Madam Jin's gaze fell on Bai Yan again, and a cold smile curled her lips: "Sixteenth Princess, although you are a princess of the imperial family, you are still a member of the Jin family. According to the clan rules, you have colluded with an outsider today, ruining your reputation. Even if I drown you, His Majesty may not necessarily punish me!"
She wanted to see fear and apprehension on the princess's face.
But she just smiled at her and said, "Madam Jin, do you really dare to drown me?"
Madam Jin: "What do I have to be afraid of? You committed one of the seven grounds for divorce!"
Bai Yan: "You can try it and see if I'll be thrown into the pond first, or if your head will fall to the ground first."
"you!"
The old nanny who had just entered was sweating bullets when she saw this young lady still arguing with Madam Jin. Leaving aside the fact that the Jin family had been loyal ministers for generations, now that they had produced an Empress and a Crown Prince, and Madam Jin was finding fault with her, she was truly about to lose her temper…
Not daring to think any further, the old nanny stepped forward and whispered in Madam Jin's ear, "Now that the princess has made a mistake, you have evidence in your hands. However, to be on the safe side, why don't you let this old servant go to the palace to report to Her Majesty before making a decision?"
Madam Jin thought what she said made sense: "According to what you say, Madam Jin will wait here."
The old woman hurriedly summoned a fast horse and a maid to the palace. Just as she was about to report to the Grand Eunuch, she saw His Majesty already dressed in white robes and walking towards the palace gate.
"This old servant greets Your Majesty!" The old nanny hurriedly greeted Bai Qing.
Bai Yan and Liu Jin'an were taken away from the restaurant. The people guarding downstairs followed them to the Jin residence. Not daring to oppose the Empress's family, they reported back to the Ministry of Works after confirming that the two were safe.
Bai Qing had already received the first batch of profits from the Zuoyou Textile Factory, and now that he had no more concerns, he naturally had to support his beloved money jar—no, his precious daughter!
"Are you reporting this to the Empress?" Bai Qing asked.
The old woman said, "Yes, I did say I would report to Her Highness when I left the Jin residence."
"Go ahead, and also pass on a message for me: I am waiting for her at Xuanwu Gate, and I will go to the Jin family with her."
"This old servant obeys."
Empress Jin had been ill for a long time, but she had to sit in front of her dressing table to put on makeup because of an imperial decree from the emperor. The palace maid next to her tried to cover her pale face, but Empress Jin shook her head: "Just a little rouge is enough. Don't keep His Majesty waiting."
"yes."
Bai Qing waited for Empress Jin for a while. When he saw her pale face and frail body, his anger subsided considerably. After all, she was his legal wife who had given birth to his only crown prince.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. Long live Your Majesty!" Lady Jin bowed to Bai Qing.
Bai Qing reached out and helped her up, saying, "Let's go. The Empress probably hasn't been back to her parents' home for a long time."
Seeing Bai Qing supporting her hand, Madam Jin smiled on her pale face: "Your Majesty, I thank you."
...
Inside the hall, Bai Yan sat in a chair, while Madam Jin and Jin Chang'an sat at the head of the table. When Madam Jin looked up, she saw Bai Yan calmly drinking tea, and her brows furrowed in displeasure.
"My lady! His Majesty has arrived!" The servant who came to report rushed in.
"What, Your Majesty?" Madam Jin looked slightly surprised. The servant then said, "The Empress has arrived as well!"
Before Madam Jin could think further, Bai Qing and Empress Jin's entourage had already arrived at the entrance of the main hall. Upon seeing him, Bai Yan immediately stood up from her chair; the composed woman from before had somehow become red-nosed.
She looked at Bai Qing with a wronged and innocent expression, tears welling up in her eyes, threatening to fall.
My daughter, who is so obedient and considerate and always tries to help me, is being bullied like this by her in-laws.
Bai Qing showed no outward expression, but inwardly he was extremely displeased... What did the Jin family want to do? What did the Empress want to do? If he hadn't come, how did they intend to deal with a princess?
He gave Bai Yan a reassuring look, then naturally sat down in the main seat, with Madam Jin following closely behind in the seat next to her.
Madam Jin and Jin Chang'an, along with a hall full of servants, hurriedly bowed to the Emperor and Empress.
Bai Qing did not call Madam Jin to get up, but said, "I heard that the Sixteenth Prince is having an affair. Where is the lover? Bring him here so I can see him."
Madam Jin kowtowed and said, "I'm afraid I'll offend His Majesty's esteemed eyes."
"Madam Jin, do you not understand what I'm saying?" Bai Qing said with a forced smile.
"Sister-in-law," the Empress said, trying to smooth things over for her elder sister-in-law, "If His Majesty wants to see you, just send someone to bring him here." Then she looked at the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, you haven't told my sister-in-law to get up yet."
"I almost forgot," Bai Qing said, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Rise, all of you."
The Empress frowned slightly, feeling that something was amiss with what had happened today... His Majesty's attitude seemed rather strange.
Madam Jin stood up, and Bai Qing's gaze fell on her: "Since you say that the princess has been having an affair, do you have any evidence?"
"This humble woman dares not slander the princess," Madam Jin said cautiously. "The princess was secretly meeting with outsiders while dressed as a man. This was all said by the maids who serve the princess. Fearing that the servants might be framing her, this humble woman waited until the princess was secretly meeting with someone again while dressed as a man before having the servants bring both of them back."
“Even though the princess is a daughter of the royal family, this behavior is still contrary to the virtues of a woman.”
Bai Qing said impatiently, "Then let the adulterer and the maid come into the hall together."
Madam Jin ordered her servants to bring Cuiming and Liu Jinan over. Cuiming was already waiting outside the courtyard. As soon as the servants inside announced her arrival, she went inside and kowtowed: "This servant greets Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty! Greetings to Your Highness, long live Your Highness!"
"You said you saw the princess having an affair with another man?" Bai Qing coldly narrowed his eyes as he looked at her.
Cui Ming gritted her teeth, her voice trembling slightly: "This servant did see it. The princess was dressed as a man and secretly left through the back door. In order to avoid being discovered, the bed in her room was covered with a dummy made of pillows."
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