Chapter 189 Just apologize already.
Empress Xue asked her trusted maid, "Are you sure no one else has been to the side hall?"
The trusted palace maid looked certain.
"I have investigated carefully, and there is indeed no one else who has entered or left!"
"What about Xue Ting's answer sheet? Didn't I tell you to burn it?"
The trusted palace maid said, "I did indeed instruct her to burn Li Nanke's and the Third Miss's answer sheets together! Could it be...?"
The trusted palace maid immediately ran out.
A moment later, he returned with a grim expression.
"The person I sent did indeed bring out Li Nanke's and the Third Miss's answer sheets."
But when she found a secluded spot to burn it, she discovered that all she had left was Li Nanke's answer sheet.
The third girl's answer sheet disappeared without a trace. Afraid of being punished, she didn't dare tell the truth.
"It was my fault for failing in my duties, Your Majesty! Please punish me!"
The trusted palace maid knelt on the ground, her face full of guilt.
Empress Xue was furious.
"Useless! You can't even handle such a small matter!"
"Go and have that vile maidservant beaten to death immediately."
The trusted palace maid kowtowed and quickly withdrew!
Empress Xue's expression was gloomy and uncertain.
It was obvious that after Zhao Ning switched the name tags, someone secretly put Xue Ting's test paper back.
Who is it?
Was it Lady Wang? Or some other lowly woman in the palace?
Or perhaps... Your Majesty?
Empress Xue suddenly remembered something and grabbed Princess Zhaoning.
"Zhaoning, tell your mother, why did you suddenly think of switching the name tags?"
Who gave you this idea? Think about it carefully and tell your mother the truth!
She emphasized her words, staring intently at Princess Zhaoning.
Princess Zhaoning had never seen Empress Xue like this before, and she shrank back in fear.
"I...I was playing in the small garden when I overheard two palace maids talking."
One of the palace maids said that she had been temporarily assigned to serve at Zishan Hall that day, and she had personally seen that Li Nanke's answer sheet was written in neat and beautiful handwriting.
They even said that Li Nanke would definitely come in first place and should be chosen as the princess's companion.
"Another palace maid said it was a pity that the princess didn't like Li Nanke. If she had chosen her, the princess would have been very sad."
"The palace maid said that the princess really likes Miss Xue, but unfortunately Miss Xue didn't answer well today and may not be selected."
He sighed and said, "If only there were a way to switch Li Nanke's and Xue San's answer sheets."
Princess Zhaoning glanced at Empress Xue's expression, and her face gradually paled.
"Mother, have I been deceived?"
It's more than just being scammed!
This is clearly a setup!
Empress Xue shook her head and tightly grasped Princess Zhaoning's hand.
He asked sternly, "What did those two palace maids look like? Do you remember them?"
Princess Zhaoning was so dizzy from being shaken that she burst into tears.
"I...I can't remember! Mother, I really can't remember."
All I remember is that their faces were very, very white; I have no other recollection of them!
"Mother, you've squeezed my hand so hard it hurts!"
Empress Xue released Princess Zhaoning dejectedly, closed her eyes, and suppressed her agitation.
Now that things have come to this, there's no point in pursuing the matter between Zhao Ning and Xue Ting.
Only by finding those two palace maids can we find out who is plotting against them!
Of course, the most important thing is today's selection.
A trusted palace maid came in from outside and whispered that the person who had failed in their duties had been dealt with.
Empress Xue rubbed her temples and softly hummed in agreement.
The trusted palace maid said, "Your Majesty, today's events are clearly someone trying to help Li Nanke get the position of the princess's study companion."
Are we just going to swallow this insult after they've schemed against us like this?
Princess Zhaoning immediately became anxious.
"Mother, I hate Li Nanke, I don't want her to be my study companion!"
Xue Ting whispered, "Yes, Aunt, are we just going to stand by and watch Li Nanke get all smug?"
My niece can't swallow this!
How could Empress Xue swallow this insult!
For so many years, I never imagined that I would fall for a little girl!
Her eyes darted around, and a sinister smile crept onto her lips.
He first instructed the palace maids to take Princess Zhaoning away, then beckoned his trusted palace maids and Xue Ting over.
"Go and prepare..."
"Remember to keep this a secret. Ting'er, you'd better not get involved. Find someone to handle it for you."
Xue Ting made a note of it and returned to Zishan Hall.
After thinking it over, he called Zhao Wanqing out.
She looked at Zhao Wanqing with reddened eyes.
"Wanqing, my aunt just gave me a severe scolding and told me to apologize to Li Nanke."
If I don't apologize, my aunt won't let me be Princess Zhaoning's study companion.
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face. "I want to apologize to Li Nanke now, but I'm worried that she's still angry with me and won't talk to me."
You're her cousin, could you put in a good word for me?
Don't worry, I won't let you help me for nothing. I will speak well of you in front of His Majesty and my aunt, the Empress.
"Let your aunt also choose you to be Princess Zhaoning's study companion."
Zhao Wanqing's eyes lit up, and she nodded in agreement without hesitation.
"What does Miss Xue intend to do?"
Xue Ting thought for a moment and said, "I want to personally brew tea for Li Nanke to apologize, to show my sincerity, but I have never brewed tea by hand since I was a child, so I really don't know how."
I heard from Han Xiang's family that although you are young, you have already learned how to make tea. Could you please make me a pot of tea so I can take it to apologize to Li Nanke?
Zhao Wanqing had indeed learned to make tea at a very young age, and she made it very well. Hearing Xue Ting praise her, she happily agreed.
Xue Ting led her to the tea room next door, where tea leaves and a teapot were prepared.
Zhao Wanqing was skilled at making tea and quickly brewed a pot of it.
Xue Ting placed two sky-blue teacups on the tray and thanked Zhao Wanqing with a smile.
"Let's go."
Zhao Wanqing carried the tea, and the two of them went together to the main hall of Zishan Hall.
The lunch break had just ended, and a group of girls gathered in twos and threes, talking quietly.
Wang Tongyun held Li Nanke's arm, their heads close together, chatting and laughing happily.
Seeing Xue Ting and Zhao Wanqing walking over side by side, Wang Tongyun stood up abruptly.
It's just like a vanguard general who has spotted the enemy and is ready to charge into battle!
She glared angrily at Xue Ting, "Oh, isn't this our last place, Miss Xue? Isn't it supposed to be a case of 'knowing your shame and then striving for improvement'?"
Now that you know shame, why don't you go back to be brave? What are you doing here looking for us?
Before Xue Ting could refute, Wang Tongyun clapped her hands again.
"Haha, I know, you're here to apologize to Ke'er, right? We agreed before that if Ke'er wasn't last, you, and you... and all of you!"
She pointed at Xue Ting, then turned to Zhao Wanqing, and the few followers who had originally been with Xue Ting.
"You all agreed, but now that Ke'er isn't in last place, you've lost! Now, apologize to Ke'er immediately!"
"Tsk tsk, we were supposed to kneel down and apologize, but this is the palace, and Ke'er is soft-hearted, so we'll skip the kneeling and just apologize directly!"
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