Chapter 31 Palace Maid Xiao Cui
"I'll go and send a letter to Prime Minister Pei to see when would be the best time to see Xiao Cui," Ye Chengjing said.
“Okay.” Ye Wanning nodded. She knew it was not the time to relax yet. Only when the Crown Prince was exonerated and the Third Prince’s conspiracy was exposed would she dare to truly breathe a sigh of relief.
When Ye Wanning returned to her room, Chun Tao quickly brought her hot water to wash up. As she soaked in the hot water, all her fatigue seemed to lessen considerably.
"Miss, you almost scared me to death." Chun Tao said while rubbing her back, "You didn't come back all night, and I was so worried that I couldn't sleep."
"I'm sorry for making you worry," Ye Wanning said with a smile.
"Miss, please don't do such dangerous things again," Chun Tao said. "What if something bad happens to you?"
"I understand, it won't happen again," Ye Wanning said.
After washing her face and brushing her teeth, Ye Wanning changed into clean clothes and felt much more refreshed. She walked to the mirror and looked at her face, noticing some dust and small scratches from crawling in the ventilation vent.
She gently touched the scratches with her hand, feeling a sense of relief. These injuries were all worthwhile.
Not long after she sat down, Ye Chengjing rushed in, panting, "Ningning, Prime Minister Pei sent someone and said that everything has been arranged and we should go see Xiao Cui now."
Ye Wanning nodded: "Okay, let's go."
The two followed the guards sent by Pei Zhi to a secluded residence. The residence was small but quiet, seemingly arranged by Pei Zhi. Upon entering the residence, Ye Wanning saw Pei Zhi sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, with a little boy sitting beside him, who was Xiao Cui's younger brother.
"You've arrived." Pei Zhi stood up.
"Lord Pei." Ye Wanning and Ye Chengjing bowed respectfully.
“Xiao Cui is already inside.” Pei Zhi pointed to the room next door. “We’ve brought her younger brother here. I believe she will tell the truth.”
Ye Wanning nodded: "I'll go talk to her."
She went inside and saw a young woman dressed in coarse cloth sitting in a chair, her head down, her shoulders trembling slightly, looking very frightened.
"Miss Xiao Cui," Ye Wanning called softly.
Xiao Cui looked up, saw Ye Wanning, and was startled: "You...who are you?"
"I am Ye Wanning, the daughter of Minister Ye." Ye Wanning sat down opposite her. "I'm here to help you."
"Help...me?" Xiao Cui's eyes were filled with doubt and wariness.
"Yes." Ye Wanning nodded. "We rescued your brother, and he's safe now."
"Really? My brother... is he alright?" Xiao Cui's eyes lit up.
“It’s alright,” Ye Wanning said. “He’s right outside. If you want to see him, I can let him in.”
Without hesitation, Xiao Cui nodded hurriedly, "I want to see him! I want to see him!"
Ye Wanning called out to the outside, and Pei Zhi quickly came over with the little boy.
"Sister!" The little boy shouted when he saw Xiao Cui and rushed over.
"Little brother!" Xiao Cui stood up excitedly, hugged the little boy, and tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm so glad you're alright! I was so worried about you!"
The siblings hugged each other and cried for a long time. Ye Wanning, Pei Zhi, and Ye Chengjing stood quietly to the side, not disturbing them.
The siblings cried for a while before their emotions calmed down a bit.
"Sister, those kind people saved me, and they said they could help us," the little boy said.
Xiao Cui looked at Ye Wanning and Pei Zhi, her eyes filled with gratitude: "Thank you for saving my brother."
"No need to thank me," Ye Wanning said. "Miss Xiaocui, we saved your brother because we hope you can tell the truth. His Highness the Crown Prince was framed by the Third Prince, wasn't he?"
Xiao Cui's face turned deathly pale. She lowered her head and dared not speak.
"Sister, just tell me!" the little boy said. "The Third Prince is a bad person. He locked me up and threatened you. We can't let him get away with this!"
Xiao Cui hesitated for a long time before raising her head and looking at him expectantly: "Yes, His Highness the Crown Prince was framed."
As she spoke, she took a deep breath and recounted the cause and course of events, word by word.
It turned out that half a month ago, the Third Prince sent someone to bring her younger brother to the capital, claiming he had found him a good job. In reality, he had placed her brother under house arrest and was blackmailing her into cooperating with his act. The Third Prince told her that as long as she behaved herself, pretending to be dragged into the Imperial Garden by the Crown Prince, and then crying and pleading her innocence, saying that the Crown Prince had designs on her, he would release her brother and give her a large sum of money so she could take her brother and escape abroad.
She refused, but the third prince sent someone to tell her that if she didn't cooperate, he would kill her brother. Terrified, she agreed.
"I'm so sorry, Your Highness the Crown Prince, I'm so sorry, Your Majesty the Emperor," Xiao Cui said, crying. "I had no choice."
Ye Wanning sighed: "You are also a victim, and we will not blame you. Now, as long as you are willing to go before the Emperor, tell the truth, and clear His Highness the Crown Prince's name, we can ask the Emperor to show leniency and spare you."
Xiao Cui nodded: "I'm willing! I'm willing to do anything to clear His Highness the Crown Prince's name and restore his innocence!"
Ye Wanning was overjoyed: "Great! Let's take her to see the Emperor right away!"
The group, along with Xiao Cui and her younger brother, hurried towards the palace.
When they arrived at the palace gate, Minister Ye was already waiting there. Upon seeing them, he hurried forward and asked, "Well? Is Xiao Cui willing to tell the truth?"
Ye Wanning nodded: "Father, she agreed."
Minister Ye's face instantly broke into a smile: "Great! Let's go in quickly!"
The group followed Minister Ye into the palace and arrived outside the Emperor's study.
"Your Majesty, Minister Ye and his entourage request an audience!" Minister Ye instructed a eunuch to announce their arrival, and soon the eunuch emerged: "His Majesty summons you in!"
The group entered the study. The Emperor was sitting on the dragon throne, his face grim. The Third Prince stood beside him, his expression smug.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty!" Minister Ye, Ye Chengjing, and Pei Zhi kowtowed simultaneously.
"This commoner, Ye Wanning, greets Your Majesty!" Ye Wanning also bowed in greeting.
"This humble subject, Xiao Cui, greets Your Majesty!" Xiao Cui, accompanied by her younger brother, knelt down.
The Emperor glanced at them a few times, finally fixing his gaze on Xiao Cui: "You're that palace maid, Xiao Cui?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Xiao Cui trembled slightly.
"What brings you to me?" the Emperor asked.
"Father, I suspect that Xiao Cui is here to falsely accuse His Highness the Crown Prince! Please don't believe her!" the Third Prince hurriedly said.
Xiao Cui gave the Third Prince a cold look: "Third Prince, how did you know I came to falsely accuse His Highness the Crown Prince? Are you hiding something?"
The Third Prince's expression changed: "I... I was just saying."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com