Chapter 316: Consort Fang's False Accusation
Yun Chu had been busy attending to the two children's meals.
Chu Yi, meanwhile, kept serving dishes to Yun Chu.
"Yu Ge'er, slow down, don't choke," Yun Chu reminded. "Why are you in such a hurry to finish eating?"
Chu Hongyu's mouth was stuffed with various foods as he mumbled: "Jiang Ge said he wants to borrow books from the Book Collection Pavilion, I'm taking him there."
After speaking, he picked up his water cup and gulped it down.
Unexpectedly, he accidentally knocked over the vinegar dish, staining his entire outfit and splashing some on Chu Changsheng beside him.
"You little rascal!" Chu Yi lifted him up. "If you do this again next time, you'll be punished to face the wall and reflect."
Yun Chu pressed down the man's large hand: "Alright, it's just a minor matter. I'll take the two children to change clothes."
The little fellow immediately hid behind Yun Chu.
Yun Chu stood up and led the two children to the changing room specially prepared for guests at the back.
Usually, when attending banquets, people would bring spare clothes, so they could change directly. After changing, Yun Chu brought the two children out.
Just as they descended the steps, she saw a figure appearing at the doorway.
"Princess Consort of the Pacifying West."
The person standing there was none other than Fang Xinyan.
Her face was pale, with palace maids supporting her on both sides.
Yun Chu could tell at a glance that Fang Xinyan must be very uncomfortable at this moment. Since she wasn't feeling well, she should return to the Eastern Palace instead of coming to change clothes.
"I have words to speak with the Princess Consort of the Pacifying West. All of you may withdraw."
After Fang Xinyan spoke, the two palace maids beside her carefully released her, lowering their heads and retreating several steps back.
Fang Xinyan walked step by step toward Yun Chu.
Yun Chu narrowed her eyes, pulling the two children onto another branching path, saying indifferently: "I have matters to attend to. Let's chat another time, Side Princess Consort Fang."
As the saying goes, a wise man doesn't stand under a dangerous wall.
Fang Xinyan was clearly problematic, so she naturally couldn't stay alone with this woman.
Having said this, she took the children's hands and turned to leave.
"Princess Consort of the Pacifying West!" Fang Xinyan's voice suddenly turned shrill. "Can't you spare even a few words?"
Yun Chu didn't look back: "It's not too late to talk after the banquet ends."
Fang Xinyan nearly gritted her silver teeth to pieces.
She could feel so clearly the warm blood flowing from below.
During this period, she had been bleeding every day. The imperial physician said the child definitely wouldn't survive.
If the royal lineage died in her womb, neither the Crown Prince nor the Empress would let her off... and she couldn't speak the truth either.
She could only find someone to take the blame.
Yun Chu was the perfect candidate.
Watching as Yun Chu rounded the corridor and was about to walk far away.
Fang Xinyan decided to go all the way, covering her stomach as she collapsed softly to the ground, letting out a startled cry: "Ah—!"
Chu Hongyu immediately turned back: "Mother, she fell."
"Princess Consort of the Pacifying West, how could you... how could you push me..." Fang Xinyan's voice was very loud. "It hurts so much, my stomach hurts so much... Someone, help me..."
Before she could finish calling for help, she saw a figure standing at the edge of this path.
All of Fang Xinyan's words stuck in her throat.
Yun Chu looked over - the person standing there was Guogong Furen.
From the looks of it, Guogong Furen had probably been here for a while.
She spoke: "Guogong Furen must have seen that Side Princess Consort Fang and I have always been kept at a considerable distance. Side Princess Consort Fang's fall has nothing to do with me."Fang Xinyan's heart instantly became a mess.
She looked toward Guogong Furen, her voice pleading: "Guogong Furen, please see clearly—it was the Princess Consort of the Pacifying West who pushed me. My stomach hurts so much..."
