"His Highness the Crown Prince has been in the Emperor's study since the banquet ended and has not returned yet. When did he summon Young Master Shen?" Consort Shu raised an eyebrow at Shen Lixue, her beautiful eyes carrying a hint of sharpness and mockery.
Shen Lixue's gaze sharpened, and she smiled politely: "This humble subject cannot recall the exact time. Her Highness Consort Shu can have someone inquire with His Highness the Crown Prince!"
Consort Shu gave a cold laugh and said arrogantly, "His Majesty has decreed that no one is allowed to disturb him while he is discussing matters with the Crown Prince; otherwise, they will be executed without mercy!"
Since Ye Qianlong wouldn't be back anytime soon, and the Emperor couldn't be disturbed rashly, Consort Shu was certain that she couldn't escape her grasp, which is why she dared to openly set up a trap to frame her in the Qianqing Palace.
"Your Highness, if I remember correctly, it is now the Consort De who is in charge of the inner palace. You have been stripped of your authority over the six palaces. The matter of Miss Lvzhi should be investigated by Consort De. Your questioning of me is an overstepping of your bounds!" Shen Lixue's clear voice was deliberate and laced with resentment.
Consort Shu smiled, her smile as bright as a hundred flowers in bloom. Shen Li was already starting to panic. She had to press on and block all his avenues for help: "Consort De is exhausted from organizing the Chrysanthemum Banquet and has already gone to bed. I am not capable, but I will temporarily take over the management of the six palaces in her stead!"
"This humble subject has never known that the management of the six palaces can be rotated at will!" Shen Lixue coldly stared at Consort Shu.
"It's not surprising that you, a commoner, wouldn't know the rules of the Western Liang imperial harem!" Consort Shu gracefully sat down on the mahogany chair, looked up at Shen Lixue, and smiled meaningfully: "Young Master Shen, do you know Green Branch's identity?"
"The palace maid who makes the bed in Qianqing Palace, she herself said so, how could I not know!" Shen Lixue replied casually, vaguely guessing what Consort Shu was about to say.
“In the harem, the palace maids who make the beds in the princes’ palaces will all be taken as concubines in the future. Young Master Shen forcibly took Green Branch, which means he stole the Crown Prince’s concubine. The Crown Prince is kind-hearted, but he is not a coward who can be bullied by others. You forcibly took his woman. How do you think he will punish you in a fit of anger?” Shen Li had already been driven into the depths of the trap, and Consort Shu was preparing to add fuel to the fire and make him completely desperate.
She forced herself on Ye Qianlong's concubine? If Ye Qianlong found out, he'd laugh himself to death.
Shen Lixue sneered inwardly, but her face fell, a few glistening tears welling in her eyes. Her voice was mournful, as if she were on the verge of despair: "It should be torn apart by five horses, or chopped into eight pieces, right? The hatred of having one's wife stolen is irreconcilable! But I really didn't force myself on Miss Lüzhi!"
"Green Branch is the victim and the best witness. No matter how much Young Master Shen tries to deny it, he cannot escape the charges!" Consort Shu spoke each word clearly, her tone serious and cold.
Shen Lixue sighed heavily, raised her eyes, met Consort Shu's smiling eyes, and said listlessly, "If Your Highness Consort Shu were to handle this, what crime would you sentence this humble subject to?"
Shen Li fell for the trap! Her plan was half successful.
“Under normal circumstances, those who forcibly take the Crown Prince’s woman and commit a serious crime are beheaded directly…” Consort Shu said calmly, successfully seeing the heartbreaking sadness on Shen Lixue’s face. A meaningful smile appeared on her lips, and she moved her lips and softened her voice: “However, I am always magnanimous. What kind of punishment Young Master Shen will receive depends on his attitude.”
Shen Lixue was taken aback: "This humble subject does not understand Your Majesty's meaning!"
"Young Master Shen is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and has also gained the favor of His Highness the Crown Prince. This is the perfect opportunity for him to rise to prominence. I cherish talent and cannot bear to see such a promising person fall into obscurity. As long as Young Master Shen is willing to join me, I will help you keep this matter a secret!"
Consort Shu had investigated carefully and found that there were no relatives with the surname Shen in the Zhenguo Marquis's household for three generations. Shen Li, this distant relative, was definitely not related at all; she had only found out by chance, and her relationship with the Zhenguo Marquis's household wasn't particularly strong.
People are greedy and driven by self-interest. She offered Shen Li a high position, lured her with benefits, and used both kindness and threats. She was not afraid that Shen Li would not submit...
Shen Lixue smiled faintly, knowing that Consort Shu's scheme against her was not intended to kill her, but rather to seize her weakness and make her a spy in the Zhenguo Marquis's mansion.
The Marquis of Zhenguo's mansion and the Duke of Mu's mansion have been fighting for decades without a clear winner. Shen Lixue is highly regarded by the people of the Marquis's mansion and can usually get involved in the relatively important matters of the Marquis's mansion. If she were to switch sides and help Consort Shu, Consort Shu would be able to control the actions of everyone in the Marquis's mansion and bring down the Marquis's mansion with ease. Heh, using her is far more meaningful than killing her.
"Well, Young Master Shen? Would you like to cooperate with me?" Consort Shu looked intently at the smile on Shen Lixue's lips. Had she finally made up her mind?
Shen Lixue raised her eyes to look at Consort Shu. Under her expectant gaze, she parted her cherry lips slightly and said, word by word, "Your Highness Consort Shu, what I want to say is that I have always been innocent. Although I am of low status, it does not mean that others can wantonly plot against me!"
