CHAPTER 151: CHAPTER 151 SLANDER

Yongning Palace.

The Empress Dowager sat upright on the Phoenix Chair, her sharp gaze seemingly able to pierce through people.

Su Jin stepped forward and respectfully greeted, "Empress Dowager, may you have enduring prosperity and health."

The Empress Dowager’s face was as cold as frost.

The words "Kneel down" turned twice in her throat but ultimately did not come out.

Nanny Li said coldly, "The Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion comes into the palace once, and no one knows how many will suffer for it."

Su Jin frowned slightly, "What do you mean by saying that when I enter the palace, no one knows how many will suffer for it?"

"It’s one thing to eat recklessly, but you mustn’t speak recklessly. I know the Imperial Chefs have been making trips to the latrine, but you can’t just pin the blame on me because I visited the Imperial Kitchen," Su Jin said.

"If it’s not you who poisoned them, who else could it be?!" Nanny Li rebuked.

"Couldn’t it be that they themselves were suicidal enough to take poison?" Su Jin retorted.

"...."

That single sentence left Nanny Li speechless, her face turning white.

"Who would be foolish enough to poison themselves?!" Nanny Li gritted her teeth.

"Maybe those Imperial Chefs are just that foolish," Xingxing added.

"...."

"Nanny Li has no evidence, yet you confidently assert that I poisoned them. This is very careless. Once the matter is clarified, and if you have slandered me, whether or not the Empress Dowager punishes you, I might take matters into my own hands," Su Jin said.

Nanny Li was furious, almost losing her balance.

The Empress Dowager could see it now; this bandit master and servant won’t shed a tear until they see a coffin.

"Why haven’t those Imperial Chefs arrived yet?!" the Empress Dowager asked impatiently.

A eunuch ran in from outside and reported, "Empress Dowager, those Imperial Chefs are occupied with trips to the latrine and can’t come. The Imperial Physician checked their pulse, and they indeed have been poisoned."

"Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion, what else can you say?!" Nanny Li sneered.

In response, Su Jin rolled her eyes.

"This only proves that the Imperial Chefs were poisoned, not that I poisoned them."

"Nanny Li, as the most trusted person by the Empress Dowager’s side, being so rash will lead to many wrongful convictions in the palace backrooms," Su Jin said with concern.

Su Jin looked at the Empress Dowager and said, "Empress Dowager, let this little eunuch go and ask the Imperial Chefs whether they were poisoned by themselves or if I poisoned them."

The little eunuch, "...."

The Empress Dowager glanced at the little eunuch.

The little eunuch turned around and left.

The Imperial Kitchen.

The Imperial Chefs were making trips to the latrine.

The Imperial Kitchen, originally fragrant, was now reeking with stench.

The little eunuch entered while holding his nose.

The Imperial Chefs, supported back, were asked by the little eunuch, "Was it the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion who poisoned you?"

The Imperial Chefs’ faces were pale.

Needless to ask, of course it was.

But this couldn’t be spoken of—it was because they tried to curry favor with the Empress Dowager, provoking the fearsome Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion beforehand, bringing disaster upon themselves.

They had only themselves to blame for overestimating their abilities.

The Empress Dowager and Princess Shouning both suffered defeats at the hands of this master-servant pair; why couldn’t they see the futility in provoking this hornet’s nest?

The Imperial Chefs deeply regretted their actions.

The Imperial Chefs did not speak, prompting the little eunuch to urge, "The Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion is currently at Yongning Palace. If you have grievances, speak up, the Empress Dowager will serve justice for you."

They did have grievances.

But they were grievances they could not voice.

"Having squatted in the latrine for so long, my head isn’t quite right now. Let’s first discuss among ourselves," an Imperial Chef said.

"...."

An Imperial Chef turned to find the others.

The little eunuch dared not approach.

After a short wait.

The Imperial Chefs came over, and the little eunuch hurriedly asked, "Was it the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion who poisoned you?"

"No, we ate something bad ourselves," the Imperial Chefs replied.

"...."

"Surely it was the dish from the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion that upset your stomachs!" the little eunuch insisted.

"No, we didn’t want to be chosen by the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion, so we added something to the food, but the dosage wasn’t enough, only showing effects now. It truly has nothing to do with the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion," the Imperial Chefs said.

The little eunuch’s expression turned grim.

"Are you afraid of the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion and thus covering for her?" the little eunuch asked coldly.

"No, the fact is that it really has nothing to do with the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion; we cannot falsely accuse an innocent person," one of the Imperial Chefs quickly said.

An innocent person?!

The Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion was raised in a bandit’s den, how could she be an innocent person?!

They must be very bold.

Knowing full well that the Empress Dowager wanted to take this opportunity to deal with that master and servant pair, yet daring to say such things.

Were they trying to help that bandit master and servant drive the Empress Dowager to her death with anger?!

The Imperial Chefs cleared Su Jin of the accusations, with people all around them watching, so the little eunuch couldn’t forcibly make them change their statements.

The little eunuch angrily returned to Yongning Palace.

As soon as he entered, Nanny Li asked, "What did the Imperial Chefs say?!"

The little eunuch pulled the corners of his mouth and said, "The Imperial Chefs said it has nothing to do with the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion; they did it to themselves because they didn’t want to be chosen by the Eldest Young Madam."

Nanny Li turned purple with rage.

Xingxing glared at her and said, "Have you realized you wrongly accused my lady now? You should quickly apologize to my lady!"

Nanny Li nearly shattered her silver teeth.

Su Jin said calmly, "An apology is unnecessary; I see that Nanny Li’s expression doesn’t suggest she realizes her mistake. Without full understanding, slandering me implies a deep bias against me."

"Such bias at least requires thirty strikes with a board to remember not to make the same mistake in future," Su Jin said.

The Imperial Chefs cleared Su Jin.

Nanny Li couldn’t wash away the accusations of slander against her.

In front of Eunuch Fu, the Empress Dowager couldn’t protect her own people.

Finally—

The Empress Dowager punished Nanny Li with thirty strikes of the board.

Su Jin personally observed the punishment.

Well.

The board struck loudly but wasn’t painful.

This was an open swindle of her.

Xingxing was still rubbing her stomach.

Su Jin’s lips curved slightly, and she said, "Ate too much, should get moving, it aids digestion."

Xingxing went to grab Nanny Li’s board.

Xingxing was strong.

With one strike of the board—

Nanny Li was in so much pain she almost bit off her tongue.

Eunuch Fu, "...."

Too brutal.

He couldn’t bear to watch.

The Emperor was always worried they might be harmed at the hands of the Empress Dowager.

Yet, every time proved the Emperor’s worries unfounded.

This master and servant pair were truly the nemesis of the Empress Dowager.

That Taoist mentioned specifically the cute daughter of Marquis Dongxiang back then for a reason.

...

After Xingxing finished hitting, she put the board down and followed Su Jin out of Yongning Palace.

Two Imperial Chefs were waiting for them at the place where the carriage was parked.

Su Jin did not let Xingxing ride in the carriage, "Ate too much, follow behind the carriage out of the palace."

At the coach stand.

The Heir of Marquis Beining and Prince NanAn were holding a ladder.

Marquis Dongxiang and Prince NanAn carried the sign.

Tianxiang Building, which had been rebuilt after being destroyed by those harboring enmity towards Su Jin and Marquis Dongxiang.

Now the shop was completed and opened.

When the Eldest Young Madam arrived, the heir said, "Sister-in-law, you’ve come just in time; Tianxiang Building is already finished. It’s already rebuilt and hanging the sign."