Chapter 7, The Truth

"Your Majesty, I do not know what crime I have committed."

Indeed, his gaze flickered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. This subtle movement naturally did not escape Ye Zhenzhen's notice

"Forget it," Ji Wujiao said lightly, shaking his head. He exchanged glances with Ye Zhenzhen, their clear eyes revealing no emotions. "You are very clever," he remarked, lifting his teacup to take a sip.

The servant does not understand the meaning of Your Highness, and I kindly ask for Your Highness to clarify.

If this plan succeeds, it will not only eliminate Consort Li, but also allow me to take the blame for this great misdeed. Who knows, I might even relinquish the position of Empress. This truly is a clever scheme that achieves two goals with one action

Ye Zhenzhen glanced at Wang Xiaohu and said, "You may leave first"

Wang Xiaohu's expression softened upon hearing her words, and his tears ceased. Today, having been caught by the Empress, he knew he could hardly escape death, and his only concern was for his family to avoid being implicated. Now, hearing the Empress speak in this manner, he felt a sense of relief.

The young eunuch was awakened by a splash of water

Ye Zhenzhen looked at him with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Your Majesty, I am a straightforward person, and I have always said what I think. This time, I have made an effort to be subtle. Are you sure you want me to say everything out loud?"

However, today, Ji Wujiao reviewed some memorials and then planned to move to Kun Ning Palace to enjoy Ye Zhenzhen's sullen expression

The well-mannered and graceful young emperor couldn't help himself and once again sprayed tea. He looked down at the stains on his chest, then glanced at the unperturbed Ye Zhenzhen. Taking out a handkerchief, he wiped himself while letting out a weary sigh.

How could I dare to deceive Your Majesty in any matter? Affairs of the harem are naturally to be managed by me as the Empress, and it is not appropriate for Your Majesty to be distracted by them. If Your Majesty is not at ease, you may listen in, but it is not suitable for you to make an appearance

Ordinary people commit suicide out of fear of punishment; who would deliberately wear evidence of their crime? It is evident that this is an attempt to frame someone else. Moreover, the timing of the suicide is quite clever; had it not been for the laziness of the person living in the same room, it is likely that the discovery would have only occurred when the emperor came to inquire about the matter. Since the intention is to frame the empress, the best person to report to would be none other than the emperor himself

Emperor Ji Wujiao is a diligent and earnest ruler. Every afternoon, his primary task is to review memorials in the Yangxin Hall, occasionally summoning ministers to discuss state affairs

"When did you start to suspect this conspiracy?" After dismissing everyone, Ji Wujiao asked.

"Servant, servant ... ... "

Wang Xiaohu had made ample psychological preparations for death; he was originally a person without much feeling, and now he was even more at ease. Hearing Ye Zhenzhen say this, he felt even more moved. He then said, "Thank you, Empress Dowager, for your grace. In my next life, I will work like a cow or a horse to repay your great kindness! ... ... Your Highness, there is one thing I do not understand: how did you know that Concubine Hui was the mastermind behind this matter?"

Who can tell him what the queen is really going mad about

Can raw fish be eaten

Wang Xiaohu wiped his sweat and, with a thick face, complimented Ye Zhenzhen. ... Ye Zhenzhen, in a good mood, casually chatted with him about her family members, what they do, how she entered the palace, and how many years she has been in the palace ...

Hui Pin, being honest and straightforward, would certainly not take the initiative to trouble Ye Zhenzhen, but standing behind Hui Pin is the Empress Dowager

"Wronged? Very well, then tell me, as a eunuch of the Imperial Kitchen, what significant matter compelled you to personally report to the Yangxin Hall?"

Ji Wujiao listened to the voices of conversation outside, feeling a wave of frustration. Just moments ago, the two individuals were at each other's throats, yet in the blink of an eye, they were laughing and joking together. What could account for such a miraculous turn of events? ... Even though he heard the entire process with his own ears, he still could not comprehend it ... ! ... Are these two people idiots!

Ji Wujiao stared at the crumbs of pastry at Ye Zhenzhen's mouth, snorted coldly, "Has the Empress eaten her fill and come out for a stroll with food?"

The large group of palace maids and eunuchs behind finally caught up, and from a distance, they saw Ye Zhenzhen's actions, which made them shudder involuntarily, each of them touching their own necks as if they could empathize.

However, as soon as he stepped onto the platform, he saw a young eunuch kneeling ahead, looking flustered, "Your Majesty, I have something to report!"

