Chapter 364 – Provocation, The Dresses From Concubine Dong

“Your Grace, we found two sets of dresses in Fourth Miss Wei’s room!” The eunuch came over and reported.

As the remark echoed across the hall, everyone immediately quieted down. It felt as if there was something pressing in their chests, so stuffy that they felt breathless.

The Third Princess shivered and turned to look at Wei Qiufu in disbelief.

Wei Qiufu’s expression changed drastically, and she immediately knelt down. “Your Majesty, I didn’t take the dresses that the Third Princess used in the prayer session. I don’t know why the dresses were in my room! The dresses are not meant to be worn. Why would I take them?”

“Perhaps you don’t know that the dresses are not wearable!” Zhaoyi Tu snapped coldly and glared at Wei Qiufu, who had ruined her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony, in disdain. In the past, Zhaoyi Tu would think that Wei Qiufu was well-mannered and soft-spoken, but now, she seemed so hypocritical and treacherous.

“I-I know. The Third Princess told me in private that the clothes were pretty but not practical.” Wei Qiufu looked up at the Third Princess pleadingly, her face full of tears.

“Die’er, did you? Is what she said true?” Empress Tu pondered for a moment and asked the bewildered Third Princess.

“Yes, Mother Empress. We talked about the rainbow-colored clothes in private one day, and I told her that the dresses were not made to be worn although they looked pretty.” Regaining her composure, the Third Princess lowered her head and slowly answered.

“Your Majesty, why would I steal them since I knew that I cannot wear the clothes?” Wei Qiufu felt a little relieved since the Third Princess spoke up and vouched for her.

“Why did the eunuch come over to send you pastries in my name?” Zhaoyi Tu was slightly relaxed after hearing the Third Princess’ remark, but she was still a little angry.

“M-Maybe he didn’t come to me…” As Wei Qiufu stammered, she peeked at Wei Yuewu timidly and immediately drew everyone’s attention to Wei Yuewu.

From the looks of it, Wei Yuewu was indeed suspicious too.

“Fourth Elder Sister, do you think that the eunuch came to see me?” Wei Yuewu turned her eyes and looked at Wei Qiufu quietly. There was a hint of sadness in her expression. It was as if she was sad about Wei Qiufu’s euphemism.

They had always looked so close as sisters in public, but now that she was accused by Wei Qiufu, it was quite a pitiful sight. The so-called sisterhood dwindled at this moment.

The question was directed back to Wei Qiufu, and she had to answer it.

“Sixth Younger Sister, it’s not that I think that the eunuch went to see you, but the eunuch was quite suspicious. We have to cooperate with Her Majesty to investigate the matter clearly.” Wei Qiufu had no choice but to bite the bullet and say.

“So, do you think that I’m the most suspicious in this matter?” A bitter smile appeared on Wei Yuewu’s face, but she looked beautiful and stubborn as always. Without waiting for Wei Qiufu’s explanation, Wei Yuewu turned to Empress Tu and conceded, “Your Majesty, you can ask this eunuch about what happened in my room.”

She pointed at the eunuch from the Crown Prince Mansion who went to search their rooms.

In comparison, Empress Tu would trust the eunuch from the Crown Prince Mansion more.

“What happened in Sixth Miss Wei’s room?” Empress Tu asked after hearing the hint in Wei Yuewu’s words.

“Many of Sixth Miss Wei’s clothes were stained and ruined.” The eunuch answered after a moment of hesitation. Compared with the seven-colored clothes he found in Fourth Miss Wei’s room, he felt that this matter was not important, so he reported truthfully.

Zhaoyi Tu’s palace maid stayed behind to check the ruined clothes.

“What about the clothes that are not stained?” Empress Tu asked.

“They are at the back. Because many of them were cut, Jinxiu Palace’s palace maid will bring them over after tidying them up!” The eunuch reported.

As he spoke, Zhaoyi Tu’s palace maid walked in with a few sets of beautiful clothes in her hands. When Empress Tu saw those gorgeous clothes, her expression shifted dramatically. Her gaze suddenly darkened, and her hand that was hidden in her sleeve clenched tightly. She saw that pattern again.

It seemed like there were really many people with ulterior motives! There was someone who continuously provoked her!

Zhaoyi Tu stood at the side, her expression already returning to normal. She indifferently looked at her palace maid as she slowly walked over. There was no change in her expression.

Wei Yuewu’s long eyelashes fluttered twice. She quietly stood at the side, neither servile nor overbearing, looking beautiful as usual. From time to time, she would pay attention to the expressions of Empress Tu and Zhaoyi Tu.

“Your Majesty, these are the clothes we found from Sixth Miss Wei’s room. Some of them are not damaged. And here are a few that are not only stained but also cut. The damaged clothes cannot be worn at all.” The palace maid came over and reported to Empress Tu.

Empress Tu slowly released her fist. “Are these the clothes that the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang prepared?”

When she said this, she did not look at Wei Yuewu, but Wei Yuewu answered Empress Tu’s question tactfully. “Your Majesty, the clothes on the top are made from the materials that a concubine in our mansion gave me. The clothes on the bottom and the one I’m wearing right now are from Miss Zhao. I borrowed them from her.”

Hearing Wei Yuewu’s words, Empress Tu noticed that the pattern and design of the clothes on the bottom were not colorful, and the fabric was ordinary brocade. She didn’t notice them in the beginning because the several clothes on the top grabbed her attention.

“Why did you borrow someone else’s dresses?” Empress Tu asked coldly, forcing herself to contain the chaotic emotions in her heart.

“I accidentally tore my dress when I went to Miss Zhao’s room yesterday, so she lent me two sets of clothes.” Wei Yuewu replied.

