Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 307 Suspicion Arises
Xiao Qing'er was taken aback.

With one hand protecting her lower abdomen and the other covering her face, her shoulders trembled slightly, making her appear like a terrified and grief-stricken concubine.

"Your Highness, if they didn't curse and poison us, could it be that I used my unborn child to frame them?"

"Oh? That's true. Even tigers don't eat their cubs." Li Zhao's thin lips parted slightly as he turned around.

His gaze swept over the ashen-faced Abbess Huiming and finally landed on Xue Sui's face.

He paused for a moment, his expression unreadable.

"Master Miaozhen, is it because life at Shuiyue Nunnery is too leisurely that you've become so lawless? Why insist on choosing such a grand blessing ceremony and committing this heinous act?"

Xue Sui calmly said, "Your Highness is wise. Abbess Huiming is upright and virtuous, and highly respected. Shuiyue Nunnery is extremely cautious in presiding over the royal Dharma assembly. I dare to say that there must be something fishy about this matter."

At this moment, Master Huiming seemed to recover from her great shock and stepped forward with her palms clasped together, trembling.

"Amitabha--"

Her voice was hoarse with shock.

“This humble nun is ashamed! Just now, when I held the still bottle, I was suddenly inspired by a divine spirit, and my mind became distracted, and my fingers suddenly lost their strength… This humble nun deserves to die a thousand deaths and is willing to accept punishment. However, this matter is solely my fault and has nothing to do with my disciples. I beg Your Highness and the Empress Dowager to investigate thoroughly…”

Divine calling?

Isn't this implying that Buddha refused to accept this gift?
Li Zhao glanced at the old nun noncommittally, then walked straight towards the pile of glaring fragments, stopping just three steps away from Xue Sui.

He leaned slightly forward, his sharp gaze sweeping over the debris and water stains on the ground, as if confirming something...

A moment later, he picked up a shard and slowly straightened up.

“Cursing the imperial heir and destroying sacred objects are heinous crimes punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one’s family…” He slowly repeated Xiao Qing’er’s accusations, lightly kicking away a sharp piece of broken porcelain with the tip of his boot, and turned his gaze back to Xue Sui.

"Xue Liu, it was bad enough that you were incredibly foolish before, but now that you've entered the Buddhist order, you're dragging all the nuns down to hell with you? You truly don't know the immensity of heaven and earth."

Li Zhao's eyes were unfathomable, dark and unfathomable.

There was no anger, no questioning, only a cold, all-knowing inquiry.

Xue Sui knew he was complaining.

They complained that she wouldn't listen to advice and insisted on going down the mountain, stepping into the dangerous Baohua Palace.

A restrained undercurrent permeated the two of them.

Xue Sui lowered her gaze slightly, catching a glimpse of the porcelain shard that Li Zhao was unconsciously fiddling with between his fingers. A faint smile flickered in her eyes, unseen by others…

This person...

Silent complaints, but openly "handing over the knife".

Following his guidance, Xue Sui asked in a deep voice, "Your Highness, Consort Li has suddenly encountered a misfortune, and the safety of the imperial heir is uncertain. The most urgent task is to treat Consort Li and thoroughly investigate the truth. Isn't this haste in silencing people disrupting the sincerity of our prayers and putting the cart before the horse?"

Li Zhao's voice was low and tinged with mockery.

"Hmph! Still so sharp-tongued, and courting death."

Xue Sui replied respectfully, "Your Highness is wise; this humble nun is merely stating the facts and dares not speak recklessly."

Li Zhao: "The truth? Could it be that the Buddha himself manifested and cast a spell over all this broken porcelain and bloodstains?"

That's right to say...

Everyone had their own thoughts and pondered the matter silently.

Every word sounds accusatory, but upon closer examination, didn't the Crown Prince subtly lead the thread of suspicion toward Consort Li's eagerness to convict her?

On one side is the beloved concubine, still in shock and tearfully making accusations.

On one side is a solitary, calm, and serene nun.

The Crown Prince's attitude, however, was ambiguous and unclear.

Empress Xie watched anxiously from the sidelines, repeatedly trying to signal Li Zhao with her eyes, but Li Zhao seemed not to notice.

Helpless, the Empress could only clear her throat in an attempt to calm things down.

“Master Miaozhen is right. This matter is of great importance. Perhaps... we should wait until the imperial physician has examined Consort Li’s condition before making a decision…”

Before he could finish speaking, hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

"The imperial physician has arrived!"

Two imperial physicians, carrying medicine chests, rushed into the hall, panting.

Before he could catch his breath, he knelt down on the ground.

"We have come here as summoned."

Empress Dowager Chengqing's tense expression eased slightly, and she said sternly, "Why haven't you treated Consort Li yet?"

"I will obey your orders!"

"This humble nun dares to request permission—" Xue Sui's cold voice suddenly rang out.

Then, under the scrutinizing gazes of the crowd, she lowered her eyes and bowed slightly.

"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty the Empress, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Her posture was very respectful, but her words were earth-shattering.

