Hearing the commotion outside the hall, the Third Prince trembled with rage. He looked at the Seventh Prince, who was sitting calmly, and said, "Seventh Prince, you have to testify for me that I did not ask them to poison me!"
"Ahem... what kind of testimony?"
"Be my witness!" the Third Prince said angrily. Although he didn't interact much with the Seventh Prince, he had never bullied him!
"oh……"
Li Yan simply said "oh" and said nothing more.
But in those deep, dark eyes, there was a faint chill. Looking at him coldly, the Third Prince inexplicably took a step back, only to realize that he had been frightened by the sickly Seventh Prince.
I was both angry and anxious!
What does this seventh brother mean? I haven't offended him!
A chilling glint appeared on Li Yan's thin lips. He had bullied his beloved Jiao Jiao and now he wanted him to testify?
hehe……
More and more people gathered outside the government office; scholars, merchants, peddlers, and laborers all came in droves.
They're all demanding an explanation from the Second Prince and the Third Prince!
Some even demanded that they apologize to Miss Jiang and the Jin family!
Those troublemaking young masters from wealthy families had only just started when they were knocked unconscious by a shoe sole that came from somewhere, and they fled, vomiting and crawling away.
"Bring out the Second Prince!"
"We demand an explanation from the Second Prince!"
The people outside the government office weren't fools either. After interrogating them to this point, they probably knew who the culprit was who had murdered the children!
I never expected that the second prince would even scheme against Mr. Li's daughter-in-law, who was still studying under Mr. Li!
Isn't that being ungrateful and betraying one's teacher and ancestors?
In an instant, the angry insults completely vilified the Second Prince, and the Third Prince was also insulted, called brainless and stupid.
As they were cursing, they somehow dragged Jiang Xue into the cursing as well.
They scolded Jiang Xue, the second young lady, for pretending to be weak and demeaning herself. It was clearly Jiang Xue who faked her pregnancy to win favor and caused the fifth prince's wife to be deposed. She even seduced the third prince to stand up for her against the eldest young lady!
And those previous rumors.
It's clearly Miss Jiang who heals and saves lives, just look at her—
Miss Jiang can even cure the poison of the Heartbreak Grass.
Miss Jiang the Second couldn't even cure the Princess's mere snake venom, yet she dares to call herself the Little Fairy Doctor? Did Miss Jiang the Eldest steal her credit?
Pah!
It must have been that Miss Jiang herself who spread the rumor; she's the one who's trying to steal the credit!
Hearing the insults directed at Jiang Xue outside the government office, the Third Prince was furious. He glared fiercely at Jiang Jiaojiao, "It was you—it must have been you who brought these people! To slander Xue'er's reputation!"
"hehe……"
Jiang Jiaojiao gave the intellectually disabled child a look of concern and said, "Whatever makes you happy."
Third Prince: "..."
He felt that Jiang Jiaojiao was cursing, but then again, he didn't seem to be.
The prefect and the guards in the courtroom were on edge, sweating profusely with anxiety.
Under the watchful eyes of the two princes and Old Master Li, they had no choice but to send someone to invite the second prince.
Who knew—
The Second Prince didn't come; instead, it was the steward of his residence who came.
The Third Prince was so angry his face was almost contorted. That damned Second Prince, he must be too scared to come!
As for the second son's butler.
The Third Prince has little trust in his stewards, so who knows whose people this steward works for?
When he gets back, he'll arrest and interrogate all the stewards in the manor!
No! It's everyone in the manor!
He wanted to see just how many people the second brother had kept around him!
The old steward arrived at the courtroom.
Upon seeing the Third Prince and the Seventh Prince, he was so frightened that he knelt down with a thud, loudly proclaiming his innocence and taking all the evidence and blame upon himself.
"Our prince is innocent!"
"It was my daughter who married the Minister as a concubine. The silver in the account books was all money my daughter used to support me in my old age. It has nothing to do with my Highness!"
"It's all my fault, Your Highness. I've ruined Your Highness's life. I'm so sorry!"
The old butler knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly, filled with remorse. He slapped himself hard, each slap carrying deep self-blame and repentance.
The third prince was so angry that he jumped up and down, cursing angrily: "You old thing, it's such a waste that you don't go to the stage to perform. Where did the second prince dig you up from?"
The old steward cried as he pleaded for the second prince's innocence.
"Your Highness, please don't misunderstand my prince! If Your Highness is just looking for someone to take the blame, this old servant is willing to give my life to prove Your Highness's innocence! Please, please spare my prince!"
After saying that, the old steward bit open the poison sac in his mouth without hesitation and instantly collapsed and died.
This scene stunned everyone present, especially the Third Prince.
The old doctor immediately stepped forward to examine the body and discovered it was poison from the poisonous plant known as "heartbreak grass"!
The old steward's tooth pouch contained a tenfold concentration of the poison of the Gelsemium elegans.
Is it a coincidence?
Or...was it done on purpose?
Jiang Jiaojiao's expression changed slightly. If the old steward deliberately bit into the poisonous Gelsemium elegans to commit suicide, wouldn't that bring suspicion and trouble to the Second Prince?
Could anyone speculate that the poison of the Heartbreak Grass is the Second Prince's method of killing people?
Who is the person behind that old butler...?
The prefect was dumbfounded.
Inside and outside the hall, there was a deathly silence.
The onlookers were stunned.
Wow... what a series of plot twists!
The second prince's steward took the blame for the account books, and the steward who actually gave the order was dead and could not testify. The third prince was now truly in deep trouble and could not clear his name.
Upon seeing this, the clerk in the hall also cried out, "I'm innocent! I've never received any orders or money from the Second Prince! I... I've always obeyed the Third Prince!"
I went around in a circle.
The poisoned dart struck the Third Prince squarely.
The witness is dead, and the physical evidence is unclear.
The Third Prince is definitely going to take the blame for the poisoning.
With the old butler taking the blame and committing suicide, the poisoning incident could not be investigated due to the lack of evidence.
but--
Jin Youfang, Miss Jiang is definitely innocent.
And the seventh prince...
They were truly pitiful, almost forced to submit a petition to the people, and might even have lost their job at the Ministry of Rites.
Early morning.
The petition from the people and the details of the case were presented to His Majesty. His Majesty was furious and the Minister of Rites was dismissed from his post and exiled.
The second prince was stripped of all his authority and confined to his residence for a month to reflect on his actions.
The Third Prince was exiled directly from the Western Hills camp to the Northwest, and there was an imperial decree that he would never be allowed to return to the capital until the Xiongnu were driven back!
All other individuals involved will be severely punished!
Wang Po was sentenced to be executed in the autumn, and those who caused trouble were also given equal punishments, regardless of life or death.
As for Jiang Jiaojiao and the Jin family...
The gifts flowed into the Yiren Mansion and the Jin Mansion. To make up for their grievances, the Ciyoufang was even abolished, and the Jinyoufang was officially designated as the Imperial Ciyoufang. The eldest son of the Jin family was also appointed as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites to manage all matters related to the Jinyoufang.
In a short time.
Jiang Jiaojiao and the Jin family's reputation reached its peak once again!
As rumors gradually spread, before anyone mentioned Miss Jiang's foolishness and ignorance, people only saw her as beautiful, kind-hearted, a fairy descended from heaven, and a divine doctor in the world!
The imperial examination, to be held two weeks later, was officially handed over to the seventh prince.
Mr. Li assisted from the side.
The previously unknown seventh prince suddenly became a hot commodity and was showered with favor!
Just then.
Good news spread throughout the palace: Consort Jin is pregnant and has been promoted to Imperial Noble Consort! Her title is Xi!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com