"Alright, we shouldn't stay here any longer, let's go."
Yongle nodded hesitantly, then squeezed between Xie Liwei and Song Yaozhu, taking Song Yaozhu's arm and saying, "Come on, let's go see the lanterns! That Aoshan is really beautiful. If it hadn't cost so much money, I would have asked my father to build one for me in the mansion too!"
Xie Liwei, left behind: "..."
He had to talk to King Xuan and tell him that his daughter, who was so old, needed to be married off as soon as possible!
The lantern-lit street was dazzling, so much so that servants were even disguised as vendors and set up stalls to present riddles for the young girls to guess. Yongle then swaggered into the crowd with Song Yaozhu in tow.
"Will someone clean up the blood on the ground?" Yongle asked.
"Don't worry, I'll keep it for later."
Not long after the three left the house, Song Wenyue, accompanied by her maid and a young palace maid, came to the small courtyard.
There are two paths leading to this courtyard: one is hidden and dark, without any lights; the other is the Lantern Street.
The bright and dazzling lanterns on the street made this alley seem so gloomy and dark, like a road leading straight into darkness.
Song Wenyue knew about Gao Ping's schemes and had told Song Yaozhu that she would not side with her. But when Song Yaozhu sent a palace maid to beg for her help, a dark and indescribable joy welled up inside her.
That feeling is like the envious and jealous feeling you get when you find that someone who was originally worse off than you is suddenly doing better than you, and you hope that she will fall from her high place sooner and fall even harder.
Song Yaozhu is now asking me for help.
To put it another way, she's begging herself for forgiveness. Haha, could anything make her happier than that?
That's all!
Besides, she didn't want her to gain the Emperor's favor in the first place, so what difference would it make if she ruined the Consort's plans once?
As she stepped into the courtyard, Song Wenyue's pitiful joy gradually faded. She calmed down and asked the young palace maid who had led the way, "Is the Princess truly here?"
Without hesitation, the palace maid replied, "Yes, before the princess fainted, she asked me to find you to save her."
Song Wenyue frowned, then suddenly raised her voice: "You're lying! You're just a lowly servant girl, you have no relation to her, why would you listen to her!"
When she finally asked, she realized she might have been tricked.
Perhaps the Imperial Concubine is trying to kill two birds with one stone, since she is now favored by the Emperor and is quite hated in the harem!
"Qinxin, let's go!" Song Wenyue turned to leave, but suddenly heard a commotion of voices and chaotic footsteps from the other side of the courtyard.
"Your Highness! This is it! This servant saw Princess Xiaoyao go in with a wild man!"
Song Wenyue took a step to leave, but unexpectedly, the young palace maid who had led the way suddenly blocked her way. Qin Xin immediately stepped forward to push the young palace maid away, but in that brief moment of pushing and shoving, the Imperial Concubine had already entered with her entourage!
"Consort Song, what are you doing here!"
Song Wenyue looked at the Imperial Concubine with a livid face and bowed.
"Your Majesty, I heard about my sister's situation, so I rushed over..."
Her voice was filled with emotion, stirring up all sorts of fantasies. Even her own sister had said so; didn't that confirm the fact that the Princess Consort of Xiaoyao had committed adultery?
"In that case, come with us." Everyone stood in front of the door, most filled with curiosity to watch the show, while a small number felt sorrow.
This kind of "catching someone in the act of adultery" is a common tactic used by women in the inner quarters to harm others. The word "chastity" may not kill a man, but it can easily eliminate a woman they despise.
The imperial concubine raised her chin, and a palace maid behind her stepped forward and pushed the door open. She then exclaimed, "Your Majesty! It's blood!"
Gao Ping's phoenix eyes narrowed instantly, her heart skipped a beat, and she took a few steps to the door. The palace maids had already lit the candles in the room and found that there were only signs of movement in the small hall, while the bed in the inner room was spotless.
"Could the princess have died here?"
Someone cried out in alarm, followed by a flurry of panic.
Catching someone in the act of adultery and someone dying are two completely different things!
Gao Ping's face was extremely pale. She looked at her maid, who looked terrified and at a loss.
"Inform the commander of the Imperial Guards to seal off this area. Send someone to tell the Emperor that a murder may have occurred here!" After giving the orders, she looked sharply at Song Wenyue. "Consort Song, did you really just arrive?"
Song Wenyue's heart was in turmoil. She had expected to see Song Yaozhu in a sorry state, but she never expected to witness this scene. And she herself had been suspected by the Imperial Concubine!
"I arrived here just two breaths earlier than Your Highness. A little palace maid came to me and said that my sister had encountered some trouble that could not be told to outsiders. She asked me to go and help my sister get out of trouble."
However, her words were not believed by the crowd, after all, she did not stop the Consort from opening the door just now!
Besides, didn't the two sisters fall out a long time ago? The matter of Song Wenyue selling places at Nanshan Academy by using the identity of the Princess Consort of Xiaoyao was known to everyone in the capital who held a minor official position.
Now, tell them she came to save people?
It's more believable that they're just laughing at us!
"Apart from this matter, which is not what I wish for, please everyone stay put and wait for His Majesty to arrive before we discuss it further."
The ladies and young women cursed inwardly, "What a mess!" They hadn't wanted to come; after all, if they were laughing at others today, they might be the laughingstock of others tomorrow. But because of the Imperial Concubine's high rank and power, they had no choice but to come.
And what was the result?
I didn't see any excitement, but I certainly fed myself a lot of mosquitoes!
The imperial concubine summoned the palace maid who had delivered the message and asked her in a low voice what was going on.
The palace maid was terrified and said, "This servant doesn't know either! It was a young palace maid who serves in the outer courtyard who came to tell this servant that the matter was settled! This servant saw that young palace maid go out with Aunt Mo Yu, and thought that Aunt Mo Yu sent her to deliver the message!"
Upon hearing this, the Imperial Concubine's heart skipped a beat. Yes, where was Mo Yu?
Whether things went well or not, Mo Yu should have come back and told her! But she hasn't seen her yet!
Before long, the commander of the Imperial Guards surrounded the area with his men, and Yuwen Wuji strode towards it with the Minister of Justice.
The Imperial Concubine had told him a few days ago that today, the Qixi Festival, would grant his wish. He had been looking forward to it for several days, but unexpectedly, she had killed him!
"Where is the body!" Yuwen Wuji stared intently at the Imperial Concubine, who immediately curtsied and tried her best to keep her voice steady.
"Your Majesty, there is only blood in the room, no corpse!"
Yuwen Wuji narrowed his eyes. The Minister of Justice had already led his men inside to investigate.
A moment later, he came out and said, "Your Majesty, the bleeding is minimal and not fatal. It seems the Princess Consort may have escaped after being injured."
"Then hurry up and go find someone!" he roared.
Just then, an imperial guard entered the courtyard, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, I have found Princess Xiaoyao and Princess Yongle on Lantern Street!"
Gao Ping suddenly looked towards the Imperial Guard. Song Yaozhu and Yongle were together? The fact that the two were on Lantern Street meant that Song Yaozhu was not injured.
Whose blood is that?
Mo Yu is in danger!
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