"This humble nun dares to accompany the imperial physician to Consort Li's side to examine her health more closely?"

Everyone in the hall was shocked.

"How dare you!" The head maid in Empress Dowager Chengqing's palace was the first to react, and she shouted sternly.

"You vixen! Even on the verge of death, you still dare to spout such nonsense. Her Majesty is of noble birth; how dare you, such a filthy person, approach and defile her? Guards! Seize this vile maid who curses the imperial heir..."

"No hurries?"

Li Zhao raised his hand, and with a simple gesture, stopped the eunuch who was rushing towards him.

He looked at Xiao Qing'er, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Your Highness, this Miaozhen may lack other skills, but her ability to diagnose illnesses by taking a pulse is quite remarkable. It would be good to let her take a look. Firstly, she might be able to discern the cause immediately, saving us a lot of trouble. Secondly..."

He paused, a very faint smile curving his lips.

"It will also convince them and prevent others from saying that the royal family is unfair, biased, and wrongly accusing the monks."

He spoke the last few words slowly, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Xiao Qing'er didn't understand why Li Zhao suddenly interfered, and she was even more confused about what Xue Sui was up to.

"Such a bewitching nun, I would avoid her at all costs, how could I dare let her get close..."

She tried to politely decline.

Li Zhao, however, seemed not to hear, stepped aside, and gestured "please" to Xue Sui. He calmly led Xue Sui to Xiao Qing'er, his gaze deep and smiling, as if he were watching a trapped beast's performance.

Everyone's hearts were in their throats.

Xue Sui remained expressionless, clasped his hands together, and calmly walked towards Xiao Qing'er, whose face was growing increasingly pale.

"What...what do you want to do? Stop! Don't come near Her Majesty..."

Green Calyx stood in front of Xiao Qing'er, her voice low and menacing.

Xue Sui stopped in his tracks.

She didn't look at Lü'e, her cold gaze fixed on Xiao Qing'er's exquisitely made-up face, which couldn't hide her pain, and her tone was indifferent.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. This humble nun observes Your Majesty's complexion. Although you have applied makeup, it cannot conceal the bluish-gray under your eyelids, and your lips have lost their rosy hue, appearing instead pale... This is a sign of deficiency of both qi and blood, and stagnation of liver qi... Forgive this humble nun for speaking frankly, but with stagnation in the middle jiao, Your Majesty does not appear to be a pregnant woman."

Xiao Qing'er's pupils suddenly contracted.

The ladies-in-waiting and eunuchs around them were also stunned.

What... what's going on here?
Xue Liu actually accused Consort Li of faking her pregnancy in public?
This is a grave crime of deceiving the emperor!

Ignoring the reactions of the crowd, Xue Sui slowly raised his right hand, which was tucked into his wide monk's sleeve.

The hand was pale, with long, slender fingers and neatly trimmed nails.

In the instant Xiao Qing'er became angry, he subtly raised his hand and grabbed her wrist.

"If it wasn't a misdiagnosis by the imperial physician, then it must be a mixture of *Euphorbia lathyris* and red musk powder, exactly the same method Princess Ping Le used to bribe the imperial physician to fake a pregnancy." "You're talking nonsense!" Xiao Qing'er trembled with anger. "Imperial Physician Zhang. You, you tell me..."

The imperial physician knelt down with a thud and kowtowed in a trembling voice.

"Your Majesty, I dare not deceive you, and I am willing to be examined..."

Xue Sui slowly withdrew his hand and took out a neatly folded plain white silk handkerchief from his sleeve.

"This handkerchief contains the juice of purple ginger and madder, which changes color upon contact with blood. If Your Highness is truly pregnant and has abundant essence and blood, the handkerchief will turn light red. If you are not pregnant, and only menstrual blood is visible, or... if red musk powder is used to create a false pregnancy, the handkerchief will turn bluish-gray..."

She held Supa in her palm, her gaze still calm as she looked at Xiao Qing'er, her voice utterly indifferent.

"To prove Your Majesty's innocence, and to dispel the doubts of His Highness and the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty... would you be willing to give it a try?"

The air stagnated again, as if frozen.

The repercussions of Ping Le's alleged miscarriage during the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration have yet to subside and have become a taboo within the palace.

Xiao Qing'er and Ping Le have been close friends since childhood, and they've done their share of scheming and plotting. Although Ping Le has been demoted to Shuozhou, she still retains influence in the capital, and it's hard to guarantee she won't be secretly having an affair with Xiao Qing'er…

When people connected this incident to Ping Le, they felt that everything made sense.

As Xiao Qing'er looked at the plain handkerchief, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

This is her handkerchief...

That bastard Xue Liu.

Not only did he know her secret.

They also want to publicly force her to admit to faking her pregnancy to gain favor, thus nailing her to the pillar of shame.

If she doesn't answer, it will clearly show she has something to hide, making it seem like she's faking a pregnancy, and even suggesting she's framing someone. His Majesty already disliked her because of Ping Le's affair; if she does it again, she'll face certain death, and it will also implicate the Xiao family…

If she accepts, she will also fall into the trap that Xue Liu has carefully laid.

