Chapter 251 The bloody storm that swept through the former dynasty and the harem
"Pear..."
Yan Shixu's voice was low and hoarse, and his face, which had been furious just now, immediately showed a hint of pampering and warmth because of Wen Li'er's appearance.
"I'm glad you're okay..."
This intimate name and undisguised gesture of cherishment were like a loud slap in Xie Zhenrong's face.
The slap also hurt Princess Taiping who was interrupted.
Xie Zhenrong's nails almost dug into her palms, forcibly maintaining the majesty of the queen.
Her voice sounded even sharper due to her anger.
"Your Majesty, we are truly blessed that the Imperial Concubine is safe and sound! However, such a horrific incident occurred in Meixiang Pavilion, and Lin Xiuyi just confidently identified the Imperial Concubine as being involved. This matter is fraught with doubts and must be thoroughly investigated! The Imperial Concubine has now appeared and needs to explain why Lin Xiuyi misunderstood her. Who was that blue-robed maid? And why was the Imperial Concubine in Jingxin Pavilion?"
She pressed the issue with every word, pointing the finger directly at Wen Li'er, and would not stop until she dragged her into the mess.
Princess Taiping immediately agreed, "Your Majesty, the Empress is absolutely right! This is absolutely no accident! Since the Imperial Concubine was in the Jingxin Pavilion not far away, she must have seen some clues. Did the Imperial Concubine see the blue-robed palace maid that Lin Xiuyi mentioned?"
Her eyes were as sharp as a knife, trying to find flaws in Wen Li'er's face.
Everyone's attention was focused on Wen Li'er again.
Wen Li'er gently raised her head from Yan Shixu's arms, her face still showing surprise and doubt, and her eyes still holding just the right amount of confusion and a hint of grievance at being questioned.
She looked at Xie Zhenrong and Princess Taiping, her voice clear but filled with confusion.
"Your Majesty, Princess, I truly do not know what has happened. I was indeed admiring the plum blossoms in the Quiet Heart Pavilion just now, but I heard the deafening commotion in the Plum Fragrance Pavilion, and feeling uneasy, I came here to investigate. As for Sister Lin..."
She turned her gaze to Lin Fujia, who was kneeling on the ground, with a hint of hurt and confusion.
"Why did Sister Lin say I was in Plum Fragrance Pavilion? I haven't set foot here today. I've never even seen that so-called green-robed palace maid."
After she finished speaking, she looked at Yan Shixu with a frank and trusting look in her eyes: "Your Majesty, everything I said is true. Please understand."
Yan Shixu suppressed the smile in his heart. He thought that this little woman really looked like she was acting.
He glanced indifferently at Xie Zhenrong and Princess Taiping, and said bluntly, "What the Queen and Sister said truly perplexes me. Instead of questioning these ignorant creatures, you questioned the Imperial Concubine first."
After he finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Lin Fujia, and his voice was as cold as ice.
"Lin Xiuyi, I ask you again, where is that maid in blue? If you can't find her, you are framing the Imperial Concubine, and your crime is unforgivable."
Lin Fujia is really scared now.
She didn't dare look at Wen Li'er, but just kept kowtowing to the emperor.
"Your Majesty, that maid has disappeared! I don't know where she went! She brought me a few plates of snacks and said...that the Imperial Concubine was resting in the pavilion! Now that I think about it carefully, her behavior was strange and her words were evasive. She was clearly lying! I was so worried about the Imperial Concubine's safety at the time that...that's why I was deceived! I beg Your Majesty to forgive me."
She hurriedly defended herself and tried to make up for her loss by clarifying the matter for Wen Lier.
The palace maid must be nowhere to be found. Even if she could be found, the other party could deny it and say that she had never seen her.
After all, no one near Meixiang Pavilion saw them talking together at that time.
Zixiu and Zixin are her people, and no one will believe them if they come forward to testify.
At this moment, she deeply realized the reality: the emperor didn't care about her at all, and only Wen Li'er could save her.
She wanted to say something else, and even wondered in panic whether she could change her words to "the palace maid in green."
But Yan Shixu did not give her this opportunity.
He sneered and said, "Gone? Come, get some pen and ink, and let her paint."
Soon, a palace maid brought pen, ink, paper and inkstone to Lin Fujia.
Lin Fujia's hands were shaking, but she gritted her teeth and drew the appearance of the palace maid.
But all the guards were mobilized and the entire palace was turned upside down, but they still couldn't find the palace maid in her painting.
