Chapter 77 What's True and What's False? She had always felt that the Regent's actions were too...
Lin Yuzhen looked at her mother, at a loss. Only then did Madam Lin understand Princess Anxian's plan. However, since it concerned her daughter's reputation, she couldn't make a scene in front of all the guests. She could only clench her handkerchief tightly and maintain a polite smile on her face.
"The show has begun, let's watch it first..."
Prince Anxian was unwilling to let this opportunity slip by. She held Lin Yuzhen's hand affectionately, her eyes fixed on the young Empress Dowager as she drank tea, a forced smile on her face.
"The Empress Dowager and Lord Shen have a close relationship, and today you happen to meet Miss Lin. In your opinion, as someone with experience, do you think these two are a good match?"
Chu Yueyuan put down her teacup, thinking that she had just given Princess Anxian two fewer pieces of braised pork knuckle. If her throat had been choked by the oil, she wouldn't have been so noisy.
She raised her eyes, looked at the bewildered Lin Yuzhen, and smiled slightly: "When I was still unmarried, I had the opportunity to meet Miss Lin a few times. Miss Lin is intelligent and kind-hearted, talented and beautiful, and well-educated and reasonable. She is a model of a young lady in the capital. Such a noble lady with both beauty and character would be an honor for any family she marries."
Lin Yuzhen stared at the woman's beautiful features, momentarily stunned.
Madam Lin hurriedly pulled her daughter over and bowed to the young Empress Dowager: "My daughter is of mediocre talent, and I am truly unworthy of Your Highness's praise."
Princess Anxian, unwilling to let this charade pass so easily, darted her eyes and smiled again: "Why is Your Highness beating around the bush? I was referring to the young master of the Shen family, not any other young master in the capital..."
But she had barely started speaking when she was suddenly interrupted by a childish voice.
Xiao Yun sat on the dragon throne, his small face tense. His voice, though childish, did not lack imperial majesty: "You woman are quite noisy. Didn't your teacher teach you the principle of 'keeping quiet while watching a play'?"
Children speak without restraint, and the young emperor's words were even more unrestrained, showing no mercy whatsoever to Princess Anxian.
Princess Anxian's face immediately turned ashen, like a spilled vat of dye, flashing through a riot of colors. She stammered, "Your Majesty, I understand..."
Xiao Yun waved his dragon-patterned sleeve and imitated his mother's usual tone of scolding: "If you know that, then eat the Yun Fruit and shut your mouth."
As soon as the imperial edict was issued, the servants of the Prince's Mansion brought out an eight-treasure box, which was filled with various sweet and cloying fruits such as persimmon paste, apricot cakes, and smiley face cakes. In the blink of an eye, it was piled up into a small mountain on Princess Anxian's table.
Princess Anxian took a bite of the Yunguo fruit with a livid face, cursing inwardly that although the mother and son on the dragon and phoenix chair were not blood relatives, they were of the same ilk!
When the lively scene of the female performer in blue below the stage ended, the guests turned to continue watching the two martial arts actors clashing with swords on the stage.
Lin Yuzhen's mood had not yet calmed down from the incident. Ever since the rumors of the Shen family's intention to form a marriage alliance with the Lin family spread, she had become a thorn in the side of the noble ladies in the capital. No matter which family's banquet she attended, she would always be ostracized and harassed by other noble ladies, whether openly or secretly.
She wasn't involved before, but now that she's deeply embroiled in it, she truly understands the heartache and bitterness within.
Lin Yuzhen couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for the woman who could remain calm and composed at all times.
"Mother, I want to go for a walk in the garden."
Hearing her daughter's soft plea, Madam Lin understood that she wanted to avoid the limelight for a while. She gently patted her hand and softly advised, "Remember to have your maid follow you closely. The Prince's garden is winding and secluded, so don't go to any quiet spots."
“My daughter has remembered it.”
Chu Yueyuan watched the opera with a calm expression for a while, and after a short while, she left her seat under the pretext of changing her clothes.
The Prince's Mansion was renovated on the site of the former Princess's Mansion. Apart from the reduction in the size of the mansion, the buildings and scenery inside the mansion have not changed much.
The osmanthus grove in the garden has been neglected for many years, yet it has grown ever more luxuriantly. A gentle breeze blows, and clusters of tender yellow stamens exude a rich fragrance. Pale golden fallen petals cover the entire cobblestone path, and walking through the grove, one is inadvertently covered with the fragrance of flowers.
