Shen Xihe believed Princess Anling's words, but Anling had no evidence. She had Biyu question the servants from both sides, but they each stuck to their own stories, defending their respective masters, making their accounts insufficient as testimony.
She then instructed Biyu to investigate whether anyone else had witnessed the incident, but the answer was that no one could testify.
In the end, Shen Xihe had no choice but to say, "In this matter, the princess acted first. The princess should apologize to Princess Consort Zhao."
Upon hearing this, Princess Anling gritted her teeth, her face filled with resentment and indignation, yet she dared not show disrespect to the Crown Princess. She had no choice but to perform a curtsy and say, "Anling was reckless and startled Second Sister-in-law. I beg Second Sister-in-law for forgiveness."
Yu Sangning quickly raised her hands in a gesture of support. "It was a misunderstanding on the princess's part. I am unharmed. For causing the princess injury, it is I who should ask the princess not to take it to heart."
"The princess's actions were indeed improper, but Princess Consort Zhao's maid showed even less regard for propriety," Shen Xihe shifted the tone. "Those who serve by the side of nobility may be eager to protect their masters, but they must not see only their own masters. This palace is never short of masters. Today, she dared to knock down the princess; tomorrow, she might dare to knock me down, or even the Crown Prince, or His Majesty.
Protecting one's master and adhering to rules have never been in conflict. Biyu, tell her, if this had happened to me, what would you have done?"
Biyu performed a curtsy and, facing the maid, replied with grace and composure, "If it were the Crown Princess, regardless of whether the princess acted intentionally or unintentionally, this servant would have shielded the Crown Princess and stopped the princess, absolutely ensuring the princess would not fall!"
Princess Anling couldn't help but think of her fifth sister, Princess Yangling, who had been pushed into an icy lake by this very Crown Princess in the dead of winter. She firmly believed that if it had been the Crown Princess today, she would have suffered far more than a scraped palm...
Of course, she also firmly believed that the Crown Princess would never be as sinister and scheming as Yu Sangning, inexplicably holding a grudge against her!
"Your Highness, spare my life! This servant's skills are inadequate; how dare I compare myself to the female officials by Your Highness's side? This servant only had time to protect Princess Consort Zhao and the young imperial grandson." Seeing the situation take a dire turn, this maid showed some courage, kowtowing repeatedly with her head hitting the ground.
"Since your skills are inadequate, why did you dare to take on the responsibility when Prince Zhao assigned you to protect the princess consort and the young master? This shows you do not prioritize the princess consort and the young master, but only seek to gain merit and show off. A servant like you, greedy for credit and reckless, who does not put your master first, deserves to be executed!" Biyu sternly rebuked.
The maid was terrified, her face turning pale. She turned to plead with Yu Sangning, "Princess Consort, have mercy! This servant was overly ambitious, wanting to serve closely by my master's side, and failed to consider the consequences. I beg the princess consort to spare my life."
She was a clever maid, immediately shifting the power over her life and death to Yu Sangning.
Shen Xihe lazily withdrew her gaze. If she wanted someone dead, that person had no chance of survival. "Your ambition has already jeopardized not only Princess Consort Zhao's safety but also the safety of the imperial grandson in her womb. How dare you be greedy for credit when it concerns the imperial bloodline? Even if Princess Consort Zhao, in her kindness, wishes to spare you, I cannot let you off!"
Glancing at Yu Sangning, who seemed about to speak, Shen Xihe curled her lips into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Biyu, execute her by caning!"
"Crown Princess!" Yu Sangning exclaimed, then composed herself. "This maid indeed deserves no forgiveness, but the child in my womb is still young. I beg the Crown Princess, for the child's sake, not to let him bear the weight of a human life before he is even born. Spare this maid this once.""Princess Consort Zhao worries too much. It was my order to have this person beaten to death, so the sin should fall upon me, not the child in your womb." Shen Xihe never believed in such notions, but in that brief moment, she had already discerned Yu Sangning's schemes and calculations, waiting only for confirmation.
Turning to Princess Anling, who now held her head high with renewed confidence and shed her gloom, she said, "It's getting late. You should return to your princess manor early."
