Chapter 71 He's extremely protective of his own. [36]

"What?" Achu looked at Si Jinye in surprise, as if she thought she had misheard.

Si Jinye nodded: "You heard me right."

“Si Jinxuan has learned that I have enough witnesses to prove that Shen Jingya is the one who murdered Lin Miaoyi and caused her to lose her innocence. Today, he will take Shen Jingya to confess to the Emperor.”

However, Shen Jingya admitted to the crime but not the whole truth.

She said she did it entirely because she was instigated by her maid.

At that time, there were rumors that Consort Jiang intended to cancel the engagement and let Si Jinxuan marry Lin Miaoyi.

Shen Jingya was so fond of Si Jinxuan that she was having trouble sleeping and eating.

It was her personal maid, Cuiping, who gave her that idea, saying that this way she wouldn't have to worry about the engagement being canceled.

Shen Jingya was only temporarily blinded by greed when she agreed.

But she didn't get involved in this matter at all; Cuiping handled everything.

By the time she regretted it and wanted to stop it, it was too late.

Shen Jingya knelt before the emperor, weeping with heartbreaking sorrow.

She said she knew she had done wrong and felt very guilty.

Cuiping was also brought before the Emperor by Si Jinxuan, where she confessed to her crimes.

The emperor wanted to punish Cuiping and Shen Jingya, but Si Jinxuan knelt down and begged for mercy, saying that everything was caused by him and he was willing to share the blame.

In the end, the emperor demoted Shen Jingya to a concubine of Prince Rui.

As for the maid Cuiping, Si Jinye arrived just as the emperor was about to order her execution.

The emperor ultimately favored Si Jinxuan and decided to close the case there, ordering the execution of Cuiping and the bandits, and then sending people to suppress the bandits.

However, Si Jinye disagreed, saying that letting them die like this was too easy and would not be enough to appease the Lin family who had lost their loved ones. He suggested that the emperor hand over Cuiping to him.

The emperor had no choice but to agree.

So Si Jinye took Cuiping away, while Shen Jingya followed Si Jinxuan back to the Prince Rui's Mansion.

After listening to what Si Jinye said, A Chu asked after a while, "So, is this matter considered over?"

Will Grand Tutor Lin and the others accept this outcome?

A leaf fell onto Achu's hair, and Si Jinye reached out to pick it off for her, slowly replying:

"Father wants to favor the Fifth Prince, and Shen Jingya says she was instigated by the maid. What can Grand Tutor Lin and the others do if they don't admit it?"

After he finished speaking, Si Jinye heard A Chu sigh softly, which meant that she was still sympathizing with the most innocent Lin Miaoyi.

Si Jinye looked down at her and said, "However, I have no intention of letting this matter end like this."

Recalling the look of relief on Shen Jingya's face as she left with Si Jinxuan, Si Jinye curled his lips into a mocking smile.

He is extremely protective of his own.

He didn't care what Shen Jingya had done before, and he certainly wouldn't investigate her.

But Shen Jingya should never have, ever tried to harm his lover.

Being demoted to the position of concubine of Prince Rui is not enough.

Achu looked up at Si Jinye and asked him curiously, "What else are you planning to do?"

Si Jinye smiled at her and said only, "You'll know in a few days."

Achu didn't ask any more questions.

Sure enough, she found out a few days later.

Si Jinye's reputation for brutality stems not only from his past senseless killings.

Another reason is that he is ruthless and cruel in his methods against suspects, and is known for his skill in torture and torment.

If you fall into his hands, even death is a luxury.

Cuiping was still very loyal; she had already prepared herself to die for Shen Jingya.

But she was in a situation where she could neither live nor die!

In just three days, Cuiping, unable to endure the torment, confessed that everything was instigated by Shen Jingya.

She even took the initiative to denounce Shen Jingya, saying that it was not an accident that A Chu encountered bandits when he went to offer incense with Rong Shi!