Under the guise of inspection, they exposed her shameful deeds to the public...

Not knowing whether to accept or not, Xiao Qing'er stood frozen in place.
-
Shuiyue Nunnery, East Wing Zen Room.

The cold wind swirled the flying snow, pattering against the windowpanes with a soft rustling sound.

Inside the meditation room, the charcoal brazier was burning brightly, occasionally sputtering a spark or two, roasting a few chestnuts until their skins were golden brown and emitting an enticing sweet aroma.

Today, the nun went to the capital for a Buddhist ceremony, so Xiao Zhao, Ruyi, and the others had some free time and stayed in Xue Sui's meditation room, keeping warm by the charcoal brazier and eating some snacks.

The interior was warm and inviting, a world apart from the outside.

Ruyi sat on a small stool, carefully wiping a slightly worn boxwood makeup box with a fine linen cloth.

The box has simple carvings and is an old item belonging to Xue Sui.

It contained some hair ties and hairpins that girls used to frequently use.

As Ruyi wiped the cloth, she sighed, wondering when the girl would be able to use it...

Xiao Zhao sat cross-legged on the edge of the couch, slowly and meticulously wiping her precious short sword. The dark blade reflected her calm and focused eyes, its cold light concealed.

Jinshu was tidying up Xue Sui's few half-new and half-old monk robes, carefully smoothing out the worn areas on the cuffs and collar.

Only Perrin, a young girl, was intently turning over the chestnuts.

"I wonder how the young lady is doing in Baohua Hall right now..." Ruyi muttered softly, her voice filled with worry.

"That Consort Li was never easy to deal with back in her maiden family. Now that she's in the emperor's favor, she'll probably become even more ruthless..."

"Don't overthink it." Jinshu didn't even look up as she put a neatly folded monk's robe into the box. "The young lady knows what she's doing. Let's guard the house and wait for her to return."

Ruyi gave a soft "hmm".

Xiao Zhao swiftly sheathed her short sword with a clang and looked out the window.

"Auntie, it's too quiet outside..."

Jinshu's fingers trembled slightly as she met her gaze, her brows furrowing slightly.

Xiao Zhao had been with Xue Sui since childhood, and was very alert, so she never made a mistake.

"I'll go take a look." Jinshu was about to get up when Xiao Zhao was already a step ahead, sliding silently off the edge of the bed like a cat, and flashing to the door, listening intently.

Before long, a heavy, rapid sound of horses' hooves came from outside the temple gate.

"Open the door! We are acting on the King's orders to apprehend the wanted criminals and search for traitors. Open the door immediately!"

Then came the sound of heavy, hurried footsteps...

The clanging of armor mingled with the harsh shouts of men.

"Bang!"

There was a loud bang.

The main gate of Shuiyue Nunnery was wide open.

The soldiers who rammed the door looked fierce and menacing, shattering the tranquility of Shuiyue Nunnery.

"What are you doing?" The little gatekeeper's terrified question was abruptly interrupted.

"Get out of the way! I'm acting on the king's orders!"

"Search!"

"Search every room and every corner carefully."

"Report any suspicious items immediately!"

The air was thick with the glint of swords and the chilling aura of armor as armored warriors surged in like a tidal wave…

The suppressed gasps and cries of the nuns shattered the warmth of the meditation room.

“Aunt.” Xiao Zhao winked at Jin Shu.

"I'll buy you some time. You guys pack your things quickly."

"We must not take risks rashly and ruin the young lady's plans." Jinshu knew something was wrong. Although her voice was steady, her hands moved faster.

"Quick! Pack up the important things..."

"Yes."

Xiao Zhao's eyes flashed with anger, and she suddenly stood up, her short sword instantly sliding into her sleeve.

The makeup box in Ruyi's hand fell to the ground with a "thud," scattering its contents all over the floor.

Pei'er was also startled and hurriedly helped them tidy up.

"boom--"

The flimsy door of the meditation room was kicked open by a tremendous force.

A biting wind, carrying snowflakes, suddenly rushed in, causing sparks to fly from the charcoal brazier.

Several burly men dressed in soft armor and carrying weapons barged in menacingly.

The leading captain's eyes were sinister, and he scanned the women in the room with undisguised malice. With a wave of his hand, he gave them no time to react.

"Take him down, search him..."

"Not an inch of land can be spared!"

The soldiers, as fierce as wolves and tigers, immediately pounced on every part of the room.

The trunk was roughly opened, and clothes and scriptures were haphazardly torn out and thrown on the ground.

The books on the bookshelf scattered all over the floor with a clatter.

Even the bedding on the tatami mat was torn apart, and lint flew everywhere...

　Li Zhao: I and Ping An are just that in sync.

　　Xue Sui: I've written down all the insults you've said to me in my little notebook. I could add another person to the album.

　　Xiao Zhao: Okay, order accepted!

　　(End of this chapter)