Why did Consort De ask her that question just now?
Could it be that everything she had done was seen through by Consort De?
But why... if she had already seen through it, why didn't she expose her in front of the Emperor?
What was she waiting for?
Jiang Xinyue stood beside the Emperor, observing everyone's movements and subtle expressions.
When she looked at Concubine Li, she clearly noticed something was amiss.
Her eyes frequently darted towards Consort De, but upon meeting Consort De's ambiguous smile, she hurriedly lowered her head, taking quite a while to regain her composure.
Consort De and Concubine Li?
What had happened between them that she didn't know about?
Jiang Xinyue withdrew her gaze, thinking that Concubine Li must be involved either with releasing the snakes or with witchcraft.
As for Consort De...
She didn't believe Consort De was foolish enough to pull the whiskers of this fierce dragon, the Xuanwu Emperor, especially during the New Year.
This time, the Emperor would certainly not let go of anyone who challenged his imperial authority, and would investigate thoroughly.
"This person died in Shunan Palace, yet Consort Liang claims to know nothing about it. That's rather hard to believe. Who knows if you're not the thief crying 'stop thief'?"
Concubine Li wasn't entirely hopeless. Realizing that among the four consorts, Empress Zhu favored Consort Liang the most, she understood why Consort De hadn't exposed her.
She also understood Consort De's purpose in moving the corpse to Shunan Palace.
She didn't want to become a tool in someone else's hands, but with evidence against her, she had no choice but to comply.
Concubine Li snorted with a laugh, reverting to her previous indifferent attitude of watching the drama unfold: "Wasn't Concubine Zhen almost bitten by snakes last night? Perhaps it was this palace maid who released the snakes. Maybe Consort Liang is silencing a witness!"
This statement caused an uproar.
It wasn't entirely impossible. Everyone knew that in the past, Consort Liang had been at odds with Concubine Zhen due to jealousy over the Emperor's favor.
"Concubine Li, don't speak nonsense," Consort Liang glared at her. "You have no right to speak here."
"Whether I have the right to speak or not, I will speak. My mouth belongs to me. If you have the ability, cut out my tongue. If not, I will continue to speak... Your Majesty the Empress, why don't you examine the body of that palace maid? If she was controlling the snakes, there should be traces of snake-charming powder on her fingers. We'll know once we check!"
The Xuanwu Emperor, finding some logic in this, immediately arranged for guards to bring an Imperial Physician to examine the body.
Consort Liang shook her head: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, it truly wasn't me. Even if I had ten thousand times the courage, I wouldn't dare harm the imperial heir!"
"Whether it was you or not, I will only look at the evidence. It's not something you can decide just by saying so," the Emperor said.
Seeing that the Emperor didn't believe her, Consort Liang turned to Concubine Zhen at the Emperor's side: "Sister Concubine Zhen, you must believe me. It really wasn't me. I... I know I've often expressed resentment towards you, but it was just talk. I never meant any real harm."
In other words, she admitted to being loose-tongued and unable to bear seeing others do well.
Now she was calling her sister, but hadn't she just beaten up people from Concubine Zhen's palace to intimidate her earlier?
Jiang Xinyue nodded repeatedly: "Of course I believe you, sister Consort Liang. Don't worry, once His Majesty investigates the truth, your innocence will surely be proven."
Concubine Li's words seemed careless, but they confirmed to Jiang Xinyue that she was the one who had released snakes into her palace.
Otherwise, how would she know that the unidentified female corpse was the one who released the snakes?
Even Empress Zhu hadn't made that connection yet, but she reacted so quickly this time.
She must either be the real culprit or know who the real culprit is.
The Pei family...
Lady Pei certainly had the ability to smuggle someone into the palace undetected.
Hadn't Lady Pei disguised a female doctor as a palace maid and arranged for her to be by Concubine Li's side last year?
Jiang Xinyue suddenly seemed to remember something and bit her lip: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, I recall something that might help identify the unknown female corpse."
The Xuanwu Emperor immediately asked, "Has my beloved seen her before?"
She glanced discreetly at Concubine Li: "Last night at the banquet, Concubine Li's mother, Madam Pei, humiliated my mother. Seeing my mother upset, I asked Xiao Xuanzi to play a small prank. Xiao Xuanzi said that on his way back, he bumped into a palace maid and picked up her earring. Later, when he wanted to return it, he couldn't find her anywhere. I thought, during the palace banquet, all serving maids should stay in their assigned positions. If someone disappeared, she must not be from the palace. But if she wasn't from the palace, why was she dressed as a palace maid? So I suspect... the person Xiao Xuanzi bumped into last night was the one who released the snakes. And that maid should have been with Madam Pei last night."
Concubine Li was already terrified, but she still tried to maintain her composure: "Concubine Zhen's mouth is truly skilled at avoiding the main issue. Your Majesty, last night Concubine Zhen falsely claimed that you had bestowed crabs on my mother, but they were two unprocessed ones that pricked her mouth until it bled. Yet Concubine Zhen calls it a mere prank..."
"So, you admit that you and Lady Pei conspired to release snakes into Concubine Zhen's chambers?" the Emperor interjected.
Concubine Li wanted to deny it, to say it wasn't her.
But as she looked into the Emperor's questioning, cold, and distrustful eyes, her heart gradually turned cold.
So, the Emperor no longer loved her. She had been deluding herself, thinking that with her grandfather dead and no longer able to influence the Emperor's authority in court, he would forgive past grievances and return to how they were before.
Or perhaps...
The Emperor had never loved her at all!
All that talk of enduring favor was just to deceive the Pei and Song families, to make them lower their guard so he could catch them all at once?
Her grandfather was even older than her maternal grandfather. In his youth, he had indeed been ambitious, aspiring to be the first man in the court of the Great Yan Dynasty.
And he had achieved it.
But as he grew older, he became increasingly weary of court struggles. In his later years, he only wanted peace and comfort, no longer having the will to fight, which was why the Song family had rotted from its roots.
Fortunately, her maternal grandfather had maintained his clarity of mind and always disciplined himself strictly, which was why the Pei family hadn't followed in the Song family's footsteps.
"Your Majesty..." Concubine Li began, but was interrupted.
Wang Dequan handed over a tray held by a guard, on which lay a pair of jade earrings: "The earring Xiao Xuanzi picked up matches the one on the unknown female corpse's ear, forming a pair. Moreover... there are traces of a special powder on the corpse's fingers. The Imperial Physician from the Imperial Hospital says it's a secret formula used to lure snakes out of hiding. This woman must be what common people call a 'snake charmer.'"
The Xuanwu Emperor angrily knocked over the tray: "Concubine Li, what else do you have to say for yourself?"
Concubine Li closed her eyes briefly, two clear tears sliding down her cheeks. She raised her hand to flick them away: "I... have nothing more to say."
With her heart already dead, what else was there to say?
"Guards, take Concubine Li..."
"Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty! Minister Pei of the Privy Council has bound his daughter Pei Rongyan and is kneeling outside the hall, saying he's here to beg for Your Majesty's forgiveness."
How timely indeed.
