No, it was truly “another lifetime.”

In her previous life, after Zhang Zhe was imprisoned, she had never been able to see him again. In this life, it had only been that brief glimpse during the rainy night at Cengxiao Tower, without a chance to look closely.

Now this person was actually right before her eyes.

From her low position she gazed at his back, which appeared all the more tall and silent. Even when bowing to Empress Dowager Xiao seated high in the hall, his spine remained perfectly straight, carrying a natural air of upright character.

For a moment she nearly shed tears.

Although she didn’t know why Zhang Zhe would appear here, and her heart was clear that he certainly didn’t recognize her at this moment, just having him standing here, standing before her, it was as if all the world’s chaos and dangers suddenly dispersed, leaving only a pervasive sense of peaceful calm.

Like a lazy rainy day.

While the person watching the rain enjoys brief tranquility in a corner surrounded by clamor.

She had always complained that Heaven treated her too poorly, giving her much only to take away even more. But at this moment, she felt immense gratitude toward the deities above.

Thanking them for allowing her to meet Zhang Zhe again.

Jiang Xuening closed her eyes slightly, the corners of her lips curving into a faint, shallow smile. Even though she was currently in the midst of ten thousand dangers, she completely didn’t mind.

The inner palace and outer court had always been separate. Without special orders, outer officials were not permitted to come to the harem.

Though the matter now being investigated was of great importance and was the Empress Dowager’s personal decree, many palace maids and female officials serving in the palace hid their panic and lowered their heads upon seeing Chen Ying and Zhang Zhe.

The other companion readers stood not far from Jiang Xuening.

Among them, the most strictly raised like Chen Shuyi had already retreated to the farthest distance from them at this moment. Zhou Baoying, however, upon hearing the two words “Zhang Zhe,” widened her eyes and, unable to contain her excitement, extended her elbow to nudge Yao Xi beside her.

But Yao Xi unexpectedly didn’t react.

Puzzled, Zhou Baoying turned back, only to see Yao Xi staring blankly at that upright figure in the hall, as if mesmerized.

So this was…

Zhang Zhe?

Apart from his cold countenance and indifferent expression, where was he as terrifying as others claimed? Even this aura of severity clearly showed he was absolutely not some opportunistic climber clinging to the powerful.

Standing there, he was like a bamboo stalk.

And this person was her future husband.

A stronger radiance suddenly burst forth from Yao Xi’s eyes.

Only when Zhou Baoying nudged her again did she come back to herself, realizing how long she had been staring at Zhang Zhe. Her face immediately flushed red, and she lowered her head somewhat bashfully.

Seated high in the hall, Empress Dowager Xiao frowned, feeling the name Zhang Zhe was somewhat familiar but momentarily unable to recall where she had heard it. She only turned her puzzled gaze toward Chen Ying, saying: “Didn’t I only summon you alone?”

Chen Ying was a harsh official, yet carried an air of careless indifference.

His gaze flickered slightly as he respectfully replied: “In response to the Empress Dowager, Zhang Zhe, Director Zhang, was recently transferred to the Ministry of Justice. In less than half a month he has already processed criminal matters that had been backlogged in the Jiangxi Bureau of Evaluations for most of the year. He is a capable expert in this field. Today when someone from the palace came to deliver Your Majesty’s decree, Director Zhang happened to also be present. This official thought, not knowing whether the palace matter was difficult to handle, I invited Director Zhang to come along. With him assisting this official in investigating, we can better serve and relieve the Empress Dowager’s concerns.”

Hearing this explanation, Empress Dowager Xiao understood: “In any case, he’s someone skilled at investigating cases. Very well, we’ll do as you say. Since those treasonous words appeared on that jade ruyi some days ago, I and the Emperor ordered a thorough investigation in the inner palace, only then discovering this palace harbored filth and had long been infiltrated by who knows how many eyes and ears of villainous factions. You two must now investigate thoroughly and see what scoundrels are causing trouble behind the scenes!”

As she spoke, her gaze swept over Jiang Xuening.

Chen Ying followed her gaze to look at Jiang Xuening once, recalling the message Xie Wei had someone deliver on the way into the palace. Considering Empress Dowager Xiao’s current attitude toward this matter, he found it deeply troublesome.

