The maids and eunuchs kneeling below instantly turned deathly pale, their bodies trembling slightly. But none of them dared to say a word.
At the order of the leading purple-robed maid, the eunuchs and maids kneeling below got up one by one and lined up in two rows. The personal maids beside Concubine Zhao began to search them carefully one by one.
The atmosphere in the hall instantly turned cold. All the guests looked rather uncomfortable.
Stealing an imperial gift was already a serious crime. Moreover, this hairpin was personally made by Feng Linche, making it even more precious.
If the thief was found out, they would not only lose their heads but might even be skinned alive.
Bai Zheng watched from afar, a half-smile on her face.
Suddenly, a slender hand reached out and gently rested on her arm.
"Zheng'er, who do you think is hiding the hairpin?" Bai Sheng, the owner of the hand, asked leisurely.
Bai Zheng tilted her head and looked into Bai Sheng's meaningful eyes. Suddenly, an image flashed through her mind: when she had chased after Princess Mingzhao and passed through the bustling center of the hall.
At that moment, it seemed as if someone had also placed their hand on her like this.
Bai Zheng curled her lips and said indifferently, "If even big sister can't guess, how would I know?"
"Your Ladyship, we didn't find it."
The purple-robed maid walked up to Concubine Zhao and reported in a low voice.
Concubine Zhao frowned and immediately raised her voice, "It's not on them? Then tell me, where the hell is the hairpin!
I was only away from Mingzhao for a short while. I had just walked to the side hall and hadn't even sat down when I rushed out, and the hairpin was gone!
That red-gold plum blossom hairpin was personally made by His Majesty. It's such an important imperial gift, and you can't even take good care of it. Do you think your lives are too long and don't want your heads anymore!"
After this fierce scolding, all the people standing below immediately knelt on the ground. The whole hall echoed with their pleading voices of "Please calm down, Your Ladyship."
The purple-robed maid was so frightened that she prostrated herself on the ground, her whole body shaking violently. She said in a trembling voice,
"Your Ladyship, we searched very... very carefully. There really isn't one on them.
Just now... just those who got close to Princess Mingzhao weren't just them.
His Majesty's red-gold plum blossom hairpin was so exquisitely made. Maybe it was... was..."
As the purple-robed maid said this, she glanced sideways at Bai Zheng. "It's possible that some beauty-loving young lady took it."
"What do you mean by that?" Zhu Ling was extremely scared when she saw that Princess Mingzhao had lost her hairpin. She didn't even dare to breathe loudly while standing behind Bai Zheng. But when she heard the purple-robed maid's insinuating words, she immediately widened her eyes and retorted sharply.
The purple-robed maid still prostrated herself on the ground. She just turned her head and glanced at Bai Zheng again. "I didn't say specifically who it was. Why does this young lady beside the Third Miss need to protest so much?"
"You!" Zhu Ling was so choked that her face turned bright red.
Bai Zheng's face remained calm. She casually glanced at Zhu Ling.
Zhu Ling understood and immediately fell silent.
Only then did a smile appear on Bai Zheng's face. She slightly curtsied to Concubine Zhao and lowered her head, saying, "It's all my fault for not disciplining my maid well. She shouted and screamed in front of Your Ladyship. Please punish me, Your Ladyship."
As soon as these words were spoken, the purple-robed maid, who had also "shouted and screamed in front of Your Ladyship," instantly turned pale. She gritted her teeth and buried her head low, not daring to say another word.
Concubine Zhao looked at Bai Zheng coldly.
After a long while, she sneered and waved her hand, saying, "They're just unrefined servants. I don't have the heart to deal with them now. Third Miss, I just want to know, when Sheng'er entrusted Mingzhao to you just now, was the hairpin on her head?"
Bai Zheng nodded, "Yes."
This was something that everyone had clearly seen. There was no need to lie.
Concubine Zhao nodded and exhaled softly, "In that case, conduct a body search."
As soon as the words fell, as if they had been prepared, the personal maids and grannies beside Princess Mingzhao immediately swarmed towards Bai Zheng.
"What are you doing!" Zhu Ling quickly stood in front of Bai Zheng and spread her arms to protect her behind.
Bai Zheng narrowed her eyes and said coldly, "What does Your Ladyship mean by this?"
"What do I mean? You should answer that question, Third Miss." Concubine Zhao's eyes were as cold as knives. "The hairpin was still there when Mingzhao was entrusted to you by Sheng'er. It was gone when she ran into the hall.
Tell me, besides the servants in the hall and you, who else could it be?
Now, all these servants have been searched, and nothing was found. It's obvious that they didn't take it.
Moreover, Ziyin is right. His Majesty's red-gold plum blossom hairpin is so exquisitely made. It's exactly the kind of thing that little girls like you like the most.
If it wasn't you who took it, who else could it be?
Third Miss, I advise you. Either take out the hairpin obediently now, or don't blame me for not showing mercy and searching your body!"
Concubine Zhao flicked her sleeve robe.
All the maids and grannies stared at Bai Zheng viciously, as if they were just waiting for Concubine Zhao's order to rush forward and tear Bai Zheng to pieces.
Feng Jingyi's face changed greatly. He had always admired Bai Zheng very much. Seeing her in trouble now, he quickly pleaded,
"Your Ladyship, stealing an imperial gift is a serious crime. The Third Miss is definitely not a reckless person. If the Third Miss is really searched today, not only will the Third Miss's reputation be ruined, but the reputations of the Bai Mansion and the Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion will also be destroyed. Please think twice, Your Ladyship."
After all, Bai Zheng was the daughter of a third-rank assistant minister. Her ancestors were first-rank generals. Now that she was engaged to Feng Linyuan, her status was even more extraordinary.
If she was searched by Concubine Zhao in front of everyone today, no matter whether the hairpin was found or not, once it spread, her reputation would be completely ruined!
Moreover, from Bai Sheng's actions just now, Bai Zheng already knew that there was an eight or nine out of ten chance that the hairpin had been placed on her during the process of chasing Mingzhao.
Bai Sheng never said anything useless. Today, after Mingzhao's hairpin went missing, she had repeatedly approached Bai Zheng and said those meaningful words to her. All she wanted was for Bai Zheng to know - the hairpin was on Bai Zheng!
In this way, even before the body search actually took place, Bai Zheng would collapse mentally out of fear.
This was exactly the so - called art of psychological warfare.
Bai Zheng's cold eyes swept towards Bai Sheng. She saw Bai Sheng standing far away, a leisurely smile on her lips.
When she saw Bai Zheng looking over, Bai Sheng slightly raised her eyebrows, and the smile on her lips deepened.
On the other side, upon hearing this, Concubine Zhao disdainfully glanced at Bai Zheng, "The Third Miss's reputation? Your Highness the Fifth Prince may not know, but I've heard about the Third Miss's past reputation. A woman like this, who is talentless, virtueless, and jealous, stealing the jade hairpin is not surprising at all to me."
Bai Zheng looked back at Concubine Zhao without backing down, "Since Your Ladyship has already decided that I'm unworthy, I have no intention of arguing. But since Your Ladyship has heard so many things about me, you should also know that I'm always timid. Even if you gave me ten times the courage, I wouldn't dare to steal an imperial gift."