Zhuang Yuyan was sleeping soundly on the imperial concubine's couch in her own palace. When she heard Yunxi's somewhat panicked voice, she opened her eyes and asked, "What happened?"
"Your Highness, the eunuch who manages the Empress's palace has come and said that Noble Ye has passed away, and they want to summon you to ask some questions." Yun Xi stepped forward to help Zhuang Yuyan put on her embroidered shoes. "I heard from the eunuch that the Emperor is also in the Empress' palace right now."
Noble Ye is gone, so she is summoned for questioning? Zhuang Yuyan frowned, but did not stop her movements. She stopped Yunxi from putting on makeup for her and said, "Just go like this."
Yun Xi glanced at the pearl-studded pleated silk skirt that her master had worn several times. Although her hair was tied up in a cross-shaped lily bun, it only had a gold-plated butterfly hairpin and a jade swing with gold-studded butterfly wings on it, which seemed a little plain.
When she walked to the outer hall, Zhuang Yuyan saw that the eunuch in charge of the harem was still standing there, and she knew that this matter might involve her again.
"Your servant pays respects to Empress Zhao Xianrong," the eunuch in charge saw that she looked simple and knew that she had come out in a hurry. "The Empress invites Empress Zhao Xianrong to Jingyang Palace to discuss some trivial matters. Please hurry up."
Although the eunuch in charge spoke politely, there was a sense of urging in his words. Zhuang Yuyan was too lazy to ask him what happened, so she got on the sedan chair and hurried to Jingyang Palace.
In Jingyang Palace, the Emperor and the Empress sat on either side. The Empress had been observing the Emperor's expression intentionally or unintentionally, only to find that the Emperor's expression was as calm as ever, and he didn't even have the slightest intention of asking questions on behalf of Zhao Xianrong.
Somehow, the Queen felt a little sympathetic towards Zhao Xianrong. The Emperor had favored many women, and Zhuang Yuyan was not the first, nor would she be the last. So at this time, the Emperor would not worry about her, let alone bother about her.
"So Hyun-yong is here."
The queen looked up and saw Zhuang Lu, wearing plain makeup, hurried into the room. Her steps were hurried and it seemed as if she had not expected anything to happen.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty." Zhuang Yuyan stepped forward to greet the two of them. Although she was not sure what was going on, she could tell from the serious expressions of the eunuchs in charge along the way that today's matter was not simple.
"You ask, Your Majesty. I'll just listen from the side," Feng Jin said, then closed his eyes and began to rest.
The queen looked at Feng Jin, then turned to look at Zhuang Yuyan, pointed at the tray in the eunuch's hand and said, "Zhao Xianrong, look at this thing, do you recognize it?"
Zhuang Yuyan looked at the tray and saw a wrinkled piece of cloth inside with a peacock's tail painted on it. It looked quite like the tail on her peacock paper ibis that eloped with Pegasus, but after looking at it a few more times, she felt that there were some differences.
No one can fail to recognize what they have drawn, so she knew at a glance that this thing was a copy of her paper ibis. "Your Majesty, this seems to be the tail of a peacock."
"It's just the tail of the peacock painting. I think the style of this painting is quite similar to yours. When Noblewoman Ye was found, this piece of cloth was hidden in her clothes. Why do you think this happened?" The queen took a sip of tea and waited for Zhuang Yuyan to explain.
"Your Majesty, although this picture is similar to the paper ibis I put out some time ago, I later let the paper ibis go and I have no idea where it fell. Moreover, the picture on this piece of silk was not drawn by me at all." Zhuang Yuyan was a little puzzled. The Empress was too unfounded to put the blame on her just because of a piece of cloth.
The queen glanced at Zhuang Yuyan without any explanation. She waved her hand and a palace maid was led in. Zhuang Yuyan tilted her head and saw that she seemed to be one of the palace maids that Noble Lady Ye often kept with her.
"Your servant Bitan pays respects to His Majesty the Emperor and the Empress, and has met Empress Zhaoxianrong."
"There is no need to be so formal at this moment. You have been serving Mr. Ye all the time. Tell us what happened to Mr. Ye during his lifetime." The queen took a sip of tea, her tone so calm that it seemed as if she was not talking about a death but a meal.
"Replying to the Empress, a few days ago I found a paper ibis in the yard, but I couldn't figure out who it belonged to. Later, the master said that anyone who could put a paper ibis in the palace must be a master, so she asked me to keep it well. Yesterday, the eunuch in the palace of Empress Zhao Xianrong came to ask if I had seen a peacock paper ibis, so the master asked me to get it. Who knew that the paper ibis was actually in the palace. The rat had bitten several holes in it, and even its tail had fallen off. The servant in the palace of Empress Zhao Xianrong looked unhappy at the time, and after saying a few words in a sarcastic tone, he left without asking for the paper iris. "Bitan's eyes turned red, and she kowtowed to the empress, "I didn't expect that my master would be gone last night. I beg the empress to thoroughly investigate the murderer and give the empress justice."
After hearing this, Zhuang Yuyan said, "Your Majesty, please understand. I did not order anyone to look for the paper ibis yesterday. Moreover, the paper ibis flew away, so why would I go looking for it again? Even if I wanted to look for it, why didn't I ask any other palaces, but went to Jingqiu Pavilion?"
"Don't you hate my master for causing you to lose your child, Madam Xianrong? Otherwise, why is the food of Jingqiu Pavilion withheld by the Shangshi Bureau? Madam, you are not here to look for the paper iris, but just want to embarrass the master." Bitan looked at Zhuang Yuyan with hatred, "If the master had not wanted to repair the paper iris overnight, how could he have been killed inexplicably? If this matter has nothing to do with you, why did the master hide this piece of silk?!"
