Chapter 9: with translation of chapter title

Before long, Liu Grandma entered, leading Tuan Tuan.

Tuan Tuan was clearly just awakened, her little face flushed, with a clear pillow imprint on one cheek.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes, looking half‑asleep.

Seeing Cheng Ru'an, Tuan Tuan spread her tiny hands and rushed over, softly hugging her leg and looking up: "Mother, you were looking for me?"

She glanced around, tilting her little head: "Wow, why are there so many people here?"

Cheng Ru'an's heart softened; she bent down and lifted her: "Tuan Tuan, mother asks—have you ever been in this study?"

Tuan Tuan clutched her neck, looked around, and shook her head: "No, mother, where is this? I've never been here."

Cheng Ru'an continued: "Then have you ever seen a tiny, square stone?"

"A square little stone?" Tuan Tuan thought earnestly for a moment, then replied confidently, "I've never seen it. It's not among the treasures I've picked up."

Fang Qingyan stepped forward: "Good child, think carefully again. Did you find the stone pretty and take it to play with? If you did take it, that's no problem; just bring it out now."

Tuan Tuan frowned, looked at her, and pursed her little mouth: "Old hag, I said I don't have it, I really don't! I remember my treasures!"

Old hag? A servant couldn't help but let out a light laugh.

Fang Qingyan's expression froze instantly.

Where did I go wrong! This stinky brat!

Cheng Ru'an, of course believing Tuan Tuan, glared fiercely at the grandma who had just spoken.

The grandma's heart tightened, and with a thud she knelt: "Please, Your Majesty, discern the truth! I have served in the Prince's Mansion for years and have never wronged the little miss."

"That day I saw clearly; the little miss came out of the study holding, without doubt, a seal! If any word of mine is false, I will fall dead on the road the moment I step out!"

Her oath and curse instantly made the nearby junior servants wear doubtful looks.

Indeed, an innocent cleaning grandma of the mansion has no reason to frame the little miss.

Tuan Tuan stared at her, puzzled: "I just woke up; did you just wake up too? Nonsense."

She clutched Cheng Ru'an's neck: "Mother, my treasures are things no one wants, that's why I pick them up!"

Cheng Ru'an's heart ached instantly: "Alright, mother knows, Tuan Tuan is the most obedient!"

"Mm!" Tuan Tuan nodded, burying her little face in Cheng Ru'an's arms.

Fang Qingyan smiled faintly: "Sister, this grandma is so certain, yet Tuan Tuan denies it. With both sides holding their own words, the truth remains unclear."

"I have heard, sister, that you have set aside a room especially for her to store the beloved items she picks up."

"How about having Liu Grandma bring a few seasoned, steady people to inspect that room?"

"If indeed there is nothing, it will clear Tuan Tuan's innocence, preventing future gossip that would harm the child. What do you think, sister?"

Under everyone's watchful eyes, this matter must reach a conclusion.

Tuan Tuan could never have run to the study to take the Prince's belongings.

Cheng Ru'an nodded: "Very well, just as the younger sister said."

"Liu Grandma, take a few people and check the room where Tuan Tuan keeps her things. Move gently, and don't damage her treasures."

"Yes." Liu Grandma took two people and hurried toward Jinglan Garden.

After a while, Liu Grandma returned, her palm clenched.

She stepped before Cheng Ru'an, her expression complex, about to speak then stopping; after a moment she spread her hand and said with difficulty: "Your Majesty, this was found in a corner of the little miss's room."

Everyone saw that in her palm was, unmistakably, the Shou Zuo seal!

Both the culprit and the evidence are in hand, ironclad proof.

Whispers rose all around.

"Heaven's Father! It really was taken by the little miss?"

"How could the sweet, adorable little miss have done it?"

"After all, it was brought back from outside; such unclean hands are hard to change."

Fang Qingyan's eyes flashed with excitement, then she exclaimed: "It's really you, Tuan Tuan! This is the Prince's beloved item!"

Cheng Ru'an clutched her daughter tightly, her face ashen.

Fang Qingyan sighed: "Sister, I know you love the child, but now both witness and evidence are complete."

"Such conduct from this child makes it hard for the Prince's legitimate daughter! In front of so many, will you still favor her?"

"As the principal consort, sister, you should now act impartially, enforce the household law, and uphold the family rules!"

Tuan Tuan took the seal from Liu Grandma's hand: "So this is the thing that disappeared, and that's why mother has been looking everywhere, right?"

Cheng Ru'an nodded, holding her even tighter.

What to do now? Her heart burned with anxiety.

Tuan Tuan turned the seal over and over, playing with it: "Mother, do you want to know who took this?"

Cheng Ru'an was startled, then nodded instinctively.

Tuan Tuan looked at the grandma who had just sworn solemnly: "You said earlier, if you lie, what would happen?"

The grandma replied: "I just said, if I utter even a half‑sentence of falsehood, I will fall dead on the road when I step out, but everything I said is what I saw with my own eyes!"

Tuan Tuan returned the seal to Liu Grandma, lowered her head, untied the Embroidered pouch at her waist, and pulled out a cracked sunflower seed shell.

Cheng Ru'an's mind flashed, recalling the carriage that brought her back to the mansion; she quickly opened her palm and covered Tuan Tuan's little hand.

Tuan Tuan leaned against her ear and whispered: "Mother, shall we make her words become true?"

Cheng Ru'an looked puzzled, and Tuan Tuan muttered: "If she lies again, let her keep falling!"

Cheng Ru'an lowered her gaze to her hand, a faint light flickered between her fingers, and she understood instantly.

Tuan Tuan smiled at the grandma: "Then repeat what you just said."

The grandma was startled: "Alright, that day when I was sweeping the study, I saw the little miss walk out from inside…"

Before she could finish, she was suddenly shoved forward as if by a strong push, and fell flat onto the ground!

