The hairpin was lying on the red silk, and one of the two butterflies was broken abruptly by someone. The broken marks there were very clear and could be distinguished at a glance.
Zhao Jie's face darkened, he stood up and asked, "Who broke it?"
Wei Luo paused, then shook his head and said he didn't know. She originally wanted to say Li Xiang's name, but after thinking about it, it would not be good to testify rashly before the matter was verified. If someone asked her what basis she had, she said it was based on her intuition, wouldn't that be too hasty? She wanted to find conclusive evidence, and then Li Xiang would have no room to argue.
Zhao Jie walked into the hall together with her, called all the maids and eunuchs who served in the back hall just now, threw the box in front of everyone, and asked with an unfriendly expression: "What's going on?"
All the maids and eunuchs in the apse didn't know about it, they looked at each other, and even thought they had missed Princess Tianji's gift ceremony, their faces were ashen, plopped on the ground and pleaded guilty: "I don't know...His Royal Highness Prince Jing clearly inspected..."
His face didn't soften at all, but turned colder: "I can't even look good at a hairpin, so what's the use of keeping you?"
When everyone heard the words, they shouted in horror and kowtowed for mercy.
There is no way to ask this question, and we can't kill them all to vent our anger. In this way, not only could the culprit not be found, but Li Xiang would be even cheaper.
Wei Luo thought for a while, then called the maid who had just handed the box to her and asked again: "During the time I left just now, did anyone touch this box, or who came to the apse?"
Seeing a glimmer of life, the palace lady thought about it seriously, and said honestly: "I didn't see anyone touch the box... but the daughter of the Ruyang Palace and the second girl from the Zhenguo Palace came here."
Li Xiang and Gao Qingyang... Gao Qingyang has no grievances or enmities with her, so he probably wouldn't intentionally harm her. It's hard to say for Li Xiang, she probably wished that she would make a fool of herself and be punished by Empress Chen.
It's a pity that Li Xiang has so many calculations, and it is absolutely impossible that Zhao Jie will give her an identical hairpin.
Thinking of that hairpin, Wei Luo felt a little bit reluctant. Not to mention, she likes the hairpin just because of its appearance, it is indeed very beautiful...
If Li Xiang really did it, she must not take advantage of her.
Wei Luo thought about it and decided to solve this problem personally. She didn't let Zhao Jie intervene, because Zhao Jie was a man, and the battlefield and officialdom were where he could flex his fists. If he was also involved in the women's war, it would look petty. And she has already figured out how to make Li Xiang shoot herself in the foot.
Since she dared to trip her secretly, she should be prepared to be retaliated by her.
After the ceremony was over, Zhao Liuli inquired about Wei Luo's whereabouts, and rushed to the apse. She had already put away the Gold Silk Butterfly Plum Blossom Hairpin and returned it to Wei Luo herself, blaming her endlessly, "Ah Luo, do you think I don't know? This hairpin is not mine, it was given to you by my brother..."
They stood behind a rosewood screen with natural ivory inlays, and their voices were lowered, so they didn't worry about being heard.
Wei Luo was slightly surprised.
When she was gifting the hairpin just now, she knew that she recognized the hairpin, but she didn't expect that she would return it to her. She was ready to not want the hairpin!
Seeing that she didn't answer, Zhao Liuli took her hand and put it back in her hand seriously. While talking, she glanced at Zhao Jie on the other side, and leaned into her ear, with an ambiguous tone, and said softly: : "Don't pretend I don't know, my brother ordered someone to make two hairpins from the very beginning. One was given to me, and the other was kept for you. Yours is much more delicate than mine, although I think My brother is eccentric, but I can't ask for your things either."
What's more, Wei Luo is her good sister, so she won't care so much about her!
After finishing speaking, he stretched out his hand and asked with a smile: "I returned your hairpin to you, but what about mine?"
Wei Luo didn't hide it from her, and took out her hairpin from the box beside her, and said frankly, "Your one was damaged... I had no other choice, so I replaced it with this one."
Zhao Liuli took a look and was quite surprised, "Why is there a butterfly missing, did it break? Who threw it?"
Wei Luo shook her head, "I didn't fall..." After a pause, she narrowed her eyes and said slowly, "If I'm not wrong, someone must have intentionally tried to harm me."
Zhao Liuli opened her eyes wide: "What?"
She is not stupid, after thinking about it seriously, she will soon be able to figure out the way. Busyly asked again: "Ah Luo, who is going to harm you?"
Wei Luo said, "I suspect someone in my heart, but I don't know if it's her."
After finishing speaking, Fu Er whispered something to Zhao Liuli in a very soft voice, except for the two of them, no one knew the content.
On the other side, in Zhaoyang Hall.
After the ceremony was over, the ladies and gentlemen bid farewell to Empress Chen, and one after another walked out of the Zhaoyang Palace, each leaving the palace.
Gao Danyang hadn't left yet, she talked with Empress Chen for a while, and asked Gao Qingyang to go back alone. Gao Qingyang had no objection, and stepped out of the palace, just following behind Li Xiang. The two walked out of the gate of Zhaoyang Hall one after the other, and walked under the spacious corridor. Gao Qingyang looked at the people in front of him, and suddenly called out: "Li Xiang."
Li Xiang didn't have a good relationship with her, so she stopped reluctantly when she heard the sound, and turned her head to ask: "Is the second young lady of Zhen Guogong's mansion okay?"
Li Xiangsu can't get used to Gao Qingyang and Gao Danyang, she thinks she is prettier than these two, but these two always outshine her. Every time there is a big banquet, others will circle around the two sisters. What's the big deal? Isn't it because Empress Chen is their aunt
Her mother is the eldest princess, and her status is much more noble than them!
