Zhuangzhuang picked up the hairpin and looked at it carefully. "This is a common style in the palace. Not only Mei Fei, but many other concubines also have it."
"Yes, the princess can ask Concubine Mei tomorrow. If she can produce it, it is not her. If she can't, it is almost certain." Lingli said.
"Hmm!" Zhuangzhuang put away the hairpin, "Does your master still have the same attitude? Do you believe in Concubine Mei?"
"Yes, she thinks that Concubine Mei cannot be the one behind this."
"Did she say who she suspected?" Zhuangzhuang calmed down a little and was not as angry anymore.
"No."
Zhuangzhuang pondered for a moment, "In fact, Mei Fei really didn't need to do this, but she had betrayed Zi'an before, but that Nanny Sun didn't seem to be lying. She insisted on not changing her words after being severely punished, which shows that she thought the instigator was Mei Fei."
"What does she think?" Lingli raised her eyebrows.
"Well," Zhuangzhuang thought for a moment, "but let's not talk too much now. I will go to the palace tomorrow to ask Concubine Mei first."
In Zhuangzhuang's heart, Concubine Mei has always been the biggest suspect.
Although, she also vaguely felt that something was wrong.
The next morning, as it was not a day for paying respects, not many people entered the palace, and Concubine Mei also got up a little late.
Zhuangzhuang, however, did not sleep all night and entered the palace at the crowing of the cock.
When we arrived at the palace, it was just beginning to get light.
When she arrived at Yueqing Palace, she did not allow anyone to call Concubine Mei and just let her sleep. She sat alone in the main hall drinking tea.
Dongmei asked someone to serve her, but Zhuangzhuang pointed at Dongmei and said, "No need to be so troublesome, just you come and serve."
Dongmei said with an embarrassed look on her face: "Princess, I am the head of Yueqing Palace. I have a lot of things to do today. Now I have to arrange the servants to work. Why not let Juer serve you?"
Zhuangzhuang's eyes lightly swept across Dongmei's young but sophisticated face. She looked respectful, but her words did not mean that.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Just serve me when I ask you to. If Leqing Palace is gone, can't you move around?" Qin Zhi said coldly.
Dongmei bowed and smiled, "Look at what the young lady said. It is my blessing to serve the princess. However, the Yueqing Palace is really busy. The emperor asked to come over for lunch, so I have to ask the small kitchen to prepare some."
Zhuangzhuang curled his lips and smiled, "So I still have to serve the emperor? Very good."
Dongmei bowed and said, "Since Your Majesty understands, I will take my leave first."
"When did I ever tell you to leave?" Zhuangzhuang's smile suddenly disappeared and he stared at her coldly.
Dongmei was startled, then frowned, "Princess, please don't embarrass me."
"How dare you say that the princess is making things difficult for you?" Qin Zhi said angrily.
"Kneel down!" Zhuangzhuang said sternly.
"Princess..." Dongmei was a little flustered, but she kept her composure on her face, "I didn't mean to offend you, it's just that..."
“Kneel down!” Zhuang Zhuang’s eyes were cold, “Don’t let me say it a second time.”
Although Dongmei was unwilling, she had no choice but to kneel down.
She winked at the palace maid beside her, indicating her to go and invite Concubine Mei.
Zhuangzhuang saw it, but did not stop it. He just drank his tea leisurely.
The little palace maid hurried to find Concubine Mei. When Concubine Mei heard that the princess had come early in the morning and was taking out her anger on Dongmei, she hurriedly got up.
After changing clothes and taking a quick shower, she went out to see Zhuangzhuang.
When he arrived at the main hall, he saw Dongmei kneeling on the ground with a slightly gloomy expression. Ever since Dongmei was promoted to the head, her attitude has always been rather arrogant. Now she might have offended the princess.
The temper of this imperial aunt... Alas!
Mei Fei smiled and stepped forward, bowing and saluting, "Your concubine greets the princess."
Compared to Concubine Mei's gentle smile, Zhuangzhuang's face was extremely cold.
"Princess Mei, I haven't been to your Yueqing Palace for a long time. I didn't know how great Yueqing Palace is now. Even a small manager dares to contradict me."
Mei Fei knew that she was difficult to deal with, so was Dong Mei crazy? She actually went to offend her.
She glared at Dongmei angrily, then put on a smile and said, "Princess, please calm down. It's my fault for not disciplining her properly. I will teach her a lesson later."
Dongmei was unwilling but dared not say anything. She just thought that Concubine Mei was useless and weak, and she was unwilling to resist even after being bullied to the Yueqing Palace.
"Concubine Mei, please sit down. I have something to ask you!" Zhuangzhuang said indifferently.
"Yes!" Mei Fei sat down, "Princess, please give me your orders."
"I don't deserve your order," Zhuangzhuang took out a hairpin and threw it in front of Concubine Mei, "You also have this hairpin, can you take yours out?"
Mei Fei took a look and said, "Yes, I have this hairpin too."
She called out, "Ju'er, go get this hairpin from the jewelry box and show it to the princess."
Her eyes swept across Dongmei's face who was kneeling on the ground. Seeing her face suddenly turn pale, Concubine Mei's heart couldn't help but skip a beat. Could something have happened
Zhuangzhuang kept staring at Concubine Mei and saw that her expression remained unchanged at first, but when her eyes glanced at Dongmei's face, she was obviously curious and suspicious.
Suspicion rose in Zhuangzhuang's heart. Could it be that he really suspected her wrongly? Logically speaking, if she was the one who ordered it, she should have changed her expression when she took out the hairpin.
However, she only looked surprised when she saw Dongmei's pale face.
This means that Dongmei always does things that are hypocritical, and as the queen, she sometimes can't even control her.
Ju'er came back soon, knelt down with a thud, and cried, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, Your Majesty, please forgive me, I can't find the hairpin!"
"Can't find it?" Mei Fei was shocked. "Have you found everything? This hairpin is my favorite to wear, and it should be placed in a conspicuous place. How come I can't find it?"
Ju'er was a personal servant, and she had the right to touch the jewelry. Now that it was gone, she couldn't shirk the blame, so she cried, "I have looked for it several times, but couldn't find it."
Zhuang Zhuang said coldly: "Then Mei Fei, why don't you take a look and see if this hairpin is yours?"
Concubine Mei looked at the hairpin on the ground in confusion and asked Juer to take it.
Ju'er crawled over, took the hairpin and handed it to Mei Fei. Mei Fei looked at it carefully and said, "This hairpin belongs to me. These hairpins made by the inner court are actually different. I am Mei Fei, so there is a plum blossom carved on the hairpin, but the pattern is very faint. If you don't look closely, you can't see it."
After she finished speaking, she looked up and saw that Zhuangzhuang's face had turned gloomy. She panicked, "Princess, where did you find this hairpin?"
Qin Zhi replied, "Madam Mei Fei, this hairpin was found in Nanny Sun's room."
"Madame Sun? Which Madame Sun?" Concubine Mei looked suspiciously at Dongmei subconsciously, but Dongmei was already trembling with fear.
"The Empress Dowager sent four maids to the Regent Princess. Two of them were sent away, leaving two, one Madam Sun and one Madam Chen. This hairpin and one hundred taels of silver are
It was found in Nanny Sun's room. She drugged Zi'an and was caught by Lingli. After being tortured, she confessed that Concubine Mei had ordered her to do it.
(End of this chapter)