Chapter 102 Protecting Pei Yuan: Does He Have X-ray Vision?
"Oh, it's so lively here." Empress Feng, dressed in her empress's everyday robes, walked in slowly with a graceful smile on her face.
Everyone immediately knelt down and paid their respects.
Madam Chen collapsed to the ground, sobbing, "Your Majesty, you've finally arrived! I'm so sorry, the disaster relief banquet you entrusted to me was ruined."
When Empress Feng saw the five clear handprints on Chen's face, her expression immediately turned cold.
She personally helped Chen up, her gaze sweeping across the room. When she saw Pei Yuan there, her brows furrowed slightly before she asked:
"This disaster relief banquet is for raising supplies for the people of Hanyang. Who is so bold as to dare to disrupt it?"
Her suspicious gaze shifted between Shen Chu and Pei Yuan before she finally said coldly, "Shen Chu, you tell me, who exactly ruined the disaster relief banquet?"
Shen Chu bowed and said, "Your Majesty, someone reported me to the Flying Eagle Guard today for embezzlement and bribery. The Sixth Prince has brought people over to investigate."
"Oh?" Empress Feng frowned. "Has the investigation been completed?"
Shen Chu said, "It has been investigated and found that those supplies were donated to the people of Hanyang by the ladies. Mother did not explain clearly at the time, which gave those with ulterior motives the opportunity to frame me."
Several ladies who had actually bribed him immediately knelt on the ground to testify for Shen Chu's words, all saying that the things sent to the Marquis's mansion were donations to the people of Hanyang, and that Madam Chen had misunderstood.
Empress Feng's eyes flickered, and she was convinced that Chen had deliberately framed Shen Chu. She glared at Chen and cursed her as a fool in her heart.
Madam Chen turned pale and was speechless, unable to defend herself. "Your Majesty, I didn't."
Empress Feng was too lazy to listen to her explanation and said directly, "Since it's a misunderstanding, just explain it clearly. Why has it taken so long?"
No one dared to answer Empress Feng's question.
Pei Yuan let out a sneer, "It would be better if Marquis Changning himself said this, or if Lady Chen would like to explain it herself?"
Marquis Changning's face turned bright red, unable to bring himself to say what Chen had done.
Chen knelt down with a thud, sobbing and saying, "Chen Chu found a beggar from somewhere, claiming that he was Wang Mama's lover and pinning many dirty things on me."
"I have no way to defend myself, but thankfully Your Majesty has arrived. If you hadn't come, I would have had no choice but to prove my innocence with my death."
Empress Feng's expression darkened slightly. "How can you so easily believe what a beggar says?"
Pei Yuan handed over the booklet in his hand, saying, "Mother, please take a look. This booklet contains very detailed records. If you want to know if it is true or false, just send someone to investigate."
Empress Feng glanced at Chen's pale face and guessed seven or eight parts of the truth in her mind.
She casually flipped through a few pages, then feigned displeasure and reprimanded Chen, "As the saying goes, there's no smoke without fire. This is all very detailed and convincing. If it wasn't you who did it, then it was someone close to you who deliberately stirred up trouble between you and Lord Shen."
In short, it's all your fault for not disciplining your servants properly. You'd better apologize to Marquis Changning and Lord Shen right now.
As she spoke, she gave Chen a wink.
Although Chen was unwilling, she knew that Empress Feng meant for her to swallow her anger for the time being.
She covered her face and cried, "My lord, Ah Chu, it's all my fault for being so foolish and failing to manage the servants properly, which has caused all this trouble."
"It's all my fault. I'll accept whatever punishment or scolding you may give me, Your Excellency. Let's talk about matters of the manor after today's disaster relief banquet, shall we?"
Marquis Changning knew that Empress Feng intended to protect Lady Chen, so he dared not say more. He only sighed heavily, "You must not be so foolish in the future."
Shen Chu remained silent.
