The concubine was charming and alluring, and the ruthless prince coaxed her day and night.

Chapter 7 The Thief and Assault Maniac

The physical examination didn't take long.

A short while later, the door to the main house opened.

The first to step forward was Lianye. She glanced at Lianxin with a mocking look, then bowed slightly and said, "Your Highness, Master Xu has completed the examination."

Everyone's eyes turned to the room.

Lianxin was even more eager to go inside and find out what was going on.

Xu Jiaojiao came out very quickly.

Her face was streaked with tears, her lips were bitten and faintly bloody, her eyelashes were wet with tears, and her eyes were red and swollen, making her look disheveled and pitiful.

The princess's cold gaze fell upon her: "What was the result?"

Before Xu Jiaojiao could speak, Lianxin blurted out, "What else could it be? Of course it is..."

"Naturally, it is completely innocent and clean."

Before Lianxin could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Zhang Mama, who came out of the house carrying utensils.

Lianxin was slightly taken aback.

Realizing what Granny Zhang was saying, she was startled and shook her head in disbelief: "Impossible...impossible!! This must be..."

"It must be something?" Granny Zhang interrupted Lianxin coldly again, glancing at Lianxin with disgust.

Before becoming a maidservant at Prince Chen's residence, Granny Zhang was an old woman who served the Empress in the palace.

Having witnessed the sordid and despicable methods of the women in the harem, and disgusted by their mutual harm, she had no liking for Lianxin, who so blatantly slandered her master, and her words were naturally cold and harsh.

Lianxin was unaware of Zhang Mama's identity, but the Princess Consort knew. She feared the Empress's authority and always respected Zhang Mama.

She frowned: "Granny Wang!"

"Snapped!"

Wang Mama, who was always good at reading the princess's mind, immediately stepped forward and slapped Lianxin hard: "You ignorant brat, if you dare to talk nonsense again, I'll tear your mouth apart!"

Lianxin was beaten until tears streamed down her face. She immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "This servant wouldn't dare!"

The thought of being beaten to death terrified Lianxin.

It's all Xu Jiaojiao's fault!

If she hadn't been transferred to serve Xu Jiaojiao, she wouldn't have been involved in this sordid affair!

She's so young, she doesn't want to die!

Suddenly remembering something, Lianxin abruptly pointed at Xu Jiaojiao, her voice sharp and stern: "Your Highness! If Xu Jiaojiao hasn't lost her innocence, then how did she get all these injuries?"

Furthermore, if she had a clear conscience, why did she commit suicide by cutting her wrists, and even say things like she felt ashamed of failing the Princess's kindness?

Lianxin became more and more convinced of her own reasoning, convinced she was absolutely right: "Yes, it must be Xu Jiaojiao who used some tricks that prevented Zhang Mama from finding out!"

She scrambled to the princess's feet, grabbed her skirt, and cried out, "Your Highness, I really didn't lie to you! Please investigate!"

The princess clicked her tongue in disgust, and Wang Mama stepped forward and kicked Lianxin away.

However, Lianxin's words reminded the princess.

Indeed, when she first entered Shi Nuan Pavilion, she also overheard Xu Shi's conversation with her maid.

She raised her eyes, her scrutinizing gaze falling on Xu Jiaojiao: "Xu family, what is your explanation for this?"

Xu Jiaojiao's body trembled slightly, and her face, which had just calmed down, turned deathly pale again.

Lianxin saw this and became smug again.

See? I knew Xu Jiaojiao was definitely up to something!

Now let's see how you try to deny it!

She snorted arrogantly, "Xu Jiaojiao, Her Highness the Princess is very busy. You'd better admit it already, or you'll waste Her Highness's time!"

Feeling the slender body she was supporting tremble slightly, Lianye felt a pang of heartache and tears welled up in her eyes. She immediately knelt down to plead with her mistress: "Your Highness, a thief did indeed break into Shi Nuan Pavilion last night..."

Upon hearing this, a glimmer of hope ignited in Lianxin's eyes.

She immediately looked at the princess and said impatiently, "Your Highness, you see, I really didn't lie to you! Please deal with Xu Jiaojiao quickly, don't let her tarnish the reputation of the royal family!"

