Chapter 55 She was set up by Shen Ruoli!
The Imperial Study.
Song Xuerou, with tears streaming down her face, said, "Father, please understand! Your daughter-in-law truly meant no harm and wanted to thank the Crown Princess, which is why I instructed the maid to send the jade to the Crown Prince's residence."
"I swear to God! It really is just a beautiful jade; I had no idea it was any kind of stone or poison!"
She held up several fingers, as if she wanted to rip her heart out and show it to Xie Yuanhe to prove she wasn't lying!
"Why would you thank the Crown Princess for no reason?"
Xie Yuanhe's single question stumped Song Xuerou!
"Daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law..."
She couldn't very well say that she deliberately sent that pile of jade into the palace to sow discord between Shen Ruoli and Xie Xuanyin, could she?
She couldn't possibly say that it was because she was so quick-witted and acted so recklessly that Shen Ruoli saw through her scheme and deliberately framed her!
Song Xuerou may not be as quick-witted as Shen Ruoli, but she's not stupid either.
She had already realized that she had been set up by Shen Ruoli!
After all, what problems could there be with the jade she personally selected?!
She just wanted to annoy Shen Ruoli and Xie Xuanyin, and to drive a wedge between them.
That bitch Shen Ruoli actually tried to kill her!
If time could turn back to yesterday, she would never have so shamelessly provoked Shen Ruoli!
Unfortunately, there's no going back.
None of the things she and Xie Xuansong did could be brought to light.
Now that Shen Ruoli has set her up, Song Xuerou has no way to complain!
Song Xuerou wanted to cry, "Father, I'm innocent! I only chose a few pieces of fine mutton fat jade to give to the Crown Princess because I heard she liked jade. I really only meant well!"
“But you just said that you did it to thank the Crown Princess.”
Xie Yuanhe's eyes were gloomy.
Song Xuerou choked.
"I've heard that you have a close relationship with the Crown Princess. If that's the case, and she likes jade, why did you need to hear about it from someone else?"
Xie Yuanhe sneered, "It seems your relationship with the Crown Princess is nothing more than this?"
The more he looked at his eldest daughter-in-law, the more hypocritical she seemed, and the less he liked her!
Song Xuerou felt extremely guilty; not only was she sweating profusely, but she even began to tremble slightly!
When she first met the emperor, she followed behind Shen Ruoli.
Seeing Xie Yuanhe's loving attitude towards Shen Ruoli, like an elder treating a beloved junior, Song Xuerou was so jealous she was about to go crazy!
She became increasingly ingratiating and distant, all to get Xie Yuanhe's attention.
Unexpectedly, Xie Yuanhe's single sentence nearly plunged her into utter ruin!
“Father, of course not! My daughter-in-law and the Crown Princess are not only sisters-in-law, but also best friends! My daughter-in-law and the Crown Princess have known each other since childhood, and the Crown Princess…”
Her explanation was halting and stammering.
But before she could finish speaking, Xie Yuanhe interrupted her, "Close confidante? The Crown Princess is of noble birth. How did you, a concubine's daughter from the Prime Minister's mansion, become her close confidante?"
Song Xuerou's face was snow-white!
I never expected Xie Yuanhe to value his background so much!
The people in the Prime Minister's residence looked down on her, as did the daughters of prominent families in the capital.
She thought that becoming the Queen Consort of Chu would make her superior to others.
Who would have thought that the entire royal family would look down on her even more!
Song Xuerou's lips trembled, and she couldn't utter a single word!
"I am aware that Shen Rufeng came to the Chu Prince's residence yesterday to retrieve the account books. Do you really think I am blind and deaf?! Your Chu Prince's residence is becoming increasingly audacious!"
Xie Yuanhe slammed his hand on the table, knocking over the wolf-hair brush next to the inkstone, which fell to Song Xuerou's feet.
She trembled with fright and hurriedly prostrated herself on the ground, "Father, your daughter-in-law dares not!"
