Chapter 123: Chapter 123 Sincerity

Outside Yongning Palace.

A few palace maids passed by.

Seeing Su Jin and Xingxing walking over, their gazes subtly assessed Su Jin from head to toe.

After all, it was she who had caused Princess Shouning to be carried back to the palace.

After all, she had a father daring enough to rob the Emperor and seize Duke Chong’s Iron Cavalry.

The legend of the Qingyun Mountain bandits circulated within the Imperial Palace.

Now that they’re meeting in person, how could they resist stealing a few more glances?

Offending Princess Shouning and still daring to enter the palace, one had to admire her courage.

Su Jin stepped over the threshold.

Xingxing followed behind, looking in all directions.

Inside the main hall, the Empress Dowager sat on the Phoenix Chair, her hair meticulously combed, exuding elegance and dignity, with a sharp and authoritative gaze that deterred direct eye contact.

The Empress sat beside the Empress Dowager, and in comparison, both her authority and demeanor were somewhat lesser.

Su Jin had been in the palace before and had seen the Empress Dowager; she had even saved the Emperor, and the Empress Dowager had summoned her, giving her rewards.

Of course, Su Jin no longer remembered those things, but Xingxing still did.

The first time they met the Empress Dowager, she felt that the Empress Dowager disliked them, and this time it was even more pronounced.

She didn’t dare to look into the Empress Dowager’s eyes.

Xingxing lowered her head.

Su Jin took a step, and she followed.

When they got closer, Su Jin bowed to greet the Empress Dowager and the Empress.

The Empress Dowager’s face slightly darkened.

The Empress’s expression was cold; Princess Shouning had only ever stumbled because of the female bandit standing before them.

And it wasn’t just once!

Xie Jinyu stood to the side, eyes filled with schadenfreude, thinking, “With both the Empress Dowager and the Empress present, no matter how eloquent, you won’t escape!”

Su Jin knew why the Empress Dowager had summoned her, so she feigned ignorance, asking, “Why does the Empress Dowager summon Su Jin into the palace?”

The Empress Dowager’s lips curved into a cold smile, indeed like someone who doesn’t cry until they see the coffin.

“Your maid kicked and broke the Purple Jade Bracelet I had bestowed to Yuyu?” The Empress Dowager asked bluntly.

It really was about that matter.

Xingxing puckered her lips.

Su Jin looked at the Empress Dowager and said, “So the Empress Dowager summoned Su Jin to the palace about the Purple Jade Bracelet? Yesterday at the Duke Mansion, there was a full house just to deal with my maid. Evidence was insufficient, the sole eyewitness had committed suicide by running into a wall, making further investigation impossible, so everyone took a step back, and the matter was left unsolved. Now Miss Xie comes to the palace to file a complaint with the Empress Dowager, could it be new evidence is found?”

Su Jin looked directly at Xie Jinyu.

Though she is the Empress Dowager, couldn’t she think a bit more before questioning her in the palace?

She should know who Princess Nanzhang is more than anyone.

If she could deal with her, would there be a need to complain to the Empress Dowager?

The fact that she entered the palace unharmed is enough to indicate that the fault lies not with them.

Even being the Empress Dowager, she cannot directly punish her without sufficient evidence.

This is the Imperial Palace, the Emperor’s domain; can irrationality truly be allowed?

Xie Jinyu did not expect Su Jin to speak that way, for a moment not knowing how to respond.

The grand hall fell into silence.

Palace maids and eunuchs exchanged looks.

Princess Nanzhang was a frequent visitor to Yongning Palace, and for the Purple Jade Bracelet the Empress Dowager gifted to Miss Xie to be broken, the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion would suffer significantly if not die.

Her safe entrance proves Princess Nanzhang lacked concrete evidence to punish her.

Miss Xie is indeed trying to make the Empress Dowager the villain.

Xie Jinyu stomped angrily, “The Duke Mansion isn’t lenient with you; it’s just that my mother and grandmother agreed not to punish you for half a month even if you violate family rules!”

