Chapter 74 Dog bites dog

Princess Xinchang, who had just stepped into the palace, heard Jiang Yuan's words and took two quick steps, shouting, "Jiang Yuan, stop talking nonsense in front of my father and mother!"

Everyone turned around and saw His Majesty and the Queen walking side by side.

After the greetings, His Majesty asked, "What exactly is going on?"

Before anyone could say anything, Han Lin stepped forward and said, "My son is a naughty boy. He has disturbed your majesty's enjoyment of hunting. I am terrified. I ask your majesty to punish him."

Emperor Jing was impatient to hear these words and interrupted, "Get to the point."

Han Lin kept talking about all sorts of things, which gave Emperor Jing a headache. He looked at Pei Jian and said, "Shi Zhang, go ahead."

Han Lin shut up immediately.

Pei Jian bowed and spoke in a deep voice, "Miss Jiang of the Xindu Marquis's Mansion and Prince Han were seen under a ginkgo tree, acting intimately and in dishevel. According to Miss Jiang, she was drugged and poisoned by Her Royal Highness Princess Xinchang."

Concise, impartial, and summarizes the whole thing.

Emperor Jing and Empress Lu listened but did not express their opinions.

Xiao Nanyi could no longer hold back, so he quickly stepped forward and slapped Jiang Yuan in the face.

"I have always treated you like a sister. Why do you slander me like this? Do you know what kind of crime it is to defame the royal family?"

Jiang Yuan was already distracted, and now Xiao Nanyi's fierce questioning made her even more flustered. She could hear the princess's low threatening voice, "Who is the one who wants to harm me? Don't ask me to shake you clean!"

Her legs went limp and she was about to kneel down and admit her fault, when suddenly a clear male voice came from outside the palace, "Your Highness, we will know if Yuan'er has committed adultery once we investigate."

Then, Gu Ci walked in.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty. I have behaved badly, please forgive me."

"cousin!"

Gu Ci's sudden appearance was like a ray of light that dispelled the haze in Jiang Yuan's heart. His encouragement and support for Jiang Yuan was much greater than Pei Jian's before.

This is her cousin who has played with her since she was a child and is always willing to give in to her in everything!

Behind me is my cousin from the Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion!

"Cousin, save me!"

Emperor Jing was always kind to the younger generation, and Gu Ci was the top military scholar selected by him. Seeing him standing in front of the hall, upright and stern as a pine tree, and with Pei Jian, one civil and one military, both brilliant and radiant, he was greatly pleased.

"You are not on duty in Beijing, why are you here?"

Gu Ci bowed and replied, "I am on my day off and came to the paddock to deliver the horses."

Emperor Jing was amused by this remark. "There are tens of thousands of horses in Quzuo Paddock. Do you need to deliver the horses?"

Gu Ci hesitated, his earlobes still reddened, Queen Zheng was lenient, and said, "Your Majesty, please stop teasing him. He is young and handsome. Your Majesty is just waiting to drink the wedding wine of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion."

Emperor Jing laughed loudly, and was obviously in a very good mood. After laughing, he said to Han Lin, "Since they have been seen, the man and the woman are unmarried, so they should be a couple and choose a date for the wedding."

"His Majesty!"

The three of them spoke at the same time, "Your Majesty."

Han Lin did not object.

However, Han Gaojie and Jiang Yuan disliked each other and refused to be a couple anymore.

Jiang Yuan declined and entered the palace, thinking that she had a backer. She was the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Xindu, the niece of the Duke of Zhenguo, and a noble princess of the royal family. She was not someone who could be bullied by anyone at will!

Since I have already fallen out with Xiao Nanyi and I was slapped by her just now, I might as well get all the new and old grudges out there so that everyone can feel good!

She felt more confident and was no longer afraid of Xiao Nanyi. She knelt down directly in front of Emperor Jing and the Empress:

"I drank a few cups at the banquet held by Princess Xinchang, and I became dizzy and lost my mind. I have been well-educated and well-mannered since I was young, and I have always kept in mind the virtues and warnings of women. If I had not been framed, I would never have done such a thing that brought shame to the family!"

"I beg your Majesty and the Queen to thoroughly investigate this matter and prove my innocence."

