I was sold when I opened my eyes! My sick and disabled husband comforts me every night after he wake

The crowd showered her with praise, but Lan Zhi's lips curled slightly, her eyes filled with a hint of disdain.

In her previous life, she started learning dance at the age of three. At the age of thirteen, she was spotted by the provincial dance team and had the opportunity to study with national-level dancers. At the age of fifteen, she won the gold medal in the National Dance Competition.

In her opinion, the dance that Yu Min, Yu Jie, and Lin Yuwei had just performed was only at the level she had when she was seven or eight years old.

"Lan Zhi, what was the name of the dance you just performed?"

The emperor seemed still immersed in her dance, as if he wanted more.

Lan Zhi curtsied and replied:

"The dance you just performed was the Dance of the Startled Swan."

"presumptuous."

The Empress suddenly blushed and glared at her.

"Lan Zhi, didn't you say you couldn't dance? How come you can now? You have committed the crime of deceiving the emperor, do you know your crime?"

Lan Zhi smiled calmly and curtsied, saying:

"I really can't dance. The dance I just did was just the steps I learned when I was chopping wood in the mountains as a child. It has no technical skill involved at all."

She actually claimed that such beautiful dance steps had no technical content?

While everyone was stunned, the Emperor nodded with a smile.

"Well done! You can be so amazing with just a few simple dance steps. You are truly an extraordinary woman. Guards, bestow rewards upon you."

As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, Huang Bao suddenly reported from outside:

"Your Majesty, I have important matters to report."

The Emperor frowned slightly and said in a muffled voice:

"When did you become so panicked?"

Huang Bao stepped forward two steps, clasped his hands in greeting, and said:

"While I was inspecting the Crown Prince's residence just now, I noticed a maid acting suspiciously. Upon questioning her, I discovered that she was holding a voodoo doll, seemingly casting a curse on someone. Therefore, I brought her here for Your Majesty to question."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor's face turned extremely ugly, while Consort Liang angrily rebuked him.

"Who dares to tamper with things on my birthday?"

The Empress's eyes flickered slightly, as if she had sensed something, and she waved her hand impatiently.

"Huang Bao, hurry up and bring the person in."

Lan Zhi frowned slightly, staring at the doorway. A moment later, the maid Xiang'er was brought in by two guards and pushed to the ground.

Upon seeing Xiang'er, she immediately widened her eyes in astonishment.

"Xiang'er?"

Xiang'er glanced at her, then lowered her head, not daring to look at her.

Huang Bao presented a cloth doll to the emperor with both hands.

"Your Majesty, this was found on her."

The emperor took the little doll and examined it from all angles. He saw that the little doll had a hideous face and was covered with silver needles. It was clear at a glance that this thing was a curse placed on someone.

At this moment, the Empress suddenly covered her mouth and cried out.

"Good heavens, why is Liang Fei's name written after that little figure?"

Upon hearing this, the Emperor was greatly alarmed and quickly turned the figurine over to examine it. He discovered that the figurine indeed had the words "Liang Ying" written on its back.

Consort Liang immediately turned pale and snatched the rag doll. After examining it carefully, she glared angrily at Xiang'er, who was kneeling on the ground, while panting heavily.

"Why did you curse me? Who ordered you to do so?"

Although Lin Yuwei, who was sitting in the hall, appeared calm, she was extremely nervous inside.

Madam Lin squeezed her hand tightly, telling her not to be nervous. In fact, Madam Lin, who had done something wrong, was even more nervous than Lin Yuwei, and her palms were already sweating.

The idea to frame Lan Zhi was given to Lin Yuwei by her. Even the rag doll was made by her. The purpose was to make Lan Zhi commit an unforgivable mistake on this occasion, so that she would leave the Crown Prince's residence and never have a chance to recover. In this way, no one would compete with Lin Yuwei for the position of Crown Princess.

Xiang'er lowered her head to the ground, trembling and not daring to speak.

"say."

The emperor's face suddenly turned ashen, and his teeth clenched so tightly they made a grinding sound.

"Tell me, who told you to do this? Why did you do it?"

The Emperor's voice was like a heavy hammer, making Xiang'er tremble uncontrollably.

She knelt up timidly, her arms trembling as she raised them, lifting Lan Zhi directly.

"It was...it was Miss Lan who told me to do this."

what?

what? What?

What is she saying?

After countless questions swirled in her mind, Lan Zhi looked at Xiang'er in astonishment.

"You said I told you to do this?"

"Well, Miss Lan, I'm sorry. I didn't want to implicate you, but I have no reason to curse Lady Liang!"

"and many more……"

Lan Zhi narrowed her beautiful eyes, then gave a helpless, bitter smile.

"So you mean I have a reason to curse Consort Liang?"

Xiang'er nodded confidently.

"That's right, Consort Liang doesn't agree to you becoming the Crown Princess. You harbor hatred towards Consort Liang and think about harming her every day. Today happens to be her birthday, and you asked me to put this cursed doll in her room. But I was stupid and was caught before I even got close to Consort Liang's courtyard. Aunt Lan, it's my fault, it's my fault!"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at her with disdain, and someone murmured:

"You really can't judge a book by its cover. This Miss Lan is beautiful and her dancing is amazing. How could she be so vicious as to want to harm Lady Liang?"

"You can't judge a book by its cover. Just now, when someone was making things difficult for her, Lady Liang even spoke up for her. I never expected that she would stab Lady Liang in the back. She's really despicable."

"Alas! To do such a thing on the day of Consort Liang's birthday, it's no wonder that Consort Liang is furious. This woman has really run out of time."

"..."

The whispers of the crowd reached Lan Zhi's ears. She frowned slightly and curtsied, saying:

"Your Majesty, I am innocent. I have never seen this rag doll, nor did I ask Xiang'er to put it in Consort Liang's courtyard. Please investigate, Your Majesty."

Seeing that she wouldn't admit it, Xiang'er raised her voice and accused her relentlessly:

"This morning, didn't you ask me to go to Lady Liang's place?"

Lan Zhi nodded.

"Yes, I asked you to deliver the incense burner."

"So you're telling me that this matter must not be told to anyone else? Especially not to be seen by the Empress or the people in Consort Zhen's courtyard?"

Hearing Xiangxiu say that, Lanzhi suddenly smiled.

"Yes, that's what I told you, but that's because the Crown Prince's residence didn't have enough incense burners, and I thought that since Consort Liang was celebrating her birthday, I only sent her one..."

"That's not what you said back then. You told me to go to Consort Liang's room and, when no one was looking, put this rag doll under Consort Liang's bed..."

This girl was clearly framing him, which sent a chill down Lan Zhi's spine.

Ever since she came to the Crown Prince's residence, she has treated every servant there well, so why can't she win their hearts?

"Xiang'er, who exactly instructed you to frame me?"

Her questioning not only failed to make Xiang'er admit her mistake, but also emboldened her.

"Miss Lan, it's you! You're the one who asked me to do it."