Chapter 98 A Blatant Framing: Shen Chu's Next Plan
Although Madam Chen was furious, in front of the Sixth Prince and the Flying Eagle Guards, she dared not speak the truth, no matter how much she wanted to curse. She could only force a smile and say:
"Yes, I have received all the ladies' kindness, but I haven't had a chance to say it yet."
Shen Chu feigned surprise, "So all the ladies' things have been sent to Mother. Why didn't Mother tell me about any of them?"
Anyone who didn't know better would think that Mother was trying to keep all the gifts from the ladies for herself.
As soon as she finished speaking, the ladies looked at Madam Chen with a strange expression.
When Chen accepted the gifts, she promised them that she would convey their message to Chen Chu.
But now they haven't said anything. Could it be that they want to keep their gifts for themselves?
Chen's face darkened with anger. "I didn't. I've just been too busy these past few days and didn't have time to say it."
Shen Chu said "Oh," and replied, "Embezzling disaster relief supplies is no small matter. Even the Empress Dowager praised you for your kindness, so you certainly wouldn't embezzle the food and clothing of the disaster victims."
"My mother is a kind person; she wouldn't do something so heinous, right?"
She looked at Chen with a smile.
Chen was so angry she almost vomited blood, but she had to force herself to maintain a polite smile, almost to the point of bursting.
"Of course, someone come here immediately and bring out all the items donated by the ladies the other day to register and catalog them."
After a pause, in an attempt to demonstrate her kindness, she almost spat out a sentence through gritted teeth, "I will donate another two thousand taels of silver."
Snap, snap!
Shen Chu smiled and led the applause, "My mother is indeed kind; she's admirable."
Chen snorted, her fingernails almost breaking off as she tried to control her anger.
Soon everything was brought up, filling the garden to the brim. Chen felt a pang of heartache at the sight, but she had no choice but to grit her teeth and have it registered.
Shen Chu said, "It's perfect that the Sixth Prince is here; he can witness the distribution of these disaster relief supplies."
Furthermore, as Your Highness just saw, the matter of accepting bribes was merely a misunderstanding. These items were prepared by the ladies for the people in the disaster area, and were not the result of my embezzlement or bribery.
"Oh? Is that so?" Pei Yuan crossed his legs and waved his jade-bone fan. "How would I know that this wasn't a scheme between you and Madam Chen, who, seeing things were going badly, temporarily changed the bribes into disaster relief supplies?"
Shen Chu spread his hands and said, "Your Highness just saw it too. The items were given directly to my mother, Madam Chen, by the ladies. I knew nothing about this from beginning to end, so how could we have conspired together?"
At this point, she feigned doubt and asked, "It's strange, the ladies just sent over some things a couple of days ago, and today someone reported me for accepting bribes. It's too much of a coincidence."
She looked at Chen with a hurt expression: "Mother, you didn't mean to deliberately make me have a reputation for embezzlement and bribery, did you?"
Chen was caught off guard and instinctively denied it: "Nonsense, I didn't. Do you suspect that I reported you?"
Shen Chu looked troubled. "I don't want to doubt it either, but... who else besides my mother and the ladies knows that the ladies sent things over?"
If it wasn't my mother, then could it have been one of the ladies who reported me?
She looked at the ladies with a suspicious expression.
The ladies were terrified and quickly waved their hands, swearing that they had absolutely not reported Shen Chu.
Shen Chu glanced at Chen Shi silently, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated, feeling wronged but not saying anything.
Everyone immediately became even more suspicious of Chen.
Someone couldn't help but whisper, "They're not from my own womb, so how could I truly love them?"
"The dragon boat race a few days ago framed Lord Shen, so maybe this time it's also to frame him for embezzlement and bribery."
"He accepted the gifts himself and then framed his illegitimate son. He's really ruthless."
The murmurs of the crowd reached Chen's ears, just as they had just been about Chen Chu.
The more smug Chen was just now, the angrier she became.
Feeling uneasy under the suspicious gazes of the crowd, she couldn't help but retort, "Nonsense, I didn't have anyone report you."
"What's all this commotion about?" Marquis Changning asked, helping Old Madam Shen over.
He was entertaining male guests on the other side when he heard the commotion and rushed over, just in time to run into Madam Shen.
Shen Chu recounted what had happened in a low voice, looking aggrieved, "...Father, His Majesty had just ordered me to inspect the various departments when someone framed me under the guise of bribery."
At this rate, His Majesty could simply dismiss me and confiscate my property before I even have a chance to inspect the various departments.
Marquis Changning's face darkened.
These days, because Shen Chu has been assigned to inspect various departments, many ministers in the court have completely changed their attitude towards the Marquis of Changning's mansion, and many people are flattering and praising him.
This made his back, which he hadn't straightened for years, straighten up instantly.
Hearing Shen Chu say this, he immediately became anxious, "Don't talk nonsense, the good ones are effective but the bad ones aren't!"
After saying that, he couldn't help but glance at Chen with a suspicious look on his face.
Foolish woman, could it really be that she framed Shen Chu?
Madam Chen was so angry at the suspicious look in Marquis Changning's eyes that she felt like vomiting blood.
Marquis Changning was unwilling to listen to her explanation. "Alright, this is not shameful. You should sincerely apologize to Achu and promise never to do it again."
Ms. Chen was taken aback, and then her face turned red with anger.
"I've already said it wasn't me, I didn't frame him, why should I apologize to him?"
Marquis Changning frowned. "If it wasn't you, then who was it? Could A-Chu possibly report herself?"
Pei Yuan smiled, a slight curl at the corner of his lips.
It must be said that the Marquis of Changning does have a certain degree of sensitivity at times.
Upon hearing Pei Yuan's laughter, Shen Chu couldn't help but glare at him secretly.
Pei Yuan's smile widened.
He was curious about Shen Chu's next plan. Was it just to get the Chen family to apologize to him?
Chen was speechless and felt so frustrated he wanted to vomit blood.
Marquis Changning grabbed her arm and whispered angrily, "Today's main task is to collect disaster relief supplies. If this is messed up, how will you explain it to the Empress Dowager and the Empress?"
Chen felt a chill run down her spine and immediately came to her senses.
She had already taken out the things she had received, and even spent two thousand taels of silver of her own money. She had already lost money, so she couldn't afford to hold another disaster relief banquet, otherwise she wouldn't be able to explain herself to the Empress Dowager and the Empress.
Thinking of this, she almost gritted her teeth and whispered, "Ah Chu, I was wrong to do this. I didn't have time to tell you, which allowed the people around me to take advantage of the situation."
I will definitely find out who reported you and give you an explanation.
Shen Chu lowered her eyes, concealing the coldness within them.
Ha, all she did was admit to framing her for accepting bribes, and she's already this upset.
When Achu was only a month old, she was branded with the stigma of being a jinx and thrown into a Taoist temple, where she spent seventeen years in cold and lonely solitude.
Compared to the suffering that Xiao Achu endured, Chen's suffering was only just beginning.
Next came the grand gift she had prepared for the Chen family.
Just then, Pei Yuan's low laughter rang in his ears, "You're so openly framing your stepmother, aren't you afraid I'll expose you?"
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