Chapter 22: Is She Foolish?

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“Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, this humble servant’s name is Zhao Jiao!” Zhao Jiao replied in a trembling voice, carefully casting a wary glance at Feng Yuer while shrinking back, appearing particularly fragile, helpless, and frightened, as if Feng Yuer were a fierce beast.

Nearby, Yin Sumo silently bowed his head, slowly turning the jade beads in his hand.

In his heart, he wondered which theatrical troupe she had learned this from—it was acted so convincingly.

The Empress Dowager fixed her gaze on Zhao Jiao, then glanced at Feng Yuer before signaling the attendant beside her with a subtle look.

The attendant nodded and approached Zhao Jiao for a careful examination, then returned to the Empress Dowager and whispered a few words, causing the Empress Dowager’s expression to darken further.

She then looked up at Feng Yuer, who felt a sudden tightening in her chest, desperately trying to conceal her inner panic.

“What exactly is going on?”

Feng Yuer hurriedly lifted her skirt and knelt, “Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, she is fabricating lies, none of this is true. Princess Nian Zhao did indeed speak a few words to her alone, but did not lay a hand on her, nor did she threaten her in any way. This is slander!”

Feng Yuer knew that since she had met with Zhao Jiao alone before everyone, the Empress Dowager would investigate immediately, so she chose to admit only this much.

“Mother, Princess Nian Zhao has always been obedient and sensible; there must be some misunderstanding in this matter.”

The Imperial Noble Consort spoke up at the right moment, casually casting a glance at the Empress.

“Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, this humble servant speaks truthfully, every word is true! I beg Your Majesty’s wise judgment!”

Zhao Jiao pleaded urgently, bowing her head repeatedly, her appearance genuinely pitiful.

The Empress finally responded upon seeing this.

“Mother, no matter what, Miss Xu was summoned to the palace to await selection as a companion. She was in good health when she entered yesterday, but now she’s like this...”

The Empress Dowager’s brows furrowed deeply, her good mood completely vanished.

Ignoring the Empress and Imperial Noble Consort, she cast a cold glance at Zhao Jiao and Feng Yuer and asked sharply,

“You two each tell a different story. Who am I to believe? Xu Jiao Jiao, you claim your injuries were caused by Nian Zhao and that she threatened you. Do you have any proof?”

Hearing the Empress Dowager’s words, Feng Yuer immediately breathed a sigh of relief. To accuse her? She must be out of her mind. Even if the Empress Dowager did not favor her much, for the sake of the Princess Royal, she would side with Feng Yuer.

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Everyone stared at Zhao Jiao, thinking she was courting death. In the palace, in front of noble ladies, she was so quick to complain about grievances, even bringing them before the Empress Dowager—her audacity was astounding!

Yin Sumo also wanted to see how she would respond. The Empress, somewhat uneasy, was still observing cautiously. Without certainty, she would not lightly involve herself.

Zhao Jiao raised her hand and pointed directly at Qiao Yun beside Feng Yuer, exclaiming excitedly, “Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, it was her! She obeyed the Princess’s orders and attacked me. There were two others as well... you should ask them!”

Zhao Jiao’s words caused an uproar. Was she a fool?

To have the Princess’s own people accuse the Princess herself?

Alas, the entire Xu family was doomed to misfortune now. The Xu family indeed sent a daughter with a dubious reputation into the palace—truly...

Zhao Jiao’s words left even the Empress Dowager speechless. The Empress was completely bewildered, thankful she had not acted rashly earlier.

Before the Empress Dowager could speak, Qiao Yun knelt down immediately.

“Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, this is a great injustice! The Princess only sought her out to speak a few words, nothing else! Your Majesty, please see the truth!”

“That’s not so, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. I dare not lie. It really was the Princess... and there were also two maids and Yin Kou. She was waiting for me, she saw it all. There was also Auntie Li and the others, who can all attest that Princess Nian Zhao summoned me. I didn’t go anywhere else but saw only Princess Nian Zhao. It was truly she who threatened me and injured me at the corner of that palace path... If it weren’t for Prince Su who kindly sent me to Fengxiang Palace to see the imperial physician, I would have died from the pain...”