Seeing that the princess remained silent, Lianye glared at Lianxin and continued, "The thief knocked out this servant and Master Xu, tore the jade beaded wide-sleeved fairy dress that the princess had sent, and stole all the jade beads from the dress."

Poor Master Xu was frail and was practicing her dance in a skirt at the time. She struggled with the thief but failed to protect the skirt and ended up covered in wounds.

Master Xu felt he had failed the Princess Consort's favor and appreciation, and in a moment of despair, he cut his wrists…

As she spoke, Lianye even cried out in sympathy for her mistress: "Your Highness, please do justice for Master Xu!"

Upon hearing this, Granny Wang immediately ran into the main room and indeed saw the torn dress on the bed.

She returned to the courtyard with her skirt in her arms and nodded slightly to the princess.

Seeing the dress tattered and stained with blood, the princess's brow twitched.

good good!

Very good!

Such a thieving and injuring madman has actually emerged from the Prince Chen's residence!

Xu Jiaojiao knelt down with a thud at the opportune moment, tears streaming down her face: "Your Highness, it's all my fault. I failed to protect my skirt."

The princess suppressed her anger: "Xu, do you still remember what the thief looked like?"

Xu Jiaojiao frowned and thought seriously: "The thief was wearing a veil, so I didn't see her face. I only know that the thief was dressed as a maid in the manor."

Hmm... that person was tall, about six feet two inches, with prominent shoulder peaks...

Suddenly, Xu Jiaojiao's eyes lit up: "Yes, that person was wearing green beaded earrings, which glowed in the night and were particularly eye-catching!"

As soon as she finished speaking, almost everyone's eyes turned to Lianxin.

There were many tall women in the mansion, but few with prominent shoulders, especially those wearing green pearl earrings…

Granny Wang narrowed her eyes: "Lianxin, I remember you recently got a pair of glow-in-the-dark earrings, and you showed them off so much that everyone in the mansion knew about them!"

Lianxin's mind went blank for a moment, and she was dumbfounded.

How did this get involved with her?!

She immediately denied it: "No, it wasn't me. I do have a pair of glow-in-the-dark earrings, but what happened last night had nothing to do with me. I was also knocked unconscious!"

Fearing the princess wouldn't believe her, she pointed to Lianye: "If you don't believe me, ask Lianye! She's the one who woke me up!"

Lianye pouted: "I did wake you up, but who knows if you were faking it..."

Lianxin was furious: "Lianye! How can you talk such nonsense! I didn't steal the beads! I didn't steal them!"

Nonsense?

Xu Jiaojiao curved her lips into a barely perceptible smile.

Lotus heart, oh lotus heart.

How does it feel to be falsely accused?

Upon catching a glimpse of Xu Jiaojiao's gaze, Lianxin immediately understood.

It's Xu Jiaojiao, it must be Xu Jiaojiao!

She glared at Xu Jiaojiao with venomous hatred, her eyes bloodshot: "It was you! It must have been you and Lianye who embezzled the jade beads and then framed me! It was you! Not me!"

Xu Jiaojiao concealed the pleasure in her eyes and looked at Lianxin sadly, her eyes filled with helpless anger at her lack of self-respect. Although she did not say a word, everyone could see her innocence at a glance.

The princess said calmly, "Wang Mama, search."

Upon hearing the commotion, Granny Wang immediately led her men into Lianxin's room, where they indeed found a bag of jade beads.

There were exactly twelve jade beads, no more and no less.

With witnesses and physical evidence, Lianxin's theft and assault are undeniable facts.

After all this arguing, the princess's patience had run out, and she didn't want to hear another word of explanation: "Guards, drag this wretched maid away and beat her to death!"

finished...

The color drained from Lianxin's face.

How could this be?

It shouldn't be like this!

She had worked so hard to survive, escaping from the clutches of her demonic father and brothers, struggling all the way to where she was now.

She had clearly agreed with the steward that she could leave the West Courtyard immediately once Xu Jiaojiao died!

Good days are right in front of us.

But why did things turn out this way?

It's all Xu Jiaojiao's fault!

It's all Xu Jiaojiao's fault!!

Overwhelmed by the fear of death, Lianxin sprang to her feet like a mad dog and ran wildly toward Xu Jiaojiao.

Xu Jiaojiao, if you want my life, then die with me!