Chapter 67: Unable to Prove Innocence

“My eyes are the evidence!”

The palace maid spoke with righteous conviction, as if determined to accuse them no matter what.

The emperor raised his eyebrows with interest, his cool gaze falling upon the two children.

The Marquis of Chengming had spent years waging war on the battlefield, striking fear into neighboring states!
But his son had been raised in the inner residence, and news of him was rarely heard.

The emperor thought this might be a good opportunity to see for himself whether the Chengming Marquis’s household had produced a son to surpass the father—or had instead declined.

Any ordinary child would’ve already been frightened into tears.
But not only did Xie Yixing show no sign of panic, a cold look even appeared on his face.

His voice was like steel dipped in ice, cold to the bone:
“You expect us to believe a mouth alone is proof? Then I can say it was you who did it.”

Yao Yao’s eyes widened into round, gleaming orbs.
“I remember now! It was you who said there were tasty pastries by the rockery and told Brother Persimmon to take me there!”

The palace maid looked at Yao Yao in surprise, seeing her face flush red like a ripe persimmon.

Yao Yao tilted her head, a fire burning in her clear eyes.

Her parents had told her—family must help each other!
She couldn’t let Brother Persimmon shoulder this alone!

Her small shoulders trembled slightly as she lifted her rounded chin.
“It was you who framed us!”

“You must be mistaken!”

The palace maid hadn’t expected this seemingly innocent little girl to fling dirt right back at her so boldly.
She panicked, shaking her head like a rattle-drum.
“I had just come from Concubine Wei’s palace! I didn’t even have time to speak with you!”

According to palace rules, it was their job to prove their innocence!
If they couldn’t produce evidence, then they were guilty!

At worst, she could die to prove her resolve.
She would make them pay for this!

But in her rush to explain, she accidentally revealed too much.

By the time the palace maid realized she had slipped, it was already too late.

The expressions on the Emperor and Empress had shifted again and again.

The slight smile on the emperor’s lips flattened at once.
He had originally intended to handle the matter privately, so he had let the palace maid argue with the Marquis of Chengming’s son and the little girl.

He never expected the agent planted by Concubine Wei would be so incompetent.
Just a few words from two children and she spilled the truth.

Did Concubine Wei really think he, the emperor, was a fool?

The emperor’s gaze sharpened suddenly, all traces of prior indifference wiped away.

The empress clenched her teeth.

She had already guessed this incident was connected to Concubine Wei.
Her pregnancy had long been made public, and all the palaces had sent their congratulations—except for Concubine Wei’s Changle Hall, which remained completely silent.

It wasn’t the lack of a gift that the empress cared about.
It was the blatant disregard—that in Concubine Wei’s eyes, the empress didn’t exist!

The palace maid didn’t dare raise her head to meet the imperial couple’s eyes.
But just from the cold tension in the air, she already knew what her fate would be.

If she exposed Concubine Wei, her own sister wouldn’t survive either.

Trembling, the young maid kowtowed hard enough to echo in the hall.
“Your Majesty, Your Highness, this servant was merely delivering something for Noble Lady Yuan.”

If she wanted to save her sister’s life now, the only way was to drag Noble Lady Yuan down with her.

Blame her for having no power or influence—she made the perfect scapegoat.

The empress sneered coldly.
“This palace remembers that Noble Lady Yuan prefers solitude and rarely socializes. Since when did she become so close with Concubine Wei?”

The palace maid buried her head low.
“It was only recently. Concubine Wei praised my lady’s embroidery skills, so my lady thought to sew a handkerchief for her and asked me to bring it over.”

If it were anyone else, the empress might’ve believed that.
But not Noble Lady Yuan!

She was the orphaned daughter of a loyal minister, brought into the palace at just fifteen.

People only knew her father died heroically, a loyal and virtuous man.
What they didn’t know was that he didn’t have to die.

It was Concubine Wei’s older brother who fled in battle and blocked reinforcements, causing Noble Lady Yuan’s father to be surrounded and forced to commit suicide on the battlefield.

There was blood vengeance between them—how could they ever get along?

The empress looked toward the emperor.
But when she saw his cold, stern profile, she hesitated.

The emperor had favored Concubine Wei for years, raising both her and her daughter to high positions, even letting her help manage the inner palace.

If the emperor intended to protect Concubine Wei, nothing she said or did would make a difference.

Out of the corner of his eye, the emperor noticed the empress’s hesitation and felt a flash of disappointment.

So the empress still harbored doubts about him.

He turned to Li Yunsheng.
“Summon Noble Lady Yuan.”

The empress stayed silent, her gaze returning to the two children confronting the palace maid.

The young heir from the Chengming Marquis household was calm and composed.
And the chubby little girl at his side was equally impressive—brave and clever.

Despite all the children she had raised in the inner palace, this was the first time the empress had encountered ones with such boldness.

Never mind the young heir—the girl alone wasn’t even afraid of the emperor’s scowl!

The Chengming Marquis and his wife had raised their children well.
Someday soon, the empress would invite Madam Wei into the palace for a proper discussion.

The thought of the crown prince and the other princes avoiding the emperor like the plague gave her a headache.

The inner palace children often played in her quarters and got along well with the crown prince.
In theory, this was a good thing.
But the moment the emperor showed up, those same children all found reasons to leave.

In any other household, women would be eager to present their children and win favor.
Yet among the emperor’s harem, aside from Concubine Wei, none seemed to care about competing for attention.

Yao Yao noticed the noblewoman watching her.
Her round eyes, like apricots, curved into crescent moons.

Her cheeks, still full with baby fat, dimpled inward adorably.

The empress noticed the chubby girl staring at her and thought perhaps something was on her face.

Worried she had lost decorum in front of the court, she raised her sleeve to cover half her face and whispered to Nanny Fang:
“Is there anything on my face?”

Nanny Fang barely raised her eyes, not daring to stare directly.
She quickly shook her head. “There is nothing, Your Highness.”

The empress found it strange.

If nothing was on her face, why was the girl staring?

Even the emperor noticed Yao Yao’s small gestures and found himself glancing at the empress.

Today, not only had she donned the hundred-phoenix ceremonial gown, she had also worn the golden hairpin he gifted her for the New Year—a striking, regal appearance.

Before marrying him, the empress had been a renowned beauty in the capital.
Unlike Concubine Wei’s bold and lavish allure, she radiated an unworldly elegance—like the moon goddess Chang’e, untouched by mortal dust.

Even Yao Yao, devoted as she was to Madam Wei, couldn’t help but be captivated by the empress’s beauty.

Yao Yao pursed her pink lips, unable to even blink.

This beautiful lady looked just like a fairy from the heavens.

Even though she’d been falsely accused today, she’d had the pleasure of seeing so many lovely girls—and even caught sight of the Queen of the Jade Pool herself.

The emperor suddenly spoke.
“Yao Yao, come over here.”

Though Yao Yao was just a little girl, he was the Son of Heaven.

He was sitting right here, yet the girl’s gaze had lingered on his wife.

For some reason, the emperor felt oddly sour.

Hearing the emperor call her forward, a sudden cold flash flickered in Xie Yixing’s eyes.
He reached out and grabbed Yao Yao’s wrist, intending to shield her behind him.