Princess Anling actually wished to stay and witness the maid being beaten to death to fully vent her resentment. What she hadn't mentioned earlier was her suspicion that the maid had deliberately exerted force to knock her down. Without evidence, voicing this would only make her appear more unreasonable.
Standing before Shen Xihe, whose demeanor was elegant and composed, her expression calm without any visible pressure, Princess Anling dared not offer the slightest rebuttal. She obediently curtseyed and said, "Yes, Anling takes her leave."
With a cold snort directed at Yu Sangning, Princess Anling turned and departed.
Yunyigong was a garden, but it was constructed with majestic grandeur, where clouds seemed to shift like pheasant tails.
Two pavilions stood over the lake, connected by a long bridge arching over the water. Across the tranquil lake drifted the dull thuds of blows and the muffled groans of someone clearly gagged.
These sounds intertwined, drifting one by one across the long bridge into the other lakeside pavilion, where Yu Sangning sat restless. She forced herself to remain calm as she faced Shen Xihe, who stood by the lake, her robes and sashes fluttering in the wind as if she were about to ascend with the breeze.
Shen Xihe gently stroked the back of Duanming, who had scurried over at some point, scratched its neck, and then shooed away the contented creature that was nuzzling its head against her.
Feeling that she had kept Yu Sangning in suspense long enough, she finally spoke softly, "If I hadn't ordered your maid beaten to death today, the Lady of Lingwu Earl Manor would never have swallowed this insult. She would have felt you bullied her too far, waited for an opportunity, and sought revenge against you."
The person before her was always so aloof and detached. Though she never acted superior, she invariably made others feel humble in her presence.
Shen Xihe's words made Yu Sangning's heart pound uncontrollably. She took a deep breath and said, "Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Princess."
"Thank me?" Shen Xihe curled her lips with amusement.
"Your Highness has considered everything for me, wishing to avoid further conflict between our households. Your foresight is something I dare not aspire to." The inexplicable panic within her grew even stronger, and Yu Sangning struggled to restrain it.
"Heh!" Shen Xihe let out a light laugh. She turned, her gaze calm yet fixed directly on Yu Sangning. "The Yu family and Lingwu Earl Manor have long-standing grievances. Today, you deliberately provoked Anling. If she returned and informed the Lady of Lingwu Earl Manor, who is known for her impulsiveness, she would surely be eager to retaliate against you. Someone as clever as you couldn't possibly be unaware of this?"
"I don't understand what Your Highness means," Yu Sangning avoided Shen Xihe's gaze.
"No, you do understand!" Shen Xihe smiled faintly. "All of this was within your calculations. You are pregnant, and Prince Zhao's legitimate eldest son is your greatest obstacle. You aren't acting out of impatience—rather, waiting longer would make it harder to act.
Now that you've just become pregnant, if anything were to happen to this child, everyone would suspect you. The Lady of Lingwu Earl Manor would think the same, so her best method of revenge would be to target this child."With Lady Lingwu's mindset, she naturally wouldn't resort to lethal measures against the child. Yet she remained unaware that regardless of whether she intended to kill or not, from the moment she laid hands on the child, you would never allow it to live. When everyone mistakenly believed you were the perpetrator, you would then present evidence proving Lady Lingwu's involvement.
By then, you would gain public sympathy—eliminating your greatest threat while preserving your reputation, maintaining harmony with Prince Zhao, and simultaneously framing Lingwu Earl Manor for the crime of harming imperial heirs. In doing so, you would have removed a major obstacle for the Yu family. Presumably, the resentment your father harbored over losing his general position because of you would also dissipate.
You would obtain everything you desire—an unobstructed path ahead, your husband's devotion, and your maternal clan's support!"
A chilling sensation crept up from Yu Sangning's feet, freezing her entire spine!
She had always known Shen Xihe was domineering and audacious, always understood Shen Xihe acted without restraint, but this was the first time she personally experienced Shen Xihe's piercing insight!
Her own carefully concealed intentions—Shen Xihe had effortlessly seen right through them!
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