Fortunately he had been alert, having anticipated this assignment would be difficult, so he simply brought Zhang Zhe along.

This person was rigid in character and straightforward in nature. Apart from investigating cases and administering law, his eyes held nothing else. Pushing him to the front meant that even if various forces struggled and something happened later, he would block it, preventing disaster from falling directly on himself.

Thinking this, Chen Ying responded with an affirmative, then looked around at those near Empress Dowager Xiao: “May I ask where the physical evidence from today’s case is now?”

Empress Dowager Xiao waved her hand.

The Chief Steward of the Inner Palace, Wang Quan, immediately presented to Chen Ying that page of paper previously placed in a lacquered tray.

Chen Ying picked it up and glanced at it, frowning.

But he was merely going through the motions.

After a moment he passed this page to Zhang Zhe beside him, saying: “Director Zhang, take a look as well.”

White deer paper.

Ordinary correspondence size.

The characters were in proper standard script.

Zhang Zhe, eyes lowered, took it and looked. That vague sense of coldness condensed in his brows and lashes, trembling and dispersing with his slight lowering of eyes. He then said: “The size and style of the characters are generally the same as those carved on the Qinghai jade ruyi some days ago.”

A voice without inflection, appearing especially cold.

He needed to forcefully control himself to avoid looking back, to avoid responding to that long-absent gaze. But his heart inevitably knotted: now she wasn’t even Empress, so how had she become entangled in this matter?

Chen Ying said: “Then whoever had this item is connected to the rebels?”

Zhang Zhe glanced at Chen Ying, knowing this person was a harsh official who always put his own interests first. At this moment he probably didn’t want to get involved in this mess, but Zhang Zhe didn’t expose him, only saying: “Not necessarily.”

Empress Dowager Xiao raised an eyebrow: “Not necessarily?”

Chen Ying fell silent.

Zhang Zhe calmly replied neither humbly nor arrogantly: “Matters connected to rebels are inherently complex and tangled. The law states: without evidence, there is no crime. A single page alone cannot determine guilt. We must investigate the full circumstances before making conclusions.”

Empress Dowager Xiao suddenly felt this person seemed very different from other court officials—his manner of speaking was extremely similar to those censors and upright officials in court who gave no one face.

Such people had always been the most difficult to deal with.

Her brow involuntarily darkened somewhat, but then thinking that Chen Ying had brought this person, she didn’t lose her temper, saying coldly: “Then how will you investigate?”

Zhang Zhe lowered his eyes to gaze at the four treasonous lines written on this page, only asking: “From whom was this item confiscated?”

This was asking what was already known.

But everyone understood these were routine inquiries when investigating cases in the magistrate’s office.

Wang Quan stepped forward and said: “This servant personally led people to search, at Yangzhi Studio, and found it in the room of the second daughter of Vice Minister Jiang of the Ministry of Revenue, who serves as companion reader for Her Highness the Grand Princess. It was placed inside a book on her desk.”

Zhang Zhe asked: “What book?”

Wang Quan paused, instinctively glancing toward a young eunuch in the corner.

That young eunuch understood and came forward, but answered somewhat awkwardly: “In response to Your Excellency, this servant doesn’t really recognize many characters. I only know there were four characters on the book cover, and I only recognized the character for ‘words.'”

Zhang Zhe immediately frowned: “Didn’t you bring the book along?”

Chen Ying also couldn’t help but purse his lips.

But unexpectedly at this moment an exceptionally calm voice sounded from behind them: “It was ‘Remarks on Poetry by the Fireside.’ That was the only book on my desk, and I had been reading it just one hour before Eunuch Wang led people to search. The rest on the desk were just writing implements, so I remember clearly.”

Everyone started, and upon hearing the voice couldn’t help but turn their heads.

But Jiang Xuening only looked toward Zhang Zhe.

Zhang Zhe remained silent.

She had knelt for a long time and was tired. Knowing well that Zhang Zhe had this temperament, she didn’t think much of it and turned her head toward Empress Dowager Xiao: “Your Majesty, since the officials from the Ministry of Justice have said ‘without evidence, there is no crime,’ might you graciously permit me to rise? I have been weak since childhood. Kneeling long causes poor blood circulation. If I were to faint, I fear it would be difficult to undergo questioning and might delay the case.”

