Chapter 358 Interrogation
“You’re talking nonsense!!”
Princess Leyang stood up with a bang, her face filled with shock and anger: "You bitch, stop talking nonsense! I don't even know you, how dare you slander me!!"
She was trembling all over, almost unable to stand due to fear, but she knew that she could not admit to the crime no matter what. She looked at the blood-soaked Liu Zhi, turned around and pointed at Cang Lang, saying sternly:
"It's you. You knew that I had a grudge against Song Tangning, so you wanted to torture her into confessing and help her frame me. I already have a personal grudge against Song Tangning, as well as against the Qian family. It's clear that they've teamed up to frame me and ruin Yi'er and the Princess's Mansion!"
Princess Leyang's mind had never been so clear. She looked at the people around her who were filled with doubt and shock, pointed at Song Tangning and said in a hoarse voice:
"Everyone, everyone in this capital knows that the Privy Council only listens to Xiao Yan's words. Song Tangning is protected by that eunuch. Xiao Yan is able to attack the noble families because of her, let alone me. These black armored guards must have colluded with Song Tangning to frame me long ago. Liu Zhi was also forced to confess by them."
"They framed me. This Liu Zhi might be one of their people, deliberately trying to frame me..."
Everyone looked at Liu Zhi, who was covered in blood, and a hint of hesitation flashed across their faces.
Tang Ning's face turned cold. "My brother has always been fair in his work for His Majesty, and everything he does is in accordance with His Majesty's will. But in the eyes of the Princess, he is considered partial."
"Although the Princess knows how to make excuses, you've forgotten who that eunuch left the capital with. Just go to Chun'en Tower and you'll find out. Your Princess's mansion has more than just that eunuch. Even if he tried to hide it, it wouldn't go unnoticed."
"Does the Princess dare to ask everyone around you to interrogate her one by one?"
Princess Leyang felt relieved upon hearing this.
The one who went to Chun'en Tower to look for someone was her confidant, and she did not use her name at that time. The ones who came to the mountain this time were all the servants of the Princess's Mansion. All these personal contracts were in her hands, and no one would dare to betray her.
Princess Leyang was certain in her heart that Song Tangning was incredibly foolish. She raised her chin sharply and said, "Why wouldn't I dare?!"
"Okay." Tang Ning said indifferently: "Commander Cang, can you let me interrogate those people in the Princess's Mansion?"
"Tang Ning..."
Qian Qiyue hurriedly pulled her, and Rong Yue and others also looked worried.
Tang Ning was furious: "I have never provoked anyone, but people keep provoking me, as if they treat me as a soft persimmon."
"If tonight's events are not thoroughly investigated, both I and the Fourth Prince's wife will be infamous. The Rong family, Governor Xiao, and even the entire Privy Council will be disgraced and wrongly accused because of me. I am not afraid of confrontation. I ask Commander Cang to hand these people over to me for trial."
Canglang thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay."
Tang Ning pointed at Princess Leyang and said, "Then please have someone shut up the princess and that nanny!"
“You dare…”
Princess Leyang opened her mouth to curse, but Canglang just waved his hand and the black-armored guards stepped forward.
She opened her mouth and cursed: "Song Tangning, are you crazy? I am the eldest princess of the dynasty, how dare you disrespect me... mmmmm..."
The black-armored guard grabbed her arms and blocked her mouth, not even sparing the nanny beside her.
Princess Ji slammed the table when she saw this: "Song Tangning, what do you want to do?"
Tang Ning said calmly, "Nothing. Since the Princess feels that the Black Armor Guards colluded with me and forced me to confess, I can't bear this bad reputation in vain. I want her to make excuses later. Then the people in the Princess's Mansion will interrogate her in front of you all."
"However, interrogating the people in the Princess's residence requires some means. I'd like to ask the Princess to shut up for a moment to avoid any unnecessary interference."
"How dare you! She's the eldest princess..."
"The emperor is guilty of the same crime as the common people. Moreover, she has not only harmed me, but now she has even slandered the court officials. If tonight's incident is not found to be her fault after the trial, I will kowtow three times and nine times to personally go to the palace to plead guilty to Princess Leyang. If she is guilty, not even Your Majesty will protect her!"
After Tang Ning finished speaking, she looked at Princess Ji and asked, "Does Princess Ji want to endorse the eldest princess?"
Princess Ji's face twitched. She couldn't stand these people's arrogance and was happy to see Song Tangning suffer a loss, but Princess Leyang's previous behavior was definitely not accidental.
No one can guarantee the outcome of tonight's events. How could Princess Ji agree to be a guarantor for Le Yang? If she really did it, wouldn't that drag the Ji Palace into this mess for nothing?
If it turns out that Le Yang was wrongly accused, it wouldn't be too late for her to speak up and deal with Song Tangning...
Princess Ji made up her mind in just a moment. She looked up and said coldly, "I simply cannot bear the thought of you offending the Princess. If what happened tonight is unjust, you will not have a good ending!"
"Princess Ji, don't worry about that." Tang Ning looked at Cang Lang and said, "Bring in all the people from the Princess's Mansion."
There were more than thirty attendants, guards, maids and servants from the Princess's Mansion who went up the mountain with her. Even the coachman who stayed outside the temple to guard the carriage was brought here. Those people looked panicked when they stood in the hall, especially when they looked at the Princess who was being pinned down, their faces changed.
Tang Ning asked Canglang to carry the dead male servant up, revealing his pale but still handsome face, and then glanced at the people from the Princess's Mansion who were present.
"Has anyone of you seen this person?"
Those people in the Princess's Mansion kept silent.
Tang Ning was not in a hurry. She just raised her finger and pointed at the gagged Princess Leyang who was beside her. "Someone just testified that Princess Leyang bribed a male servant from Chun'en Tower and a maid from the Qian family to frame this county lady. And one of the attendants from the Princess's Mansion was actually this male servant in disguise."
She glanced at Willow.
Liu Zhi subconsciously shuddered all over, and when she met Princess Le Yang's murderous eyes, she wanted to change her words.
Who knew that Tang Ning seemed to see through her thoughts and said directly: "You just accused the princess in public, and don't even think about changing your words now. What happened tonight is no longer a private matter between the Princess's Mansion and me. If the Princess can be brought to justice, you, who was instigated by others, will at most be guilty of one person's crime. But if she escapes, since you accused her tonight, to avoid future troubles, you and your family will not be able to escape death."
“Mmmmm…”
Princess Leyang widened her eyes and wanted to curse, but was pressed down hard by the black-armored guard behind her.
Tang Ning lowered his eyes and looked at Liu Zhi: "Tell me everything you know honestly, and you still have a chance of survival."
Liu Zhi looked at Tang Ning's frosty eyes, shivering as she whispered, "Your servant, I was originally a sweeper in the inner courtyard. A month or so ago, Steward Luo from the front courtyard came to me and told me to keep an eye on my daughter and report her whereabouts if she left the house."
"Manager Luo gave me a hundred taels of silver. I originally thought that since the girl had been confined by Madam to copy scriptures and had not left the house recently, I could get the silver for free, and even if it was revealed that the girl had left the house, it would not be a big deal. But I didn't expect that on the night of Qixi Festival..."
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