The Prime Minister’s Darling-Chapter 424 - : 214 Public Face-slapping (Second Update)
Chapter 424: 214 Public Face-slapping (Second Update)
Consort Shu never expected this outcome. Didn’t Gu Jinyu claim the invention as her own? How could a four-year-old child know how to make it?
Noble Consort Zhuang enjoyed the turmoil: “Consort Shu, could Xiaowu have possibly stolen someone else’s skills and claimed the credit as his own?”
Consort Shu suddenly felt guilty, her face turning red: “What are you talking about, Noble Consort? How could Xiaowu do such a thing?”
Noble Consort Zhuang chuckled: “Then could it be that they stole the skill from Xiaowu?”
Empress Xiao admonished seriously: “Noble Consort, watch your words. I just overheard that the child said his family has known how to do it for a long time.”
Consort Shu steeled herself and declared: “Xiaowu has also known how to do it for a long time!”
Noble Consort Zhuang countered: “But that’s not what you said earlier. Didn’t you state that Xiaowu only came up with this yesterday?”
“I…” Consort Shu did indeed mention earlier that the fifth prince had only discussed this method with her last night.
Noble Consort Zhuang continued: “Could it be that Xiaowu mentioned it to Xiaoqi, who then taught the child, and the child falsely claimed that his family taught him?”
Empress Xiao spoke seriously: “Last night, after Xiaoqi returned from Guozijian, he stayed in my palace. His Majesty was also present before sending Xiaoqi off to the East Palace. Please enlighten us, Noble Consort, how could Xiaoqi have met with Xiaowu? And why would Xiaowu tell Xiaoqi about it?”
Considering the two’s age difference and their normally distant relationship, it was highly unlikely that the fifth prince would have discussed this matter with Qin Chuyu.
Qin Chuyu was just a child after all, what could he understand?
Noble Consort Zhuang inclined heir head slightly: “I misspoke.”
Noble Consort Zhuang wasn’t really defending Consort Shu, and Empress Xiao understood this well.
The Emperor’s expression towards Consort Shu turned complicated.
Honestly speaking, the Emperor was extremely fond of Consort Shu. While new women came and went in his harem, Consort Shu had always been his favorite. The reason was simple – she was enticing, beautiful, good at pleasing him, and an unparalleled sweet talker.
However, today’s incident seemed to have crossed the Emperor’s line.
The Emperor was already irritated by Gu Jinyu’s false claim of credit but lacked evidence. He particularly despised those who took credit dishonestly!
Of course, fundamentally, the Emperor was a man who valued evidence.
The Emperor queried: “Do you have any evidence to prove when Xiaowu first made this kind of mortar?”
Consort Shu was at a loss for words.
The Emperor continued: “Surely he didn’t just conjure it up. You must have seen him do it before you believed, right?”
Consort Shu was left completely speechless.
The Emperor called for Eunuch Wei: “Go ask the child when his family first made this.”
“Yes!” Eunuch Wei shuffled away and returned not long after, reporting to the Emperor, “Your Majesty, he said that many of his neighbors’ walls were plastered with this kind of mortar, as early as last month.”
The Emperor gave Eunuch Wei a meaningful look. Eunuch Wei understood and sent a few palace guards off to Bishui Alley.
The Imperial Concubines had originally come to see the Emperor, but now they were watching the drama unfolding around Consort Shu.
Throughout her many years in the palace, Consort Shu had never been in such a difficult position.
Gu Jinyu, Gu Jinyu, you have truly landed me in a tight spot!
Not long after, the palace guards returned, and one of them reported to the Emperor: “Your Majesty, we indeed found the same kind of mortar.”
The evidence was irrefutable. The child’s family had made the mortar first.
The question now was, how did the fifth prince come to know about the mortar? Did he invent it himself, or… did he learn it from someone else?
Empress Xiao couldn’t help but speak up: “Consort Shu, why don’t you just tell the truth?”
Consort Shu was overwhelmed with regret. If she had known this would happen, she wouldn’t have fallen into Gu Jinyu’s trap and tried to claim this achievement. Now how was she going to get out of this mess?
If the fifth prince hadn’t gotten involved, it wouldn’t have been this bad, but he had.
Noble Consort Zhuang suggested casually with a faint smile: “Why don’t we call the fifth prince and ask him?”
“No!” She hadn’t had a chance to get her story straight with Xiaowu yet!
Wasn’t calling Xiaowu at this critical moment the same as admitting her wrongdoing on the spot?
And yet, as if in a cruel twist of fate—
“Huh? Father? Mother? What are you doing here?”
The fifth prince had returned to the palace, making a beeline towards them, “Mother, I heard you were looking for me urgently!”
Upon entering the pavilion and seeing Empress Xiao and the others, he greeted everyone with a bow.
“Mother, you look unwell.” The fifth prince looked curiously at Consort Shu. Everyone was sitting while only Consort Shu stood in the middle of the pavilion, looking like she was being interrogated. He frowned, “What happened?”
