If Yugiri were alive, he might confess that Lu Jinshu was the mastermind behind this incident, and only the mouths of the dead can be closed forever.
Another thing is that if Xie Changning had only humiliated him, he would only be scolded by Ling Shumo, and at most he would be demoted to a regular attendant again, which was far less severe than the punishment he would receive for killing him.
Xie Changning was a fourth-rank nobleman. He felt that Xiwu, a young servant, had disrespected him and had offended him, so he could legitimately blame her and did not need the help of the princess to clean up the mess. Only if Xiwu died could the murder be pinned on Fu Yijing.
Pulling Fu Yijing down from his high position and getting involved in this mess was Lu Jinshu's fundamental purpose. Teaching Xie Changning, who didn't know his place, a lesson was just a side job for him.
Xie Changning looked at Xiwu's cold body on the ground, his face gradually turning as pale as Xiwu's. Originally, if he had killed Xiwu, he only needed to report it to Fuyao Palace, and Fu Yijing would naturally have had a thousand ways to justify Xiwu's death. But now that he had been caught committing the crime by the Princess Crown Princess, he had to follow the palace rules.
If Ling Shumo had a teacup at her side at this moment, she would have smashed it on Xie Changning's head without hesitation, "What kind of heinous crime did Xiwu commit that you actually took his life?"
Xie Changning's knees softened and he knelt on the grass. He was so scared that he couldn't speak for a moment.
Lu Jinshu looked sternly at the attendant who had followed Xi Wu over. "Tell me, what exactly happened here before I and the Princess Royal came here?"
The servant had long been terrified by his master's tragic death. After being intimidated by Lu Jinshu, he immediately told the truth. "To answer your Majesty, Yun Guishi thought that it was Yugiri Shizue who killed his brother. In anger, he kicked our servant into the river. Fortunately, our servant could swim, so he didn't drown. But Yun Guishi still refused to let us go. He had his servants pull us out of the river and hold our head under the water, where we drowned."
Ling Shumo frowned. "What brother? Who is Chang Ning's brother? And how was he killed by Xiwu? What nonsense are you talking about here?"
Xie Changning finally found his voice at this time. He cried and said, "My elder brother is called Xie Changfeng. He was pushed into the well by Xiwu and drowned. I killed Xiwu to repay his life. I did not want to harm him for no reason."
Ling Shumo no longer remembers who Xie Changfeng is.
Lu Jinshu reminded him, "Xie Changfeng was originally the son of Chengguang Pavilion. His Highness summoned him to sleep with him twice, but he remained a virgin even after both occasions. He was filled with shame and anger, and after returning home, he committed suicide by jumping into a well."
Xie Changning was originally very scared, but when he heard Lu Jinshu say that Xie Changfeng had "jumped into the well to commit suicide", he suddenly became excited, "My brother didn't jump into the well to commit suicide, he was killed by Xiwu."
Ling Shumo finally had some recollection of the incident involving Xie Changfeng. He looked at Xie Changning coldly, "When your brother's body was fished out of the well, Shi Qi, the chief female official beside me, spent an entire night personally investigating the matter. I can assure you that no one harmed Xie Changfeng; he sought his own death."
Xie Changning didn't believe Ling Shumo's words at all. He collapsed and shouted, "Xiwu has already admitted it himself. He said that my brother didn't commit suicide by jumping into the well. He said that he and Bishui conspired to push my brother into the well."
Ling Shumo said to the attendant beside her, "Call Bishui over."
The attendant replied, "The young servant Bishui caught a cold last year and died."
This means there is no evidence.
Shi Qi stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, I have thoroughly investigated the cause of Xie Changfeng's death. If you still have any questions, the head of Chengguang Pavilion and the young masters can all testify."
Ling Shumo looked at Xie Changning, who was kneeling on the ground, with extreme disgust. "You don't think that you can get away with it by just finding a random accusation and pinning it on Xiwu, do you? I'm telling you, let alone Xiwu being innocent, even if he truly deserves death, you should report the matter to me or the Grand Lady for disposal. You have no right to set up a private court, much less the right to take someone's life."
Ling Shumo instructed the attendants standing on both sides, "This matter has been thoroughly investigated. Lord Lu has already stated the solution. Drag him away and deal with him according to palace rules."
According to the palace rules, Xie Changning would be demoted to a minor servant and then severely beaten with a stick.
Xie Changning's face was completely pale, and he cried out loudly, "Your Highness, please spare me, Your Highness, please spare me..." He only shouted twice before the servants blocked his mouth with a handkerchief, and he could no longer make a sound.
From a distance, Fu Yijing and a group of attendants rushed over. He anxiously stopped the attendant who was about to drag Xie Changning away for execution, "Your Highness, there must be a misunderstanding..."
Ling Shumo interrupted Fu Yijing directly, "Everything is clearly laid out here, how could there be any misunderstanding? Xiwu was originally a living person, and Xie Changning killed him just like that. He is so lawless, whose power is he relying on? He is relying on your power, Fu Yijing!"
Fu Yijing wanted to defend himself.
Lu Jinshu looked at Fu Yijing with a half-smile and spoke first, "Back then, Xie Changfeng's death was personally investigated by Shi Qi, the female official beside Her Highness the Crown Princess. The Crown Princess can't trust anyone else, so can't she even trust Shi Qi?"
Shi Qi bowed to Fu Yijing and said, "Princess, if you have any questions, please tell me now. I will answer them one by one."
Fu Yijing stared at Lu Jinshu, feeling a sudden pang of anger in his chest. From Xiwu's provocation of Xie Changning, Lu Jinshu had calculated every step of the way. He had even implicated the Crown Princess's most capable female official, pitting her against him. Lu Jinshu was truly sinister and cunning.
Ling Shumo no longer wanted to pay attention to Fu Yijing. She said in a cold voice, "I've been wandering around for so long, and I'm tired. I'll go back first." After that, she completely ignored Fu Yijing's explanation and attempts to keep him, and left the shore of the Bi Bo Lake without looking back.
Fu Yijing glared at Lu Jinshu angrily and cursed, "You bitch, your methods are really amazing! How can Her Highness not see that you are the most evil-hearted person here?
In the past, Bishui had just said a few more gossips about Shangguan Xu, and you had him stripped of his thick cotton coat, forced him to kneel in the snow, and let him freeze to death.
Today, you instructed Xiwu to deliberately provoke Xie Changning and deceived him into thinking that you would bring Her Highness the Princess to rescue him at the critical moment. But in fact, you wanted him to be killed by Xie Changning from the very beginning.
When it comes to cruelty, even a million of me combined can't match you."
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