Chapter 298
**Chapter 296: Confrontation**
The turmoil caused by the discovery of sinister objects in the harem quickly settled, and the palace returned to its surface calm.
In Huayang Palace, Lan Pin was consumed by anxiety, constantly fearing that her secrets would be exposed. She felt as if a sharp sword hung over her head, ready to fall at any moment.
Three days passed without incident.
Lan Pin was gloomy and barely touched her lunch. She paced back and forth in the courtyard of Huayang Palace, where the vibrant chrysanthemums bloomed as if they might ignite. But she had no heart to appreciate their beauty.
She gazed at the square courtyard, with its carved railings and jade structures, where even the sky seemed to be sliced into small pieces by the palace walls.
Lan Pin recalled the autumn days before her marriage, when she rode with her mother to the outskirts of the capital to admire the autumn chrysanthemums. The sky was vast, the distant mountains undulating, and flocks of wild geese flew overhead in a "人" formation.
But since entering the palace, she had not seen such scenery again.
“Your Highness, a letter from the family has arrived,” a palace maid announced as she entered the courtyard, handing a letter to Lan Pin.
Lan Pin's heart leaped with joy as she opened the letter and walked toward the inner hall.
The letter was brief.
Her father claimed that the matter of the copper plaque was due to his oversight, as he had sent a plaque that was too old. He also instructed Lan Pin to burn all the letters sent by the Xie family to prevent them from falling into the hands of those with ill intentions.
Additionally, her father mentioned that he had been feeling down lately, as several elders of the family had united to pressure him into sending a new Xie girl into the palace to compete for favor.
After reading the letter, Lan Pin felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her, sending chills through her heart.
The elders of the Xie family were indeed pressuring her father!
Lan Pin closed her eyes, suppressing her anger. She asked her close maid, “Tong'er, hasn’t my mother sent any letters?”
Lan Pin had written many letters to her family.
Among them, she had written the most to her mother, but her mother had never replied.
In nearly four years since entering the palace, Lan Pin had only seen her mother twice, during the year she was conferred as a noble consort. After being demoted to a mere concubine, her mother had never returned to the palace, nor had she sent a single letter.
“No,” the close maid replied, frowning.
Lan Pin felt disheartened. “My father, really! Every time I ask about my mother in my letters, he never responds. Tong'er, I’m truly afraid my father won’t be able to withstand the family pressure and will send a newcomer into the palace to replace me…”
The close maid was about to offer some comforting words when a eunuch’s announcement interrupted them.
“Consort Chen has arrived.”
Lan Pin froze, nearly dropping her teacup. It was unusual for Consort Chen to visit without reason; what could she want?
Lan Pin hastily tucked the letter into a box on the table and rushed out to greet Shen Wei.
At the entrance of Huayang Palace, the grand procession of the consort was impressive.
Shen Wei wore a gown embroidered with chrysanthemums and had her hair styled in an exquisite Chaoyun bun, exuding elegance and grace, like a scarlet chrysanthemum blooming in autumn, radiant and captivating.
With a maid supporting her, Shen Wei smiled at Lan Pin, “The autumn air is crisp. I was on my way to the Imperial Garden to admire the flowers and thought I’d stop by to see you.”
Lan Pin silently scoffed; the Imperial Garden was quite a distance from Huayang Palace—hardly a convenient detour.
Clearly, Shen Wei had come of her own accord.
On the surface, Lan Pin maintained a respectful demeanor, inviting Shen Wei into Huayang Palace.
Once inside the main hall, Shen Wei took her seat.
Lan Pin sent her close maid to brew tea, while Shen Wei, holding a floral fan, maintained a smile throughout, “Lan Pin, were you just reading a family letter?”
In an instant, Lan Pin felt a chill run down her spine.
She stood frozen, her mind racing—had Tong'er been seen with the letter?
Shen Wei waved her fan, gesturing for Lan Pin to look at the box on the table. Lan Pin turned to see a corner of the letter peeking out from under the box.
With an awkward smile, Lan Pin quickly tucked the box away, “Your Highness must be mistaken; it’s not a family letter. It’s just my daily calligraphy practice.”
Sweat beaded on Lan Pin’s forehead.
If Shen Wei ordered the box to be opened, their conspiracy against Mei Fei would be exposed, with dire consequences.
But Shen Wei seemed uninterested in the box and did not press further. Soon, the maid returned with freshly brewed tea.
Shen Wei took a couple of sips, praising the rich flavor. Lan Pin’s heart raced; she was anxious to know Shen Wei’s true intentions.
Setting down her teacup, Shen Wei suddenly spoke, “Actually, the copper plaque unearthed in Yuxiu Palace was not buried by Yun Fei.”
A cold sweat trickled down Lan Pin’s forehead.
Shen Wei continued, “Copper artifacts buried in the soil for a long time will mix with corroded verdigris. The soil in Yuxiu Palace shows almost no signs of verdigris, indicating that someone recently buried the copper there to frame Mei Fei.”
Lan Pin felt as if she were being roasted over an open flame.
Every word Shen Wei spoke sent waves of panic through her. She nervously took a sip of tea and stammered, “Your Highness, you must be mistaken. I’m just a lowly concubine; my words carry little weight.”
Shen Wei raised an eyebrow, “A lowly concubine like you dares to frame Mei Fei? You have quite the audacity.”
Clatter—
The white porcelain teacup in Lan Pin’s hand fell to the ground, spilling warm tea everywhere.
The fragrance of tea filled the room.
Lan Pin stammered, “Your Highness, please don’t wrong me.”
Shen Wei rested her chin on her hand, slowly saying, “Are you brave enough to hand over the family letter in that box?”
Lan Pin fell silent.
Cold sweat dripped down her back.
Half a year ago, when Shen Wei first entered the palace, Lan Pin had dismissed this peasant-born consort. But as Shen Wei gradually suppressed the Empress and Shu Fei, taking control of the six palaces, Lan Pin realized this woman was not to be trifled with.
Today, Shen Wei’s sudden visit, with her sharp words, left Lan Pin feeling uncomfortable and trapped.
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Lan Pin’s fingernails nearly dug into her flesh.
Shen Wei, calm and composed, asked, “Why did you want to frame Mei Fei? I want to hear the truth.”
After a moment of silence, Lan Pin finally resigned herself and confessed, “I can’t stand her hypocrisy and false pretenses. Liu Ruyan occupies her position as a consort and can only meet her family once a year, yet she doesn’t cherish it. I miss my mother, longing to see her, but it’s always out of reach.
I come from the Xie family, a prestigious family, and I’m unwilling to remain a mere concubine. I’m not favored in the palace and can’t bring any benefits to the Xie family. My father, under family pressure, will eventually send a newcomer into the palace… So, I hoped to elevate my status to consort, at least to have some semblance of glory.”
Shen Wei scrutinized Lan Pin before her.
Lan Pin, Xie Fanglan, came from a noble family and was exceptionally beautiful, but unfortunately, not very clever. The Xie family must have anticipated that she wouldn’t win Li Yuanjing’s favor when they sent her to the palace.
Yet, they still sent her.
The depths of the Xie family ran deep.
“Framing Mei Fei was my mistake,” Lan Pin said, her heart heavy with sorrow. “This was entirely my idea, unrelated to the Xie family. I’m willing to bear all the blame.”
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