“Why two?” Empress Tu asked coldly after hearing the specific number.

Zhao Ruo’e, who was standing at the side, became nervous, afraid that Wei Yuewu would tell Empress Tu about the clothes that were bound to irritate the latter.

“Because my clothes were ruined and the ones that I have are too colorful and eye-catching which I don’t take a fancy to, so I borrowed Miss Zhao’s clothes.” Wei Yuewu answered with a gentle smile, already preparing herself for the question.

She was wearing Zhao Ruo’e’s clothes now, which were considered the most ordinary clothes that the latter had. Judging from the plain color, Wei Yuewu deduced that they were not Zhao Ruo’e’s favorite color, but they came in handy for her.

Hearing her answer, Zhao Ruo’e relaxed and let out a soft sigh of relief.

Since Empress Tu was concerned about the pattern and design, she was even more concerned about Zhao Ruo’e revealing her secret. Zhao Ruo’e was sure that if Wei Yuewu had told Empress Tu that she heard those rumors from her, Empress Tu would not spare her.

Fortunately, Sixth Young Lady from the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang did not tell the truth and give her out, Zhao Ruo’e secretly wiped her sweat and looked at Wei Yuewu with gratitude.

“How did you find out that your clothes were damaged? Even if you knew, why didn’t you ask the supervisor in the Palace?” Empress Tu asked with a sullen face.

“After the prayer session with the Third Princess yesterday, I came back to select the dress for today and found out that other than these few clothes, the rest were damaged. However, this happened in the Palace and during the princess’ prayer period. Since it was just a small matter, I didn’t want to bother the supervisor in the Palace with such a trivial matter.”

Wei Yuewu raised her head and looked at Empress Tu with her sparkly eyes and a calm expression.

So, she thought it was just a trivial matter?

This remark inexplicably reminded Empress Tu. After pondering for a moment, she slowly relaxed, and there was even a faint smile on her face. She turned to Zhaoyi Tu, who was at the side. “Sister, what do you think?”

Just now, when Empress Tu was interrogating the ladies, Zhaoyi Tu watched silently from the side. When she heard Empress Tu’s question, she shook her head in confusion. “It seems that this matter has nothing to do with Sixth Miss Wei. It is like someone framed her, but why did that person damage some of her clothes?”

“This kind of behavior is indeed childish. I wonder which young lady dislikes Sixth Miss Wei.”

Zhaoyi Tu quietly concluded that this matter was a dispute between girls and minimized the impact of the matter.

“That’s true. Did anyone go to Sixth Miss Wei’s room recently?” Empress Tu nodded in agreement and looked at the other young ladies of aristocratic families standing at the side.

When she asked this, everyone shivered in fear and fell to their knees.

“I live far away from Sixth Miss Wei. I have never been to her room.”

“I never went to their side of Chuxiu Palace!”

“I went there once. When I left, Sixth Miss Wei’s clothes were still intact!”…

It was Zhao Ruo’e who said the last statement. She didn’t dare to withhold the truth because many people saw her there at that time. She couldn’t falsify the truth. In addition, even though Wei Yuewu’s clothes were perfectly fine when she left, it might sound doubtful. Furthermore, not telling the truth would make her look even more suspicious.

So when she finished her sentence, she looked at Wei Yuewu with pleading eyes.

Wei Yuewu nodded reassuringly. “Yes. When Miss Zhao left, my clothes were still fine!”

Hearing Wei Yuewu’s words, Zhao Ruo’e felt utterly relieved.

The Third Princess quickly judged the situation and finally smiled softly. “Mother Empress, it might be a dispute between sisters. It is not a big deal.”

When Wei Qiufu heard this, she stiffened in shock and cried out anxiously, “Princess…”

“Fourth Miss Wei, maybe it’s someone’s prank by putting the clothes in your room, but I don’t think it’s someone from outside the Palace since he or she could bring the clothes to your room.” The Third Princess smiled and said amiably.

“Y-Yes, but I wonder who that person is…” Wei Qiufu was overjoyed after hearing the Third Princess’ remark and hurriedly responded.

“Mother Empress, this thing had happened. Please just forget it and let it slip. After all, Fourth Miss Wei and Sixth Miss Wei are innocent. It’s Die’er’s fault that the two of them are like this now.” The Third Princess turned to Empress Tu and donned a well-mannered demeanor, trying to minimize the impact of the matter.

The matter became more confusing if they went on debating it, but miraculously, everyone regarded the matter as a dispute between sisters. However, after Wei Qiufu accused Wei Yuewu just now, they could see that Wei Qiufu was the cause of the dispute.

Everyone was sizing up Wei Qiufu, and Wei Qiufu’s face was as pale as snow…

“Die’er, this is a big matter for you!” Seeing that the Third Princess did not want to pursue the matter, Zhaoyi Tu could not help but exclaim.

“Mother Consort, it’s fine. Didn’t Mother Empress give me two of Fourth Younger Sister’s clothes because of this? My matter is settled now, but Fourth Sister has to make clothes again. The fabric of each set is somewhat different. It must be troublesome for her to select the fabric and make them again.” The Third Princess sounded more and more thoughtful.

Hearing this, Wen Tianyao nodded his head vigorously, but it also made the Fourth Princess, who was at the side, pale with anger.

The Fourth Princess was furious about Wen Caidie, whom she thought was taking her undeserved gain for granted! She showed how sad and innocent she was in this matter to the others, but the Fourth Princess thought that she herself was the most innocent one in this case!

“Mother Empress, wait!” The Fourth Princess could not bear it anymore and suddenly reached out to stop them…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep