Chapter 75: Concubine Wen is demoted again

“Not bad. This beauty heard with her own ears that your palace maid and the eunuch who serves the emperor were privately transmitting information! Concubine Xue, you are so bold. You actually sent a palace maid to spy on His Majesty’s government!” Concubine Wen coldly questioned.

Xue Jinyan’s eyes instantly turned cold as she stared at her. “You?”

It was her who had reported her.

Xue Jinyan had seen Zhusa being arrested and thought that Ning Wanyin had informed the emperor…

“It’s me!” Concubine Wen raised her head.

From this day forward, she would step on Xue Jinyan and soar to the sky.

Ning Wanyin and Xue Jinyan had been fighting for so long, but Xue Jinyan was still doing well, wasn’t she?

How could she be so decisive and strike at the heart of the matter?

His Majesty would surely think highly of her.

Seeing Concubine Wen’s smug look, Xue Jinyan’s heart ached even more.

She had set a trap for Ning Wanyin…

But Ning Wanyin hadn’t fallen for it, and instead, a stupid busybody had appeared.

“Eunuch Jin Zhong, His Majesty is waiting for your report.” Concubine Wen urged.

Jin Zhong nodded and took the two arrested people to Qianxin Palace.

Xue Jinyan and Concubine Wen went to see the emperor together.

“Your Majesty, this servant has not failed in his mission. I caught them red-handed.” Jin Zhong reported, presenting the confiscated envelope.

But Helan Qi felt a slight sense of unease.

Because…

He had specifically ordered people to keep a close eye on the memorials from the court.

He hadn’t seen anyone trying to steal information.

He opened the envelope and saw that it didn’t contain any confidential information, but a promissory note.

“A promissory note?” Helan Qi looked at the two people kneeling on the ground.

The young eunuch immediately said, “Your Majesty, please be clear! This servant borrowed some money from Zhusa a few days ago. She and I agreed to repay the money today. I specially brought the promissory note.”

“You’re lying!” Concubine Wen widened her eyes in disbelief. “You clearly passed information to her last time, and she gave you money… I heard it with my own ears!”

“Seven days ago, this servant did see Zhusa. Zhusa repaid me some money. We agreed to repay the rest today. As for passing information, this servant would never dare…” The young eunuch said hurriedly.

Concubine Wen became anxious. “You’re talking nonsense!”

“This servant is telling the truth, Your Majesty. This servant and Zhusa from Qionghua Garden are from the same hometown. Because of our hometown connection, she borrowed money from me, and I lent it to her…” The young eunuch said.

Zhusa also kowtowed. “Your Majesty, please investigate! This servant was seriously ill a few days ago and borrowed money from my fellow villager to buy medicine. This servant is telling the truth. Your Majesty can investigate and find out!”

When a palace maid gets sick, there are special people from the Internal Affairs Department who will ask the Imperial Medical Bureau to send a medical apprentice to see her.

Helan Qi’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Summon the Department of Punishments to investigate.”

Soon.

Wu Mi, the head eunuch of the Department of Punishments, rushed over. After a thorough investigation, he confirmed…

Zhusa had been seriously ill a few days ago and had spent a lot of money on medicine to recuperate.

“Zhusa, why didn’t you tell me you were short of money?” Xue Jinyan pretended to blame her.

Zhusa looked remorseful. “Your Highness has always been kind to this servant. This servant didn’t dare to trouble you any further—”

“It’s just a small amount of money. It’s a shame that you were wrongly accused.” Xue Jinyan glanced at Concubine Wen and said to Helan Qi:

“Your Majesty, Concubine Wen falsely accused this concubine’s palace maid and slandered this concubine. Please do justice for this concubine!”

Concubine Wen didn’t expect that she would be caught red-handed, but she would end up with this result…

She finally realized.

This was…

A trap!

Concubine Xue deliberately set a trap for her.

No, maybe it wasn’t her, but Tang Miaoling and Ning Wanyin.

It’s just that they didn’t fall for it, but she jumped in instead.

For a moment, Concubine Wen hated Xue Jinyan, Tang Miaoling, and Ning Wanyin.