Jin Tong brushed the fallen petals off Chu Yueyuan's shoulder. Seeing that no one was around, she no longer concealed her indignation:
“Princess Anxian has mentioned Lord Shen repeatedly, clearly intending to embarrass the Empress Dowager in front of everyone. Why doesn’t Your Highness punish her?”
Chu Yueyuan lowered her head slightly, walked around the flower branch blocking her way, and said calmly, "I have a past with Lord Shen, which everyone in the capital knows. Princess Anxian did not say anything wrong. If I were to punish her for this, it would make me appear narrow-minded, and it would also embarrass the Lin family. If this is exaggerated and spread, it would make it seem like I cannot tolerate the Lin family, and if the Regent is also involved, it would escalate into factional divisions in the court..."
"It's not worth it for a momentary verbal dispute..."
Chu Yueyuan understood. Princess Anxian was convinced that the Chu family had submitted to Prince Anxian, and wanted to use her to establish her authority in public. Today, she was trying to set a trap for her, hoping to make her offend the Shen and Lin families and become isolated and helpless, so that she would work even harder for the future of the Chu family.
Before the performance on stage was over, she made up an excuse to leave her seat, so as to avoid continuing to spar with Princess Anxian.
Jin Tong clicked her tongue in amazement, thinking that these noble ladies, though seemingly kind and gentle, were actually full of scheming. Having a meal with them was as exhausting as fighting a battle.
Chu Yueyuan strolled leisurely along the cobblestone path, and after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the path came to an end. Further ahead, a moon gate stood quietly, behind which was a row of elegant rooms, a refined pavilion for guests to change clothes and rest.
Just as the two were about to turn back, they suddenly heard birds chirping overhead.
Jin Tong, with her sharp eyes, was the first to spot a parrot peeking out from among the branches covered in pale golden osmanthus blossoms.
She pointed and exclaimed excitedly, "Your Highness, look! This parrot is so beautiful! It looks unlike any other parrot!"
Chu Yueyuan held a silk ivory-handled fan to shield her forehead. Following Jin Tong's finger, she saw a parrot with emerald green feathers, a purplish-red head, and a circle of black lines around its neck, perched on a branch preening its feathers.
This purple-crowned parrot was quite bold. Upon hearing Jin Tong's voice, it not only didn't fly away in fright, but also tilted its head to examine the two of them.
Xiao Yun had a sweet tooth, and Jin Tong always kept cloud cakes in her purse to coax him. She never expected them to come in handy now.
She untied her purse and tore off a small piece of pastry.
The purple-crowned parrot shook its wings, gripping the branch tightly with one claw, while raising the other claw slightly, seemingly very interested in the snow-white cloud cake in Jin Tong's hand.
A moment later, the purple-crowned parrot could not resist the temptation. It spread its wings and flew up from the branch, circled twice in the air, and finally landed on Jin Tong's arm, pecking at the pastry with its small mouth.
"Your Highness, this parrot isn't afraid of people at all. Could it be a pet kept by a noble family member in the royal palace?"
Chu Yueyuan reached out and tapped the parrot's purplish-red head, her eyes curving slightly: "It must be that the cage wasn't locked properly, and this little guy escaped."
The cloud-shaped cake in Jin Tong's hand was quickly devoured by the purple-crowned parrot, which then hopped onto Chu Yueyuan's hand, staring at her with its shiny black eyes. Suddenly, it tilted its little head and opened its crimson beak:
"Help! Help me! Let me out!"
Parrots can mimic human speech, and some clever parrots can even perfectly imitate the emotions in human speech.
Chu Yueyuan's smile faded. If she hadn't witnessed it with her own eyes, she would have found it hard to believe that such a shrill and piercing cry came from the beak of a tiny parrot.
Jin Tong's eyes widened: "This...this parrot has become a spirit, it actually asked Your Highness for help?"
Chu Yueyuan frowned, her expression turning serious. She said in a low voice, "The parrot can't speak; it can only mimic human voices. The person crying for help isn't the parrot itself, but the person it's imitating..."
"Help! Help me! Let me out!"
The purple-crowned parrot deftly turned its head, repeating the eerie words over and over again, its voice mournful and plaintive, sending a chill down Chu Yueyuan's spine.
The next moment, the purple-crowned parrot suddenly flapped its wings and flew away, disappearing in the blink of an eye into the dense osmanthus grove.
"Help! Help me—"
The purple-crowned parrot had long since vanished, but its terrified cries for help lingered in the forest, like a woman's sobs echoing in one's ears, sending chills down one's spine.