"The Prince is far away in Fuzhou, and I dare not interfere in his official duties, nor do I know anything about them. I only know how to manage the internal affairs of the Prince's residence, and I dare not interfere in anything else. Father, please understand!"
The imperial harem is forbidden from interfering in politics, and the same applies to the inner quarters of the household!
If she dares to interfere in politics, she probably won't be able to leave this imperial study today!
"You don't dare?"
Xie Yuanhe laughed angrily, "Shen Rufeng, a dignified Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was actually stopped at the gate by your Prince Chu's residence. You dare not interfere in politics, so is turning him away from the gate not a matter of the Prince Chu's residence?"
"Could it be that the Prince of Chu, who is far away in Fuzhou, ordered that Minister Shen be given the cold shoulder?"
Song Xuerou was speechless when asked!
Seeing that she couldn't answer, Xie Yuanhe suppressed his anger and said, "As for why the Ministry of Revenue's account books were locked in the study of the Prince of Chu's residence, I will order someone to investigate this matter."
He temporarily refrained from taking his anger out on Song Xuerou regarding matters of state, which could be considered as giving Xie Xuansong and Prime Minister Song some face!
"However, regarding the Crown Princess..."
He turned to look at Song Xuerou, "I need a reasonable explanation!"
Song Xuerou didn't understand his implied meaning and instinctively cried out in protest, "Father, I really didn't poison the Crown Princess! I don't know what happened, I've been wronged, Father!"
Xie Yuanhe's head ached from her crying.
He was already unwell and preferred quiet.
When Shen Ruoli was around, she was always considerate and knew how to behave appropriately.
He didn't really look down on Song Xuerou's background.
No matter how bad she is, she is still a member of the Song family, and he still has to give Prime Minister Song some face.
"idiot!"
Xie Yuanhe gave a low reprimand.
Song Xuerou was stunned, tears streaming down her face. "Father, what... what did you say?"
"I really don't know what the King of Chu sees in you! He insists on marrying you!"
Xie Yuanhe gritted his teeth.
I couldn't even understand his last sentence, "He needs a reasonable explanation!"
He knew that Shen Ruoli was deeply in love with Xie Xuansong, and he had his own reasons for not arranging their marriage for so long.
Firstly, Empress Dowager Shen had always intended to marry Shen Ruoli to Xie Xuanyin, the crown prince.
Secondly, the Shen family's attitude is still unclear.
He was also secretly observing the Xie brothers, Xie Xuansong and Xie Xuanyin.
Regardless of who ultimately secures the position of Crown Prince, Shen Ruoli is undoubtedly the best choice for Crown Princess!
But Xie Yuanhe didn't expect that Song Xuerou would suddenly appear out of nowhere!
She actually managed to snatch Xie Xuansong away from Shen Ruoli!
Xie Yuanhe couldn't help but glance at Song Xuerou a couple more times.
Perhaps Song Xuerou isn't an empty-headed idiot after all.
"The Crown Princess's poisoning is no small matter!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Wang Luhai entered. "Your Majesty, Liu Xin, who serves Princess Chu, has confessed her crimes!"
"What?!"
Before Xie Yuanhe could speak, Song Xuerou was so surprised that she stood up!
After regaining her senses, she quickly knelt down again, "Father, it's absolutely impossible! Your daughter-in-law did not instruct Liu Xin to poison the Crown Princess!"
“Princess Consort of Chu, Liu Xin has confessed the truth, saying that it was indeed you who ordered her to deliver the item to the Crown Princess last night.”
Wang Luhai looked at her.
Song Xuerou was stunned!
She never expected that Liu Xin, that slut, would dare to betray her!
"That's impossible!"
She gasped in surprise!
"Does the Princess Consort of Chu mean that we coerced her into confessing? Liu Xin has already confessed before we even subjected her to severe torture!"
Wang Luhai sneered, "Besides poisoning the Crown Princess, Liu Xin also confessed to quite a few other things..."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Xiao Yuzi came in to report, "Your Majesty, Feng Qing, who serves the Crown Prince, has arrived."
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