“I’ve been living on borrowed time until now, just for this day.” Du Juan raised her head. “To announce to the world the evil deeds you and this heartless bastard have committed!”
“You!” Princess Yongning gritted her teeth, furious beyond measure. But guards stood watching her closely on all sides, so she dared not move. She was also extremely surprised in her heart. She had killed all of Xue Fangfei’s maids one by one. Even this Haitang should not still be alive in this world. Yet now Haitang appeared before her eyes, alive and well. What was going on?
Haitang knelt on the ground and recounted everything that had happened in the Shen mansion over those years—including how Shen Yurun had carried on a secret affair with Princess Yongning, and after Princess Yongning had schemed to frame Xue Fangfei, how she had eliminated all those in the know one by one, her methods cruel to the extreme.
Xue Huaiyuan listened and listened, unable to help closing his eyes slightly, even his palms trembling. Although he had already heard Haitang tell this once before, hearing it again, he still couldn’t help but feel heartache for his daughter.
How could he have let Ah Li face these wolves and tigers alone!
After Haitang finished her testimony as a witness, another person stepped forward. This person was gentle and generous, graceful and charming—it was none other than Xiao Deyin, the qin instructor from Mingyi Hall.
Jiang Yuanbai couldn’t help but show surprise in his eyes. He knew Xiao Deyin and knew she was the instructor for the young ladies of the Jiang Family, but he didn’t understand what role Xiao Deyin played in all this.
Xiao Deyin also said, “This commoner woman can testify that Shen Yurun and Princess Yongning indeed conspired to frame Xue Fangfei for having an illicit affair, then murdered her to eliminate all traces.”
At these words, Princess Yongning laughed loudly. “Xiao Deyin, what are you pretending? Back then, wasn’t it you who framed Xue Fangfei? I gave you the drug, and you cheerfully went and accepted it. What, now that I’ve lost power, you also want to take advantage and kick me while I’m down? Don’t forget your own status. Once I get out, do you think you can live much longer?”
Xiao Deyin’s heart pounded wildly, yet her face remained calm and composed. “No matter how Your Highness the Princess tries to throw mud on this commoner woman now, I will not change my testimony. As for Your Highness the Princess’s baseless accusations, no one will believe them. That Fangfei and I were good friends is a fact known to everyone. I had no reason to harm Fangfei—unlike you, Princess.”
Princess Yongning was furious but truly couldn’t explain the reasoning. She had sought out Xiao Deyin precisely because Xiao Deyin had the least reason to harm Xue Fangfei. Xiao Deyin was Xue Fangfei’s best friend—the whole world knew this. Even Princess Yongning herself hadn’t expected that Xiao Deyin would agree so smoothly. She had thought Xiao Deyin was someone who knew which way the wind was blowing, never imagining it was because Xiao Deyin had nothing to fear from the start.
Even now, without sufficient evidence and relying only on her own one-sided words, everyone would likely believe in Xiao Deyin’s innocence, because Xiao Deyin had absolutely no reason to harm Xue Fangfei!
Xiao Deyin recounted in detail how abnormal Xue Fangfei had been after drinking wine that day, and how Princess Yongning had also been present at the time. Of course, she omitted herself, saying only that it was Princess Yongning’s people who had drugged Xue Fangfei and staged a performance that completely ruined Xue Fangfei’s reputation. From then on, she no longer went out, which made it convenient for this pair of adulterous lovers in the Shen mansion to subsequently harm the pitiful Xue Fangfei.
Xiao Deyin spoke extremely logically—perhaps because she was naturally intelligent, or perhaps because she had already said these words countless times in her heart, which was why they came so naturally, so realistically, so impossible to find fault with. After she finished speaking, the charges against Princess Yongning and Shen Yurun deepened another layer, irrefutable.
Looking at the expressions of the three officials, Xiao Deyin knew she had bet correctly. She pretended not to see Princess Yongning’s furious gaze, feeling very relaxed inside. It seemed that in today’s trial, Princess Yongning had no way to survive. Jiang Li had indeed been right—after this, there would be nothing left in the world that could threaten her.
Of course, the fact that Xiao Deyin had testified for Xue Fangfei in court despite Princess Yongning’s accusations would also spread, winning her a good reputation.
Xiao Deyin was extremely pleased with herself.
Just at this moment, a voice suddenly rang out: “That’s not right.”
“What is not right?” Wei Mingyan asked.
“What Teacher Xiao said is not right.” The speaker was Haitang. “It’s true that Shen Yurun and Princess Yongning had an illicit affair. It’s true that they schemed to frame my young lady for having an affair with someone, causing my young lady to bear such infamy. But from beginning to end, this matter was not done by any of Princess Yongning’s servants. The one who handed over that cup of wine was you, Teacher Xiao. The one who put drugs in the wine was also you, Teacher Xiao. And of course, the one who helped my young lady back to her room was still you, Teacher Xiao.” Haitang said coldly, “Teacher Xiao, back then, almost everyone who knew about the matter has died, but not quite everyone. Very unfortunately, I am that one who hasn’t died yet and just happens to know the entire sequence of events. My young lady’s supposed affair was indeed a vicious scheme designed by Princess Yongning, but you are far from as innocent as you claim to be, because you were Princess Yongning’s executioner. You knew the entire process. You were her accomplice!”
