Chapter 41: Verifying Identity in Public

As soon as those words fell, the Hall of the Empress's Abode erupted into a frenzy.

"What did you say?"

"Impossible!"

"How could this be?"

"How is it possible that you are still a virgin?"

Exclamations rose one after another, and every pair of astonished eyes locked tightly onto Shen Ningyuan.

Especially Madam Chen, who, after a moment of stunned silence, let out a deafening shriek, "Shen Ningyuan, you have been married to my son for a full year, how can you still be a virgin?"

Having said that, Madam Chen seemed to realize something, and her tone gradually lowered, "Could it be that a year ago, on our wedding night, you and Yunchuan did... did nothing at all?"

Shen Ningyuan smiled even brighter. "Mother-in-law is truly perceptive. On my wedding night a year ago, my husband and I indeed did nothing at all."

"Why?" Madam Chen asked, completely baffled.

Shen Ningyuan sneered inwardly: *Because your son promised Cui Mingzhu to remain chaste for her.*

Yet, outwardly, she spoke with a gentle and delicate tone: "Because on the night of our wedding, my husband received an imperial decree to set off for the battlefield. Fearing that I might carry on with other men after his departure, he refrained from touching me and preserved my maidenhood. That way, upon his return, if I remained untouched, it would prove that I had never betrayed him."

At the end of her speech, Shen Ningyuan feigned bashfulness, lowering her head with the coy, blushing demeanor of a shy maiden.

"It—it was actually like this?" Madam Chen was still in a daze. "Yet that night, we clearly heard the sound of calling for water all night long..."

Shen Ningyuan once again sneered in her heart: *That was your good son, entangled in passionate embrace with his beloved in the study just a wall away.*

That night, to prevent her from hearing any disturbance, Ji Yunchuan had even fed her a potent dose of sleeping potion, allowing her to sleep soundly and peacefully.

She had slept straight through until noon the next day, only to be punished by Madam Chen—who accused her of laziness, excessive sleeping, and disrespecting her elders—by being forced to kneel in the scorching sun holding a teacup for a full hour.

At this thought, Shen Ningyuan收敛 her smile. "That must have been Mother-in-law hearing things."

"How could I have misheard?"

Madam Chen still wanted to argue, but Ji Zehai gave her a heavy shove and interrupted her in a deep voice, "If you misheard, then you misheard. There is no need to probe further."

Seeing the solemn expression on Ji Zehai's face, Madam Chen finally snapped back to reality.

The truth about the wedding night concerned the reputation of the Ji family. If she said the wrong thing, it could bring disastrous consequences to them.

Realizing this, Madam Chen immediately clamped her mouth shut.

Seeing the reactions of this couple, He Yunshu had roughly guessed what had happened.

A year ago, on the wedding night of Ji Yunchuan and Shen Ningyuan, there must have been an unspeakable secret.

She actually found this matter rather interesting.

Once today's business was concluded, she could send people to investigate it.

However, right now, the most important thing was to deal with Shen Ningyuan first!

Lost in thought, He Yunshu cast a glance at Shen Ningyuan, a trace of icy chill seeping into the depths of her eyes.

She said in a deep voice, "Shen Ningyuan, what you just said only proves that you and Ji Yunchuan did not share a bed. It does not prove that you never had illicit affairs with other men. Whether you are truly a virgin remains to be evaluated."

"Empress, I can have my body verified and submit to an inspection by the palace matrons."

"Shen Ningyuan!" He Yunshu's expression changed instantly. She looked at Shen Ningyuan as if looking at a lunatic. "Do you know what this means?"

Madam Chen and Ji Zehai also looked toward Shen Ningyuan in panic.

If Shen Ningyuan underwent physical verification and proved her innocence, then the Ji family would be guilty of framing an innocent person and deceiving the emperor.

This was a capital offense punishable by beheading!

At this moment, the two of them prayed incessantly in their hearts that Shen Ningyuan would quickly take back her words.

However, things went contrary to their wishes.

Shen Ningyuan raised her gaze to look at He Yunshu, her tone calm yet resolute. "Empress, this minister's wife naturally knows what it means."

"But as long as it can prove my innocence and wash away this filthy sludge, I am willing."

"..."

He Yunshu was momentarily left speechless.

Looking into Shen Ningyuan's firm eyes, she seemed to recall being scolded to tears by Cui Jin ten years ago.

Back then, facing Cui Jin ten years ago was just like facing Shen Ningyuan now—she had stood there with her mouth open, unable to utter a single word.

At this thought, the sense of frustration in He Yunshu's heart grew intensely strong.

At last, He Yunshu waved her hand and said lazily, "In my view, let's forget about this matter of physical verification!"

"The palace has never had such a precedent. In case things blow up and spread among the common people, it will only become a laughingstock."