The light suddenly dimmed, and the once brightly lit osmanthus grove became gloomy. The intertwined branches resembled twisted ghostly claws, casting menacing shadows on them.
Jin Tong looked around in alarm, then gently tugged at Chu Yueyuan's sleeve and stammered:
"Your Highness...could it be that someone is being imprisoned in the Prince's residence?"
Chu Yueyuan pictured the kind and gentle faces of Prince Chun and his wife in her mind. She felt that the prince and princess were upright people, and even if they wanted to punish the servants in the mansion, they would not imprison them or use private torture.
Perhaps this purple-crowned parrot wasn't kept in the palace, but simply flew in from outside to forage for food. As for its imitation...
She couldn't figure it out for a moment, and felt a vague unease in her heart, so she said calmly, "Let's not talk about other people's affairs. Let's go back first."
The two women, mistress and servant, retraced their steps along the cobblestone path. The quiet garden echoed with the sound of hurried footsteps, overlapping and intertwining, as if they were not the only ones present. Just as Chu Yueyuan was wondering about this, a figure in green suddenly flashed before her eyes and pounced at her feet.
"Your Majesty, I beg you to save me!"
Chu Yueyuan nearly tripped over the woman who suddenly appeared. With Jin Tong's help, she regained her balance and looked down to see that the woman who had fallen in front of her was actually the Lin family's daughter.
Lin Yuzhen's face was deathly pale, her hair was disheveled, her turquoise dress was covered in wrinkles, and the delicate butterfly buttons at the neckline had come undone, revealing her fair skin beneath the half-open collar.
A hint of surprise flashed in Chu Yueyuan's eyes. She remembered that Lin Yuzhen had only left the banquet half an hour ago, so how did she end up in such a disheveled state? Just as she was about to ask what had happened, she saw the branches and leaves swaying in the woods, and another figure stumbled out.
In the capital, besides the title of "Number One Beauty," many other titles circulated among the people, such as Number One Talented Scholar, Number One Constable, Number One Diviner... and Number One Playboy.
The young master Tao, who stumbled out of the osmanthus grove, was none other than the number one playboy in the capital. He came from a family with a long history of officialdom, and his elder sister was now the principal wife of the Prince of Anxian.
"Little beauty, don't run away..."
Prince Tao reeked of alcohol, his face as red as a greasy pork knuckle. He swayed and spun around before regaining his balance. In a daze, he saw a stunningly beautiful woman, as beautiful as a goddess descending to earth.
He grinned broadly, "Hehe, another beauty has appeared! Beauties, come quickly into my arms, let me pamper you properly..."
Prince Tao walked forward with a grin, but before his hand could even touch the woman's clothes, a sharp pain shot through his knee, and he cried out in agony as he knelt on the ground.
He endured the excruciating pain and raised his head, only to see a towering man appear out of nowhere, kneeling on one knee to pay homage to the Goddess of the Luo River, and saying in a deep, resonant voice:
"This humble official is late; please punish me, Your Majesty."
The drunkenness in Tao Shizi's mind dissipated almost completely, and he finally remembered that this beautiful woman with a clear and elegant appearance was not some fairy goddess, but the current Empress Dowager.
Chu Yueyuan helped Lin Yuzhen up and asked, "What happened?"
Lin Yuzhen clutched her torn collar tightly, her face pale, tears welling in her eyes, struggling to suppress the tremor in her voice: "Your Highness, Prince Tao attempted to take advantage of me..."
Recalling the humiliation she had just suffered, she couldn't help but burst into tears.
"You slut! You clearly climbed into my bed yourself!"
Tao Shizi cursed and tried to get up, but a piercing pain shot through his broken leg, and he fell to the ground again, his mouth full of mud mixed with osmanthus petals.
Chu Yueyuan's eyes were cold and clear. Just by looking at Tao Shizi's drunken state and the scratches on his face, she could tell which of the two men's words were true and which were false.
She could easily send this dissolute man to the Dali Temple for trial, but today the Prince's Mansion is filled with the wives and relatives of officials from the capital. If this matter gets out, it will inevitably affect Lin Yuzhen's reputation.
It would be better to have Captain Jing knock this playboy unconscious and throw him out of the Chu residence. By the time he wakes up, the banquet will have already ended. But what if the Tao family finds that their young master is missing from the Chu residence? Will they cause a scene?
Moreover, wouldn't such a hasty resolution embolden Prince Tao? What if he uses this matter to blackmail the Lin family in the future?