Yan Shixu threw the painting in front of Lin Fujia and directly sentenced her: "Lin Xiuyi framed the Imperial Noble Consort. Her intention is to be punished. Xiuyi is stripped of her position and immediately moved to Jingsi Temple. She is not allowed to leave without permission, and no one is allowed to visit without permission."
Upon hearing this, Lin Fujia collapsed to the ground as if struck by lightning.
Jingsi Temple is not much better than the cold palace.
They will both die in loneliness and despair, and will only be accompanied by green lamps and ancient Buddhas for the rest of their lives.
This punishment was a more thorough exile and humiliation than being banished to the cold palace, and it cut off all her hopes.
"No, I won't go. Sister Wen, please save me, please save me."
Lin Fujia knelt down and walked forward, trying to pull Wen Li'er's skirt.
Yan Shixu put his arm around Wen Li'er's waist, held her with one hand, and took two steps back to avoid Lin Fujia's touch.
This woman is not the first time she has tried to harm Li'er.
It was Lin Fujia who revealed to Feng Yingying the fact that Li'er had set up an altar for King Wu in the Qionghua Palace, and only then did Feng Yingying lead people to search the palace.
Seeing that Li'er was lonely in the palace and this woman was the only one who could talk to her, he spared this woman for once.
Later, Li'er was poisoned by a Gu. Zhang Sicheng found out that although Qiu Lu, who poisoned Li'er, worked for Concubine Duan, she had been saved by Lin Fujia.
No evidence was found to prove whether Qiu Lu's actions were related to Lin Fujia.
But this woman is no longer worthy of being Li'er's friend.
It would be most appropriate to deal with Li'er today while she has seen through her daughter's true colors.
Wen Li'er listened to Lin Fujia's pleading and turned her head away, no longer looking at her.
The moment Lin Fujia came up with the idea of ruining her reputation, the moment Lin Fujia brought everyone over, they were no longer friends.
Why would she help someone who wanted to harm her if they were no longer friends?
Seeing her tense expression, Yan Shixu ordered, "Drag him away."
No matter how Lin Fujia begged, she was eventually dragged away.
"As for you!" Yan Shixu's gaze swept over Liao Mingzhu, Wan Suihuan, Li Jingjing, Zhao Ruixue, Wan Shaohuai and other men kneeling on the ground one by one, with murderous intent in his eyes not concealed at all.
"They are committing debauchery in the imperial palace, an unforgivable crime! Come! Throw them into the death row! Await your punishment! All the families behind them are confined to my palace and investigated strictly! Anyone implicated will be severely punished!"
How could these families have known that forcing their daughters into the palace would lead to the disaster they faced today in just a few months!
Regardless of whether they were involved or not, the shame brought about by this huge scandal and the emperor's wrath were enough to crush them.
Everyone knelt on the ground and begged for mercy, with wailing sounds endless.
"Your Majesty! Spare my life, Your Majesty!"
"I am innocent! I was drugged!"
"Your Majesty, have mercy! Have mercy!"
"We really have been poisoned. Please, Your Majesty, please investigate."
Wan Suihuan, Wan Shaohuai and others all claimed that they were framed and drugged, but there was no trace of drugs at the scene.
The imperial physician also took their pulses, but found no Chinese medicine.
Even the note inviting them to meet at Meixiang Pavilion disappeared without a trace.
All ten people were unable to defend themselves and had no way of proving that they were framed.
But even if it was confirmed, what would it matter? The concubine would lose her innocence and her life would be ruined.
And the men who ruined these concubines naturally had no right to live.
What seemed like a conspiracy against the concubines in the harem eventually turned into a bloody storm that swept across the former dynasty and the harem.
Over a period of ten days, the Dali Temple, the Ministry of Justice, and the Censorate jointly tried the case.
The innocence of the people involved in the case was not proven, but the crimes committed by the ministers of the Liao, Wan, Li, Zhao, Chen, Cui, Chang, and Yun families were uncovered.
The emperor executed ten people who committed adultery in the palace.
The family members behind them were either dismissed from office, demoted, or had their property confiscated and exiled, depending on the crimes they committed.
In just ten days, the court underwent a large-scale purge.
When there is a vacancy, other officials will naturally be needed to fill it.
The emperor took the opportunity to promote many royalist officials.
Wen Tingkuan and Wen Zhiyan also received promotions.
Wen Tingkuan took over Liao Jinyuan's position as Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and Wen Zhiyan was promoted to the fifth rank of Zhongshu Sheren, in charge of "drafting imperial edicts", judging provincial affairs, and participating in confidential decision-making of the court.
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