The matter of Wei Dongling's self - harm was forcefully suppressed by the emperor. He only said that she had been accidentally injured and no one was allowed to visit.
Even so, Murong Yunxi still came. She climbed over the wall with a ladder.
Min Fang, the head maid of Yaoguang Pavilion, was shocked and quickly stepped forward to stop her. "Your Highness, the Seventh Princess, the emperor has ordered that the Fifth Princess needs to rest in peace..."
Before she could finish, Wei Dongling waved her hand and told her to leave.
Looking at Wei Dongling, who was sitting on the bed in a sorry state, Murong Yunxi smiled with her eyes bent into crescent moons. She sat down haughtily on a chair, raised her eyebrows and said with a smile, "Got played by someone?"
Wei Dongling frowned and said speechlessly, "What? Is your butt all better? You came here just to gloat?"
Hearing her mention the injury on her butt, Murong Yunxi glanced at her and said, "But you promised that you'd clear my name in two days. I'm just here to check if you're still alive. If you died, would I have to carry this unjust blame for the rest of my life?"
Wei Dongling waved her hand. "Don't worry! I won't die even if you do. I'll definitely clear your name."
Come on! When she harmed herself, she had a throwing dagger in her sleeve, but still chose to use a pair of scissors instead. It was obviously for show. The wound looked bloody and horrible, but in fact it wasn't very deep.
This act of feigning injury only needed to fool the empress dowager. Otherwise, if she was really sent to the prison of the Ministry of Justice, she would surely suffer. Other things were bearable, but if she was driven out of the palace, she'd never be able to avenge her mother, Concubine Chen. She'd make those who were responsible pay with their blood!
Murong Yunxi was used to Wei Dongling's rudeness. She rolled her eyes and said coldly, "I thought you were really capable. It seems you're no match for Concubine Xue."
Wei Dongling was surprised. "How do you know it was her?"
Murong Yunxi gently stroked the nail guards on her fingers and replied casually, "When you had your accident, Concubine Xue brought the empress dowager to your Yaoguang Pavilion early in the morning. It was obviously a pre - meditated plot. I just don't understand. Concubine Xue had no grudge against you. Why has she been trying to harm you since you entered the palace?"
Wei Dongling laughed. "I didn't expect the noble Seventh Princess to be so smart. You could tell who the mastermind was at a glance. I'm really impressed."
Murong Yunxi's face darkened. "Are you praising me or scolding me?"
Wei Dongling stared at her with wide eyes and replied seriously, "Of course I'm praising you!"
Min Fang waited outside the Fifth Princess's bedroom, silently listening to the two princesses' bickering. Soon, their voices became softer and softer. She couldn't really hear what they were saying.
Min Fang was a bit stunned. The empress dowager had clearly instructed her to monitor the Fifth Princess's every move, and report to her who the princess had met and what she had said.
But just now, the two princesses were glaring at each other in disgust. In a blink of an eye, they were chatting intimately.
Min Fang quietly tiptoed closer, trying to hear more clearly. But then she heard Murong Yunxi roar, "Murong Wanlin, you country bumpkin! I came to see you out of kindness, and you dared to scold me!"
Min Fang was startled by the Seventh Princess's sudden shout. Then she heard her own princess weakly scold, "You ugly butt - injured freak! Who wants you to come and see me!"
Min Fang was speechless. How could the delicate and beautiful Seventh Princess be scolded so harshly by her own princess? Oh well! The Fifth Princess was really from the common people. She could say anything!
Murong Yunxi was furious. "You're the ugly one! Your whole family is ugly!"
Hearing that the two princesses might start fighting, Min Fang quickly pushed the door open and knelt in front of the Seventh Princess, pleading, "Your Highness, the Seventh Princess, please stop saying a few words! Our princess is still injured. If the wound splits open, the emperor will surely come to question us. Please spare us!"
She had been punished with three months of confinement. If the emperor found out that she had sneaked in, she would surely be scolded. Murong Yunxi glared angrily at Wei Dongling with a dark face, then flicked her sleeves and left.
"Humph!" Wei Dongling rolled her eyes unhappily and turned to look elsewhere.
Min Fang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
In the late autumn in the harem, the afternoon sun was especially warm.
Concubine Xue and Lady Lin were feeding the koi in the pond in the harem when they saw Murong Yunxi strutting towards them from afar.
Murong Yunxi gave them a half - smile and perfunctorily bowed. She said indifferently, "The two ladies are in a good mood, feeding the fish?"
Concubine Xue and Lady Lin looked at each other, feeling very confused. This Seventh Princess was always so arrogant that she would avoid them. Why did she come to say hello today?
Concubine Xue was no longer the noble Consort Xue. She quickly nodded and smiled. "Yes. It's quite rare for the Seventh Princess to come to the backyard today."
Murong Yunxi spread her hands. "I wanted to talk to Concubine Zhao about something, but I couldn't find her anywhere in the garden. So I had to give up. Have the two ladies seen her?"
Concubine Xue: "No, we haven't."
Murong Yunxi said proudly, "Okay, then I won't bother the two ladies. I wanted to ask Concubine Zhao to accompany the emperor, but forget it. I'll go find my mother instead."
Accompany the emperor? Both of them were overjoyed. What a great opportunity! There were many concubines in the harem who never got to see the emperor for a whole year.
Concubine Xue and Lady Lin looked at each other, immediately understood what was going on, and stepped forward to block Murong Yunxi's way.
Facing Murong Yunxi's suspicious look, Lady Lin said with a smile, "Your Highness, the Seventh Princess, please wait. It doesn't matter that Concubine Zhao is not here. We can also accompany the emperor! May I ask where the emperor is now?"
Concubine Xue also stepped forward with a gentle smile and advised softly, "Your Highness, your mother is busy managing the affairs of the six palaces. She may not have the time to accompany the emperor. We're just free anyway."
When Concubine Xue was still Consort Xue, she was highly favored by the emperor. He couldn't wait to come to her palace every night. But since she was demoted, the emperor had never visited her alone. It was impossible for her not to feel disappointed.
During the family banquet a few days ago and when the Fifth Princess was injured yesterday, she saw the emperor from afar. But the emperor didn't even look at her, which made her feel extremely sad.
Murong Yunxi glanced at them and hesitated. "Just now, the emperor was playing chess with Uncle Rui in the imperial garden. Uncle Rui was so stubborn! He didn't even let the emperor win a single game. He won three games in a row, and the emperor's face turned dark. That's why I thought Concubine Zhao was good at chess..."
Lady Lin was overjoyed and quickly exclaimed, "My dear princess! You've come to the right people! Have you forgotten? Our Concubine Xue is also very good at chess. The emperor used to praise her a lot!"
Murong Yunxi pretended to suddenly remember. "Oh! Look at my memory. How could I forget? Concubine Xue's chess skills are really outstanding."