The Noble Consort is the most favored in the harem

Chapter 148 - Malicious Frame-Up

Amidst the osmanthus trees, Bai Pin stood tall with her two palace maids behind her, looking down from above.

Meanwhile, Ming Changzai and her maid Pei'er were kneeling on the ground—one too pained to speak, and the other too terrified to even cry.

If anyone happened to pass by, seeing such a scene, they'd likely hurry away, unwilling to interfere.

Ming Changzai took several deep breaths, aware that the injury on her foot was severe, but now was not the time to confront Bai Pin. Holding back the pain, she humbly pleaded, "Your Ladyship must misunderstand. I accidentally fell and injured my foot, and if I disrupted your flower viewing, that was my fault."

As she finished speaking, her brow furrowed, and she clutched her injured leg, unable to hold back faint whimpers of pain.

Bai Pin glanced at her pitiful state without the slightest hint of sympathy, then said, "Baizhi, Bailing."

"Yes, my lady."

"The crabapple hairpin His Majesty gifted me is missing. Search for it! I fear some conniving thief may have set their sights on it, intending to steal it for themselves!"

At these words, the two maids exchanged a glance, instantly understanding Bai Pin's intention. Strangely enough, the hairpin that had been in her hand moments ago had suddenly disappeared.

This "veiled accusation" left Pei'er so frightened that she began frantically kowtowing and pleading for mercy. "Please, Your Ladyship, spare us! My lady didn't steal it! Truly, she didn't!"

"Oh? Confessing without even being accused?"

With that, Bai Pin cast a meaningful glance at Baizhi.

Nodding in understanding, Baizhi immediately moved to grab Ming Changzai to restrain her, intent on a thorough "punishment." But Pei'er desperately blocked her path.

"No, no... my lady is innocent, Your Ladyship!" Pei'er cried, clinging to Baizhi as she sobbed, hoping someone passing by might hear and come to their aid.

"Innocent?" Bai Pin's calculating gaze landed on Pei'er with a mocking smile. "A simple search will reveal the truth, yet here you are, obstructing me—are you trying to help your mistress hide something?"

With a glance, Bai Pin signaled to Baizhi, who sneered and said, "Rest assured, Your Highness. We'll search Ming Changzai thoroughly. If she didn't steal the hairpin, this will clear her name."

At her words, both Baizhi and Bailing reached out to grab Ming Changzai, attempting to pull open her collar. Pei'er, panicked, fought them off, even as she endured painful pinches. Yet she fearlessly shielded Ming Changzai.

"Your Ladyship, please show some mercy! Under broad daylight, how could my lady have stolen your hairpin?"

Bai Pin had no patience for such protests and urged Baizhi to proceed. If they managed to tear Ming Changzai's clothes in public like this, the humiliation alone could drive her to despair, maybe even make her take her own life in shame.

"Enough!"

Suddenly, Ming Changzai, who had remained silent, shouted with unexpected fury.

The maids, who had been aggressively pulling at her clothes, were startled by the fierce look in her eyes and hesitated, their movements slowing.

Pushing them away, Ming Changzai forced herself to her feet despite the pain. Her dress was disheveled and soiled with dirt, but her gaze was no longer pleading or submissive. Instead, she stared resolutely up at Bai Pin.

"Your Ladyship, we both know whether your hairpin is truly missing. If you wanted to use this opportunity to oppress me, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."

With that, she pulled a hehuan hairpin from her bun, aiming it at her own delicate, fair cheek.

This action made Bai Pin's expression instantly darken, and she gritted her teeth as she looked at Ming Changzai, who wore a look of unyielding defiance.

"What are you doing? Trying to threaten me?"

Ming Changzai let out a cold laugh. "Thanks to His Majesty's favor, I've been summoned to accompany him frequently these days. Idle rumors hold no weight with him, but if I were to scar my face, I'd have quite the story to tell. Your Highness, who do you think would suffer the most in the end?"

Her mocking gaze mirrored Bai Pin's, rendering her speechless.

Squabbles and snide remarks between concubines were one thing. But scarring another's face? That was malicious harm.

With Ming Changzai's current standing with the Emperor, this matter would not end easily.

Even though it was the height of July, with the weather sweltering, Bai Pin felt a chill down her spine.

She glared intently at Ming Changzai and the sharp hairpin in her hand, secretly hoping she'd slip up and ruin her own face. But Ming Changzai's words were not without reason.

Though Bai Pin was domineering, her footing in the harem was not yet secure. It was acceptable for a consort to discipline a lower-ranking Changzai, but offending the Emperor over this matter would be a foolish move.

Her gaze wavered slightly, and Ming Changzai noticed her hesitation. Rather than pressing further, she knelt with sincerity, speaking in a conciliatory tone.

"Since Your Ladyship has lost the hairpin, I am more than willing to help search for it. Please, let's put this matter to rest."

This sudden act of humility provided Bai Pin with an easy way out.

Staring at Ming Changzai's slightly bowed figure, a flicker of resentment crossed Bai Pin's face, but she could not continue to press the matter.

"Forget it; it's just a hairpin. It's nothing I can't afford to lose," she said coldly, turning toward another grove of osmanthus trees nearby. "I'm not interested in bickering with you. I wouldn't want to spoil my enjoyment of the flowers. Baizhi, Bailing, let's go."

"Yes, my lady."

Baizhi cast a disdainful glance at Pei'er, who was still kneeling beside Ming Changzai, then stepped forward to support Bai Pin as they left the area.

After they had walked a fair distance, Baizhi lowered her voice and asked, "Your Ladyship, do you think Ming Changzai will really go to the Emperor to complain?"

Baizhi had been serving Bai Pin since she entered the palace and naturally shared her loyalties. She was concerned that if today's incident escalated, her mistress would not come out unscathed.

Bai Pin let out a cold laugh, her slender fingers brushing back a lock of hair as she replied confidently, "Don't worry. I'm counting on her to report to the Emperor. If she actually brings this to him, it'll be my chance to see His Majesty. By then, what's true or false will be out of her hands to decide."

Hearing her mistress's confident response, Baizhi finally relaxed.

"True. In this palace, isn't everything just a matter of what people choose to say?"