Chapter 25: Talented Lady, Elder Sister
“Quite the temper, isn’t she, this Shen Xiaoyi? The matter hasn’t even been clarified yet—what’s the rush? Are you in such a hurry to have this servant killed so no one can get to the truth?” Consort Shu said with a smile.
Shen Chuliu understood perfectly well—this was an intentional distortion meant to make it sound like she was eager to silence the eunuch in front of Qi Yixiu.
“Consort Shu comes from a prestigious family and has read plenty of books. If a few of my words could get a eunuch killed, that would truly be a blessing. If not, then why would Your Ladyship twist my meaning? As someone who currently manages the inner palace, you shouldn’t be condoning this kind of servant behavior,” Shen Chuliu said angrily.
“Shen Xiaoyi, your courage is too great—speaking so casually and defying those above you. That, too, is a crime,” Consort Yi said coolly.
Shen Chuliu didn’t bother with her and simply knelt down. “Your Majesty, I am willing to confront this servant face-to-face. I only ask that Your Majesty grant me a chance to clear my name. Once the truth is uncovered, I ask that Your Majesty immediately punish those who spread these false rumors.”
Qi Yixiu had remained silent until now. At last, he gave a single word: “Granted.”
He wasn’t particularly concerned with palace gossip, but once rumors about the Empress began circulating, it couldn’t be ignored.
He had just been feeling a bit regretful. In his mind, Shen Xiaoyi had always seemed rather decent.
If she was really behind this, it would be a pity. If she wasn’t and lacked the ability to defend herself, that would be an even greater pity.
“You say I instructed you to do something? Then what exactly was it?” Shen Chuliu stood with Ziying’s help and asked the kneeling eunuch with full presence.
She shouldn’t have stood without imperial permission, but she understood one thing clearly—when interrogating someone, you couldn’t do it from a position of weakness.
Her rising and questioning had flowed so naturally that if anyone tried to call her out for impropriety, it would only make them seem unreasonable.
So even though everyone saw it, no one said a word.
The eunuch cowered under her stern gaze, visibly afraid.
His words faltered, hesitant and uncertain: “Xiaoyi… Xiaoyi instructed this servant to spread those rumors…”
“What rumors? Since you say I said it, then say exactly what I said. Every word. Where did I say it? Who was present?” Shen Chuliu, though young and beautiful, carried herself with such angry authority that she was both fearsome and stunning.
“How’s he supposed to answer with you pressing like that, Sister?” said Lu Xiaoyi softly.
“Lu Xiaoyi, you and I used to be like sisters—so close. Now that someone’s falsely accusing me, instead of helping, you’re interrupting? Tell me, did I ask a single wrong question?”
Lu Xiaoyi looked embarrassed. “Sister, you’ve shamed me with your words. I only meant… you asked too quickly, and he can’t respond in time. I didn’t mean anything else.”
Shen Chuliu gave a cold laugh, looked Lu Xiaoyi over from head to toe, then turned her gaze away.
“Go ahead. I don’t think anyone will interrupt you now. Think carefully. If you get one detail wrong, don’t blame the palace punishments for being harsh,” Shen Chuliu said, looking down at the eunuch.
The eunuch looked up and felt his heart jolt. She was just a young and beautiful concubine, yet her ruthless aura was like that of someone who had endured a lifetime of suffering.
Frightened by her words, he struggled to speak.
Sometimes, the more nervous you are, the harder it is to talk.
After a long moment, trembling all over, he stammered, “It… it was three days ago… outside Cuiyun Pavilion… this servant… this servant brought lotus flowers to… to you, and you… you gave… gave this servant silver… and told…”
“Your Majesty!” Li Baolin stood up. “Look at how frightened this servant is. If I may be so bold, I suggest we search Cuiyun Pavilion. If Shen Xiaoyi is truly innocent, then it will clear her name.”
Her words were barbed—searching someone’s quarters in the palace was a major taboo.
Innocent or not, it meant the emperor no longer trusted you.
Even if Shen Chuliu was just a Xiaoyi now?
“Everyone in the palace knows that Li Baolin has always been at odds with An Baolin and looks down on Wei Yunu. Yet today, she’s so aggressively pushing for me to take the fall. Li Baolin, you must be playing a game of killing three birds with one stone. Your Majesty, I suspect Li Baolin is deeply involved in this incident! If we must search a palace, then search mine and hers together!”
“You! I’m not the one being accused here—why search my palace?” Li Baolin said angrily.
“If that’s so, then His Majesty and the consorts are above us to decide. As for me, I’ve followed the rules. Li Baolin, what about you? You’re Baolin, and I’m just a Xiaoyi. Though only one rank apart, there’s still a hierarchy.”
