Inside the room, there was a moment of silence.
One by one, furtive glances fell upon a person in the room. Under the bright lights, the shade of crimson was extremely eye - catching.
[In the dark, that old hag has good eyesight. A crimson dress embroidered with gold patterns. Why not just say it's my Shan Shan?]
During this brief lull, Ling Shan, wearing a crimson palace dress embroidered with golden cloud patterns, took a step forward. Her face, as fair and delicate as frost and snow, came into everyone's view.
Her eyes, filled with disbelief and tears, asked, "Empress Dowager, are you suspecting me?"
Jun Wuyuan, who had been sitting casually as if watching a show, sat up straight all of a sudden. His eyes narrowed slightly.
Even though he knew it was just an act, seeing those red - rimmed almond eyes, his heart ached with a dull pain.
He casually glanced at the Empress Dowager. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Ling Shan looking at him with red - rimmed eyes and a wronged expression.
"Your Majesty, I'm innocent. You know that on weekdays, I respect the Empress Dowager the most. How could I be so crazy and commit such an act of treason?"
[Shan Shan is right. On weekdays, our husband - and - wife pair have always 'respected' that old hag. Shan Shan is especially innocent and kind!]
Ling Shan twitched the corner of her mouth and barely managed to maintain her image of a wronged innocent maiden.
"Your Majesty, I'm just a weak woman who can't even bind a chicken. How could I dare to have such a thought, and how could I kick the Empress Dowager into the water?"
Her gentle and moving voice was choked with sobs. The beautiful woman's tearful appearance was truly pitiful.
Yes, one was slender and graceful like a willow branch, while the other was broad - built and hefty. No matter how one looked at it...
It was hard to believe that she could have kicked the Empress Dowager into the water as the Empress Dowager had claimed.
Even the other women felt pity for her, not to mention the emperor who had long cherished her in his heart.
Sure enough, the next moment, they saw Jun Wuyuan stand up with a look of genuine distress and quickly pull Ling Shan up who was about to kneel down to plead guilty.
"Shan Shan, you don't need to kneel. I and the Empress Dowager naturally believe in you. You were personally chosen by the Empress Dowager and sent to my side. How could I and the Empress Dowager not trust you? Empress Dowager, am I right?"
[Lying with open eyes. If that old hag can do it, why can't I?]
Ling Shan quickly curved the corner of her lips and looked at the Empress Dowager on the couch expectantly, as if waiting for her to nod.
The Empress Dowager: "..."
Her already pale and bloodless face now turned a bit redder from anger at the shameless actions of the two in front of her.
After all, they were the great emperor of the Yan Dynasty and the Consort Zhao. Even if they had torn off their masks, they couldn't openly turn against each other on the surface.
But if she swallowed this anger, the Empress Dowager felt her chest bursting with rage.
Jun Wuyuan's sarcasm made the Empress Dowager hate Ling Shan, the traitor, even more.
At this moment, looking at this charming and hateful face, the Empress Dowager wished to get rid of Ling Shan more than Jun Wuyuan!
"What's wrong with Consort Zhao? I only said it seemed so. The night was dark, and I'm not a person with super - sharp eyesight. I just caught a glimpse of something when the firelight flashed before I fell into the water. How could I not believe in you?"
The Empress Dowager gritted her teeth as she forced out these insincere words. She couldn't help but feel disgusted.
"I thank the Empress Dowager for her trust."
Ling Shan's eyes became even redder with emotion. Holding Jun Wuyuan's hand, she said angrily:
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has suffered this misfortune. The person behind this is really too audacious. They dared to harm the Empress Dowager and even tried to wipe out me and all the concubines and noble ladies. The person behind this is really too terrifying. Could it be that some foreigners are trying to usurp the throne?"
A look of approval flashed in Jun Wuyuan's eyes, and his face turned cold.
"Shan Shan is right. The traitor is so arrogant and presumptuous. I will never let them go!"
The Empress Dowager's eyelids twitched.
Everyone in the room held their breaths. Facing the emperor's might, they didn't dare to say a word.
"Liang Jiusi, pass on my order. Have the Imperial Guards, the Inner Palace Service, and the Inner Court Department seal off the Bright Moon Lake and the Yuhua Palace. Conduct a thorough investigation overnight. I want to know everything by tomorrow morning!"
Liang Jiusi: "This old servant obeys the imperial edict!"
In a corner of the room, a figure subconsciously tightened the silk handkerchief in her hand and bit her lip slowly.
Outside the room, the fire had long gone out. The sky was as dark as ink, weighing heavily on people's hearts.
"For the sake of the Empress Dowager's health, she shall stay in the Lotus Pavilion for recuperation. Those who serve her must not make any mistakes. As for you all..."
Jun Wuyuan's cold eyes swept across the people in the room without showing any extra emotions. His tone was solemn and cold.
"Before the traitor is caught and the matter of harming the Empress Dowager is investigated clearly, you all shall stay in the Lotus Pavilion. Do not leave or send messages without permission. If anyone violates this order, I will treat them as an accomplice. Do you understand?"
[This is a good opportunity to clean up the forces in the harem. I'm sure that old hag will like this wonderful birthday!]
"I/We obey the imperial edict!"
They bowed respectfully on the surface, but in their hearts, they were complaining. What a mess!
They had come to attend the Consort Shu's birthday banquet. Who would have thought that they almost lost their lives, got injured, and now they couldn't even go home. Instead, they were trapped in the Lotus Pavilion like suspects.
Thinking of this, the noble ladies couldn't help but blame the damned traitor and... the Consort Shu, who was kneeling at the front with a gloomy face.
Ling Shan quietly pinched Jun Wuyuan's palm and observed all this silently.
Jun Wuyuan stood up and led Ling Shan's hand out of the room.
Everyone, especially the Consort Shu, could only watch helplessly as Ling Shan left with Jun Wuyuan so calmly?
Just a moment ago, Jun Wuyuan had been so cold - hearted, directly ordering them to be confined and not to act rashly. The next moment, he was leading Ling Shan away.
The Consort Shu's already ugly face turned even paler. For a moment, she really wanted to ask:
What were they, the concubines, in Jun Wuyuan's heart?
Were they no different from wood, water, or air in Jun Wuyuan's heart?
The urge welled up to her lips, but the Consort Shu still tightly pinched her palm and held it back.
Consort Zhao!
Consort Zhao!
Bitch!
...
The Consort Shu knelt on the ground, bowed her head, and followed the others to send off the emperor. A cold and vicious look gradually filled her eyes.
She would never let this bitch go!
After leaving the Lotus Pavilion, they had barely taken a few steps when Jun Wuyuan picked Ling Shan up.
"Your Majesty?"
Ling Shan looked puzzled. The sudden suspension made her subconsciously wrap her arms around Jun Wuyuan's neck.
[Thank goodness, Shan Shan wasn't injured. Instead, she managed to deal with that old hag. It's really satisfying!]
Ling Shan: "..."
She thought something really serious had happened!
So it was just this?
Didn't Jun Wuyuan already know her ruthless methods?
"Your Majesty, I almost got hurt just now."
Ling Shan's voice was filled with a bit of pitiful weakness as she leaned her head on Jun Wuyuan's shoulder.