mesbooks Chapter 244 Witness
Chapter 244 Witness
His dark eyes were full of suspicion. When Ruyi met his gaze, her heart trembled.
The rules of etiquette and respect for superiors and inferiors cannot be abolished. When Ruyi arrived, Yanwan tactfully gave up her seat and sat next to Concubine Yu.
Ruyi walked silently to her seat and sat down. She felt something was wrong all over her body.
What happened?
There were so many things related to her. It seemed that whenever there was a disturbance in the palace, all the unclear things were blamed on her.
Ruyi stood aside, her eyes revealing a hint of helplessness and fatigue. She looked at the expressions of the people around her, and a bitter feeling rose in her heart.
Ruyi glanced at Yanwan who was looking at the emperor worriedly, and a hint of imperceptible sarcasm flashed in her eyes.
Then she said calmly, "The Emperor has handed over all palace affairs to Noble Concubine Ling. I am now living a leisurely life. I wonder what this matter has to do with me?"
Her tone seemed calm, but there was a hint of questioning in it. She was already tired of these unnecessary disputes and right and wrong.
The emperor opened his mouth slightly and was about to say something, but when his eyes met Ruyi's indifferent expression, a complex emotion surged in his heart for some reason. He couldn't help but change the subject and his eyes fell on Concubine Yu.
"This matter was reported by Concubine Yu. Concubine Yu, please tell the Queen about it."
After saying this, he half-closed his eyes and looked at Ruyi seemingly casually, but in fact he was closely watching her every move.
"It's not a big deal. I discovered that Ling Yunche, the guard in the cold palace, had ill intentions towards the Empress. This concerns the Empress's reputation, so we must be extremely cautious. That's why I asked the Emperor to make the decision."
Concubine Yu pretended to be Ruyi's good side and spoke kindly, appearing to be worried about her, but in fact, she was very impatient to see the queen fall.
After saying this, she looked at Ruyi with some gloating expression.
Listening to Concubine Yu talking incessantly, Ruyi's face became increasingly uglier.
At first, she could barely keep her composure, but when Concubine Yu mentioned Ling Yunche, Ruyi's heart suddenly tightened, and she subconsciously couldn't help but clench the handkerchief in her hand.
Those eyes that usually looked calm were now burning with anger, staring straight at Yan Wan, as if they wanted to see through her.
It would be fine if she wanted to fight for the position of queen by any means necessary, but now she wants to attack Ling Yunche?
"Don't panic, Empress. Ling Yunche has received so much favor from you. He must have been confused for a moment, and that's why he had thoughts he shouldn't have. The Emperor will definitely punish him and protect your innocence..."
Ruyi's expression was seen by Yanwan.
Seeing her panic, Yanwan put on a kind smile and proposed to Ruyi the best way to break the current situation.
The Emperor nodded slightly, his expression displeased. He naturally had his own calculations in mind. He also knew that if Ruyi followed Concubine Ling's advice and let him deal with Ling Yunche, then on the surface, it might prove that there was no love between the two.
And all the blame can be attributed to Ling Yunche's evil intentions.
But Ruyi is a very noble person. Even if there is the best way, she will not do such despicable means even if you tell her.
As expected, after thinking for a moment, Ruyi said calmly, "Concubine Yu, regardless of gender, reputation is the most important thing. Even if it's just a small guard in the cold palace, you can't make false accusations without any evidence..."
She spoke up for Ling Yunche without hesitation, and her resolute tone echoed in the palace. The emperor's face instantly darkened, as if a layer of dark cloud had covered his face.
From the moment she entered the palace, the emperor's eyes were fixed on her every move. Every expression and every subtle movement of hers could not escape the emperor's eyes.
When she mentioned Ling Yunche, the strange look that flashed across her face for a moment, even the extremely subtle change, was accurately seen by the emperor.
Ruyi knew the emperor very well. They had spent many years together, and she knew his temperament, likes and dislikes. Conversely, the emperor knew the empress very well.
He knew Ruyi's stubborn character and what it was like for Ruyi to love someone. The emperor saw all of this and kept it in mind.
