How could Princess Yi be here? Didn’t Honored Consort Ya say that Prince Yi was rendezvousing with Honored Consort Xia? Her words suggested that they weren’t only having an affair, but also plotting to murder the Emperor. So how could Princess Yi be nearby?

Everyone was stupefied. They looked at Honored Consort Ya, then at Ning Xueyan. For a while, no one said anything.

Honored Consort Xia, who had been putting up a struggle, was also dumbfounded. When she came here, Ao Chenyi was the only one she saw. That was why she was able to say such things. How could there be someone hiding behind the rockery?

Honored Consort Ya was also stunned but she quickly recovered her senses and looked Ning Xueyan up and down with a dark expression. She had experienced so much, after all. Besides, Honored Consort Xia was the one who spoke of such private matters here without noticing a second person. Her shock was bigger to find out that there was another person here.

Honored Consort Ya had always maintained her first impression of Princess Yi. The latter was delicate and weak, seemingly sweet and even-tempered, but of not much use. She was the type of person that Honored Consort Ya disliked the most. She wanted her son to marry a wife that could help him. That was why she eventually convinced her son to forget about marrying such a useless woman.

She was later proven to have a keen eye. Fifth Young Lady Ning was indeed a useless person; she even fainted twice on her wedding day. What a joke! She got her current position as Princess Yi by a dumb stroke of luck. She was just very lucky.

Still, luck wasn’t something that could be controlled. Thus, to Honored Consort Ya, Ning Xueyan was still an insignificant person.

Today, however, she felt that she had made a serious error in judgment. The newly appointed Princess Yi was able to step forward and question her so sharply in front of all the high-status married women. She didn’t look fearful in the slightest. Her eyes were calm as she maintained a neither servile nor overbearing attitude.

A woman who could step forward and speak up bravely in such a situation was no ordinary woman. There was no way that she had just depended on “luck”. Perhaps, everyone had underestimated the pitiful-looking Princess Yi.

“So, Prince and Princess Yi have come here together. Princess Yi is here while Prince Yi is meeting with Honored Consort Xia and giving her things!”

Honored Consort Ya’s expression darkened as she spoke to Ning Xueyan in a sharp voice, easily concealing the fact that she had accused Prince Yi and Honored Consort Xia of having an affair. She led everyone to speculate that Prince Yi was colluding with Honored Consort Xia to murder the Emperor. Of course, she would say that Princess Yi was here to be on the lookout. In other words, Princess Yi was also a co-conspirator.

Naturally, a man wouldn’t take his wife along when rendezvousing with his lover. But what if he was plotting a rebellion instead? It was only fair for a woman to go along with her husband’s plan. It was reasonable to say that Princess Yi was on the lookout for her husband’s sake. This could also explain why Princess Yi was hiding behind the rockery.

Ning Xueyan raised an eyebrow at the gloomy-faced Honored Consort Ya, who was refusing to let go of Ao Chenyi. She turned around to look at Ao Chenyi, who was still sitting inside the pavilion. He had been leaning against the railing languidly ever since she showed up, his thin lips curved into a sinister smile, but saying nothing. He was leaving the matter here entirely up to her.

Indeed, it was much easier for her to speak up in front of so many women. Besides, knowing his temper, he wasn’t one to waste time explaining to these women why he was here with Honored Consort Xia. The Emperor must have sent Honored Consort Ya here to accuse him because he knew that he wouldn’t bother to explain.

Since this was Yan’er’s plan, he would let her deal with it.

“Honored Consort Ya, you started accusing His Highness of rendezvousing and having an affair with Honored Consort Xia the minute you came. Then, you said Honored Consort Xia is conspiring with His Highness to murder the Emperor. What gives you the confidence to frame His Highness so easily? Or are you so desperate that you’ll stop at nothing to frame His Highness?” Ning Xueyan turned around and faced Honored Consort Ya with a cold smile.

Seeing Ao Chenyi’s carefree demeanor, she knew that he was leaving the matter entirely to her. This guy! Didn’t he know that he was being accused of the severe crime of plotting a rebellion?

She had never dared to underestimate Honored Consort Ya, especially knowing all the actions that Grand Tutor Ya’s Manor had secretly taken. Grand Tutor Ya went as far as to pretend that his granddaughter was an orphan and send her to the Lord Protector’s Manor. Everything was for the sake of making Prince Xiang the Emperor. In other words, this scheme had already started many years ago.

Aunt Xiang ought to be serving Madam Ming, but Honored Consort Ya made it impossible for Madam Ming to accept her. Honored Consort Ya was able to ensure her safety in the palace, if only a little, with Aunt Xiang beside her. Thus, Aunt Xiang was a person of importance.

Ning Qingshan’s existence was meant to let them exploit the troops under Ning Zu’an to the highest degree and help Ao Mingyu gain a part of the military that would support him.

Wu Yao, who had gone to Jiangnan to seek intel, must have done so on Grand Tutor Ya’s command. He went to Jiangnan in search of the missing Grand Eldest Princess of the previous dynasty. With this princess in hand, Ao Mingyu would obtain additional wealth and strength. Of course, Grand Tutor Ya didn’t know that those treasures were gone.

The Eastern Pearls found in the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor were likely the result of a cooperation between Madam Ling and Honored Consort Ya. Back then, Ao Mingyu was supposed to marry Ning Yuling. The couple was so close that their families were about to discuss their engagement. If it wasn’t for her, Ning Yuling would have become Ao Mingyu’s princess and Ning Qingshan would have become his consort.