At these words, everyone in the hall was shocked!
Xiao Deyin never imagined that such a person would suddenly appear in the courtroom. Jiang Li had already told her beforehand about the evidence this case had in hand, to make her believe that this case was a sure thing. It was precisely because of this evidence that Xiao Deyin had believed Jiang Li and stepped forward. But Jiang Li hadn’t told her that among the witnesses was also Xue Fangfei’s personal maid. It was only now that she saw Haitang’s face clearly, and her heart was shocked beyond measure.
Haitang? How was she still alive!
“You… what nonsense are you spouting? Why would I do such a thing? Fangfei was my good friend. We were as close as sisters. How could I harm her!”
“Simply because you fancied yourself Yanjing’s foremost qin master, yet my young lady’s qin skills were far superior to yours. You don’t care about wealth, but you alone love fame and reputation. You feared my young lady would steal your spotlight, so you became jealous—even willing to conspire with Princess Yongning. Knowing full well that cup of wine would ruin my young lady’s entire life, you still made my young lady drink it.”
“You’re lying!” Xiao Deyin’s heart was in complete panic. The secret in her heart that no one knew had been revealed by Haitang without any reservation. It was like a snail that had lost its shell, exposed under the sunlight, knowing that before long, it would be dried out.
She was terrified.
“What closeness like sisters? My young lady regarded you as a confidante, yet you repaid kindness with enmity. What deep marital love? My young lady was devoted to her husband with her whole heart, yet he conspired with others to murder his bedfellow. My young lady always treated people with a true heart, yet encountered nothing but heartless wolves. All the bad people in this world—she met them all. Only my young lady was the most pitiful, most tragic, most laughable!” Haitang spoke these words in one breath. By the end, she couldn’t help but begin to cry. The sorrow and hatred in her cries moved everyone present.
Princess Yongning suddenly burst into loud laughter. Seeing Xiao Deyin in such embarrassment seemed to delight her greatly. She said gleefully, “Xiao Deyin, do you see? You thought that by bringing me down, no one would know about the things you did? You’re more detestable than me. At least I never liked Xue Fangfei. To me, Xue Fangfei was just a stranger. But you—you were Xue Fangfei’s sister. And you claim your qin playing is noble? You must be joking. You’re killing me with laughter!”
Xiao Deyin couldn’t speak. She nearly swayed on her feet, only able to say repeatedly, “That’s not it, that’s not it.” But her momentarily flustered expression and incoherent speech still exposed that she was not as innocent as she claimed.
Those present suddenly felt a wave of absurdity. Back when the matter of Xue Fangfei’s illicit affair spread, all of Yanjing City had talked about it enthusiastically. Everyone said this woman relied on her beauty to be so restless. Top Scholar Shen had treated her so well, yet she wasn’t satisfied—she was truly the shame of Yanjing City. But looking at it now, everyone under heaven had been wrong back then. That woman who inexplicably bore such infamy was actually the most pitiful person.
Such a beautiful, intelligent, gentle lady had been deceived by a friend as close as a sister, cruelly murdered by the husband who had promised to spend a lifetime with her, and humiliated by a princess using the cruelest methods. What had she done wrong? She hadn’t done anything wrong. If she had truly done something wrong, perhaps it was falling in love with a person who was heartless and cold, yet insisted on pretending to be deeply devoted!
“And there’s also my young master,” Haitang said. “When the young master learned that something had happened to the young lady in Yanjing City, he immediately rushed to the capital. Thinking he had found some clues and found the Capital Magistrate, he could avenge the young lady. Who knew the Capital Magistrate was in collusion with this vicious princess and actually killed the young master, then made it look like bandits were responsible.” Haitang laughed bitterly. “What kind of world is this! At the feet of the Son of Heaven, such absurd things happen! If all officials serving in court are like this—when the people don’t complain, officials don’t investigate; when the people do complain, they sit in prison until it crumbles—then why bother setting up government offices at all? Just tell everyone under heaven directly that if you’re a common citizen and suffer the greatest injustice, don’t speak up, because speaking up is just a waste of effort. No one dares uphold justice for the common people, because these officials—they all have to watch others’ faces!”
At these words, He Qin shouted loudly, “Outrageous!” Yet the three officials present couldn’t help but break out in cold sweat. Haitang’s words were no longer just about the crimes of Shen Yurun and Princess Yongning. She was denouncing the entire official world, accusing the Emperor—saying the Emperor appointed treacherous officials who harmed the common people.
The Son of Heaven’s reputation could not be slandered in this way, but today’s events could not be concealed. Soon, these words Haitang spoke would reach the palace.
Jiang Yuanbai also couldn’t help but look at Haitang. After finishing her words, Haitang was already in tears, yet she still stubbornly looked at the three officials without retreating. She knew these words might bring disaster upon herself, but over this past year, everything that had happened to the Xue Family had proven exactly this point.
What peaceful prosperous times? What clarity under heaven? It was actually just paper clarity—one gentle poke and it would tear.
How would Emperor Hongxiao feel after hearing this? Perhaps he would examine the past. Perhaps in the future, he would reform the official system and prevent such tragedies from repeating.
Xue Fangfei’s maids all seemed to be intelligent, Jiang Yuanbai thought. What a pity.