Empress Dowager Xiao had been Empress for so many years and Empress Dowager for these past years. She had even endured when Prince Pingnan rebelled and attacked the capital. She had seen all manner of people in this world, yet never had anyone dared to be as audacious as Jiang Xuening!

Looking at this posture, if she didn’t agree, Jiang Xuening would immediately collapse.

Truly cunning!

However, Empress Dowager Xiao deeply understood the principle of tolerating her momentarily to see how long she could keep jumping about. She didn’t really argue with her, actually putting on a reasonable appearance and saying: “Look at me, I forgot. You may rise first.”

Jiang Xuening naturally knew this old hag was putting on a good person act, but this was precisely the weakness of hypocritical people—after all, they had to maintain appearances before others. How could they say “no”?

That would hardly befit the dignity of a model for the realm.

Thinking sarcastically in her heart, she used her hands to push against the ground, wanting to rise.

There were palace attendants not far away, yet no one dared come forward to help her.

Jiang Xuening’s legs had long gone stiff and numb from kneeling.

As she struggled to stand on her own, she had almost no feeling in them. Soon as blood flow returned it felt like being stabbed with needles, and she nearly couldn’t stand steady and almost fell.

In that instant, watching her, Zhang Zhe’s fingers trembled.

He clenched tightly, restraining the instinctive habit to help.

He watched as she swayed unsteadily before him, appearing isolated and helpless in the vast Cining Palace, relying entirely on her own strength to stand firm, then bending to gently pound her calves and knees with her hands to relieve the stiffness from prolonged kneeling.

He felt strangely uncomfortable.

The moment she lowered her head, Jiang Xuening felt a trace of inexplicable grievance.

Even somewhat desolate.

But turning her thoughts, she erased this emotion from her heart: who in this world doesn’t walk alone? Moreover, Zhang Zhe didn’t recognize her right now.

Feeling sensation gradually return to her legs, she straightened again, bowed respectfully to Zhang Zhe, and said: “I ask Director Zhang to investigate clearly. This page has absolutely no connection to me, nor is it my handwriting.”

Zhang Zhe naturally knew it wasn’t her.

But the difficulty now was how to prove it wasn’t her.

He paused for a moment before responding in an ordinary tone: “Not your handwriting?”

Jiang Xuening wanted to say that both Yangzhi Studio and Fengchen Hall had samples of her writing that could be retrieved for comparison.

But unexpectedly Xiao Shu, standing beside Empress Dowager Xiao, spoke at this moment.

She actually said: “Second Miss Jiang initially wrote in running and cursive script. Though she later studied standard script under her teacher, she was still like a toddler learning to walk, absolutely unable to write the characters on this page. No need to retrieve her handwriting for comparison—I am willing to testify for Second Miss Jiang that these four lines of characters were definitely not written by her.”

The other companion readers standing in the hall were all somewhat surprised.

No one expected Xiao Shu would actually stand up to speak for Jiang Xuening at this time.

Even Empress Dowager Xiao glanced at this niece, only saying: “That’s merely handwriting written before others. How do we know she doesn’t have the ability to imitate?”

After hearing this, Jiang Xuening showed no particular reaction, only saying: “Thank you, Miss Xiao.”

Zhang Zhe considered briefly, then turned back to continue questioning Wang Quan: “When did Eunuch Wang go to search Yangzhi Studio, and who all knew about it?”

Wang Quan paused, replying: “This servant received the Empress Dowager’s command at the hour of Wei and began searching from the western palace. The night search of Yangzhi Studio was at exactly the hour of You. Because this matter was so important and this servant feared he couldn’t complete the Empress Dowager’s entrusted task, he didn’t dare announce it beforehand, fearing villainous persons would hide things upon learning of it. All together only this servant and a group of loyal eunuchs under him knew, searching all the way from the western palace. There were two hours in between—perhaps word leaked out.”

Combining everything, Jiang Xuening already understood—

If what that young eunuch said was true, the person framing her must have placed this page in her book after she set down the book and left her room for the Flowing Water Pavilion, but before Wang Quan led people to search.

And at that time, all the companion readers were in the Flowing Water Pavilion.

Regardless of who was behind it, the one who acted must have been a palace attendant who could move about the palace without drawing attention.

Sure enough, after hearing this, Zhang Zhe had already asked: “May I ask, Eunuch, where are the palace attendants from Yangzhi Studio now?”

