Chapter 179 Misplaced Sincerity

"Madam, I would like to talk to you about Chengming Garden today."

Du Zhengming said calmly.

Madam Wan chuckled and said, "They've even traced it back to Chengming Garden. The Eldest Princess truly is the Eldest Princess..."

After finishing her reflections, Wan remained silent for a moment before continuing:

"Chengmingyuan, that's where my most beautiful memories are..."

Wan seemed lost in her own memories, gradually regaining her composure, and a light appeared in her eyes.

"After I met Yilang at the Buddhist temple, he invited me to Fenghe Garden to attend a poetry gathering one day."

I arrived at Ye Zhen's invitation, and she treated me with great hospitality.

During the poetry gathering, I saw Yi Lang also there. He smiled and nodded at me from afar.

He left after a short while, and I chased after him.

He then took me to Chengming Garden.

Later, we often met at Chengming Garden.

When Du Zhengming heard her mention Yi Lang, he suddenly realized that Prince Rui's name was Xiao Hongyi.

Then Wan said, "Since you went there, you must have seen that bedroom."

That's right, that's where Yilang and I spent our wedding night.

All these years have passed, and the place has remained exactly the same; I've never touched it.

Upon hearing this, Du Zhengming felt deeply saddened for the Wan family.

"So, does Chengming Garden belong to you or Prince Rui?"

“It originally belonged to Yi Lang, but after we consummated our marriage there, not long after, he gave the house to me.”

Du Zhengming sighed and asked, "Did you ever live in that house?"

Wan shook her head.

"There are my most beautiful memories with Yilang there. I live alone there, and it only evokes memories and longing."

So I never lived there.

Furthermore, Yi Lang had instructed that the house be well maintained and not left to decay.

I then sent people to guard the house and clean it regularly.

I'll go visit him whenever I have free time, or when I miss him.

Du Zhengming was very puzzled, because the Princess had already told Wan Shi Rui Wang that he was lying to her.

She even committed suicide by hitting her head against a wall because of this.

But no matter how you look at it today, she still seems to have deep feelings for Prince Rui.

Has she gone mad?

So I tried asking again, "Have you been to the study in Chengming Garden? Did you discover the secret room there?"

"darkroom?"

Wan was suddenly surprised.

Du Zhengming knew immediately that she didn't know the location of the secret room.

"What else do you know about Prince Rui?" Du Zhengming asked.

Wan remained silent for a long time, saying nothing.

Just when Du Zhengming thought she wouldn't speak, she spoke again.

"The princess said that Yi Lang lied to me. I was in so much pain that I didn't even want to live anymore."

But you saved me, and after thinking about it for a long time, I suddenly understood.

The princess must be lying to me.

Yi Lang loves me; we've had so many wonderful years together.

We still have…

Wan paused for a moment after saying this.

"What else? Two more children?" Du Zhengming interjected.

Lady Wan remained silent; she could not admit that the child was Prince Rui's.

If they admit it, the child will have to die immediately.

If they don't acknowledge it, then they are still officially the children of the Duke of Xing.

Their lives will then be safe.

Du Zhengming naturally knew what she was thinking, so he added a couple of words on her behalf.

Qingfeng, who was listening behind, gasped in shock.

Du Zhengming sighed and said, "So what?"

"So, you're bluffing me."

As for the secret room you mentioned, I have never seen one, and naturally I don't believe what you're saying.

Seeing that she was determined, Du Zhengming had no choice but to produce the evidence.

Do you recognize these two portraits?

Du Zhengming opened the two portraits.

Wan looked up at the painting and said, "These are Shi Wan'er and Peng Qing."

"You met at the Prosperous Flowers Poetry Society?"

Wan nodded.

"These two paintings were painted by Prince Rui himself for the two of them."

Wan didn't believe it and craned her neck to see more clearly.

Du Zhengming had the painting delivered to her so she could examine it closely.

"You should know Prince Rui's painting habits better than I do; he has a small dot in the lower right corner of his seal."

