Chapter 448 Her Princess is So Handsome!

The sound of her fingertips digging into her palms brought out all the tears in her eyes.

The truths that were buried back then are now as clear as exposed wounds.

He calmed down.

None of that matters now. What matters is that she now fully understands what happened back then, and with Steward Wang as a witness, she can make the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion pay the price.

Whether or not the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion knew she was a princess, they had committed a grave mistake, no less serious than Empress Zheng.

If the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion knew she was the Second Princess, they might have refused Empress Zheng's kindness out of fear. But, just because she was an ordinary person, did that give the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion the right to treat an innocent child like this?

"The Mid-Autumn Festival is the day after tomorrow, and the palace will hold a Mid-Autumn Festival banquet. I have found someone who knew about it back then, and if you join me, I am absolutely confident that the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion will receive the punishment it deserves. Are you willing to come to the palace with me to testify?"

Butler Wang did not agree immediately.

He did indeed swear to repay her, but he had already told her everything he knew. Why would he risk his life to do something else?

He has become like this because of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

He wanted the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to pay the price and be punished, but without absolute certainty, he would only give the other side an opportunity to take advantage of him.

"Absolutely certain?" Butler Wang's voice was still hoarse as he sneered, "Where do you get such absolute certainty? What evidence do you have to prove the filth between Empress Zheng and the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion?"

"There will naturally be evidence, but how much and how much weight it carries depends on whether Butler Wang is willing to cooperate."

With a slight smile and a quick dart in her eyes, a clever little idea came to mind.

"You've been the steward of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion for many years. Doesn't the mansion have any 'flaws' at all? And that master, if I remember correctly, tomorrow night is the day he's supposed to come to the mansion once every three months to treat Qin Weiwei, isn't it?"

Butler Wang nodded: "That's right."

"I remember that, in order to suppress the evil spirit in Qin Weiwei's body, the Duchess of Zhenguo enshrined a gilded Buddha shrine given by Empress Zheng in the underground secret room of the Zhenguo Duke's mansion."

Butler Wang was shocked: "You know that? That gilded Buddha shrine was indeed a gift from Empress Zheng. At first, the Duchess of Zhenguo valued it immensely and knelt to worship it every day. But as Qin Weiwei's health gradually improved, she gradually stopped valuing it as much as before."

Butler Wang frowned, not understanding: "You want to find that Buddhist shrine? But what use would it be if you found it? Many wealthy Buddhist families have one in their homes, it's nothing special."

“Buddhist shrines are common, but the one given by Empress Zheng is certainly not common.”

Sheng Sheng recalled what Xiao Bai had casually mentioned before: he had seen Empress Zheng burning incense and praying to Buddha in the small Buddhist hall several times when he passed by Kunning Palace.

That small Buddhist shrine was built by Empress Zheng for her deceased third prince.

So, if Empress Zheng set this trap for Sheng Sheng to vent her anger on behalf of her beloved son, then the Buddhist shrine that Empress Zheng sent out was most likely the same one that was in the small Buddhist hall.

Buddhist shrines on the market are all similar, but anything that enters the palace will first undergo a standardized inspection process and then be stamped with a uniform mark by the Imperial Household Department.

Not to mention the items in Kunning Palace, many of which bear the Empress's unique mark.

Even if they're not exactly the same, at least they should have some kind of marking, right?

"As long as we can catch that master, all the evidence is meaningless. And that Buddhist shrine, if it's useful, I'll take it with me. You don't need to worry about these things. I only ask you, are you willing to testify for me? The bad things you did before have nothing to do with me, but I won't forgive you on behalf of others, because the wrongdoings you committed cannot be erased."

Therefore, I will ensure your safety, and afterwards I will give you a sum of money, though not much. You can go wherever you want; it will be enough for you to start a new and good life. If you later intend to do evil, you will squander this money in the blink of an eye. But if you are willing to be a diligent and good person, this money will be your endless wealth.

Butler Wang listened intently.

“To do evil… Heh, Your Highness, look at my hands like this, how can I possibly do evil?” Steward Wang gave a bitter laugh. “The evil I committed in the first half of my life, I will have to spend the rest of my life paying for. Your Highness, I am willing to testify for you. If you want to infiltrate the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion, I can cooperate with you wholeheartedly without reservation and tell you everything I know about the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion.”

"very good."

Sheng Sheng looked down at the man crawling down, her gold-embroidered cloud-patterned skirt cascading down like a waterfall, obscuring the mottled hem of his clothes and the somewhat dirty stone floor.

She was only seven years old, still slender, with her head, which was styled in double buns, drooping slightly. Her eyes, which usually held a soft, smiling expression, were now covered with a thin layer of frost.

Sheng Sheng bent down slightly, getting a little closer to Butler Wang. Her voice was lower, but the weight of her words was heavier.

With a flick of his fingertips, he stopped Zijuan from stepping forward to help him up. His tone was calm yet carried an unmistakable seriousness: "Since you're willing to turn back, I'll give you that chance. The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion may be declining, but its foundation remains. As the art of war says, underestimating your opponent is a cardinal sin. Therefore, tell me everything you know about the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion: its layout, the locations of the sentries, the keys to the treasury, and anything else. What I want is absolute certainty."

His tone was still childlike and clear, but it had lost its former naivety and gained an unmistakable air of authority.

Despite its childish voice, it carried an oppressive force that commanded respect. Even the child himself was unaware that as hatred and anger surged within him, the royal dignity flowing in his blood quietly broke through the child's skin.

"Oh, right, let me make this clear from the start. If you ever harbor any disloyalty towards me, I have a thousand ways to make you suffer terribly. Just as you crippled your hands, I will cripple your legs in the same way. I won't let you die, I will only make you live to suffer, so you will know the consequences of betraying me."

Zijuan stared blankly at her princess, who was going all out. She had never seen her like this before. Even back in Zhennan Pass, Zijuan had never had such a thought as she did now: Princess, you truly are a princess!

Her princess is so handsome!

The princess has also learned to use both kindness and severity!

If the Second Prince were here, he would be very pleased that the princess has learned how to manage people and handle affairs at such a young age!

Zijuan, who had just been feeling sorry and angry about Shengsheng's past experiences, instantly became relieved.