[1]The Consort is Both Charming and Scheming, Rising Through Palace Intrigue

Xijiéyú finally relaxed upon hearing that the child was safe, but the thought that someone had tried to harm her filled her heart with both anger and hatred.

The moment she fell into the water, her mind went blank, and she was overcome by suffocation, as if she were being dragged into an abyss, utterly powerless and at the mercy of others.

"Your Majesty, someone tried to harm me! They wanted to hurt our child!" She clutched Xiao Yu's robes tightly, her face pale and her whole body trembling.

Who was it? Who wanted to kill her?

She held onto the emperor's arm with all her strength, her tears soaking into the golden-yellow fabric of his sleeve. "I don't know what happened. I didn't even have time to react."

"I'm really scared," she repeated anxiously.

Xiao Yu patted her hand in reassurance. "Tell me exactly what happened. If you have been wronged, I will certainly see justice done for you."

Xijiéyú hesitated for a moment. "I... I was just feeding the fish, but somehow, I suddenly fell in."

Concubine Rong shook her head and sighed, her voice urgent. "Xijiéyú, didn't you feel it? It was Noble Lady Ning who pushed you!"

Xijiéyú was stunned, her eyes widening as she tried to recall what had happened just before she fell. But her mind was blank—she only remembered the terrifying sensation of falling forward, helplessly panicked.

Xiao Yu frowned slightly, his gaze deep and unreadable as he glanced at Concubine Rong before turning back to Xijiéyú. "How exactly did you fall?"

Concubine Rong tightened her grip on her silk handkerchief and stared intently at Xijiéyú.

Xijiéyú furrowed her brows and shook her head. "I... I was so frightened at the time that I can't be certain if someone pushed me."

"If no one pushed you, how could you have fallen?" Concubine Rong insisted anxiously, feigning concern. "You must have been too panicked to notice."

The Empress shot Concubine Rong a suspicious glance, deep in thought.

Xijiéyú nodded. "Yes! Noble Lady Ning was indeed behind me at the time."

Xiao Yu turned to Xijiéyú's maid and commanded sternly, "You—tell me, how did your mistress fall?"

The maid trembled and knelt. "Your Majesty, I do not know. I was watching the fish with my mistress at the time, but Noble Lady Ning was indeed the closest person to her."

Xiao Yu's expression darkened. "As a maid, you failed to protect your mistress and instead got distracted by fish-watching? Out of respect for Xijiéyú, you will receive ten strokes of the cane."

Xijiéyú lifted her gaze to plead for mercy, but upon seeing Xiao Yu's grim expression, she swallowed her words.

When Ning Shuyan returned after changing her clothes, Xiao Yu looked her over before speaking slowly. "Noble Lady Ning, were you involved in Xijiéyú's fall?"

Kneeling on the ground, Ning Shuyan met his gaze with clear, unwavering eyes. "Your Majesty, I had nothing to do with it. I did not push her."

Xiao Yu stared at the woman before him. Her dark, almond-shaped eyes were firm and direct, showing no sign of avoidance. He was momentarily taken aback. His fingers idly played with the jade ring on his thumb before he said evenly, "I am giving you a chance to explain yourself."

Ning Shuyan turned to Xijiéyú and spoke gently, "Think carefully. Did anyone push you?"

The more Xijiéyú tried to recall, the more confused she became. She shook her head. "I don't know. I only remember that you were the closest person to me."