Ye Qingxue coldly said, "I'd really like to see what evidence Princess Xuan has to prove that General Lan threatened Lord Jiang to give false testimony for him?"

Ji Mingwei smiled, and although she didn't say anything more to Ye Qingxue, her expression seemed to say: "You won't shed tears until you see the coffin!"

Ji Mingwei turned to the Emperor again: "Father, I have already heard about Princess Huaiming's disappearance, and I have been very worried about her."

"Therefore, when Prince Xuan went out of the city to suppress the bandits, my daughter-in-law secretly searched everywhere for Princess Huaiming's whereabouts... Heaven rewards those who persevere, and my daughter-in-law finally found Princess Huaiming's trail, but alas, alas..."

Everyone was startled again.

The emperor immediately pressed, "Where is Huaiming? Is she alright?"

Ji Mingwei closed her eyes, her face contorted in anguish: "I saw Princess Huaiming at General Lan's mansion, but sadly she has already passed away."

The emperor's lips parted slightly, but no sound came out.

The ministers were no better off; they were all utterly shocked. Princess Huaiming, who had happily left the palace just two days ago to celebrate the wedding of Prince Jing and Prince Xuan, was dead.

He's already dead?

Ji Mingwei wiped away her tears and continued, "When my daughter-in-law found Princess Huaiming, she was in General Lan's armory, and, moreover, she was barely clothed and died a gruesome death."

This...this...

Another gasp of shock rippled through the room!

Then came utter silence!

The way everyone looked at General Lan changed!

He actually dared to blaspheme the emperor's daughter, dared to blaspheme the princess of the court, and even accidentally killed her!

In the Zichen Palace, only Ji Mingwei's voice remained: "My daughter-in-law and Prince Xuan entered the palace relatively late because of Princess Huaiming's matter... Princess Huaiming is still at General Lan's residence. As long as Father Emperor sends someone to investigate, everything will be clear!"

"This is impossible!" General Lan exclaimed in a panic, anxiety, and anger. "There is absolutely no such thing! Your Majesty, even if I were to say that I am not interested in women, I would never dare to do such a thing, even if you gave me a thousand or a hundred times the courage! Please investigate this matter thoroughly, Your Majesty!"

Before the emperor could speak,

Ji Mingwei spoke first: "Father, General Lan dared to desecrate Princess Huaiming and even tortured her to death. Can such a person's testimony be trusted?"

"Who can say that Lord Jiang was not threatened by him and then gave false testimony to put his daughter-in-law and husband, Prince Xuan, to death?"

"Who can say that this wasn't Princess Jing's idea to exonerate Ye Cunsi and save Prince Jing from dire straits?"

Ji Mingwei's questions and accusations, one after another, left everyone completely bewildered, and no one stopped or interrupted her!

They were all stunned by the news she released!

Even Ye Qingxue hadn't expected that the Xuanwang couple's next move would be like this.

I'm afraid... I'm afraid Princess Huaiming is really dead.

Moreover, the body is probably really in General Lan's mansion.

The emperor's aura was heavy. Although he did not show any anger, everyone present felt that the emperor would be furious, and who could withstand such thunderous rage?

No one was without trepidation; no one was without cold sweat.

General Lan was still anxiously watching the emperor, hoping that the emperor could prove his innocence—even though he knew in his heart that when Princess Xuan dared to say such a thing, the deed was already done.

Even if it was a frame-up, it must have happened, but a sliver of hope still lingered in his heart.

"Cui Shao, take two hundred men to General Lan's residence and search for Princess Huaiming. If Princess Huaiming is indeed at General Lan's residence, arrest everyone there and imprison them to await their fate." The emperor's tone was steady, but also deep and cold.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Please have the matrons from the princess's palace accompany her."

Cui Shaoying: "Yes!"

Ji Mingwei said, "Father, after I learned that Princess Huaiming was at General Lan's mansion, I immediately arranged for people to keep an eye on the people in the mansion, forbidding them from touching the princess's body without permission, and also forbidding anyone from the mansion from entering or leaving."

Emperor: "Good."

The night was as dark as ink, pressing down layer upon layer.

Before long, the entire Zichen Palace was engulfed in boundless darkness; there was no wind, and the light was silent.

As Ye Qingxue had guessed, Princess Huaiming did indeed die. The palace maids found her body in General Lan's armory; she was barely clothed and looked miserable.

The armory was where General Lan kept his beloved weapons, and no one except the cleaning staff was allowed to enter.

Everyone in the General's Mansion was arrested, and General Lan was imprisoned. His and Jiang Minzhi's accusations against Prince Xuan and his wife were completely rendered invalid.