Su Yun knelt down readily, saying, "I have failed in my duties; please punish me, Your Highness."
Zhao Cong had his back to her, and his tall, imposing figure always filled her with both longing and fear.
Before he could speak, Su Yun said impatiently, "I instructed the shopkeeper to make a crown for Miss Wan'er, but the style is definitely not the Twelve Pearls. The pattern sent at the time had my notes on it. If Your Highness doesn't believe me, you can go to the shop to check."
"I only knew that the craftsmen in that shop had superb skills, but I never expected that something like this would happen, and that Miss Tang would witness it."
Su Yun burst into tears, overwhelmed with guilt. "It's all my fault. I will personally go to the Tang residence to apologize, so that the Tang family will not misunderstand the Crown Prince. I truly deserve to die."
Zhao Cong remained silent.
Su Yun felt a little flustered and didn't even have the courage to steal a glance at his back. With a sob in her voice, she said, "Your Highness, please punish me, otherwise I will feel really uneasy."
With a "thud," Zhao Cong threw the folded document in his hand onto the table, and Su Yun shrank back.
"The authorities have already interrogated the shopkeeper, and he admitted to trying to embezzle money. Your design has been found in his room."
Su Yun's brow relaxed slightly, and she sobbed twice more.
Zhao Cong added, "But there's one thing: how did he know the design of the Empress's phoenix crown?"
Su Yun's palms were slightly sweaty. "The styles in the palace have always been imitated by outsiders. Many ladies and young misses have their jewelry made in that shop. This shopkeeper is quite knowledgeable."
Zhao Cong turned around, his cold eyes fixed on her. "The palace is indeed largely the same, but the phoenix crowns worn by each Crown Princess, Imperial Concubine, and even Noble Consort are subtly different every year."
"The phoenix crown in the shop is exactly the same as the one the Ministry of Rites made for Tang Yun."
Su Yun's throat tightened. "This...this...I don't know."
"Is that so?" Zhao Cong drawled, "The people from the Ministry of Rites said that your palace staff went to the embroidery room a couple of days ago."
Su Yun's heart tightened. "I only asked the maid to check the pattern of the Empress's clothes because I was worried that the clothes I prepared for Miss Wan'er might clash with the Crown Princess's. That's all."
Zhao Cong sneered, "You are the only one who knows Feng'er's background. His birth mother... is just a lie to outsiders."
Su Yun had never felt such immense pressure descend upon her, as if she were trapped in a cramped place, her breath becoming labored. "The Crown Prince is my only support in this life, and I hope the Crown Prince will be well."
"It is true that the young prince is the crown prince's biological son, and it is also true that the young prince's birth mother is the crown prince's beloved."
Zhao Cong chuckled softly through his nose, his expression unreadable. "Go down."
After Su Yun came out, her legs felt weak and her limbs were ice cold. It took her a long time to recover by leaning on Cui'er.
She clenched her fist and said, "That idiot Tang Yun can't even handle Lin Qingwan, and he almost got me into trouble."
"Have you settled things with the shopkeeper?"
Cui'er said, "Don't worry, he knows what's important and would never dare to implicate you."
Su Yun closed her eyes briefly and said reluctantly, "Have someone urge us to make another crown as soon as possible."
At the same time, Tang Yun was also scolded by his father.
"Have I spoiled you too much, or have I become too arrogant in my affection for you? She is the Crown Prince's darling, as he himself admitted. Why did you provoke her!"
Tang, the Vice Minister, was already exhausted from his battles of wits and courage with the Crown Prince over military power. Upon hearing that his daughter had gotten into trouble, his fiery temper immediately flared up.
"If I hadn't gone, would she have entered the Eastern Palace with me, wearing the crown of the Empress?" Tang Yun felt extremely wronged. Not only did her father not help her, but he also blamed her.
Minister Tang said, "That would be good. No matter who did it, she will not escape punishment. What's the use of you finding out now!"
"I..." Tang Yun couldn't answer.
Tang's mother felt sorry for her daughter, "Husband, you know what kind of person Yun'er is. She's already wronged, so please don't scold her."
"In the end, this matter is because the Crown Prince disrespected the Tang family by suddenly introducing a concubine, the mother of the young prince, and even making her a concubine. Yun'er has never suffered such humiliation before."
Speaking of this, Vice Minister Tang also got angry.
"I never expected His Majesty to agree." He sighed. "I met with the Crown Prince today, and I spoke up for Yun'er both openly and secretly, but do you know what the Crown Prince said?"
"What did you say?" Tang's mother asked curiously.
Tang Yun eagerly awaited her father's continuation.
Minister Tang frowned. “Whether it’s family background, social status, or the help she has given to the Crown Prince, that woman can’t compare to Yun’er. But the Crown Prince says that his only bloodline is that woman who gave birth to him.”
"Later, he mentioned the life-saving grace at the border. From what he said... Yun'er's position as the Crown Princess was only due to His Majesty's influence; otherwise, the position of Crown Princess would have belonged to that woman."
Upon hearing this, Tang's mother realized there was no way she could argue!
Women in the inner quarters ultimately rely on offspring for their livelihood. No matter how much the Tang family can help the Crown Prince, it can't compare to that woman giving birth to a little prince.
Tang Yun bit her lip, "Then why should I marry? I might as well let that vixen be the Crown Princess!"
"Don't talk nonsense!" Minister Tang said coldly.
Tang's mother also said, "You can't say things like that. If you don't marry, we'll be committing a heinous crime of deceiving the emperor. Even if we're lucky enough to survive, no one will dare to propose marriage to you in the future."
"There's no other way right now. After all, you're the Crown Princess. The concubine is a bit inferior, and she's weak and alone, without any family support. She won't go far."
"There's still a long way to go."
Tang Yun felt wronged just thinking about it, and tears streamed down her face.
Minister Tang paused, his expression hardening. "Who told you that her crown was made at that jewelry shop?"
Tang Yun summoned her maid, who said that she had heard about it on the street a couple of days ago, when Consort Su sent someone to the courtyard to take her measurements.
Minister Tang was cautious. "Yun'er has probably been tricked."
"From now on, stay away from that woman. As long as she doesn't bother you, just pretend you don't see her."
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