As expected, everyone's reaction was exactly what she had anticipated. Since Ye Xiyan had brought up many important matters, some of the concubines mustered their courage and pressed her for answers: "Everyone knows that Ziyan Kingdom has always been an enemy of our Beiyou Kingdom and is a major concern for the Emperor. Such an obvious matter, surely Your Majesty the Empress understands it. How could you be so confused as to not be able to distinguish right from wrong and so blatantly collude with an enemy country?"
The person speaking was Li Chunfeng's niece, Li Wanrou. Yu Qianqian didn't recognize her, but she was certain of one thing: this woman was just like Ye Xiyan, always looking for an opportunity to torment her.
However, she was no pushover herself. Since they wanted to stir up trouble, she simply retaliated without hesitation, "Everyone knows that our Emperor is a renowned sage ruler. If I were really as incompetent as you two sisters think, why would His Majesty have gone to such lengths to personally bring me back from Ziyan Kingdom? So, are you two sisters questioning His Majesty's ability to discern right from wrong?"
After these words, all the concubines present felt that the Empress was innocent, while Ye Xiyan and Li Wanrou were the two women who were very scheming and even dared to plot against the Empress.
As expected, when Yu Qianqian brought up Mu Beichen, it had an immediate effect. A certain concubine sitting next to Yu Qianqian glanced at them disdainfully and then said, "Since ancient times, there has been an order of rank and status. These two sisters are too unruly, daring to speak ill of the Empress's innocence. You are supposed to be ladies from noble families, how can you not even understand this basic principle?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the other ladies-in-waiting joined in the commotion, their sharp words leaving Ye Xiyan and Li Wanrou speechless and bewildered. They hadn't expected that Yu Qianqian's few words would turn everyone's anger towards them. It seemed they had underestimated this young empress.
Seeing that she had become the target of everyone's criticism because of her words, Ye Xiyan was slightly embarrassed, but she still maintained a flattering smile on her face towards Yu Qianqian: "Your Majesty, and all the ladies, you must have misunderstood. I did not mean to slander Your Majesty. On the contrary, I think those who are afraid that the world is not chaotic enough and who are good at echoing others are the most despicable. After all, everyone has seen the Emperor's favor towards Your Majesty. So, regardless of who is right or wrong, no one has the right to question anything."
In front of everyone, Ye Xiyan did not confront Yu Qianqian directly, but deliberately spoke in a somewhat ambiguous manner, instantly turning the situation around. However, Yu Qianqian could also see that she had no good intentions at all, and compared to Li Wanrou, she was obviously more scheming, deliberately provoking trouble, and then clearing herself of all responsibility in a few words.
Seeing Ye Xiyan's attitude, Li Wanrou was furious and her face turned ashen. This woman always seemed to be indifferent to worldly affairs, but she never expected that she would set a trap for her at the crucial moment. If she didn't teach this opportunistic fence-sitter a lesson today, she would be letting down her uncle, the prime minister, who always had high expectations of her.
"Didn't you bring up the Empress's ambiguous relationship with the people of Ziyan Kingdom first?" Li Wanrou, in a fit of anger, rebuked Ye Xiyan without thinking, "You've already acted like nothing happened in the blink of an eye. Sister, you really know how to be eloquent and fickle!"
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