"Why do you not suspect the virtuous consort?" Ji Wujiao asked again

Wang Xiaohu, aware that he was a man on the brink of death, had no reservations and answered openly, even sharing many amusing anecdotes from the folk with Ye Zhenzhen. This was quite novel for Ye Zhenzhen, who listened with great interest, occasionally bursting into delicate laughter.

Therefore, being an emperor is actually an extremely uninteresting job, one that ordinary people cannot perform well. Thus, throughout history, there have been as many foolish rulers as there have been wise ones. Of course, the majority are mediocre rulers.

The servant has only been once and had Japanese cuisine. The fish in this Japanese cuisine is eaten raw, which some people cannot tolerate, but the servant finds it quite acceptable, as it is very fresh and delicious when it enters the mouth

Ji Wujiao looked at the two of them with a blank expression and said, "You two seem to be quite in sync with each other."

Ye Zhenzhen finally cast a proper glance at Ji Wujiao, "This humble servant dares to..."

You will know after asking

Jokingly, her husband is the current emperor, and her grandfather is the Prime Minister of the Cabinet. The two most powerful individuals in the world are her close relatives, so what she says now is absolutely confident and not merely a threat

Ji Wujiao paid no attention, as his gaze was drawn to another figure

The noble consort is the emperor's favorite, how could I dare to doubt her

Your Highness, this servant is wronged...

Your Highness, although the food outside the palace is not as exquisite as that inside, it excels in freshness, and there are many items worth trying. For instance, the Bafang Shike Restaurant offers various cuisines such as Liu Yue cuisine, Yangzhou cuisine, Shu cuisine, Eastern Japan cuisine, Goryeo cuisine, and Western Region cuisine... Oh dear, I am not boasting, but in terms of variety, the dishes there are not inferior to those in the imperial palace

Although you are guilty of a capital offense, being coerced by others makes it somewhat understandable. I will plead for you with His Majesty... By the way, Your Majesty!" Ye Zhenzhen suddenly remembered this matter and quickly stood up. Just as she turned around, she found Ji Wujiao already standing outside the screen.

Puff—

Ji Wujiao sat down with a sullen expression, while Ye Zhenzhen had Su Yue prepare a cup of tea and personally offered it to him

Is that true? Have you eaten all of them?

The atmosphere behind the screen is quite unpleasant

... ...

Framing the Empress is not the same as simply murdering Consort Li. To deal with two women of such high status simultaneously, one must possess sufficient courage, wisdom, and connections to execute such a grand scheme. Naturally, the perpetrator must stand to gain from the downfall of the Empress. Therefore, Ye Zhenzhen narrowed down the suspects to consorts of rank and above. Consort Zhuang is aligned with Consort Li, so she is the first to be ruled out; Consort Xian has not yet established her position, and given her character, she would not rashly undertake such a significant act, so she is also ruled out; Consort Xi is merely a barking dog that cannot bite, her lack of intelligence is a major flaw, thus she is excluded. As for Consort Li herself, with her simple and direct thinking, her greatest hatred at present should be directed towards Consort Xian, who has usurped her favored status, hence she is ruled out.

Wang Xiaohu hurriedly knelt down, "Long live the Emperor, may he live for ten thousand years!"

Ye Zhenzhen sat back, shook her head, and said: "You should get up first. Huipin is probably just trying to scare you; you are young and easily deceived. Although the struggle within the inner palace is intense, it will not easily affect the common people. Huipin's father is not foolish; if your family is innocent, he would never recklessly kill the innocent to help his daughter vie for favor, gambling his own official position on a scheme that cannot be publicly acknowledged, which would be a loss that outweighs the gain."

Why suspect Huipin first

Ji Wujiao is an emperor with ideals, ambitions, and pursuits. He aspires to be a wise ruler, and the cost of this is that he spends more time in the Yangxin Hall than any of the concubines in the imperial harem. Thus, everyone knows that if one wishes to find the emperor, one should go to the Yangxin Hall

Ye Zhenzhen looked closely and saw that the eunuch was merely around fourteen or fifteen years old, with a fair complexion and delicate features, appearing quite frail. When he first opened his eyes, he seemed a bit dazed, but upon seeing Ye Zhenzhen, he did not show any signs of panic. Instead, he got up, knelt down, and respectfully addressed her as "Your Majesty, the Empress."

Ye Zhenzhen suddenly slammed the table heavily, her voice sharp and commanding, "Tell me, who is it that is manipulating you from behind!"

Wang Xiaohu, seeing that matters had come to this point, steeled himself and gritted his teeth, saying: "This servant confesses his guilt. There was no one else instigating this matter; it was entirely due to my long-standing resentment towards Lady Li. In a moment of impulse, I committed such a grave mistake. Whether it be death or punishment, I shall abide by your decision."