"You!" Consort Shu glared at Shen Lixue, her beautiful eyes blazing with anger. This ungrateful wretch! He wants to die? She'll grant his wish: "Shen Lixue has forcibly taken the Crown Prince's concubine. His character is despicable. Drag him out and execute him!"
"Wait!" A dignified male voice suddenly rang in everyone's ears.
Shen Lixue was startled, her movement of preparing to make a move abruptly halted. She looked up and saw a man slowly walking towards her in the night. He was around forty years old, with a square face, sharp eyebrows, and an extraordinary and heroic appearance. He wore a dark blue robe, exuding a majestic and imposing aura. His sharp gaze and dignified presence revealed the unique nobility and arrogance of royalty.
"Prince Yan!" Consort Shu greeted the newcomer with a polite smile, though the smile was somewhat stiff. The doors of Qianqing Palace were already closed; how had he gotten in? She had only intended to deal with Shen Li's forced possession of a palace maid quietly, not wanting anyone else to know, but unexpectedly, Prince Yan had discovered it.
The Prince of Yan of Xiliang!
Shen Lixue's gaze sharpened. She had heard that this was the most powerful prince in Xiliang, whose power was second only to the emperor.
The Prince of Yan's sharp gaze swept over everyone in the palace. When he saw Shen Lixue, he paused slightly before turning to Consort Shu: "Consort Shu, why aren't you resting in Chang Le Palace? What are you doing in His Highness the Crown Prince's Qianqing Palace?"
"Your Highness, you may not know this, but a thief came to the Qianqing Palace and defiled the palace maid who was making the Crown Prince's bed. I just came to the Qianqing Palace to arrest him!" Consort Shu smiled lightly and recounted what had just happened.
The Prince of Yan frowned slightly, his gaze sharp: "Isn't Consort De in charge of the inner palace? When did the power fall back into Consort Shu's hands?"
"Consort De has been working hard these past few days and has already gone to bed. I didn't want to disturb her, so I brought the guards here to deal with the villains." Consort Shu smiled, but her smile was a little stiff, using the same excuse to appease Prince Yan.
"Your Highness, Your Majesty, that scoundrel has defiled my innocence! I beg you, you must do justice for me..." Green Branch's eyes darted around, and in coordination with Consort Shu, she cried out loudly, her hysterical wails piercing the ears and disturbing everyone's peace of mind.
The Prince of Yan frowned slightly and glanced at Green Branch: "You have lost your innocence and can no longer stay by His Highness the Crown Prince's side. Since Young Master Shen likes you, I will decide to bestow you upon him!"
Green Branch shuddered, her shrill cries abruptly ceasing, her beautiful eyes filled with shock. What was going on? She had been raped, and instead of punishing the perpetrator, her master had given her to an evil man. Was there no justice in the world?
Consort Shu was also stunned. She knew that once Prince Yan arrived, things would spiral out of her control, but she didn't expect it to be this outrageous. Prince Yan's methods were unconventional and unacceptable: "Your Highness, Green Branch belongs to His Highness the Crown Prince of Qianqing Palace. Outsiders have no right to bestow her upon others!" She deliberately emphasized her words to remind Prince Yan not to overstep his bounds.
"I forgot to tell Consort Shu that it was His Highness the Crown Prince who invited me to the Qianqing Palace to handle all matters in the palace!" Prince Yan stood tall and elegant, naturally arrogant, and he absolutely had the right to deal with anyone in the Qianqing Palace.
Shen Lixue smiled. Zi Mo had entered the palace with her. When she noticed something was wrong with the little eunuch, she had already asked Zi Mo to secretly find a way to inform Ye Qianlong. All the words she had spoken to Consort Shu were just to buy time and wait for Ye Qianlong.
Ye Qianlong was unable to get away and come to her rescue, so she asked the Prince of Yan to come to the Qianqing Palace to help her. Of course, if neither the Prince of Yan nor Ye Qianlong could come back in time, she also had a way to protect herself, but in that case, her true identity as a woman would be exposed.
Consort Shu gritted her teeth, just as she was about to successfully kill Shen Li, but unexpectedly, Prince Yan came to ruin things. Her painstaking plan was just one step away from failure, silently announcing its defeat. Damn it, damn it.
The Prince of Yan looked at Shen Lixue with piercing eyes: "Young Master Shen, Green Branch is yours now, you can take it with you!"
"Your Highness's reward is something I cannot refuse. However, I did not rape this young lady, Lüzhi. I do not want to take the blame for someone else!" Shen Lixue's words were firm and resolute. Consort Shu had set up a scheme to frame her, and now that the situation was in her favor, she would not let things end well.
The Prince of Yan's face instantly darkened, his gaze sharp as a knife: "What exactly happened?"
"That's a question for Miss Green Branch." Shen Lixue's icy gaze suddenly shot towards Green Branch: "Why was she framed for deflowering by another man?"
"Green Branch!" The Prince of Yan's deep, angry roar startled Green Branch, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground. Her eyes flickered, and she kowtowed repeatedly, her head pounding: "Your Highness, please investigate thoroughly. It was indeed Shen Li who defiled this servant. This servant is of lowly status; how could I dare to wrong him..."
Whether Shen Li defiled her or not, no one else knows. Her innocence has already been ruined. As long as she remains steadfast in her denial, Shen Li will be the villain who defamed her, and the Prince of Yan will have no evidence to punish her.
Shen Lixue looked at Lüzhi and sneered, "Did you really see me defile you with your own eyes?"
"I swear to heaven that if I have uttered even the slightest lie, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!" Fearing that others would not believe her, Green Branch tightened her clothes and solemnly swore to heaven, her face full of indignation as if she were making a stern accusation against Shen Lixue for daring to do something but not daring to admit it.