Ling Xihe took a few steps forward and stood in front of Ling Shumo. Although he didn't know why Ling Xicheng was unwilling to talk about Xue Wu, it didn't matter.
Since Ling Xicheng was unwilling to speak, she would speak for her, "Queen Mother, I'm sure you've seen the bloodstains on Sister Cheng'er's skirt, right? These bloodstains aren't hers, but Xue Cifu's. Ling Xijie smashed Xue Cifu on the head with a ceramic jar, knocking him unconscious. Blood gushed out of the wound, splashing all over Sister Cheng'er. As a daughter, the Fourth Imperial Sister murdered her own half-father. This is unacceptable, both morally and logically. Confining her to her own palace for three months is not enough to atone for her crime."
Ling Shumo's brows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again. She asked Ling Xijie in a cold voice, "Is what the Crown Princess said true?"
This time, Ling Xijie wasn't as timid as she had been when she faced Ling Xicheng just now. She raised her chin high and denied it categorically, "Your Majesty, this is absolutely not the case. I have no past or present grudges against Concubine Xue, who lives in Jingxin Palace, and I have never hit her."
Hearing Ling Xijie's denial, Ling Shumo couldn't help but feel relieved, but she couldn't just listen to one side and believed it. She turned her gaze to Ling Xicheng who was standing on the other side, "What are you going to say?"
Ling Xicheng didn't reply for a long time. Ling Xihe couldn't help but tugged at her sleeve fiercely, "Ling Xicheng, the Queen Mother is asking you a question, why don't you answer it quickly?"
Ling Xicheng revealed all the lies she had made up without missing a word. Even if she wanted to hide it, she could no longer do so. She could only bite the bullet and say, "Mother, the truth is just as Her Highness the Crown Princess said. If you don't believe me, follow me to the Jingxin Palace and see for yourself. Anyone can lie, but the wound on my second father's head is as solid as a mountain of evidence. No one can erase it."
Ling Shumo nodded. "If that's the case, then I'll go to Jingxin Palace myself. Today, I must get to the bottom of this mess."
Ling Shumo said this and strode towards the door first. The others saw that the emperor had left and the banquet would definitely not go on, so they followed closely behind to watch the fun.
At this time, Pei Jiuyan's cheeks, which had originally been as rosy as the sunset glow, gradually faded. He grabbed Ling Xijie's wrist and asked sternly, "Do you have anything to do with the wound on Xue Wu's forehead? You are not allowed to lie. Tell me the whole story. If you are really accused of murdering your father, you will most likely be demoted to a commoner and expelled from the palace."
Even if Xue Wu was not favored, he was still the emperor's man. It was not the turn of Ling Xijie, a daughter, to abuse and treat him at will.
If Ling Xijie really did this, then her behavior was not humiliating Xue Wu, but contempt for the emperor, which is a sin that cannot be easily forgiven.
Ling Xijie originally thought that the trouble she had caused was over, but she never expected the atmosphere around her to become more serious. Facing her father's questioning, she swallowed hard and said, "I didn't lie to the Queen Mother. Everything I said is true. I didn't even touch that Concubine Xue. There was no chance of harming her at all."
Pei Jiuyan stared at Ling Xijie's face for a long time, carefully trying to determine if his daughter was lying. After a long while, he said coldly, "Whether you really did it or were framed, you must insist that you were wronged. Otherwise, even the gods can't save you."
Half an incense stick later, Ling Shumo arrived at the Jingxin Hall. Wearing black satin shoes embroidered with delicate cloud patterns, she walked through the weed-covered courtyard. She pushed open the rotting wooden door before her, revealing the hard bed where Xue Wu lay. Her gaze fell on the imperial physician standing beside Xue Wu's bed and she asked, "How is his injury?"
The old doctor stroked his beard and sighed deeply, "Lady Xue won't live long. She lost too much blood this time, damaging her body. If she's well cared for, she should be able to live for three years. If she continues to deal with life as usual, she'll be gone in less than a year."
The old doctor's words struck Ling Xicheng like a bolt of lightning. She stood frozen in the doorway. When she'd just learned in Biluo Palace that her father had regained consciousness, she'd been so relieved she'd believed his wounds would heal and he'd be back to normal. Now, reality had come crashing down on her. She was a murderer, a little bastard who had killed her own father.
On the bed, Xue Wu struggled to roll over and bowed to Ling Shumo. Then, his gaze swept over his daughter. Seeing this beautiful face, which bore a striking resemblance to his own before the disfigurement, a strong feeling of disgust welled up in his heart.
After Ling Xicheng was bullied by Ling Xijie, he collapsed and pointed at his nose, cursing him to death. Although he was too drunk to open his eyes, he heard every word he heard.
He had originally thought the child would just complain, but he had never imagined that Ling Xicheng would actually hit him on the head with a ceramic wine jar. This was murder!
He went through ten months of pregnancy and risked his life to give birth to this child. He did not ask Ling Xicheng to repay him by cutting his flesh and bleeding, but he never expected that Ling Xicheng could kill him so mercilessly.
What kind of heartless child is this? Xue Wu really couldn't understand why she gave birth to a child like Ling Xicheng.
His life is so miserable.
Meanwhile, on the corridor about 20 feet from the entrance, a round-faced attendant knelt and bowed to Pei Jiuyan. "Madam Shu, I've learned that it was the Third Princess who struck Concubine Xue on the forehead with an empty wine jar. Furthermore, she spoke many words of resentment against Concubine Xue, clearly resentful that she didn't give her a good background."
After hearing the servant's report, Pei Jiuyan's irritability vanished, and a smile appeared on his lips. "Since Ling Xicheng could kill Xue Wu without hesitation, it shows that there has been a rift between father and daughter for a long time. I think Xue Wu must hate his daughter very much. As long as Xue Wu identifies Ling Xicheng as his murderer, my Xijie will be exonerated."
Ling Xijie clapped his hands and laughed, "Great! When the Queen Mother finds out that little monster Ling Xicheng murdered his own father, she'll be in big trouble. Second Father, don't just stand here. Let's go in and expose Ling Xicheng's true face."
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