Song Xibai originally wanted to give her some face, but as soon as the thought popped into her head, she immediately changed her strategy.
Why is Guo Liangyuan always staring at me?
Song Xibai's sudden, straightforward remark caused Guo Liangyuan's expression to falter slightly. After a two-second pause, she finally spoke.
"I'm just concerned about Xi Liangdi."
“We don’t usually have any contact, so I don’t need this sudden concern.”
Song Xibai showed her no respect whatsoever. After saying this, he simply stood up abruptly with a stern face and addressed the Crown Princess.
"Your Highness, I'm a little tired, so I'll head back now."
The Crown Princess's attention was no longer on her. Upon hearing this, she waved her hand, gave a few perfunctory replies, and dismissed Song Xibai.
Song Xibai led Wei Hong out of the central hall and quickly returned to the east side hall.
As soon as she entered the room, she immediately grabbed Wei Hong's hand.
"Quickly! Call Granny Fangqi over here and have her search this house thoroughly, inside and out!"
Her tone was tinged with an indescribable coldness.
Wei Hong was startled and, without even asking any questions, hurriedly went to call Granny Fangqi.
Soon, Granny Fangqi arrived in a hurry.
"Master, has something urgent happened?"
"When I was paying my respects to the Crown Princess just now, Consort Guo kept trying to call the imperial physician for me. She was too attentive, which seemed strange. I suspect she wanted to use this opportunity to frame me."
Song Xibai spoke quickly, and after stating her guess, she began searching the house herself.
"This matter should not be publicized; we can only trouble you, Granny."
"What are you saying, Master? This is simply my duty."
As Fangqi spoke, she rolled up her sleeves and pulled Wei Hong to get to work.
"You find the bedroom, I'll go to the other side."
The two moved quickly, leaving no corner unchecked, searching the entire room inch by inch.
Song Xibai suddenly remembered something and got up to go to the small study.
Her little study was actually just a small space partitioned off from the north side room by bookshelves. It was so small that it couldn't hold much. She had tidied it up herself, and Wei Hong and the others didn't dare to touch it.
However, due to her pregnancy and increased sleep, Song Xibai had not gone inside for several days.
Song Xibai walked over in a few steps, her gaze sweeping back and forth. She found that the books on the table were still the same as before. The book she was reading halfway through was still stuck on the page she had read last time.
She slowly walked behind the desk and gently stroked several books.
Immediately, his expression shifted slightly.
"It has indeed been tampered with."
If you gently rub two fingers together and bring them to your nose, you'll detect a very faint scent.
Song Xibai immediately asked Wei Hong to call Dingxiang over.
When Dingxiang arrived, Song Xibai pulled her directly to the table and pointed to the books.
"Take a sniff."
Dingxiang leaned closer to the table and took a deep sniff.
"It's nothing!"
"If you smell it more closely, there is a faint scent, like some kind of floral fragrance, but it also has a slightly sweet aroma."
Song Xibai explained it in great detail.
Dingxiang looked at her speechlessly: "I don't have a dog's nose like yours, no matter how much you say, I still can't smell it!"
Song Xibai stared at her.
You're the one with a dog's nose!
Then, he pulled Wei Hong over and told her to smell it.
Wei Hong frowned, somewhat uncertain: "It smells like perfume."
"What kind of perfume?" Song Xibai asked hurriedly.
"Before the New Year, Miss Dingxiang treated everyone's illnesses and noticed that the palace maids' hands were frostbitten. So she gave them a recipe for a fragrant balm and taught them how to make it to apply to their hands."
Upon hearing Wei Hong's words, Ding Xiang remembered as well and nodded repeatedly.
"Yes, yes, they are all common things, but some plum blossoms were added because only plum blossoms were in bloom at that time."
After saying that, she smelled it carefully again, becoming even more certain.
"Who still uses this perfume?"
Song Xibai asked again.
"Everyone is using it! Except for Juqing. Juqing said that you can't apply anything with fragrance when doing needlework, because it will leave a residue on the fabric. She uses her own hand cream and shares some with the maids and Fuliu."
Wei Hong remembers these everyday little things very clearly.
Song Xibai pondered for a moment, then turned to Dingxiang: "Dingxiang, when you came in the day you came back, did you smell this scent?"
Dingxiang thought carefully for a long time: "I think so? But there are many palace maids coming and going in my place, so I can't determine who did it just by that. By the way, did someone move your table? Is anything missing?"
Song Xibai raised the corner of her mouth slightly.
"Nothing was missing; in fact, there was a little more."
As she spoke, she pulled out a book from the bottom and handed it to Dingxiang.
As Dingxiang turned the pages one by one, and was almost at the last page, suddenly, a thin piece of floral stationery fell out.
Song Xibai picked up the letter, glanced at it, and couldn't help but laugh in exasperation.
On the pale pink floral stationery, two lines of poetry were written in delicate handwriting.
"Recalling the past in front of the hall, to whom can I tell my longing?"
Dingxiang was confused: "Who is this? Why go through all that trouble just to stuff in a piece of paper like this?"
Song Xibai flicked the floral stationery, raising an eyebrow slightly.
“This is a love poem. This person is really cunning! If she had used something else to frame me, I could have escaped punishment. But these two lines of poetry are in my handwriting, and there is no salutation or address. I have no way to defend myself.”
"But it can plant a thorn in His Highness's heart."
Granny Fangqi suddenly spoke, her face solemn.
Song Xibai nodded: "To kill someone is to destroy their spirit. She wants His Highness to suspect that I have someone else in my heart."
"How could this possibly work? His Highness has been so good to you, how could he believe that?" Dingxiang said dismissively.
“Miss Dingxiang, you’re mistaken. This move is actually quite ruthless.” Granny Fangqi shook her head and explained to her in detail, “No matter what kind of man he is, he can’t tolerate his woman having another man in her heart. Especially since people in the palace are all suspicious and prone to overthinking. Once His Highness sees this, he might not believe it at the time, but how could he not have some doubts in his mind? Once he starts to suspect, even the strongest feelings of affection will fade.”
"This is probably just her first move; there are definitely other schemes behind it."
Song Xibai slammed the letter onto the table with a loud thud.
"Wei Hong, burn this thing!"
Wei Hong looked surprised: "Master, aren't you going to tell His Highness?"
“Why bother telling Your Highness about such a trivial matter?” Song Xibai clapped his hands. “We’ve tested him enough; it’s time to retaliate.”
The expressions of the three people present simultaneously turned serious.
Song Xibai pondered for a long time before giving instructions one by one.
For her, simply reacting to each move is not a wise approach; addressing the root cause is the fundamental solution, a permanent and effective way to resolve the problem.
So that afternoon, Song Xibai went to the central hall and met with the Crown Princess alone.
The Crown Princess was quite surprised by her arrival, but she still maintained a polite facade, invited Song Xibai to sit down, and then asked.
"Why is Consort Xi here at this time?"
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