Steal my marriage? Turn around and marry the tyrant to take the throne

Although His Majesty's handling of the matter was similar to the previous one, except that Consort Mei was also placed under house arrest.

But the nature of the situation is completely different now.

His Majesty previously confined Consort Zhuang to her quarters to investigate whether this matter was the work of Consort Zhuang or the Imperial Noble Consort.

Now it's about Consort Zhuang framing the Imperial Noble Consort, and His Majesty has completely believed in the Imperial Noble Consort's innocence.

Consort Xuan's eyes were full of joy as she looked at Consort Zhuang without any attempt to hide it.

A drowning dog deserves to be beaten!

Consort Xian still maintained a cold and aloof demeanor.

Consort Su covered her lips with a handkerchief, her eyes lowered, lost in thought.

Consort Yue exuded an aloofness that kept people at arm's length, as if the commotion in the palace had nothing to do with her.

Consort Qin sat calmly, glancing at Consort Zhuang and then at Consort Mei.

But her intuition told her that Consort Zhuang wouldn't admit defeat so easily...

really.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside the palace gates, followed by a figure kneeling and rushing into the palace: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please allow me to report!"

Everyone looked closely and saw that it was Xiao Caizi, the head eunuch of Changchun Palace.

Xiao Caizi knelt on the ground, beads of sweat still clinging to his forehead, clearly having run all the way here.

Nangong Xuanyu's gaze fell on him.

Before the emperor could ask, Xiao Caizi had already kowtowed three times: "Your Majesty, this servant really cannot stand by and watch the Imperial Concubine suffer an injustice!"

"This matter... Your Highness was kept in the dark from beginning to end. It was Consort Mei who did it behind Your Highness's back!"

Consort Mei's crying stopped abruptly. She raised her head blankly, her face still wet with tears, her eyes filled with confusion: "What...what did you say?!"

Xiao Caizi didn't look at her and continued to say to the emperor, "Your Majesty, I was originally unaware of the Third Prince's drug case. It was only when the Censorate interrogated Xiao Yizi that I was shocked to discover that this matter was related to Changchun Palace."

"This servant is terrified. Recalling all the previous signs, I secretly investigated and only then did I learn..."

"It was because Xiao Yizi accepted a bribe from Consort Mei that he went to find Physician Qin."

"That sum of money that flowed out of the Xia family's silk shop was not at the behest of the Imperial Concubine, but rather at the instigation of Consort Mei!"

"Consort Mei said that if the matter concerning the Third Prince is handled cleanly, then it will be fine. But if it is exposed, the Xia family is related to the Imperial Noble Consort by marriage. As long as the clues point to the Xia family, everyone will naturally suspect the Imperial Noble Consort!"

"Her Highness the Imperial Concubine is completely unaware of this!"

"If Your Majesty does not believe me, this servant has witnesses!"

At this point, Xiao Caizi turned around and said to the outside of the hall, "Bring him in!"

Two palace servants were brought in, kneeling as they were escorted in.

One of them was a young eunuch in the tea room of Changchun Palace.

One was a lowly palace maid responsible for sweeping and cleaning in Consort Mei's palace.

The two men had clearly been "advised" by Xiao Caizi; as soon as they entered the hall, they trembled like leaves and rushed to say, "Your Majesty, spare our lives!"

"This servant...this servant did indeed see Consort Mei secretly speaking with Xiao Yizi in the side hall, saying that she was asking about the eldest princess's studies."

"But the eldest princess's studies have always been managed by the Imperial Concubine. When did it become the turn of a second-class eunuch to inquire about them?"

"And me! Consort Mei... I overheard her telling Sister Xuefu that the Imperial Concubine wouldn't agree to her doing this, so it must be kept a secret..."

"At the time, I wondered why Your Highness and the Imperial Concubine, being so closely connected, would keep something from the Imperial Concubine. Now, now that I think about it..."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Consort Xuan's expression changed several times before she finally couldn't help but exclaim, "Absurd!"

"You bunch of lackeys, are you trying to pin all the blame on Consort Mei with nothing but empty words?"

"With the Imperial Concubine in charge of Changchun Palace, how could she not know what her subordinates are doing? And what Consort Mei is doing, how could she not report it to the Imperial Concubine?"

Xiao Caizi said in a panic, "Your Highness, please forgive me, but Consort Mei and the Imperial Concubine are cousins, and the Imperial Concubine has always trusted her. I never imagined that she would dare to do such a thing behind Your Highness's back..."

"The Imperial Concubine is kind and benevolent, and she never had any suspicion of Consort Mei, which gave those with ulterior motives an opportunity to take advantage of her."

"Your Majesty, you have been wronged!"

Kindness and benevolence.

These two words, when they reached Consort Mei's ears, were like a resounding slap in the face!

She slowly turned her head to look at Consort Zhuang: "Cousin..."

"You...you told them to say that?!"

"Cousin, say something!"

"What they said... I didn't say at all..."

Seeing the heartache in Consort Zhuang's eyes, Consort Mei couldn't continue speaking.

Because she suddenly understood...

She had no way to refute the witnesses Xiao Cai mentioned, or the details of her private meeting with Xiao Yizi.

Consort Mei did indeed summon Xiao Yizi and inquire about the eldest princess's studies.

But it was her cousin who said that the eldest princess had been studying diligently lately, and asked her, as her aunt, to pay more attention to her. When she saw Xiao Yizi giving the eldest princess the writing implements, she casually asked about it.

It wasn't about instructing Xiao Yizi to do anything at all!

I have indeed met Xiao Yizi. But putting all these things together, it doesn't seem true!

Consort Mei suddenly felt a chill in her heart as she looked at the woman she had called "cousin" for over a decade.

From as far back as I can remember, my cousin was the most dazzling jewel in the Zhuang family.

She was gentle, dignified, and intelligent; none of her sisters could compare to even a single finger of hers.

Consort Mei had followed her since childhood, and after entering the palace, she always respected her. If she said to go east, she would never go west.

Consort Mei believed that this was a sign of deep sisterly affection.

original……

"Cousin..."

Consort Mei asked with tears in her eyes, "You...you planned from the beginning that if things were exposed, you would make me take the blame, didn't you?"

Consort Zhuang always planned ten steps ahead before acting; how could she possibly have no backup plan at all?

She had long known that the Imperial Noble Consort was cunning and that this matter might not succeed. She also knew that anything done would leave a trace.

How could the emperor possibly be allowed to conduct a thorough investigation?

Therefore, if the matter were to be exposed, the worst outcome would be for Consort Mei to bear all the blame.

Consort Zhuang looked at Consort Mei with disbelief in her eyes: "So, you really ordered these things to be done?"

"After being exposed, you still want to pin the blame on me?!"

Consort Zhuang knew that this reason was somewhat clumsy. Not to mention His Majesty, even some of the intelligent people in the palace might not believe it.

But it is not important.

Because the harem, or rather the court, or even the entire country, was actually just a huge makeshift operation.

She understood His Majesty; as long as he cared about the Zhuang family, he wouldn't go too far. Stopping on Consort Mei was the best choice.

Consort Mei said angrily, "Cousin, you, you!"

She finally realized that when a person is extremely angry, they can't cry.

Consort Xuan was extremely unwilling!

Just when Consort Zhuang was about to be doomed, how did Xiao Caizi suddenly appear and, with just a few words, shift all the blame onto Consort Mei?