Since you two were once so in love, you must know his painting style and brushstrokes.

As he spoke, Du Zhengming had someone open another painting.

The portrait clearly depicts Wan himself.

“Take a close look at these three paintings. Are they from the same artist?”

As Wan looked at the portrait, she shook her head. Then, when she saw her own portrait, she suddenly looked up and stared at Du Zhengming with icy eyes.

How did my portrait end up in your hands?

"If it's not in my hands, where should it be?" Du Zhengming asked rhetorically.

"Yi Lang clearly said that this painting was hung in his study in the northern border, and he looked at it every day to relieve his longing."

How did this painting end up in your hands?

Could it be... could it be... the North...?

Wan's eyes suddenly trembled.

Du Zhengming interrupted her: "The northern border has not fallen yet, and Prince Rui has not come to the capital."

These portraits were taken from a hidden room in the study of Chengming Garden.

There are fifteen such portraits in total.

You said there are many Northern agents like yourself in the capital, but you don't know who they are.

"Then let me tell you."

As Du Zhengming spoke, he stood up and walked towards Wan Shi.

"The people in the fifteen paintings in that secret room."

The "Flourishing Flowers Poetry Society" was actually Ye Zhen helping Prince Rui select people.

Those who were chosen all had the same experience as you, believing themselves to be the true love of Prince Rui.

She was devoted to Prince Rui and willing to do anything for him.

Even your marital home might not just be a home for you and him alone…

Ever since Wan saw her portrait, she clenched her fists and began to tremble.

Hearing this, he closed his eyes in pain and covered his ears with his hands.

"No...no...stop talking, stop talking..."

Seeing her like this, Du Zhengming shut his mouth.

After a long while, seeing that Madam Wan had quieted down, Du Zhengming spoke again:

"We have also found other evidence, but we will not show it today."

I know that you, Madam Wan, are finding it hard to accept this fact right now.

"I can give you time. Once you've thought it through, tell the jailer, and I will come to see you."

After saying that, he left the prison and gave instructions to the jailer before leaving.

"Keep a close eye on her, don't let her try to kill herself."

After Qingfeng followed Du Zhengming out, he asked:

"Du Shaoqing, my husband asked me to come and observe the interrogation and report the results, this..."

Du Zhengming said, "If you want to wait for the results, then it will take some time."

She is currently in a state of shock and emotional instability; we need to wait until she calms down before discussing this further.

If you don't want to wait, you can go back and report now.

Qingfeng asked again, "How long will it take?"

"I don't know, it depends on her own recovery. It could be a few hours faster or ten days to half a month slower."

After Du Zhengming finished speaking, he went directly into his office.

He had originally planned to go to the palace in person to report the results of the trial, but the thought of Princess Yongning made him less inclined to go.

Then he turned to Qingfeng and said, "Or you can go back first. There's some movement from the Wan family here. I'll send someone to call you."

Qingfeng nodded and took his leave.

The palace had long since dispersed. Xie Yunyu and Xiao Ling had already left the palace and gone back to the Xie residence with Xie Yunman to pick up the child.

The two had dinner at the Xie residence that evening, and the whole family enjoyed a lively and happy time together.

Xiao Ling happily drank with Old Master Xie, who became completely drunk.

As night deepened, Xiao Lingcai and Xie Yunyu took the children and headed back home.

That night, Xiao Ling and Xie Yunyu quieted down.

Xue Weiyang and Xie Yunman are causing quite a stir here.

Because Xue Weiyang adored the two children, Yuan Xi and Yuan Zheng, during the day.

I spend all day looking at my stomach and sighing.

So at night, he would pester Xie Yunman relentlessly.

He pulled out the exquisite picture book and pestered Xie Yunman to teach him new poses.

Xie Yunman couldn't bear to dampen her enthusiasm, so she joined in her silliness until late at night.

The intermittent, scratching sounds of Xue Weiyang's cat meowing drifted from the room...