Chapter 74: Still Flirting at a Time Like This

A grand palace banquet, once proceeding smoothly, had first been disrupted by the breaking of the golden phoenix hairpin, and now, the matter of the gold-threaded brocade had arisen. The Empress Dowager’s good mood for her birthday celebration was utterly extinguished, her fury now focused solely on the leak of the gold-threaded fabric.

Emperor Zongkang ordered an investigation into Golden Hall, and the Imperial Guards promptly brought Wang Zhen, the head of the Wang family who managed Golden Hall, to the Jade Hibiscus Palace.

Wang Zhen was escorted to Jade Hibiscus Palace by the Imperial Guards, trembling with fear. He had never witnessed such a spectacle. Golden Hall’s dominance in the textile trade relied entirely on Marquis Guan Yuan’s support, but now, with the Imperial Guards mobilized unexpectedly, his mind was in absolute chaos.

Emperor Zongkang, lofty and imposing, spoke down to Wang Zhen. When Wang Zhen learned what had transpired within Jade Hibiscus Palace, he cried out in grievance, “Impossible! All gold-threaded brocade is stored in Golden Hall. The inventory is checked and measured daily, not a single inch is missing. How could any fabric have been used for clothing or embroidered handkerchiefs, let alone leaked before the grand sacrificial ceremony?”

Emperor Zongkang replied, “Then you mean to say another textile house has produced gold-threaded brocade?”

“Impossible! The composition of the gold-threaded brocade is extremely refined, utilizing pigments found only in other nations. No place but Golden Hall could possibly produce it faster or better.”

Emperor Zongkang sneered, “Indeed, ‘impossible.’ Then look at the fabric on Xia Yue’er, and this embroidered handkerchief. Do you dare say these are not gold-threaded brocade made by Golden Hall?”

Eunuch An placed the handkerchief before Wang Zhen, while Xia Yue’er knelt beside him. He picked up the handkerchief and waved it; under the light, it shimmered brilliantly.

Emperor Zongkang’s voice was commanding even without anger: “You claim Golden Hall’s gold-threaded brocade has not gone missing, and that no one else could possibly produce it. Then tell me, why does the brocade meant for the grand sacrificial ceremony of Li Kingdom appear prematurely on Xia Yue’er’s person and on this handkerchief?”

Wang Zhen clutched the handkerchief, stunned and lost, “This... this fabric is even finer than Golden Hall’s brocade, the way it catches the light is smoother and more flowing... How can this be?”

Indeed, how could this be? The recipe for Golden Hall’s gold-threaded brocade was a closely guarded secret known only to Wang Zhen. Why, then, were Xia Yue’er’s clothes and the handkerchief made of gold-threaded brocade?

Watching Wang Zhen’s devastated expression, Xia Jiujang gave a cold smile; this was precisely why she had asked Jiang Beiying for the brocade scraps.

Xia Jiujang was far from idle each day at Prince Jin’s estate. While Xia Yue’er practiced her water-sleeve dance for the palace banquet, Xia Jiujang was immersed in studying fabrics.

From the scraps brought by Jiang Beiying, Xia Jiujang identified the fixed ingredients for the base hue of gold-threaded brocade, then blended pigments to achieve the luminous, flowing brilliance. If she could not replicate the brocade exactly, she would create something superior in color and effect.

The clothes worn by Xia Yue’er were crafted from brocade blended by Xia Jiujang herself. At first glance, the fabric seemed ordinary, but when she danced, golden light rippled across it, dazzling like molten gold.

Jun Buwen leaned slightly toward Xia Jiujang and said, “I never realized the Princess Consort was so clever with her hands, able to produce brocade rivaling the original.”

Xia Jiujang seized the opportunity to lean on Jun Buwen’s shoulder, replying, “Oh, hardly! No matter how skilled I am, I cannot match my husband’s prowess—your sleight of hand effortlessly transferred the brocade garments to He Yi Palace... Truly, we complement each other perfectly, indispensable to one another.”

