Feng Guche's face darkened.
Feng Ji slowly explained, "On the day the Crown Prince married his concubine, a maid from the Eastern Palace bumped into me. I noticed that she seemed strange, so I sent someone to follow her to check on her, just in case something happened. But when the guard returned and reported back, he said that Concubine Yu had run into the Crown Princess's palace and jumped into the lake. Then I heard that the Crown Princess had pushed Concubine Yu into the lake and was being interrogated by the Crown Prince while he was drowning."
These words were spoken.
Everyone was shocked.
What's going on?
Wasn't it said that Xiao Qingyu was pushed into the lake by Mu Chenshuang?
Feng Xilan's expression froze instantly, while Xiao Qingyu was completely panicked and lost her composure, never expecting things to develop to this point.
"Although I have not had much interaction with the Crown Princess, I have fought alongside Lord Mu on the battlefield. I admire Lord Mu's loyalty and courage, so I do not want to see the Crown Princess suffer such injustice, nor do I want to see the Crown Prince being deceived."
So he and Junheng went there, and there they saw the Crown Prince ordering his men to drown the Crown Princess and torture her under torture.
Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions shifted from confusion to shock, and they could hardly believe it.
The Crown Prince actually forced Mu Chenshuang to interrogate him after she was drowned. After all, the Crown Princess was the Princess of Weiyang, personally appointed by the Emperor. Marquis Mu was in charge of guarding the country, and Marquis Mu had put in a lot of effort behind the scenes to make the Crown Prince the heir apparent.
Even if the Crown Princess had committed a moral transgression, she should not have been punished in such a way.
Feng Guche's face grew increasingly gloomy.
"Your subject and Junheng went there not wanting to embarrass the Crown Prince, but only to give the Crown Princess a chance to explain. The reason for taking her pulse was because the Crown Princess had lied to one of her personal maids. In order to make the Crown Prince believe that the maid was lying, and this maid was the one who bumped into my daughter, I don't know what information she was so nervous about to reveal."
"Your Majesty, I never imagined that taking the Crown Princess's pulse that day would become the basis for Consort Rong's accusation of an affair between us."
Consort Rong, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, turned pale instantly upon hearing Feng Ji's words, her legs even went weak, and she could not stand steadily.
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions varied, never expecting the truth to be like this.
Consort Yu deliberately jumped into the lake to frame the Crown Princess, and at the same time bribed the Crown Princess's personal maid to give false testimony.
"Crown Prince!" Feng Guche suddenly called out sternly.
Feng Xilan looked panicked, took long strides, and knelt down in front of Feng Guche. Xiao Qingyu followed, trembling all over, and knelt on the ground in fear.
"Is what Ji'er said true? Did you torture the Crown Princess to extract a confession?" Feng Guche's questions were particularly harsh, his brows furrowing with anger.
"Your subject..." Feng Xilan clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, lowered his head, and looked nervous, unsure of how to defend himself.
The Crown Prince's reaction has indirectly proven the truth of Feng Ji's words.
"Father, I... I did accidentally fall into the lake when I went to serve tea to my sister that day," Xiao Qingyu said hurriedly, trembling.
“At the time, my wife was weak after falling into the lake and did not know that the Crown Prince was punishing my sister. Afterwards, I confessed the truth to His Highness the Crown Prince and then went to visit my sister.”
The crowd listened to Xiao Qingyu's explanation, and it seemed to make some sense.
But what's the deal with that maid?
"As for the maid who bumped into the Prince of Xiaoyao, she is my sister's personal maid. She has come to me many times, saying that my sister is cheating her and wants to stay by my side to work, but I have never agreed. I never thought that she would do such a thing, frame me unjustly, and even say that it is for my own good."
"Father, all the mistakes are my fault, and Your Highness has nothing to do with it. I beg you, Father, to punish me and spare Your Highness."
Xiao Qingyu knelt and kowtowed, tears streaming down her face, her sobs and gentle weeping heartbreaking to hear.
As Mu Chenshuang listened, she couldn't help but admire Xiao Qingyu's acting skills; she was almost moved to tears.
Many people initially thought she was deliberately framing Mu Chenshuang, but seeing her like this, they felt pity for her. How could such a gentle person do such a thing?
