Zhang Qing's words, in fact, were over ninety percent true, with less than ten percent false mixed within.
Yet it was precisely this ten percent falsehood that played a crucial role, instantaneously shifting the blame from Consort De to the Noble Consort.
The person who confessed under Dong Xue's coercion was Consort De, not the Noble Consort; the new testimony failed to clarify this and only mentioned the contact with Xia Lei.
Consort Zhen had never overheard the secret conversations between Cai Hua and Nanny Wen; she merely had a vague sense that these servants were acting under someone's orders but was unsure if it was the Noble Consort's.
Her confession was arranged by the Emperor.
Initially, the Emperor had given Zhang Qing two options for Consort Zhen: either to spend the rest of her days in Hetai Temple or to do something for him, after which he would help her change her identity and release her from the palace.