Jun Buwen chuckled, his mood so light that Xia Jiujang was momentarily dazed, unsure what she had said to amuse him so.

Their little gestures were not lost on Lin Baixue, whose face turned livid with anger. Xia Yue’er had been set up, and Xia Jiujang, as her elder sister, was flirting with Jun Buwen at such a critical moment!

Wang Zhen produced samples of the gold-threaded brocade and an account book, pleading, “Your Majesty, please review these. Here are all the records since Golden Hall began producing the brocade, including every finished piece. There is no excess fabric!”

Eunuch An presented the account book and brocade to Emperor Zongkang. He leafed through the records, while the Empress Dowager examined the brocade from Golden Hall.

She glanced at it with displeasure, tossed it back onto the tray, and said, “This is Golden Hall’s finished product? It’s not even as fine as Concubine Yi’s handkerchief! You call this a finished product? Is this how you treat the grand sacrificial ceremony?”

Wang Zhen was terrified, “Mercy, Empress Dowager, mercy! I had never seen the handkerchief before, nor do I know how brocade finer than Golden Hall’s could exist... There must be some misunderstanding, I beg you to investigate thoroughly!”

The Empress Dowager was infuriated, “It seems Golden Hall does not regard the Emperor as master, but favors Concubine Yi instead. The finest fabric is used first for her clothes, her handkerchief is superior even to what is meant for the sacrificial ceremony! The grand ceremony of Li Kingdom has become secondary!”

Emperor Zongkang cast a glance at the brocade from Golden Hall; it indeed lacked the luminous brilliance of the handkerchief’s fabric—especially the material on Xia Yue’er. When she danced, it radiated light, exactly the effect needed for the ritual dance at the ceremony, yet Xia Yue’er wore it ahead of time. The Emperor’s expression darkened; though he knew Xia Yue’er changed clothes at He Yi Palace due to falling into the water, his gaze toward the Xia family members soured nonetheless.

Concubine Yi cried out, “Empress Dowager, how could I dare covet the brocade? This must be a plot to frame me! These clothes are not from He Yi Palace.”

Clearly, someone was scheming against He Yi Palace, against Concubine Yi, yet the Emperor and Empress Dowager ignored it!

Wang Zhen anxiously defended himself, “Mercy, Empress Dowager! If Golden Hall had truly produced finer brocade, why would we present inferior pieces to pass inspection?”

The tangled threads only grew more knotted.

The clothes that came from Concubine Yi’s He Yi Palace, and the handkerchief found beneath her pillow, were inseparable from her. Yet Wang Zhen’s account book was meticulously clear, which only made matters worse.

Emperor Zongkang also knew someone was plotting against Wang Zhen and Concubine Yi; otherwise, Concubine Yi would not have exposed herself, and Wang Zhen would not dare deceive the royal family. But who was behind this plot, and what was their purpose?

No matter how it unfolded, they had been thrust before everyone; regardless of the truth, if they could not prove their innocence, they would have to answer for this conspiracy.

Concubine Yi felt her mind blank, but ultimately, Xia Yue’er’s outfit resulted from Xia Yue’er seeking her out after falling into the water.

Suddenly, Concubine Yi looked at Xia Yue’er, panic driving her to vent her anger outward. She shouted, “Is this your doing? Is it the Prime Minister’s household? You came to He Yi Palace to change clothes for no reason, only to bring disaster upon me! Were you sent by someone to frame me? That handkerchief must have been placed under my pillow by you!”

Lin Baixue was furious, “What nonsense, Your Highness! Yue’er fell into the water by accident, caused by Princess Anya—do you mean to say Princess Anya is the culprit?”

Xia Jiujang watched Lin Baixue and Concubine Yi snarl at each other and couldn’t help but sneer; infighting had begun so quickly—the real drama was just getting underway.