Empress Feng chuckled, "It seems that Lord Shen still harbors resentment. Even if your mother was wrong in these matters, it was probably just a moment of confusion and being misled by others."
She is, after all, your legal mother. Now that she has realized her mistake, if you continue to hold a grudge and gain a reputation for being a mean-spirited legal mother, it won't do you any good, will it?
Besides, this is ultimately a matter of the Marquis's family, and it's not appropriate to bring it up at the disaster relief banquet. Your mother has already apologized to you, and I advise you to think it over carefully.”
Shen Chu looked up, her smile slightly cold. "Using a fake Taoist priest to interpret my fate, setting fire to the Taoist temple, attempting assassination several times, poisoning me, and even trying to frame me with General Li's daughter—does Your Majesty consider these all matters of the Marquis's family?"
Empress Feng's face darkened slightly. How did this involve General Li's family?
Lady Li stepped forward, her face full of anger, and begged the Empress to uphold justice.
"If Lord Shen had truly fallen for Madam Chen's scheme that day and ruined my young lady's reputation, it would have forced all the young ladies of the Li family to their deaths."
Although he took his illegitimate daughter to Jingguo Temple that day, if the illegitimate daughter was ruined, the reputation of all the girls in the family would be ruined, including his own biological daughter.
Just thinking about this made Madam Li want to tear Chen apart.
Empress Feng's heart sank, and she cursed Chen's stupidity once again in her heart.
The court is now nearly deserted of military generals; only Marquis Wu'an and General Li are capable of leading troops.
General Li was a man of fiery temper, unyielding to both soft and hard approaches. His wife, who had served on the battlefield alongside him, was also a straightforward and outspoken woman.
Of all people to offend, the Chen family had to provoke General Li's family.
Empress Feng reprimanded Madam Chen a few more times with a cold face, and comforted Madam Li, saying, "Everything must be based on evidence. We cannot conclude that Madam Chen did it all just because of a beggar's words."
I will personally send people to investigate this matter. If it is true, I will certainly not let her off the hook.
Madam Li's expression softened slightly. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Empress Feng breathed a sigh of relief and scolded Chen, "Hurry up and step aside. I will teach you a lesson after the disaster relief banquet."
Chen breathed a sigh of relief and quietly retreated to a corner.
The Empress's words meant she had promised to protect her; after the disaster relief banquet, she could simply find a few servants to take her place.
While she was mentally plotting who would be her scapegoat, she looked at Chen Chu with smug satisfaction.
Heh, even if Shen Chu exposes the fake master from back then and reveals everything she's done, so what?
As long as the Empress protects her, no one can touch her.
Didn't you see that the Marquis of Changning, who just said she was unworthy to be the mistress of the Marquis's mansion, is now completely silent?
Shen Chu can no longer touch her, hmph.
Noticing Chen's smug look, Shen Chu twirled her fingers, but then heard Pei Yuan's low laughter behind her.
"After all that fuss, it's all for nothing. They have powerful backers, and there's nothing you can do about it."
Shen Chu glanced at him, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Why is Your Highness in such a hurry? It's not the last moment yet."
"Oh? It seems you have a backup plan." Pei Yuan's eyes flashed with interest. He glanced around and finally fixed his gaze on Empress Feng, clicking his tongue in surprise.
"Tsk, they've got some nerve, even setting their sights on the Empress?"
Shen Chu's heart skipped a beat.
Even though she hadn't revealed anything, Pei Yuan always seemed to be able to see through her thoughts and schemes.
They schemed against Zhao Dewen last time, and they're doing it again this time.
Does this guy have the ability to read minds?
Pei Yuan saw the fleeting annoyance in her eyes and smiled slightly. "Why don't I guess what your next move is?"
Shen Chu smiled slightly, "Your Highness, you don't need to guess anymore, the person has arrived."
As soon as the words were spoken, a panicked figure rushed in, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened!"
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