“To speak so boldly before His Majesty—clearly you’ve never respected palace rules.”
Shen Chuliu’s words came fast and sharp, with a force that was very unlike most noblewomen of her rank.
Even Li Baolin, normally quick-tongued, was momentarily speechless.
“That’s enough,” Qi Yixiu finally said, raising his hand. “Chusi, take this servant out and interrogate him properly.”
Though Consort Shu wasn’t much favored, she had accompanied the emperor for many years and knew him well.
At this, she realized the emperor no longer suspected Shen Xiaoyi.
She gladly followed suit. “This servant is full of lies! Why would he go nowhere else and only bring flowers to Shen Xiaoyi?”
“If you knew that, why bother bringing me into it?” Qi Yixiu stood. “Consort Shu, if you’re incapable, then don’t concern yourself with these matters.”
Consort Shu paled and immediately knelt. “Your servant acknowledges her mistake.”
“There won’t be a next time. You—since you were falsely accused today, you shouldn’t be wronged either. Shen, promoted to Talented Lady.”
He walked over to Shen Chuliu as he said this.
Since Consort Shu had knelt, the others had all followed suit.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Long live the emperor. Your Majesty, please take care on your way.” Shen Chuliu bowed three times.
Qi Yixiu’s lips curled slightly, but he said nothing and walked away.
Only then did the others rise.
“Shen Xiaoyi… oh, no, Talented Lady Shen,” Consort Shu said with a vague smile. “You do have a sharp tongue.”
“Your Ladyship, please forgive me. I was simply anxious,” Shen Chuliu now seemed like a docile little lamb.
Women in the palace were always fierce among themselves, but soft and submissive before the emperor.
Shen Chuliu, however, was something different. Consort Shu studied her for a long moment. “Enough. You may go.”
“Thank you, Consort Shu. I take my leave,” Shen Chuliu said, bowing and exiting with Ziying’s support.
The others trickled out of Fuyang Palace in small groups. As she left, Li Baolin walked quickly, clutching her maid’s hand—as if afraid Shen Chuliu would cause her trouble.
Lu Xiaoyi came up to her. “Talented Lady Sister.” Just a moment ago she had called her “younger sister,” and now she addressed her as “older sister.”
“What is it, Lu Xiaoyi? If there’s nothing, I’m going back. After this unjust disaster today, I need a good cry,” Shen Chuliu replied coldly.
Shen Chuliu understood perfectly well—this was an intentional distortion meant to make it sound like she was eager to silence the eunuch in front of Qi Yixiu.
“Consort Shu comes from a prestigious family and has read plenty of books. If a few of my words could get a eunuch killed, that would truly be a blessing. If not, then why would Your Ladyship twist my meaning? As someone who currently manages the inner palace, you shouldn’t be condoning this kind of servant behavior,” Shen Chuliu said angrily.
“Shen Xiaoyi, your courage is too great—speaking so casually and defying those above you. That, too, is a crime,” Consort Yi said coolly.
Shen Chuliu didn’t bother with her and simply knelt down. “Your Majesty, I am willing to confront this servant face-to-face. I only ask that Your Majesty grant me a chance to clear my name. Once the truth is uncovered, I ask that Your Majesty immediately punish those who spread these false rumors.”
Qi Yixiu had remained silent until now. At last, he gave a single word: “Granted.”
He wasn’t particularly concerned with palace gossip, but once rumors about the Empress began circulating, it couldn’t be ignored.
He had just been feeling a bit regretful. In his mind, Shen Xiaoyi had always seemed rather decent.
If she was really behind this, it would be a pity. If she wasn’t and lacked the ability to defend herself, that would be an even greater pity.
“You say I instructed you to do something? Then what exactly was it?” Shen Chuliu stood with Ziying’s help and asked the kneeling eunuch with full presence.
She shouldn’t have stood without imperial permission, but she understood one thing clearly—when interrogating someone, you couldn’t do it from a position of weakness.
Her rising and questioning had flowed so naturally that if anyone tried to call her out for impropriety, it would only make them seem unreasonable.
So even though everyone saw it, no one said a word.
The eunuch cowered under her stern gaze, visibly afraid.
His words faltered, hesitant and uncertain: “Xiaoyi… Xiaoyi instructed this servant to spread those rumors…”
“What rumors? Since you say I said it, then say exactly what I said. Every word. Where did I say it? Who was present?” Shen Chuliu, though young and beautiful, carried herself with such angry authority that she was both fearsome and stunning.
“How’s he supposed to answer with you pressing like that, Sister?” said Lu Xiaoyi softly.
