Chapter 240: Quelling the Rumors

Chapter 240: Quelling the Rumors

Upon hearing that the head matron was looking for her, Bi Shuo immediately became serious.

She looked at the palace attendant who had come to inform her and flashed a big smile. "Sister, I wonder what the head matron wants with me?"

The attendant, who was about the same age as her and had a casual relationship with her, spoke sarcastically, "Don't you know what you've done?"

The palace was a place where people were quick to curry favor with the powerful and kick those who were down. Everyone loved to watch a good show when someone was in distress!

Hearing this, Bi Shuo pulled out a kingfisher feather hairpin from her head. "Sister, I'm about to leave the palace, and these things won't be of any use to me anymore. I think this hairpin would suit you well."

The attendant accepted the hairpin with a smile now evident on her face. "Bi Shuo, you've done quite a few things outside the palace!"

Hearing this, Bi Shuo felt a brief relief in her heart, only for it to tighten again immediately.

Outside the palace...

That wasn't something she and Cheng Yunshuo could easily manage.

Thinking about it, although she had been close to Cheng Yunshuo, they had always maintained propriety. Using this against her might not succeed.

Moreover, if this matter got out, not only would she be in trouble, but Cheng Yunshuo would be too.

If someone wanted to use the crime of an affair between a palace maid and a guard to deal with her, it would be a self-destructive move!

The repercussions for their families could be even more severe!

At that moment, Bi Shuo thought of the young lady from yesterday.

But she definitely wouldn't do something like this. In fact, because of her and Cheng Yunshuo's special status, she would have to cover for them!

She wouldn't be so foolish!

For a moment, Bi Shuo felt a large part of her anxiety dissipate, but the matter outside the palace still lingered in her mind...

With a furrowed brow, Bi Shuo followed the palace attendant to the head matron's quarters. It was there that she truly understood Lu Lingyun's methods.

Lu Lingyun hadn't exposed Bi Shuo and Cheng Yunshuo's affair, which would have immediately ruined her.

But what she did was even more effective in hitting Bi Shuo where it hurt!

"How did you handle your duties! Going out for palace purchases and causing such a big incident!"

*Slap!*

A slap landed directly on Bi Shuo's face, and a forty to fifty-year-old head matron glared at her angrily.

Bi Shuo asked fearfully, "Matron, what wrong did I commit..."

"You still have the nerve to ask!" The old matron slapped her again, knocking her hair loose.

Bi Shuo didn't dare show any resistance, kneeling on the ground trembling, begging for forgiveness. "Matron, I was wrong, I was wrong."

After listening to her plead for a while, the head matron finally spoke coldly, "A few days ago, when you went out for purchases, why were you beaten! And your clothes were torn in public! All the commoners outside saw, damaging the palace’s reputation!"

Hearing this, Bi Shuo's eyes widened in disbelief. She never imagined!

That Lu Lingyun would use this seemingly trivial incident to deal with her!

But this incident struck at her Achilles' heel.

At the time, she let her maid spread exaggerated and false stories at the palace gate, intending only to make Cheng Yunshuo feel guilty. She never expected it to be used against her like this, becoming the weapon for her punishment!

"Head Matron, this... is a misunderstanding!" Lady Bishuo ground her teeth and swallowed the humiliation, "I didn’t get into any street fights, and my clothes weren’t torn. I just encountered a woman who, in a daze, grabbed my sleeve and tore it. My undergarment wasn’t even exposed."

"Nobody witnessed it! If you don’t believe me, ask Guard Li who was on duty at the west gate that day. He can vouch for me!"

Everything she had previously let slip was now eating away at her.

How could she dare to spout nonsense in front of the palace's Head Matron!

Hearing this, the Head Matron asked, "Then who spread all these words?"

Lady Bishuo's eyes dimmed, "It was all lies from Cuiying!"

"Cuiying?"

"Yes! She spread those lies!"

Cuiying was the maid who followed her.

After a short while, Cuiying was summoned into the hall. She looked puzzled at her superior; she had been serving Lady Bishuo ever since she entered the palace.

She had always followed Lady Bishuo loyally, being her complete lackey.

Confused about what was happening, she glanced at Lady Bishuo, who kept her head down and maintained her distance.

Then the Head Matron above said, "Is it you who spread lies and stirred up trouble?"

"Head Matron, I didn’t." Cuiying looked confused.

"And you still dare to lie!" The Head Matron slapped her twice, "A few days ago, when you went out with Lady Bishuo, she was attacked on the street, her clothes were torn, and everyone saw it! The rumors have spread everywhere, and yet you still deny it!"

Upon hearing this, Cuiying suddenly realized what was happening. She quickly explained, "Head Matron, it’s like this. A crazy woman rushed out and tore at our Lady Bishuo’s clothes..."

"Head Matron, did you hear that? The rumors were spread by her!" Before Cuiying could finish, Lady Bishuo interrupted.

Cuiying’s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at the lady she had always protected.

Lady Bishuo turned to Cuiying, "Cuiying, that woman just tugged at my shoulder, accidentally ripping a small hole in my clothes. She didn’t even expose anything, yet you spread rumors that I was stripped bare! And you even claimed she hit me. What a mouthful of nonsense!"

"Lady Bishuo..." Cuiying's tears welled up, "I did it all for you, why would you..."

"Enough! If you were truly doing it for me, you wouldn’t have spread such lies, tarnishing my reputation and slandering an outsider!" Lady Bishuo turned to the Head Matron and immediately bowed her head, "The rumors are spreading like wildfire. I ask the Head Matron to give me justice!"

Hearing this, Cuiying finally understood.

It wasn’t her who tarnished Lady Bishuo’s reputation; it was Lady Bishuo using her as a scapegoat!

"Head Matron, Head Matron, it’s not like that, it was Lady Bishuo who..." Cuiying panicked and tried to explain.

"Enough! I’m asking you, was what I said the truth? Was my clothes only slightly torn? And wasn’t it you who spread nonsense at the palace gate with the guards?"

"If you lie again, even I won’t plead for you! You deserve to die!"

Lady Bishuo looked up, her eyes filled with coldness as she stared at Cuiying.

Hearing these accusations, Cuiying finally realized. Only now did she understand that Lady Bishuo hadn’t said a word throughout the whole ordeal. It had all been her, speaking on her behalf.

Once something goes wrong, she comes out unscathed, while all the blame and scandal fall on her.

In this moment of realization, Cuiying felt furious, frustrated, anxious, and regretful, and she hated herself for having been blind to follow such a person.

"Ma'am, please spare this girl's life. She spoke nonsense; pulling out her tongue would suffice. After all, I raised her, and I bear some responsibility. Please show mercy!" Bishuo turned to plead.

"Bishuo! You..."

Before she could finish, she was dragged away, still glaring at Bishuo.

That day, a palace maid had her tongue cut out to stop the rumors.