"Bang!" a muffled thud rang; the courtyard was all stone slabs, and the blow knocked her, her nose bleeding profusely.

She scrambled to get up, hurriedly wiping her nosebleed with her sleeve; dust and fresh blood smeared her face, turning it instantly filthy.

Everyone jumped in shock—hadn't they steadied themselves?

Fang Qingyan frowned.

Tuan Tuan tilted her little head and said, "Keep going!"

The old woman covered her nose, muttering, "I didn't lie! I saw clearly—the little miss was holding that seal…"

Darkness flashed before her eyes, and she fell straight backward again.

"Bang!" another muffled thud; this time the back of her head was smashed, blood covering her head and face.

The crowd all stepped back a few paces—how did she fall again?

Fang Qingyan's complexion turned sour; what was this servant up to?

The old woman propped herself up and said, "I! I didn't lie…"

This time her head slammed straight into the ground.

"Bang!" another muffled thud.

The onlookers erupted in a clamor.

"Retribution?"

"Sure enough! She says a line and then falls each time—couldn't be retribution?"

"It's karmic retribution! Indeed!"

The color in Fang Qingyan's face gradually faded.

The old woman, listening to everyone's chatter, swayed and lifted her head, dizzy, stars flashing before her eyes.

She finally panicked completely, fell to her knees with a thud, kowtowing like pounding garlic, and shouted loudly, "Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! I lied!"

"I have never seen the little miss enter the study, nor have I seen her take that seal!"

"It was Miss Jinxiu! She gave me fifty taels of silver, making me say that!"

"She said this was ordered by the Consort Mother, telling me to, while cleaning the study, steal the seal, quietly place it in the little miss's room, and then have me come out to testify!"

"That way the little miss can be driven out of the Prince's Mansion!"

"Everything was done at the Consort Mother's command! It has nothing to do with me, Your Majesty!"

The truth is revealed!

Tuan Tuan nodded satisfactorily, "Mother! She told the truth!"

Everyone's gaze swept in unison toward the pallid Fang Qingyan, and the trembling Jinxiu standing behind her.

Cheng Ru'an looked at Fang Qingyan and said slowly, "No wonder you fabricated that excuse, no wonder you wanted to inspect the room where Tuan Tuan hides things; you are so scheming and malicious—what else do you have to say?"

Fang Qingyan opened her mouth but could not utter a single word.

She tried to discern, but under these circumstances, any discernment was impossible.

Cheng Ru'an barked, "Kneel!"

Fang Qingyan, helpless, could only kneel before her.

"Consort Fang, slandering the legitimate daughter, disturbing the inner palace, thirty slaps! Right here, give her a heavy beating!"

"Yes." Grandma Liu stepped forward at the words, and in front of all the servants, slaps rang out—clap, clap, clap!

"Jinxiu, twenty slaps."

"You!" Cheng Ru'an raised her hand, pointing at the old woman, "Drag her out for thirty lashes! Expel her from the Prince's Mansion, never employ her again."

After speaking, she scooped up Tuan Tuan, planted a kiss on her little cheek, and said, "Come, Mother has just taken the sweet rice cake out of the pot; let's go back and eat."

Quiet Orchid Garden.

When Tuan Tuan returned, she was somewhat downcast, like a deflated Xiao Tuanzi.

Cheng Ru'an personally lifted the snow‑white rice cake to her mouth and gently cooed, "Tuan Tuan, you did great just now! You didn't let anyone bully you, truly impressive! You are Mother's good daughter!"

The soft, glutinous, sweet rice cake was eaten bite by bite, and Tuan Tuan finally smiled.

Cheng Ru'an looked at her daughter, heart aching, this child having just suffered such a grievance, needing gentle soothing: "Tuan Tuan, shall Mother take you out for a walk?"

"Alright!" Tuan Tuan hopped up happily.

Cheng Ru'an led her daughter, with Grandma Liu, out of the Prince's Mansion, strolling along the bustling main street.

"Mother, this one looks nice!"

"Mother, that one smells delicious!"

Tuan Tuan tugged her hand, checking this stall, strolling to that shop, having a great time.

Cheng Ru'an lowered her head to gaze at her flushed, excited little face, feeling a soft warmth in her heart—finally pleased.

Suddenly, the street erupted in shouts and chaos.

"Move aside! Everyone, give way to the young master!"

A youth in splendid brocade robes galloped forward on a horse, hooves flashing.

Merchants and pedestrians hurriedly stepped aside, fruit and vegetables scattering to the ground.

Amid the chaos, a girl of about four or five stared at the charging high‑headed horse and, frightened, froze, standing dumbly in the middle of the street.

In a split‑second, a navy‑blue figure beside the girl snatched her into a tight embrace, shielding her with his back, narrowly avoiding the startled horse's hooves.

"Ugh—!" the horse‑riding youth hastily tightened the reins, the horse whinnying loudly, the rider nearly being thrown off.

He steadied himself, still shaken, a surge of wicked fire flared in his mind as he whipped, pointing at the rescuer's back and snarling, "You blind‑eyed dog! How dare you startle my horse! Are you out of your mind?"

"Bad guy!" Tuan Tuan clenched her little fist, "Mother, look! He's the one at fault! It was that good‑hearted brother who saved the little sister!"

Cheng Ru'an furrowed her brows, recognizing the horse‑riding youth as the Minister of Revenue's son Gu Chengxiao; such a background for Gu, the Minister's son, could be so arrogant and frivolous!

The boy crouched on the ground seemed stirred by the insult, slowly raising his head.

Sunlight outlined his handsome, delicate side profile.

Cheng Ru'an's pupils shrank sharply, and he cried out in surprise: "Xun Er!"