Zhuangzhuang's words were without any emotion, written in a straightforward manner, as if he was talking about something very trivial.
However, her eyes were as sharp as a sword, and this sword was nailed on Mei Fei's face. Any expression on Mei Fei's face and eyes could not escape her eyes.
Concubine Mei opened her mouth wide, horror filling her eyes.
"No!" Mei Fei said angrily, "That Madam Sun framed me."
Zhuangzhuang said coldly, "Madame Sun confessed that it was Dongmei in your palace who contacted her and gave her poison powder to put in Zian's rouge and sachet. Zian was unconscious a few days ago because of the powder. Madame Sun pointed out that Dongmei gave her one hundred taels of silver and a hairpin as a reward."
Mei Fei turned to look at Dong Mei, her eyes filled with fury, "Is it you? Is it you?"
Dongmei was a little flustered just now, but after seeing Concubine Mei's attack, she was no longer afraid, "My Majesty, it's not me. I didn't do it."
She knew Mei Fei's methods, so she didn't dare to do anything. She was promoted by the Emperor, so she didn't even have time to please the Emperor. Otherwise, how could he tolerate herself these days
Zhuangzhuang saw the clue, she looked at Dongmei, "You go out first, I have something to say to Concubine Mei."
Dongmei stood up and said, "Yes!"
Then he turned around and walked out with his head held high.
Mei Fei looked at Zhuang Zhuang and shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes, "Not your concubine!"
She didn't know how to defend herself. She had betrayed Zi'an, and no one would believe her.
Zhuangzhuang looked at her and couldn't tell the truth from the false. "Whether it was you or not, I won't make a conclusion yet, but Dongmei in your room can't escape. Nanny Sun has already admitted that it was Dongmei who contacted her and it was she who gave her the powder. I came here today to vent my anger for Zi'an, but now... I'm giving you a chance, go investigate it yourself, find out, and deal with it yourself."
After that, she stood up and said, "But this matter cannot be left unresolved."
After saying this, he left coldly with Qinzhi and Qionghua.
Mei Fei clenched her fists, rage rising in her eyes.
The princess obviously didn't completely believe her, and Zi'an would be even less likely to believe her. As a victim, and with Nanny Sun identifying her, she didn't have any evidence to prove her innocence. Who would believe her
Even if this matter is brought to the emperor, I will not be in the right.
It would be fine for her, but if she was wrongly accused, it would harm the prince.
The days I spent in the palace kept coming back to my mind.
Who framed her in this matter
She didn't need to think for too long, and a person automatically popped up in her mind.
Concubine Yi.
That bitch!
All of Concubine Mei's forbearance finally turned into anger.
She had endured everything over the years because she knew she had no one to rely on. Her appearance was not particularly outstanding and she could not keep the emperor's heart. Her family was not capable and she had no support.
Even though she had the support of the Regent and the Princess, and had once gained the power to assist in managing the harem, she was always suppressed by Concubine Yi.
She thought that as long as she could endure it, even though it was a bit humiliating, she could still live.
Unexpectedly, the fire now burned directly in front of his eyes.
Can you still bear it
Now, even a palace maid can bully her.
Dongmei, Dongmei, even her name was reminding her that if she continued to endure it, she would be worse than the palace maids in this palace.
Thinking of this, all my weakness and forbearance faded away.
All the humiliation and bullying she suffered turned into strength.
"Someone come here!" she ordered slowly.
"Empress!" Juer walked in.
"Tell Lady Yue to take a few people to Dongmei's room. If you find anything suspicious, bring it to me."
Dongmei heard this outside the door, and came in, staring at Concubine Mei with wide eyes, "Madam, do you not believe me?"
"Yes!" Concubine Mei stared at her with undisguised disgust in her eyes.
"I did nothing wrong!" Dongmei said righteously.
"Whether I did it wrong or not is not up to you to decide." Mei Fei raised her voice a notch higher and said to Ju'er, "Why don't you hurry up and go?"
"Yes!" Upon hearing that, Juer hurried over.
Dongmei quickly held Ju'er back, not allowing her to go. She turned around and looked at Concubine Mei in anger, "If Your Majesty doesn't trust me, why did you agree to the Emperor's promotion of me to the position of head clerk?"
Mei Fei smiled coldly, "Are you using the emperor to pressure me? The emperor said you were smart, but now you look extremely stupid. Even if the emperor appreciates you, he will not turn against me for a servant."
Dongmei was panicked for a moment. No, Concubine Mei was not like this in the past. In the past, whenever she was offended or disrespected, Concubine Mei would always endure it as long as she said these words.
Why is it different today
Juer pushed her away and went out to call Lady Yue.
Lord Yue was the leader of the imperial guards of Yueqing Palace. Upon receiving Concubine Mei's order, he immediately took people to search Dongmei's house.
The search uncovered a large number of things.
There were more than a dozen pieces of Mei Fei's jewelry alone, which she seldom wore and kept at the bottom of the box, but they were also very valuable.
There were also some antique flower pots hidden under her bed, and Yue found them all when she looked through them.
And under her pillow, a porcelain bottle containing medicine powder was found.
As soon as these things were placed on Dongmei's face, she collapsed to the ground, mumbling, "They are not mine. These things are not mine."
Mei Fei smiled coldly, "It's not yours? It's true that none of it belongs to you. You stole it."
Mei Fei looked at the porcelain bottle, opened it and poured a little liquid onto the paper, then said to Ju Er, "You go out of the palace right away to find the princess and tell her that I want to invite her to the palace."
"Yes!" Juer went hurriedly.
Concubine Mei must turn the tide. She no longer has any backing and cannot afford to lose the support of Murong Jie and Zi'an.
No matter whether Zi'an believes her or not in the end, she has to finish her job.
"Your Highness, you can't wrongly accuse me. I was promoted by the Emperor. You can't just put something in my room and say I stole it. I didn't do it, and I didn't instruct Nanny Sun. I don't even know her."
Dongmei kept defending herself, but every word she said pointed to the fact that Concubine Mei had deliberately framed her.
Lord Yue bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the things were indeed searched out of her room. As for her saying that she had never met Nanny Sun, that is false. I personally saw them meeting secretly behind the rockery in the Imperial Garden. At that time, I did not know that they were plotting to poison and frame me. I just thought they were just chatting casually."
"You are slandering me!" Dongmei said angrily, "It's obvious that you are jealous of me because I am appreciated by the emperor. You are jealous of me."
Mei Fei hated her aggressive face and didn't even want to look at her. She only ordered: "Take her away, beat her with fifty sticks first, and throw her into the torture chamber. I will make a decision after I see the princess."
“No…” Dongmei jumped up, her face full of horror. Fifty lashes would be the end of her life. Why would she need to be dealt with in any other way
She was really panicked this time. She didn't expect that the usually weak Concubine Mei would either not take action or be fatal if she took action.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I am truly innocent. It was... It was Your Majesty Yi Guifei..."
Mei Fei angrily said, "How dare you say that it was Concubine Yi who ordered you to do that? Concubine Yi and I have a very good relationship. Everyone knows that we are very close. How dare you frame Concubine Yi in front of me? Come on, take her away and beat her!"
(End of this chapter)