Chapter 169 Her business is my business

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly plunged the hairpin downwards.

"ah!!!"

Caught off guard, Song Sangyu let out a shrill scream as the silver hairpin pierced deeply into her calf.

Song Sanchun pulled out the bloodstained hairpin, threw it on the ground, and spat at Song Sangyu, who was clutching her wound and screaming in pain:

"My mother risked her life to reveal the truth so that my sister Yiqiu could get back what was rightfully hers, and so that you parasites wouldn't get away with it!"

"You actually want to instigate me to harm Sister Yiqiu? Do you think everyone is like you, with their heads full of conspiracies and filth?"

This happened so fast that everyone was stunned.

Before Zhao Jieyu could even stop her, the hairpin was pulled out, and drops of blood splattered on the ground.

Shen Yiqiu strode forward and firmly shielded the trembling Song Sanchun behind her, glancing at the various expressions on the faces of the crowd.

“Sister Sanchun is right. Your stupidity and malice are exactly the same.”

She turned and stared directly at Zhao Jieyu, her eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Now that the dowry issue is resolved, it's time for us to deal with Aunt Yun's fate."

Zhao Jieyu forced herself to remain calm:

"I have already said that she committed insubordination and deserved to die! She was just a concubine..."

Shen Yiqiu interrupted her sharply:

"Shut up! Concubine Yun is no longer a concubine of the Song family. When she decided to expose your collusion with the Song family and your embezzlement of the Marquis's dowry, I already recorded her name in the genealogy of my Shen family of the Yongjia Marquis's Mansion! She is now a member of my family, recognized by me, Shen Yiqiu, and a member of my Yongjia Marquis's Mansion!"

She stepped forward, her aura imposing:

“Zhao Jieyu, what you killed was no longer just an insignificant concubine of the Song family. What you killed was a member of my Yongjia Marquis’s clan, a family member of a marquis conferred a title by imperial decree.”

"According to the 'Great Jin Law - Relatives Law,' the punishment for killing a commoner is different from that for killing an official's relative. Moreover, beating a member of a marquis's family is an even more serious crime. As a palace concubine, you knowingly broke the law, and your crime is unforgivable!"

Zhao Jieyu finally realized that Shen Yiqiu's goal from the very beginning was not just the dowry.

She was using her dowry to force me to back down, and then, when I let my guard down, she pinned this even heavier crime on me.

Seeing the panic on Zhao Jieyu's face, Shen Yiqiu continued:

"Now, we can settle this blood debt properly. Consort Zhao, tell me, how should a palace concubine be punished according to the law for committing murder in broad daylight and killing relatives of the Marquis of Yongjia's family?"

Zhao Jieyu feigned composure and continued to maintain her aloof demeanor:

"Evidence? Shen Yiqiu, empty words are not enough! As far as I know, a concubine who leaves her husband's family and enters another family needs the original husband's family's signature and consent."

"How can you make your words count? You want to elevate the Yun family to the status of a Marquis's clan? I'm afraid her lowly status makes her unworthy of such an honor!"

Shen Yiqiu's gaze gradually turned cold. Just as she was about to speak, a languid voice sounded from outside the door:

"Your Highness, is this what you're looking for?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Xiao Yongjing slowly enter, holding a document bearing an official seal in his hand.

Ignoring the terrified gazes of the room, he walked straight to Shen Yiqiu's side, handed the document to Zhao Jieyu, and curled his lips in a playful smile:

"The county government's household registration documents are here, clearly stated in black and white: Yun has applied to leave the family due to her former husband's family, the Song family, being suspected of serious crimes. As for my future Crown Princess, Marquis Yongjia, Shen Yiqiu, I wish to include her in the Yongjia Marquis's family genealogy. All procedures are compliant and legal. Consort Jieyu, do you have any further questions?"

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

Everyone then came to their senses and hurriedly bowed.

Xiao Yongjing, however, paid no attention. He turned around, naturally took Shen Yiqiu's cold hand, and gently stroked the back of her hand. As if no one else was around, he whispered intimately, asking:

"Your hands are so cold, and you don't look well either. Are you tired? Or are you upset by these filthy people?"

Shen Yiqiu frowned slightly, trying to pull her hand away, but he held it even tighter:

Why are you here?

Xiao Yongjing chuckled softly, his gaze lingering tenderly on her face:

"I took care of a little thing, and came straight here to see you as soon as I finished. Looks like I've come at just the right time."

Looking at the two who were getting along well, Song Sangyu unconsciously turned her gaze to Fu Langxing, who was standing to the side. She saw that Fu Langxing was staring at the two of them with undisguised jealousy on his face.

She gritted her teeth and gently kicked Fu Langxing. Fu Langxing came to his senses but dared not go forward, only hiding behind others.

Seeing this, Consort Zhao knew that the Crown Prince had clearly sided with Shen Yiqiu on this matter.

But she was still unwilling to give up, and forced herself to remain calm as she spoke:

"Your Highness, this is a matter of the Song family, and even a misunderstanding between me and the Marquis of Yongjia. It seems inappropriate for Your Highness to interfere too much..."

Xiao Yongjing suddenly interrupted:

"I don't care whose business it is. I only know that this is my Crown Princess's business."

He stepped forward, his aura tightly protecting Shen Yiqiu at his side, his tone extremely forceful.

"Consort Jieyu publicly murdered a member of the Yongjia Marquis's family; the evidence is irrefutable, and the law cannot tolerate it. I am here as a witness. Does Your Highness perhaps think that my words are not valid?"

"By the way, I just entered the palace and heard something. It seems that the family of Princess Xingrong's prospective husband has some reservations about the recent rumors about Your Highness's maternal family, and they are already considering breaking off the engagement."

"Your Highness, if the royal princess is jilted because of your mistake, what consequences... you should know better than I do, right?"

Princess Xingrong was one of the important pillars upon which Consort Zhao relied to maintain her position in the palace. If the princess were to be divorced because of this matter, the emperor would be furious and she would be doomed.

The color drained from Zhao Jieyu's face. After hesitating for a moment, her legs gave way and she collapsed to the ground.

Disregarding all decorum and dignity, she crawled to Chen Yiqiu's feet, pleading with tears streaming down her face.

"Lord Yongjia, Yiqiu, I was wrong! I was blinded by greed. Please, forgive me this time. For the sake of the fact that your mother and I were once close friends, please show mercy!"

Shen Yiqiu looked down at her, her eyes showing no emotion whatsoever:

“Zhao Jieyu, you don’t just know you’re wrong, you know you’re going to die.”

Shen Yiqiu waved her hand, signaling to the guards:

"Take her down, according to the law..."

Zhao Jieyu suddenly looked up and screamed:

"Wait! Shen Yiqiu, if you're willing to let me go, I'm willing to reveal the truth about the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet with the bandits back then!"

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, Song Qingming, who had been hiding to the side trying to minimize his presence, changed his expression drastically and rushed forward, speaking in a panic:

"Zhao Mengrou! Are you crazy? What nonsense are you spouting!"

Song Shen's face was ashen.

"No, you can't say such things! How can you talk nonsense like that!"

Shen Yiqiu stopped in her tracks.

She slowly turned around, looking at the seemingly frantic Zhao Jieyu with interest, and softly said "Oh?" before raising her hand to signal the guards to stop.

"Go on."