“Where’s the snake?” the Metropolitan Governor asked.

“This humble one was tired after descending the mountain and sat by the stream to rest. Unexpectedly, someone knocked me unconscious. When I awoke, the snake was gone,” Li Er’lang said tearfully.

His story was convincing and logical, even explaining away the source of the snake that had frightened Shen Xihe’s group.

The person Second Lady Rong had found wasn’t a fool after all.

“Princess, this…” the Metropolitan Governor looked at Shen Xihe with some difficulty.

“Governor Zhang, why don’t we wait for the Second Lady of the Rong family to arrive before continuing the questioning?” Shen Xihe, having been injured, had specifically arranged for a chair to sit in.

Fortunately, Second Lady Rong—Rong Mizhen—was quickly brought in, accompanied by her father, Second Master Rong Changxun.

Metropolitan Governor Zhang Pengzhan explained the situation from beginning to end, then asked Rong Mizhen: “Second Lady Rong, do you know this person?”

Rong Mizhen glanced at him and replied in a soft voice: “In response to the Governor, yes, I have seen him. Today at the foot of the mountain, I saw that Princess Zhaoning seemed to have some conflict with this man.”

Rong Mizhen’s frank admission made it difficult for the Metropolitan Governor to continue questioning. After deliberating for a moment, he said: “The Princess claims this man released the snake to harm people at your instigation.”

Rong Mizhen’s face filled with horror, her eyes innocent: “I have no grievance with the Princess. Her status is noble—at several banquets, I could only glimpse her from afar, never exchanging a single word. Why would I harm her?”

“On what basis does the Princess conclude my daughter was behind this?” Rong Changxun asked.

The Metropolitan Governor felt somewhat awkward. Following Shen Xihe’s reasoning made sense, but it was also rather forced. However, as the presiding official, he couldn’t show bias or favoritism, so he recounted the entire explanation.

“Absurd. The Princess is a lady, so I won’t argue with her,” Rong Changxun sneered coldly after listening, then fixed his gaze on Shen Yun’an. “Young Master, you’re a court official—how could you not stop the Princess? Is this how justice is determined in the Northwest as well?”

“Whether it’s absurd or not, let’s set that aside for now,” Shen Xihe spoke first. “I have my methods to make this person testify. I wonder how Second Master Rong will account to me when faced with irrefutable evidence?”

Shen Xihe was at least eighty percent certain the Rong family was behind this. As for the reason… perhaps it had to do with Prince Lie, Xiao Changying.

It was neither widely known nor entirely secret that the Second Lady of the Rong family had feelings for Xiao Changying—Gu Qingchao knew about it.

“Is the Princess determined to smear the Rong family?” Rong Changxun’s face turned ashen. “If the Princess cannot produce evidence, what then?”

“If I cannot produce evidence, if my evidence cannot convince Second Master Rong completely, I will personally go to the Rong family gate and kowtow three times and nine bows in apology,” Shen Xihe laughed coldly. “If it is proven to be the Rong family’s doing, what will the Rong family do?”

Shen Xihe spoke with such certainty that Rong Changxun became somewhat fearful. He truly didn’t know what his daughter had done, but at this point, he couldn’t lose face by backing down: “What does the Princess propose?”

“I nearly fell off a cliff—I don’t know if I would have lived or died from the fall. I won’t demand a life for a life,” Shen Xihe smiled faintly. “Nor do I know what would have happened had that venomous snake bitten me. I never push people too hard. If I can produce evidence, let your daughter be bitten by a venomous snake and jump from where I nearly fell—whether she lives or dies will depend on her fate.”

Rong Changxun glanced at his composed daughter and immediately agreed: “Very well!”

“Governor Zhang, please witness this,” Shen Xihe said to the Metropolitan Governor.

The Metropolitan Governor looked at both sides and reluctantly said: “I will witness. Please present your evidence, Princess.”

Shen Xihe called softly: “Biyu.”

Biyu came forward holding an incense burner, which she handed to the court runners. Shen Xihe explained: “Governor Zhang, inside this incense burner, is a specially prepared mystic incense. This incense makes people lower their guard, and when inhaled in large quantities, they will answer any question truthfully.”

This incense was made primarily from milnacipran flowers and datura, making people feel euphoric—even more potent than the Five Stone Powder.

“Li Er’lang, come forward!” The Metropolitan Governor immediately had the court runners light it for Li Er’lang to inhale.

After a few breaths, Li Er’lang’s face flushed red, his eyes became intoxicated, and his smile turned frivolous.

The Metropolitan Governor frowned and looked at Shen Xihe, who nodded: “Please proceed with your questions, Governor.”

“Li Er’lang, what is your full name, where do you live…” The Metropolitan Governor asked for some basic information first. After Li Er’lang answered all these questions clearly, the Governor changed tack: “Today is the Double Ninth Festival. Did you release a snake to harm someone?”

“Double Ninth? Release a snake…” Li Er’lang giggled. “Steward Li told me I’d get two taels of gold for throwing two venomous snakes!”

“Who is this Steward Li?” The Metropolitan Governor asked, ignoring how Rong Changxun and Rong Mizhen’s faces had drastically changed.

“The Rong household’s steward, Li Jifu,” Li Er’lang answered, still wearing a blissful smile.

“Go, summon Li Jifu!” the Metropolitan Governor ordered coldly.

“No need!”

“No need!”

Rong Changxun and Shen Xihe spoke simultaneously. Rong Changxun gave Shen Xihe a cold look: “Governor Zhang, this man is not in his right mind. His words cannot be trusted!”

“If Second Master Rong doesn’t believe it, he can write down several private matters known only to himself and test my mystic incense,” Shen Xihe said calmly. “Governor Zhang, there’s no need to summon the Rong household’s steward. The rights and wrongs of this matter are clear to everyone. If Second Lady Rong wishes to prove her innocence, she can try my mystic incense!”

“Princess, you want me to make a spectacle of myself like this ruffian in public?” Rong Mizhen held back tears, feeling humiliated.

“No need. Just let me, Lady Jiang and Lady Xue question you in the inner hall. If Second Lady Rong doesn’t trust us, she can also select ladies she trusts to witness,” Shen Xihe refused to yield. “Of course, you can also make a scene about dying, claiming I humiliated you. My mystic incense is available at any time—you can crash into a pillar now to show your integrity and avoid the humiliation.

But I will report this to His Majesty and let him uphold justice for me.”

After speaking, Shen Xihe cast a meaningful look at Rong Changxun. If this reached the Emperor, the mystic incense would still be used. By then, it wouldn’t be just a minor matter between two ladies—the entire Rong family, including Noble Consort Rong, would suffer.

Rong Changxun knew their family couldn’t escape involvement as soon as Li Er’lang implicated Li Jifu. He stared at Rong Mizhen with shock and anger: “Did you or did you not hire someone to play tricks on the Princess!”

What a euphemism for “playing tricks,” Shen Xihe sneered inwardly.

“Father, Father, your daughter didn’t mean to.” Rong Mizhen immediately caught on. “Your daughter was just jealous of the Princess’s beauty and wanted to embarrass her. Who knew… who knew things would become so serious… *sob sob*… your daughter truly didn’t mean for this to happen…”

“Setting venomous snakes is just ‘playing tricks,’ releasing venomous snakes at a cliff edge is just wanting to embarrass someone.” Jiang Baiyan couldn’t listen anymore and laughed coldly.

Rong Mizhen had even used her, making her the first to speak up. She didn’t blame Rong Mizhen for being devious—she only blamed herself for being foolish!