At these words, everyone in the hall gasped in shock.

“What do you mean by this?” Wang Yushi asked.

Lian Qiao then recounted how Jiang Ruan had been verbally molested by Chen Zhao that day and how she was forced to fall into the pond. When she spoke of Jiang Ruan lying sick in bed while they couldn’t even bear to buy medicine or firewood, Lian Qiao’s voice was already choked with sobs: “Everyone judge for yourselves – even among ordinary families’ children, few would suffer such hardships. For a servant to have such audacity to plot for someone’s life is truly too outrageous!”

These words weren’t false. Harmful acts were common, but this was the first time anyone had seen servants abuse their master to such an extent. Zhang Lan had already fainted in the crowd, and many people began spitting at her. The few young maids beside Zhang Lan didn’t dare help, fearing they would incur public wrath.

Qian Wanli had fallen silent. The matter was becoming increasingly complicated, and these were waters too deep for him to wade through. He left the entire affair to Wang Yushi to handle, content to merely watch from the sidelines.

Wang Yushi said: “Jiang Ruan, what your maid has said – is it true?”

“Not a word is false,” Jiang Ruan said indifferently. “But my thoughts differ somewhat from Lian Qiao’s.”

“How so?” Wang Yushi looked up at her.

“Nanny Lan is merely a steward on the manor. Who gave her such authority to abuse me? Even if she abused me, there are several hundred people up and down this manor. When my life was difficult, why did not a single person help me? It seemed as if they all agreed not to treat me as their master. I believe that since Nanny Lan is a house-born servant whose entire family works on the manor, she wouldn’t have such boldness to abuse me unless someone else was instructing her from behind.”

Wang Yushi’s eyes flickered: “Who?”

Jiang Ruan shook her head: “That’s a matter for the yamen to handle. I don’t know either.”

The crowd blocking the entrance burst into discussion again, also finding Jiang Ruan’s words very reasonable. But who would be so cruel as to abuse such a well-mannered little girl this way?

Wang Yushi nodded: “This official will investigate all the facts you’ve mentioned. But this official also has something unclear – as the young miss of the manor, how could you be bullied to this extent by the manor’s servants? Why don’t your family members intervene? If there are other hidden grievances and injustices, this official will seek justice for you as well.”

This meant he intended to seek complete justice for Jiang Ruan. The crowd began speculating about the identity of this simply-dressed official, knowing that someone who could speak with such authority must possess considerable ability.

But Jiang Ruan gently shook her head: “It’s just evil servants bullying their master. My family… they simply don’t know.”

“Do you take this official for a fool?” Wang Yushi suddenly said loudly: “Since this manor belongs to your household, it must not be far from your residence. How could not even the slightest news reach them over such a short distance? Are you saying that all the servants up and down this manor have developed rebellious hearts against their master? Then this official must investigate even more thoroughly!”

“My Lord,” Jiang Ruan raised her voice, anger faintly visible between her brows: “Please don’t speculate wildly. I am the legitimate eldest daughter of Minister of War Jiang. My father is upright and incorruptible, caring for me meticulously – he was simply deceived too deeply!”

At these words, the entire hall was shocked!

A commotion arose from the crowd, and discussion immediately filled the entire courtroom. No one had expected that this fallen miss, who lived worse than a commoner, was actually the legitimate daughter of the Minister of War. Jiang Quan was currently successful in his career, at the height of his power, and appeared to be an upright person. Yet his own daughter was being bullied by others on the manor. Everyone looked at Jiang Ruan with eyes full of sympathy and pity. After Jiang Ruan’s words, no one believed them anymore. Everyone would only think this was a pitiful young lady from a noble family who, to protect her father’s reputation, was swallowing her grievances and covering for her father.

This brought even more people to praise Jiang Ruan’s behavior. Such conduct was both filial and virtuous. Being so neglected by her birth father yet not holding grudges, instead rushing to protect her family’s reputation – even for adults this wouldn’t be easy to achieve, let alone for a girl just over ten years old. What noble righteousness this was!

In contrast to Jiang Ruan’s nobility was the damage to Jiang Quan’s reputation. The Minister of War had an excellent reputation – from the court above to the common people below, all praised his integrity, fairness, honesty, and justice. But now it seemed that he was so neglectful of his own legitimate eldest daughter, allowing servants to bully their master to this extent. With such chaos in his inner quarters, his conduct in officialdom was probably not much cleaner either.

Jiang Ruan seemed unable to bear the sympathetic gazes around her. She lowered her head slightly, revealing her fair nape, like a swan with broken wings – her posture fragile yet desperately trying to protect her pride. Black hair covered one side of her face, only revealing her delicate jaw line. Her pale lips, tightly bitten, showed a hint of blood color, creating a cold and stunning beauty.

No one saw the mocking glint hidden beneath her long lashes.

Family scandals shouldn’t be aired publicly – naturally she wouldn’t voluntarily expose them. But there were many ways to get something said, and people’s speculation was one of them. Jiang Quan had long deserved to have his hypocritical reputation torn away. In her previous life, he had sent her to prison, earning a reputation for righteously sacrificing family for justice. In this life, let him see what kind of fate awaited someone who destroyed their own relatives! How could there be such cheap deals in this world – doing heartless things yet still leaving a good name for posterity? Today she would use these many mouths to expose the dirty ugliness of the Jiang family to everyone!

The arguing was too loud. Wang Yushi struck the gavel: “Silence!” After it quieted down, he looked at Jiang Ruan: “You’ve been on the manor for several years. Has Minister Jiang never come to fetch you?”

“Father is busy with official duties,” Jiang Ruan raised her head, then quickly turned away: “As children, we should share our parents’ worries. I don’t want to trouble him.”

At these words, discussion arose around them again. The more tolerant Jiang Ruan appeared toward Jiang Quan, the more people detested Jiang Quan. What trouble could there be in having his own daughter live in the residence?

Wang Yushi frowned: “I heard you’ve stayed on the manor for five years. This official asks you – five years ago, why did you come to the manor?”

“My birth mother died of illness. Jiang Ruan had to observe mourning for mother.” Her voice was melodious and moving, making everyone around sigh with emotion. They thought no wonder this little girl was sent to the manor – with her birth mother gone, her stepmother must be vicious to torment her this way. That Minister Jiang was truly a beast in human form, actually favoring his concubine while destroying his wife.

Wang Yushi struck the gavel: “According to Jin Dynasty law, the mourning period ends after three years. Now you’ve long passed the mourning period and need not remain. This official will decide for you – return to your residence immediately!”

Jiang Ruan was startled and asked somewhat cautiously: “Really?”

Her upturned eyes filled with joyful emotion, momentarily like a butterfly spreading its wings – so beautiful that people couldn’t look away.

She was truly joyful, because after going in such a large circle, she had finally achieved her ultimate goal – returning home!