His Majesty And I ✔️

Truth And Lies

Chapter 43

Imperial Concubine Wei
Wei Li Lian

"Help! Somebody please, help! She is trying to kill our princess!"

Someone screamed, forcing Li Lian to jerk up. A court lady who said these words ran to them and violently clutched the princess from Li Lian, causing the little girl to bleat sorely. "Your Highness, I'm here. She will not hurt you anymore."

The princess broke like a hurricane at that moment. Streams of tears gushed on the poor child's small cheeks and she sobbed blood tears, her wounds reddening her tears.

Li Lian had not seen anything like this before―a child in complete sorrow. The cry hit the highest pitch and hollowed the more she dragged it out. Cai Wenjin announced distress, spelling out her trauma and despair.

Li Lian ignored the crazy court lady. The woman's accusations were not helping the situation. She took the small hand of the princess. "Your Highness, please calm down. Speak to me, who hurt you, what happened?"

The princess hiccuped and all Li Lian got in response was the shivering of wrecking sobs with, "I don't want to die."

"Nobody will dare kill you. I am here." Li Lian neared the princess by taking a step. "Come here, talk to me and I will help you."

"Leave her, you murderer!" The court lady lashed, taking the kid further away from Li Lian. "Your Highness, did she hurt you?"

More of the maids belonging to the princess' entourage emerged. Although not being there when the court lady arrived, they were attacking with the same sentiments.

"The concubine tried to kill Her Highness."

"I saw her try it too."

"She is a murderer. She must die!"

"Your Highness, be settled. Your servants are here now and they will take care of you." The court lady whispered to Princess Cai Wenjin who shook according to possession of fear. Her eyes bore emptiness within them.

"If she is your mistress, then how did I steal her from you? Where is the evidence to back your vain attacks! Are you trying to save your skin by shifting the blame on me?" Li Lian began to simmer with anger. They had the nerve. How dare they?

"I saw you, that is my evidence. You were trying to kill her."

"Be quiet! You are speaking informally and looking down on me? I will slap you."

News spread as spilled water in the palace. Concubines with their maids correcting their outfits which they hurriedly changed into from their nightwear were collectively arriving to bear witness.

"What happened?" A concubine asked the other. "Please tell me what she has done now."

"Li Lian, are you all right?" Noble Consort Qi was at her side, enveloping her into a one-sided hug.

It had her wrench, not liking to be touched by people she was not yet familiar with. "I am... all right."

"Your Highness," the princess' entourage went on their knees yelling,  "seek justice for our young mistress!"

"Lower your voices!" Noble Consort Qi stood in front of Li Lian. "What kind of servants are you? Speaking to a royal concubine without courtesy."

"What concubine? She is a murderer who has committed treason!" One maid yelled from among the kneeling entourage. This fueled the rest into rebellion. "We seek justice! Please give our princess justice!"

Li Lian was right, this day indeed had ominous tidings. What kind of nightmare was she having? Surely people were not already plotting against her this fast.

"Princess Cai Wenjin! Your Highness!" Consort Wang hauled herself to the front of the gathering crowds. "What have they done to you, my child?" At this point, Princess Cai Wenjin was quiet, distraught to speak, and her eyes empty under the rays of the rising sun."

"Your Highness, it's that Concubine Wei. We want justice." The court lady pointed at Li Lian and in frustration, Li Lian's wrists trembled. She was like a thread being pulled tight and about to tear.

"Shut your ugly mouth and put down your despicable hand!" Grand Consort Shu had the crowd parting for her. Beside her was notably Dao and Ai among her personal servants.

Li Lian's miserable girls, Dao and Ai appeared wild with worry.

Consort Wang lifted her daughter who wrapped her legs around her waist. With motherly care, the consort patted her on the back and brushed her long hair. "You have done well, you are still alive and free from that evil woman's clutches," she mused.

"What evil woman, Consort Wang? You too have a running mouth as the servants?" Grand Consort Shu stood next to Noble Consort Qi, in front of Li Lian protectively. Dao and Ai took the hands of Li Lian and squeezed her in reassurance.

Ai, being used to her mistress' temper held on tightly to her. The last thing that could favor Li Lian was her losing it.

"Your Highness, I saw it. That Li Lian was trying to choke our princess to death. She even beat her this hard. Look at how she is swollen and bruised. In all history, no one has dared to touch royal children unless they wished death upon themselves. Please seek justice for our princess." The court lady was a rotten liar.

But who would know that? The audience broke into discussions. Some believed her, some offered their supportive words and some laughed to their heart's content. This drama was better than breakfast for them.

"His Majesty's instructions!" An eunuch shouted and instantaneously everyone fell to their knees."

"Finally His Majesty is intervening. Watch the ugly concubine die."

"Who said that?" The eunuch demanded, which resulted in stone-cold silence. No one dared to speak. It was the mole eunuch, and everyone knew that eunuch was the opposite of Eunuch Nam. He did not play around and was unafraid to have an individual dealt with severely.

"Let everyone not be emotional and forget their manners. This is the Grand Palace and at the slip of your tongue, you could lose it or better yet, we can help you kick the bucket(die)." The eunuch warned as he opened a piece of paper.

Yuwen Hong.

Would Yuwen Hong believe her? They were doing so well and now this drama to ruin them. What was sad is that in their relationship there was no established trust as of yet. And Li Lian couldn't blame him for it.

"His Majesty's instructions." Mole Eunuch began. "Have Imperial Concubine Li Lian and Princess Cai Wenjin enter the dragon palace."

"His Majesty is benevolent!" Everyone bowed.

To this instruction, Consort Wang stood with the princess in her hands.

"No, no. Only Princess Wenjin and the imperial concubine." The mole eunuch raised his hand in objection.

"I am her mother," Consort Wang refuted.

The mole eunuch laughed like the consort's words were the funniest thing in the world. "His Majesty's instructions or you dare speak against him, Consort Wang?"

S.V