Chapter 109

Consort Shu struggled to her feet, strode forward to pick up the bag,

She held the bag under the candlelight and turned it around, everyone could clearly see that the fabric used to make the bag reflected different colors as the light changed.

"Your Majesty, look! This bag is made of shimmer brocade! The only one in the entire palace that you have rewarded shimmer brocade to is Consort Chen! How could I have gotten it?"

Consort Shu handed the bag to Xiao Jingheng, then looked towards the astonished Consort Chen and yelled harshly:

"Just yesterday I was wondering why you would come to find me out of the blue. Now when I think about it, you must have hidden this filthy thing in my inner quarters at that time! Consort Chen! I have no grievance or enmity with you, why would you want to harm me like this!?"

Just now Consort Chen was still overbearing, feeling that they had caught Shu red-handed this time and that she would surely be unable to defend herself and would have to admit defeat.

But now the bag in Xiao Jingheng's hands was clearly visible to her as well,

That bag was indeed made of shimmer brocade!

She panicked in her heart for a moment, and also felt strange...

She clearly watched with her own eyes as Ying Xiang used a most ordinary piece of blue cloth to make this bag,

Why would this thing turn into shimmer brocade after spending a night in Shu's room?

Seeing that Ying Xiang had the same frightened and baffled expression, Consort Chen quickly understood:

Shu must have discovered something wrong early and used shimmer brocade to make an identical bag, just waiting to turn the tables on her!

She quickly said: "Your Majesty, although you rewarded all the shimmer brocade to this concubine, I had already used it to make two outfits before the new year. The director of tailoring, Liu, can testify for this concubine! Besides, although this shimmer brocade was bestowed by Your Majesty, it is not uniquely one-of-a-kind in this world! If other consorts desire it, they can always find ways to obtain it!"

Xiao Jingheng paid no heed to Consort Chen's defense.

He carefully examined the bag in his hand and discovered a patch of dried dark stains at the bottom of the bag.

He passed the bag to Judge Chu, "Take a look, what is this stuff?"

Judge Chu took a small silver spoon, scraped off some of the stains that had dried into powder, dissolved it in water,

After confirming it was not poisonous, he dipped his fingertips in it and tasted a little, making a diagnosis,

"Your Majesty, this should be Warm Yang Seed Soup, used to aid conception."

He paused for a moment, inadvertently glancing at Consort Chen, said in a low voice: "I have only prescribed this formula for Consort Chen recently..."

Judge Chu's words further substantiated the evidence against Consort Chen.

All the proof had turned against her in an instant. She obviously did not expect this situation to occur. Shocked, she froze stiffly like a wooden stake, standing straight in her original spot.

Consort Shu cried: "Back then you were jealous that Noble Consort Yang enjoyed favor, so you used despicable means to poison her to death! And now that Noble Consort Song has gained favor, you are relapsing again!

Judge Chu said that Life Severing Powder came from Miao territory, your elder brother once led troops to attack Miao territory, if you wanted to obtain this substance, it would have been effortless. While my maternal family is far away in Longcheng, in the opposite direction of Miao territory, how could I possibly have the ability to acquire so much Life Severing Powder? This is clearly a repeat offense of your tricks, wanting to kill Noble Consort Song, and make me take the fall for you! Consort Chen! You really are quite the schemer!"

Consort Shu laid out her reasoning very clearly,

Piece by piece, point by point, saying it sensibly, reasonably and coherently,

Rendering Consort Chen speechless as she berated her.

She could only muster her usual arrogance to put on an act.

She shoved Consort Shu's shoulders forcefully while cursing:

"Despicable slut! How dare you falsely accuse me!"

"Audacious!" Xiao Jingheng glared at Consort Chen and yelled loudly: "Explain it clearly to me, why are there remains of medicine only you use sticking to this shimmer brocade bag?"

Explain?

Consort Chen didn't even know what was going on herself, how could she explain?

Seeing Xiao Jingheng's explosive rage, she could only kneel on the ground crying injustice at first.

State matters were already troublesome enough recently, yet his harem still caused him to be vexed day and night.

Xiao Jingheng was truly fed up with headaches,

He did not want to listen to Consort Chen's nonsense any further, and commanded:

"Come, take Consort Chen into custody. Interrogate all the palace maids serving her thoroughly in the dark prison. You must get to the bottom of this matter!"

Consort Chen wailed, "Does Your Majesty really doubt that this concubine did it?"

Song Zhao, who had been watching the show on the side, now also stepped in to say a sentence for Consort Chen:

"Your Majesty, this matter is truly bizarre, shouldn't we...."