Now Jiang Yuan stopped making random accusations and just believed that it was Xiao Nanyi who harmed her. Otherwise, how could the medicine given to Wen Nianxi make her fall into the trap? In the final analysis, it was because she trusted the wrong person and listened to Xiao Nanyi's words that she got into this trouble today!

If she is not having a good time, Xiao Nanyi can't expect to stay out of it.

Gu Ci also echoed, "I beg Your Majesty to conduct a thorough investigation to clear my cousin's name and restore the dignity of the Xindu Marquisate."

Xiao Nanyi could never have imagined that Jiang Yuan would go crazy and bite him.

It was clearly she who asked me to help her get rid of Wen Nianxi, so how did I know that she would have an affair with Han Gaojie and be seen by so many people.

Xiao Nanyi didn't take this matter seriously at first.

Wen Nianxi was just the daughter of a fourth-rank official, like an ant, she didn't care if she was ruined. She loved Jiang Lang in her heart, so she loved him and helped his sister.

But I never expected that it would bring disaster upon myself.

This matter simply cannot stand up to investigation.

She had someone prepare the secret medicine, she arranged the banquet, and her people in the palace prepared the wine and food.

Xiao Nanyi broke out in a cold sweat. Did he want her to say that this secret medicine was meant for Wen Nianxi, but the servants got it mixed up and gave it to Jiang Yuan by mistake?

That would only be further inferior.

She was speechless for a moment and had no idea what to say.

Emperor Jing and Empress Lu were sitting high up, and they saw Xiao Nanyi's wavering expression. What else could they not understand?

There was no need to even investigate, she had already confessed.

But since it concerns the royal family's reputation, it is not good to expose the royal princess in public.

Queen Lu coughed lightly, her dignified face full of distress, and signaled the nanny beside her to help the child up, "Good boy, get up quickly."

"I know you've been wronged. Don't kneel on the ground anymore. It's autumn now, and the ground is cool."

Jiang Yuan was helped up by the palace maids, still a little confused, "Your Majesty, do you believe what I said? You know I am innocent, right?"

She didn't understand, but the other people in the hall were very clear-headed.

Even Han Gaojie could sense the meaning of the situation now. He was also a victim of the Xinchang Princess's drugging, and like that crazy woman Jiang Yuan, he had lost his innocence and dignity.

"Uncle, I don't want to marry her."

He pointed at Xiao Nanyi and shouted, "I am the most innocent in this matter. Whoever caused the trouble should bear the consequences!"

Xiao Nanyi's face turned pale, and he did not dare to look up at the expressions of the Emperor and Empress.

"There are still blood marks on my neck from the crazy woman." Han Gaojie raised his neck, revealing several blood marks that were as long as his collarbone and exposed his skin and flesh, and said, "My mother would definitely not allow such a vicious person to enter the house."

Han Gaojie brought up Princess Changping, the biological sister of Emperor Jing, which made the emperor and empress feel awkward. Changping was known among the clan members for being irrational and unreasonable. If the two were forced to marry, Changping would probably make a scene in the palace.

Besides, what Han Gaojie said is not without reason.

Han Lin looked at the emperor and empress's expressions, and spoke at the right time, rebuking in a low voice, "Gao Jie, don't be rude."

Han Gaojie agreed, and the father and son sang the same tune. Han Gaojie glanced at Jiang Yuan proudly, and under the latter's murderous gaze, he changed the subject:

"But in broad daylight, if Miss Jiang and I were seen hugging each other, it would really damage her reputation. How about this, let her be my concubine, which would also save her dignity."

"Han Gaojie!"

Jiang Yuan roared in anger, feeling extremely humiliated. She was the legitimate daughter of the Xindu Marquis's mansion, yet he treated her so badly!

She felt so wronged and angry that she almost cried blood, and she couldn't help but look at Gu Ci.

The person she trusts and relies on most in the palace, her only support.

"cousin……"

Gu Ci was also looking at her.

Those eyes that were usually clear and bright were now dark. He chuckled at her, but it made Jiang Yuan feel inexplicably flustered.

Then, she heard her cousin's clear voice, saying slowly, "What Prince Han said is very reasonable."