Guogong Furen coldly shouted: "Princess Consort of the Pacifying West, your audacity is truly immense! This is the Palace of Earthly Tranquility—how dare you secretly harm the fetus in Side Princess Consort Fang's womb!"
Yun Chu's pupils constricted sharply.
Guogong Furen was blatantly lying with her eyes wide open!
This was clearly a confrontation with the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor!
When had she ever offended Guogong Furen?
"You're lying!" Chu Hongyu shouted loudly. "My mother didn't even touch her! She fell by herself—what does it have to do with my mother!"
"Having lived most of my life, I never speak nonsense," Guogong Furen said coldly. "Someone, go invite the Emperor and Empress to come uphold justice for Side Princess Consort Fang! You few, go summon the imperial physicians for diagnosis!"
Fang Xinyan closed her eyes.
It seemed Guogong Furen felt guilty toward her, hence was willing to bear false witness for her.
The front courtyard wasn't far away. Soon, the crowd from the front courtyard arrived at the changing room's entrance, led by the Emperor and Empress.
When they saw Fang Xinyan weakly supported by palace maids, with considerable bloodstains beneath her, the Empress's face changed dramatically: "What happened!"
"Mother Empress..." Fang Xinyan broke down sobbing. "This concubine came to change clothes when the Princess Consort of the Pacifying West questioned why I insisted on marrying the Prince of Pacifying the West back then. I didn't wish to revisit the past, but unexpectedly the Princess Consort pushed me. My stomach hurts terribly... the child can't be saved..."
"My mother didn't!" Chu Hongyu's small face flushed red with anxiety. "She fell on purpose to frame my mother! Imperial Grandfather, Imperial Grandmother, please don't believe her!"
Fang Xinyan's tears fell profusely: "This concubine isn't lying. Guogong Furen can testify."
Everyone's gaze turned toward Guogong Furen standing nearby.
"I came to change clothes earlier and saw the Princess Consort of the Pacifying West speaking with Side Princess Consort Fang," Guogong Furen slowly began. "I don't know what was said, but the Princess Consort became emotionally agitated, pushed Side Princess Consort Fang's shoulder, and she fell to the ground."
The surrounding crowd looked incredulous, murmuring among themselves.
"The Princess Consort of the Pacifying West would do such a thing?"
"Side Princess Consort Fang nearly married the Prince of Pacifying the West back then—the Princess Consort must hold a grudge."
"No matter what, she shouldn't have harmed an innocent child."
"And today is Her Majesty the Empress's birthday too."
Countless people cast strange looks toward Yun Chu.
Yun Chu raised her eyes to look at Guogong Furen and calmly asked: "May I ask, when Guogong Furen arrived, where were Side Princess Consort Fang and I standing while speaking?"
Guogong Furen pointed to where Fang Xinyan was: "Right here."
Yun Chu continued: "Then may I ask which hand I used to push Side Princess Consort Fang?"
Guogong Furen replied indifferently: "Your right hand."
With only three people present, if both she and Side Princess Consort Fang claimed Yun Chu did it, then no matter how Yun Chu tried to explain, she wouldn't be able to extricate herself.
As for those two children—who would believe a child's words?
Yun Chu nodded: "One final question—did Guogong Furen clearly see how Side Princess Consort Fang fell?"
Naturally, Guogong Furen couldn't say she hadn't seen clearly. She replied unhurriedly: "The Princess Consort of the Pacifying West pushed Side Princess Consort Fang's shoulder. Side Princess Consort Fang lost her balance, fell backward, and landed on the ground..."
Before she could finish her sentence, she saw Yun Chu smile."Your Majesty, please take a look." Yun Chu turned to the Empress. "On Consort Fang's white dress, there is only dust on the elbows and the left front side. This means Consort Fang was either pushed from the back side, or she fell by herself."
Guogong Furen's expression froze.
Chu Yi coldly demanded, "Why did Guogong Furen conspire with Consort Fang to frame my wife?"
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