"Zhen will handle this properly." Xiao Jingheng waved his hand cutting off Song Zhao's words, then harshly yelled at the servants, "Why aren't you moving yet?"

Seeing Jiang Deshun lead people to surround them, Consort Chen finally panicked completely.

If this matter was thoroughly investigated, flaws would definitely be exposed from questioning people around her.

If it further implicated her elder brother, wouldn't that be disastrous?

At this crucial moment, Ying Xiang suddenly knelt in front of Consort Chen and spread open her arms to shield her behind herself,

"Your Majesty restrain your anger! My mistress has nothing to do with this matter!"

She gritted her teeth and cried loudly: "All of this is solely this slave's crime! I went behind my mistress' back to take matters into my own hands. The Life Severing Powder that poisoned Noble Consort Yang and Noble Consort Song was administered by me!"

For Ying Xiang to stand out at this time was clearly because she wanted to sacrifice herself to absolve Consort Chen.

Admitting to these two incidents would surely lead to her death. And as Consort Chen's personal servant she had served her since childhood. They were not ordinary mistress and servant.

Consort Chen pulled at her and shook her head sorrowfully, "Ying Xiang, do not spout nonsense!"

But Ying Xiang pushed Consort Chen away and crawled all the way to Xiao Jingheng's feet, knocking her head ceaselessly on the floor. "Your Majesty restrain your anger! My mistress has nothing to do with this!"

She gritted her teeth and cried loudly, "After Noble Consort Yang and Noble Consort Song gained favor, they would flaunt themselves smugly in front of my mistress! Your Majesty's favoritism towards them was like a dagger, piercing deeply into my mistress' heart! This slave sees my mistress hiding herself frequently to cry. How can I not feel aggrieved for her?"

As she spoke, her forehead was bleeding profusely from knocking it on the floor.

She glared fiercely at Song Zhao and venomously said: "So I harbored evil intentions and plotted to poison Noble Consort Song! My mistress Consort Chen knew nothing about the entire matter! Consort Chen is the only one in the entire harem who truly cares for Your Majesty! Your Majesty must not doubt my mistress further, hurting her heart even more!"

"Ying Xiang, I told you to stop talking!"

Even an arrogant and willful person like Consort Chen had now cried herself hoarse.

She held Ying Xiang in her embrace, putting on quite a show of deep affection between mistress and servant.

Xiao Jingheng wasn't stupid. How could he not see that this was abandoning a pawn to protect the king?

But now was not yet the time to deal with Consort Chen.

Seeing Xiao Jingheng breathing heavily, face darkened like iron from anger, Song Zhao took the tea from the dragon table and offered it to him.

She knew Xiao Jingheng was in no mood for tea at this moment.

But this cup of tea should still have another use.

Sure enough, in his fury Xiao Jingheng picked up the tea cup as soon as it was offered and fiercely smashed it on the ground beside Consort Chen.

Shards of porcelain scattered, cutting a gash on Consort Chen's wrist,

Deeper and longer than the one on Song Zhao's wrist that day...

A fleeting smile flashed at the corner of Song Zhao's mouth. She knelt on the floor apprehensively, "Your Majesty calm your anger."

Xiao Jingheng did not even want to glance at Consort Chen again. He solemnly decreed:

"Palace maid Ying Xiang plotted to harm the noble consorts with malicious intent. Drag her out for lingchi execution! As for Consort Chen...failing to honor superiors and provide proper guidance to subordinates. Pass on my edict, stripping Consort Chen of her title and sending her back to the palace by nightfall. Zhen does not wish to see her again!"

Stripping of title was an even harsher punishment than demotion.

Consort Chen wept until her voice went hoarse. She grabbed Xiao Jingheng's trouser leg, choking with sobs as she pleaded for mercy:

"This concubine knew nothing about this matter, Your Majesty! Ying Xiang has served me since she was a child. She did this on a whim. Please spare her life, Your Majesty!"

Xiao Jingheng shook her off with a kick, voice cold as he said:

"Whether you knew or not, your own conscience is clear. If you plead for that lowly maid again, I will have people from the Supreme Court take over investigating this thoroughly!"

Xiao Jingheng's words lashed Consort Chen's heart like a heavy whip.

When did the man who once held her and promised:

Rest assured, Zhen will protect you in this life and not let you suffer grievances,

Become the man who now kicked her aside, not even willing to look at her again?

She collapsed prone on the ground, as if her soul had been snatched away. Miserably mumbling:

"Your Majesty... Can you really be so heartless?"

Yet the only response she received was the pitiful cries of Ying Xiang as she was dragged away by the palace maidservants,

and the soundless tears that fell from her eyes onto the ground...