The reason she was certain others wouldn’t recognize her was because when Old Madam Liang met Emperor Delong, she had worn a large red silk drape, thin as cicada wings, yet able to envelop her entire body.
She had only appeared after Emperor Delong arrived. Which of those palace maids and eunuchs would dare stare at Emperor Delong? They only caught hurried glimpses and easily assumed she was wearing red garments.
When she returned, she tucked the drape away in her sleeve, so others saw Old Madam Liang in dark-colored clothing.
After returning, she carefully mingled among the women, unnoticed by gods or ghosts. Who would know that the woman in dark clothing in the remote greenhouse would be the same woman who had gone to the side hall to meet Emperor Delong?
Yet unexpectedly, the news had reached Noble Consort De so quickly. Noble Consort De had summoned her here, making everyone look at her as if she were a clown.
Now it seemed clear that Qin Shuying was the one stirring up trouble behind the scenes.
She must have found a way to have someone inform Noble Consort De and the others at the time, and now she was here spouting nonsense.
The women throughout the hall began looking at Old Madam Liang with strange expressions.
Old Madam Liang knew what these people were thinking—nothing more than that at her advanced age, she was still trying to seduce Emperor Delong.
Did she, Luo Yanyan, need to seduce Emperor Delong?
She…
Meeting Old Madam Liang’s gaze, Qin Shuying appeared somewhat confused and helpless, “Old Madam, perhaps there’s something this daughter-in-law did improperly?”
Old Madam Liang took a deep breath, “It’s nothing…”
Before her words had finished, Princess Liang’s leisurely voice rang out: “Madam Liang, you need not blame yourself. You’ve done nothing wrong. Your family’s old madam has always been like this—wherever there are people of noble status, she always loves to show her face. It’s no wonder you don’t know, being young after all. We older ones who’ve lived through the years all know this.”
As soon as these words fell, the entire room fell silent.
Liang Qiong now sensed something was amiss and was so frightened she dared not move.
This was practically stating outright that Old Madam Liang had been fond of seducing men since her youth!
All the other women’s eyes gleamed with excitement—who would have thought that entering the palace today would bring such entertainment!
Although this matter also involved Emperor Delong, he was the emperor, and Old Madam Liang was a widow. Even if people knew, they would only consider Emperor Delong amorous.
All the blame would naturally fall on Old Madam Liang alone!
She was the one seducing Emperor Delong!
Qin Shuying hadn’t expected to receive such a divine assist from Princess Liang.
Flirting with other women’s husbands—Princess Liang wasn’t truly foolish, how could she not know?
Perhaps before, Princess Liang still had to consider Prince Liang’s feelings, but now Prince Liang had suffered a stroke and his mind had become unclear. Princess Liang had guarded a husband for so many years whose heart was occupied by another woman. If Princess Liang didn’t release that stifled anger in her chest, that would be strange indeed.
Now she had been caught red-handed!
Old Madam Liang finally couldn’t maintain her composure, her gaze like sharp swords shooting fiercely toward Qin Shuying.
If Qin Shuying hadn’t exposed her visit to the side hall, Noble Consort De wouldn’t have summoned her here. If she hadn’t come here, she wouldn’t have suffered such humiliation! What was Princess Liang anyway? Prince Liang didn’t even like her!
No, she couldn’t let this wretch Qin Shuying die so easily!
She absolutely had to make her taste every kind of suffering before dying!
Just then, Qin Shuying suddenly pointed at Old Madam Liang’s sleeve, “Old Madam, something is coming out of your sleeve!”
Old Madam Liang was startled and immediately looked down—there was nothing there.
At that moment, Qin Shuying quickly stepped forward, grabbed her left hand and reached into the sleeve to retrieve something. Hidden by the wide sleeve, no one could see Qin Shuying’s movements, only Old Madam Liang felt a hand enter her sleeve.
Old Madam Liang immediately understood she had been tricked and quickly raised her head while using her hand to push Qin Shuying away.
But Qin Shuying had deliberately stood very close and pulled her clothing taut. When Old Madam Liang raised her head, she collided with Qin Shuying.
Qin Shuying staggered, retreating several steps before steadying herself, and in the process pulled a red silk drape from Old Madam Liang’s sleeve.
The women stared at the bright red drape, dumbfounded.
What shocked them wasn’t that Old Madam Liang at her age would use something of such color, but rather that this drape made their imaginations run wild.
The strange looks from everyone felt like a basin of dirty water poured over her. Old Madam Liang was utterly disgusted.
Her face turned iron-blue as she pointed at Qin Shuying, saying word by word: “Despicable creature unfit for civilized company!”
Qin Shuying’s hand still pointed at Old Madam Liang’s feet, saying: “Old Madam, something fell from your sleeve!”
Having been tricked by Qin Shuying once, Old Madam Liang naturally wouldn’t be fooled again and didn’t look down at her feet, “Lies upon lies, you’ve utterly disgraced our Liang family!”
Qin Shuying still pointed at her feet, “Old Madam, it’s by your feet.”
Old Madam Liang was about to scold her when she saw all the women looking at her feet. Sensing something ominous, she looked down and indeed saw something beside her foot.
…It looked somewhat familiar.
A palace maid had already quickly approached at Noble Consort De’s signal, picked up the paper folded into a square shape, and hurried back to present it to the palace maid beside Noble Consort De.
The palace maid beside Noble Consort De unfolded the paper. Old Madam Liang’s pupils suddenly contracted—this was the letter she had hidden in her secret room!
How could it be here?
She heard the palace maid read: “Seeing this letter is like meeting in person. Quickly eliminate the little beast and Qin Shuying. Your Ladyship, there are only these thirteen characters. Moreover, there’s a strange seal on it, please examine it, Your Ladyship.”
Noble Consort De took a look and indicated she couldn’t understand it, “Show it to all the ladies present and see what kind of seal this is.”
Old Madam Liang’s heart immediately rose to her throat, though her face showed only anger, no worry.
Qin Shuying stared at Old Madam Liang in shock, tears threatening to fall: “Old Madam, why, why do you want to eliminate me and Ziyu? Ziyu is your own grandson, why is this? First you schemed to ruin Elder Sister’s reputation, and now seeing Ziyu’s successful career, you want to kill Ziyu again. You, you, Old Madam, are you really the Old Madam?”
Immediately, all the women looked toward Old Madam Liang.
Old Madam Liang was nearly exploding with rage, but she tried to control her tone, “Ziyu’s wife, what nonsense are you spouting? This letter appeared out of nowhere, how could it possibly be written by me? Speaking such wild words before Their Ladyships—what crime does this constitute?”
“Just now, everyone saw with their own eyes that this thing fell from Old Madam’s sleeve!”
Old Madam Liang looked at Qin Shuying’s seemingly terrified face and finally understood. The secret room had been discovered by Qin Shuying and the others, and they had taken this letter. Just now, Qin Shuying had used a scheme to make the letter “fall” from her own sleeve.
In reality, it was Qin Shuying who had dropped it on the ground.
Old Madam Liang hadn’t expected that Qin Shuying was not only so sinister and vicious, but also so audacious and reckless, daring to frame her in front of so many people.
This truly was a woman like a fierce ghost!