This time, the Grand Concubine Rui was completely unable to refute. She couldn't very well say that the little maid had been stalling for time just to wait for her to expose herself, could she?
Seeing that she didn't say a word for a long while, Shi Muyuan began to grow impatient.
"Since the Grand Concubine has nothing else to say, you guards go to this maid's room and see if you can find the so - called evidence."
The guards took the order and rushed out in a hurry.
No matter how confident the Grand Concubine Rui was, when she saw the maid staring directly at her, she finally began to feel flustered.
She just couldn't shake the feeling that this maid must have a trick up her sleeve. Had she overlooked something?
No, that couldn't be right. She had to have faith in herself. The guards would find nothing. Even if so many people searched high and low, as long as they didn't search her own quarters, it would all be in vain.
Although she tried her best to appear calm on the surface, the constant trembling of her hands betrayed her unease.
The young emperor naturally didn't miss this small gesture, but Shi Muyuan beside him stopped the young emperor from speaking.
"Your Majesty, just watch. Maybe we'll see a good show later."
"As long as Mother knows what she's doing."
After about half the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the guards returned carrying a large box. When the box was heavily placed on the ground, the maid let out a long sigh of relief.
"This is the box, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. As long as you open it, you'll know what good deeds our Grand Concubine has been up to behind our backs."
Shi Muyuan pretended to be half - convinced on the surface.
"Do you know what will happen to you if there's nothing in this box?"
The maid nodded firmly, her eyes shining brightly.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty the Emperor will surely clear this humble servant's name. This humble servant also hopes to help bring the real culprit to justice."
As she said this, she deliberately glanced at the already - rigid figure beside her.
When the Grand Concubine Rui saw the box, she suddenly felt as if her heart was about to stop. If it were something else, she might not have recognized it, but this box was all too familiar to her.
She clearly remembered that she had seen this box last night. So why had it been found in the maid's room today?
Just as she was panicking, someone stepped forward and opened the box.
The contents were then displayed in front of everyone. The box was filled with letters, which piqued everyone's curiosity.
Shi Muyuan was in no hurry. Instead, she asked the maid beside her,
"What's in this box?"
The maid looked at her master, who wished she could just die on the spot, with mockery in her eyes.
"The Grand Concubine Rui is very familiar with the contents of this box. Why don't we let her explain?"
Hearing this, the Grand Concubine Rui knew that she must never admit to anything today.
"Sister, I seem to be more and more confused about what this maid is talking about. Does sister, like this maid, suspect that I'm up to no good?"
"Of course not. Just from the fact that you've been distributing porridge in the capital these days, it's clear that you've turned over a new leaf. But since these things suddenly appeared in a maid's room, as the Empress Dowager, I still need to find out."
"Sister is right. But I really don't recognize these things. I'm afraid this maid prepared them in advance to frame me when things went wrong. Sister mustn't be deceived."
"I'll decide whether it's true or false. Sister, please explain first."
She didn't give the Grand Concubine Rui any chance to change the subject. She just clung to this matter.
There was nothing the Grand Concubine Rui could do but reply bravely.
"I really don't recognize them. I hope sister will clear my name today."
"Fine. Then you tell me. Where did these things come from?"
The maid lowered her head and told the truth without omission.
"I took all these things to my room secretly while the Grand Concubine was out. Those letters are all correspondence between the Grand Concubine and others. Please see clearly, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty the Emperor."
Hearing this, Shi Muyuan casually opened one of the letters. Sure enough, the name of the Grand Concubine Rui came into view.
A cold smile appeared on her lips. She kicked the box down in front of the Grand Concubine Rui.
"Now that we have both the witness and the evidence, what else do you have to say? Quickly confess all your schemes of colluding with outsiders, or don't blame me for being merciless."
The Grand Concubine Rui panicked and fell to the ground. Even though the truth was right in front of her, she still tried to clear her name: "Sister, this must be a false accusation by this maid to get out of trouble."
"Humph, this isn't the first time the Grand Concubine has wrongly accused others like this, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. This humble servant is telling the truth. Otherwise, I'll come to a bad end."
"Sister, I'll never admit to something I didn't do. But if sister wants to punish me, no matter how much I plead my case, it won't help, right?"
When she said this, the mockery in Shi Muyuan's eyes grew even stronger: "The Grand Concubine sees things clearly. But do you think your constant excuses will work? Guards! The Grand Concubine is seriously ill. She'll stay in the palace to recuperate for a while. Send more people to watch over her. Make sure she doesn't leave."
This punishment was far too light for the Grand Concubine Rui. No one had expected that the Empress Dowager would end up with such a mild result.
Although the young emperor had his doubts, he didn't voice them on the spot and embarrass his mother.
In fact, he was the only one present who could understand his mother.
The maid couldn't believe that after risking her life, the person who had wanted to kill her was only put under house arrest.
She was extremely reluctant to accept this. So, in front of everyone, she voiced her doubts.
"Why doesn't Your Majesty the Empress Dowager punish the Grand Concubine? Is it just because of her status? Isn't this unfair to us innocent people?"
The dignity of the royal family must never be questioned, not even by this little maid in front of them.
The woman's pretty face immediately fell: "Dare you repeat what you just said?"
It was the first time the little maid had seen such a terrifying look in the Empress Dowager's eyes. She swallowed hard.
"Is... Is there something wrong with what this humble servant said? Isn't Your Majesty the Empress Dowager protecting the Grand Concubine because of her status?"
In response to the maid's words, she received a slap.
Shi Muyuan rarely hit people with her own hands. Usually, Xiao Xiao by her side would do it for her. But today's situation was extraordinary. If she didn't take action, it seemed that anyone could ride roughshod over her in the future.
Even though she, as a modern person, never resorted to violence to solve problems.