Yun Chu had been attending to the two children’s meals throughout.

Chu Yi kept serving dishes to Yun Chu.

“Yu’er, slow down, don’t choke,” Yun Chu reminded him. “Why are you in such a hurry to finish eating?”

Chu Hongyu’s mouth was stuffed full of various foods. He mumbled indistinctly, “Brother Jiang said he’s going to the library pavilion to borrow books. I’m taking him along.”

As he finished speaking, he picked up his water cup and brought it to his mouth.

Unexpectedly, he accidentally knocked over the vinegar dish. His clothes were completely soiled, and it also splattered onto Chu Changsheng beside him.

“You little rascal!” Chu Yi lifted him up. “Next time you do this, you’ll be punished to face the wall and reflect.”

Yun Chu pressed down on her husband’s large hand. “It’s fine, just a small matter. I’ll take the two children to change clothes.”

The little one immediately hid behind Yun Chu.

Yun Chu stood up and led the two children to the changing room at the back, specially prepared for guests.

Generally, those attending banquets would bring spare clothes. They could just change directly. After changing clothes, Yun Chu brought the two children out.

Just as she descended the steps, she saw a figure appear at the entrance.

“Princess Consort Pingxi.”

The person standing there was none other than Fang Xinyan.

Her complexion was pale, with palace maids supporting her on both sides.

Yun Chu could tell at a glance that Fang Xinyan must be feeling very unwell at this moment. If she was unwell, she should return to the Eastern Palace rather than come to change clothes.

“I have something to say to Princess Consort Pingxi. All of you may withdraw.”

After Fang Xinyan spoke, the two palace maids beside her carefully released her and retreated many steps with lowered heads.

Fang Xinyan walked toward Yun Chu step by step.

Yun Chu’s eyes narrowed. She pulled the two children onto another branching path and said indifferently, “I still have matters to attend to. Let’s chat another time, Consort Fang.”

As the saying goes, a wise person does not stand beneath a dangerous wall.

Fang Xinyan clearly had issues. Naturally, Yun Chu couldn’t possibly stay alone with this woman.

She dropped this remark, held the children’s hands, turned, and walked away.

“Princess Consort Pingxi!” Fang Xinyan’s voice suddenly became shrill. “Don’t you even have time to say a few words?”

Yun Chu didn’t look back. “It’s not too late to chat after the banquet ends.”

Fang Xinyan nearly ground her silver teeth to dust.

She could so clearly feel warm blood seeping out from below.

During this period, she had been spotting blood every day. The imperial physicians said the child definitely couldn’t survive.

If imperial bloodline died in her womb, neither the Crown Prince nor the Empress would spare her… And she had no way to speak the truth.

She could only find someone to take the blame.

Yun Chu was the best candidate.

Seeing Yun Chu round the corridor and about to walk far away.

Fang Xinyan simply went all in, clutching her stomach as she collapsed softly to the ground, letting out a cry of alarm: “Ah—!”

Chu Hongyu immediately turned back. “Mother, she fell!”

“Princess Consort Pingxi, how… how could you push me…” Fang Xinyan’s voice was loud. “It hurts so much, my stomach hurts so much, someone come, help…”

Before her cries for help were finished, she saw a figure standing at the edge of this path.

All of Fang Xinyan’s words stuck in her throat.

Yun Chu looked over. The person standing there was the Duke’s wife.

From the looks of it, the Duke’s wife should have been here for a while.

She spoke, “The Duke’s wife should have seen that Consort Fang and I have been standing far apart this whole time. Consort Fang’s fall has nothing to do with me.”

Fang Xinyan’s heart instantly became chaotic.

She looked toward the Duke’s wife, her voice carrying pleading tones: “Duke’s wife, please discern clearly—it was Princess Consort Pingxi who pushed me. My stomach hurts so much…”

The Duke’s wife coldly rebuked, “Princess Consort Pingxi, your audacity is truly enormous. This is Kunning Palace, yet you dare secretly harm the fetus in Consort Fang’s womb!”

Yun Chu’s pupils contracted sharply.

The Duke’s wife was lying through her teeth!

This was clearly setting herself against Prince Pingxi’s manor!

When exactly had she offended the Duke’s wife?

“You’re lying!” Chu Hongyu shouted loudly. “My mother didn’t even touch her once. She fell by herself—what does it have to do with my mother!”

“I’ve lived most of my life and never speak falsely,” the Duke’s wife said coldly. “Someone come, go invite His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress. Uphold justice for Consort Fang. You few, go summon the imperial physicians to examine her pulse!”

Fang Xinyan closed her eyes.

It seemed the Duke’s wife felt guilty toward her, so she was willing to bear false witness for her.

The front courtyard wasn’t far away. Before long, the crowd from the front courtyard, led by the Emperor and Empress, arrived at the entrance to the changing room.

When they saw Fang Xinyan being weakly supported by palace maids with considerable blood staining her lower garments, the Empress’s expression changed dramatically: “What happened!”

“Mother Empress…” Fang Xinyan broke down crying. “Your subject came to change clothes. Princess Consort Pingxi questioned why your subject insisted on marrying Prince Pingxi back then. Your subject was unwilling to bring up the past again. Who would have thought Princess Consort Pingxi would actually push your subject. Your subject’s stomach hurts so much… the child cannot be saved…”

“My mother did not!” Chu Hongyu’s small face turned red with anxiety. “She fell by herself to frame my mother. Imperial Grandfather, Imperial Grandmother, you must not believe her!”

Fang Xinyan’s tears fell in streams. “Your subject did not lie. The Duke’s wife can testify.”

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the Duke’s wife standing to the side.

“I came to change clothes earlier and saw Princess Consort Pingxi and Consort Fang talking,” the Duke’s wife slowly began. “I don’t know what was said, but Princess Consort Pingxi became emotionally agitated and pushed Consort Fang’s shoulder. Consort Fang then fell to the ground.”

The surrounding crowd wore expressions of disbelief and began discussing in low voices.

“Princess Consort Pingxi actually did such a thing?”

“Originally Consort Fang nearly married Prince Pingxi. Princess Consort Pingxi must harbor resentment.”

“Even so, she shouldn’t harm an innocent child.”

“And today is Her Majesty the Empress’s birthday celebration.”

Countless people cast strange looks toward Yun Chu.

Yun Chu raised her eyes to look at the Duke’s wife and spoke calmly, “May I ask the Duke’s wife, when you arrived, where were Consort Fang and I standing to talk?”

The Duke’s wife pointed to where Fang Xinyan was located. “Right here.”

Yun Chu continued, “Then may I ask which hand I used to push Consort Fang?”

The Duke’s wife’s expression was calm. “Your right hand.”

Only three people were present at the scene. Both she and Consort Fang said it was Yun Chu who did it. Therefore, no matter how Yun Chu tried to argue, she had no way to extricate herself.

As for those two children, who would believe children’s words?

Yun Chu nodded. “One last question—did the Duke’s wife see clearly how Consort Fang fell?”

The Duke’s wife naturally couldn’t say she hadn’t seen clearly. She spoke deliberately, “Princess Consort Pingxi pushed Consort Fang’s shoulder. Consort Fang couldn’t stand steady and fell backward, landing on the ground…”

Before she could finish her sentence, she saw Yun Chu smile.

“Mother Empress, please look,” Yun Chu addressed the Empress. “On Consort Fang’s white dress, there is dust only on her elbow and left front side. This means Consort Fang was either pushed from the rear side, or she fell by herself.”

The Duke’s wife’s expression froze.

Chu Yi coldly questioned, “Why would the Duke’s wife conspire with Consort Fang to falsely accuse my wife?”