Emperor Yuanwu's brows furrowed even more: "Consort Shu, do you have anything else to say?"
"Your Majesty, actually, during the princess's 100-day celebration, this Lady Meng approached me, wanting to betroth her daughter, Meng Wanying, to my second brother, Lu Zhaofeng," Consort Shu said aggrievedly. "When Lady Meng mentioned this to me, there were many ministers' wives present, all of whom could witness it."
As soon as Consort Shu uttered these words.
The Empress's face visibly paled.
What! ?
At first, someone told her that Consort Shu and the Prime Minister's wife were having a pleasant conversation, but no one told her that.
They were actually talking about this.
She originally intended to take advantage of the fact that the harem should not interfere in politics.
They could exploit the affair between her and the Prime Minister's wife to their advantage.
This time, they really shot themselves in the foot.
"Your Majesty." Consort Shu sniffed, her eyes filled with tears, "I am truly wronged. The Prime Minister's wife had already asked me to marry her daughter into the General's Mansion. Even if she later changed her mind and wanted to stand out in the imperial concubine selection, how could she have come to me?"
Before Consort Shu could finish speaking, tears of grievance involuntarily streamed down her face: "Your Majesty, I have always respected Her Majesty the Empress. I have no idea where I have offended Her Majesty that she would pin such a serious crime on me. Isn't this an attempt to take my life? I beg Your Majesty to investigate the truth and clear my name."
"Empress," Emperor Yuanwu sighed deeply, "is there anything else you want to say?"
"I..." The Empress was completely dumbfounded: "I...I..."
She kept saying "I" several times, but couldn't come up with a coherent explanation.
"Since there's nothing more to say, go back to your Yikun Palace. Since you're not feeling well, rest and recuperate there. Don't go out and cause trouble all the time," Emperor Yuanwu said casually.
"Your Majesty," the Empress raised her voice, "Even if Consort Shu has no connection with Prime Minister Meng's household, the evidence is conclusive that Xiao Shunzi has been accepting gold and silver from Prime Minister Meng."
"Yesterday, someone witnessed Xiao Shunzi taking that box of gold and silver jewelry to the pawnshop in the city overnight to pawn it for banknotes. I'm afraid those banknotes have already ended up in Consort Shu's pocket this morning. Does Your Majesty really intend to stubbornly protect Consort Shu?" The Empress's cold words came crashing down on her.
"Your Majesty, Xiao Shunzi reported to me yesterday that someone delivered a box of gold and silver jewelry to his residence outside the palace while he was on duty," Consort Shu said earnestly.
"Heh." The Empress sneered, "Consort Shu, if I hadn't come to expose you today, this matter would probably have remained buried in your heart. Who knows what you two, mistress and servant, were plotting?"
"Your Majesty." Xiao Shunzi, who had been kneeling on the ground without speaking, suddenly spoke up: "This servant has already sent that box of gold and silver jewelry to the palace. Originally, the Noble Consort was going to take this servant and that box of gold and silver jewelry to see Your Majesty, but she did not expect to run into you and the Empress on her way out, which is why she was delayed."
Listen to what Xiao Shunzi said.
The Empress's eyes trembled imperceptibly.
What exactly happened?
When those people came to report yesterday, they said that Xiao Shunzi had already sent all the gold and silver jewelry to the pawnshop to exchange it for banknotes. So why is he in the palace today?
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