Gao Qingyang didn't speak, but waited for the people around her to leave before she walked up to her, and smiled with her lips, "Of course there's something to do, what can I do with you?"
Li Xiang squinted at her: "What's the matter?"
Gao Qingyang looked at her left hand as if there was nothing, and said meaningfully: "You have been holding this hand since the ceremony, and you haven't let go until now. Why, is there any treasure in it? Why don't you let me see it? What do you think?"
Li Xiang pursed his lips and said firmly, "What does it have to do with you?"
"Of course it has nothing to do with me." Gao Qingyang smiled lightly, and continued: "But it should be related to Princess Tianji, and the fourth girl from the British government, right? You held the butterfly for so long, don't you panic?"
Li Xiang turned pale and looked at her in shock.
How did she know? what did she see
She thought she had done everything perfectly, but she didn't know that Gao Qingyang could see it clearly. At that time Gao Qingyang went to the apse to look for Empress Chen, but Empress Chen was not there, so Gao Qingyang did not stay long and walked out of the apse. When he left, he happened to see her walking in. Gao Qingyang was puzzled, so he stood at the door and took a few more glances.
Looking at it this way, he naturally took Li Xiang's every move into his eyes.
She took out the gold silk butterfly hairpin from the box, and put it back after a while, knowing what she did without even thinking about it. Gao Qingyang understood her intentions in an instant. Wei Luo was mainly responsible for the hairpin. If something went wrong, Wei Luo would not be able to escape punishment.
Does she have any deep hatred with Wei Luo? If not, how could you do such a cruel thing
Gao Qingyang didn't have much contact with Wei Luo, and didn't have much impression. They seemed to have met once when they were young, it was Zhao Liuli's seventh birthday. That day in Xinyan Tower, she was using peanuts to make a "wild geese fly south", but Wei Luo grabbed a handful of peanuts, which was not enough in an instant. She was very angry at the time and had an argument with her, but it was Wei Luo's younger brother who came forward and the matter was considered over.
Now that so many years have passed, those conflicts when she was a child have long been forgotten, and she has no malice or kindness towards Wei Luo.
It's nothing more than dislike of Li Xiang's actions.
When Li Xiang heard the words, he would not admit it, so he straightened his face and denied it: "What butterfly? I don't understand what you are saying?"
Gao Qingyang pursed her lips and smiled faintly, "Do you really not understand? Then, do you dare to open your palm and let me see what's inside?"
Naturally Li Xiang didn't dare.
She stared directly at Gao Qingyang for a moment, then pursed her lips tightly, and said angrily, "Why should I let you see? I took what you said I took, why should I listen to you!"
Immediately flicked his sleeves, turned around and left.
She walked quickly, seemingly calm, but in reality she was in a panic.
Gao Qingyang found out, will she tell Queen Chen? What if Empress Chen found out and found this butterfly on her body? How about finding a place to throw it away? It's done. However, the palace is full of eyeliner, no matter where she throws it, it will leave clues.
How about putting it back again
Thinking of the hairpin that Wei Luo put on Zhao Liuli just now, she couldn't help but fell into confusion again. She broke the hairpin with her own hands, so why was Wei Luo able to come up with an intact one
She couldn't figure it out, but at this moment, two palace ladies in purple clothes walked past her, talking in a low voice as they walked—
"The hairpin given to the princess by His Royal Highness Prince Jing is really beautiful. I heard that it took a whole month just to make it..."
"That's right, even the empress is very satisfied with this hairpin, and she praised His Royal Highness Prince Jing for her kindness."
Li Xiang subconsciously stopped and listened to the conversation between the two.
The two passed her by, and one of them said: "That hairpin is in the back hall, I went up to take a look just now. I didn't expect it to look better when it's closer, there is no flaw on it..."
Said, gradually walked away.
Li Xiang stood there, full of disbelief.
How could it be flawless? She clearly broke one of the butterflies, and the butterfly is now in her palm. Could it be her illusion
She didn't believe it, so she took out the golden butterfly in her palm to have a look, it was indeed still there, it wasn't her illusion. If so, why can't everyone see it? Why was Wei Luo able to take out an intact hairpin
She couldn't believe it, and she didn't know if it was someone else's eyes that had problems, or her own eyes. After thinking for a long time, I still couldn't figure it out, and finally decided to go to the apse to have a look.
There are not many people in the apse at this time, only a few maids are left to clean up the mess in the hall. When the maids saw her coming in, they bowed their knees and saluted, without asking any more questions, and continued with the movements in their hands.
Li Xiang walked inside, and there was a red sandalwood gilt plum pattern box on the nanmu gilt dressing table, which was exactly the box where Zhao Liuli's hairpin was in full bloom today. Presumably, I haven't had time to tidy it up yet. There are hairpins and hairpin crowns used in today's ceremony. She looked around and saw that no one was paying attention, so she stepped forward and opened the box—
After seeing what was inside, she widened her eyes in astonishment.
What was placed in the box was the butterfly gold hairpin that she broke off! Where is it as flawless as the maid said? Then what did Wei Luo wear for Zhao Liuli today? Is it her eyesight
She was startled, and suddenly realized that something was wrong, and realized that she had fallen into a trap! She was about to close the box when she heard someone behind her ask: "Li Xiang, what are you doing?"
She turned around in a panic, only to see Empress Chen standing opposite her gracefully, surrounded by not only Zhao Liuli, but also Wei Luo, Gao Danyang and others.
Li Xiang's heart skipped a beat, his mind turned quickly, and he was about to find an excuse to explain.
Before she had time to speak, Zhao Liuli looked at her and asked, "Why are you looking at the box where the hairpin is placed? What are you holding in your hand, can we have a look?"