Chapter 76: The Enchantress’s True Identity

At the sound of the young palace maid’s startled cry, the Empress Dowager’s expression turned steely, her voice ringing out with even greater authority. “Who is this witch? What sorcery do you speak of? Make yourself clear to me. If you dare spread such wild rumors within the palace, do you know what consequences await?”

The incident with the Imperial Consort had only just been quelled, and the palace was still rife with unease. She was determined to prevent any further turmoil.

The young maid, prostrate on the ground and trembling uncontrollably, sobbed as she spoke. “Your Majesty, every word I utter is true. The eldest daughter of the Shen family is a witch. She possesses sorcery.”

“Nonsense! She is the legitimate daughter of the Shen Marquisate, the future Princess Consort of Prince Xuan. How could she possibly be a witch?” Ning Hua anxiously protested from the side. The Great Sheng Dynasty abhorred anything that smacked of superstition and witchcraft; should such a label be attached to her, the consequences would be dire. Though Ning Hua had not known Shen Qianmo for long, she had taken a liking to her sincerity and generosity, and instinctively believed her. How could someone so composed and upright be a witch?

“Miss Ning, you have not known Miss Shen for very long. How can you be so quick to make such assertions?” Princess Anping’s tone was mild, her expression unreadable.

She then turned to the Empress Dowager. “Your Majesty, it was at my behest that this maid was sent to invite Miss Shen. I was struck by Miss Shen’s extraordinary talent and wished to have her join me for a flower viewing and a contest of poetry.”

Having spoken, Princess Anping fixed the trembling maid with a stern glare. “What truly happened just now? Speak clearly before Her Majesty!”

The young maid still quaked with fear, clearly traumatized. “Your Majesty, Princess, when I went to invite Miss Shen as ordered, she was in the midst of a quarrel with Lady Shizi. I delivered the invitation, but Miss Shen asked me to lift my head and questioned which palace I served. The moment I met her gaze, it was as if my mind went blank—I remember nothing after that. When I regained my senses, Lady Shizi was lying on the ground, covered in blood. Please, Your Majesty, I swear I remember nothing—it must have been Miss Shen who bewitched me and used me to harm Lady Shizi.”

With that, the maid cast a terrified glance at Shen Qianmo before immediately lowering her head again, shivering violently on the floor.

How could this delicate, gentle Miss Shen possibly be a witch? The assembled court ladies and concubines all turned their gaze to Shen Qianmo, unconsciously taking a step back from her, their faces a mix of disbelief and fear.

Amid all the consorts, only Virtuous Consort remained grateful to Shen Qianmo for having once spoken in Prince Meng Tianlin’s defense at the Hall of Blessed Peace. Now, seeing her accused so gravely, though uncertain of the truth, she realized how grave the matter was. Shen Qianmo would not easily escape this snare. Quietly, she dispatched her personal maid to summon Prince Xuan.

In such circumstances, perhaps only Prince Xuan could save her now.

Ning Hua and Fu Yuechan stood resolutely to Shen Qianmo’s left and right, as if determined to shield her. Fu Yuechan’s face was pale, her heart filled with fear, yet she could not believe that the gentle, gracious Sister Qianmo was a witch. Ning Hua was even more resolute; with all her experience judging character, she could not believe that someone as composed and upright as Shen Qianmo could possibly be a witch. She squeezed Shen Qianmo’s hand in silent support.

Receiving the trusting gazes of Ning Hua and Fu Yuechan, Shen Qianmo offered them a grateful smile, her expression as calm and gentle as ever.

She understood fully now—she had been set up. And those behind it were none other than Shen Qianxue and Princess Anping.

No wonder Meng Yunce had uncharacteristically brought Shen Qianxue to this evening’s gathering—it had all been to stage this farce, with Princess Anping as his accomplice. But how had Shen Qianxue learned of her hypnotic abilities? Had not Prince Meng Yuanheng suppressed all information regarding the interrogation of those assassins?

However, there was no time to dwell on this. She had more pressing matters to resolve.

With composure, she bowed to the Empress Dowager and spoke in a steady tone. “Your Majesty, the Lady Shizi is my own sister—why would I harm her without cause? Just now, this maid suddenly attacked Lady Shizi, and now, not only does she slander me, but her words are wild and baseless. I beseech Your Majesty to see the truth.”

The maid on the ground wailed her innocence. “Your Majesty, I am truly wronged! I have no quarrel with Lady Shizi—how could I harm her without reason? When I went to invite Miss Shen, she was in a heated argument with Lady Shizi. It must have been in her anger that Miss Shen bewitched me, and in my confusion, I caused harm. My life is worthless, but I swear on it, every word I say is true. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!”

As she finished, a look of grim resolve flashed across her face. Suddenly, she rushed a few steps and dashed her head against the ornamental rock nearby. Blood poured down her face as her small body crumpled to the floor.

Her act of suicide was swift and decisive, as if she had prepared for it in advance—there was no hesitation, only a clean, fatal strike. Everyone was caught off-guard, startled by the suddenness of it.

Shen Qianmo sneered inwardly. So the schemes of Princess Anping and Shen Qianxue were not only vicious, but thorough as well. To them, the life of a mere palace maid meant nothing at all.