This maid must be harboring resentment and wanting revenge.
"Yu'er".
Feng Xilan felt extremely distressed as she watched her kowtow repeatedly. She looked up at Feng Guche and hurriedly said, "Father, Yu'er did tell me about this afterward. I was confused for a moment and believed what the Crown Princess's maid said."
Everyone knew very well that the Crown Prince was fond of Consort Yu and his heart was definitely biased towards her. However, forcing a confession under torture was a blatant disregard for the Crown Princess and Marquis Mu. No wonder the Crown Princess wanted a divorce today; she must have come to terms with it.
Song Liu then strode forward and knelt on the ground. "Your Majesty, that maid is the Crown Princess's person. It's possible that someone deliberately used a self-inflicted injury to get the maid close to Yu'er first, and then..."
These words have raised the possibility that the Crown Princess deliberately sent her maid to get close to the concubine in order to frame her, since Concubine Yu doesn't seem like such a vicious woman.
"The Duchess!"
The Empress interrupted her sternly.
"The Crown Princess grew up in the military, and I know her character well. If this matter has nothing to do with the Crown Princess, then your words are slandering her. Has the Duchess forgotten His Majesty's warning to you so quickly? What is your intention in trying to embarrass the Crown Princess?!"
These words startled Song Liu so much that she trembled all over, her face instantly stiffened, and she dared not utter a sound.
This made everyone even more suspicious that the Duchess had embarrassed the Crown Princess, and that her intentions were despicable!
"Mother, please forgive me! My mother did not mean to frame my sister. It is all my fault. Please punish me if you must!" Xiao Qingyu pleaded, choking back tears, taking all the blame upon herself, which made her somewhat pitiful.
The Empress ignored Xiao Qingyu's words.
"Lan'er, do you know your crime?!"
Feng Xilan lowered his head, his handsome face solemn, and said in a low voice, "Your subject... knows his crime!"
The Empress looked at Mu Chenshuang and said, "Then, Crown Princess, what do you think should be the punishment?"
Mu Chenshuang was about to speak.
Feng Xilan interrupted, "Mother, I would like to speak with the Crown Princess alone."
The Empress's face darkened, and she looked at Feng Guche, saying, "Your Majesty, let them discuss this matter privately."
Feng Guche agreed with the Empress.
"What do you think, Crown Princess?" the Empress asked, looking at Mu Chenshuang.
Mu Chenshuang insisted, "Father, Mother, there is nothing left for me to talk about with the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince tried to kill me without even asking what happened. At that moment, I gave up completely and will no longer have any expectations of the Crown Prince."
These words were undoubtedly a huge blow to Feng Xilan. A crown prince who would kill his wife without asking any questions just to favor a concubine could only prove his incompetence and tyranny.
Feng Xilan was completely panicked, and Xiao Qingyu also became flustered and at a loss.
In an instant.
The surroundings were completely silent; no one dared to breathe.
Feng Guche spoke up: "Shuang'er, I know you have been wronged. Today I will stand up for you. How do you intend to punish the Crown Prince?"
Feng Xilan, kneeling on the ground, dared not utter the slightest complaint.
Mu Chenshuang replied, "Father, there is no need for punishment. I have only one request."
After a while.
Feng Guche said in a deep voice, "I will consider this matter further. As for the Crown Prince, he will be confined to his quarters for a month starting tomorrow and will not be allowed to step out of the Eastern Palace. He will temporarily hand over political affairs to Yunqi, and Consort Yu will go to Yun'an Temple to copy Buddhist scriptures for a month."
Feng Xilan and Xiao Qingyu dared not utter a single rebuttal.
Mu Chenshuang naturally couldn't continue to insist and anger the emperor. The power to oversee the country was temporarily handed over to the fourth prince, Feng Yunqi. Feng Yunqi had long coveted the position of crown prince, and this was already the greatest punishment for Feng Xilan.
Then Feng Yunqi stepped forward, a smile on his lips, and bowed, saying, "Your subject will obey your decree."
Mu Chenshuang didn't say anything more.
"This matter ends here," Feng Guche said sternly, and no one dared to say another word.
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