It was late spring when the bright yellow imperial edict from the "Imperial Envoy for Defending Wrongs" arrived at the Prime Minister's residence. The crabapple trees in the courtyard were in full bloom, and the wind blew petals down, scattering them across the storybook Su Jinli was flipping through. She lazily leaned on the couch, her seven-month-old belly bulging, listening to her maid Lingge recite the newly arrived "Records of the Three Pagodas of West Lake." Suddenly, she heard the servants' whispers coming from the front yard.
"Have you heard? Concubine Shu smashed all the dressing tables in the Yanxi Palace!"
"That's right! A whole box of rouge and powder was smashed, and even the jade hairpin the Empress Dowager gave me was broken!"
Su Jinli put down the storybook and gently stroked her swollen belly. The fetus, as if sensing its mother's movements, gave a gentle kick inside. She couldn't help but curl her lips. Ever since the incident with the pearl hairpin, Concubine Shu had been under house arrest. Hearing her furious expression, she felt no wavering, feeling only that the grudges within the palace were but passing clouds.
"Madam, the number one scholar has left the court." Lingge lifted the curtain with a smile in her tone.
When Jiang Yan walked in, he still carried the solemn air of a court official, his dark official robes stained with ink at the cuffs. Upon seeing Su Jinli, he immediately put on a gentle expression. He quickly walked over to the couch and reached out to touch her forehead. "It's hot today. Why are you still sitting in the yard?"
"I'm feeling stuffy, I came out for some fresh air." Su Jinli took the sour plum soup he handed her, her fingertips touching the slightly cool porcelain cup. "Looking at you, are you being pestered by the emperor again?"
Jiang Yan gave a bitter laugh and took out a brocade box from his sleeve: "The Emperor asked me to bring this to the Madam."
The brocade box was opened, and a piece of mutton-fat jade plaque lay quietly inside. On it were engraved the five words "The Envoy Who Defends Injustices Before the Emperor" in seal script. The edge was inlaid with tiny rubies with gold thread, and next to it was a bright yellow ribbon embroidered with exquisite sea and river cliff patterns.
"What kind of official seal is this?" Su Jinli picked up the jade token. It felt warm to the touch, but she couldn't help laughing. "It looks more like a plaything of some young master."
"The Emperor said that the Ministry of Rites is still carving the official seal, so Madam, please use this for now." Jiang Yan helped her put away the ribbon, his tone filled with helpless doting. "He also said that Madam, please take up your post tomorrow. There's a maid in the Imperial Household Department crying out for justice, and he wants you to handle it."
Su Jinli sighed and put the jade token aside: "This is really forcing me to do something I shouldn't do. I'm pregnant now, do I really have to go to court to be interrogated?"
"Madam, you are smart and will definitely be able to handle it." Jiang Yan held her hand, his palm warm and dry. "If you feel tired, just pass it on to someone else."
Seeing the concern in her husband's eyes, Su Jinli felt warm in her heart and nodded.
The next day, Su Jinli arrived at the Imperial Household Department in a sedan chair. As she stepped out, she heard a woman weeping. Entering the main hall, she saw a young palace maid kneeling on the ground, weeping bitterly. Next to her stood a portly, big-eared eunuch, his hands on his hips, shouting and scolding.
"Master Su is here!" the young eunuch next to him shouted loudly.
Upon hearing this, the maid burst into tears and crawled on her knees, grabbing Su Jinli's skirt. "Master Su! Please help me! Steward Li said I stole his jade ring, but I didn't take it at all!"
Seeing this, Steward Li immediately stepped forward, a fake smile on his face: "Master Su, don't listen to this little bitch's nonsense! The ring was found in her box, and she's still trying to deny it!"
Su Jinli looked at the two people before her. The maid was no more than fifteen or sixteen, wearing a pale, washed-out blue cloth gown. Her face was tear-stained, but her eyes held a stubborn look. Steward Li, on the other hand, wore a brand-new silk eunuch uniform. He wore several jeweled rings on his fingers, one of which was left empty, presumably where the jade ring would be.
"What does your ring look like?" Su Jinli asked, her voice calm but with unquestionable majesty.
Steward Li puffed out his chest proudly and said, "Master Su, that is top-grade icy jadeite, very watery! It even has the character 'Fu' engraved on it. We spent a hundred taels of silver on it!"
"When did you realize it was missing?"
"It was last night!" Manager Li said firmly. "We clearly put it in the drawer, but it disappeared this morning! Then we had someone search the little rascal's box, and lo and behold! It was in there!"
Su Jinli turned to the palace maid: "What do you have to say?"
The maid sobbed and said, "My name is Chuntao. I clean the room of Li Guanshi. I went back to my room as soon as I finished work yesterday. I didn't go to Li Guanshi's study at all! I don't know how the ring ended up in my box..."
Su Jinli pondered for a moment and said, "Bring the ring here for me to see."
Steward Li signaled to the eunuch beside him to bring a brocade box. Su Jinli took it and opened it. Sure enough, inside lay a jade ring. The emerald green color was very pleasing to the eye, and the word "Fu" was indeed engraved on it.
She picked up the ring and examined it carefully. After a moment, she suddenly laughed: "Manager Li, this ring of yours... is it fake?"
"Nonsense!" Manager Li's face changed and he shouted hurriedly, "This was bought by me personally from the jewelry store, how could it be fake!"
"We'll know if it's fake after trying it." Su Jinli asked someone to bring a basin of clean water and put the ring into the water.
Everyone gathered around and saw that as soon as the ring entered the water, the "Fu" character on it began to fade, revealing a blurred "Shou" character underneath. The color of the jade also became dull and lifeless, no longer resembling the "Ice" quality.
Manager Li's face turned pale as he slumped to the ground, muttering, "Impossible... This is impossible..."
Su Jinli looked at him with sharp eyes: "Manager Li, this ring is clearly a fake, but you are using it to frame Chuntao. What is your intention?"
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