The Beloved Concubine of the Eastern Palace (book 2)

Chapter 272 - Turning the Tables

"No, I just accidentally knocked over the tea cup," Xu Xin'er hurriedly waved her hand. "I disturbed Your Highness; it's my fault. Please forgive me."

Pei Yao didn't respond, simply glaring at her coldly.

Xu Xin'er, clearly frightened, kept glancing towards the door, as if waiting for someone to save her.

The Crown Princess finally spoke up, her voice stern.

"Stop looking. That maid has already been detained by my people."

Hearing this, Pei Yao turned to the Crown Princess, slightly puzzled.

The Crown Princess stood and bowed to him.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. When I went to check on the Second Lady, I spoke with Xu Shuren and noticed her maid seemed suspicious. I had Min Si secretly investigate Qiushuang Pavillion, and she found the maid trying to escape under the pretense of fetching a cloak. Min Si has detained her. You may question her yourself."

Everyone present was shocked.

No one expected the Crown Princess, as Xu Shuren's cousin, to expose her own relative.

Especially Yang Cefei, who looked at the Crown Princess with blatant surprise.

Xu Xin'er was even more terrified.

Hearing the Crown Princess say that Xiudie had tried to escape and was caught, she panicked.

She hurriedly knelt, "Cousin, I know nothing! This has nothing to do with me. It must be that maid, acting on someone else's orders, trying to frame me!"

"The Crown Princess hasn't said why the maid tried to escape. How do you seem to know what she confessed?" Pei Yao's eyes flashed with murderous intent.

Xu Xin'er, lacking cunning, was at a loss for words, trembling and crying, looking to the Crown Princess for help.

But in the Crown Princess's eyes, she saw only deep disappointment.

The Crown Princess then signaled to Min Si, who had returned unnoticed.

Min Si stepped forward, calmly reporting,

"Your Highness, Xu Shuren's maid, Xiudie, has confessed. She has a sister in the kitchen's pastry department. During the busy New Year preparations, Xiudie pretended to help and mixed aloe powder into the rice cakes and dipping sauces sent to Biluo Pavilion."

"Additionally, there are four resident physicians in the Eastern Palace. Today, Physcian Liu and Physician Zhang were on duty. Xiudie bribed Physician Zhang and monitored Biluo Pavilion, ensuring Physician Liu was sent away before Biluo Pavilion's people arrived, allowing Physician Zhang to inspect the poisoned pastries and deceive Fang Cefei into eating them."

Hearing this, Xu Xin'er's face turned ashen, her body trembling uncontrollably.

After a moment of shock, she crawled forward, clutching the Crown Princess's robe.

"Cousin, it's not like that! I was blinded by jealousy of Fang Cefei's favor. It was all Xiudie's idea. I regret it, cousin. I was wrong. Please save me!"

Raised by a domineering stepmother, Xu Xin'er was cowardly and panicked in crises. Now, terrified, she clung to the Crown Princess, her only hope.

Even she knew that harming a royal heir was a capital offense.

The Crown Princess's expression was complex, but she remained silent.

At that moment, Hu Liangdi suddenly spoke,

"How could a maid have such means and connections? Perhaps someone used the maid to manipulate Xu Shuren, intending to kill by proxy."

Pei Yao's sharp, cold gaze swept over, making everyone tense.

"Hu Liangdi has a point," Yang Cefei quickly added, glancing subtly at the Crown Princess. "To manipulate the kitchen and bribe a physician, one must be well-acquainted with the inner court's workings."

As she finished, Xiudie, who had been silent since her capture, suddenly erupted.

Struggling against her restraints, she cried out to Xu Xin'er,

"Shuren, I wronged you! I was acting on the Crown Princess's orders. She placed me by your side to incite your jealousy of Fang Cefei. She pretended to be righteous, scolding you to make you resent her, creating a false impression of discord to clear her own name!"

"Today, she wanted to eliminate us because we were no longer useful. She promised to release me from the palace if I succeeded. I wasn't trying to escape on my own!"

Xiudie's sudden accusation, tearful and snotty, stirred everyone's emotions.

Xu Xin'er, kneeling, looked incredulous.

She glanced between Xiudie and the Crown Princess, her anger boiling over.

Furiously, she shoved the Crown Princess, screaming,

"Why, Lu Yuehua, why did you harm me? Did my presence in the Eastern Palace displease you? If you didn't like me, you could have said so. Why pretend to be so kind?"

She tore off the thick cloak the Crown Princess had given her and threw it aside.

Seeing Xu Xin'er's outburst, the Crown Princess, frustrated by her foolishness, slapped her hard.

"Idiot! If I wanted to harm you, I would have killed this maid when she was caught, claiming she committed suicide out of guilt. Why keep her alive to slander me?"

The slap knocked Xu Xin'er to the ground, clutching her face, eyes brimming with tears.

"Enough! Silence!" Pei Yao slammed the table, his voice icy.

To him, few present had clean hands, making him sick with disgust.

"From now on, return to your quarters. No one leaves until Fang Cefei awakens. Take this criminal and maid for thorough questioning!"

His anger silenced everyone. They quickly bowed and left.

Xu Xin'er and Xiudie were taken away by Hong Zheng's men.

"Your Highness," the Crown Princess called softly.

Pei Yao looked up, "You should go too. I trust you."

Relieved, the Crown Princess's expression softened.

She had feared Pei Yao's affection for Fang Yun might overshadow their years of marriage, diminishing his trust in her.

After all, Xiudie's words were indeed misleading.

Feeling reassured, the Crown Princess said no more and left.

After she departed, Pei Yao took the hot tea Hong Zheng handed him, speaking gravely,

"Such extensive influence, bribing the kitchen and physician, shows deep knowledge of the inner court. Besides the Crown Princess, only Yang Cefei managed the palace during the autumn hunt."