The Empress Dowager’s attendant hurried forward, checked the maid’s breath, and reported back, “Your Majesty, she is dead.”

Dead! The onlookers, mostly women with little stomach for blood, broke into horrified screams at the sight of the maid’s gruesome death, and the crowd quickly descended into chaos.

The Empress Dowager had always disliked such bloody spectacles; now, to see a pleasant flower-viewing gathering reduced to this filled her with rage. Under her governance, the inner palace had long been peaceful and orderly, but now, trouble after trouble had arisen. The matter of the fake Imperial Consort hiding illicit drugs had already left her unable to show her face before the Emperor, and now this—accusations of witchcraft and sorcery, one disaster after another, with not a moment’s peace.

At that moment, Shen Qianxue, heedless of the blood streaming down her own back, crawled toward Shen Qianmo, clutching her leg and wailing, “Elder sister, how cruel you are! Though the young lord broke off your engagement to marry me, did not His Majesty then bestow on you a marriage to Prince Xuan? Why must you bear such a grudge, and harm me again and again? If you must torment me at home, so be it, but now we are in the palace—a place of purity and order. How could you use such wicked sorcery against me here? Elder sister, no matter how angry you are, you cannot unleash such evil in the palace!”

Shen Qianxue’s sobs were accompanied by the constant flow of blood from her back, her pale and lovely face evoking sympathy. The others looked at Shen Qianmo with increasing censure.

Even the Empress Dowager’s conviction began to waver. It seemed that ever since this eldest daughter of the Shen family had entered the palace, peace had fled. There was no denying that she possessed skills uncommon among women, which made her all the more suspicious.

The Empress Dowager regarded Shen Qianmo coldly. “Miss Shen, Lady Shizi is your own sister. Even she admits you possess witchcraft—what have you to say for yourself?”

So, this Shen Qianxue had truly gone all in, even at the cost of her own suffering, to brand her as a witch. Shen Qianmo had to admit the move was clever, especially with the maid sacrificing her life to accuse her. Now, suspicion had rooted in everyone’s heart; no matter how she denied it, words alone would not clear her name.

But she knew, whatever happened, she must never admit to being a witch. With no other recourse, she knelt before the Empress Dowager, her voice unwavering. “Your Majesty, I have never harmed Lady Shizi, nor do I know any witchcraft. Lady Shizi is likely delirious from blood loss and speaks nonsense. I beseech Your Majesty to see the truth.”

“I am not delirious. I am perfectly clear-headed!” Shen Qianxue, kneeling beside her, cried out anxiously. “Your Majesty, I heard that when Prince Xuan was ambushed on his journey back to the capital, my sister merely looked at the assassins, and they confessed everything. If that is not witchcraft, how else could it be explained?”

So that was the cause. Yet Shen Qianmo herself had never revealed a word of what happened during the interrogation at the Marquisate. How had Shen Qianxue found out?

She shot Shen Qianxue a sharp, icy look. “Second sister, do you even understand what you are saying? How dare you spread such baseless accusations in the palace?”

The attack on Prince Xuan involved the power struggles of various factions within the palace—what right did a mere woman have to pass judgment? Clearly, Shen Qianxue was blinded by hatred, daring to air such matters so recklessly. Then again, as a mere concubine of Meng Yunce, how could she comprehend the ramifications? The Rong Prince’s estate was known to be aligned with Prince Luo, and everyone knew that the assassins had been sent by Prince Luo, implicating the Rong Prince’s estate as well. For Shen Qianxue to speak of it so openly was to court death herself.

Seeing Shen Qianmo’s steadfast denial and unshaken composure, the Empress Dowager could do nothing for the moment. After all, Shen Qianmo was the legitimate daughter of the Shen Marquisate and the future Princess Consort of Prince Xuan. Even though the Marquisate had declined, the house of Prince Xuan wielded great power and military might—she could not be easily offended.

The Empress Dowager pondered briefly. Noticing Princess Zhaoren at her side, her eyes brightened—Zhaoren was known for her resourcefulness. Why not let her handle this thorny matter? She turned and asked, “Princess, what do you advise in this case?”

Princess Zhaoren was clad in magnificent court robes; though older than the Empress Dowager, she maintained her beauty well. Her features, so like Princess Anping’s, bore a slight arch of the brow, hinting at a temperament far from gentle.

At the Empress Dowager’s question, she raised her willow-shaped brows and cast a lofty gaze at Shen Qianmo, who knelt on the floor, her expression unflinching. Slowly, she spoke. “I have long heard of the eldest Miss Shen’s wit and courage—now I see the rumors are not unfounded. Yet today’s events are undeniably tied to you. One dead, one injured, and the palace thrown into chaos—if we simply let you go, not only will none be satisfied, but you will forever bear the stigma of witchcraft. Therefore, in my opinion, Miss Shen should be detained for now. Once the matter is fully investigated, whether she is a witch or not, we will have an answer for all.”

Shen Qianmo arched her brows. So, Princess Zhaoren intended to have her thrown into prison? Moreover, her words were shrewdly chosen—if, when the investigation concluded, there remained a suspicion of witchcraft, she might well spend the rest of her days behind bars.