PFC Chapter 142 Backlash
Chapter 142 Backlash
Jiang Lige walked forward with a careful demeanor, his face calm, as if nothing had happened.
"According to the Empress Dowager's order, I have already had the incense tested by the imperial physician, and it is indeed an aphrodisiac."
"I knew it!" Jiang Chuchu raised her head excitedly, "Someone must have framed me! Queen Mother, Queen, please help me!"
Before Jiang Chuchu could finish her argument, Jiang Lige interrupted her.
"But this incense only works on men, and has no effect on women." After saying that, Jiang Lige looked at Jiang Chuchu with a smile, "Chuchu, why don't you explain to us first, what's going on today?"
Since she wasn't hit by any aphrodisiac, how could Jiang Chuchu do such a thing with Ning Luyang?
Or was it that Jiang Chuchu ordered the aphrodisiac incense herself?
Jiang Chuchu naturally understood the meaning of Jiang Lige's words. She was caught off guard by the question and was stunned for a moment before speaking.
"How should I know? I'm the victim! I felt a little unwell in the palace just now, and I wanted to go out to get rid of the smell of alcohol, but I lost consciousness as soon as I left! When I woke up, I was already in the lakeside pavilion!"
Jiang Lige asked again, "So Chuchu means there's something wrong with the food at the banquet?"
Empress Xiao, who was inexplicably slandered, immediately became angry and responded bluntly.
"Princess Chuchu, I'm afraid there's nothing wrong with that. Today's meals were prepared by the Imperial Kitchen, and you're eating the same as everyone else! Oh, and I also gave you a pot of wine, but why is it that Princess Zhaohua has no problem with any of the wines, but yours is the only one that's problematic?"
Jiang Chuchu's face turned pale after being criticized by Empress Xiao. She then explained, "That's not what Chuchu meant. The Empress naturally treats us very well, but who knows if there might be something wrong with the other links?"
Empress Xiao snorted and turned her head away unhappily. Jiang Lige did not respond, but clapped his hands and several palace maids came forward and saluted in an orderly manner.
"No need to be so polite. Please tell me what you have seen."
Palace Maid A was the first to speak up. "I used to be responsible for sweeping the Taiye Lake, and I've seen the Eighth Master and Princess Chuchu having secret meetings more than once. Because I was caught by the Eighth Master once, I was transferred to the laundry department the next day."
Then, Eunuch B stepped forward and said, "In reply to your masters, I am a servant of the Imperial Household Department. I once accepted money from the Eighth Master to purchase rouge for women outside the palace and sent it to the side hall where Princess Chuchu lives."
Palace Maid C testified, "I was responsible for delivering the rouge. Furthermore, I was also responsible for delivering the reply letter that Princess Chuchu sent to Master Ba."
Palace maid Ding also said, "I work in the side hall, and I've seen the Eighth Master go to the side hall to visit Princess Chuchu late at night a few times."
After the four people finished their testimonies, Jiang Lige stood up calmly and glanced coldly at Ning Luyang and Jiang Chuchu who were kneeling on the ground.
"The Empress has already sent people to search the palace. I'm sure that soon, physical evidence of your sexual encounter will be presented. If we investigate further, I'm afraid there will be even more. Do you two have anything else to explain?"
Jiang Chuchu's face was pale. As the original planner, she had designed almost every possible way for Jiang Lige to change her confession as cleverly as possible, blocking all of her escape routes and leaving her with no way to turn things around.
But now the player has changed from Jiang Lige to herself. For a moment, she didn't know whether to lament her own tight and inescapable strategy, or to lament her stupidity of being outmaneuvered by Jiang Lige.
From being the controller of the game to being the victim, Jiang Chuchu was so unwilling in her heart that she stared at Jiang Lige with her eyes fixed, and she couldn't even pretend to be innocent anymore.
Ning Luyang was obviously much calmer. He knew very well that the matter had come to this point. Even if they denied it and made a scapegoat to be the so-called "mastermind", it would not change the established facts.
He and Jiang Chuchu did that thing in public!
Instead of making excuses and saying that others framed him, he would only be accused of being irresponsible, and Jiang Chuchu would also become alienated from him and no longer plan for him!
For now, it is better to retreat and admit love honestly. The love may offset some of the guilt with the youthful impulse. The outcome will be the same anyway. This way you can gain a reputation of being responsible.
Thinking of this, Ning Luyang, who had been silent for a long time, took a deep breath, folded his hands and bowed solemnly with a sincere tone.
"Your Highness the Queen Mother and the Empress Dowager, Chuchu and Lü Yang have indeed been in love for a long time. However, because Chuchu was the concubine Teng who came with Princess Zhaohua, we have only dared to interact privately. But now that Princess Zhaohua no longer needs a concubine Teng, Chuchu and I couldn't help but act so absurdly. Now that the matter is done, Ning Lü Yang knows that this matter has tarnished the reputation of the royal family and is unforgivable. I dare not ask for forgiveness from the Queen Mother and the Empress Dowager. I am willing to expel Yudie and demote her to a commoner, but I do ask that the Queen Mother and the Empress Dowager spare Chuchu."
After Ning Luyang opened his mouth, Jiang Chuchu came back to her senses from her bewilderment. She leaned over and maintained the same posture as Ning Luyang, once again playing the role of Little White Flower.
"No! It was Chuchu who fell in love with the Eighth Master first, and it was Chuchu who chose to lie when the truth was revealed. Chuchu doesn't want to affect the Eighth Master's future. If the Queen Mother and the Empress want to punish someone, then let Chuchu be punished!"
The scene of Ning Luyang and Jiang Chuchu fighting over who would be punished for "romantic love" was so disgusting to Jiang Lige, and everyone else on the field also looked disgusted.
When the two were about to reach the part about "sharing life and death", Empress Xiao deliberately threw this hot potato to Empress Dowager Jiang with difficulty.
"This... this matter involves Nan Chu after all. Otherwise, how about asking the Queen Mother for advice?"
Empress Dowager Jiang silently rolled her eyes at Empress Xiao and said with a fake smile, "What decisions can an old woman like me make? When it comes to Southern Chu, which involves the diplomatic relations between the two countries, the decision should be made by the Emperor. When it comes to family matters, the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother. Since the Emperor has handed over the power of the harem to the Empress, it is the Empress who should make the decisions on harem matters."
"Your Majesty is right. This matter still needs to be decided by His Majesty."
Empress Xiao was so overwhelmed by Empress Dowager Jiang's slippery words that she had no other choice but to join in the fight and pass the blame to Emperor Shengwu. She then ordered people to detain the two men first and wait for Emperor Shengwu to make up his mind before taking any further action.
Seeing the two people being dragged away roughly by the palace servants, Jiang Lige had a slight smile between her beautiful eyebrows, light and shallow, but without any trace of the pride of a winner.
Then, she suddenly asked a question that no one expected.
"I still have one thing I don't understand. If you two are in love, why do you want to light aphrodisiac incense?"
After she asked the question, she gave a funny and humorous answer.
"Could it be... to liven things up?"