Chapter Fifteen: Meeting It with Calmness

Consort Jin was initially delighted to see her, but upon witnessing her pure beauty and recalling her own current plight and appearance, jealousy and anger instantly welled up within her. No matter—once that blind woman was dealt with, she would be next.

“Consort Yan, you may rise. Did you come here for something?” Ji Wuqing’s expression was gentle, but his eyes only glanced at her with a casual indifference.

He rested his head on his hand, sitting lazily in a purple-lacquered wooden chair. He did not seem surprised by her arrival, as if he had anticipated it all along.

Consort Yan lowered her head, inwardly startled, but let a worried look appear on her face.

“Your Highness, Elder Sister Jin was injured on her face. I had intended to visit her again, but before I could, she came here to the study. I was so concerned, I thought I should come see for myself. It was fortunate that I did—otherwise, Elder Sister Jin would have surely suffered a great injustice.” Consort Yan knitted her brows, speaking plainly, like an innocent, naive girl.

Innocent? She was likely the most cunning of them all. Xuexue, listening to Consort Yan’s blunt words, found it all quite dull.

“Is that so? Then Consort Yan, you also know of this matter?” Ji Wuqing feigned confusion, his beautiful eyes turning meaningfully to Consort Yan.

“Yes, Your Highness. I heard of it from a palace maid, who claimed to have seen the young princess throw a hornet onto Elder Sister Jin. At first, I did not believe it, but it truly did happen. Elder Sister Jin did not wish to make a fuss and dared not even summon the imperial physician, fearing the scandal. So I brought her some ointment, only to discover the injury was so severe.” Consort Yan spoke as if still shaken, her worry deepening.

Consort Jin only wept, cleverly refraining from adding more, which made the story all the more convincing.

“So, you believe the princess deliberately targeted Consort Jin?” Ji Wuqing sat up lazily, his movements casual, but there was a deep chill in his gaze.

“I would not dare think such a thing,” Consort Yan hastily denied, though her tone was calm and her words belied her true intentions.

Ji Wuqing’s gaze grew more profound, though he did not reveal it. He turned his attention to Xuexue, who had remained silent throughout, and his tone softened perceptibly.

“Xue’er, what is your view?”

At his words, everyone’s eyes shifted to the young woman who still faced it all with indifference and poise.

“Your Highness, as I said before, I trust your impartial judgment. However, there are some questions I would like to ask Consort Jin and Consort Yan directly.” Xuexue rose to her feet. Though slight in stature, she seemed to tower over the others, her voice icy and clear.

She walked toward Consort Jin, her expression unnaturally calm. “If this matter is true, what justice do you seek?” she asked, stopping before Consort Jin, her tone serene.

The question left everyone startled, but Ji Wuqing merely raised his eyes lazily.

Consort Jin, however, thought Xuexue was yielding to her and felt triumphant, though she kept up the performance. “I leave the decision to Your Highness.”

“And if His Highness asks you to decide?” Xuexue pressed on without giving her time to think.

“This…” Consort Jin was suddenly at a loss.

“Is Her Majesty now presuming to decide in His Highness’s stead?” Consort Yan interjected quietly at just the right moment, her comment abrupt enough to rescue Consort Jin from her predicament.

“It’s fine, Xue’er, continue,” Ji Wuqing responded graciously, which left both Consort Yan and Consort Jin embarrassed.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Xuexue thanked him softly, then turned back to Consort Jin. “Consort Jin, you have yet to answer my question.” Her tone remained calm, but a forcefulness akin to Ji Wuqing’s emanated from her, the intensity gradually filling the room and making everyone gasp.

“I…” Consort Jin faltered, unsure how to reply.

“Your Majesty, no need to make things difficult for Consort Jin,” Consort Yan murmured, as if sympathizing with her.

“If you call this making things difficult, then let me trouble you, Consort Yan,” Xuexue said nonchalantly, turning her elegant gaze to Consort Yan. “Where is the palace maid you mentioned? If she is a witness, why not bring her forward? I still have questions for her.”

“Your Majesty, she is my personal maid, Langhua. I feared she might not be able to express herself clearly, so I spoke on her behalf,” Consort Yan replied calmly, her words flawless.

“It is I, Your Majesty.” The maid named Langhua immediately stepped forward, head bowed respectfully.

“You saw it with your own eyes, then? Where and when did this occur? Describe it in detail,” Xuexue asked coolly.

“Your Majesty, my mistress likes to smell flowers in the morning, so I went to the garden to pick some for her. As I was leaving Yanxi Palace, I saw Consort Jin passing by. I was about to greet her when the young princess suddenly appeared, and then… a swarm of hornets. I was so frightened I hurried back to tell my mistress, who did not believe me at first. She then went to visit Consort Jin, and found it was true.” Langhua seemed troubled as she spoke.

“Langhua, do you know the crime for deceiving His Highness?” After a pause, Xuexue spoke slowly.

That single question made Langhua instantly drop to her knees, knocking her head to the floor in panic. “Your Highness, Your Majesty, I would never dare deceive you! I…”

“Your Highness, please judge impartially.” Xuexue turned to Ji Wuqing, who had been watching the spectacle with amusement. Her expression was unchanged, but her tone was unyielding.

“What does Your Majesty mean by this?” Consort Yan asked in confusion, and Consort Jin, too, was startled.

This was not how things were supposed to unfold. A matter that had seemed so certain was somehow shifting beyond their control.

“You cannot possibly be ignorant of my meaning,” Xuexue said, the corners of her lips barely lifted, the red beads in her hair ornament swaying gently, as beautiful as lotus blossoms in a summer pond, fragrant and alluring. “Didn’t Consort Jin remain in Jinhua Palace all day? How could she have met the princess?”

“I… I only wished to keep the matter from spreading, so as not to harm the princess’s reputation. That’s why I ordered the matter kept quiet,” Consort Jin replied pitifully, as if she had suffered a grave injustice.

In truth, she had taken such measures at first to deal with the blind woman and avoid leaving any handle against herself, but later, she feared ridicule in the palace and loss of face, so she pretended never to have left her chambers.

“What concern is there for the princess’s reputation if she did nothing wrong?” Xuexue was unmoved, responding with a faintly mocking tone.

“Your Majesty, the evidence is clear—do you mean to shield the guilty?” Consort Jin raised her head in astonishment, unable to believe it. She was certain Xuexue’s resistance was futile and that victory was hers.

“There’s no need to rush, Consort Jin. What you call evidence is but your word. I will show you what true evidence is.” Xuexue spoke slowly, her words sending a chill through Consort Jin and Consort Yan alike. “There is one thing I do not understand. If Consort Jin was attacked outside Yanxi Palace, then surely the hornets’ nest should be found there. Why, then, was it discovered by the Lotus Pavilion instead? Did it grow legs and walk there on its own?”