Wang Quan said: “With such a major incident, they have been temporarily detained according to palace rules.”

Zhang Zhe nodded, then said: “That’s not enough. All palace attendants who entered or exited Yangzhi Studio today from the hour of Shen to the hour of You should be detained for questioning.”

Listening from above, Empress Dowager Xiao was already quite impatient, actually feeling Zhang Zhe was trying to exonerate Jiang Xuening. She frowned: “Director Zhang’s words sound as if you’re trying to prove this matter was someone else framing her, rather than first questioning the most suspicious person?”

Zhang Zhe’s expression didn’t move at all.

He had always appeared to reject everyone from a thousand miles away, only saying: “Your Majesty, please remain calm. If we want to prove this item is connected to… Second Miss Jiang, it is not difficult.”

Chen Ying watched from the side. Though his official rank was higher, he remained aloof from the fray, stubbornly not saying a word for quite some time.

Only now did he speak: “Director Zhang has a method?”

Zhang Zhe again lowered his eyes to look at this page, his fingertip lightly pressing on its corner, saying flatly: “When companion readers first entered the palace, at the palace gate they had to verify their identities and have their belongings inspected. So unless Second Miss Jiang bribed the inspecting eunuchs and palace attendants at that time, this page of seditious words should have originated from within the palace. All paper supplies in the palace follow established regulations—they cannot be privately burned, and even after use they are collected in one place and strictly managed. Yangzhi Studio is where the companion readers reside. This page is white deer paper used in the palace. The Bureau of Palace Attendants should have records of how much was delivered. If the Empress Dowager suspects these words were written by Second Miss Jiang and connected to the jade ruyi case, why not order the retrieval of the Bureau’s usage ledgers and check the paper count at Yangzhi Studio? If Second Miss Jiang’s paper count doesn’t match what was issued and is short by some amount, her suspicion increases by five points.”

Paper use in the palace was extremely strict, preventing people in the inner palace from privately passing messages. Every page of used paper had to be submitted upward for review. If they discovered anything “inappropriate” written on it, someone would naturally come to “deal with it.”

This was a rule established several reigns ago.

Hearing Zhang Zhe’s words, Jiang Xuening was truly surprised, not expecting he could find an alternative approach by investigating the paper itself. Initially hearing it, she didn’t think much, but upon reflection and careful consideration, she found these words slightly hasty—not something a meticulous person like Zhang Zhe should say.

Her gaze fell on that page in Zhang Zhe’s hand, and she suddenly frowned: the paper issued by the Bureau of Palace Attendants was not this size.

Others, hearing this initially, all felt that if they wanted to follow the Empress Dowager’s wishes and prove it was Jiang Xuening who wrote this page, this was indeed the most direct and effective method, so they all thought it made great sense.

Only Xiao Shu suddenly frowned.

Perhaps like Jiang Xuening, she felt his words were too certain and hasty.

But at this moment Wang Quan’s eyes had already lit up, praising: “This is a good method.”

The Empress Dowager also detected nothing unusual, only saying: “Whether it’s her or not, this paper must be investigated. Even if it’s not her, the other companion readers at Yangzhi Studio may not necessarily be free of involvement.”

Wang Quan then volunteered: “This servant will immediately lead people to investigate.”

But Zhang Zhe lowered his eyelids, saying: “Yangzhi Studio is after all the residence of young ladies. Checking paper is a delicate matter. Since there are previously detained palace maids, why not have them assist? After all, they have served the companion readers and know the details better. Night is deepening. It’s inconvenient for this official and Vice Minister Chen, as outer court officials, to investigate in the inner palace for too long, and we fear dragging it out too much.”

Wang Quan glanced toward Empress Dowager Xiao.

Hearing Zhang Zhe’s words, especially upon hearing “residence of young ladies,” Empress Dowager Xiao suddenly thought of something and glanced toward Yao Xi standing among the many companion readers, her expression becoming somewhat mocking.

She only said: “Do as Director Zhang suggests.”

Young ladies’ residences were refined but had many private areas—how could a bunch of eunuchs be allowed to rummage through them freely?

Many companion readers, hearing that palace maids would assist, looked somewhat better.

Zhou Baoying even exchanged meaningful glances with Yao Xi.

