in2ebook Chapter 160 Three Years of Living Alone in an Empty House
Chapter 160 Three Years of Living Alone in an Empty House
Ah Sheng was utterly terrified, collapsing to the ground and practically sobbing as he replied, "Her Majesty ordered me to disguise myself as a eunuch and push a maid into the pond in the Imperial Garden to create the illusion that Miss Xu and the maid were arguing!!"
After shouting it out in one breath, Asheng seemed to realize that he was in deep trouble, but he still held onto a sliver of hope and tried to make a last-ditch effort.
He kowtowed frantically, crying as he did so: "Your Majesty, spare my life! I was only following orders! I was only following orders!!"
"Acting on orders?" The emperor's voice suddenly rose, and he forced a laugh in exasperation: "What a fine 'Acting on orders' you are!"
His sharp gaze swept over Xie Peining, his anger barely concealed.
Xie Peining's heart tightened, and she hurriedly spoke, her voice filled with urgency and warning: "Asheng, you'd better think carefully before you speak! If you talk nonsense, you'll lose your head!"
Startled by Xie Peining's words, Asheng stopped kowtowing. He trembled as he looked up at Xie Peining in fear, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something.
In the end, he couldn't say anything, only lowered his head in a deathly silence, as if waiting to die.
Zhao Yunzheng narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze towards Xie Peining filled with mockery: "What does Your Highness mean by this? Are you perhaps threatening Asheng?"
By now, the situation has long since spiraled out of Xie Peining's control.
The sudden appearance of Afu, the maid who appeared out of nowhere—it all seemed like a pre-planned trap, waiting for her to jump into it one by one.
Her face turned pale, and she hurriedly explained, "Your Highness misunderstands. I was just reminding him not to talk nonsense, lest he wrong an innocent person."
Zhao Yunzheng smiled faintly, ignoring her completely, and turned to Afu, his cold and indifferent tone carrying a hint of seduction: "Asheng, your father is here. You'd better think carefully before you speak... If what you say is untrue, you will bear the consequences..."
Prince Chen's words made the already desperate Asheng tremble again.
He couldn't stop the tears from streaming down his face, clearly on the verge of collapse: "Every word I said is true! Every word is true! Your Majesty! I was only acting on the orders of the Princess Consort! Please, Your Majesty, spare my life!"
An uproar erupted in the hall, and all eyes were on Xie Peining.
Xie Peining's face turned deathly pale instantly. She stood up abruptly, her voice sharp and trembling: "Nonsense! You are framing me! I have never ordered you to do these things!"
At this moment, Xie Peining felt more wronged than anyone else.
She knew in her heart that Prince Chen was using the same methods against him to avenge his beloved Xu Jiaojiao.
Now that there is both witness testimony and physical evidence, her crime of committing murder in the palace has been completely confirmed. She can't even think of a way to break the case and can only cry out her injustice in vain.
Hearing her stern rebuttal, Asheng cried and kowtowed, "This humble servant dares not lie! Without Her Highness the Princess's arrangement, how could a commoner like me have entered the palace!"
Xie Peining trembled with rage, her finger pointing at Asheng shaking: "You...you treacherous servant who betrays his master for personal gain! I have treated you well, yet you dare to slander me like this!"
Zhao Yunzheng looked coldly at Xie Peining: "Your Highness, now that things have come to this, are you still going to try to deny it? Asheng and Granny Wang's testimonies are consistent, the evidence is conclusive, what else do you have to say?"
Xie Peining's face turned from white to green, and a hint of panic flashed in her eyes, but she quickly forced herself to calm down.
She took a deep breath, slowly knelt down, and said in a voice filled with grievance and sorrow, "Father, I am innocent! This is all a deliberate frame-up! I have never instructed anyone to frame Miss Xu! I beg you, Father, to investigate!"
The emperor's gaze swept back and forth between Xie Peining and Zhao Yunzheng, his brows furrowed, clearly weighing something.
After a moment, he slowly spoke: "Princess Consort Chen, do you have any evidence to prove your innocence?"
Xie Peining bit her lip, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes, before firmly saying, "Father, I am willing to accept any investigation to prove my innocence!"
"Pfft..." Jia Rong, who hadn't said a word, burst out laughing.
She looked at Xie Peining with a mocking gaze, her eyes holding a deeper meaning.
The others in the main hall also wore subtle expressions.
Xu Jiaojiao had said the same thing when she was framed by her.
But at this moment, faced with ample evidence, Xie Peining's words appear particularly ironic and laughable.
The emperor looked at Zhao Yunzheng: "Prince Chen, what do you think of this matter?"
Zhao Yunzheng respectfully cupped his hands and replied, "Father, I believe the evidence is conclusive. As the Princess Consort of Prince Chen, Xie has committed such a vicious act, which is truly disgraceful to the royal family."
Although Lady Xie is my first wife, I will never condone such a vicious person. I implore Your Majesty to severely punish Lady Xie as a warning to others!
A commotion broke out inside the main hall.
Xie Peining was struck dumb, her face turning deathly pale. She never expected that Zhao Yunzheng would stand so resolutely against her, even going so far as to push her into the abyss.
Her lips trembled, her eyes filled with disbelief and despair, her voice barely a whisper from her throat: "Your Highness... how could you do this to me?"
She has been married for three years and has spent three years alone in her empty house.
For three years, Prince Chen has never shown her a moment of kindness, not even the way a normal married couple would treat each other.
The idea of a harmonious and loving relationship with her husband was always just a fantasy of hers.
As time went on, she stopped expecting the Prince of Chen to show her even the slightest bit of affection, and only thought about living out her life peacefully with the Prince of Chen.
If you can't get love, then power is good enough. At least you can live a life of wealth and honor. That's another way to live.
But she never expected that Prince Chen would despise her so much that he would go so far as to frame her so that Xu Jiaojiao could stand by his side without any qualms, even at the cost of her life.
As she spoke, two lines of clear tears slid down her cheeks, making her look pitiful and pathetic.
However, in Zhao Yunzheng's eyes, this attitude was utterly hypocritical and ridiculous.
He glanced coldly at Xie Peining, his eyes filled with no pity, only deep disgust and disappointment: "As the Princess Consort of Chen, you have framed innocent people and even committed violence in the palace. How can you have the right to question me when you have done such a vicious thing?"
Xie Peining's body swayed precariously, as if she might collapse at any moment.
She gripped the handkerchief tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white, and a hint of madness and resentment, incongruous with her dignified appearance, surfaced in her eyes: "Your Highness, we are husband and wife after all. Do you really have to be so heartless, showing no regard for our marital bond?"
The mournful voice echoed in the hall, carrying endless sorrow and despair, so moving that it was unbearable to look at.
Xie Peining stared intently at Zhao Yunzheng, her eyes brimming with tears, as if pleading for his last shred of pity. However, Zhao Yunzheng's look of disgust delivered the final blow, extinguishing all her hope and strength...