Chapter 34
**Chapter 34: I Am Speechless!**
...
Shen Wei was not fond of the Kunyu Courtyard where the princess resided; it felt too solemn, too rigid, and the air was thick with the heavy scent of incense from the Buddhist altar. The princess, aside from teaching her children, devoted her time to burning incense and praying. She had even spent a fortune on a rare white jade Buddha statue, which she worshipped daily in a small hall.
As Shen Wei stepped into the dimly lit main room, she saw the princess dressed in a dark purple, front-buttoned long gown, the color somber and aging. The piercing gaze she cast upon Shen Wei was oppressive, almost suffocating.
Seated on either side of the princess were Liu Qiao'er and Liu Ru Yan, and with them was Zhang Miao Yu, the highest-ranking woman in the Wang family’s inner court. Zhang Yue stood stiffly to one side, unable to hide her smugness and mockery.
“Greetings to the princess, and to all the esteemed concubines,” Shen Wei said, bowing respectfully.
The princess took a delicate sip of tea and coolly addressed Zhang Yue, “Zhang, please repeat what you saw in the Fangfei Courtyard.”
Zhang Yue readily complied, spinning a tale: “Your Highness, this morning I felt restless. Although the Fangfei Courtyard is uninhabited, the flowers and plants are lush and beautiful, so I went there to clear my mind. To my surprise, under a peach tree, I found a mound of earth. Out of curiosity, I dug it up and discovered a box containing a wooden figure, inscribed with vile curses against the prince.”
“I was terrified; this is clearly the work of witchcraft! Shen Wei used to live in Fangfei Courtyard, so it’s highly likely she buried it there. I dared not conceal this and came to seek your assistance, Your Highness.”
Once Zhang Yue finished, the room fell silent.
Shen Wei’s face turned pale, as if struck by a heavy blow. She bit her lip, shaking her head in panic, murmuring, “No... it can’t be... there’s no way something like that could be in the Fangfei Courtyard where I lived...”
She looked utterly flustered, barely able to stand.
Cai Ping rushed to support her, her eyes filled with concern.
Shen Wei’s almond-shaped eyes reddened, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Your Highness, I would never resort to witchcraft! Please see clearly... I truly have no way to defend myself.”
Zhang Yue sneered, “How could the wooden figure I saw be fake? Do you want someone to dig it up and throw it in your face before you admit your guilt?”
Seeing Shen Wei in such a state of panic brought Zhang Yue immense satisfaction. What a useless waste, unable to even defend herself, only capable of sobbing helplessly.
Not only did Zhang Yue look down on Shen Wei, but the princess also subtly shook her head—Zhang Yue’s accusations were riddled with flaws. If only Shen Wei were a bit smarter, she could have demanded an examination of the inscriptions on the wooden figure or the source of the fabric. There would surely be a way to turn the tide.
But Shen Wei was clearly too foolish.
Faced with a problem, all she could do was cry, repeating “I have no way to defend myself.” Such a beautiful yet dim-witted woman could be toppled by a mere gust of wind in the inner court.
The princess slammed the table, her voice stern. “Shen, the prince has treated you well, yet you dare to practice witchcraft! You are to be confined to the Liuli Pavilion until the prince returns to decide your fate.”
Practicing witchcraft in secret could lead to a death sentence.
Shen Wei’s face turned ashen, her legs giving way as she collapsed to the ground. She opened her mouth helplessly, murmuring, “It’s not like that... it’s not like that...”
But no one listened to her defense. Mama Liu, accompanied by two maidservants, took the dazed Shen Wei back to the Liuli Pavilion for confinement.
Just days ago, she had basked in glory; now, she was reduced to a pitiful state.
In just one day, she had fallen from grace into the depths of despair.
“Oh, she’s so pitiful,” Liu Ru Yan said, fanning herself, a hint of sympathy in her eyes.
Liu Qiao'er scoffed, “At least she had her moment of glory; it’s not all that tragic.”
When the tiger’s away, the monkeys will play. In the days of the Wang family’s former glory, Zhang Yue’s petty schemes would have been laughable.
Such a lowly accusation had managed to drag the favored Shen Wei down into the abyss.
Liu Qiao'er felt even more grateful for her choice to remain low-key, avoiding the fierce competition. Though she lived on simple fare, she at least maintained her peace, steering clear of the tumultuous power struggles of the inner court.
Everyone watched the spectacle, treating Shen Wei as a source of amusement.
Only Zhang Miao Yu was furious, her cheeks puffed in indignation. “Your Highness, this is clearly a deliberate slander! Please see through it!”
The princess replied coolly, “We will wait for the prince to return and decide. I am tired; you may all leave.”
The concubines bowed and took their leave.
Soon, news of Shen Wei practicing witchcraft to curse the prince spread like wildfire.
People murmured in disbelief, shocked that the favored Shen Wei could stoop to such despicable acts in secret.
Of course, a few saw through the facade and knew Shen Wei was being framed.
But what could they do? No one dared to speak up for a lowly concubine from a humble background.
...
The sultry summer breeze swept through the Wen Temple in the outskirts of Yanjing.
The female owner of a fabric shop came to collect her goods and, during a lull, chatted with Shen’s mother. “Auntie, today I went to the Wang residence to sell fabric. I heard there’s a concubine named Shen who’s been accused of practicing witchcraft. Oh, how pitiful! If she doesn’t die, she’ll surely be demoted to a lowly maid.”
Shen’s mother felt as if she had been struck by lightning, her mind buzzing.
Could the concubine with the surname Shen be her third daughter?
“Being a concubine in the Wang residence is no easy task,” the shop owner sighed, packing up her fabric and leaving.
Tears streamed down Shen’s mother’s face, her heart aching and helpless.
In the study, Shen Xiu Ming wore a blank expression. After a moment, he resolutely picked up his book, steeling himself to study harder.
His sister was in dire straits, and as her brother, he had to work hard to earn a name for himself!
...
The weather was stifling, and as the sun set, the Yan Wang returned to the Wang residence, stepping through the heat. He had hoped to see Shen Wei’s lovely face under the eaves, but the area was empty, and the beauty was nowhere to be found.
The Yan Wang frowned slightly, puzzled.
How strange; why wasn’t Wei Wei here today?
Could it be that she fell ill from the heat?
As he pondered, the princess and Mama Liu approached him. The princess respectfully bowed to the Yan Wang. “Your Highness, there’s a matter I’m unsure how to decide, so I must ask for your judgment.”
The Yan Wang, having worked all day, just wanted to go to Shen Wei for a cool dessert to beat the heat.
Yet the princess blocked his path, forcing him to stand in the sweltering evening sun, oblivious to the sweat beading on his forehead.
Impatient, the Yan Wang said, “You are the mistress of the Wang residence; you can decide matters within the inner court yourself.”
The princess briefly explained the situation to the Yan Wang: “Your Highness, Shen in the Liuli Pavilion has been practicing witchcraft, and we have evidence.”
The Yan Wang halted in his tracks.
Witchcraft?
Table of Contents