Sigh... If only the Regent were here, given that man's ruthless and decisive nature, he would have already disposed of Prince Tao's body properly.
She used to think the regent was too ruthless, but now she remembered his good points.
Before Chu Yueyuan could come up with a solution, she heard rustling footsteps behind her. It turned out that Princess Anxian was coming with several noble ladies.
It turned out that Princess Anxian first drank two cups of tea to digest the greasy pork knuckle, and then drank three cups of tea to digest the sweet fruit. Her lower abdomen was blocked, making her restless. Therefore, before the play was over, she pulled several of her close friends to change her clothes.
Upon hearing Princess Anxian's voice, Prince Tao immediately shouted, "Sister, sister, come quickly and do justice for me!"
In fact, Princess Anxian had already seen the young Empress Dowager's back and was hesitating whether to go around the young widow who she couldn't afford to offend when she suddenly heard her younger brother's shout. She quickly lifted her skirt and walked over. When she saw Prince Tao lying on the ground in a disheveled state, her expression changed drastically.
"Yuanheng, what's wrong with you?"
Prince Tao clutched his broken leg and howled, "Sister, that little slut from the Lin family deliberately seduced me first, but then she went back on her word halfway through, insisting that I forced her, and even went to the Empress Dowager to complain..."
The burly man wiped away his tears and cried out, "The Empress Dowager didn't give me a chance to explain before she had my legs broken!"
Princess Anxian's gaze swept between Prince Tao and Lin Yuzhen before finally settling on the young Empress Dowager. Her eyes darted around rapidly, and suddenly her expression changed, and she sobbed:
"If Your Majesty is to blame me for my inappropriate remarks at the banquet, for bringing up your past with Young Master Shen, then you may simply punish me directly. Why go to the trouble of instructing Miss Lin to frame my brother..."
"Could it be... that Your Highness, with the Phoenix Seal in your possession, can bypass the Dali Temple and use private torture against the families of officials?"
Chu Yueyuan supported Lin Yuzhen, clearly feeling her body trembling violently like a withered leaf in the wind. She gently patted the other's back, her gaze falling quietly on Princess Anxian's face, her tone slightly somber:
"It's a pity that Your Highness isn't a lawyer! With just a few words, you've tied me and Miss Lin together. Even if I wanted to go to the Dali Temple to testify for her, I'm afraid we'd both become plaintiffs."
Princess Anxian's expression stiffened slightly, and the other ladies quickly stepped forward to smooth things over.
"If you ask me, it's just that Prince Tao had drunk too much and was joking around with Miss Lin, and His Highness the Empress Dowager happened to see it. Miss Lin was shy and said a few things in a moment of embarrassment, and His Highness believed her."
"That's right. Since Your Highness has already ordered someone to punish Prince Tao, it's enough to teach him a lesson."
"That's right. If this gets out, it will be bad for the Tao and Lin families to save face."
Seeing that the ladies had persuaded her enough, Princess Anxian's expression subtly changed, adopting a gentle and ingratiating demeanor: "Just now, seeing my younger brother injured, I was momentarily anxious and offended the Empress Dowager with my words. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
She leaned forward slightly, her voice earnest: "As for Yuanheng and Miss Lin's 'fooling'... I hereby swear that the Tao family will never wrong Miss Lin in the slightest. It just so happens that Yuanheng is not yet married, so tomorrow, I will bring Your Highness and other generous gifts to the Lin family to personally propose marriage."
Prince Tao was dumbfounded. He hadn't had his fill of flirting with women yet, and besides, a dull and boring woman like the Lin family's daughter was someone he'd only had his fun with once. How could he possibly marry her?
He quickly interjected, "Sister, I haven't even taken her clothes off yet..."
"Shut up!" Princess Anxian interrupted sharply, her eyes glaring like knives at her good-for-nothing brother. Her move was actually a strategic retreat; the Lin family had been scholars for generations and valued their reputation above all else, so they would certainly not want to take this matter to the Dali Temple.
If the Lin family rejects the marriage proposal, the Tao family will only lose face. However, if the Lin family accepts, Prince Anxian will gain the Lin family as a marriage partner without lifting a finger, and will also be able to win over the upright faction in the court.
Either way, the Tao family won't suffer a loss.
Princess Anxian raised her eyebrows and smiled lightly: "This matter involves the Lin and Tao families, so Your Majesty does not need to worry about it. Why don't you hand these two over to me and allow me to take Miss Lin to Yaxuan to redo her makeup?"
