Chapter 315 Wang Mian Bites Back
“At the time, my nephew Min Hui did not agree to the division of the family property. However, Min Qiaoshi produced a handwritten letter left by my sister before her death, admitting to having an affair and denying that Min Hui was a member of the Min family by blood.”
"Min Hui had no choice but to agree to the division of the family."
“However, my sister is a virtuous and dutiful woman from a respectable family. She is not an impure, unchaste, or shameless person. Neither Minhui nor I believe that the handwritten letter is genuine.”
"After a year of investigation, Min Hui finally found the 'adulterer' mentioned in my sister's letter some time ago. It turns out that everything was a fabrication by Min Qiao Shi to frame my sister in order to seize the title of Marquis. She used Min Hui's life to force my sister to write that letter."
"After learning the truth, Min Hui invited Min Qiao to his residence to question her. When Min Qiao realized that her deeds had been exposed, she killed Min Hui in order to silence him."
At this point, Wang Mian glared hatefully at Min Qiao Shi and said again, "My lords, I suspect that my sister's death was also caused by Min Qiao Shi! Otherwise, she wouldn't have killed Min Hui in a panic, in front of everyone!"
"I beg you, sir, to do justice for my deceased sister and nephew, and to give them the justice they deserve!"
Zhang Cheng looked at Madam Min Qiao and asked, "Madam Qiao, do you have anything to say?"
Madam Min Qiao nodded, not even standing up, but sitting directly in her seat. Her cold gaze swept over Madam Annan and the young masters and ladies of the Annan Marquis's mansion before finally looking at Wang Mian. She sneered and said, "I forced Madam Wang to write the confession? And the letter of divorce left by Min Ji, was that also something I forced her to write?"
As she spoke, Madam Min took out a wooden box that she had prepared beforehand, and the quick-witted yamen runner hurriedly stepped forward to take it and hand it over to Zhang Cheng.
The wooden box naturally contained the so-called "true feelings" of Min Ji that Old Steward Ding had given her, which were used to control Min Hui.
After reading it, Zhang Cheng nodded. He knew Min Ji and naturally recognized Min Ji's handwriting. After confirming that it was Min Ji's handwritten letter, he handed it over to the two people next to him for further examination.
After all three nodded, Zhang Cheng said, "It is indeed a letter from the old Marquis of Xuanping's residence. According to the old Marquis, it is true that Lady Wang was unfaithful. The fact that Madam Qiao was able to conceal this matter after learning the truth shows that Madam Qiao had no ill intentions towards Lady Wang and her son."
"Wang Mian's claim about the motive for murder is unfounded."
Wang Mian remained silent, glancing sideways at the Earl of Annam.
His movements were subtle, but they were still noticed by the sharp-eyed crowd.
As a result, everyone revealed amused smiles.
Madam Min Qiao retorted sarcastically, "Does the Lady of the House have any more evidence?"
Lady Annam gritted her teeth in anger and glared fiercely at Wang Mian. Only then did she look at Madam Zhao, who was standing behind Grand Secretary Zhao.
Although the Zhao family made their stance clear from the moment she entered, she still specifically called out Mrs. Zhao Si's name.
“Madam Zhao, we went to the Min residence together that day, and we witnessed Min Qiaoshi kill Min Hui with our own eyes. Please come forward and testify.”
Mrs. Zhao's expression froze for a moment, and she only came back to her senses after being nudged on the arm by Mr. Zhao beside her.
"Tell the truth," Elder Zhao reminded him without even replying.
After hearing the old man's words, Mrs. Zhao immediately calmed down.
After entering the hall and bowing to the front and left and right, Madam Zhao Si said, "That day was New Year's Eve. The Earl of Annam suddenly came to our mansion and asked me to go see Miss Feng Wu. I didn't want to go at first. But the Earl of Annam said that Miss Feng Wu was having a difficult childbirth and she was afraid that she would not be able to handle it alone, so she asked me to go with her."
"I couldn't refuse, so I went along."
"But when we arrived, we saw Min Hui dead on the ground, and Madam Qiao from the Xuanping Marquis's residence was half-squatting on the ground, while another person was tightly pressing on Min Hui's wound. As for whether they were killing or saving someone, I have no idea."
"My lord, these are what I saw with my own eyes."
Madam Min Qiao chimed in at the opportune moment: "Sir, just as Madam Zhao said, I was also tricked that day."
As she spoke, she waved towards the door. Wen Xiu, who had been guarding the door and keeping a close eye on Min Qiao's every move, quickly brought in the stewardess beside Feng Yuerou.
The old woman trembled when she received the murderous glare from the Lady of Annan, but she still obediently knelt on the ground, kowtowed, and said in detail: "Someone threatened me with the lives of my children and grandchildren, forcing me to lure Madam Qiao to the third branch of the Min family."
"I did as she instructed, and used the excuse that the Fifth Miss was in premature labor to deceive Madam Qiao."
"As for what happened after that, I have no idea."
"After I tricked the person, I hurriedly left to find my son and grandson."
Madam Min Qiao glanced coldly at the Lady of Annam before saying, "Your Excellencies are wise. Min Hui's death was a trap deliberately set by someone to kill him and then pin the murder on me."
Everyone looked at Lady Annam.
Lady Annan, however, showed no sign of panic. "When we arrived, only Madam Qiao's people and the Min family were at the scene, and the murder weapon was still there."
"The Min family all unanimously identify Madam Qiao as the murderer! Isn't that irrefutable evidence?"
"Even if Madam Qiao was tricked into going there, does that conflict with the fact that Madam Qiao committed murder?"
"Could it be that Min Hui said something wrong, which angered Madam Qiao, and that made Madam Qiao kill him in a fit of rage?"
Min Qiao scoffed, "If you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext."
"Then tell me, if you weren't the murderer, who could it be? There was no one else at the scene!" Lady Annam insisted on this point.
Just then, a weak yet resonant voice came from the doorway, "Who said there was no one else here?"
Everyone looked towards the entrance and saw a maid-like person helping Feng Yuerou, who was as pale as paper, thin, but had a huge belly, walk in.
Beside her followed another woman, Wang Zhangshi, whose expression shifted between panic and blankness.
When she saw Feng Yuerou coming over with her big pregnant belly, Madam Min Qiao was both touched and angry.
I was touched that she stood up for me at the crucial moment, but I was angry that she was out causing trouble before she had even fully recovered.
Compared to Madam Min Qiao, Lady Annan was both shocked and puzzled upon seeing Feng Yuerou.
Shockingly, how could Feng Yuerou have turned into such a horrible sight in just one month?
How did Feng Yuerou, who was once plump, fair-skinned, full of blood and energy, suddenly become such a frail and sickly person?
The question remains: what is she doing here?
She knew that Feng Yuerou had been imprisoned in Xicheng by her men before, but was rescued by Min Qiao's people a few days ago.
However, she couldn't understand why the old women who were guarding the guards had their tongues cut out, their eyes gouged out, and they were thrown back to the Earl's mansion, and why her sons and daughters had their hands cut off.
She thought that Min Qiao was being arrogant and that Min Qiao was using her imprisonment of Feng Yuerou as revenge for framing her with Min Hui's death.
But seeing Feng Yuerou's miserable state, she suddenly realized that she might have overlooked something.
Looking down at her children who were still kneeling on the ground, she noticed that their eyes were filled with panic and evasion when they saw Feng Yuerou.
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