The Crown Prince and Lu Peishan reacted swiftly.
They attributed everything to jealousy and infighting between women.
The Crown Prince was completely absolved.
Even though Lu Peishan was reluctant, she knew that preserving the Crown Prince was her only guarantee for the future.
If the skin is gone, where will the hair attach?
Consort Wei also said in surprise, "Crown Princess, you have always been the most sensible..."
Lu Peishan put on a pained expression, unsure if it was feigned or genuine.
When plotting, she did have a selfish motive.
He Liangyuan was originally intended to deal with the new Crown Princess, but unexpectedly, due to her ancestors' good deeds, she was promoted herself.
Thus, He Liangyuan was no longer necessary.
When His Highness the Crown Prince inadvertently mentioned that Prince Ding'an had deliberately claimed He Liangyuan was a jinx to curry favor with Prince Yue, she conceived this plan to kill two birds with one stone.
Who would have thought that such a simple scheme would fail!
Not only did the plan fail to eliminate Prince Ding'an and He Liangyuan, but it also implicated her!
Lu Peishan gritted her teeth in hatred.
Wang Qingyao also looked surprised, "Is the Crown Princess really so petty? That's not like her. Look at Consort Wei, who is favored by the Emperor above all others, yet she has never harmed any of the Emperor's other consorts. Why haven't you learned any of Consort Wei's virtues?"
Favored by the Emperor above all others.
How ironic it sounded at this moment.
Moreover, there was the incident of Consort Chen's fall and miscarriage. Although Consort Wei was not responsible, everyone assumed she was.
Wang Qingyao pointed it out so openly, filled with deep sarcasm.
Consort Wei's face turned red. Why did she have to speak?
Wang Qingyao was too cunning!
Lu Peishan could only kneel and repeat, "This daughter-in-law knows her mistake, please punish me, Father Emperor!"
The Emperor did not suspect anything, as such squabbles between women were common.
Not only in the Eastern Palace and the inner court, but even in ordinary official families outside, such incidents frequently occurred.
Although common, the Emperor detested those who were cunning and always used their schemes for the wrong purposes.
Lu Peishan was the Crown Princess he had personally supported. Her actions were a slap in his face as Emperor.
Remember how much debate there was in court when a concubine was promoted to Empress? Yet Lu Peishan did not cherish her reputation and committed such an act shortly after becoming Crown Princess!
The Emperor had a terrible headache and began to consider deposing the Crown Princess.
However, Wei Yu, the former Crown Princess, had only recently been deposed. To depose another Crown Princess so soon, what would the officials and the public think?
The Emperor did not want to let Lu Peishan off the hook, but for the sake of the Crown Prince, he had to deal with it lightly while still acknowledging the severity.
While he was deliberating, he heard Wang Qingyao ask with a puzzled tone, "Since the Crown Princess targeted He Liangyuan out of jealousy, why did she then go to Father Emperor to sow discord, implying that Prince Ding'an deliberately sent the jinxed He Liangyuan to His Highness to get rid of the Crown Prince?"
Lu Peishan was shocked. Was this something that could be said? Was this something that could be brought out into the open?
"If the Crown Princess had indeed bribed this eminent monk to deal with He Liangyuan, shouldn't she have immediately expelled her from the Eastern Palace and sent her to a nunnery? Why would she go to the trouble of reporting it to Father Emperor?" Wang Qingyao continued.
Not only Lu Peishan was stunned, but the Crown Prince and Consort Wei were also taken aback.
The facade of harmony and the fig leaf they had painstakingly maintained were so carelessly torn away by Wang Qingyao!
What was she thinking?
The Emperor's expression darkened.
He recalled Lu Peishan specifically going to Ruhu Palace to seek Consort Wei's help, and then coincidentally, he himself had come to see Consort Chen, leading to her naturally reporting it to him.
What a scheme!
Even he, the Emperor, had been included in her calculations.
Wang Qingyao said leisurely, "It seems the Crown Princess wanted to kill two birds with one stone. Truly a clever scheme."
Lu Peishan was speechless.
The Crown Prince knelt and pleaded for her, "Father Emperor, spare her. The Crown Princess was merely momentarily confused."
The Emperor looked at him coldly, "You were unaware?"
The Crown Prince broke out in a cold sweat and prostrated himself, saying, "Your son was gravely ill and unconscious, how could he possibly know?"
The Emperor narrowed his eyes and scrutinized him for a long time before slowly saying, "The Crown Princess has lost her virtue. She is confined for three months and her salary is forfeited for one year."
Lu Peishan kowtowed in gratitude.
The Emperor's gaze then shifted to the eminent monk, and he said with disgust, "Fifty strokes and expelled from the Great Xiangguo Temple!"
The eminent monk, having saved his life, also kowtowed incessantly in thanks.
The Emperor was extremely annoyed. He glanced at Consort Wei and said coldly, "Consort, you have always known what is important. You must discipline the Crown Princess more in the future."
Consort Wei, her face pale, replied, "Yes."
Wang Qingyao helped the Emperor, and they left the Eastern Palace with the Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu.
Consort Wei looked at the Crown Prince and Crown Princess still kneeling on the ground and said in a low, frustrated tone, "How many times have I told you not to act rashly, not to act rashly? Why don't you listen?"
Consort Wei rubbed her forehead, looking distressed.
The Crown Princess and the Crown Prince stood up together, unable to speak.
"Do you think Prince Ding'an and his consort are easy to deal with? Just the consort alone has caused the Wei family so much trouble in the past. And you still dare to go and slander her?"
Lu Peishan said weakly, "I didn't intend to do anything, I just wanted to plant a seed of doubt in Father Emperor's mind. Who knew Consort Chen would suggest summoning Consort Ding'an?"
Consort Wei was also beginning to not understand Consort Chen.
Consort Chen seemed to be on Prince Ding'an's side. Did she not want her own son to become Emperor?