Can the consensus be wrong and the view of the minority be correct, and how can that be known?

Consensus (Ijma')—if it occurs in its Shar'i (Islamically lawful) sense—is infallible. The questioner's statement does not contradict the consensus; rather, it contradicts the view of the majority or most jurists. The decisive factor in the matter is what aligns with the evidence, even if those who hold that view are few.