The moment these words were spoken, the entire room fell into stunned silence.
Concubine Lan tightened her grip on the handkerchief in her hand, feigning interest. "Does Noble Consort Chen mean to say she has found evidence proving Consort Mei's innocence?"
Shen Wei remained composed. "Bring the bronze plaque here."
Cai Lian obeyed, carrying over a tray holding the bronze plaque. The bizarrely shaped plaque was revealed before everyone, covered in mud and corroded with patches of verdigris. The maid serving Concubine Lan frowned subtly, scrutinizing the plaque as if she had overlooked something.
After placing the plaque down, Cai Lian stepped out and returned with three elderly craftsmen waiting behind a curtain.
Zhang Miaoyu pretended curiosity. "Are these three outside the curtain craftsmen from the Imperial Workshop?"
Cai Lian replied, "Indeed, Consort Yu. They are highly experienced artisans. By Noble Consort Chen's order, they are to examine the corrosion on the plaque to determine its age."
The three old craftsmen approached nervously, carefully inspecting the strange bronze plaque.
Half an incense stick’s time later, Cai Lian cleared her throat and asked loudly, "As master craftsmen with decades of experience, can you tell how long this plaque has been buried?"
The most senior among them answered, "The bronze has turned green, and the inscriptions blackened. Based on my experience, this object has been buried for at least five years."
The other two craftsmen nodded in agreement.
The room fell silent once more.
The Emperor had been on the throne for less than four years, and Consort Mei, Liu Ruyan, had entered the palace in the same period.
Yet, a bronze plaque buried for at least five years had been unearthed in Liu Ruyan’s courtyard—how was that possible?
Zhang Miaoyu was the first to react, pretending to have an epiphany. "So, this strange plaque was buried in the courtyard before Consort Mei even moved into Yuxiu Palace. Ah, it seems we’ve all wronged her."
Concubine Lan was inwardly shocked.
Her gaze flickered toward her maid, who also wore a puzzled expression.
This time, Concubine Lan had sought to implicate Consort Mei with the Xie family’s covert assistance. The bronze plaque had been secretly delivered into the palace by the Xie family and handed to Concubine Lan’s personal maid.
The maid had a growing suspicion that the Xie family wasn’t truly helping Concubine Lan. If the truth came to light, Concubine Lan would be sacrificed as the scapegoat.
Unwilling to concede, Concubine Lan racked her brain for flaws in the argument. "This... this plaque might have been buried by Consort Mei beneath the plum trees in Prince Yan's Mansion. She could have brought it into the palace and reburied it here."
One of the craftsmen knelt and refuted, "This humble servant must disagree, Your Highness. The soil in Prince Yan's Mansion is dense and stiff. Bronze buried there would develop a thick, hard layer of green patina that flakes off easily. The soil in the palace, however, was transported from the mountains by gardeners—rich and acidic. Bronze buried here would develop bluish-green corrosion."
"This plaque shows no signs of thick, flaking patina. Therefore, it has always been buried in the palace grounds."
Having spoken, the craftsman bowed deeply again.
Cai Lian escorted the three craftsmen out.
Concubine Lan frowned imperceptibly. Having lived deep within the palace, how would she know bronze reacted differently in varying soils?
In the main hall, Zhang Miaoyu fanned herself with a round silk fan, adding cheerfully, "When Consort Mei first entered the palace, dozens of eunuchs were sent to transplant the plum trees from the mansion. If bronze had been buried there, traces of corrosion would have been left behind. Yet, none of the eunuchs reported such findings."
Concubine Lan fell silent.
She couldn’t understand why her family had sent in a plaque riddled with inconsistencies.
"Noble Consort Chen, then who buried the plaque?" another concubine asked curiously.
Concubine Lan clenched her palms nervously, frantically reviewing whether she had left any traces. If Shen Wei discovered even the slightest clue, she would surely face severe punishment.
Falsely accusing a consort, planting cursed objects, disrupting the peace of the court and the harem—each charge alone could strip her of her status, if not her life.
She stole a glance at Shen Wei on the main seat, praying she hadn’t uncovered the truth.
Shen Wei traced the rim of her teacup with a finger before speaking slowly. "Before Consort Mei, Yuxiu Palace was occupied by the late Emperor’s Concubine Yun. I consulted the Empress Dowager—Concubine Yun was executed with poisoned wine for plotting against the imperial heirs, and her family’s main lineage was exterminated. This cursed bronze plaque must have been left behind by her."
Pausing, she turned to Concubine Lan. "What do you think, Concubine Lan?"
Concubine Lan exhaled inwardly in relief—at least the blame had fallen on a dead woman.
She nodded eagerly. "That makes perfect sense. Noble Consort Chen is most discerning."
Her maid, however, grew increasingly uneasy, casting a troubled glance at her naive mistress.
Zhang Miaoyu slammed the table in feigned outrage. "So it was Concubine Yun! What a vile woman!"
Shen Wei raised her voice slightly. "I have already reported the truth to His Majesty. From now on, no one in the palace is to speak of this matter again."
The assembled concubines rose in unison. "As you command."
One by one, they took their leave.
The scandal that had roiled the harem was finally laid to rest.
Shen Wei sipped her tea calmly. Today, she had resolved the turmoil within the palace. As for the meddling officials in court, Li Yuanjing would handle them.
She managed the inner court; he governed the outer. Together, they would protect the innocent Liu family, steady the loyal ministers, and purge the disloyal officials from the Directorate of Astronomy.
Shen Wei drank her tea, pleased with the outcome.
Zhang Miaoyu clasped her hands in admiration. "Shen Wei, you’re incredible! You even knew bronze corrodes differently in different soils—why didn’t I think of that?"
Shen Wei set down her white jade teacup, smiling faintly. "Just luck."
Zhang Miaoyu nudged Liu Ruyan. "Noble Consort Chen stepped in and cleared your name, saving you and your family. Why are you just standing there? Say something!"
Liu Ruyan remained as cold and detached as a winter plum, her face devoid of emotion.
She offered no thanks.
Shen Wei didn’t seem to mind, leaving with Cai Lian and her attendants.
Zhang Miaoyu stamped her foot in frustration, jabbing a finger at Liu Ruyan. "You’re so aloof, so noble! Noble Consort Chen went out of her way to save you, and this is how you act—like the world owes you something! You only care about your own feelings. No wonder you got framed!"
Liu Ruyan replied softly, "I never asked Noble Consort Chen to help me."
She had long been prepared to die.
Zhang Miaoyu was too furious to speak. She stormed off, unwilling to stay near Liu Ruyan any longer.
Silence returned to Yuxiu Palace.
A lonely autumn breeze swept through the halls as Liu Ruyan stood alone in the main chamber. On the table before the seat of honor rested an exquisite white jade teacup—the one Shen Wei had used.
Once more, Liu Ruyan pictured Shen Wei’s unflappable confidence, her effortless command of the situation. No other consort in the harem possessed such intelligence, such mastery of strategy.
A flicker of undetectable disdain crossed Liu Ruyan’s eyes.
She summoned a maid and ordered, "Throw away the teacup Noble Consort Chen used."