After waiting for a long time without seeing Ye Zhenzhen come to invite him out, he had no choice but to stand up and walk outside by himself

From the moment I saw Ding Daxiang's corpse

"You are quite loyal," Ye Zhenzhen suddenly smiled again. She stood up and walked around Wang Xiaohu twice, speaking slowly as she walked, "Wang Xiaohu, I do not care what benefits Concubine Hui has given you." She stopped, slightly lowered her head, and looked at him kneeling on the ground, trembling at her words, his face filled with extreme terror, almost devoid of color. Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, "You only need to know that what she can do, I can also do; what she cannot do, I can still do."

In the distance, Ye Zhenzhen was running swiftly. Her fiery red dress billowed in the wind, soaring dramatically, resembling a splendid fire cloud from afar. This fire cloud floated before Ji Wujiao, disregarding his piercing gaze like an arrow. Without a word, she swiftly raised her hand and struck, cleanly knocking out the young eunuch who was kneeling on the ground.

There is plenty of food to eat, including fried scorpions! It is a pity that the servant is about to die and cannot bring some in for Her Majesty the Empress to try something new

Most importantly, she left him here without any care

"After your death, I will have someone generously compensate your family," Ye Zhenzhen comforted him again. Ji Wujiao, sitting behind the screen, scoffed disdainfully, wondering if this was how one comforted others. Moreover, was it necessary to comfort a dog servant who conspired to harm a palace consort

The atmosphere indoors is very pleasant

Your master is in charge of making pastries in the imperial kitchen, and this year's crystal shrimp mooncake was made by him. However, you were not on duty the day he made the mooncakes, which is why I overlooked you when capturing people, giving you the opportunity to complain to the Emperor. What exactly do you want to say to the Emperor in the Yangxin Hall today? Are you going to say that the Empress Dowager instructed someone to coerce you into putting the fragrant concubine into the mooncake filling?

Ye Zhenzhen patted her chest, finally managing to catch her breath, her breathing gradually calming down. "In response to Your Majesty, this eunuch is related to the poisoned mooncake incident... concerning the mooncakes from Luhua Palace. I must interrogate him."

Hearing such sour words, Ji Wujiao felt a sense of comfort in his internal organs, "However, Huipin has no grievances with you"

... ...

Oh? Then why was he knocked unconscious? Is there anything that I cannot know?

"Alright, no need for formalities," Ji Wujiao waved his hand impatiently, his gaze shifting to the fainted eunuch. "Your Majesty, you must provide me with a reasonable explanation."

Ding Daxiang is not dead; he has confessed. Although Ding Daxiang has already died, the Kun Ning Palace immediately sealed off the news, and even if the information were to leak, Wang Xiaohu in front of us would not have the opportunity to find out

... ...

At this moment, Wang Xiaohu was already in tears, frightened to the point of repeatedly bowing his head, his forehead striking the ground with a loud thud. "Your Majesty, the Empress! Concubine Hui has threatened my life and the lives of my parents and siblings. That is why I... I... I have said everything. I earnestly request Your Majesty to take my side. I deserve to die a thousand deaths, but my entire family is innocent!"

Ye Zhenzhen smiled triumphantly, "This palace was just teasing you, I didn't expect you to guess it right so quickly"

Having completed these tasks, Ye Zhenzhen finally felt relieved, breathing heavily. Her forehead was already glistening with fine sweat, and her face displayed a flush reminiscent of the intense exercise, akin to the peach blossoms in full bloom during March

In the end, only Hui Pin remains

Ye Zhenzhen sat upright. She straightened her face, set down the teacup in her hand, and spoke calmly, "Wang Xiaohu, do you know your crime?"

Not merely clever, I am simply exceptionally intelligent

A dog that bites does not bark

Why?

This is clearly a well-orchestrated scheme between you and Ding Daxiang! You secretly entered the imperial kitchen that day and mixed the fragrant concubine into the filling. Ding Daxiang had an agreement with you that he would die today, deliberately carrying the fragrant concubine on him, fearing that others would not know of this palace's involvement in the matter. On the other hand, you pretended to suddenly discover the palace's suspicion and hurried to report to the emperor. Since this matter involves the palace, it is reasonable for you to present it to the emperor; upon hearing this, the emperor would surely come to Kun Ning Palace to seek justice, just in time to witness Ding Daxiang committing suicide out of guilt and the evidence on him. At that time, even if this palace jumped into the Yellow River, it would be impossible to clear the name. Isn't that so!