While Ding Zhao was exchanging pleasantries with the Empress, Duan Mingxi secretly glanced at Xiao Muchen.
How did the Emperor hear about this so quickly?
Someone must’ve passed the message directly to him. Xiao Muchen caught her eye and gave a faint, knowing smile before returning to his usual composure.
Ah, so it was him.
Duan Mingxi was quite surprised—Xiao Muchen now had enough sway to deliver discreet messages straight to the Emperor?
Getting something to reach the throne sounded simple, but was extremely difficult in practice.
Whether the investigation was led by the Empress or Ding Zhao would make all the difference.
At this point, the Crown Prince was also watching Xiao Muchen, though his face remained unreadable.
Then his gaze shifted to Duan Mingxi, whose expression still carried a trace of shock. Her eyes moved from Xiao Muchen to Ding Zhao at just the right moment.
The Crown Prince withdrew his gaze.
Duan Mingxi quietly exhaled in relief, watching the Empress—visibly displeased but unable to openly oppose Ding Zhao—reluctantly allow the inquiry to proceed.
The matter was simple in cause and process, with the crux being witness testimony.
Qi Wangfei gave a vague account, Yu Wangfei told the truth, and though the Crown Princess appeared neutral, her private sympathies likely leaned toward Duan Mingxi. After all, the truth benefited Mingxi, and Bai Shixi, wary of offending the Empress and Crown Prince, would remain subtle—but she wouldn’t side with Jin Wangfei.
She would only steer the story toward fairness, which worked in Mingxi’s favor.
As for Jin Wangfei and Mingxi themselves, each told their own version—so the key now was Ding Zhao questioning the attending palace maids. Though their accounts varied, the truth would emerge from their statements.
Jin Wangfei glanced toward the Empress.
The Empress stared straight ahead.
She then looked to the Crown Prince, who also ignored her, face cold and stern.
Her eyes then turned to Jiang Sujie, whose face didn’t look good either. When Ding Zhao questioned her, she naturally avoided saying anything favorable about Duan Mingxi. But as the truth surfaced, her words began to contradict themselves.
Jin Wangfei’s face turned ashen. She was unwilling to accept this.
Consort Gui was already fuming, her face dark with rage—she had never imagined Jin Wangfei would do such a thing.
Consort Xian’s gaze was sharp as a blade, trembling with anger. Ignoring the Empress entirely, she snapped in a shrill voice, “Steward Ding, you must report this matter to His Majesty exactly as it happened. Like sister, like sister! Do they really intend to kill my son’s heir? Outrageous!”
Duan Mingxi: …
Consort Xian was really good at twisting the narrative. With that single sentence, she completely redirected the entire situation.
This was clearly Jin Wangfei targeting Duan Mingxi, yet Consort Xian spun it as if Jin Wangfei attacked Yu Wangfei on behalf of her sister—painting it as a squabble among sisters-in-law instead of a deeper political scheme.
If that stuck, then all the effort would’ve been wasted.
Duan Mingxi was about to steer things back when the Empress suddenly spoke: “Consort Xian, don’t be angry. If Jin Wangfei did this for her sister, I will see to it that justice is done.”
Consort Shu gritted her teeth. Consort Xian was just as likely to ruin things as she was to help. She glanced at Mingxi, who had no choice but to keep silent.
Consort Shu then said loudly, “Your Majesty, Jin Wangfei didn’t just target Yu Wangfei. She also tried to frame Duan Wangfei. What about that?”
The Empress frowned. “Consort Shu, don’t put it like that. Jin Wangfei merely bore some resentment toward Yu Wangfei. Duan Wangfei inserted herself into the matter.”
By now, Duan Mingxi understood—the Empress had decided to frame the incident as a case of sister-in-law rivalry, a domestic spat rather than a threat to the throne.
A quarrel between wives was a minor affair in the Emperor’s eyes. But a conflict among princes was another matter entirely—far more dangerous.
“Royal Mother,” said Yu Wangfei, “I can testify—Jin Wangfei did push Duan Wangfei first, trying to knock her into me. Fortunately, she forgot that Duan Wangfei isn’t a fragile girl from the inner chambers. She’s strong and nimble, so the plot failed.”
The Empress frowned at her. “Yu Wangfei, you already have grievances with Jin Wangfei. Your testimony lacks credibility. And do you have a second witness?”
Jiang Sujie would never testify for Duan Mingxi, and neither would the Crown Princess risk angering the Empress or Crown Prince on her behalf.
Yu Wangfei’s heart sank, her eyes flickering with worry—what now?
Things reached a deadlock. Then Ding Zhao stepped forward, his eyes flashing slightly.
“Your Majesty, I must return to report. Please give your instructions.”
The Empress frowned. “Steward Ding, Jin Wangfei held resentment for her sister’s sake and acted against Yu Wangfei in secret. That’s the whole matter. Just report it truthfully to His Majesty.”
Jin Wangfei, still collapsed on the floor, heard the Empress decisively fix the blame on her. A flicker of hatred suddenly lit up her once-lifeless face.
Was this what her Father felt back then?
It was clearly the Empress who hinted for her to act against Duan Mingxi, and now she was pushing all the blame onto her.
But she had no way to defend herself. She couldn’t prove that it was the Empress who had instructed her, so the Empress trampled all over her without the slightest guilt, as if it were entirely justified.
Jin Wangfei lifted her head and looked at Duan Mingxi.
Duan Mingxi sensed something and lowered her gaze, meeting Jin Wangfei’s eyes.
From Duan Mingxi’s expression, Jin Wangfei saw pity—for her—and ridicule at her stupidity.
Indeed, even if she had done it under the Empress’s orders, what did she gain in the end?
Once the matter was reported to the Emperor, considering his hatred for her Father, he would only detest her even more now.
The Empress had pushed her out without hesitation, showing she clearly never intended to keep her promise of protecting her sister.
At that thought, she could no longer hold herself together. She suddenly stood up and shouted angrily at the Empress, “Your Majesty, it was clearly you who ordered me to frame Duan Wangfei. How can you put all the blame on me?”
The entire hall instantly fell silent.
“Jin Wangfei, what nonsense are you speaking?” The Empress’s heart jumped as she immediately scolded, “Do you realize what you’re saying?”
Jin Wangfei burst into laughter, appearing a bit unhinged.
Ding Zhao frowned deeply. After a glance at Duan Wang, he quietly summoned a young eunuch and whispered something. The eunuch nodded and hurried away.
Xiao Muchen stepped forward at this moment. “Jin Wangfei, do you have any evidence for what you just said?”
“Evidence?” Jin Wangfei laughed bitterly. “What evidence could I possibly have? The Empress hinted that if I helped, she would bring my sister back from the other courtyard to Yu Wang’s residence. Naturally, I acted on her behalf.”
“Our entire family has ended up in this miserable state—for whose sake? Duan Wang, why pretend not to know? You know full well that my Father fell because he shielded the Crown Prince. Wasn’t that your doing too?”
She’s gone mad. Jin Wangfei has gone completely mad!
How could she dare say such things out loud?