The next morning at court, Si Jinye directly reported the matter to the emperor.

The civil and military officials immediately stirred and whispered among themselves.

Marquis Zhongyi was completely shocked and couldn't come to his senses.

Two days ago, when he heard that Shen Jingya was actually the real culprit who caused Lin Miaoyi to lose her innocence, Marquis Zhongyi already acted as if he didn't recognize his own daughter.

Now I hear Si Jinye say that his eldest daughter was kidnapped by bandits, and it was she who did it!

If A Chu hadn't been rescued in time, if A Chu hadn't been saved by Si Jinye, wouldn't she have become the second Lin Miaoyi?!

Just as the Marquis of Zhongyi was still somewhat bewildered, Grand Tutor Lin and Vice Minister Lin stepped forward and knelt in the hall.

The father and son, their voices choked with sobs and filled with resentment, pleaded with the emperor to severely punish such a wicked woman!

Some court officials echoed this sentiment, saying that such a morally corrupt woman was absolutely unworthy of being a prince's concubine.

Marquis Zhongyi also knelt on the ground in fear, after all, Shen Jingya was his daughter.

The emperor's expression was calm and stern.

He first glanced at his own son, who had just delivered a thunderous blow.

Because of headaches and tinnitus, Si Jinye's face was always gloomy, and the emperor could not tell whether he had deliberately chosen this time to submit his memorial.

The emperor then looked at his son, on whom he had placed great hopes.

Si Jinxuan's expression was also extremely unpleasant.

He never imagined that even Ah Chu's encounter with the bandits was orchestrated by Shen Jingya!

Because he hadn't expected it at all, Si Jinxuan thought the incident was over.

Is the Shen Jingya he knows the same Shen Jingya he has always known?

Si Jinxuan harbored doubts.

Just then, he noticed that his father was looking at him.

Si Jinxuan wanted to sever ties with Shen Jingya, but then he remembered what his mother had said.

He took a deep breath and knelt on the ground, pleading for Shen Jingya.

Si Jinxuan knelt in front, unaware of the angry gaze directed at him by Vice Minister Lin.

The emperor, however, noticed it.

He was somewhat disappointed in his son.

The Emperor asked in a deep voice, "Is Prince Rui sure he wants to plead for the convicted woman, Lady Shen?"

After a few moments of hesitation, Si Jinxuan said firmly, "Your Majesty, I beg you to spare Shen's life!"

The emperor looked at him: "Spare her life? Sixth Prince, tell me, how should I spare her?"

When asked, the sixth prince, Si Jinyan, paused for a moment, then pondered before answering:

“Since Fifth Prince and Lady Shen have such a deep affection for each other, then Father Emperor shall have her flogged eighty times and demote her to Fifth Prince’s concubine.”

"Furthermore, the Fifth Prince should also be punished for pleading for the Shen family."

These princes are all rivals, and they won't be very friendly to Si Jinxuan.

The emperor glanced at his fifth son, then at Grand Tutor Lin and Vice Minister Lin, who were still weeping.

He took a deep breath: "Shen may escape the death penalty, but she will not escape punishment."

“Shen shall be punished with eighty strokes of the cane and demoted to a concubine of Prince Rui, never to be promoted again.”

“Since Prince Rui says you also bear responsibility, then I will punish you with five years’ salary, fifty strokes of the cane, and three months of confinement to reflect on your mistakes.”

After speaking, the emperor looked at Grand Tutor Lin and Vice Minister Lin and asked, "My two dear ministers, is this acceptable?"

Grand Tutor Lin and Vice Minister Lin kowtowed: "Thank you—Your Majesty for giving my daughter justice!"

The emperor rubbed his temples and waved his hand.

The eunuch beside him immediately announced, "Speak if you have something to say! Otherwise, court is adjourned!"

This court assembly has now come to an end.

Si Jinye returned to the East Palace relatively early today, had dinner with A Chu, and then told her about the morning court session.