Around 7.30pm, Su Xi-er heard a noise in front of her room, followed by He Ying’s yells. “Splendid, Su Xi-er! The Empress Dowager’s clothes are so valuable, yet you actually dared to tear them! You definitely did it on purpose. Haul her out from her room.”
Without waiting for Su Xi-er to walk out of the room, the door was kicked open by two imperial guards. They entered the room and reached out to capture Su Xi-er.
At this moment, Pei Qianhao had already begun his trip to Nanzhao, and was unaware of Su Xi-er’s current situation.
Despite facing two robust imperial guards, Su Xi-er wasn’t flustered in the least. She spun on her feet and deftly dodged.
The imperial guards had used too much strength, causing them to fall head first due to inertia. They were an extremely sorry sight as they lay sprawled out on the floor.
Su Xi-er walked out of the house in a composed manner. This scene almost angered He Ying to death.
There were multiple imperial guards in the courtyard as He Ying held a piece of torn clothing in her hands. It was practically screaming that she was framing Su Xi-er.
“You’re rebelling! You can even be sentenced to death since you damaged valuable clothes. Obediently follow me back to the Compassionate Peace Palace to wait for verdict of your punishment. Maybe the Empress Dowager will spare your life.”
Su Xi-er remarked unhurriedly, “There are no imperial guards in the Laundry Service Bureau, yet so many of them appeared as soon as you shouted. Miss He, maybe they were brought here by you. It’s almost as if you had long known that the Empress Dowager’s clothes would be torn.”
The palace maids standing at the side immediately revealed baffled expressions. If she suddenly discovered that the clothes were torn, it would still take some time for the imperial guards to arrive. The fact that they came so rapidly makes it evident that they knew beforehand that Miss He would call for them.
This means that farce was already planned out!
Su Xi-er had completely reversed the situation implying that He Ying was in the wrong first. But I must take Su Xi-er away tonight.
“Guards, take her away!” He Ying used her authority to intimidate the surrounding palace maids, causing all of them to immediately lower their heads.
Su Xi-er didn’t evade, but respectfully told her, “This servant obeys Miss He’s order. I will go to the Compassionate Peace Palace immediately. There is no need for imperial guards to escort this servant there.”
When He Ying saw this appearance of Su Xi-er, she felt even more incensed in her heart. But she is already so obedient. If I still make the imperial guards escort her there, it would only appear as if I’m purposely making things difficult for a lowly palace maid. The entire point of this would be lost!
Hence, under everyone’s attentive gazes, Su Xi-er and He Ying left with a host of imperial guards following them.
Old Maidservant Li shook her head. The Empress Dowager has long set her sights on Su Xi-er. Otherwise, Miss He wouldn’t repeatedly make things difficult for an ordinary palace maid. I wonder if Su Xi-er will be able to avoid this calamity.
The group of people soon disappeared from everyone’s sight. At this moment, there was a plump head hiding beside the palace gate of the Laundry Service Bureau. It was a palace maid clad in grey coarse palace attire.
Her body was stout, and nervousness was written across her face. This woman was none other than Ruo Yuan. Right after her body recovered, she had mustered her courage and slipped out secretly just to check on Su Xi-er.
She had stayed in the Laundry Service Bureau before and understood the hardships one would encounter here. Thus, she had decided to come over to assuage her worries. Who knew that as soon as she arrived, she would see Su Xi-er being taken away by a host of imperial guards led by Miss He from the Compassionate Peace Palace?
Ruo Yuan was worried and afraid. Nothing must happen to Su Xi-er. I have to quickly go back and inform Old Maidservant Liu. Perhaps she would have an idea!
Ruo Yuan then ran back to the Palace Side Quarters as quickly as she could.
~~~
At this moment, Su Xi-er and the group were on a small path, arriving at the Compassionate Peace Palace in less than 15 minutes.
All of this was increasingly obvious evidence that they had long planned this incident to frame Su Xi-er.
Pei Yaran laid on the bamboo rattan chair with her eyes closed while two palace maids at the side fanned her cautiously.
This was the scene that greeted Su Xi-er as she walked in.
