Phi-Fic Chapter 155 Chapter 155
Chapter 155 Chapter 155
The Queen's tone was filled with undeniable authority, leaving me speechless for a moment. But I knew I couldn't easily confess my guilt at this moment, or I would be doomed.
So, I took a deep breath and started to defend myself again:
"Your Majesty, I know that anything I say now will seem pale and powerless. But I still have to say that this doll is truly not made by me. Although my embroidery skills are excellent, I would never use it to perform such a curse. I beg Your Majesty to see clearly and clear my name."
As I spoke, I paid attention to the emperor's expression.
However, the emperor's expression remained cold and deep.
I know that the outcome of this court struggle will determine my life or death.
I continued to argue:
"Your Majesty, I am fully aware of my status and position. I would never do such a foolish thing in a moment of anger. I implore Your Majesty to investigate more carefully. You will surely uncover the clues. I am willing to accept any investigation and only ask Your Majesty to give me justice."
There was a certain firmness and indomitable spirit in my voice. I knew that this was my only chance to fight for my life.
At this time, Concubine Duan coughed twice and spoke slowly:
"Ahem... Your Majesty, I do feel that this matter is somewhat suspicious. Although Concubine An is renowned in the harem for her exquisite embroidery, we cannot hastily conclude that this doll was made by her. After all, there are many exceptional embroiderers in the harem. I would like to suggest that we carefully examine this doll, looking for clues in its stitching, materials, and even the embroidery technique. If it isn't Concubine An's unique stitching, then someone has deliberately framed her. On the other hand, if it truly was Concubine An's work, even if she denies it profusely, she will be hard-pressed to clear herself of suspicion."
Upon hearing this, the queen looked a little anxious.
But then Concubine Qi spoke again:
"Your Majesty, I think it would be too hasty to judge the truth based solely on the stitches. If Concubine An had done this intentionally, would she have been so foolish as to leave stitches that matched her usual style? She could have deliberately created stitches that were completely different from her usual style as a cover-up. Wouldn't that have been even more clever?"
Concubine Hua stood aside, a cold smile on her lips, her voice clear and pleasant, yet with a sharp edge that could not be ignored:
"In my opinion, Concubine Qi is confused. If Concubine An really had such a cunning mind, why would she go to the trouble of sewing a puppet that could be easily identified? It would be like digging her own grave. Moreover, if she was truly so thorough, wouldn't it be safer not to make the puppet at all? Why leave any clues that could lead to her?"
The emperor pondered for a moment, his eyes deep, as if weighing the arguments of all parties:
"Although the stitches can't directly convict someone, they can at least provide us with some clues. As Concubine Duan said, a careful examination first is always better than blind guessing. Concubine Hua's opinion also makes sense. We need to consider all possibilities comprehensively. Su Peisheng!"
"The slave is here."
"Take the doll and go find the most experienced embroiderer in the embroidery workshop to examine it carefully."
"Whoo!"
In this tense and delicate atmosphere, Su Peisheng's eyes were alert. He gently patted the shoulder of his apprentice Xiao Xiazi beside him, signaling him to go and pick up the doll that was suspected to contain a secret.
Xiao Xiazi understood what he meant, walked quickly forward, carefully picked up the doll, and was about to go to the embroidery workshop for a detailed inspection as instructed.
At this moment, I gave a subtle wink to Xiaotao who was beside me and only I could see her.
Xiao Tao understood what he meant, a sly smile flashed across her face, and then she turned into a light figure and approached Xiao Xiazi quietly.
Just as Xiao Xiazi turned around and was about to leave, Xiao Tao lightly stretched out a foot and tripped him.
Xiao Xiazi was caught off guard and lost her balance, falling heavily to the ground. The puppet in her hand also slipped out of her hand, rolled behind the screen, and disappeared into the shadows out of sight.
This scene happened so suddenly that everyone was stunned. Xiao Xiazi's face turned pale instantly. He quickly got up from the ground, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed repeatedly, his voice trembling:
"Your Majesty, please spare me! Your Majesty, please spare me! This servant was negligent for a moment. Please have mercy on me!"
The emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, his face solemn, and he said nothing.
At this time, Su Peisheng stood up at the right time. He seemed to be severely reprimanding Xiao Xiazi, but in fact his words implied protection:
"You fool! When will you change your impatience? As soon as you heard you were working for the Emperor, you wanted to hurry! How many times have I told you that only with steady steps and a calm mind can you truly fulfill your duties!"
The emperor waved his hand gently, signaling Xiao Xiazi to step back.
Xiao Xiazi kowtowed repeatedly, tears of gratitude streaming down her face:
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy! Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy!"
After saying that, he stood up in a panic, not even bothering to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and hurriedly ran behind the screen to pick up the doll that had been replaced.
His hands trembled slightly, as if he was filled with awe and fear for this small object. Then, he carefully held the doll, lowered his head, and hurriedly left Jingren Palace, fearing that he would cause any more trouble.
In the hall, with Xiao Xiazi's departure, the atmosphere gradually eased, but everyone had different thoughts in their hearts.
The Queen and Concubine Hua looked at each other, their eyes revealing a hint of hidden hostility.
Concubine Duan frowned slightly, as if she was thinking about something, and her eyes glanced at me from time to time with a bit of inquiry.
I remained calm on the surface, but my heart was beating like a drum.
Only I know that the doll that Xiao Xiazi took away was not my original one at all, but the one that Xiao Tao had secretly replaced during the chaos.
That doll was a fake that Xiaotao had carefully sewn with her dexterous hands according to my instructions.
I secretly glanced at Xiaotao beside me. She was looking at me with her bright eyes, with a smug and mischievous smile on her face.
I know that as long as Xiaotao is by my side, I will have the courage and strength to face all difficulties.
......
Soon, when Su Peisheng and Xiao Xiazi walked into the hall and knelt down together, everyone's eyes were focused on them, and the air was filled with a hint of tension and anticipation.
"Your servant pays respects to the Emperor, to the Empress, and to all the ladies and young ladies..."
The emperor waved his hand gently, his brows revealing a hint of urgency:
"That's all. There's no need for you two to be so polite. Just report the results directly."
Upon hearing this, Su Peisheng quickly replied respectfully:
"As ordered, Your Majesty. I have just followed your orders and gone to the embroidery academy. I have found the most experienced embroiderer there and compared it with the former female embroiderers of Concubine An. After careful screening..."
All the concubines held their breath and waited.
"It turned out that the stitching and embroidery techniques on the embroidery were indeed very similar to those used by Concubine An's former female workers, almost indistinguishable from the original."