Moreover, Consort Ping was always timid and cautious.
This was practically a glaring sign of guilt. Â
Who would trust Consort Ping to do such a thing?
Xinhua and Xinzi firmly supported Fang He as they slowly walked with Consort Ping and her maid toward the lake.
Fang He looked toward the growing distance of Yujing Pavilion and asked, “What did you want to tell me?”
Tears streamed down Consort Ping’s face as she whispered, “Noble Consort Zhaoyuan, my aunt’s illness is worsening. If we don’t see a physician soon, she won’t make it through the winter.”
Fang He lowered her gaze and asked, “So you want me to summon an Imperial Doctor?” Â
“No, I…” Consort Ping shook her head, crying.
“Please forgive me… I beg you to petition His Majesty for mercy, so my aunt won’t be expelled from the clan registry… wuwu…”
After speaking, she bit her lip hard and took two quick steps forward.
Xinhua immediately supported her mistress backward.
Xinzi moved quickly to restrain Consort Ping and her maid.
Hidden nearby, Fule had already drawn a golden needle. Â
Everyone was on high alert when suddenly Consort Ping’s foot slipped, and with a splash, she and her maid fell into the water.
Fang He’s pupils contracted sharply.
Just moments ago, she had almost reached the spot where Consort Ping slipped. Â
Of course, she wouldn’t risk herself, nor intended to get too close to the water.
But Consort Ping’s actions seemed as if she feared Fang He approaching and purposely fell first.
The situation was clear.
Although Consort Ping was recorded under the main wife, she was born to a concubine, and her birth mother was still alive. Â
Someone used Consort Ping’s aunt to coerce her into attacking Fang He, but Consort Ping would rather die than do it.
“Send someone to rescue them.” Fang He felt a heavy weight in her heart and said coldly to Fule without even looking at Consort Ping struggling in the lake.
She turned and headed toward Yujing Pavilion.
From this angle, Yujing Pavilion was nearly out of sight. Â
If someone wanted to harm her, even Jiujiu, Yin Tang, and Yin’e might not be safe.
After just a few steps, she saw Chunlai carrying a sleeping Jiujiu approaching.
As Consort Yi had said, Yin Tang and Yin’e were nowhere to be seen. Â
Jiujiu was likely tired from playing and had fallen asleep on Chunlai’s shoulder.
Fang He grew even more suspicious, ‘Could Consort Ping be the only player? Trying to toy with me?’Â Â
But no matter what, Jiujiu being safe eased Fang He’s mind.
She quickened her steps, ready to ask Chunlai if Yin Tang and Yin’e had gone to visit their respective Nanny Guo.
At that moment, the unexpected happened.
The path from Yujing Pavilion to the lake passed by Qinan Hall.
Between the small path leading to Qinan Hall and the lake was a bridge. Â
On the bridge, Consorts Xi and Duan were talking with their backs to Fang He.
When Chunlai almost reached Fang He, Consort Xi suddenly cried out, as if she lost her footing or was pushed, and fell from the bridge.
She landed right where Chunlai and Jiujiu stood.
“Ahhh! Consort Xi!!”
“Master! Help!!”
Jiujiu was startled awake by the sudden shout, trembling as she lifted her head from Chunlai’s shoulder, crying loudly in fright.
Fang He halted in her tracks.
Was this the Crown Prince’s doing? Â
Using Jiujiu as a pawn—either to frighten her into a miscarriage or force her to witness someone dying before her eyes, so Yanxi Palace would never know peace again?
Fang He’s gaze turned colder and colder, but she kept her composure, gripping Xinhua’s hand tightly.
She trusted Chunlai’s skills. Â
As expected, Chunlai swiftly stepped back, held the scared little mistress’s nape to shield her from danger.
Then she quickly stepped forward and kicked Consort Xi’s leg, breaking her fall and helping her land safely.
Consort Xi groaned softly, unsure if from pain or fright, and fainted immediately.
Consort Duan’s legs weakened, unable to stand.