Chu Yueyuan frowned. Of course, she would not hand Lin Yuzhen over to Princess Anxian, but she had no reason to stop Princess Anxian from taking away Prince Tao.
Once Prince Tao leaves, the mudslinging he has smeared on Lin Yuzhen will never be completely washed away.
With a thud, Lin Yuzhen knelt down before Chu Yueyuan. She raised her head, her eyes shining with determination: "This humble woman wishes to accuse Tao Yuanheng of indecent assault. I humbly request Your Majesty the Empress Dowager to summon the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review to uphold justice for this humble woman."
After speaking, Lin Yuzhen kowtowed deeply.
Upon hearing this, Princess Anxian and the other ladies' faces all changed drastically. Prince Tao, clutching his broken leg, roared, "You slut, sue me if you want! I'm not afraid of you! The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review is here... Ouch... If they find out you climbed into my bed, let's see which cuckold in the capital is willing to marry you!"
Lin Yuzhen ignored Tao Shizi's insults; her face was pale, but her expression remained firm.
Chu Yueyuan looked at her with a complicated expression and asked solemnly, "Are you sure?"
"This subject is certain!"
———
Princess Consort Zhu could never have imagined that a perfectly good birthday banquet would unexpectedly turn into a lawsuit.
After calming the guests in the front hall, she walked quickly toward the arched doorway leading to the main hall, where she bumped into Xie Nianzhi, who was walking out from under the connecting corridor.
Zhu raised an eyebrow in surprise: "Nianzhi, I've been looking for you for ages, where have you been?"
Xie Nianzhi remained calm. She casually brushed the osmanthus petals off her sleeve and smiled gently: "I suddenly felt unwell just now, so I went back to my room to rest for a while. Why did you rush to find me, sister-in-law? Is something important?"
Just as Zhu was about to speak, she remembered the Empress Dowager's instructions and changed the subject: "Your brother and I have important matters to attend to immediately. You go to the front hall to greet the guests for me. If anyone asks about the whereabouts of Minister Hu of the Court of Judicial Review... just say that Minister Hu was drunk and has already returned to his residence."
She paused, then added, "Also... have Qing'er keep the Emperor company while he plays, and send several clever maids and servants to attend to him. If the Emperor wants to see the Empress Dowager, just say... the Empress Dowager is tired after watching the play and is taking a nap in the elegant pavilion."
Xie Nianzhi nodded obediently: "Don't worry, sister-in-law, I've remembered everything."
After thinking it over again, Zhu felt that her sister-in-law was always meticulous in her work. She could handle things more reliably than she could handle herself. With this in mind, she felt a little more at ease.
"Then I'll go first. If the prince and I haven't returned by the time the banquet ends, please see the guests out on our behalf."
"Okay, sister-in-law, take it easy."
Xie Nianzhi watched Zhu Shi's retreating figure, the curve of her lips slowly drooping. She stared expressionlessly at the carved hall door, her eyes deep and dark.
Before Lady Zhu even stepped into the inner hall, she heard Prince Tao's voice coming from inside:
"I got drunk at the banquet and didn't go to the opera with the others. A servant from the Prince's mansion helped me to the elegant pavilion to rest. I was sleeping soundly when I vaguely heard a knocking sound at the door. I opened my eyes and saw Miss Lin walk into the room, looking at me affectionately. I mistook her for that dancer trying to curry favor, so I hugged her tightly..."
"Enough, you lecherous scoundrel who twists the truth!"
Madam Zhu quietly entered the inner hall and silently walked to her husband's side.
Xie Yu looked serious and shook his head at Zhu Shi. The unspoken understanding between the couple allowed Zhu Shi to instantly understand her husband's meaning.
The current situation is likely to be extremely unfavorable for the Lin family!
————
In the hall, Madam Lin held her daughter tightly in her arms, her hand trembling as she pointed at Prince Tao and angrily rebuked him: "Zhen'er is well-educated and always observes proper etiquette. She would never say a word to a man outside the family. How could she possibly have a secret rendezvous with a disgraced second-generation rich kid like you? You are slandering her reputation with such nonsense. Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?"
Scholar Lin sat in an armchair with a gloomy expression, his eyes bloodshot, staring coldly at Princess Anxian and Prince Tao opposite him. His usually gentle and refined scholarly face now faintly revealed a hint of murderous intent.
Aside from the Lin and Tao families, Chu Yueyuan and Minister Hu of the Court of Judicial Review were seated on the two rosewood armchairs at the head of the table.