Yao Xi’s entire face immediately flushed red. She hadn’t expected that Zhang Zhe, who appeared so cold and stern on the surface, actually had such a thoughtful and meticulous heart. If it were merely for investigating the case, having eunuchs search would be the same—why bother suggesting palace maids go?

It must be because he cared about her.

He must have read her reply letter?

For a moment Yao Xi felt immersed in honey. She couldn’t help but push Zhou Baoying to stop her from being presumptuous, but the bashful smile at her lips couldn’t be suppressed.

Jiang Xuening stood indifferently with lowered head in the hall, showing no reaction.

Those going to Yangzhi Studio to check paper and those going to the Bureau of Palace Attendants to verify the count split into two groups. It would take quite a while before they returned.

The hall fell quiet for a time.

But they hadn’t waited long when suddenly a loud announcement came from outside, spreading through the heavy layers of the forbidden palace in the night: “The Emperor arrives—”

Everyone was startled in alarm, immediately prostrating themselves toward the palace gate.

Only Empress Dowager Xiao remained seated in the hall without moving.

Soon a figure wearing black robes embroidered with gold cloud and dragon patterns entered from outside. Shen Lang, the Emperor who had reigned for nearly four years, appeared thinner than his younger brother Shen Jie, his complexion somewhat pale, with dark circles under his eyes. His features were quite similar to his brother’s, only faintly revealing a sickly air.

Entering and seeing the situation in Cining Palace, his thin eyelids moved.

Without telling everyone to rise, he first put on a slight smile, came forward to pay respects to Empress Dowager Xiao, then turned and told everyone to rise, asking: “I heard earlier that Cining Palace reported an incident. I generally know what happened. Chen Ying, how is the investigation proceeding?”

In her previous life, Jiang Xuening had seen this “Imperial Brother” many times while accompanying Shen Jie.

On the day she and Shen Jie married, Shen Lang had personally come to the Prince’s manor to drink wine, not returning to the palace until deep in the night.

Only Shen Lang’s health as Emperor seemed poor. Though he had a large harem, he remained childless. Originally he had imperial physicians examine him, but later he stopped even seeing physicians—apparently medicine and treatments were useless.

Later he even…

Died under unclear circumstances.

Hearing this short-lived wretch’s voice, Jiang Xuening’s eyelid jumped, knowing it was this person who created the shocking injustice against the Yongyi Marquis household, and also this person who disregarded sibling affection and sent Shen Zhiyi to marry the Tartars.

Chen Ying stepped forward: “We’ve just reached a crucial point in the investigation. People have been sent to Yangzhi Studio and the Bureau of Palace Attendants to verify paper counts.”

Shen Lang raised his hand: “Let me see that page.”

Zhang Zhe’s eyelids flickered, then transferred the page originally in his hand to Wang Xinyi, the Supervisor of Ceremonies who served beside Shen Lang. This person had a full forehead and broad face, but had eyes like an eagle or falcon, appearing extremely shrewd, yet was completely respectful and deferential toward Shen Lang.

Shen Lang took the page and looked at it. His face immediately darkened like approaching rain.

Wang Xinyi immediately said: “Your Majesty, please calm your anger. These are just seditious words from traitorous subjects to deceive the masses. Soon they will be uprooted completely. It’s not worth harming the dragon body over this.”

Shen Lang said nothing, his gaze falling below.

When Jiang Xuening occasionally raised her head, she met that gaze—cold, oppressive, revealing a profound scrutiny. This was an extremely suspicious emperor, and also a ruthless emperor.

After Shen Lang entered the hall, not a single person in all of Cining Palace dared move even slightly.

Each stood properly in place.

In the hall only the voices of Empress Dowager Xiao and Shen Lang speaking remained. Occasionally Shen Lang would also ask whether any remnants of the Tian Sect or Prince Pingnan’s faction had infiltrated the capital recently.

Just from listening, one could tell the capital had been quite unsettled recently.

Jiang Xuening simply couldn’t feel it being confined within the palace.

Her heart was filled with vigilance.

