Chương 14: 014 The Grand Imperial Consort is summoning you for questioning.
Li Xianyun washed her hands and then sat down to drink tea under the porch.
She checked the progress in the courtyard and the sky, realizing that the mosquito net wouldn't be finished today, and the newly lacquered wood needed to be aired out to dry. Otherwise, it would be too wet and the smell too strong.
The weather in Khitan was dry. After airing the lacquer in the afternoon and overnight, it should be dry by tomorrow. Then, she could nail the frame to the bed and drape the soft gauze over it—the mosquito net would be complete.
However, making screen windows was quite simple, so she might as well make a few in the meantime to make do.
Li Xianyun, with her group of helpers, made about four or five screen windows when Rong Ge from the Grand Imperial Consort's palace arrived.
Li Xianyun put down her work, thinking to herself: Finally, the person has come.
Rong Ge said expressionlessly, "Princess Consort, the Grand Imperial Consort summons you for questioning."
Zhuo Ma, feeling as though facing a great enemy, asked in a low voice beside Li Xianyun, "Princess Consort, should your servant go and ask the Khan to come?"
Li Xianyun shook her head; she didn't feel that close to Yelu Yan. Besides, Yelu Yan's favorable treatment towards her was only because she had saved his mentor. She didn't want to wear out the goodwill she had just recently earned.
Li Xianyun glanced at her dress, noticed wood shavings and dust on it, and felt it was not fit for meeting people. "Continue making the screen windows. I will change my clothes. Youlan, Zhuo Ma, come inside with me."
"Yes!"
The three of them headed towards the side hall.
Rong Ge knew in her heart that the Khan and the Princess Consort weren't living together and their relationship wasn't as good as rumored outside. She couldn't help but let out a scoff of contempt.
Without the Khan's backing, the Princess Consort is nothing.
After changing, Li Xianyun let Zhuo Ma and Youlan carry some items, and they all headed towards the Empress Dowager's Palace together.
Along the way, every Palace Attendant they encountered pressed themselves against the wall and knelt to perform the elbow-to-fist salute.
Once the group was far away, the Palace Attendants stood up again.
One Palace Attendant said, "I heard that the Princess Consort hit the person in charge at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and now she's about to be punished by the Grand Imperial Consort."
"As arrogant as she was, that's how pathetic she is now."
"The higher you fly, the harder you fall."
"I said it all along: the Khan has never been interested in women, so how could he so easily take to the Princess Consort?"
"The harem is still under the Grand Imperial Consort's rule."
"Just watch, the Princess Consort will surely not leave without the Grand Imperial Consort flaying her."
Li Xianyun arrived at the Grand Imperial Consort's palace, where Guli was sitting in the main seat, surrounded by several maids. On the side was the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who had been beaten so badly she couldn't even stand and was now sitting slumped in her chair, glaring viciously at Li Xianyun.
Li Xianyun just glanced at her indifferently, walked up and performed the elbow-to-fist salute, "Greetings to Mother Consort."
Guli looked at her coldly and asked in a cold voice, "Do you know your crime?"
Li Xianyun replied with a puzzled expression, "What happened, Mother Consort?"
The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs burst out angrily, "You broke into the Ministry of Internal Affairs uninvited and had someone hit me. Have you already forgotten what just happened, Princess Consort?"
Li Xianyun retorted, "You have been acting arrogantly and terribly under Mother Consort's name, tarnishing her reputation. Beating you with thirty heavy sticks would still be too light."
Guli sneered mockingly, "Don't talk nonsense. Aman is generous and diligent. It's you who are unruly and reckless. Have you ever behaved like a Princess Consort?"
Li Xianyun stated, "Mother Consort, you are kind and compassionate, always seeing the best in people. Some villains take advantage of this, embezzling for their own gains, deceiving you."
The woman from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, upon hearing this, shouted angrily, "Don't spout nonsense here!"
Li Xianyun saluted, "Mother Consort, I may be new here, but I am the Princess Consort after all. How could I not punish a mere manager who dared to yell at me?"
Guli glanced at Li Xianyun and said coldly, "Have you not heard that a cornered rabbit will bite? A bullied honest person will naturally speak out of turn."
Feeling triumphant, the manager from the Ministry of Internal Affairs looked at Li Xianyun and said, "The Grand Imperial Consort is wise."
"Indeed, I was driven to desperation, which is why I investigated the manager of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I was shocked to discover on further scrutiny that she embezzled and took bribes, all recorded under your and the Ninth Prince's names."
Guli's face turned as dark and threatening as the sky before a thunderstorm upon hearing this.
Aman exclaimed, "You're talking nonsense!!"
Li Xianyun glanced at her calmly and had Youlan hand the two account books to Rong Ge, "Mother Consort, these are the embezzled funds of the Ministry of Internal Affairs manager and the destination of the money, all recorded in detail."
The face of the Ministry of Internal Affairs manager paled instantly upon seeing the two account books.
She had hidden them so well; how had they found them?
Guli, disbelieving, took the account books and after just one glance, her eyes widened.
The account books clearly recorded the financial movements of the Ministry of Internal Affairs: part of it went to the Grand Imperial Consort's Palace, the other part was converted into silver taels and sent to the Ninth Prince, Yelu Qi.
Guli glared furiously at Aman.
Aman, already drenched in sweat from fear, had made private records, thinking that when the time came, she could use them to blackmail the Grand Imperial Consort and the Ninth Prince in order to save her own life. She hadn't expected Li Xianyun to turn everything inside out.
She slid off the chair and crawled at Guli's feet, pleading, "The Grand Imperial Consort must see justice! I have been loyal to you, how could I commit such acts? The Princess Consort is framing me!"
Guli kicked her away with force.
Framing her? The entries had details, and Li Xianyun, being new here, could not possibly have known about them. How could she frame her?!
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