Qin Mian believed that his quick thinking and resourcefulness had allowed him to deceive everyone.

Unfortunately, Qin Mian underestimated Xiao Chengci.

Xiao Chengci did not completely believe Qin Mian's words.

Xiao Chengci gestured for Qin Mian to make way, and then Xiao Chengci entered the courtyard.

The courtyard was full of servants, but as soon as Xiao Chengci entered, he could sense Pei Zhi's presence.

Almost immediately, Xiao Chengci was certain that Pei Zhi must have lived in this courtyard.

Xiao Chengci walked into the courtyard, observed every corner of it, and then went into the house.

Pei Minxue followed behind Xiao Chengci, unaware of what His Majesty was looking at.

Xiao Chengci looked at the tea set on the table, walked into the inner room, and saw the quilt on the upper bunk.

She opened the wardrobe again, looking at the clothes and styles inside.

Pei Minxue asked curiously, "Your Majesty, what exactly are you looking at?"

"Do you think it's against the rules for Lord Qin's concubine to live in such a nice room?"

Pei Minxue never expected that their emperor would be so leisurely.

They actually have time to go and check on the living conditions of my personal maidservants.

Since Xiao Chengci has already asked, Pei Minxue should at least answer.

Pei Minxue took a look and realized he hadn't known until he saw it.

The furnishings in the room were not particularly valuable.

But each of these items is worth some money.

As far as Pei Minxue knew, Qin Mian was just a minor official of the fifth rank.

More importantly, Qin Mian's family had no ancestral property.

The Qin family's rise to prominence began with Qin Mian's generation.

In Qin Mian's house, even a maidservant lives so well; one can only imagine how luxurious the master's courtyard must be.

Pei Minxue questioned, "Qin Mian, just how much did you embezzle?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Mian immediately knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, and the Minister of the Palace, I have always been diligent and conscientious in my duties and have never been corrupt."

"This room...this room."

After hesitating for a long time, Qin Mian could only say, "I have indeed failed to manage my household properly. Your Majesty and Your Excellency may take a look at the rest of my residence."

“These are the most precious items in my treasury.”

Xiao Chengci didn't speak, but simply raised his head and observed the room.

"Qin Mian, is the person living in this house really your concubine?"

Xiao Chengci said ambiguously, "I'm giving you one more chance. If you dare to deceive me in front of me, you will be guilty of the crime of exterminating your entire family."

Xiao Chengci exuded the aura of a superior, and even Pei Minxue took two steps back, fearing that he would be caught in the crossfire.

Qin Mian knelt on the ground, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

Clearly, Qin Mian also didn't know how to answer.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..." Qin Mian wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

Xiao Chengci pressed further: "Who exactly are you, the person living in this house?"

Qin Mian opened and closed his mouth repeatedly.

At this moment, Madam Qin also arrived late, looking embarrassed.

Upon hearing that His Majesty had arrived, Lady Qin naturally came to pay her respects.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" Madam Qin knelt on the ground. "Your Majesty, please be aware that the person living in this house is a girl we took in."

“I am not a maidservant. My husband has never had any maidservants or concubines since we got married.”

“This girl fainted by the roadside, and my kind-hearted husband picked her up.”

"My husband and I were never meant to have a daughter, so after we found her, we took an instant liking to her and raised her as our own daughter."

Madam Qin kept rambling on, "Anything good or precious in the mansion has been sent to this courtyard."

Xiao Chengci nodded with an ambiguous expression, "Then what did Lord Qin just say? That the person living in this courtyard is his concubine?"

Before Madam Qin could even speak, Qin Mian quickly tried to exonerate himself.

"Your Majesty's presence truly startled me. This is quite a shameful matter, so I only thought about covering it up."

The eunuch brought a chair for Xiao Chengci, and after Xiao Chengci sat down, he "explained everything in detail."

Madam Qin set the tone, and Qin Mian knew how to continue the conversation.

Anyway, this wild girl jumped into the lake, so her chances of surviving are slim.

Now, of course, whatever they say goes.

Could that wild girl possibly climb out of the lake and argue with them?

"Your Majesty, just as my wife said, this girl was picked up from outside."

"My wife's health has been poor since she gave birth to two sons in a row."

"My husband and I have always regretted not having a daughter."

"So after we picked up this girl, we saw that she was very cute and wanted to treat her as our own daughter."

Qin Mian sighed as he finished speaking, "Who would have thought that this girl would be so vicious?"

"If she asks for anything good in the manor, my husband and I will send it to her."

"As a result, today, over some trivial matter, she held me hostage with a dagger."

Qin Mian raised his neck so that Xiao Chengci and Pei Minxue could see the scars on his neck.

"In the end, he even said that I am not her biological father and am not qualified to lecture her."

"Then she kicked down the courtyard wall and jumped into the lake to escape."

Qin Mian sighed dramatically, "If I had known this would happen, I should have given her money and let her leave when she woke up."

"That way, we wouldn't have ended up in this situation today."

Xiao Chengci looked at Pei Minxue with an ambiguous expression.

"Lord Pei, what do you think?"

Pei Minxue raised an eyebrow slightly, "I think... this Lord Qin is spouting nonsense and not a single word of truth is out of his mouth."

Although Qin Mian connected the cause and effect.

To Pei Minxue, it was indeed riddled with errors.

Xiao Chengci asked, "Why?"

“Even if a woman you find attractive after being picked up doesn’t bring out all the valuable items that the mansion has.”

“They’re not even related by blood, so there’s always a barrier between them.”

Pei Minxue thought for a moment and continued, "If Lord Qin were truly so kind-hearted, he wouldn't have made it to the capital."

"continue."

"I observed that the clothes in the wardrobe in the room were exceptionally exquisite in terms of fabric and style."

"The jewelry in the vanity case is also rare and precious."

"Looking at what Madam Qin is wearing and using, Lord Qin, you might as well say that this is your maidservant, that would be more believable."

They treated a woman they found as a pet, showering her with all the good and valuable things she had.

He would give something that even his own wife wouldn't use to a girl he picked up.

Either they've gone mad, or they've got ulterior motives.

"Guards, take everyone in the Qin household to the dungeon and await their fate."

Qin Mian never expected that no matter how much he said, His Majesty would never believe him.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please spare my life! I...I still have something to say!"