CHAPTER 706: CHAPTER 573: THE WHITE LOTUS HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DEFEATED

"It’s impossible, you were clearly in the side hall." Xue Pianran stood up with an effort, disregarding the disdainful looks from the crowd.

The poison from the Melted Gold Water had almost completely eroded her face, and it even seemed to be spreading towards her neck.

But at this moment, Xue Pianran could no longer care about that; she only wanted to expose "Ye Lingyue’s" lies.

She saw it very clearly; the woman in the side hall was "Ye Lingyue".

"Pian Ran, don’t say anymore. Not long after you left, Yue Marquis changed her clothes and came back. She also toasted Your Majesty and many envoys present. Everyone can testify that she never left Chuyun Palace, let alone went to the side hall. Pian Ran, I know you are very upset tonight. Let me take you back. The wound on your face cannot be delayed any longer." Cong Lv said with heartfelt pain as he supported her.

"No! You’re lying, all of you are lying. That woman was clearly in the side hall, she ruined my face. If you don’t believe me, call Lian Yu over, she really did it." Xue Pianran clutched onto Cong Lv and wouldn’t let go, causing him difficulty.

"Bring Lian Yu here." Emperor Beiqing also had a gloomy look on his face.

She had watched Xue Pianran grow up; the child was usually very calm. But ever since "Ye Lingyue" came along, this good child’s actions had become more and more extreme.

But Xue Pianran was, after all, the choice for Princess Consort Feng that Emperor Beiqing had found for Feng Xun. Beiqing would not easily give up on her unless it was absolutely necessary.

Lian Yu was quickly brought over.

She was still unconscious, and only after the Imperial Physicians fed her some medicinal soup did she wake up.

When Lian Yu woke up and saw the people filling the hall, then looked at Xue Pianran’s hideously disfigured appearance, she was so frightened that she knelt down with a thump.

"Lian Yu, tell us the truth. Tell His Majesty, tell everyone, what exactly happened in the side hall just now. Was it Ye Lingyue, that vixen, who knocked you out, then lied in your name to trick me into going to the side hall, and took the opportunity to ruin my face?"

Xue Pianran made a meaningful glance at Lian Yu, signaling her to omit the part about bringing the medicine into the palace and to tell everything that happened in the side hall.

Lian Yu had become Xue Pianran’s only lifeline.

"This servant... this servant..." Lian Yu was trembling with fear, not daring to look at Xue Pianran.

She knew that today, she had no option but a dead end.

"Speak up. What exactly happened? If you dare hide anything, I will show no mercy," Emperor Beiqing said threateningly. Lian Yu didn’t dare to deceive anymore and did not look at Xue Pianran even once.

"Your Majesty, this servant dares not. It was the young lady, in order to break up Prince Feng and Yue Marquis, who had this servant secretly carry Melted Gold Water into the Imperial Palace. It was also the young lady who ordered this servant to lure Yue Marquis to the side hall, and while she was changing clothes, to ruin her face."

Lian Yu’s words almost made Xue Pianran faint on the spot.

The others were listening with increasing horror. As for "Ye Lingyue," she was sneering as she watched Xue Pianran.

The more Cong Lv listened, the colder his heart felt. He had never imagined that Xue Pianran would become like this because of hatred.

What exactly is this despicable maid talking about?

She was clearly instructed by Lian Yu just to talk about what happened in the side hall.

Little did Xue Pianran know, before Lian Yu regained consciousness, she had been given a dose of Ye Lingyue’s Ghost Sect Thirteen Needles "Ghost Language."

Now, whatever anyone asked her, she would speak, oblivious to what should and shouldn’t be disclosed.

"Xue Pianran, what audacity you have to dare to plot against a foreign envoy." Upon hearing this, Emperor Beiqing flew into a towering rage.

"Your Majesty, it’s not like that. Although I was momentarily blinded by madness, I regretted it afterward, which is why I hastily left my seat, wanting to stop Lian Yu." Xue Pianran quickly knelt down, still trying to struggle desperately.

"Oh? Is that really what happened? Lian Yu, what exactly transpired in the side hall?"

Attempted crime and committed crime are two different concepts; at this juncture, Xue Pianran still hadn’t given up hope.

Emperor Beiqing asked again.

"At that time, I, along with Yue Marquis, arrived at the side hall. But Yue Marquis said she was uncomfortable being assisted in changing clothes by others, so she had me and the others wait outside. Worrying about the Heavenly Maiden’s order and being very afraid, I hesitated about whether to act. At that moment, the Heavenly Maiden suddenly arrived. She scolded me for being cowardly and incompetent, saying she would take action herself. I was concerned about the Heavenly Maiden making repeated mistakes, so I persuaded her against using the Melted Gold Water. But... But the Heavenly Maiden didn’t listen. She reached out to grab the Melted Gold Water, and we started struggling. In my panic, I accidentally splashed the Melted Gold Water on the Heavenly Maiden’s face."

As she spoke, Lian Yu covered her face and burst into uncontrollable weeping.

She only remembered passing out from fear at that time.

When she woke up, she was already in Chuyun Palace.

"Heavenly Venerate, please come forward to help verify whether what this maid has said is true," Emperor Beiqing took a deep breath and looked at the Heavenly Venerate.

The Heavenly Venerate could perceive people’s souls and judge whether Lian Yu was speaking the truth.

The Heavenly Venerate approached and used his spiritual power to examine Lian Yu.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, everything Miss Lian Yu has said is true. She has no abnormalities and hasn’t spoken a single lie," Heavenly Venerate stepped aside, saying no more.

The matter involved Daxia and the Dan Palace. He was merely a guest and didn’t have the right to speak excessively.

Although the Heavenly Venerate also felt that something was amiss, there were no flaws to be seen in the apparent facts.

So the truth of the matter was thus. In front of the envoys of many nations and the full assembly of scholars, Xue Pianran brought poison into the Imperial Palace, and together with her maid, intended to harm Daxia’s Yue Marquis. These crimes, one by one, could not be overlooked, even if Xue Pianran were the Heavenly Maiden of the Dan Palace.

Lian Yu collaborated with Xue Pianran in the attack and thus was an accomplice.

Cong Lv, as an Imperial Guard, showed partiality during the inspection and allowed Xue Pianran and her servant to bring Melted Gold Water into the palace.

The three of them had made grave mistakes.

At this moment, even if Emperor Beiqing wanted to protect them, it was no longer possible.

"Xue Pianran, Lian Yu, Cong Lv, do you acknowledge your guilt?" Emperor Beiqing looked at Xue Pianran and Cong Lv with sorrow.

"It’s not like that, it’s not like that. Lian Yu, what benefit did ’Ye Lingyue’ give you?" Xue Pianran felt as if the sky were collapsing.

"Pian Ran, say no more," Cong Lv regretted as well.

He had already noticed something was off between Lian Yu and Xue Pianran at that time. Why didn’t he stop it in time, why didn’t he prevent Xue Pianran? Now, the great error had been made, and Xue Pianran’s reputation as the Heavenly Maiden was utterly destroyed.

"Bring in the people; throw Lian Yu and Xue Pianran into the Heavenly Prison, strip Cong Lv of his Second Grade sword-bearing guard title, withhold his salary for one year, and without my permission, he may not leave the Cong Residence on his own."

Emperor Beiqing’s decision was final, and Xue Pianran and Lian Yu were dragged away, while Cong Lv hopelessly retreated.

’Ye Lingyue’ stood aside, coldly observing everything, a barely noticeable smirk playing at the corner of her mouth.