It was precisely because of that youthful emotion, that former innocence and beauty, that the emperor tolerated Ruyi for so long.
In the past days, they had experienced ups and downs together. Although they were not in harmony now, he had never thought of taking away her position as queen.
But now, her actions have truly disappointed the emperor.
The last bit of tolerance was also completely worn away by her subconscious words to defend Ling Yunche.
He could tolerate her dereliction of duty, but he could not tolerate her infidelity.
"Your Majesty, please understand. If I had no evidence, how could I dare to bring this matter to the Emperor? That would be a crime of deceiving the Emperor. I have the entire Khorchin clan behind me, and I would never act so rashly..."
Concubine Yu straightened up and spoke solemnly, her voice echoing in the hall, trying to make her words more convincing. She raised her chin slightly, and her eyes revealed a sense of confidence.
"Your Majesty, now that the Empress is here, let's call the witness..."
Concubine Yu continued, her tone tinged with eagerness and anticipation. Her eyes were filled with excitement, which was like a burning flame, dancing and flickering in them.
She couldn't wait to see the witness appear so that the drama she had carefully planned could go on smoothly.
"Witness?" Ruyi frowned slightly, and her crescent-shaped eyebrows were involuntarily twisted together, forming a shallow wrinkle on her fair forehead.
There was a hint of doubt and worry in her eyes, and ripples appeared in her heart.
She knew very well that there was nothing wrong between her and Ling Yunche, and that they had never done anything inappropriate.
But now, Concubine Yu actually mentioned the witness, which made Ruyi feel extremely surprised and uneasy.
They are innocent, so why would there be any witnesses?
She looked at Yan Wan almost subconsciously, already knowing who was the mastermind behind the scenes.
There is no one else except her.
Concubine Yu clapped her hands triumphantly, the crisp sound of her clapping standing out against the slightly tense atmosphere. Following her action, the person waiting outside quickly opened the door and let someone in.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you, the Emperor, and to Her Majesty the Empress..."
A slightly familiar voice sounded.
Mao Qian walked in slowly, her posture no longer as high-spirited as before. When she was given the marriage, she thought she was marrying a good man, but she didn't expect that she would be thrown into a fire pit.
She cautiously greeted the master present, with a hint of panic and uneasiness in her eyes.
After Ling Yunche was demoted, her imperial decree was also lost. Now, she could only wear ordinary clothes to see the emperor. Fortunately, this was the Old Summer Palace, and the rules were not as strict and complicated as those in the imperial palace.
Mao Qian?
The moment she saw Mao Qian, Ruyi's heart was startled, as if a huge rock was suddenly thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.
A trace of panic and worry flashed across her eyes. Although she tried her best to remain calm, the uneasiness in her heart still surged up involuntarily.
Mao Qian, she is Ling Yunche’s wife.
Ruyi knew that no matter how many words the person beside her said, they would not be as important as one word from Maoqian, even if someone else said ten thousand of them.
"Hurry up and get up. Tell me, what evidence do you have to expose Ling Yunche? He is your husband. Are you sure you want to expose him?"
The emperor's eyes were fixed on Ruyi, with inquiry, suspicion and a hint of imperceptible anger in his eyes.
He spoke with a gloomy face, his voice low and majestic, his brows full of haze, as if the haze would turn into a storm and pour down at any time.
If that's true, then don't blame him for being ruthless.
He felt that he had always been tolerant of Ruyi, and if Ruyi really betrayed him, he would never tolerate it.
It was Ruyi who betrayed him first.
This thought kept swirling in the emperor's mind. He recalled the past, and all the beautiful things in the past seemed to have turned to ashes at this moment.
Upon hearing this, Mao Qian knelt down without hesitation. Her movements were a bit hasty, and her knees made a slight sound when they hit the ground. Tears welled up in her eyes, making her look even more sad and aggrieved.
She slowly opened the box that she was holding tightly in her hand, carefully revealing the contents to everyone.
As her hands moved, she said loudly, "I, your humble servant, am determined to expose my husband, Ling Yunche, for his ill intentions towards the Empress."
