Chapter 267 Concubines' Conflicts
Inside the hall, green smoke curled up from the gilded beast furnace, and Liu Yuetang sat upright on the chaise longue.
Ji Yunv and Tao Yunv came in with their heads lowered.
Ji Yunu's wet dress was almost dry, her hair was disheveled, her pearl hairpins were askew, she looked disheveled, but for some reason, she looked inexplicably cute, and even the messy hair on her temples looked very soft and beautiful.
When she came in, she saw Liu Yuetang sitting alone in the hall. She quickly glanced around, and only after seeing Xiao Heng did she lower her eyes and kneel down to salute: "Your Majesty, your majesty, your majesty."
Tao Yu-nu also followed suit and bowed, her face full of uneasiness.
"Your Highness..." Ji Yunu knelt down and kowtowed in sorrow: "Your Highness, please make the decision for me."
Then, she turned to Xiao Heng behind the beaded curtain and said in a softer voice, "Your Majesty, please make the decision for me."
The bead curtain swayed slightly, emitting a soft and sparkling light, but Xiao Heng was holding a pen and writing something, and did not hear a word Ji Yunv said.
Seeing this, Tao Yu Nu's eyes flashed with cunning, and she kowtowed to Liu Yuetang and said, "Your Highness, please make the decision for me."
Liu Yuetang carelessly stroked the cherry-red tassels under the handle of her fan, her eyes moving between the two of them. "What exactly did you argue about? Tell me in detail."
Ji Yunv took the lead and said with tears in her eyes, "Your Majesty, this is not the first or second time that I have had an argument with Tao Yunv."
"Last time, I and Lady Tao both liked a flower, and because I refused to give it to her, she hit me. I immediately felt pain in my ears and felt dizzy. But I didn't want to cause trouble, and since we were sisters, I decided to endure the injustice and keep the peace."
She paused, tears welling in her eyes. "Who would have thought... who would have thought that Miss Tao would become even more aggressive? Just now, when I went to the lotus garden, I ran into Miss Tao. The moment Miss Tao saw me, her expression changed immediately. She taunted me with sarcasm and ridicule. I was unwilling to be bullied by her, so I only refuted her with one sentence. Who would have thought that when she left, she took advantage of me picking flowers and pushed me into the lake."
"I can't swim, but luckily, thanks to God's blessing, I was able to save my life and even have the honor to come to the Moon Palace to ask the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine to make the decision."
As she spoke, she sobbed softly and raised her hand to wipe away the tears that were about to fall from the corners of her eyes.
Tao Yunv's face flushed with anger, and she stared at Ji Yunv: "Okay, your ability to make up stories is even better than singing an opera."
After saying this, she turned around and looked at Liu Yuetang: "Your Highness, I admit that I was wrong to hit Ji Yunv last time. But Ji Yunv mocked me openly and secretly that I was old and not worthy of such a beautiful flower, so I hit her just now."
"As for today... I just brushed her with my sleeve as I was leaving. Her body isn't made of paper, how could she be so delicate that she fell over at my touch? And she happened to fall into the lake. It's obvious that she fell into the water on purpose to frame me."
"Please understand, Your Majesty." Tao Yu Nu kowtowed and prostrated herself on the ground.
"Nonsense!" Ji Yunu said hurriedly.
"You clearly pushed me with your hands."
Listening to the two people arguing with each other, Liu Yuetang's lips curled up slightly: "Ji Yunv, was it really Tao Yunv who pushed you? Sisters, please don't cause any misunderstandings."
Ji Yunv raised her head and spoke firmly and decisively: "I am sure that I saw with my own eyes that Tao Yunv pushed me."
Liu Yuetang nodded slightly, and the gilded and kingfisher-inlaid hairpins on her temples swayed lightly, casting blurred shadows.
"If that's the case, I will definitely punish Ms. Tao severely. Look carefully, which hand did she use to push you?"
Ji Yu-nu pondered for a moment, her eyes flickering before she spoke: "I don't remember. It was a chaotic situation, and I didn't see which hand she used."
"Really?" Liu Yuetang chuckled, her eyes fixed.
"Didn't you see Tao Yunv pushing you with your own eyes? Why don't you remember it now?"
Ji Yunv's expression changed slightly. Before she could speak, Liu Yuetang's tone suddenly darkened. "Just now, you said that Tao Yunv pushed you into the lake while you were picking flowers. I was very curious. Could it be that Ji Yunv, you have eyes on your back? How could you be so engrossed in picking flowers, and yet you also see Tao Yunv push you with her own hands?"
Ji Yunv's face turned pale as paper, her fingertips trembled uncontrollably, and she moved her lips with difficulty: "Princess...Princess..."
Before she could finish her words, Tao Yu Nu interrupted her with a loud voice: "Your Majesty is wise. Thank you, Your Majesty, for clearing my name."
Liu Yuetang raised her bare hands and adjusted the pearl hairpin on her bun. Her gentle voice was filled with unquestionable dignity: "Ms. Ji Yu, you have framed a concubine. According to palace rules, you should be punished severely."
"From today on, you will be demoted to a concubine and confined to the palace. You are not allowed to step out of the palace without permission."
Upon hearing this, Ji Yunv's knees buckled and she slammed down on the blue bricks. "Your Highness, how could I risk my life to harm Tao Yunv? I beg you to thoroughly investigate this matter. I am innocent."
Why would Ji Yunv risk her own life to harm Tao Yunv?
Maybe others don’t know, but Liu Yuetang knows.
She was bullied by Jiang and others at the beginning, and when she was punished to kneel in the rain, she won Xiao Heng's sympathy with her pitiful appearance.
As soon as Ji Yunv came in, she looked everywhere for Xiao Heng.
She must have wanted to act pitiful in order to win Xiao Heng's pity and sympathy.
"Ms. Ji, are you questioning my execution?"
Liu Yuetang narrowed her almond-shaped eyes slightly, and her eyes fell on Ji Yunv, who was sweating profusely, with a cold look like a blade.
Ji Yunv's lips trembled, "I dare not, but..."
"No buts. Since you have the guts to frame the concubine, you should have the guts to swallow the bitter fruit."
"Come here, take Ji Cainv back to the palace immediately."
Ji Cainv struggled to look at Xiao Heng behind the beaded curtain and cried out, "Your Majesty, I am wronged, Your Majesty!"
Xiao Heng remained silent and turned a deaf ear to all this.
After Ji Cainv was taken out, Liu Yuetang's gaze fell lightly on Tao Yunv.
Tao Yunu's whole body tensed up and she unconsciously clenched her palms.
"Ms. Tao, although you had nothing to do with Ji Cainv falling into the water, you were wrong to hit her before. I will punish you by copying the "Women's Training" ten times to learn to be calm and obedient."
Hearing that it was just copying the female instructions, Tao Yunv breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yes, I will concentrate on copying the 'Women's Training' when I return to the palace."
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