“Your Majesty, this concubine doesn’t know how this happened… Maybe the news leaked out, and Concubine Xue prepared for it in advance…” Concubine Wen panicked. She knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face, looking pitiful.

Xue Jinyan sneered. “Without any evidence, you slander a concubine. What crime should you be punished for!”

She also pretended to be heartbroken. “Your Majesty, this concubine is wronged. I was falsely accused for no reason. Your Majesty must do justice for this concubine!”

Helan Qi looked at the scene before him and guessed that Xue Jinyan had deliberately set a trap for Concubine Wen.

But it was too late…

“Concubine Wen misunderstood. This misunderstanding has caused trouble. You are demoted to Baolin and confined to your palace for a month. Reflect on your actions.” Helan Qi said in a deep voice.

Concubine Wen’s face turned pale. “Your Majesty, this concubine’s feelings are sincere. This concubine did it all for Your Majesty…”

“Go back and reflect!” Helan Qi coldly interrupted her.

He only demoted her two ranks, which was already lenient. Otherwise, she could have been sent to the cold palace for the crime of false accusation.

Did she want to say something inappropriate?

Concubine Wen was taken out by Wang Degui, her face pale.

Xue Jinyan took advantage of the situation and bowed.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for doing justice for this concubine. This concubine will take her leave!”

After everyone left.

Helan Qi said coldly, “That eunuch, find an excuse to dispose of him in two days.”

This person was loyal to the Xue family. He naturally couldn’t keep him.

“Yes.” Wang Degui was startled and respectfully accepted the order.

…

Ranfeng Pavilion.

The eunuchs from the Internal Affairs Department moved out the furnishings for a concubine’s rank one by one, making the palace seem particularly desolate.

Baolin Wen sat on the ground, her face ashen. “How could this happen…”

“Your Highness, you are still a Baolin. You are just confined to your palace for a month. You still have a chance!” Her personal maid comforted her.

“Xue Jinyan is a vicious villain, and Ning Wanyin is no good either!” Baolin Wen gritted her teeth in anger.

It was all their fault.

She had finally returned to the rank of a concubine, but now she was a Baolin again.

She had been determined to replace Ning Wanyin.

But when she actually stood in Ning Wanyin’s position, she couldn’t stand firm.

In Qionghua Garden.

Xue Jinyan was also very unhappy. She was furious. “Why was it Baolin Wen who reported it! What were you doing?”

“It was this servant’s carelessness. I didn’t expect that Concubine Wen would see it that day…” Zhusa knelt down and pleaded guilty.

“This fool ruined my plans.” Xue Jinyan was even angrier:

“I don’t understand. Baolin Wen saw it and went to report it. Why didn’t Ning Wanyin do the same?”

Her plan was so perfect. Why didn’t Ning Wanyin fall for it?

Zhusa dared not answer, as she truly didn’t know.

…

The news of Baolin Wen’s false accusation and demotion spread throughout the six palaces.

Tang Miaoling was startled. Her cousin was right. Evidence was really hard to catch.

Ning Wanyin understood that this was a trap set by Xue Jinyan to target her.

It also made her more determined to be cautious in her actions.

Dayan was an agricultural country, and agriculture was the most important thing for the country.

Every year after the beginning of autumn, the emperor would go to the Temple of Heaven to offer sacrifices to the god of grain, praying for a bountiful harvest.

At the same time, the concubines in the palace would also offer sacrifices to this god of grain.

Since there was no empress, the Concubine Shu presided over the ceremony, and the Concubine Zhuang assisted her.

The grand and solemn sacrificial ceremony took place. The sacrificial priest stood at the front, chanting ancient prayers.

The concubines stood in order of rank, led by Concubine Shu and Concubine Zhuang.

Because there were so many concubines.

Those above the rank of Jieyu stood on the sacrificial platform.

Those below the rank of Jieyu knelt at the foot of the sacrificial platform.

Ning Wanyin and Song Qingzhi were both newly entered Jieyu. According to their seniority, they were at the end of the group of Jieyu, standing side by side.