The little maid had completely panicked.
It was she who had started this whole thing. According to Old Madam Yue's original plan, the commotion among the crowd would lead to chaos. Song Wanchu, facing public condemnation, would surely spare no effort to deny being the Crown Prince's consort in order to clear her name.
Ultimately, the goal was to smear the Crown Prince's reputation!
But she didn't say a single word in her own defense. Instead, with just one question, she had hit the nail on the head!
As soon as she asked that question, people began to react.
Could it be that someone was deliberately slandering Miss Song?
The little maid's feet gradually warmed up, but she felt ashamed. However, she had to pluck up the courage to continue making up lies, "I... I heard it from someone else..."
From the crowd, someone suddenly asked, "You're a maid from the Yue family. So, you must have heard it from someone in the Yue family, right?"
Song Wanchu recognized the voice. It was the head maid beside Old Madam Chu.
Old Madam Chu was secretly helping her.
Although the Yue family had declined, Old Madam Yue hadn't been convicted. She was still the wet - nurse of the Princess. Implicitly accusing the Yue family would make people think that Song Wanchu had a grudge against the Yue family and didn't respect Old Madam Yue.
It wasn't convenient for her to ask such a question directly, so Old Madam Chu sent her head maid to do it.
The little maid didn't know where to look. Her mother's and sister's lives were still in Old Madam Yue's hands, so she couldn't reveal the mastermind behind this.
But her reaction had already laid the truth bare.
Another voice came from the crowd, "Old Madam Yue is the wet - nurse of the Princess. Now that the Princess has been released from restriction and is on bad terms with the Crown Prince, it's obvious that the Yue family is trying to smear the Crown Prince by slandering Miss Song!"
It was Zhou Sheng's voice.
A warm current flowed through Song Wanchu's heart.
Liang Yuzhou was calm and rational. Instead of showing up rashly and causing more trouble, he was secretly stirring things up and guiding the crowd to change their focus.
The direction of the crowd's discussion completely changed.
"That's right! The Crown Prince is diligent and loves the people. As soon as he came to Yunzhou, he punished the Yue family and avenged us ordinary people who had been bullied. How could he be a foolish king?"
"Moreover, we haven't heard that the Crown Prince is going to make Miss Song his consort. The Crown Prince just lives in the Chu family, but his heart is with the people of Yunzhou. He leaves early and returns late. Maybe he hasn't even seen Miss Song much!"
"If Miss Song were really a vain and ambitious woman, why would she distribute porridge to us poor people?"
"Yes! She didn't even嫌 the little maid dirty and gave her such expensive shoes. She is clearly a kind - hearted and beautiful bodhisattva, a fairy!"
The time was ripe. The Yue family was clearly the mastermind behind this. Now, the most important thing was to nail down the Yue family's guilt.
Xia He and Ying Lan had been on standby. Song Wanchu glanced at them, and they immediately understood. They dragged the two gossiping women in front of the crowd.
"Miss, these two were the ones who were gossiping and slandering your relationship with the Crown Prince just now!"
"We didn't slander. We also heard it from others..."
The two women were eager to excuse themselves.
Song Wanchu sized them up. There was still a smile on her face, but her eyes were as cold as ice. The two women felt a chill run up their spines.
Why did this delicate woman have such a strong sense of oppression?
"Although you two are wearing coarse cloth clothes, your skin is fair and your hair is black and smooth. You don't look like you come from a poor family at all. I'm sure your family doesn't need this bowl of eight - treasure porridge."
People suddenly realized that these two were clearly instigated by someone and were just here to cause trouble during the porridge distribution, cooperating with the little maid!
Xia He and Ying Lan lifted their hands, "Everyone can see that their hands are fair and delicate without a single callus. The most they usually do is serve tea and water. They are definitely not poor people!"
Chu Yueying came to Song Wanchu's side in a timely manner and shook her arm, "Sister Wanchu, I think these two look familiar. We've been to the Yue family several times. They seem to be the people beside Old Madam Yue. I remember they dressed very decently, and the maids in the Yue family had to obey their orders!"
The little girl's tone was innocent, as if she didn't know this was a war without gunpowder but was simply stating what she had seen and heard.
Song Wanchu smiled at her.
She had been in charge of the Duke's Mansion's internal affairs for three years and had entertained many noble ladies and young ladies. She had already developed the ability to recognize people, especially those who served closely.
Song Wanchu had already recognized these two faces, but if she said it herself, the effect would be completely different from when Chu Yueying said it.
If she said it herself, there would be a suspicion of implicating Old Madam Yue and trying to excuse herself.
But when a naive little girl like Chu Yueying said it, the truth was presented without any implication.
The Yue family's conspiracy was thus laid bare.
And she, with just a few words, had achieved a remarkable result with little effort.
She neither accused the Yue family of slandering her nor explained her relationship with the Crown Prince, but everyone already understood that it was the Yue family that was up to no good.
This was a struggle for imperial power, and she was the one caught in the middle, suffering an undeserved disaster.
The common people already hated the Yue family. Now that they had a reason, the scolding was like a tide.
Everyone found an outlet to vent their dissatisfaction with the Yue family.
Bai Zhi and Luo Cen admired Song Wanchu to the extreme.
"No wonder the Crown Prince favors her. We thought she was just beautiful, but it turns out that beauty is her least important advantage!"
She was now safe. The most important thing at the moment was to let the Crown Prince know what had happened at Songhe Temple.
After the commotion, the Chu family continued to distribute porridge as usual.
Song Wanchu also handed out bowls of porridge one by one.
The difference was that the looks people gave her were different.
Some were full of apology, and some were filled with reverence. Everyone who received the porridge would bow respectfully to her.
After the porridge distribution, Old Madam Chu led the Chu family to rest at Songhe Temple.
The one in charge of welcoming them was Qing Chuan, the eldest disciple of Taoist Priest Qiu.
"Why isn't Taoist Priest Qiu here?" Old Madam Chu and Taoist Priest Qiu were old acquaintances.
Qing Chuan's expression darkened slightly, "Master has gone on a pilgrimage."
Old Madam Chu was a bit puzzled, "It's almost the New Year. Why did he choose this time to go on a pilgrimage?"
It was freezing cold everywhere. What was there to see?
Monks and Taoist priests usually went on pilgrimages in the warm and blooming spring.
It seemed that Taoist Priest Qiu had left in a hurry.
Qing Chuan hid the sadness and disappointment in his eyes, "Master is free - spirited. He just set off as soon as he wanted to."
"How long will this pilgrimage last?"
"Master didn't say."
Maybe it would be a lifetime.
Song Wanchu came to the temporary resting room and was changing her wet shoes and socks.
The door opened, and Liang Yuzhou's tall shadow fell on the ground.
He was holding a basin of hot water in his hand.
"Wanchu, I'm here to apologize again."
He entered the room, squatted down, and took Song Wanchu's cold feet and put them into the hot water.