A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace-Chapter 717: The Rascal
Xia Ruqing sneered inwardly.
At last, it had come! Noble Concubine Shih’s true nature had finally been revealed.
Look at how shrewdly she played her cards! Leaving an intact corpse, even taking care of the children, TSK TSK! If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed there were such despicable and shameless people in the world!
Before Xia Ruqing could say anything, Noble Concubine Shih, along with a dozen Palace Attendants, headed towards Qingya Residence. Upon seeing this, Xia Ruqing also hurriedly followed. But with her pregnant belly, she moved slowly and couldn’t catch up. By the time she reached the entrance of Qingya Residence, she only managed to stop Noble Concubine Shih and her entourage. And by that time, Zhao Junqi had long since disappeared without a trace.
Xia Ruqing looked at the empty space behind her and let out a cold laugh. ’HEH...’
They say the Harem is a battleground among women. Now, it seems that isn’t always the case. But... a grown man getting involved in the squabbles of Harem women, how disgusting! Forget it, better not to think about it.
Noble Concubine Shih’s face was livid with anger. "Lady Xia, what do you mean by this!"
Xia Ruqing squinted her eyes and sneered, "I mean nothing, it’s just... Your Noble Consort has already concluded that it was a secret meeting merely because Crown Prince Yan and I happened to encounter each other in the Imperial Garden! Isn’t that a bit too rash!"
Noble Concubine Shih was furious. "You still dare to argue! We’ll know the truth once we search inside!"
"What exactly does Your Noble Consort want to search for?" Xia Ruqing retorted decisively.
She looked calm, and with her pregnant belly, Zi Yue and Zi Su supported her by her side, giving her a very stable appearance. In contrast, Noble Concubine Shih stood with two rows of more than a dozen Palace Maids and eunuchs behind her, her voice piercing, her expression fierce, and her demeanor extremely aggressive.
Seeing Xia Ruqing feigning composure, Noble Concubine Shih sneered inwardly: Soon, I will wipe that smile off your face.
She proudly raised her eyebrows and said, "Search for what? Of course, for evidence! Ever since I took over the power of The Six Palaces, I have been conscientious and dutiful! Previously, the Empress turned a blind eye to many things due to her ill health, but I am different! These secret dealings of yours, it won’t be so easy to fool me anymore!"
Xia Ruqing also smiled. Noble Concubine Shih is latching onto this without letting go! It’s so obvious who set this trap! But how could I just give in to their wishes! Of course, I won’t admit to it!
"Your Noble Consort may search if you wish, but... there must always be evidence in everything!" Xia Ruqing declared. "Otherwise, with mere words, how can people be persuaded!"
After saying that, Xia Ruqing scanned the Palace Maids and eunuchs around her. With so many people around, even Noble Concubine Shih wouldn’t dare to force her way in, no matter how despicable she is.
As expected, Noble Concubine Shih hesitated for a moment, then called for a few Little Eunuchs from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to be brought over. "Consort Xian, my dear sister, observe carefully. These Little Eunuchs from the Ministry of Internal Affairs are all eyewitnesses! As for physical evidence, it’s hidden in your Qingya Residence! Stand aside at once!" Noble Concubine Shih was extremely arrogant.
Xia Ruqing looked at these Little Eunuchs and suddenly chuckled. "These Little Eunuchs, I’ve never seen them before. They must be new to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, right? Who knows... if they were planted by someone with an agenda! If these can be called witnesses, then I can find a large number of them too!"
Noble Concubine Shih was so infuriated that she almost exploded on the spot. "You!"
Just as she was about to erupt, a sequence of footsteps approached from the distance.
"The Empress Dowager is here!"
Upon hearing this, everyone promptly rushed forward to pay their respects without a second thought. The Empress Dowager, supported by Sister Qing’s hand, approached from afar. Seeing the chaos before her, she frowned immediately. "We heard the commotion all the way from the Imperial Garden. What on earth is going on! Noble Consort, in this sweltering heat, and with Consort Xian pregnant, what are you doing here?!" the Empress Dowager asked, noting they were at the entrance to Qingya Residence.
Noble Concubine Shih immediately exaggerated the story, twisting a clandestine meeting into a one-sided seduction initiated by Xia Ruqing!
Zi Yue and Zi Su were so furious they trembled on the spot. Zi Su couldn’t hold back any longer and wanted to step forward to argue, but Xia Ruqing quickly pulled her back.
Xia Ruqing took a step forward and paid her respects. "This consort is innocent. Noble Consort has wronged me. Please, Empress Dowager, grant me justice!"
The Empress Dowager looked at her, her gaze somewhat complex. Hmph! Grant justice? Wishful thinking. The Empress Dowager scoffed coldly.
"It’s not that We favor the Noble Consort, but Consort Xian, what you have done is really inappropriate!" the Empress Dowager said. "You have occupied the Emperor’s attention on a daily basis, causing discord within The Six Palaces. Since the Emperor favors you, We have refrained from commenting! Now, the Emperor has barely been gone for half a month, and you already cannot bear the loneliness and attempt to seduce Crown Prince Yan?!"
Xia Ruqing looked at the Empress Dowager in disbelief. How could the Empress Dowager say such things out loud? Is she really Zhao Junyao’s own mother? So eager to cuckold her own son and tarnish the Royal Family’s reputation? Ha! I’ve endured for so long, why should I tolerate this nonsense anymore!
Suppressing the anger in her heart, Xia Ruqing stepped forward with composure. "Empress Dowager! Searching my residence is permissible, but there are some things this consort must say first!"
The Empress Dowager asked, feigning ignorance, "What things?"
Xia Ruqing, without any hint of politeness, spoke directly, "Noble Consort found several newly-recruited Little Eunuchs to falsely accuse this consort of having private liaisons with someone. This is outright defamation! If evidence is found in my Qingya Residence today, I will accept any punishment! But what if nothing is uncovered?"
The Empress Dowager exchanged glances with Noble Concubine Shih, then proclaimed with an air of self-righteousness, "If nothing is found, that proves Consort Xian, that you are innocent! In such matters, it is better to wrongly accuse a thousand than to let a single guilty party escape! The Noble Consort oversees The Six Palaces and has always been careful, never making a mistake!"
These words from the Empress Dowager essentially declared that she was siding with Noble Concubine Shih. If the Noble Consort says I’ve had an affair, then I’ve had an affair, Xia Ruqing thought.
Xia Ruqing was so exasperated she laughed. She truly had underestimated the extent of these people’s shamelessness. Their methods were truly repulsive. But then again... If they have shed all pretense of decency, then there’s no need for me to play by the rules anymore, right?!
So, Xia Ruqing, leading her attendants, took a stand at the main entrance of Qingya Residence and said with a sneer, "Empress Dowager, your statement is most improper! No matter my standing, I am still a Second Rank Consort personally appointed by the Emperor and the mother of the Crown Prince! How can I be subjected to slander by others at will?! Besides, if slandering others comes with no consequences, does that mean anyone can just slander whomever they dislike in the future? If everyone followed suit, wouldn’t the atmosphere in the palace become increasingly chaotic? What fairness would be left to speak of?! Moreover, the palace regulations... are certainly not written this way!"
Xia Ruqing spoke slowly yet decisively, her argument solid and well-reasoned.
The Empress Dowager had intended to persist with her shameless stance. But when she looked up, she saw the surrounding Palace Attendants all staring at her. A twinge of unease pricked her heart. Palace Maids and eunuchs love to gossip. If she truly endorsed this, chaos could erupt in the palace. The Emperor’s return was uncertain, and if this escalated, it would be difficult to manage.