Her voice trembled slightly, but was filled with a firm determination.
"Ever since I married Ling Yunche, he has rarely been home. He's either on duty in the palace or on other errands. In short, he has to stay in the palace..."
She became more and more excited as she spoke, and couldn't help but let tears slide down her cheeks.
She recalled the days after her marriage, and her heart was filled with resentment and dissatisfaction. She felt that she was neglected by Ling Yunche, and he always stayed in the palace for various reasons, which made her suspicious and jealous.
Through these revelations, she wanted to let everyone see Ling Yunche's "true face" and seek justice for herself.
"I discovered something was wrong with him after he returned from the Ministry of Punishment. During those days, even though he was unconscious, he often mentioned the Empress' maiden name. He also hid stolen personal belongings in his home. As his wife, I really don't want to see him so foolish, so I came to expose him to prevent him from making further mistakes..."
There were three things in the box that Maoqian brought.
Ruyi gave Ling Yunche a pair of boots, a bright yellow handkerchief with the pattern of green plum blossoms in the snow, and a notebook.
Mao Qian took out the handkerchief from inside, spread it out, and held it in her hand for the nobles present to look at.
"These boots were given to him by the Empress Dowager when she left the cold palace. He's been reluctant to wear them for all these years, and he always takes them out to look at them in his dreams. He keeps his handkerchief next to them. This booklet records his dreams... and it's all about the Empress Dowager..."
Concubine Yu was always very clever. Seeing that the servants in the palace had been driven out, she quickly took the initiative and went over, her steps light and urgent. She reached out and took the handkerchief from Mao Qian's hand, with a hint of nervousness on her face, and carefully handed it to the emperor.
The rules in this palace are strict and everyone knows that only the emperor, the empress dowager, the empress and the imperial concubine can use bright yellow, a color that symbolizes noble status.
It is almost common knowledge in the palace that Empress Ruyi prefers green plums.
Moreover, the handkerchief in front of him, whether it was the delicate embroidery or the soft and smooth expensive fabric, any discerning person could tell at a glance that it was something from the palace.
The combination of green plum pattern and bright yellow color is too eye-catching and sensitive.
Even if Ruyi had ten thousand mouths, it would be difficult for her to explain herself in the face of such evidence.
What's more, this originally belonged to Ruyi.
The Empress's personal belongings fell into the hands of a man who once served the Emperor and risked his own life to rush into the fire to save her. If we simply say that Ling Yunche had ill intentions towards the Empress, that would not make sense.
At this moment, Yan Wan pretended to be shocked. She widened her eyes slightly and opened her mouth slightly, as if she was really shocked by the situation.
Then, she said, "How could this criminal have the Empress's personal belongings? Fortunately, Mao Qian reported it in time. If he had spread the news outside the palace after drinking, even if the Empress was innocent, then..."
She paused deliberately, with an expression of worry and regret on her face, as if she was really worried about Ruyi's situation.
Yan Wan was right. If the personal belongings of the mother of a country fell outside the palace, the consequences would be unimaginable.
If Ling Yunche were to say something drunkenly, given his experience serving the emperor, it would surely attract some attention and speculation. Even if Ruyi was innocent, once the rumors spread...
What the royal family cares most about is reputation and face. Once something like this happens, it will definitely cause an uproar.
At that time, it would not be possible to solve the problem by simply killing one guard.
She said this, firstly to make the emperor notice how the handkerchief came into Ling Yunche's hands, and secondly to push the credit onto Mao Qian and accuse Mao Qian of sacrificing her own family for the sake of justice.
In this way, even if the emperor punished Ling Yunche, Mao Qian would not be implicated.
"Queen, do these things look familiar to you?"
The emperor's eyes were wide open, red with rage, and his furious gaze seemed to penetrate Ruyi. However, his years of imperial cultivation allowed him to suppress his inner anger. He tried his best to be patient and dropped the handkerchief in front of Ruyi.
The handkerchief followed the emperor's movements and fell to the ground silently. Ruyi felt as if she were about to be thrown into the dust, and a deep sense of helplessness and sadness welled up in her heart.