HRPM – Chapter 290 The Queen Arrives (3)

The Empress smiled faintly.

“Oh? Is that so? Younger Sister has always been quite adept at dealing with those who fail to show you proper respect. Allowing someone to climb over your head and run rampant doesn’t seem like your style. How did you end up in such a sorry state today, being bested by a mere young girl?”

She continued with a trace of amusement in her voice,

“How pitiful. Ever since you entered the palace, I have never seen such a… distinctive side of you. If only His Majesty could come and admire this spectacle as well. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

“What do you mean by that?” Consort Hui ground her teeth in fury. “Are you trying to shield your future daughter-in-law? If I don’t get a proper explanation for this matter, I’ll take it directly to His Majesty and ask him to give me justice. Then, when the time comes, His Majesty will surely blame you for failing to handle affairs properly.”

She had not expected the Empress to be so merciless, even taking the opportunity to mock her humiliating appearance.

But there was no way she was going to let Jin Luoluo off so easily. If the Empress wanted to protect her, it wouldn’t be that simple.

“Who said I wouldn’t give you an explanation?” the Empress replied calmly. “Naturally, I will deal with this matter impartially. However, how can I rely solely on your side of the story? Jin Luoluo, come here.”

Jin Luoluo casually played with the gold token in her hand as she walked over to the Empress and offered a respectful bow.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Mmm.” The Empress nodded. “Luoluo, what exactly happened? The moment I entered the garden, I saw you chasing Consort Hui and striking her. Do you realize that this constitutes insubordination toward your superior?”

Jin Luoluo blew the dust off the gold token in a carefree manner.

“Your Majesty, I live by one principle: If people don’t provoke me, I won’t provoke them. But if someone insists on acting shamelessly, I’ll add an extra kick.“

“Here’s what happened. I was chasing butterflies in the garden. When I ran onto the path, Consort Hui happened to be approaching from the opposite direction. To avoid crashing into her, I stopped so abruptly that I nearly twisted my ankle. I never touched Consort Hui, but somehow she ended up dumping the tray over her own head.”

“You’re talking nonsense!” Consort Hui snapped. “How could I possibly pour food over my own head? I have always cherished my appearance. Your Majesty, you must see the truth!”

“How would I know why you dumped it over your own head?” Jin Luoluo shrugged. “Ordinary women certainly wouldn’t do such a thing. But if someone had ulterior motives and wanted to frame another person, then who can say?”

“Anyway, everyone present saw that I never bumped into Consort Hui. Of course, her own attendants would never admit it. But the Fourth Prince was there as well, so he can testify that what I’m saying is true.”

Xiao Yu immediately stepped forward to support Jin Luoluo’s account.

“Mother, Luoluo is telling the truth. Your son witnessed it personally. She did not collide with Consort Hui. It was Consort Hui herself who accidentally overturned the tray onto her own head.”