“Lu Xiaoyi, you and I used to be like sisters—so close. Now that someone’s falsely accusing me, instead of helping, you’re interrupting? Tell me, did I ask a single wrong question?”
Lu Xiaoyi looked embarrassed. “Sister, you’ve shamed me with your words. I only meant… you asked too quickly, and he can’t respond in time. I didn’t mean anything else.”
Shen Chuliu gave a cold laugh, looked Lu Xiaoyi over from head to toe, then turned her gaze away.
“Go ahead. I don’t think anyone will interrupt you now. Think carefully. If you get one detail wrong, don’t blame the palace punishments for being harsh,” Shen Chuliu said, looking down at the eunuch.
The eunuch looked up and felt his heart jolt. She was just a young and beautiful concubine, yet her ruthless aura was like that of someone who had endured a lifetime of suffering.
Frightened by her words, he struggled to speak.
Sometimes, the more nervous you are, the harder it is to talk.
After a long moment, trembling all over, he stammered, “It… it was three days ago… outside Cuiyun Pavilion… this servant… this servant brought lotus flowers to… to you, and you… you gave… gave this servant silver… and told…”
“Your Majesty!” Li Baolin stood up. “Look at how frightened this servant is. If I may be so bold, I suggest we search Cuiyun Pavilion. If Shen Xiaoyi is truly innocent, then it will clear her name.”
Her words were barbed—searching someone’s quarters in the palace was a major taboo.
Innocent or not, it meant the emperor no longer trusted you.
Even if Shen Chuliu was just a Xiaoyi now?
“Everyone in the palace knows that Li Baolin has always been at odds with An Baolin and looks down on Wei Yunu. Yet today, she’s so aggressively pushing for me to take the fall. Li Baolin, you must be playing a game of killing three birds with one stone. Your Majesty, I suspect Li Baolin is deeply involved in this incident! If we must search a palace, then search mine and hers together!”
“You! I’m not the one being accused here—why search my palace?” Li Baolin said angrily.
“If that’s so, then His Majesty and the consorts are above us to decide. As for me, I’ve followed the rules. Li Baolin, what about you? You’re Baolin, and I’m just a Xiaoyi. Though only one rank apart, there’s still a hierarchy.”
“To speak so boldly before His Majesty—clearly you’ve never respected palace rules.”
Shen Chuliu’s words came fast and sharp, with a force that was very unlike most noblewomen of her rank.
Even Li Baolin, normally quick-tongued, was momentarily speechless.
“That’s enough,” Qi Yixiu finally said, raising his hand. “Chusi, take this servant out and interrogate him properly.”
Though Consort Shu wasn’t much favored, she had accompanied the emperor for many years and knew him well.
At this, she realized the emperor no longer suspected Shen Xiaoyi.
She gladly followed suit. “This servant is full of lies! Why would he go nowhere else and only bring flowers to Shen Xiaoyi?”
“If you knew that, why bother bringing me into it?” Qi Yixiu stood. “Consort Shu, if you’re incapable, then don’t concern yourself with these matters.”
Consort Shu paled and immediately knelt. “Your servant acknowledges her mistake.”
“There won’t be a next time. You—since you were falsely accused today, you shouldn’t be wronged either. Shen, promoted to Talented Lady.”
He walked over to Shen Chuliu as he said this.
Since Consort Shu had knelt, the others had all followed suit.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Long live the emperor. Your Majesty, please take care on your way.” Shen Chuliu bowed three times.
Qi Yixiu’s lips curled slightly, but he said nothing and walked away.
Only then did the others rise.
“Shen Xiaoyi… oh, no, Talented Lady Shen,” Consort Shu said with a vague smile. “You do have a sharp tongue.”
“Your Ladyship, please forgive me. I was simply anxious,” Shen Chuliu now seemed like a docile little lamb.
Women in the palace were always fierce among themselves, but soft and submissive before the emperor.
Shen Chuliu, however, was something different. Consort Shu studied her for a long moment. “Enough. You may go.”
“Thank you, Consort Shu. I take my leave,” Shen Chuliu said, bowing and exiting with Ziying’s support.
The others trickled out of Fuyang Palace in small groups. As she left, Li Baolin walked quickly, clutching her maid’s hand—as if afraid Shen Chuliu would cause her trouble.
Lu Xiaoyi came up to her. “Talented Lady Sister.” Just a moment ago she had called her “younger sister,” and now she addressed her as “older sister.”
“What is it, Lu Xiaoyi? If there’s nothing, I’m going back. After this unjust disaster today, I need a good cry,” Shen Chuliu replied coldly.
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