What was it that changed the situation and made Ning Qingshan lose her rightful princess position? Of course, it was because Ning Zu’an would show immense support for Ao Mingyu after marrying two of his daughters to him. It was also because there was another arrangement between Madam Ling and Honored Consort Ya. Perhaps, Honored Consort Ya was also involved in Madam Ming’s death.

Thus, Ning Xueyan wasn’t at all polite when talking to Honored Consort Ya. She looked at her with a raised eyebrow, her expression rather provocative.

Honored Consort Ya had never faced such an interrogation nor heard such rude words since entering the palace. Her expression immediately turned dark and she rebuked, “Presumptuous!”

“Presumptuous? I don’t think so! Honored Consort Ya, you’re accusing His Highness of plotting a rebellion! Don’t you think you’re the one being presumptuous and impudent? What made you come here and accuse His Highness? Did someone give you such tremendous assurance that you’d dare say such words?” Ning Xueyan retorted, without any trace of courtesy. Her expression had darkened as well.

The married women present were keen-eyed people. They kept quiet and didn’t interrupt the conversation. They looked at Ning Xueyan. Before the matter was straightened out, they wouldn’t mess things up. Moreover, they also renewed their opinion of the typically gentle and weak Princess Yi.

How could such a woman be useless and become Princess Yi on pure luck? The truth was obvious from how Prince Yi kept quiet after she showed up. He had given her full reign to handle the situation. His trust in her was evident. Princess Yi was indeed no ordinary woman!

“Princess Yi, the evidence is undeniable. What’s the point of arguing?” Honored Consort Ya was fuming to have a woman much younger than her berating her. She pointed to the paper packet in her maid’s hand and sneered. “Look at this. This is the drug meant to kill His Majesty. He has been in poor health lately. The imperial physicians said he’s poisoned! What is this if not poison?”

It went without saying that this was poison, and poison that the Emperor had personally arranged to have planted on Honored Consort Xia. Everyone in the palace ought to have heard of the Emperor’s poisoning by now. Before long, the palace eunuchs would come here and take Honored Consort Xia away. Once it was time for the confrontation of the two sides, Ao Chenyi wouldn’t be able to escape responsibility.

Even if his murder attempt on the Emperor was unsuccessful, he would still be stripped from his military command and exiled!

Honored Consort Xia had long given up on struggling but after hearing Honored Consort Ya’s words, her body went limp. She sat on the ground, shocked and regretful. Trembling, she looked at the paper packet in the palace maid’s hand. Where did the paper packet come from? Why did it appear inside her package? What did Honored Consort Ya mean when she said the Emperor was poisoned? She didn’t know anything, she really didn’t.

All she wanted was to leave the palace and be with Ao Chenyi. All she wanted was to live a happy life with Ao Chenyi, never to live a shameful life where she had to hide and couldn’t see anyone. When did the packet of poison appear in her package?

Compared to Honored Consort Ya’s agitation, Ning Xueyan seemed much more composed. She glanced at the paper packet that Honored Consort Ya was pointing to and laughed. “You seem familiar with poison of all kinds, Honored Consort Ya. Could it be that you had studied poison when you were in Grand Tutor Ya’s Manor?”

How could a dignified lady of an influential family study poison of all things? She even entered the palace afterward. The meaning behind Ning Xueyan’s words was clear. It was enough to drag Grand Tutor Ya’s Manor into this conspiracy.

“Nonsense!” Honored Consort Ya retorted with a sneer.

“Nonsense? Is it because I said you’re familiar with poison of all kinds? Then what nonsense are you saying? If you aren’t even familiar with poison, why are you so sure the powder is poison? If you can tell that it’s poison with a quick glance, and the same poison that the Emperor had, doesn’t that make you a poison expert? It seems to me that you’re not only familiar with poison of all kinds, but you’re also very familiar with the Emperor’s poisoning. You’re so clear when the Empress doesn’t even know anything about it!”

Ning Xueyan paused for a beat. Then, she pointed to the packet of fine powder and spoke with a smile.

It was true that one couldn’t immediately tell what the white powder inside the packet was, much less that it was the same poison that the Emperor had. Forget about how Honored Consort Ya was so sure that the powder was the same as the Emperor’s poison. Her knowledge of the Emperor’s poisoning was strange enough, especially when no one here had heard about it. Did the Emperor trust Honored Consort Ya more than the Empress? Did this mean that the Emperor was set on appointing Prince Xiang as the Crown Prince?

Of course, there was something suspicious about this. How did Honored Consort Ya recognize that the powder was the same poison that the Emperor was inflicted with? Did she already know about the packet of poison in Honored Consort Xia’s hands? Perhaps, she had something to do with the packet of poison being there?

Was she trying to frame Honored Consort Xia?

The same thought occurred to everyone. They noticed how Honored Consort Xia’s mouth was sealed to prevent her from saying anything. Was this the show of framing an innocent usually seen in the palace? Only this time, it wasn’t being orchestrated in the palace but at the Lord Guardian’s Manor instead, so that more people would be dragged into it?

Considering this, everyone began to suspect Honored Consort Ya. This was very likely to happen. Honored Consort Ya would benefit greatly in the palace after removing Honored Consort Xia. The advantage of framing Prince Yi was even more apparent. She would do it to remove obstacles for her son’s future…

With all these factors at play, Honored Consort Ya had every reason to do this…