After another quarter hour, Wang Quan, who had earlier led eunuchs and palace maids to check the paper count at Yangzhi Studio, returned. His face full of alarm, he knelt before the hall and loudly reported: “Reporting to Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager, this servant was ordered to check the paper count at Yangzhi Studio. According to records, the Bureau of Palace Attendants issued a total of sixteen quires of white deer paper, and by order of Her Highness the Grand Princess, added one quire of white deer paper and one quire of ice wing paper for companion reader Jiang Xuening. But when we carefully counted both used and unused paper in her room, the ice wing paper had no discrepancy, but the white deer paper had only seventy-four sheets!”

By palace regulations, white deer paper came in quires of twenty-five sheets.

The Bureau had issued one quire per person, and the Grand Princess added another quire, making it three quires totaling seventy-five sheets. Jiang Xuening’s room was short one sheet, and that paper bearing treasonous words was white deer paper—what did this prove?!

Shen Lang’s expression moved, erupting in great fury.

Empress Dowager Xiao rose suddenly: “Excellent! Now the evidence is conclusive! You, Jiang Xuening, with your silver tongue, explain where that missing page went?!”

Jiang Xuening inwardly scoffed, remaining unmoved.

It was at this moment that Zhang Zhe bowed respectfully, not even lifting his eyelids, only saying: “I ask Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager to please remain calm.”

Shen Lang had been getting headaches just seeing him lately. Now seeing him speak up again, his voice was quite impatient: “Zhang Zhe, what is it now?”

Zhang Zhe said: “I request Your Majesty summon the palace attendants who assisted in counting the paper into the hall.”

Shen Lang frowned: “What mystery are you creating now?”

Zhang Zhe said flatly: “If the paper count doesn’t match, there are two possibilities: first, Second Miss Jiang is indeed involved; second, the people doing the counting have a problem. I request Your Majesty summon them into the hall and search each one to eliminate everyone’s suspicion before we can say Second Miss Jiang’s problem is greatest.”

Chen Ying was a shrewd person. Hearing this, he suddenly understood the purpose behind all those seemingly hasty words earlier, and a hint of hidden wariness suddenly arose in his heart.

He was Vice Minister of Justice and naturally didn’t want Zhang Zhe to steal the limelight.

Immediately he followed up: “Although there was the jade ruyi case previously, investigation revealed it was because the Bureau of Palace Attendants harbored rebels or people who had been bribed. Second Miss Jiang is, after all, just a companion reader, a weak woman. Though due to the Yongyi Marquis household she cannot have her suspicion eliminated, who would be so careless as to keep paper bearing treasonous words near them, knowing the palace was conducting strict searches and after the jade ruyi case? This defies common sense. I fear someone is using this incident to frame her. This official and others have already set up a trap to draw the snake from its hole. I request Your Majesty follow Director Zhang’s words and summon the eunuchs and palace maids to the hall.”

Shen Lang’s gaze circled over Jiang Xuening again, finally saying: “Summon them to the hall entrance and search each one!”

Those palace maids and eunuchs were all outside the palace.

Hearing now that they would be searched, most were somewhat panicked, but only one palace maid dressed in apricot yellow robes was frightened pale, trembling like a sieve, almost unable to stand.

Those responsible for the search saw her suspicious behavior and immediately pulled her out.

The palace maid began crying out: “It wasn’t this servant, it wasn’t this servant…”

But the next moment a folded page was searched from inside her clothing. It still bore some ink traces, and upon careful examination, it was white deer paper!

The eunuch conducting the search outside obtained this item and immediately sent it into the hall.

Wang Quan was furious, completely not expecting someone would dare play tricks right under his nose. He cursed: “You’ve truly eaten the heart of a leopard! You little wretch doesn’t know the depth of things! Speak! Where did you get this paper?!”

The palace maid had already collapsed into a heap, her panicked eyes darting wildly around the hall.

Earlier she had only heard people say they would verify paper counts, which reminded her that the young lady had only told her to place paper in Jiang Xuening’s room but hadn’t taken out a sheet. Fearing this would leave a flaw and the framing wouldn’t succeed, afraid of being blamed by the young lady, when she returned to Yangzhi Studio earlier, she had risked hiding a page.

Also, because unused paper was all neatly placed together and counted directly by the eunuchs without her involvement, she had quietly collected this ink-stained sheet from a corner.

However, there was writing on it—it should have been written by Jiang Xuening.

This instead proved she had stolen the paper from Jiang Xuening, leaving her completely unable to explain!

