With the Empress’s arrival, the hall instantly fell into solemn silence.
She wore a phoenix-embroidered robe, over forty yet impeccably maintained. Her features bore a faint resemblance to Su Yaoyao’s, though tempered with the authority of one long accustomed to her high station.
“Be seated,” the Empress said warmly as she took her place at the main dais. “Today’s banquet is to welcome the Crown Prince. Everyone need not be overly formal.”
She looked at Xiao Chenyuan with kind eyes. “Yuan’er, you’ve had a long journey.”
Xiao Chenyuan rose in respect. “Thank you for your concern, Mother Empress. I am not weary.”
Polite, yet distant.
A flicker of complexity crossed the Empress’s gaze, quickly masked by a smile. “Please, sit. I thought I heard some commotion earlier?”
Su Yun’er’s heart leapt. She quickly rose and spoke softly:
“Your Majesty, it was merely an accident. My sister… she did not mean to disturb the Crown Prince.”
Her words cleverly appeared to defend Su Yaoyao, while subtly reinforcing that she *had* caused a disturbance.
Xiao Qiming, standing nearby, frowned. Though he sensed Su Yaoyao seemed different tonight, watching Yun’er speak for her while Su Yaoyao simply stood there acting pitiful, a surge of irritation welled up.
He snorted coldly. “Mother, I also witnessed it. Miss Su did behave improperly and disturbed the Crown Prince. But…” His gaze flicked toward Su Yaoyao, voice laced with mockery, “she’s always been like this. Not knowing proper decorum is nothing new. Please, Mother and Your Highness, do not take it to heart.”
Many gasped inwardly.
The Second Prince left no room for his fiancée’s face at all.
The Empress’s expression darkened slightly, about to speak, when Su Yaoyao intervened.
“Mother… just now, this dancer slipped and the powder in her sleeve nearly landed on me. I panicked and accidentally broke my wine cup, which almost caused me to stumble toward the Crown Prince.”
She bowed her head slightly, graceful and respectful.
A flicker of surprise passed through the Empress’s eyes.
This niece… truly seemed different.
Previously timid, speaking softly, eyes averted, always unfit for the spotlight. But now… poised, composed, and radiating an inner calm rarely seen.
Her stunning, delicate face only amplified the impression.
The Empress’s gaze lingered briefly on Su Yaoyao, then glanced at the green-faced Su Yun’er, understanding everything.
“Yaoyao, you weren’t frightened, were you? Come closer, let me have a look.”
A clear show of favoritism.
Su Yaoyao obediently approached. The Empress held her hand, studying her face, then noticing the tiny trace of powder on her sleeve, furrowed her brow just slightly.
“Poor thing, your clothes are even dirty,” she murmured, patting Su Yaoyao’s hand.
Su Yun’er quickly tugged at Xiao Qiming’s sleeve. “Prince, don’t be angry. My sister… she didn’t mean it.”
Xiao Qiming’s mind snapped back. Anger surged, and he glared at Su Yaoyao.
Ling Feng had already brought the dancer forward.
“Your Majesty, this dancer concealed an aphrodisiac in her sleeve. She deliberately intended to sprinkle it on Miss Su when she fell.”
The words *aphrodisiac* caused an uproar.
At a palace banquet, someone resorted to such a despicable trick?!
The dancer’s face turned as pale as paper, trembling:
“I—I did not… it was an accident…”
“Accident?” Xiao Chenyuan spoke from his seat, fingers twisting his prayer beads, tone calm:
“Your hidden pouch was sewn with precision. The timing and trajectory of your fall—an accident?”
Each word drained more color from her face.
Finally, Xiao Chenyuan lifted his gaze to Su Yaoyao. “Miss Su, have you any enemies?”
Su Yaoyao inwardly admired him—so deft, directing attention to the culprit with a single question.
She displayed a look of innocence.
“Your servant… today is the first time meeting her. No grudges whatsoever.” She paused, then murmured as if recalling something, “Only… when the powder flew, I thought I heard her whisper, ‘Forgive me, Miss Su. Blame those you should not have offended…’”
Her voice was soft, yet clear enough for nearby tables to hear.
A murmur spread.
Who could bear a grudge against Su Yaoyao and use such a vile trick?
Many subtly glanced toward Su Yun’er.
Her face turned green. “Sister! You can’t slander me! This dancer had no grudge. You must have misheard!”
“Is that so?” Su Yaoyao lifted tear-filled eyes toward her. “You seem so certain… could it be that you know more than you say?”
“I… I don’t know anything!” Yun’er panicked. “I just thought… perhaps you were startled and imagined it…”
“Enough,” the Empress said sternly.
Her gaze swept over Yun’er, displeasure flickering. About to speak further—
“Mother.”
Xiao Qiming, impatient, said, “Such a small matter—why make it so big?”
He stepped beside Yun’er, shielding her, and coldly stared at Su Yaoyao. “Miss Su, you embarrassed the Crown Prince and now accuse Yun’er? She spoke kindly on your behalf, and this is your thanks?”
He spoke with apparent righteousness, twisting perception as if Su Yaoyao’s fault were obvious.
Su Yaoyao smirked inwardly but looked even more pitiful outwardly. “Second Prince… I did not accuse my sister. I merely… stated the truth…”
“The truth?” he sneered. “When have you not pretended to be innocent while secretly scheming? Yun’er is pure; you always torment her!”
He turned to the Empress, bowing: “Mother, I think it’s just an accident. The dancer stumbled, Miss Su was startled, a laughable scene occurred. Yun’er was drawn in innocently. Please judge fairly.”
A brazen reversal of right and wrong.
The assembled noblewomen exchanged glances, some even smirking. The Second Prince’s favoritism was so obvious.
Su Yun’er nestled beside him, head lowered in satisfaction.
Su Yaoyao quietly regarded the pair, then softly said: “Second Prince is correct… it is my fault.”
Tears welled, yet she restrained them. “I should not have… caused displeasure to Your Highness or my sister. I shall take my leave immediately…”
She moved to bow and step away.
“Wait.”
The voice was Xiao Chenyuan’s.