Chapter 101: The Witchcraft Calamity

Proofreader : Mim

Today, the Empress led a grand procession of people to the Eastern Palace, and although the onlookers could guess some of the intention behind this action, they did not expect such explosive revelations as soon as they stepped inside.

 

Consort Lian had suffered a sudden miscarriage, and the highly anticipated child became nothing more than a pool of blood. Then, in the Crown Princess’s garden, a strange wooden box was unearthed.

 

In such a situation, no imagination is needed to see that this was a direct confrontation between the Empress and the Crown Princess. However, it seemed that the Crown Princess’s skills were inferior, and she was likely to suffer for it.

 

Zhao Lanhui exchanged a secret glance with Noble Consort Shu, then lowered her eyes with a look of glee, waiting for the scene to unfold. The struggle between the Empress and the Crown Princess was advantageous to Prince Su’s faction; Noble Consort Shu could not have hoped for anything better than to see these two tear each other apart.

 

Behind them, there was constant murmuring, and even the servants of the Eastern Palace were looking uneasy. While others were on the verge of panic, the Crown Princess herself remained exceptionally calm. She even smiled slightly and said, “Your Majesty, the Empress, you haven’t even asked what this is, yet you’re questioning me about it. Isn’t that strange? You haven’t opened it yet; how would I know what it is?”

 

Only then did the Empress realize her slip-up. In her eagerness to accuse, she had neglected that the wooden box had yet to be opened—how could she have known its contents? She composed herself, brushing over the matter, and coldly instructed, “This box looks peculiar. Open it.”

 

The Empress’s attendants quickly shielded her, cautioning her to step back due to the mysterious nature of the box. The other concubines also stepped back, while the Crown Princess, surrounded by her own attendants, retreated slightly. Once the area was cleared, a eunuch carefully opened the wooden box. However, instead of anything incriminating, the eunuch stood frozen with a perplexed expression.

 

“What’s going on?” the Empress asked with a frown.

 

The eunuch hesitated before replying, “Your Majesty, the box is… empty.”

 

“Empty?”

 

Not only the Empress but all the concubines were shocked. Noble Consort Shu cast a doubtful glance at the box—this was clearly a trap set by the Empress. Could she have gone through all this trouble only to bury an empty box?

 

The Empress would never make such a foolish mistake. She stepped closer to inspect the box herself. It was indeed newly buried, with traces of dirt and plant roots on its exterior. Yet, inside, it was completely empty.

 

As the Empress scrutinized the box, Lanyu, her trusted maid, began to sense something was off. The patterns on the box seemed strange, but before she could process it further, Chu Jinyao spoke up.

 

“Your Majesty, you seem troubled. Could it be this isn’t the box you were expecting? Since the matter of the royal heir is of such importance, if you’re dissatisfied, feel free to keep digging.”

 

Hearing this, many people suppressed their laughter behind their handkerchiefs. The Empress realized that things were going awry, but maintained her composure, stating, “I was merely caught off guard.”

 

Lanyu, thinking quickly, added with a smile, “It seems the Crown Princess is skilled with her hands—perhaps burying wooden boxes in the garden is part of a new planting technique?”

 

“Whether or not it’s a planting technique, I wouldn’t know,” Chu Jinyao replied with a glance at Lanyu. “If you’re so curious, why not ask the person who buried the box?”

 

The crowd gasped in surprise, and Noble Consort Li couldn’t help but ask, “Are you saying this wasn’t buried by the Crown Princess?”

 

“Not entirely,” Chu Jinyao responded with a slight nod. “A few days ago, I noticed one of the flowers in the garden was wilting. Heartbroken, I asked the servants to tend to it. While doing so, they accidentally unearthed this box. Being young and unfamiliar with such matters, I left it undisturbed. I was just waiting for Your Majesty, with your experience, to help me identify it. Momo Gong, bring the item forward.”

 

Momo Gong responded and retrieved another similar-looking wooden box. She cautiously opened it with a silver needle, and upon seeing the contents, her expression changed dramatically. The eunuch holding the box let out a startled cry and dropped it on the ground.

 

The box landed with a thud, and out rolled a strange wooden doll. The doll was covered in eerie paint, with hollow eyes staring blankly into the distance. It had a grotesquely swollen belly, which was covered by a piece of yellow paper pinned with long, thin needles.

 

The concubines screamed in terror, and someone finally exclaimed, “Witchcraft!”

 

Chu Jinyao furrowed her brows and turned her face away, shielding her eyes. Her attendants quickly stepped in front of her, saying, “How could such an ominous object be in the Crown Princess’s residence? The servants must be severely punished for allowing this evil to remain under her very nose!”

 

The Empress glanced at the buried box and then at the one that had been dropped. She quickly realized that Chu Jinyao had switched them. Chu Jinyao must have discovered the original box and quietly replaced it, fooling the Empress completely. The Empress’s anger flared, though her face remained impassive. “Crown Princess, witchcraft is strictly forbidden in the palace. Why was this object found in your residence?”