She only knew to kowtow on the ground. When people reached a dead end, they threw caution to the wind. She simply started crying, saying: “This servant is guilty, this servant is guilty! It was when this servant was cleaning the room a few days ago and saw this page had only one or two strokes written on it. Knowing paper was precious and knowing Second Miss Jiang was extravagant and wouldn’t use it again, this servant momentarily succumbed to temptation and kept it, also wanting to practice writing herself. After writing it full, she would return it and no one would know. But this servant never expected today’s incident would involve such a major matter. This servant was terrified and just now didn’t dare speak…”

Her forehead had turned red from kowtowing.

Yet everyone looked at her coldly.

Zhang Zhe paced before her, his eyelids lowering slightly. He actually took several pages from his sleeve and placed them before the palace maid: “Also wanting to practice writing yourself—you must be literate then. Why don’t you read what’s written here?”

That palace maid knelt right beside Jiang Xuening.

Turning her head, Jiang Xuening could also see those pages. With just a glance she recognized they were recent official documents—so Zhang Zhe’s habit of carrying official documents with him had started this early?

Most who entered the palace came from impoverished families with no other options, which was why they sent people into the palace to become palace maids or eunuchs.

So basically all were illiterate.

Only after a long time, reaching positions like female officials or supervising eunuchs, could they recognize a few words—even the Grand Princess studying was criticized by a bunch of old men. How could women of ordinary birth recognize many characters?

In her panic, this palace maid had failed to find a reason without flaws.

A faint smile appeared at Jiang Xuening’s lips as she looked at the palace maid, saying: “What’s written there is ‘Jian Jia’ from the ‘Book of Songs.’ I’m not deceiving you. Can you read it?”

The palace maid stared at her, trembling with hatred.

Jiang Xuening stared back at her, still smiling: “If not for people watching right now, I would have slapped you twice across the face long ago to ask which stupid master raised such a useless thing as you.”

Hearing this, Zhang Zhe lowered his eyelids.

He had heard similar words before.

At that time, he had disapproved of her domineering behavior.

Later, when he was around, she would always restrain herself somewhat, but would deliberately say such things to let him know she was displeased…

Jiang Xuening said these words with a smile, but her gaze was utterly cold.

Having finished speaking, she turned her face to look at the other companion readers from Yangzhi Studio, also looking toward Xiao Shu standing in the high place.

Then she turned back toward the hall: “Though the truth has not yet fully come to light, if this palace maid had no intention to harm others, she wouldn’t have fallen into the trap Director Zhang set, deliberately hiding a page to frame me. A mere palace maid has no grievance or enmity with me—there must be someone behind her giving orders. I hope Your Majesty will investigate thoroughly and uphold justice for me!”

Only at this point did everyone fully understand: Zhang Zhe had already set up a trap with just a few words. The reason for deliberately having palace maids assist was to let all suspicious persons enter Yangzhi Studio to fill in that framing “flaw”—deliberately giving the framer an opportunity! As long as they acted, they wouldn’t have time to properly handle things when hurriedly returning, and wouldn’t expect someone waiting here to catch them “red-handed”!

Jiang Xuening’s words also made sense.

Without someone in the palace giving orders, who would dare risk framing others?

Only, was this mastermind present in the hall? If so, having watched this palace maid fall into Zhang Zhe’s trap, what must that person be feeling?

Shen Lang clearly hadn’t expected such a sudden reversal. Looking at the prostrate palace maid, he didn’t speak for a moment.

Empress Dowager Xiao, however, recognized that palace maid’s identity from afar, her eyelid jumping.

The companion readers standing in the hall were even more astonished, not expecting it was this mere palace maid who had framed Jiang Xuening.

Zhou Baoying remembered something and looked somewhat carefully toward Yao Xi.

Yao Xi’s face showed complete bewilderment.

She gazed at that figure standing in the hall, suddenly feeling an overwhelming sense of loss. Recalling her earlier self-indulgent bashfulness, she even felt extremely embarrassed: so suggesting that palace maids verify the paper count was merely to lure the framer into action, not for the sake of his “fiancée”…

Finally Shen Lang spoke, asking the palace maid: “Since you’re illiterate and can’t even recognize the words on the paper, you couldn’t possibly have framed her on your own. Who exactly is behind ordering you to do this?”