*Disclaimer: None of this work belongs to me. Credits go to the Original Manhua.*
In the Prosperity Palace: "Lady Consort Su, His Majesty the Emperor has asked for your presence." A eunuch announced back at the Prosperity palace with an Imperial Edict that called Su Luxia to the court.
"Understood dismissed." She ordered as she stared at her reflection in the mirror while attaching her golden-rimmed hairpins gorgeously to her black silky hair. A smile appeared on Su Luxia's face as she put on her lipstick.
[Host what's going on? Why is the Emperor calling you?! Does he want to kill us?!] The bamboo rat appeared from the window, chewing on his bamboo out of fear.
"It seems that Consort Shu has finally made her move." Su Luxia chuckled. "At last."
[Consort Shu made a move?!] The Bamboo rat asked. [I don't understand... C-Consort Shu lost her favor a long time ago!? Why would you choose her to be a sword?]
"Naturally, the reason is... that she is quite useful." Su Luxia said, putting on her pearled earrings. "Half a month ago, the oldest heir, son of Consort Shu, was exiled and died. On the other hand, Liu Ruyan has an intimate relationship with the Emperor, who can give her the most power to make her Empress."
"Do you think Consort Shu was going to let that happen? Especially since that bitch Liu Ruyan was the one who framed her son?" Su Luxia asked the System.
[Host, so what did Consort Shu do?]
"Well, that's for us to find out, isn't it?" Su Luxia smiled as she stood up and put on a cloak.
***
***
"Consort Lady Su has arrived!" The guards declared as they opened the door to let Su Luxia enter the courtroom. The Emperor was sitting down in the middle of the throne, with his face enraged as he looked down at the ground. On both of his sides, in a separate elaborate chair, were Consort Shu and Consort Liu Ruyan who faced across from each other.
"What matter, requires my late presence in the night?" Su Luxia yawned as she entered.
No one had responded to her at all, as they all became deathly silent.
Su Luxia wanted to laugh at all of these processions. Two consorts, having two different contrasting expressions across from each other, isn't it amusing?
Liu Ruyan looked anxious, as if she had no idea why the Emperor had called over a Court Procession in the middle of the night. Especially in a room with both Consort Shu and Su Luxia. She had a feeling that these two had schemed something with each other.
On the other hand, Consort Shu looked completely composed as she looked coldly back at the Emperor who was sitting still in one place, without saying a word ever since Su Luxia had come in.
"Let the witnesses come in," Consort Shu called in as soon as Su Luxia had sat down in the chair next to her.
Soon Bi Tao and a Eunuch had come into the courtroom, immediately kneeled, put their heads on the ground, and kowtowed to the Emperor. They looked haggard and beaten up as they fearfully dared not to move in the Emperor's presence.
"Consort Shu, explain." The Emperor asked.
"Your Majesty," Consort Shu stood up, and said, "The Day before the Lady Consort Liu gave birth, the Ninth Prince bribed a lowly eunuch, who was in good waters, to set up specific feeding spots under the water to manipulate the fishes."
"Hence resulting in the Koi Fish blessing!" She declared.
The eunuch on the floor quickly yelled, "This servant admits his wrongs! I beg your Majesty to spare my life!" As if supporting Consort Shu's story.
Su Luxia smiled as she faked a surprise saying, "The Ninth Prince is really full of ideas!" Su Luxia glanced over at Liu Ruyan as she said, "If that's the case then... the Pheonix sign..."
"–Is naturally fake too!" Consort Shu said, in unison with Su Luxia. Then Consort Shu pointed at Liu Ruyan saying, "In simple terms, this is a means of deceiving others! In elaborate terms, it's a way to get the son of a wench to become the Crown Prince, causing a huge upheaval in the country and bringing disaster!"
Liu Ruyan became absolutely pale with horror, and her words became dry as Consort Shu accusingly pointed at her. She became quickly aware that everyone was waiting for her response to such a big accusation.
Liu Ruyan quickly fell from her chair, and dragged herself to the Emperor kneeling as she pleaded: "Y-Your Consort, I, doesn't know anything! But this Consort vows that the Ninth Prince had no such motives as what Consort Shu had said!"
The Emperor bend down and quickly grabbed onto Liu Ruyan's face as he coldly muttered: "Vow? What are you going to use your vow on?"
Liu Ruyan became shocked at the Emperor's cold attitude toward her. "Y-Your Majesty..." She never thought the Emperor would believe such a thing.
Su Luxia rolled her eyes, as she witnessed all of this drama. 'Tch, had this dumb woman really lived two lives?'
"There is a maid kneeling down on the ground, can you tell me what her crime is?" Su Luxia asked the entire Court. She pointed at the beaten up, and haggard Bi Tao who was on the floor kneeling.
Consort Shu turned towards Su Luxia and sneeringly said, "Does Consort Su not recognize her? She is the maid that caught hold of the illicit affair and was secretly bringing keepsakes out of the Palace. Was it not Consort Su who asked why Consort Liu carried around an embroidered bag in her pocket?"
Bi Tao bowed and kneelingly said, "Your Majesty! Please have mercy! This Lady was helping Lady Consort Liu pass along some keepsakes! I had no idea that they were love tokens!"
The entire court froze. It was getting clear that indeed Liu Ruyan was passing on love tokens to another man, having a forbidden affair with that man, and even bearing his child!
Liu Ruyan became shocked and upsettingly told Bi Tao, "I... I did not treat you unfairly, and yet you are helping others f-frame me?"
Liu Ruyan quickly turned onto the Emperor and held on to his legs, as she weepingly cried saying: "Y-Your Majesty! Others do not believe me, but do you doubt the feelings I, Yan'er, have for you?"
The Emperor froze when he saw Liu Ruyan bursting into the tears and saying such things with genuine teary eyes.
Su Luxia felt as if she was truly watching some kind of Period Drama movie between a cold, handsome, and ruthless Emperor and a kind, innocent, and beautiful Consort who were in love with each other. She truly felt as if she was enjoying such a thing. Yet, it truly made her disgusted. these two people were the nastiest cheating bastards and bitches in the world.
Liu Ruyan herself had lived in the Palace causing drama for others, and bullying those weak under her to show her dominance, while she played an innocent and gentle Consort in front of the Emperor. When the situation was turned in her favor, all Liu Ruyan was doing was shedding tears.
"Your Majesty, I can swear on my life that there are no feelings between the Ninth Prince and I!" Liu Ruyan sincerely said. "He is just a childhood friend who was worried that I, this Consort, was having a hard time in the Palace and wanted to ask me about it..."
Tears rolled out of her gentle eyes, and she looked up lovingly in front of the Emperor as she said, "You're the only one in Yan'er's heart. And the embroidered pouch in my pocket is the sash I kept that will promise to bind each other for life."
The Emperor became wavered at Liu Ruyan's sincere and gentle speech. He softly reached out to her and wiped Liu Ruyan's tears away and said, "Yan'er... I, I never doubted you. I just wanted to hear what Consort Shu and the others had to say."
"Pffft-!" Su Luxia burst out laughing, now, she wasn't able to hold in the laughter that came out of her mouth.
This caught everyone's attention this time. Even the Emperor became surprised by Su Luxia's reaction. He felt as if she had started to mock his words, and it infuriated him.
"Su Luxia!" He coldly ordered. "What are you laughing at?"
Su Luxia stopped, understanding that no one else would any of these as amusing and comical as she. She licked her lips as she said, "Your Majesty, I'm laughing because there is living evidence still kneeling on the ground, while His Majesty is already hurrying to close up this case?"
"Isn't it unfair?"