 

“I have no idea,” replied Chu Jinyao. “I simply discovered the box while tending to the garden and left it untouched, intending to ask for your guidance. I opened it just now for the first time, only to find this witchcraft doll inside. Clearly, someone placed it here to frame me and harm Consort Lian.”

 

Had the Empress’s scheme succeeded and the doll been found in front of everyone, Chu Jinyao would have had no way to defend herself. But since she had presented the object herself, the situation changed entirely, allowing her to claim she had been framed. Now, it was the Empress’s actions that appeared questionable. She had orchestrated an elaborate plan, even going so far as to bribe insiders to bury the doll in the Eastern Palace. However, the plan backfired when Chu Jinyao found the doll early, allowing her to control the narrative.

 

Although Chu Jinyao was inexperienced, she knew that witchcraft had led to the downfall of many princes and consorts throughout history. Disgusted by the Empress’s malevolence, she concealed her discovery and swapped the box, awaiting the right moment.

 

Today, Consort Lian’s miscarriage provided the Empress with an excuse to gather everyone at the Eastern Palace and accuse Chu Jinyao of using witchcraft. Chu Jinyao felt both repulsed by the Empress’s tactics and relieved that she had discovered the box in time. If the Empress had succeeded, then Chu Jinyao’s fate would have been sealed.

 

The Empress had been confident in her plan, but the unexpected twist now left her in a precarious position. She collected herself and said, “The Crown Princess speaks eloquently, but how can we be sure she wasn’t simply covering her tracks by producing the item herself?”

 

Chu Jinyao’s eyes grew cold. “If I had truly done this, why would I present the evidence myself? Wouldn’t it have been easier to destroy it privately? Moreover, the box clearly shows signs of being buried. If I had orchestrated this, why would I go to the trouble of burying and then unearthing it?”

 

“Yes, no one would keep such an item around voluntarily,” someone murmured in the crowd.

 

The Empress’s cold gaze silenced the crowd. “The Crown Princess could very well have staged this to absolve herself of guilt. Investigate the materials used for the doll. Let’s see where it came from.”

 

A servant examined the doll’s fabric and soon reported, “Your Majesty, the cloth used for this item is this year’s newly gifted Lake Silk. This material is rare and can easily be traced through the palace records.”

 

The concubines who had received Lake Silk came forward to present their inventories. The Empress ordered the palace’s internal records to be fetched, and soon it was confirmed that the fabric did not come from Noble Consort Shu, Noble Consort Li, or the Empress’s own palace.

Chu Jinyao frowned. The Eastern Palace had also received Lake Silk, but she had used half of it to make clothes for her nephew. This left her with little room to prove her innocence.

 

“The Eastern Palace did receive Lake Silk,” Chu Jinyao admitted. “However, I used it to make clothes for my sister’s newborn son. While some was lost during the tailoring process, I can assure you that this fabric did not come from the Eastern Palace.”

 

The Empress scoffed. “It’s hard to believe your words when the evidence points otherwise. The item was found in your garden, and your palace is missing fabric. How can we trust your claims of innocence?”

 

Chu Jinyao felt the thinness of her defense. It was nearly impossible to prove she hadn’t made the doll. Although she had thwarted the Empress’s trap, the Empress’s relentless accusations left her vulnerable.

 

Both sides were at an impasse. The Empress hadn’t secured the decisive blow she needed; Chu Jinyao couldn’t entirely exonerate herself. Knowing the matter was not yet settled, the Empress left with a sour expression, followed by the other concubines.

 

After everyone had departed, Chu Jinyao returned to her quarters, deep in thought. Linglong tried to comfort her. “Your Highness, you thwarted her plot today. You should be proud of how you handled it.”

 

Chu Jinyao sighed. “While I managed to avoid a direct hit, I couldn’t completely clear my name. We can’t always rely on luck to avoid her schemes.”

 

Her attendants protested, but Chu Jinyao shook her head. “Being on the defensive won’t work forever. I need to take the offensive. I may not be able to prove I didn’t make the doll, but I can find evidence of who did.”

 

Realizing that the Empress had likely orchestrated both the miscarriage and the witchcraft plot, Chu Jinyao resolved to dig deeper. “It seems the key lies with Consort Lian. Linglong, prepare a gift. And have we identified the traitor within our palace yet?”

 

The Empress had used all her resources to plant the doll in the Eastern Palace. Fortunately, Chu Jinyao’s sharp eye had discovered it in time, allowing her to act. Now, it was time to track down the mole.

 

Choking with anger, the Empress shattered several vases in her palace, furious that her carefully laid plans had once again fallen short. Meanwhile, Chu Jinyao, undeterred, prepared to confront Consort Lian and seek the answers she needed.

 

“Consort Lian, I have some questions for you.”

 

Translator’s Notes:- Happy Valentine’s Day ya’alll …. Love you lots! Thank you for supporting me..