Lord Hu drank the hangover soup bestowed by the young empress dowager. Although his eyelids drooped, his mind was very clear, and at the same time, he was troubled.
The Tao family has been officials for generations and has also formed a marriage alliance with the imperial family; he cannot afford to offend them!
The Lin family is a scholarly family and the leading family of upright officials in the court. He cannot afford to offend them!
Sigh, how did he manage to get into a case more difficult to judge than Bao Gong beheading his own nephew just by going out for a banquet?
Princess Anxian raised an eyebrow, a half-smile on her face, and said, "In matters between men and women, it never takes two to tango. If your daughter is truly as well-behaved as Madam says, why did she send away her maids and go to such a secluded place as Yaxuan alone?"
Seeing his sister standing up for him, Prince Tao immediately chimed in loudly, "Yes, yes, I have a witness. The servants of the Prince's mansion can testify that I was sleeping in the guest room of the Elegant Pavilion the whole time. It was Miss Lin who pushed open the door and took the initiative to ask me to make love to her!"
Madam Lin was so angry that she trembled all over, clutching her chest tightly, and her lips turned purplish-black. Chu Yueyuan had no choice but to ask Jin Tong to help Madam Lin to the side to rest.
Lord Hu summoned a servant from the Prince's residence, who confirmed that Prince Tao had entered Qixiang Room in Yaxuan at 1:15 PM to sober up.
Ya Xuan has seven rooms for guests to rest in: Yi He, Er Gui, San Ji, Si Xi, Wu Fu, Lu Shun, and Qi Xiang.
Seeing that Prince Tao was completely drunk, the servant specially arranged for him to stay in the last room of the Elegant Pavilion, Room No. 7, so as not to disturb the other guests. He waited outside the door until noon, and then was called away by the steward to help in the front hall.
Next, it was Lin Yuzhen's turn to recount her experience.
Lin Yuzhen changed into a lake-blue dress, combed her messy hair back into place, curtsied, lowered her head, and her fingers clasped at her waist trembled slightly.
"Your Excellency, my daughter left the stage around noon and arrived in the garden around 1:15 PM, accompanied by a maid named Bailu. While admiring the flowers, I heard a child crying coming from the elegant pavilion. Upon investigation, I discovered the crying was coming from the last guest room. I assumed some young master had accidentally locked himself in, so I asked Bailu to fetch someone to help him..."
"Shortly after the egret left, the crying inside abruptly stopped. Worried something had happened, I tried to break down the door, and surprisingly, I managed to pry it open. But when I entered the guest room, I didn't see the child; only Prince Tao came out from the inner room. I asked him if he had heard the child crying, but he…"
Lin Yuzhen's face turned pale, her eyelashes trembled, and her voice choked with sobs: "He dragged me into the inner room onto the bed. I struggled desperately and cried for help, but he grabbed my throat, and I couldn't scream. In desperation, I could only kick him..."
The eyes of everyone in the hall, following Lin Yuzhen's pointing finger, all fell on Tao Shizi's waist, where they saw a clear shoe print on the silk fabric.
Lin Yuzhen took a deep breath and then said, "I broke free and heard Prince Tao shouting and chasing after me out of the house. In a panic, I ran into the osmanthus grove. Fortunately, the Empress Dowager and her maid were in the grove, so I rushed over to ask for help."
After she finished speaking, she unbuttoned the agate button on her blouse, revealing dark blue finger marks on her neck.
"You beast!"
After hearing his daughter's testimony, Scholar Lin could no longer contain his anger. He drew the sword from Captain Jing's waist and strode toward Prince Tao, wishing he could tear him to pieces.
Prince Tao was terrified and hurriedly leaned on his cane to hide behind Princess Anxian, crying out, "Sister, save me!"
Princess Anxian stood up abruptly and sternly ordered the guards to seize the enraged Scholar Lin.
Prince Chun, while protecting the treasure at his waist, rushed into the crowd to break up the fight.
The hall instantly descended into chaos, filled with shouts, curses, and cries, causing the lanterns with the character "福" (fortune) hanging under the eaves to sway violently from the noise.
Lord Hu instinctively reached for the gavel, but grasped at nothing. He was sweating profusely with anxiety when he saw the Empress Dowager suddenly grab his teacup and smash it on the ground.
A sharp, clattering sound immediately silenced the noisy crowd, who all turned to look at the young empress dowager sitting on the rosewood armchair.
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