Chapter 92: An Exquisitely Embroidered Pouch
The Princess Consort’s words caused the entire Flower Pavilion to fall into an even deeper silence.
For a brief moment, no one spoke. Even Wang Gege herself was slightly taken aback.
Her gaze slowly shifted from the Princess Consort toward the embroidered gift box resting quietly beside her table before returning to the Princess Consort once more.
"My gift box?"
The Princess Consort’s expression remained calm, "It is merely to eliminate every possibility." Her voice carried neither suspicion nor accusation. "If Miss Zhao’s betrothal token is not inside, Young Madam’s innocence will naturally be proven."
Wang Gege quietly looked at the Princess Consort for several moments before lowering her gaze.
After giving it a brief thought, she slowly nodded, "Very well."
She gently stepped aside, leaving enough space for the palace maids to approach. "If searching my gift box can help Miss Zhao recover her betrothal token, then please proceed."
Hearing those words, several noble ladies exchanged subtle glances.
Some admired Wang Gege’s composure. Others merely watched quietly, waiting to see how the situation would unfold.
Two palace maids immediately stepped forward before respectfully bowing.
"This servant begs Young Madam’s forgiveness."
Without waiting for another instruction, one of them carefully lifted the embroidered gift box while the other slowly untied the crimson silk ribbon securing its lid.
Qing’er’s fingers unconsciously tightened around the sleeves of her robe. She had personally prepared every single item inside before leaving the Xie Residence that morning.
There was no possibility... Absolutely none...
That Miss Zhao’s betrothal token could somehow be inside.
Meanwhile, Wang Gege remained surprisingly calm.
She knew exactly what Qing’er had packed. A box of premium tea leaves, an embroidered handkerchief, a pair of jade hairpins and several carefully selected gifts suitable for presenting to the Princess Consort.
Nothing more.
The palace maid slowly lifted the lid.
One by one, she carefully removed every item, placing them neatly upon the table for everyone to see.
The premium tea leaves. Then the embroidered handkerchief. Next, the pair of jade hairpins. Each item was examined carefully before being set aside.
As the number of remaining gifts gradually decreased, Qing’er quietly released the breath she had unknowingly been holding.
She had almost wanted to laugh at herself for worrying. Everything was exactly as she remembered. Nothing unusual had appeared.
Even Wang Gege’s shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.
’Looks like... I really was overthinking.’
Just as the palace maid reached for the final layer resting at the bottom of the gift box, her hand suddenly paused.
The movement was so subtle that almost no one noticed it.
The palace maid frowned ever so slightly before gently lifting the folded layer of red silk lining covering the base of the box.
Something was hidden underneath.
"Hm?" The palace maid’s expression visibly changed.
The surrounding noble ladies instinctively leaned forward.
Qing’er’s smile immediately disappeared, "What is it?"
Miss Zhao could no longer restrain herself and hurriedly took two steps forward.
The palace maid slowly reached beneath the silk lining. Her fingers carefully grasped something before lifting it into view.
An exquisitely embroidered pouch, adorned with delicate silver threads.
The moment it appeared, Miss Zhao’s face instantly lost all color. Her trembling hand shot forward.
"That..." Her voice cracked, "That is my pouch."
The moment Miss Zhao’s trembling voice echoed throughout the Flower Pavilion, every pair of eyes immediately fell upon the embroidered pouch resting in the palace maid’s hands.
Silence.
Even the gentle breeze that had been carrying the fragrance of flowers through the pavilion seemed to have disappeared.
Wang Gege stared blankly at the pouch. Her eyes slowly widened.
"What?" The word escaped her lips almost unconsciously. She instinctively took a step forward, her gaze never leaving the pouch.
"No..." Her brows gradually knitted together, "That... can’t be."
She clearly remembered watching Qing’er prepare every single gift before they left the Xie Residence that morning.
She had even opened the gift box herself before closing the lid again. There had never been any embroidered pouches. Not even one.
Then... How did it appear there?
Her thoughts immediately raced through countless possibilities, yet no answer came. She slowly turned toward Qing’er.
Qing’er’s face had already turned completely pale. Her lips trembled as she repeatedly shook her head.
"No... This servant... This servant truly doesn’t know... I personally prepared every item inside..." Her voice began to quiver, "There wasn’t... There wasn’t any pouch..."
Seeing Qing’er’s frightened expression, Wang Gege gently held her arm.
"It’s alright." Although she spoke calmly, even she could hear the uncertainty hidden within her own voice.
Because, she herself no longer understood what was happening.
Miss Zhao hurriedly stepped closer, her eyes fixed upon the pouch in the palace maid’s hands.
"May I..." She swallowed nervously, "May I examine it?"
The Princess Consort gave a slight nod.
The palace maid respectfully handed the pouch over. The moment it reached Miss Zhao’s hands, her fingers immediately began searching inside.
Everyone watched without blinking.
A few heartbeats later, Miss Zhao carefully withdrew a piece of polished white jade. The jade was no larger than the palm of her hand.
Delicate cloud patterns had been carved around its edges, while a single character was engraved upon its center.
The instant she saw it, tears welled up in Miss Zhao’s eyes.
"It..." She tightly clutched the jade against her chest. "It really is... My betrothal token..."
A wave of whispers immediately swept across the Flower Pavilion.
"How could it really be inside Young Madam Xie’s gift box?"
"I thought it had merely been misplaced..."
"How unexpected."
Each whispered sentence reached Wang Gege’s ears with startling clarity.
She lowered her gaze toward the jade token before slowly looking back at the now-empty gift box and her heart quietly sank.
Someone... Had planted it there.
But when?
And more importantly...
Who?
Her fingers unconsciously tightened within the sleeves of her robe. For the very first time since arriving at the Flower Banquet, Wang Gege realized that the uneasiness she had been feeling ever since entering the palace, had not been her imagination after all.
Not far from the Flower Pavilion...
Standing within a quiet pavilion overlooking the imperial garden, two figures silently watched everything unfold below.