Consort Shu gave him a meaningful look.
Empress Xiao pointed to a bucket of mortar beside her and asked, “Xiaowu, do you recognize this?”
The Fair Lady was desperately sending him signals!
The Fifth Prince didn’t see, he looked at the mortar and asked with a disgusted face, “What’s this dirty thing?”
With a single phrase ‘dirty thing’, is there anything left that’s not understood?
He dared not to even recognize the mortar!
Noble Consort Zhuang laughed behind her hand: “Xiaowu, Fair Lady said that you made this thing?”
The Fifth Prince felt nauseous: “How could I make something this dirty?”
Noble Consort Zhuang laughed out loud.
The other consorts and concubines also covered their mouths with handkerchiefs, stifling their laughter.
Empress Xiao, bearing the demeanor of the mother of a nation, didn’t break into laughter.
The Fair Lady felt like dying.
What happened to the heart-to-heart connection between mother and son? Is there no tacit understanding anymore?
“You may leave first.” The Emperor said to the Fifth Prince. This matter apparently had nothing to do with him. The Emperor was not likely to vent his anger on him for now.
The Fifth Prince was clueless, but since the Emperor had given the order, he had no choice but to withdraw silently.
The Emperor’s cold gaze fell on the Fair Lady: “What’s going on? Aren’t you going to confess honestly?”
With human and material evidence present, it was impossible for the Fair Lady to clear herself anymore. She had never been humiliated in public during her many years in the palace, and one of the humiliators was her own son.
The Fair Lady was extremely humiliated. Tears welled up in her eyes as she said: “Your Majesty, this consort didn’t do it on purpose… I had reasons for doing so.”
The Fair Lady recounted how she had gone to see Gu Jinyu in the prison. Of course, she didn’t mention that Gu Jinyu wanted to give her the credit. Instead, she said: “…The princess knew she had annoyed your majesty. Fearing that you wouldn’t believe her method, she let this consort lie that it was Xiaowu’s idea. She said she hoped to serve you one more time. How would I know that she had stolen the idea from someone else?”
Gu Jinyu again!
Still plagiarizing from the young divine doctor!
Now it was good, he was troubled that he couldn’t find evidence about the bellows. The mortar brought the evidence to his doorstep.
The Emperor looked at the Fair Lady: “So, the Fair Lady herself was deceived, and it was her alone who committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor from start to finish?”
What could the Fair Lady do? Admit that she herself had almost deceived the Emperor?
To save herself, the Fair Lady had to admit that Gu Jinyu had deceived the Emperor.
The Fair Lady bit her lip, publicly kneeled down, and knocked her forehead on the floor, saying, “Her niece has committed a big mistake, this consort failed to teach her properly, please punish her!”
The emperor said: “Hui Princess has stolen the achievements of others, claimed undeserved Credit, deceived the Emperor, and gone above the Emperor. Considering Fair Lady is pleading for mercy on her behalf, let’s strip her of her princess title and take back her reward!”
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The Fair Lady was dumbfounded, is this what is considered favoring her? She won’t even be able to hold the title of a princess anymore!
The crime of deceiving the Emperor is actually hard to sentence strictly. For example, Qin Chuyu always lied about not having sweets, and the Third Prince would lie about finishing his homework… All of these were deceiving the emperor, but they are generally not convicted unless they have caused great consequences.
The matter of the mortar obviously hadn’t caused any major consequences. Despite this, the Emperor still stripped her of her title and position as a princess. It appeared that he was seizing the opportunity to make a point.
Everyone couldn’t help but think of the explosion at the Ministry of Works and the rumors about the bellows not being invented by Gu Jinyu that had been spreading around the palace.
If it was indeed because of the bellows, then it would make sense.
Poor Fair Lady, your beloved niece is not as amazing as you have been proclaiming. She knows nothing, steals the achievements of others, privately modifies them, and in the end, causes a big disaster.
Who else should be punished if not your niece?
At this moment, the gazes all the consort and concubines were directing towards the Fair Lady had changed.
This woman who had always been most favored and proud, had finally stumbled.
The Fair Lady was sentenced by the Emperor to forfeit a year’s salary and stay grounded for a month.
The Fair Lady turned pale, this was a real slap in the face.
The entire Imperial Harem witnessed her embarrassment. From now on, this dark chapter of her life could never be wiped clean!
The Emperor frowned at her, “Why? Are you still standing there? Are you dissatisfied with my punishment?”
“This consort wouldn’t dare, this consort will take her leave.” The Fair Lady got up in a disheveled manner, gave the Emperor a salute, and left stumbling with the help of the palace maids.
She hadn’t gone far when the Emperor suddenly called out to her, “Fair Lady.”
The Fair Lady’s heart lifted, and she turned her face back filled with tears, expecting the Emperor to comfort her. After all, she was also implicated in the ordeal. But to her disappointment, the Emperor merely said coldly: “Tell Xiaowu to come to the Imperial Study Room, I want to test him on his homework.”
The Fair Lady was instantly shell-shocked!