“The Purple Jade Bracelet is the Empress Dowager’s gift. If the maid really kicked and broke it, it’s not just a violation of family rules, but also disrespecting the Empress Dowager’s national law; didn’t anyone think of this yesterday?” Su Jin scoffed.

“Who said it wasn’t thought of? Yesterday the maid ran into a wall and died, and you just left; it was too late then, so I didn’t bother the Empress Dowager!” Xie Jinyu said coldly.

Su Jin laughed, “So I should thank you for letting me and my maid off last night, allowing us to sleep soundly?”

Xie Jinyu’s eyes burned with anger.

The Empress Dowager’s face faintly turned green.

No wonder Nanzhang couldn’t do anything to her; she really does have a sharp tongue.

Su Jin looked at Xie Jinyu and said, “Putting aside other matters, first explain to me and the Empress Dowager how the Purple Jade Bracelet on your wrist fell onto the flagstone ground in front of you and your maid without you noticing.”

With that, Su Jin took a Jade Ball from her belt.

She casually placed it down.

The Jade Ball made a crisp sound as it hit the ground.

The Jade Ball is much smaller than the Purple Jade Bracelet, and the sound of the latter falling would be even louder.

If such a loud sound was unnoticed, it can only indicate a problem with hearing.

The Jade Ball bounced several times before rolling far away.

Xingxing went to retrieve it.

As she reached for it, the Jade Ball rolled further away.

She took a few steps forward, with her waist pack dragging on the ground, causing its contents to tip forward.

When she picked up the Jade Ball and stood up, some items fell out of the waist pack.

Two buns rolled out of the oiled paper.

Su Jin, “….”

She raised her hand to her forehead.

This maid must be really hungry.

Even meeting the Empress Dowager in the palace, she didn’t forget to carry two buns.

Xingxing quickly picked up the buns, wrapped them again with the oiled paper, and put them back into her bag.

Xie Jinyu angrily pointed at the maid, “Are you trying to utterly disgrace the Duke Mansion?!”

“When out and about, carrying two buns is called being prepared; how is that disgraceful? If you think it is, then we’re at worst disgracing ourselves, which is better than disgracing both yourself and the Empress Dowager,” Su Jin said.

“When did I disgrace the Empress Dowager?!” Xie Jinyu ground her teeth.

“The Empress Dowager favored you and gifted you the Purple Jade Bracelet, such a precious item, yet it was left unnoticed in the garden all day. Doesn’t that clearly show you didn’t value the Empress Dowager’s gift?” Su Jin said calmly.

“If losing it carelessly already shows disregard for the Empress Dowager, then using the Purple Jade Bracelet to scheme is a further insult to her sincerity to you, isn’t that also disgracing the Empress Dowager?” Su Jin retorted.

“This would be treating the Empress Dowager’s sincerity as filth,” Xingxing added.

“….”

Su Jin’s face darkened.

She thought her words were harsh enough.

Compared to Xingxing’s, they were as light as feathers.

With just one sentence, the Empress Dowager’s face turned livid.

Xie Jinyu was both panicked and bewildered, her face alternating in colors like a knocked-over paint palette.

The Empress Dowager is a wise person.

Su Jin’s words made it clear to the Empress Dowager how the Purple Jade Bracelet really broke, and she was worried about how to explain it later. Yet they felt it wasn’t enough and added fuel to the fire!

The nanny beside the Empress scolded, “When the master speaks, does a little maid have the right to interject?!”

Xingxing shrunk back, hiding behind Su Jin, “It was my misunderstanding that the Purple Jade Bracelet was haunted, causing me to kick it away; the matter started with me, so why can’t I speak? Even the Emperor spoke to me personally on Qingyun Mountain.”

Though it was just to ask for directions.

The nanny’s face turned purple.

Xingxing returned to the main issue, “My lady is still waiting for Miss Xie to explain why the Purple Jade Bracelet fell to the ground unnoticed by her and her maid; stop changing the subject.”

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