Things couldn't be such a coincidence. Just after Concubine Mo had a big argument with her about Concubine Rui, she ran into such a big trouble.
It was very likely that someone was waiting in the wings to take revenge.
Even without saying it out loud, everyone knew who the person behind this was.
Humph. She had thought that the other woman would sincerely devote herself to Buddhism as she had claimed. It seemed that it was all just a ruse to deceive others.
Seeing the looks of understanding on the two women's faces, Concubine Wang saw a glimmer of hope that she might be able to clear her name.
"Yes, that's right. It was Concubine Rui who instigated me to do all this. If you two elder sisters don't believe me, you can go and ask that senior eunuch. His position in the Imperial Clan Court was arranged by Concubine Rui."
The senior eunuch had managed to keep a low profile, but now that he was suddenly brought up again, he wished he could shrink into a ball and disappear on the spot.
But of course, that was impossible.
Even if he didn't rat out Concubine Rui now, it wouldn't do any good.
Meeting those two piercing gazes, cold sweat broke out on his forehead. "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I've already told you everything I know. It's Concubine Wang who's slandering me."
Concubine Mo had met many people at Baotuo Temple and was quite good at sizing people up.
She curled her lips. She already had an answer in mind.
"Then tell this palace, why were you in the Imperial Clan Court? Normally, after leaving your former master, shouldn't you have had an easier life?"
At this, the senior eunuch was rendered speechless. Something gradually trickled down between his legs, emitting an unpleasant odor.
Fu Lu quickly stepped in front of the masters, his face full of disgust. "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and clean this up. Don't soil the masters' eyes."
The palace servants responded and quickly got to work. Although Shi Muyuan and Concubine Mo hadn't gotten a definite answer, they both had the same conclusion in mind.
All they had to do next was to obtain evidence as soon as possible to prove that Concubine Rui was the mastermind behind this.
As they were discussing, a man walked forward with an envelope in his hand.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager and Concubine, you might as well take a look at this. This should be what you're looking for."
Hearing this, the two women opened the envelope. The contents inside were astonishing.
Although there were such cliche plotlines of eunuchs and maids getting together in TV dramas and novels, she had never seen such a thing with her own eyes. Now, as a small city official who had traveled through time, seeing such a strange thing was really worth it.
The explicit sweet talk in the letter was too much even for an open - minded modern person. She reached out and covered the young emperor's eyes.
"It's dirty, Your Majesty. Don't look."
Actually, the young emperor had already finished reading, but he still obediently cooperated with the empress dowager.
"Okay, I won't look. Then I'll leave this matter to you, Mother. I still have official business to attend to, so I won't stay any longer."
The young emperor was the supreme ruler of the Great Liang. He shouldn't have been involved in such matters. Shi Muyuan had no objections.
Anyway, for now, Concubine Rui had no more tricks up her sleeve. Since she was in charge, she simply sent the young emperor away.
The palace servants had almost finished cleaning up. They also splashed water on the senior eunuch who had pretended to faint to wake him up.
As soon as the senior eunuch "woke up", he started shouting.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, this servant really didn't dare. It was all instigated by Concubine Wang."
"Really? Then can you tell this mourning one how a person discarded by Concubine Wang managed to hook up with Concubine Rui's personal maid and get this position?"
The senior eunuch never expected that such a secret matter would be exposed. He thought he had been so discreet. How could this happen?
While he was deep in thought, the others were starting to get impatient.
"If you still don't want to say anything today, don't blame this mourning one for making your old lover accompany you to the grave."
As soon as the words were out, the senior eunuch immediately changed his attitude.
"No, absolutely not. She's innocent in this matter. I did everything alone. If Your Majesty the Empress Dowager wants to punish someone, just punish me."
Seeing that he was willing to talk, the others knew that there was hope for the next step.
Shi Muyuan curled her lips. "It seems that you really care about your beloved. This mourning one always admires people like you. As long as you tell this mourning one the whole process, this mourning one can reunite the two of you. How about it?"
It was different if Concubine Rui promised or if the empress dowager promised. If the empress dowager supported them, this matter would surely be settled.
The senior eunuch's expression changed slightly. "Is what Your Majesty the Empress Dowager said true? You're going to help us get together?"
"When has this mourning one ever lied? If you don't believe me, you might as well solve this matter on your own. However, this mourning one thinks that if you could solve this on your own, you wouldn't have ended up in this situation."
A flicker of struggle flashed across the senior eunuch's eyes. Every word the empress dowager said hit the nail on the head.
That's right. If he could really solve this matter, he wouldn't have been at the mercy of others.
Concubine Mo gave a timely nudge.
"It seems that you also think what the empress dowager said is right. If so, then think about what you should say."
For a long time, the atmosphere gradually fell silent. The senior eunuch didn't say a word.
Just as Concubine Mo was about to speak again impatiently, the senior eunuch took the initiative to speak.
"Indeed, it was Concubine Rui who instigated everything. I'm just a servant. I had no choice. Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is magnanimous. If you can reunite me with my beloved today, I'll be a cow or a horse to repay you for the rest of my life."
Sure enough, Shi Muyuan had found the answer she wanted. However, whether or not to reunite the two of them was not up to her alone.
"How about you come with this mourning one? If the person you've been longing for really wants to leave with you, then you can just go with her."
The senior eunuch's eyes lit up as if he had already seen the beautiful scene of leaving with his beloved in the future.
He followed the empress dowager all the way to their destination.
But when he saw the three - character plaque, he hesitated.
Concubine Mo noticed the senior eunuch's hesitation and turned around, her tone sarcastic. "Didn't you often come to Qingning Palace before? Why are you too scared to go in today? Are you afraid?"
The senior eunuch swallowed hard and didn't deny it.
"Your Majesties, why don't you go in first? I'll wait outside. After you've settled things, I'll leave with the person I love."
Shi Muyuan raised an eyebrow. If the senior eunuch didn't go in, Concubine Rui might kill him to cover her tracks and then flat - out deny everything. She still had to protect this only witness.
"Come in with us. If anyone dares to lay a hand on you, they'll have to think twice."