Zhao Jiao’s disorganized defense bordered on incoherence, dragging Prince Su, the Empress, and the daughters of officials into the fray.

Those implicated all looked astonished and flustered. Had she lost her mind?

Yin Sumo remained calm but was somewhat surprised. Did she really think complaining would help?

The Empress Dowager’s head buzzed with noise as Zhao Jiao named these people in public, so she questioned each of those named.

Auntie Li and others gave the same answer: they saw Nian Zhao being called by the Princess’s maid and then left, unaware of what happened afterward.

Yin Kou kept her head down, trembling as she said, “I saw nothing! I saw nothing at all!”

The Empress Dowager dismissed her without further questions and turned her gaze to the Empress and Yin Sumo.

Yin Sumo finally spoke, “Grandmother Empress, I happened to pass by and saw Jiao Jiao already injured. It was truly frightening. I knew Jiao Jiao before and seeing her bullied like this, I felt wronged on her behalf. She said she wanted to report to the Empress, so I sent her. She must have been afraid to involve me, so she didn’t tell me who hurt her. I want to know who is so cruel as to use such means to bully a daughter of an official in the palace. If this spreads, it damages the royal reputation. Grandmother Empress, you may not have seen it... the imperial physician said that if not treated properly, it would leave a lifelong illness...”

Zhao Jiao was stunned. Had Prince Su gone mad?

Calling her “Jiao Jiao” again and again—no matter how familiar, that was inappropriate! With her background, he wouldn’t distance himself but instead cling on, as if afraid of misunderstanding. What was he after? Was he out of his mind?

He surely knew the real reason these official daughters had entered the palace this time, didn’t he?

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It couldn’t be that he had taken a liking to her...

Suddenly, everyone’s gaze towards them became anything but innocent.

“Mother, I too do not believe Princess Nian Zhao is responsible, but she insists it was her... She came to me crying with injuries, and I could not ignore her. I had the imperial physician examine her and kept her overnight. I also ordered inquiries, but no one saw anything... I advised her against...”

The Empress explained with difficulty. She wished to settle the matter quietly, but Zhao Jiao was stubborn and unyielding. She had tried to stop her, but had not neglected the matter. She had conducted investigations but found no evidence proving Princess Nian Zhao harmed anyone.

“Did the Empress investigate?”

The Empress Dowager asked expressionlessly. She already had an understanding of the facts.

“Yes... Miss Xu was called by Nian Zhao while leaving Fengxiang Palace with Auntie Li and the others. About a quarter of an hour later, the Princess left the palace. Then Prince Su brought Miss Xu to see me...”

Implying that Xu Jiao Jiao was injured after meeting Feng Yuer, and during that time she met no one else or went anywhere else.

“Is that all the investigation found?”

The Empress Dowager asked again with a stern face, her tone tinged with anger, instantly shifting the atmosphere.

The Empress’s eyes flickered. After a pause, she signaled her aunt behind her, “Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, at the place where Miss Xu was injured, this needle and... this hairpin were found, but no one witnessed the act...”

“Present them!”

The Empress Dowager cut her off immediately.

Seeing the hairpin, Feng Yuer suddenly panicked, “Grandmother Empress Dowager, Nian Zhao did nothing...”

If it were just the hairpin, it would be no problem—just carelessly dropped. But finding a needle in the same place was another matter.

“I remember this hairpin... I gave one to each of you last year. They are all different colors. Yours is this red one. The Tiansang silk from Quanzhou is an imperial tribute, and there is only a small amount...”

As the Empress Dowager spoke of the hairpin, she held up a slender needle—a specially made instrument used in the inner palace, designed to injure without leaving marks when used skillfully...

“It wasn’t Nian Zhao, Grandmother Empress Dowager. Nian Zhao did not do it!”