Consort Xi’s maids screamed for help and stumbled down. Â
The commotion attracted the attention of most consorts scattered in the Imperial Garden.
Those speaking with outer wives hurried over. Â
Fang He calmly stepped back, covering her nose with a handkerchief as Noble Consort Wenxi and her maternal elder approached.
“What happened?” Noble Consort Wenxi’s face was dark, especially seeing Consort Ping being carried out of the water and Consort Xi unconscious on the ground.
She looked angrily at Chen Fu, the Imperial Garden steward, who was running over, wiping sweat.
“Didn’t I say? Have guards stationed everywhere to properly serve and not be careless! Is this how you serve?”
Fang He took the sobbing Jiujiu from Chunlai’s arms and walked to a nearby open space.
She paused, then gently patted Jiujiu to soothe her to sleep. Â
Chen Fu knelt repeatedly apologizing.
Consort Ping, rescued, trembled and was quickly sent to Qinan Hall to change clothes. Â
Consort Xi was also carried into Qinan Hall for treatment by Imperial Doctors.
Noble Consort Wenxi approached with obvious guilt and stood quietly near Fang He, not wanting to disturb Jiujiu’s sleep.
Once Jiujiu was asleep, Fang He handed her to Chunlai to take back to Yanxi Palace, then turned to Noble Consort Wenxi.
“It’s my fault for being careless and frightening Noble Consort Zhaoyuan and Nine Princess. If you want to punish me, I accept. I truly apologize.”
Noble Consort Wenxi’s maternal elder, from the Shumululu Clan, showed some anger on her face but said nothing, bowing her head behind Noble Consort Wenxi.
“Really willing to be punished?” Fang He asked calmly.
Before Noble Consort Wenxi could answer, Fang He reached out and quickly undid her clothes, indifferent to the many eunuchs nearby.
Hidden in the shadows, Fule stepped forward, unfolding cloaks for Fang He to change. Â
Noble Consort Wenxi’s pupils shrank, her heart skipping beats as she watched Fang He throw her clothes on the ground.
Her nails dug deeply into her palm. Â
How could she possibly know…
Fang He showed no expression as she nodded, “If you don’t speak, I’ll take that as consent.” Â
Shushu Jueluo couldn’t hold back and stepped forward to defend her daughter.
“Noble Consort Zhaoyuan’s behavior is improper, isn’t it? You and Noble Consort Wenxi are both…”
“Mother!”
“How dare you!”
Noble Consort Wenxi and Xinhua’s voices overlapped.
Xinhua was far more fiery than Cuiwei in temperament.
Even if Noble Consort Wenxi spoke first, she wasn’t intimidated. Â
Looking at Shushu Jueluo, Xinhua shouted, “Our mistress is a Noble Consort. You’re just an outer wife—how dare you accuse a Noble Consort of impropriety? Is this the rule at Duke Niu’s mansion?”
Noble Consort Wenxi’s face turned cold, “I think you’re the insolent one. When the mistress speaks, who are you to interrupt? Or do you mean to insult my Duke Niu’s mansion, insult my maternal elder, and that’s Noble Consort Zhaoyuan’s intention?” Â
Fang He didn’t bother arguing.
When she embraced Jiujiu and noticed powder on her hair and clothes, she knew how wicked the other side was. Â
Whether Consort Ping knew or not, she was just a pawn, a diversion.
This was the first step. Â
The next was Consort Xi—if Chunlai hadn’t been skilled or if Fang He hadn’t trusted her, Jiujiu would have been hit on the head.
Fang He would have been terrified. Â
The second step was to strike at her weak point, making her panic even more.
The third was the maids of Consorts Duan and Xi screaming, waking Jiujiu and forcing Fang He to prioritize comforting the child—everyone knew how much she treasured Nine Princess.
After these seemingly useless moves came their real strike: the powder on Jiujiu.
