Chapter 88: Self-Inflicted Humiliation
Translated by algoo | Proofread by algoo
For the latest updates, visit: ProNovels.com
Join our Discord for release updates: https://discord.gg/Eh2ayfR4FB
The Noble Consort’s intervention restored silence to the hall. Could it be that the gift the young Xue lady intended for the Grand Empress Dowager had indeed been borrowed by the Noble Consort beforehand?
The noblewomen and young ladies were too far away to discern the details of the beads in the Noble Consort’s hand. However, the concubines closer to her could see clearly. Zen Master Huikong was a figure from a century ago. His personal belongings would naturally be old, and certainly not as lustrous and bright as the beads the Noble Consort held.
These beads looked barely a hundred days old, not a hundred years.
Clearly, the Noble Consort was deliberately protecting the young Xue lady. In this situation, involving the Grand Empress Dowager, not even the Empress could intercede on Xue Ninger’s behalf. But the Noble Consort could.
The Noble Consort’s mother was the deceased former Princess Royal, and the former Princess Royal was the Grand Empress Dowager’s own daughter.
The relationship between the Noble Consort and the Grand Empress Dowager was unparalleled in the inner palace.
Within the inner palace, including the Empress, everyone addressed the Grand Empress Dowager formally. Only the Noble Consort could call her “Grandmother.” The difference in intimacy was evident in this simple address.
What puzzled them, however, was why the Noble Consort would protect this young lady from the Xue family, who were not related to her. The Virtuous Consort gazed at the Noble Consort, or rather, at her eyes. She quickly looked away, a slight smile playing on her lips.
So that’s how it is.
Come to think of it, that young man named Lin Xiu, who had made ice for the Qianqiu Palace for a month, seemed to be Zhang’er’s only friend. These days, she often heard Lin Xiu’s name from Zhang’er. She could tell that her solitary son truly considered Lin Xiu a friend.
The Grand Empress Dowager accepted the sandalwood beads from the Noble Consort with a smile, giving her a curious look before chuckling. “Since it’s a misunderstanding, young lady, you may return to your seat. Matron Gui, reward her…”
Xue Ninger returned to her seat, bewildered, having even received a reward from the Grand Empress Dowager. Her mind was a jumble.
Song Yuzhi gritted her teeth. She hadn’t expected her foolproof plan to be so easily thwarted. She felt both frustrated and angry.
After the Noble Consort intervened on Xue Ninger’s behalf, the matter seemed settled. However, at that moment, a figure stepped forward from among the concubines. “This string of beads is clearly new. It is not a relic of Zen Master Huikong. I wonder why the Noble Consort deceived the Grand Empress Dowager and deliberately shielded her.”
Silence descended upon the hall. You could hear a pin drop.
Enjoying the translation? Stay updated with the latest chapters at ProNovels.com.
The speaker was Consort Xian. Also one of the four main consorts, she might not have been as favored as the Noble Consort, but she had her own son, the increasingly influential Prince Qi. She was also from the Song family. These factors allowed her to hold her own against the Empress and Noble Consort within the inner palace.
While everyone else remained silent, feigning ignorance, she stepped forward, ruthlessly exposing the Noble Consort. This had clearly escalated into a struggle between the imperial concubines.
Seeing this, a smile crept back onto Song Yuzhi’s face.
Despite being exposed by Consort Xian, the Noble Consort’s expression remained unchanged. She glanced at Consort Xian indifferently. “Today is Grandmother’s birthday. I didn’t want to spoil her mood with such matters. Since Consort Xian insists on getting to the bottom of this, I have no objections…”
She looked at Xue Ninger. “You, the pretty young lady from the Xue family, come forward.”
Xue Ninger immediately rose and stepped forward. Although she wasn’t familiar with the Noble Consort, the Consort was clearly protecting her, so she naturally cooperated.
The Noble Consort looked at Xue Ninger. “Are you certain you placed the beads in the box?”
Xue Ninger nodded firmly. “Yes, after entering the hall, I even opened it to check. Later, I don’t know how, but the box became empty.”
The Noble Consort smiled gently at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll see justice done.”
Seeing the Noble Consort’s smile, Xue Ninger felt reassured.
The Noble Consort then approached the Grand Empress Dowager again. “Grandmother, I believe the Xue family would not present an empty box to mock you on your birthday. There must be someone scheming behind the scenes. This is a blatant disregard for the royal family, a disregard for you, Grandmother. This person must still be within this hall. Perhaps we should close the doors and search everyone. I believe we will find the culprit.”
Now it was Consort Xian’s turn to hesitate. After a moment of thought, she said, “Grand Empress Dowager, this isn’t appropriate. Everyone present today is a noble guest…”
The Grand Empress Dowager didn’t even look at her. She waved her hand. “The Noble Consort is right. This person dared to frame the Duke’s family and disrupt my birthday banquet. Such audacity must be severely punished as an example to others. Someone, close the doors. We must find this person today.”
Two matrons immediately went to the doors and closed them.
In a corner, a palace maid’s face turned deathly pale.
The concubines looked at Consort Xian, sighing inwardly. What was she thinking, trying to challenge the Noble Consort in front of the Grand Empress Dowager? Was she asking for trouble?
