Chapter 922: Do You Think No One Knows?

Miss Yuan did not panic, her voice gentle and composed: "I beg the Empress to see clearly."

"This poem is indeed my work; I have a clear conscience."

She glanced calmly toward Song Shujun and said, "If the Empress has any doubts, I am willing to confront Miss Song face to face."

A commotion arose at the table, and everyone's gaze fell on Song Shujun.

Song Shujun rose slowly, her face grew paler, and her skirt trembled slightly.

She was about to step forward when Cheng Ru'an beside her stood up.

She reached out and gently grasped Song Shujun's icy fingertips: "Child, I will take you there."

Song Shujun lifted her eyes to her, her gaze full of gratitude.

Cheng Ru'an smiled slightly, took her hand, and walked toward the seat of honor.

Everyone exchanged a glance; Princess Consort Ning's move clearly showed she was protecting this Miss Song.

The young ladies had already been dissatisfied with Miss Yuan's words and deeds today, and now they couldn't help but reveal looks of anticipation for the drama.

Seeing this, Mu Rongjin hastily ordered Si Yu: "Prepare a seat for Princess Consort Ning."

Si Yu responded, personally brought over an embroidered stool, and placed it to Mu Rongjin's lower side.

Cheng Ru'an walked up to the Empress, released Song Shujun's hand, and performed a salute: "Thank you, Empress, for granting me a seat."

Mu Rongjin smiled and said, "Princess Consort, please take a seat."

Cheng Ru'an slowly sat down; Tuan Tuan immediately darted into her mother's embrace, her big eyes warily fixed on Miss Yuan, like a little beast guarding its food.

Mu Rongjin looked at Song Shujun, her gaze gentle: "Miss Song, when did you compose this poem? What inspired it?"

Song Shujun performed a salute and said, "Replying to the Empress, this poem was composed by me a few days ago in the backyard of my home."

She paused, her cheeks slightly flushed: "The Princess is my grandfather's student and often comes to our residence to study."

"My younger brother and the Princess are about the same age; after their lessons finish, they often play with paper kites together, and this poem was written because of that."

Mu Rongjin nodded slightly, glanced at the embroidered handkerchief in her hand, and said, "Indeed, this poem is quite fitting."

Song Shujun felt somewhat reassured: "This poem is simple and easy to understand; wishing to teach the Princess poetry, I embroidered it onto the handkerchief, added a pattern, and taught it to the Princess."

Tuan Tuan chimed in: "Exactly, exactly! This is the first poem I can recite!"

Everyone couldn't help but chuckle softly; this Guardian State Princess is blessed with boundless fortune, has achieved countless remarkable feats, yet cannot recognize a single character—so much so that even His Majesty worries endlessly over it, a fact known to all.

Cheng Ru'an nodded and said, "Exactly so, Empress; Miss Song's idea is clever, and when Tuan Tuan recited this poem, I was greatly delighted."

Everyone now understood; no wonder the Princess was so angry just now.

Since Princess Consort Ning and the Princess serve as witnesses, this matter is certainly correct.

"Ah, I see!" a young lady spoke first, her voice lively: "What Miss Yuan just said sounded plausible, but now it appears to be nothing more than a fabricated story."

Another young lady immediately echoed: "Exactly! Poetry gatherings are common in Jingcheng; Miss Yuan has never shown her face before, yet today she astonished everyone—turns out she plagiarized Miss Song's fine work, which is… terribly embarrassing."

The others were even less polite, speaking up one after another:

"Miss Song's poem reflects her person—fresh and elegant, not cliché—yet someone, oblivious, insists on claiming it as their own."

"Just to show off before the Empress, they don't even care about losing face."

Madam Yuan's complexion grew ever uglier, the handkerchief in her hand almost twisted to shreds.

Miss Yuan's expression also grew increasingly unpleasant.

Mu Rongjin waved her hand, and the murmuring immediately subsided.

She looked at Miss Yuan, her voice still calm: "Now that it's come to this, what else do you have to say?"

Miss Yuan dropped to her knees with a thud, tears sliding down her cheeks.

She slowly took out an embroidered handkerchief from her sleeve, holding it with both hands above her head: "This handkerchief was personally embroidered by me; I beg the Empress to examine it."

Si Yu stepped forward to receive the handkerchief and presented it to Mu Rongjin.

Mu Rongjin took a look and was instantly slightly startled, then passed the handkerchief to Cheng Ru'an.

Cheng Ru'an glanced at it and was instantly speechless; this Miss Yuan had indeed come prepared.

What could be seen embroidered on the handkerchief was exactly the scene Miss Yuan had described: a child studying indoors, drowsy, while outside a paper kite hung high.

Miss Yuan said, "Empress, to prove my innocence, may I let everyone have a look?"

Mu Rongjin nodded.

Si Yu stepped forward, respectfully spread out her hands, and Cheng Ru'an handed the handkerchief to her.

Si Yu unfolded the handkerchief, held it high, and displayed it among the gathering.

The pattern on the handkerchief matched exactly what Miss Yuan had described, and those four lines of verse were suspended high above the handkerchief.

All around fell silent in an instant.

Both of them actually have handkerchiefs as evidence?

Miss Yuan cried out in grievance: "I also do not know when Miss Song saw this poem, yet she even embroidered it on her handkerchief and taught it to the Princess."

"However, I suppose it was unintentional; I beg the Empress not to blame her."

Upon saying that, everyone's gaze turned in unison toward Song Shujun.

In the courtyard, floral fragrance remained, wine aroma lingered, yet all was silent and soundless.

Song Shujun's face turned deathly pale, swaying as if about to collapse, barely able to stay on her feet.

Tuan Tuan looked at the handkerchief in Si Yu's hand, her little brows furrowed.

This wretch! She stole her sister's poem and yet dares to act pitiful here!

She stared at Miss Yuan for a moment, then exclaimed: "Ah! You've done so many wicked deeds, do you really think no one knows?"

Watch how I expose you!

She spoke crisply: "You said your younger brothers study together, yet you also bring them sweet soup?"

Miss Yuan blinked slightly, then nodded: "Exactly. What I said is absolutely true."

Tuan Tuan tilted her head: "How many brothers do you have studying there?"

Miss Yuan's lips twitched slightly, as if indulging a child's nonsense: "Three."

Tuan Tuan stared intently at her eyes, then asked: "On what day are their birthdays?"

Miss Yuan's smile froze for a moment.

"This..." she quickly lowered her eyelids, her voice still gentle: "The princess is still young; she probably doesn't understand these inner courtyard matters."

"The birthdays of the younger brothers are managed by their concubines; as I, the legitimate elder sister, though I occasionally look after them, I would not keep these trivial details in mind."

"You're lying!" Tuan Tuan clenched her small fists: "If you care about them, how can you not even say their birthdays?"

Miss Yuan was about to speak in her defense.

Tuan Tuan fired off like a barrage: "You definitely don't have just three brothers! You clearly have four! And there's also a sister!"

The composure on Miss Yuan's face finally cracked.

She suddenly lifted her head to look at Tuan Tuan: "This is an internal affair of my household; how could she know?"