Hearing this, a look of joy surfaced on the faces of Ji Zehai and Madam Chen.

If there was no physical verification, then Shen Ningyuan would have no way to prove her innocence.

By then, couldn't they splash whatever dirty water they pleased?

Shen Ningyuan clearly thought of this as well.

She raised her head and gazed intently at He Yunshu. "Without physical verification, how is this minister's wife to prove her innocence? Am I simply to let others arbitrarily slander me and splash filth upon me?"

"Flies do not bite seamless eggs. If you truly had not the slightest problem, this filth could never be splashed onto you!"

Shen Ningyuan bit her lip and retorted, "When one wants to condemn someone, pretexts are never lacking!"

"Shen Ningyuan, are you the empress, or am I the empress!" He Yunshu's expression turned completely glacial. "Even if I refuse to let you be verified, what can you possibly do to me?"

Hearing this, He Yunshu was utterly determined not to let Shen Ningyuan prove her innocence.

Song Yan'er was extremely nervous. She secretly reached out, tugged at Shen Ningyuan's palm, and whispered, "Yuan'er, this matter requires careful deliberation. Why don't we swallow this loss for now and go back to discuss a countermeasure with our parents?"

"No." Shen Ningyuan rejected Song Yan'er's proposal without a second thought.

"Cede a city today, cede another city tomorrow, and eventually there will be no cities left."

If she backed down even a single step today, she would never get another chance in the future!

A daughter of the Shen family could not retreat!

At this thought, Shen Ningyuan stepped forward two paces.

She raised her voice and said, "As the mistress of the six palaces and the one who upholds justice for the women of the world, does the Empress truly intend to abuse her power for personal vendettas and deny this minister's wife a chance to prove her innocence?"

"If Your Majesty is unwilling, this minister's wife requests an audience with the Emperor right now to beg His Majesty for a chance to clear her name!"

Her attitude was neither servile nor overbearing, her voice clear, crisp, and powerful.

He Yunshu clenched her fists. "Shen Ningyuan, how dare you use the Emperor to pressure me!"

Shen Ningyuan countered without hesitation, "This minister's wife only wants her innocence!"

He Yunshu bit her teeth, demanding in an icy voice, "Is your innocence really that important?"

"Of course it is important—more important than my life!"

Shen Ningyuan's voice was not loud, but it was firm and powerful.

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

Just as Shen Ningyuan finished speaking, an abrupt sound of applause echoed from outside the grand hall.

He Yunshu's expression changed instantly, and she stared coldly outside the hall. "Who is running wild outside the Hall of the Empress's Abode?"

The person outside did not answer immediately. The footsteps approached from afar, speaking unhurriedly on their own, "For a woman to regard her innocence as her life is truly rare. Since Her Majesty the Empress refuses to bestow praise, why must she treat it so cheaply?"

"Imperial Noble Consort Ying?"

He Yunshu's expression grew slightly heavy as she cast a cold glance at Song Yan'er.

Song Yan'er was also stunned and turned around in disbelief.

When she saw a woman dressed in luxurious purple robes, exuding an air of supreme elegance, cross the threshold and step into the Hall of the Empress's Abode,

Song Yan'er's eyes stung intensely.

Yet she gritted her teeth and forced the tears back, refusing to let them fall.

"Eld-Eld-Elder Sister?" Song Yan'er parted her lips, uttering a distinct "Elder Sister."

She had not called her elder sister for many, many years.

Seeing her own younger sister, Song Ying'er did not respond immediately. Instead, she first bowed respectfully to He Yunshu.

"This concubine pays respects to Your Majesty the Empress."

"Suddenly you know your manners when it suits you," He Yunshu scoffed coldly.

Having completed the bow, Song Ying'er straightened up, looked at He Yunshu, and smiled as she followed up on her words, "It is precisely because I know my manners that I wish to advise Your Majesty to grant the young madam of the Ji family a chance to prove her innocence."

He Yunshu raised an eyebrow, speaking in a cool, lingering tone, "Give me a reason."

Song Ying'er smiled, her voice soft. "To tell you the truth, this concubine has just come from His Majesty's side and has heard a rough outline of today's events. I merely wish to ask Your Majesty a question: Have you truly never wondered why His Majesty handed this matter over to you to handle?"

As she spoke, Song Ying'er's peripheral vision calmly swept across Shen Ningyuan.

He Yunshu was no fool; she instantly guessed the subtext behind Song Ying'er's words, and her complexion shifted dramatically.

Clearly, He Yunshu had also guessed the Emperor's intentions.

Clenching her hands immediately, she gave a cold order to the palace attendants nearby, "Call two matrons of chamber affairs over here to verify the body of the young madam of the Ji family!"