Since the passing of the late Emperor and the former Princess Royal, the Noble Consort and the current Emperor were the Grand Empress Dowager’s closest kin. How could she possibly side with an outsider over the Noble Consort?
This sudden turn of events caused a stir in the hall. Many of the women present were daughters of noble families. Being suspected of theft and subjected to a search was a great humiliation. Even if the order came from the Grand Empress Dowager, they couldn’t accept it.
At that moment, the Virtuous Consort stepped forward. “Grand Empress Dowager,” she said, “the noble ladies present would surely not commit such an act. However, some palace maids, lacking proper discipline, often steal from the various palaces. They are the most likely suspects. Perhaps we should search the palace maids first. If nothing is found, we can proceed with further investigation.”
The Grand Empress Dowager nodded. “The Virtuous Consort speaks sense. Matron Gui, see to this matter.”
There were about a dozen palace maids serving in the hall tonight. Soon, all the maids were gathered. Matron Gui searched them one by one. As each maid was cleared, the last maid standing grew paler, her body trembling uncontrollably…
A short while later, all the maids except for her had been checked.
When Matron Gui approached her, the maid knew she could hide no longer. Her face drained of color, she dropped to her knees with a thud, placed a string of Buddhist beads in her outstretched hands, and sobbed, “It was this slave, momentarily blinded by greed. I stole the treasure. I deserve death! Grand Empress Dowager, please spare me! Please spare me!”
Matron Gui picked up the beads. The lacquer was chipped and the beads themselves were worn, clearly ancient. She glared at the kneeling maid. “You impudent slave! How dare you!”
Caught red-handed, the maid had no room for denial and immediately confessed. It turned out she had awakened a supernatural ability that allowed her to retrieve objects from boxes and containers simply by touching their exterior. While pouring a fruit drink for Xue Ninger earlier, she had stealthily taken the beads. That’s why the brocade box, still tied with a ribbon, had been empty.
Enjoying the translation? Stay updated with the latest chapters at ProNovels.com.
Although the beads were recovered, the matter was far from over.
The maid was brought forward. Matron Gui looked at her and asked, “Who instructed you to steal the beads?”
The trembling maid stammered, “No, no one instructed me. It was my own greed. I was tempted…”
A mere palace maid wouldn’t dare to steal from the Grand Empress Dowager’s birthday gifts, even if she had the audacity. Matron Gui glanced at her. “It seems you don’t wish to speak. Find out which palace this maid belongs to.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Consort Xian’s face darkened as she stepped forward. “There’s no need to investigate. She is from my Ningxia Palace.”
She had only intended to embarrass the Noble Consort, but she never imagined the investigation would lead back to her. This maid was from her Ningxia Palace. Wouldn’t that make her the prime suspect?
Consort Xian glared at the maid. “Tell me, who told you to do this!”
Now that Consort Xian was involved, the maid knew she could hide no longer. She pointed a trembling finger at Song Yuzhi, whose face had paled considerably. “It was Miss Yuzhi. She said she had a grudge against Miss Xue and asked me to steal her birthday gift so she would be humiliated in front of the Grand Empress Dowager. It was all Miss Yuzhi’s idea…”
Strange expressions appeared on many faces within the hall. Why did Consort Xian do this? If she had remained silent, the Noble Consort wouldn’t have investigated further. Now, the investigation had implicated someone from the Song family. Wasn’t this self-inflicted humiliation?
With such a development, the Empress finally broke her silence. She rose slowly, glanced at Consort Xian, and said, “It seems the Song family’s daughter hasn’t been properly raised. Consort Xian, take her back and discipline her.”
As the daughter of a second-rank Duke’s family, even the royal family couldn’t punish her directly. Publicly punishing Song Yuzhi and humiliating the Song family would not benefit the royal family.
The Grand Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet was halfway through when Consort Xian left with Song Yuzhi. Despite this significant incident, the banquet continued as planned. However, a lingering question remained in the minds of the noblewomen present.
It was well-known that the Noble Consort came from a family in Jiangnan with few connections to the capital’s nobility. Why would she so fiercely defend the young lady from the Xue family?
Anyone could see that the Noble Consort’s protectiveness towards the girl was extreme, to the point of deceiving the Grand Empress Dowager. Although she had offered an explanation, it was hardly believable.
Even Xue Ninger herself, after returning to her seat, couldn’t understand it.
The seat beside her, where Song Yuzhi had been sitting, was now empty. Xue Ninger felt a pang of regret. If she hadn’t been distracted by thoughts of Lin Xiu, the palace maid wouldn’t have had the opportunity.
Thinking of Lin Xiu, he should be in the palace as well. She wondered if the banquet in the central palace was over. Would she have a chance to see him when she returned?
Meanwhile, in the Ningxia Palace…
*Slap!*
The moment she stepped into the Ningxia Palace courtyard, the furious Consort Xian slapped Song Yuzhi across her plump face. “You have disgraced the Song family!” she hissed. “Return to the residence and reflect for three months! You are not to step outside the house for three months!”
For the latest updates, visit ProNovels.com. Join our Discord for release updates: https://discord.gg/Eh2ayfR4FB.