Zhuang Yuyan had worked in public relations, so naturally she had some experience in observing people's facial expressions. The hatred this palace maiden named Bitan had for her was not fake, so who was the servant who went to Jingqiu Pavilion yesterday?
Zhuang Yuyan's face turned pale at the right time. "Although I hate Mr. Ye for causing me to have a miscarriage, I will never do such a bold thing. I beg the Emperor and Empress to look into this matter."
"You both have your own opinions on this matter, and it is difficult for me to make a decision," the queen looked at Zhuang Yuyan, "You are suspected of this matter. If it has nothing to do with you, you must give a convincing reason."
Zhuang Yuyan glanced at the emperor who was pretending to sleep. She seemed very hesitant, but she still shook her head in the end. "That painting was not made by me, and I did not send anyone to look for the paper ibis yesterday. Someone is trying to frame me!"
The Queen was just about to say that even if she was framed, she had to find evidence, when the Emperor, who had been pretending to be asleep, spoke up.
"Since Zhao Xianrong said she was framed, and this palace maid said that it was the eunuchs in Zhao Xianrong's palace who went to inquire about it," Feng Jin tapped the table with his index finger, "pull all the eunuchs in Xihe Palace out to the courtyard and let this palace maid identify them, and everything will be clear."
Since the emperor said this, no one dared to hesitate, and soon all the eunuchs in Xihe Palace were dragged to the garden of Jingyang Palace for Bitan to identify.
Bitan looked carefully several times but did not find the two eunuchs at that time. In the end, he had no choice but to say helplessly that the two eunuchs were not among these people.
"Could it be possible that someone really framed So Hyeon-rong?" The Queen looked shocked.
"Empress, even if there is nothing here, can Zhao Xianrong guarantee that she didn't ask other eunuchs to do it?" Bitan kowtowed to the emperor and the empress several times, even her forehead was broken. "Empress Zhao Xianrong has always been favored by the emperor. There are countless servants in the harem who want to please Zhao Xianrong. I can't think of anyone who would ask for a paper iris. If Zhao Xianrong hadn't harmed my master, why would my master hide a piece of paper iris tail before he died?"
"The noble concubine Shu has arrived, the noble concubine Xian has arrived, and the noble concubine Ning has arrived."
Feng Jin heard the eunuch's report and looked at the queen, "Why are they here?"
"Your Majesty, I am thinking of the three of them helping with palace affairs. This matter is of great importance, and more people will mean more ideas." The Queen smiled.
Feng Jin stopped talking. When he saw the three women coming in, he simply waived their greetings and continued to watch what was happening in front of him in silence.
"Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance and cannot be sorted out immediately. Why don't we investigate it slowly and thoroughly?" Concubine Xian Guifei said, "We cannot let Zhao Xianrong take the blame for the murderer in vain, nor can we let Lady Ye die in vain."
"Your Majesty, what Concubine Xian Gui said makes sense. You see..." The Queen looked at the Emperor, waiting for his opinion.
"I have already said that you, the Queen, will handle this matter now," Feng Jin glanced at the Queen, then at Zhuang Yuyan, who was standing in the middle of the room with a pale face, "but you must thoroughly investigate this matter."
The Queen bowed to the Emperor and said, "Since Zhao Xianrong cannot completely prove that she has nothing to do with this matter, and this matter does not indicate that Zhao Xianrong is related, then Zhao Xianrong will not have to serve the Emperor for the time being until the matter is investigated. After the matter is clarified, you can serve the Emperor with all your heart. After all, you can't serve the Emperor well if you are distracted." After the Queen finished speaking, she looked at the other three, Shu, Xian, and Ning, and said, "What do you think?"
"Since the Empress has said so, I naturally have no objection," Concubine Shu Gui looked at Zhuang Yuyan, "Zhao Xianrong has not looked well since she had a miscarriage caused by Concubine Ye. It would be better for her to rest more."
Why did she have to emphasize that it was Noble Ye who caused her miscarriage? Zhuang Yuyan lowered her head. Wasn't it obvious that she hated Noble Ye, so she murdered her?
Feng Jin looked at the empress and the other three concubines in silence, then shifted his gaze to Zhuang Weiyan, and finally to her slightly swollen hands.
"Zhao Xianrong, you should take some rest. I feel bad for you when I see you in such bad shape," Feng Jin stood up. "I'm going back to the palace. Your Majesty, you must investigate this matter thoroughly."
The queen startled and bowed to look at the emperor's back. What did the emperor mean by this?
After leaving Jingyang Palace, Zhuang Yuyan sat on the sedan chair and looked up at the blue sky. Who wanted to frame her? Did this person think that she cherished the kite that she had flown with the emperor, so he deliberately did what happened yesterday?
Unfortunately, this person must not know what the emperor said when the paper ibis string was cut. As someone who secretly likes the emperor, she naturally wants Pegasus and Peacock to be free together, so why would she pick them up on purpose?
The emperor was present, so she couldn't bring herself to tell him what he had said that day, and so she never mentioned it. But what did the emperor's silence mean? She didn't believe that the emperor couldn't remember what happened that day, so what did the emperor's silence mean?
"Your Majesty, don't worry. The emperor comforted you before he left. He must believe in you." Yun Xi saw Zhuang Yuyan with her head down and remained silent, so she had to comfort her.
"I know," Zhuang Yuyan sighed, "but someone has framed me for Mr. Ye's crime. I wonder what the Queen Mother will think."
She looked unconsciously at the green tiles and red walls on the roadside. Who on earth wanted to frame her?
From the peach forest incident in Taoyu Pavilion, the lotus pond incident, to the current incident with Noble Lady Ye, each and every incident was a frame-up of her. Who in the harem hates her so much?