Everyone knew that someone was instructing her
"Since you've confessed everything and want to take all the blame, then I'll drag you away and beat you to death."
"Empress, the Emperor's grandson was born today. This is a great occasion for the whole world to celebrate. It is best not to see any bloodshed."
"Then leave it to the Crown Princess to handle. As for Cui, who unjustly caused trouble, she will be punished with thirty strokes of the cane, a six-month salary deduction, and a month of confinement. You may withdraw."
By the time everything was settled, it was already past midnight. This night had been a roller coaster of joy, sorrow, and joy again, and it felt like ten years had passed in the blink of an eye.
This battle has been going on for almost a year. I started planning it from the day I became suspicious of Yujie. I said a lot of things in front of her on purpose, revealing my true colors. I took risks but luckily I escaped unscathed. After this, I have to go back to the palace and have a good sleep.
"Thank you, Lord Xue, for rescuing me today."
"How does your Majesty intend to deal with Yujie?"
"She was unfaithful to me, her master and servant, and she deserves death. I've waited so long for her, just to get rid of her. But I never thought she would protect Cui Rumei. If she continues to do this between us, I will never let her go."
"For your majesty, I have no regrets about sacrificing my life, but some things cannot be rushed and need to be taken slowly and steadily."
"What does your Excellency want to say?" Rong Qianyu asked.
Xue Ji gradually lost his status as the seal of authority in front of her, and spoke hesitantly and gradually withered, "As long as the queen needs me, I can do anything."
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