Chapter 5: An Unfounded Accusation

The tray lurched sideways.

The pot of scalding tea looked like it was about to spill all over Zhao, but somehow it swerved midair and headed straight for Su Qingyuan's face!

A few people in the hall gasped.

Zhao shot to her feet, completely forgetting herself, and let out a yelp—"Ahhh!"

Su Qingyuan dodged to the side in the same instant. The hot water splashed past her shoulder and drenched the table between her and Zhao. The teacup hit the floor and shattered.

The little maid dropped to her knees in terror, banging her head on the ground. "This servant deserves death! I deserve death!"

Then she looked toward Qingyuan. A gentle smile appeared on her lips.

“How fortunate.”She glanced at the steaming tea spread across the table, “Had Lady Su reacted one moment more slowly…”

Before Qingyuan could answer, Zhao turned to the maid. "Which palace are you from?"

The girl was trembling all over, her voice hoarse. "I—I'm from… Chengqian Palace."

The hall went dead silent.

Zhao blinked, then narrowed her eyes. A slow smile spread across her face, like she was savoring a dish just served.

"Ohhh." She drew out the word, straightening up slowly. "Chengqian Palace?"

She looked back toward Qingyuan: “What a coincidence.”

Her tone remained perfectly gentle.

“A maid from Chengqian Palace nearly scalded me during Her Majesty’s Spring Tea Banquet.”She paused briefly, “I wonder…was it merely an accident?”

No one dared answer. The accusation hung quietly in the air. Everyone stared at Su Qingyuan.

“What a pity.”Qin Yao lowered her eyes and sighed softly, “Such a pleasant banquet…and now this has happened.”

Though she never once mentioned Qingyuan, every word quietly nudged suspicion in the same direction.

Consort Ning frowned almost imperceptibly.

Lady Lin looked from one person to another, utterly bewildered.

Even Shen Yuyan quietly set down her teacup.

Qingyuan didn't rush to defend herself and didn't panic either. She just looked at the trembling maid on the floor, "You, look up."

The maid raised her head, still shaking.

"What's your name?"

"L-Lanxin…"

"You claim to serve Chengqian Palace. Then tell me—what's sitting in the southwest corner of my room?"

The maid's face went blank. She opened her mouth. Nothing came out. The silence stretched.

Qingyuan added softly, almost gently, "If you really serve me… you should know that."

Qingyuan's question hung in the air.

Lanxin’s mouth opened, then closed. Her eyes darted around like she was searching for an answer that wasn't there. Nothing came out.

The silence said everything.

Qin cleared her throat softly, offering a light laugh: “Come now, Lady Su, she's just a servant. The poor girl's scared out of her wits. How could she possibly remember where things are in your room?"

Lanxin latched onto the lifeline immediately, nodding frantically.

"Y-yes! This servant is just a lowly maid who works outside! I don't usually go into the inner chambers, and when I do, I keep my head down—I wouldn't dare look around! And Lady Su doesn't let me inside much anyway!"

Qingyuan listened quietly, her expression unreadable. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips: "You don't go inside much? I don't let you in?"

She tilted her head, "Then let me get this straight: you and I are not close. I barely even let you step into my room."

Qingyuan paused, letting the weight of her words sink in: "So… if we're not close, and I don't even trust you enough to be around me—why would I send you to do something like that for me?"

She looked at Zhao, then back at Lanxin: "If I really wanted to do something, why would I entrust such a thing to someone I cannot even trust to enter my chamber?"

She let out a soft, almost amused laugh.

"Using a maid I barely even let into my room to carry out a plot like that… that's just asking to be caught, don't you think?"

The room fell into complete silence.

One of the consorts quietly covered her mouth with her fan.

Someone else let out a small, barely audible cough.

Lanxin's face had gone pale, her head was practically touching the ground.

"Come on," Zhao's smiled, "Everyone knows Qingdai is your personal maid. She's been at your side for years. Everyone in the palace has seen her face a hundred times."

She gave a light laugh. "If you really wanted to do something to someone—why would you send someone everyone recognizes? That's just asking to get caught, don't you think?"

"Of course you'd pick someone unfamiliar. Someone nobody would notice."

She glanced at Lanxin, then back at Qingyuan, "Aren't you clever?"

Qing nodded along from beside Zhao, her voice soft and agreeable: "Imperial Concubine Zhao’s reasoning is not without merit."

Before anyone could respond—

Consort Shen finally set down her teacup: "How troublesome."

No one could tell whether she was referring to the maid or the argument itself.

She glanced at the trembling girl.

"Since everyone seems so certain...Why don't we simply check the palace register?That should settle the matter." Her voice was calm, almost lazy.

Zhao's face stiffened. For the briefest moment, Zhao's smile faltered.

Then she laughed softly: "Of course. If checking the register can clear Lady Su, that’s nice."

Qin glanced at Lanxin, "Come on! Her Majesty’s banquet should not be disturbed over a single servant."

"Enough." Mingshu's voice cut through the hall.

Finally, all quiet.

"We're checking the records." She turned to Nanny Xu, "Go get—"