Just as Feng Qiwu was about to show mercy and let the palace maid off, Bai Susu’s puzzled voice rang out: "This palace maid is quite laughable, today is the Empress Dowager’s sixtieth birthday, it’s inauspicious to see blood. Anyone would know that the filial Crown Prince wouldn’t kill you for such a trivial mistake. Yet you, before the Crown Prince even said a word, couldn’t wait to kneel and admit fault, banging your head until it bled, as if it was the Crown Prince who made you ."
"Could it be that you did this on purpose to tarnish the Crown Prince’s reputation?" Bai Susu suddenly revealed a look of realization and innocence.
Inwardly, however, she was sneering coldly.
Some people know that Feng Qiwu despises explanations, opting for action over words.
After all, Feng Qiwu truly has a volatile temper, pulling off such a scene in public, if provoked, he would indeed act on it directly.
Regardless of whether the palace maid lived or died, just by looking at her blood-streaked tragic appearance would cement Feng Qiwu’s image as brutal and cold-hearted even further.
At that point... even if he is the Crown Prince, what then?
How many officials in the entire court would still sincerely support his ascendancy?
After hearing Bai Susu’s words, a flash of panic flickered in the palace maid’s eyes.
Then, she quickly shook her head pitifully, "This servant wouldn’t dare! How could this servant dare tarnish the Crown Prince’s reputation? Please, Miss Bai, speak cautiously!"
Bai Wanwan hurriedly added, "Susu, don’t meddle in others’ affairs! What if you get dragged into trouble?"
In her heart, however, she hoped eagerly: If Bai Susu could be implicated by Feng Qiwu, that would indeed be wonderful news.
Yet Bai Susu continued calmly, "Am I not speaking the truth? From the moment you spilled the wine, has the Crown Prince scolded you even once? No!"
"Moreover, everyone here witnessed clearly that the Crown Prince hadn’t even given you a glance from beginning to end, I doubt he even noticed you spilled the wine!"
"Yet you are adept at adding drama to yourself, immediately claiming the Crown Prince compelled you to die! Who would believe it wasn’t intentional?"
"In my opinion, you want the Emperor to later come over and vent his anger on the Crown Prince because of your bloodied head! After all, seeing blood on the Empress Dowager’s birthday is a great disrespect! Even the Crown Prince must be punished!"
After Bai Susu’s decisive words, the palace maid, whose thoughts had been completely exposed, instantly turned deathly pale, making her blood-streaked face appear even more eerie.
Meanwhile, Feng Qiwu gazed intently at Bai Susu’s righteous face, a foreign tumultuous emotion surged through his chest.
This was the first time someone had defended him publicly!
Though he never truly cared about having more blood on his hands.
But he couldn’t deny that being cared for... felt this good.
He utterly enjoyed this appearance of her standing up for him!
It made him want to pull her into an embrace and pinch her fair cheeks.
Just then, the voice of the Chief Eunuch, Li Cheng, sounded: "His Majesty has arrived!"
Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao appears, for a moment, everyone’s expressions turned subtle.
Bai Susu had just remarked about the palace maid framing the Crown Prince to earn the Emperor’s wrath, and surprisingly, the Emperor immediately appeared.
Could this really just be a coincidence?
None present were fools, with a little thought, they understood the stakes involved.
They also realized: Bai Susu might truly be correct, there might genuinely be someone attempting to take advantage of the Empress Dowager’s birthday to plot against the Crown Prince.
No one expected, however, that the Crown Prince, known for his swift and harsh actions, actually withheld himself.
Most surprisingly, Bai Susu, the legitimate granddaughter of Prime Minister Bai, delivered a decisive assist, dissecting the conspiracy clearly, nipping any misunderstanding in the bud.
This time, not only would the Crown Prince avoid blame from the Emperor, but he would also become an innocent victim.
This situation tempts people to question: Might the rumors of the Crown Prince’s bloodthirsty nature in the past also have been incidents of entrapment like today’s?
With such thoughts, many seasoned ministers looked covertly and scrutinizingly at Bai Susu. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novelꞁire.net
Effortlessly shaking the Crown Prince’s ferocious image at its core, this move went beyond skillful.
Seeing Bai Susu’s clear and pure gaze, they couldn’t help but shift their sight to Prime Minister Bai standing behind the Emperor.
Thinking themselves perceptive, they assumed: Bai Susu, as Prime Minister Bai’s most cherished granddaughter, is undoubtedly clever, but today’s profound ploy clearly wasn’t within the reach of a mere teenager.
Possibly, her previous remarks were entirely pre-instructed by Prime Minister Bai.
Intended to cleanse the Crown Prince’s name!
However, this also implies that Prime Minister Bai’s chosen successor had always been the Crown Prince!
Thinking of this, many veteran ministers felt waves of shock, inwardly cursing Prime Minister Bai as a sly old fox!
Previously, before them, he cursed the Crown Prince, spitting venom vehemently.
They mistakenly thought he wished to abolish the Crown Prince too!
Yet now, it appears, this was out of profound love and harsh rebuke.
If Prime Minister Bai had truly abandoned the Crown Prince, why would he still curse him with such fervor when angered?
True abandonment would’ve meant indifference!
Suddenly, these old ministers found themselves breaking into a cold sweat.
Nearly fell into this old fox’s trap!
If they had chosen the wrong side, their personal endings aside, there would be no avoiding family reckonings in the future!
Bai Susu had no idea that many were concocting grand dramas in their minds.
She tried to ignore Feng Qiwu’s burning gaze, bowed and saluted, then focused inwardly.
Prime Minister Bai, however, furrowed his brow slightly, confused as to why his political opponents gave him such odd looks just now.
Could something happen that he wasn’t aware of?
While Prime Minister Bai pondered the cause, Emperor Feng Qingyang smiled and said, "Rise, my loyal subjects, what happened just now? Why have you stopped drinking and chatting while I was away?"
Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials couldn’t help but glance at each other, none daring to speak up at this time.