Everyone was startled and looked in that direction in unison. The speaker was a woman in her forties. Her clothes and jewelry were not particularly luxurious, so it was presumed that her rank was not very high. However, she dared to ignore everyone's gazes and just stared coldly at Wei Dongling. Her look was as if she were looking at an irrelevant low - ranking palace maid.
The Empress Dowager looked a bit displeased, and the Emperor's face instantly darkened.
The Noble Consort Rong glanced at that imperial concubine and calmly said, "Concubine Lin, don't talk nonsense. This palace thinks that the features of the Fifth Princess and her straight sitting posture clearly resemble the Emperor!"
The words of the Noble Consort Rong carried a warning: This was a family banquet. Concubine Lin, don't cause any trouble and make the Emperor and the Empress Dowager unhappy. Be careful that this palace will deal with you later.
As for whether the Fifth Princess resembled the Emperor more or the late Concubine Chen who had been dead for many years, what did it matter?
The Emperor gave the Noble Consort Rong an approving look.
But Concubine Lin sneered coldly and said, "Your Highness, the Noble Consort Rong, as the mistress of the harem, is naturally happy for the Emperor that the lost princess has returned. So you also think that the Fifth Princess resembles the Emperor. But has Your Highness ever thought that back then, even in the deep palace, Concubine Chen had quite a lot of contact with men outside! Otherwise, it would be unlikely for Her Highness the Fifth Princess to have escaped that fire by chance. Moreover, after all these years, how can we be sure that our Fifth Princess hasn't been replaced by some ill - intentioned people?"
These words were clearly insinuating. Not only did she slander the dead Concubine Chen, saying that she had secret trysts with men outside, but also implied that Wei Dongling's identity as a princess was questionable.
Seeing everyone's extremely unpleasant expressions, Wei Dongling felt a bit sad. Concubine Chen had been dead for many years, yet there were still people maliciously smearing her. How vicious the human heart was!
Unfortunately, everything Concubine Lin said had reached the Empress Dowager's ears. The Empress Dowager looked at Wei Dongling with a suspicious gaze, sizing her up and down. Her eyes were stern and filled with a bit of doubt.
Wei Dongling knew very well that after returning to the palace, she might face all kinds of troubles from various people. Queen Zhao and Concubine Xue probably wished that she would die immediately. But she didn't expect that as soon as she returned to the palace and hadn't even sat down for long, someone would provoke her and slander her birth mother, Concubine Chen. For the sake of Grandpa Su, she couldn't bear it!
Wei Dongling stood up, walked respectfully in front of the Emperor, knelt on both knees, and said tearfully, "Father! Your daughter has been living alone and miserably outside for so many years. Just when I've returned to my home and into the embrace of you and the Empress Dowager, there are some ill - intentioned people insinuating that your daughter has impure blood and that my birth mother was immoral! Your daughter is so wronged! It was you, Father, who personally found your daughter. But what Concubine Lin said was actually openly questioning your judgment!" She very cleverly shifted Concubine Lin's suspicion of her own background to a suspicion of the Emperor's judgment.
These words left the whole place in dead silence.
The veins on the Emperor's forehead popped out. As the Son of Heaven, how could he tolerate his concubine publicly questioning him in front of everyone?
Concubine Lin was startled when she saw everyone looking at her unkindly, and the Emperor's eyes were faintly ablaze. She never thought that Wei Dongling could turn the spearhead towards her with just a few words. Concubine Lin immediately stood up and knelt on the ground, shouting anxiously, "Your Majesty, this concubine definitely didn't mean that! This concubine was just afraid that Your Majesty might be taken advantage of by some ill - intentioned people! Whether the Fifth Princess is real or not can't be determined by her words alone. We should be more cautious!"
Concubine Lin's provocation today was nothing more than to give Wei Dongling a warning and plant a seed of suspicion in everyone's hearts.
Seeing that the Empress Dowager nodded imperceptibly at Concubine Lin's words, Wei Dongling wished she could rush up and slap her. But in front of everyone, as a princess, she still had to maintain her dignity.
Wei Dongling gritted her teeth, kowtowed to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and said in a choking voice as if retreating to advance, "Father! Many years ago, my mother died miserably. Poorly, I have no memory of my birth mother's appearance and don't know what motherly love is like! Now, with great difficulty, I've reunited with you and the Empress Dowager, thinking that I finally have relatives to rely on! But I didn't expect that rumors are so terrifying. If I have to live under everyone's scrutiny, your daughter would rather continue to wander outside than have your bloodline be suspected!" Wei Dongling's words were said with sobs and tears, which touched everyone's hearts.
The Empress Dowager felt pity for her and immediately helped her up, saying softly, "My poor grandchild! Don't worry. From now on, with your grandmother protecting you, you will never have to wander outside again!"
When had the Emperor ever seen Wei Dongling crying so miserably! It was only her first day back in the palace, yet she was already forced to be so sad by his concubine.
Concubine Lin never thought that Wei Dongling's complaint would instantly arouse everyone's pity. She knelt there at a loss and looked towards Concubine Xue.
The Emperor's face was as black as charcoal. He stared at Concubine Lin angrily and roared, "I say she is my daughter, and she is! What a mess you've made of this family banquet!"
Seeing the Emperor so furious, everyone quickly knelt down and pleaded with the Emperor to calm down.
Concubine Lin was now shivering with fear. She was originally a cousin of the Xue family. Seeing that the Crown Prince had been deposed and Concubine Xue had been demoted all the way to Concubine Xue, she, along with Concubine Xue, naturally hated Wei Dongling to the core.
Today, she originally wanted to take the initiative to give Wei Dongling a warning, hoping that she would behave herself in the palace from now on and better keep a low profile. But she didn't expect that with just a few words and a complaint, Wei Dongling had won everyone's pity and even enraged the Emperor.
Seeing the Emperor's chest heaving violently with anger, the Noble Consort Rong quickly ordered the maids to serve tea and went up to soothe him, saying softly, "Your Majesty, please rest assured! From now on, this concubine will personally teach the Fifth Princess and try her best to make up for the motherly love she has missed over the years!"
The concubine in the rose - colored dress who was kneeling on the ground also nodded and said, "Yes, Your Majesty! From now on, the Fifth Princess will be the apple of all of our eyes. We sisters will work together and surely give her the best!"
Hearing this, Wei Dongling couldn't help but feel a good impression of her.
The Emperor's expression softened a lot after hearing this.
The Empress Dowager also nodded repeatedly. She quickly helped Wei Dongling up, wiped the hot tears from her cheeks with a handkerchief, and sighed, "Grandchild, don't worry. As long as your grandmother is here, you will never be wronged!"
Wei Dongling curtsied and said, "Thank you, Father! Thank you, Empress Dowager! Thank you, all the noble ladies! Your daughter is extremely honored to be protected by everyone!"
The Emperor returned to his seat, glanced at Concubine Lin who was still kneeling on the ground, and waved his hand, saying, "Get out! Don't spoil everyone's appetite. Concubine Lin is unworthy of her rank. From today on, she will be a Lady - in - Waiting!"
Eunuch Cao quickly nodded in agreement.
Lady - in - Waiting Lin never thought that she would end up shooting herself in the foot. At this moment, her heart was as dead as ashes and her face was deathly pale. But she could only bow and say, "Thank you for Your Majesty's great kindness!"