“Why are you still not kneeling when you see the Empress Dowager!” He Ying lambasted and raised her hand, about to press her shoulder and make Su Xi-er kneel.
Su Xi-er sidestepped, causing He Ying to miss.
Right at this moment, Pei Yaran’s voice sounded. “Just let her stand. This Empress Dowager won’t punish people randomly.” Then, she stood up from the rattan chair and walked towards Su Xi-er step by step.
This was Su Xi-er’s first time seeing Pei Yaran. Despite being only 18 years old, at the prime of her youth, the current Empress Dowager possessed a maturity that didn’t correspond to her age. The deep and calm expression in her eyes only exacerbated this feeling.
The most Su Xi-er felt was lamentation, while Pei Yaran was in shock. She did however, manage to restrain her expression well before anything could show, thus still being able to hold her dignified and calm facade.
Having entered the imperial palace, ascending to the position of Empress and later entering the Compassionate Peace Palace to become the Empress Dowager, Pei Yaran had seen all kinds of beauties during her long path of ascension to the position of Empress Dowager. There were multifarious types with manifold postures and expressions. However, when she saw Su Xi-er, she couldn’t help but admit that her peerless appearance was sufficient to make all men fall for her.
Especially that pair of eyes. It’s like they have spiritual energy that bestows Su Xi-er a distinctive type of feeling and aura.
When she was a metre apart from Su Xi-er, Pei Yaran stopped and examined her carefully. Let alone palace maids, even young ladies from noble families and women in eminent positions wouldn’t have this kind of aura.
There was a split second where Pei Yaran became flustered. If she was like the beauties in the Beauty Palace, I could dismiss everything with a smile. Prince Hao would, at most, shut her in the Beauty Palace and never pay attention to her again. But Su Xi-er…
“This servant pays her respects to the Empress Dowager.” At this moment, Su Xi-er bent her knees slightly and bowed.
This call roused Pei Yaran with a start. She adjusted her mood and her words were filled with an imposing might. “Although Flower wasn’t directly killed by you, you are not completely free of responsibility. Am I right?”
“This servant is also very grieved about Flower’s death, but it had nothing to do with this servant.”
Pei Yaran laughed. “This Empress Dowager’s torn clothes also have nothing to do with you?”
Su Xi-er replied in an unruffled manner. “It has nothing to do with this servant.”
At one side, He Ying could no longer hold it in. “How could it be unrelated to you? You were the one who washed, hung, and dried the clothes. They were already torn when I went to collect them. Yet you are saying that you don’t know how they ended up in such a state?”
Su Xi-er looked at He Ying innocently. “This servant doesn’t know. Miss He, why don’t you explain why this piece of clothing would be torn when it was hung to dry on the bamboo pole?”
The meaning behind her words was very obvious. It was directly pointing at He Ying and telling her, “You were the one who purposely tore the clothes.”
He Ying was infuriated until she couldn’t speak. Pei Yaran narrowed her eyes before her expression returned to normal. She really has a smart mouth.
“Beimin has always governed the country based on virtue, so this Empress Dowager won’t punish you excessively. There are a few potted flowers in the backyard of the Compassionate Peace Palace that have just been sent in. Arrange the flowers in an orderly manner before you return to the Laundry Service Bureau.”
He Ying felt slightly better upon hearing that. There are actually more than 100 pots of flowers of varying sizes that have just been sent in. Some are too enormous for a single woman to lift it up. This time, Su Xi-er is doomed to suffer.
“He Ying, take her to the backyard.” Pei Yaran waved her hand and pretended to be tired.
“Yes, Empress Dowager.” He Ying replied deferentially. Then she looked at Su Xi-er. “The Empress Dowager is merciful and benevolent, settling the matter just by letting you move a few pots of flowers. Quickly come with me!”
Su Xi-er nodded and followed He Ying to the backyard. She couldn’t be more aware that it was definitely not just a few pots of flowers.
When soldiers come, confront them with generals. When a flood comes, stem it with earth. There is always an appropriate solution to every problem. Since the Empress Dowager has chosen to do this, I will naturally have a method to deal with it.
