C23

Right at this moment, a palace maid ran in, holding an exquisite jade hairpin that wasn't too expensive.

Ye Yi Xin took the jade hairpin and held it in his hand. It was something he treasured a lot.

"Which young master's room did you search for it?" Walking forward, the old wet nurse asked in a calm voice.

"In reply to Senior Servant's words, I found them in Little Master Hua Muhua's room."

In a split-second, the palace maid's words were like a bolt of lightning that struck Hua Mujiao's body, causing her to feel numb and unconscious.

She glanced at Xia Ha Xue. From her face full of schadenfreude, Mu Jin could guess the truth of the matter, but she also knew that even if she said that she was framed, no one would believe it.

"That's impossible. Big Sister Jin was with me yesterday and never returned to her room. How could that jade hairpin be found in Big Sister Jin's room?"

The first person to explain wasn't Hua Mu Jin, but Mu Qiu.

Hearing her anxious voice, Hua Mu Jin's heart warmed. He felt that being able to get to know her could be considered a fortunate event.

"How can you prove that she never returned to her room?"

Mu Qiu's words were still questioned by others. The person who had questioned her was Wei Hanshuang, who had rushed in front of Xia Ha Xue.

He coldly glanced at Wei Hanshuang and could tell that Mu Qiu loathed her. Afterwards, Mu Qiu knelt in front of Ye La Xin and said, "Imperial Concubine, your daughter was indeed together with Big Sister Jin Jin yesterday. Afterwards, Mu Qiu knelt in front of Ye La Xin and said," Imperial Concubine, your daughter was indeed with Big Sister Jin yesterday.

Looking at Mu Qiu, Hua Mu Jin sighed before kneeling down as well.

"Imperial Concubine, please investigate."

The two of them knelt in a row, and Ye Yi Xin's gaze once again fell on Hua Mu Jin's body. She moved her lips, wanting to say something, but Xia Ha Xue interrupted her.

"Even if what you said is the truth, it doesn't guarantee that no one left her after you all went to bed, right?"

Ye Yi Xin raised his head and looked at Xia Ha Xue coldly. He was obviously unhappy.

Then, she looked away and said softly, "Since we have already found the jade hairpin, let's forget about this matter. The talent display was delayed by a few hours, so the empress dowager should be coming soon as well. Senior Qin, take them up to the second floor and prepare to go. "

"Esteemed Empress, this …"

"Who said forget it?"

Qin mama wanted to say something, but a stern voice suddenly rang out. Following the direction of the voice, they saw a woman around the age of forty or fifty, dressed in luxurious golden silk, supported by a mama. Behind her were two rows of palace maids and eunuchs.

There was no need to guess, Hua Mujiao also knew this person's identity. She was the empress dowager of the Huan Yue Country, Bai Linyu's mother — Nangong Liu-Li!

"Chenqie greets the empress dowager …"

"This old servant's daughter greets the empress dowager …"

In a split-second, everyone except Ye Yi Xin kneeled on the ground.

The empress dowager cast a disdainful glance at the crowd before walking up to Ye Yi Xin, who respectfully made way for her to sit on the chaise longue.

"This matter was heard by This Dowager. Imperial Concubine Fu kindly did not pursue the matter, but This Dowager cannot pretend that nothing had happened. The harem had its own rules. Whoever broke those rules would be punished. If you hide an item that belongs to a noble concubine, the light one will hit thirty big boards, and the heavy one will be killed! "

The empress dowager's last words sent a chill down Hua Mujie's spine, causing him to break out in cold sweat.

Clerk …

"Mu Qiu, you said that Hua Mu Jin was with you yesterday. Other than you, who else can prove it?" The empress dowager's cold voice made Mu Qiu shudder.

"In reply to Empress Dowager, aside from this subject and daughter, this subject's maidservant can also prove it."

Hearing Mu Qiu's soft reply, the empress dowager snorted coldly and questioned, "A maidservant is one of yours. Whatever you want her to say can't be considered proof."

With that, the empress dowager turned to look at Hua Mu Jin and asked, "Hua Mu Jin, do you have anything to say in defense of yourself?"

"In reply to the empress dowager, the imperial concubine just said that this jade hairpin isn't anything valuable. The reason why the imperial concubine treasured it was because it contained the emperor's intentions. This jade hairpin is very precious to the imperial concubine, but this subject does not have any reason to hide it. "