Luo Yun'e gave a signal to her subordinates in the pavilion, "No need, this consort can handle it."
The remaining guard reached out to grab Su Yunmo.
The little dumpling stepped on his foot and ground down twice.
"Ah!" The guard let out a scream, and a piercing pain shot from his toes to his brain.
Seizing the opportunity, the little dumpling wriggled out from under the guard's arm and ran towards Ye Jingyu, colliding with him.
"Brother Yu, they are bullying Momo, insisting Momo stole something."
Ye Jingyu stroked her hair, "Since there's a security issue in the palace, this prince cannot stand by."
Luo Yun'e's face showed a hint of impatience, "Prince Yu, this consort has witnesses who have confirmed this girl is the one who stole the luminous pearl."
If he got involved, he would surely protect this girl.
She was determined to search her person today, no matter what.
"Is that so? But this prince just heard this child say that Consort Lian is also suspected?" Ye Jingyu flicked his sleeve, "A body search is permissible, but for the sake of fairness, both must be searched together."
He looked down at the little dumpling, "Little one, do you have any objections?"
The little dumpling smacked her lips, "Whatever Brother Yu says, Momo agrees. Momo has no objections."
Whether it was open hostility or hidden arrows, she had Consort Lian with her anyway.
Lin Yuning was furious.
She had objections even if the child didn't. This matter had nothing to do with her!
As the dignified Consort Lian, what was it to have a group of servants pawing all over her in public!
If this got out, what would become of her reputation!
"Mother Empress, this son disagrees!"
The little dumpling immediately chimed in, "If Consort Lian isn't searched, then Momo won't be searched either."
Luo Yun'e took a deep breath and said word for word, "Search them, both together."
Su Yunmo was slightly taken aback and frowned.
Lin Yuning was also astonished, "Mother Empress!"
She had guessed that the Empress intended to teach Su Yunmo a lesson and give her a warning, but how could she drag herself into it as well.
Two of the Empress's trusted confidantes separated, one heading towards Su Yunmo and the other towards Lin Yuning.
Lin Yuning slapped the servant's hand away, "Get lost! Who gave you, this lowly slave, permission to touch this consort!"
The servant looked at Luo Yun'e with some difficulty.
Luo Yun'e expressionlessly uttered one word, "Search!"
The servants responded with a deep "Yes" and stepped forward to conduct the search.
Lin Yuning wanted to refuse, but seeing the Empress's face darken, she could only swallow her retort.
She clenched her fists tightly, her eyes filled with humiliation, and glared hatefully at Su Yunmo.
The crowd began to whisper and point.
One of them began searching the little dumpling.
Ye Jingyu's gaze fell upon the servant's brazen hands, a hint of killing intent flashing in his eyes.
"Your Majesty, found it!" The servant suddenly called out loudly.
Su Yunmo looked down and saw him pull out a luminous pearl from her embrace.
This was the spot where the maid had bumped into her earlier and pushed her.
She looked up at the maid kneeling nearby.
The maid was no longer crying or begging for mercy, but was calmly lowering her head.
A trace of mockery flashed in Su Yunmo's eyes, and she quickly waved a hand towards her chest.
Luo Yun'e said sternly, "Take it out and let us see."
The servant withdrew his hand from the little dumpling's embrace, holding a stone.
The crowd burst into laughter.
The servant was stunned and bewildered, "How could this be? Your Majesty, this servant saw it clearly just now, it was indeed a luminous pearl."
The little dumpling took the stone and tossed it up and down in her hand, "So people in the palace are this foolish, unable to distinguish between a stone and a luminous pearl."
Ye Jingyu sneered and added, "It seems the person responsible for training in the Empress's palace is not diligent. This Prince will mention it to His Majesty another day, so that His Majesty may assign a more capable person to Your Majesty."
Luo Yun'e's expression changed drastically, and she gritted her teeth.
Was he threatening her?!
"Your Majesty, it has been found." A similar voice came from the other side.
Another confidante who was searching Lin Yuning, with a hint of panic on her face, now held the missing luminous pearl in her hand.
"This is impossible!" Lin Yuning's face changed dramatically, and she took two steps back in panic, "No, Mother Empress, this is not my thing."
Ye Jingyu reached out and picked up the little dumpling, "Of course it's not your thing, it's the provisions the Empress sent to the disaster victims."
Lin Yuning, her face ashen, looked at Su Yunmo and pointed at her, "It was you, you framed me!"
The little dumpling looked innocent.
Ye Jingyu tidied her disheveled clothes and said coldly, "Since the witness and evidence are conclusive, this Prince, who is responsible for the security of this banquet, cannot let this matter go unpunished."
"Guards, first administer twenty strokes of the cane, and after the punishment, deal with her according to palace rules."
Lin Yuning's face instantly turned pale.
Twenty strokes of the cane in the palace would leave one half-dead, if not dead!
"I never thought Consort Lian, who appears so refined, would do such a thing."
"Stealing in the palace is no small crime."
Everyone sighed and lamented towards Lin Yuning.
She could not escape today's punishment.
Lin Yuning could not accept it, "I didn't!"
She looked at Luo Yun'e and stepped forward, "Mother Consort, please discern the truth. This consort truly did not. That thing couldn't possibly be on me, clearly that servant had already taken the item..."
"Silence!" Luo Yun'e sharply interrupted her, her expression also far from pleasant.
She truly hadn't expected Prince Yu to suddenly appear, nor had she anticipated that that brat Su Yunmo would drag Cheng'er's consort into this.
Now she was truly in a dilemma.
Lin Yuning was startled by the sharp reprimand and abruptly swallowed her words.
She bit her lower lip, unable to offer a defense, yet utterly unable to accept the punishment of the cane.
She was pregnant, and if anything happened to the child, what would she do!
A thought flashed through Lin Yuning's mind.
"Ah!" She suddenly clutched her stomach and fell to the ground, her face contorted in pain, "My stomach... my stomach hurts so much, Mother Empress, my stomach..."
Su Yunmo rolled her eyes.
Her acting was truly terrible; even when she faked it to get out of writing for Ye Jingyu, it was more convincing than this.
The crowd became agitated, all pushing forward.
"What's wrong with Consort Lian? Could it be that she's disturbed her pregnancy? This is not good, quickly call for an imperial physician."
Luo Yun'e breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this person was still somewhat intelligent, "Guards, Consort Lian is feeling unwell, quickly take her away."
She looked at Ye Jingyu, "This consort should have punished her according to your wishes, but since Consort Lian is with child, the royal bloodline cannot be trifled with. It would be best to wait until she recovers before this consort deals with her."
Ye Jingyu cast a cold glance at Lin Yuning, "As the Empress wishes. However, Your Majesty should keep a close eye on your possessions and avoid such mistakes next time, otherwise this Prince cannot be lenient again and again."
Luo Yun'e felt her face was lost, and she clenched her fist, "Prince Yu speaks the truth, this consort will pay attention."
She gave Qin Momo a look.
Qin Momo quickly led her people forward to carry Lin Yuning away.
Luo Yun'e raised her hand, "Let's return to the palace."
"Wait." Ye Jingyu said in a deep voice, "Consort Lian is a member of the imperial family and the Empress's daughter-in-law, so she can naturally be taken back by Your Majesty. The rest will be handled by this Prince."