Wang Qingyao's words caused an uproar. Consort Chen's expression stiffened, and she instinctively took a few steps back.
All eyes turned to Bi Cha.
Bi Cha fell to her knees with a thud, "Your Majesty is wise, this servant is not an assassin, how could this servant be an assassin! She is clearly slandering me, framing this servant, and framing Consort Lu!"
Consort Lu also cried out, "Your Majesty, don't listen to her nonsense. You've seen Bi Cha before, she has always served me diligently, how could she be an assassin?"
Consort Lu scoffed, thinking Wang Qingyao had lost her mind and was attacking anyone she saw.
Consort Chen looked at Wang Qingyao and asked gently, "Why do you say she is an assassin?"
Wang Qingyao smiled charmingly, "I guessed."
Everyone was dumbfounded. Just as the Emperor was about to reprimand her for her foolishness, she continued, "Although I guessed, my guess is well-founded. Firstly, Consort Chen's Ruhuigong Palace has never been a lively place. Consort Lu is currently favored, why would she come here to wander around for no reason? When I came out, Consort Lu and her entourage were clearly heading straight for Ruhuigong Palace."
"Secondly, this maid named Green Tea, ah no, Bi Cha, has repeatedly pressed her chest with her hand unconsciously, clearly hiding something inside. She is guilty and afraid of exposure, which is why she kept confirming if the item was still there."
"If you want to know if my guess is correct, just have someone search this Bi Cha."
Wang Qingyao pointed at Bi Cha, her imposing aura overwhelming. Bi Cha turned pale with fear and looked at Consort Lu for help.
Consort Lu shielded her behind her, a flicker of imperceptible panic in her eyes.
Her face was frosty, and she glared at Wang Qingyao angrily, "What are you, to dare to lay hands on my people with just a word?"
She turned to the Emperor, her face changing to a wronged and pitiful crying expression, "Your Majesty, Consort Chen is going too far. She wants to slap my face, and slap your face, Your Majesty!"
Consort Chen: What has this got to do with me?
Consort Wei then spoke, looking at Consort Lu carelessly, "If they want to search, let them search. It's not your body being searched, just a maid. If she's innocent, we can give her some rewards."
Last time in Huayang Palace, when Wei Yu falsely accused Wang Qingyao of stealing a jade pendant, Consort Wei knew Wang Qingyao had been wronged and this was a form of compensation.
Consort Lu stared at Consort Wei in shock, forgetting to cry.
What the hell was going on?
With Consort Wei's intervention, the Emperor also tacitly agreed. Two palace maids were about to step forward to search Bi Cha.
Bi Cha trembled with fear, with nowhere to escape. She fell to her knees with a "thump," kowtowing like she was pounding garlic, "Your Majesty, spare me, Consort Wei, spare me. It has nothing to do with me, it was all Consort Lu's orders."
Well, before the search, Bi Cha confessed everything.
The Emperor was furious and slapped Consort Lu across the face, "Are you tired of living, to attempt to assassinate Consort Chen?!"
Consort Lu was stunned by the slap. The Emperor actually hit her? Last night he called her his little darling and said she was his favorite.
Consort Lu's heart shattered, but at this moment, a broken heart was less important than her life.
She pinched her thigh fiercely, tears streaming down her face, "Your Majesty, how could I possibly assassinate Consort Chen? I have no enmity with her, and besides, Ruhuigong Palace is Consort Chen's territory. Why would I go to her territory to kill someone? Am I crazy?"
It made sense.
The two palace maids had already restrained Bi Cha on either side. Aunt Ju Ke, who served Consort Wei, at Consort Wei's signal, reached into Bi Cha's embrace and pulled out that erotic book.
She glanced at it and cried out "Oh dear," throwing the book onto the ground as if it were hot to the touch.
Everyone then saw the cover of the book. As the wind blew, the contents were also exposed.
The variety of positions was astonishing, even for Wang Qingyao, a modern person.
As a newly married wife, Wang Qingyao immediately "blushed" and hid behind Consort Chen, muttering softly, "So Consort Lu is so unrestrained."
Consort Lu's face turned ashen. She still didn't understand how things had escalated to this point.
How did Consort Chen's family know that Bi Cha was hiding something?
And why would Consort Wei stand up for Consort Chen's people?
Consort Lu couldn't figure it out. She glared fiercely at Wang Qingyao, her eyes seeming to bulge out.
Consort Wei immediately knelt to beg the Emperor for forgiveness, "This concubine deserves death. I failed to manage the harem properly, allowing such a vulgar item to be circulated. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
The Emperor personally helped her up, "What does this have to do with you? It is the people below who, spoiled by favor, have lost their sense of proportion." He glanced coldly at Consort Lu, full of disgust, "You handle it. I am tired."
Seeing this, Consort Lu desperately threw herself at Consort Wei's feet and pleaded, "Your Highness, spare me. I did it all for you! I know you hate Empress Xiaoxian, and Consort Chen is Empress Xiaoxian's person, so I wanted to deal with her! I did all this for you, to make you happy!"
Upon hearing the words "Empress Xiaoxian," the Emperor, who was about to leave, paused. He said coldly, "There is no need to keep her."
Consort Wei replied, "Yes."
Everyone respectfully saw the Emperor off. Consort Wei ordered the erotic book to be burned. Bi Cha was beaten to death. As for Consort Lu...
Consort Wei pondered.