If Fang He hadn’t taken the pregnancy-preserving medicine brewed by Fule before leaving, coming into contact with the miscarriage-inducing powder in such a frightened state… the other side was determined to make her lose the child through these staged accidents.
Fortunately, Consort Ping didn’t harm her; Consort Xi nearly died herself; others had alibis; and Noble Consort Wenxi, as the organizer, had the Imperial Garden steward as scapegoat.
Even if Consort Ping’s act was exposed, the Hesheri clan wouldn’t be foolish enough to use their own to falsely accuse her.
Everyone was playing their part perfectly.
It was truly a magnificent show. Â
Realizing this in an instant, Fang He looked at the furious Noble Consort Wenxi and smiled.
“You insult me, insult your entire family. What will you do?”
Noble Consort Wenxi was taken aback, her face growing even angrier.
“Insulting a meritorious consort—even if the emperor isn’t in the palace, with the Empress Dowager protecting you, and the Crown Prince and ministers watching, you think holding palace power lets you cover the sky with one hand?”
“Having power in the palace alone isn’t enough.”
Fang He nodded, “Thank you for reminding me.” Â
She called for Gu Wenxing.
“Go bring Su’moer from Cining Palace here. You personally go to the Cabinet and summon the Crown Prince.  If he refuses, tell him I’m ready to publicly kill Consorts Ping and Xi.” Â
Consort Duan, who had been hiding nearby, shuddered and instinctively took a few steps back, attempting to leave.
Concubine Jing, watching from the corner, stopped her.
“Where do you think you’re going, Sister Duan?”
Seeing Fang He’s gaze, Consort Duan’s face suddenly paled, and she staggered.
“I… I was frightened earlier. I’m unwell now and will return first.”
“You’re not going anywhere.” Fang He sneered.
Before anyone could vent their impotent rage, Fang He ordered Li Dequan, who had just arrived.
“Have the Imperial Guards surround the Imperial Garden. No one leaves without my order today. Anyone who tries will be sent directly to the Office of Punishment and Investigation.”
Li Dequan bowed, “Yes, your servant will go immediately.” Â
Noble Consort Wenxi struggled to catch her breath.
Her health had improved greatly, but now her heart pounded violently, and her vision darkened in waves. Â
Seeing Fang He utterly disregard etiquette and law, even openly threatening bloodshed—and with Su’moer and the Imperial Guards obeying her, seemingly not sparing the Crown Prince either—she suddenly regretted accepting the olive branch from Yuqing Palace.
This woman had gone mad! Â
Shushu Jueluo shouted angrily, “Without the emperor’s decree, mobilizing the Imperial Guards—Is Noble Consort Zhaoyuan trying to rebel?!”
“Shut her up. Her voice is irritating!” Fang He, holding Xinhua’s arm, headed toward the Luohan Couch outside the Fubi Pavilion.
“I want to see who dares!” Noble Consort Wenxi snarled.
Without looking back, Fang He said, “Including her. Anyone who talks back, silence them.”
Liu Xi, left in charge by Gu Wenxing, shouted in response and immediately, along with the palace maids from the Imperial Household Department, ignored rank and status.
They curtly apologized, then tied the hands of Noble Consort Wenxi and her maternal elder behind their backs, stuffing handkerchiefs into their mouths.
Consort Duan almost fainted, sliding to the ground.
“Noble Consort Zhaoyuan is really rebelling!”
Concubine Jing chuckled.
The endurance of Qing Dynasty consorts was truly not very strong. Â
She kindly helped Consort Duan up, “Shall I help you? Save the Imperial Maids the trouble.” Â
Consort Duan didn’t say a word and passed out again.
Concubine Jing smiled and released her hand, following Fang He, calling out to Liu Xi.
“Over there, carry her away.”
All the consorts and outer wives in the Imperial Garden were quickly gathered in front of the Fubi Pavilion.
Seeing Noble Consort Wenxi and her maternal elder kneeling pressed aside, guarded by rows of glaring palace maids, even Consort Hui and Consort Rong didn’t dare make a scene.