Caning
Jiang Yan was momentarily startled by her sharp, cold gaze, but quickly regained her composure and forced herself to meet her eyes directly.
She couldn't show any weakness at this moment!
She didn't do it, she's in the right, and she should argue her case and explain herself.
Wang Qianqian stammered, "You pushed Madam Shen into the water earlier, and you harbored resentment towards her then. You must have been the one who poisoned her! As for Madam Wu, she and Madam Shen are like sisters, she would never harm her!"
"As I always say, words are no proof!"
"You! Stop trying to argue here! I advise you to confess your crimes now, lest you alarm the Prince and have him take your life!!"
Jiang Yan: "What's done is done, what's not done is not done. This princess is not afraid!"
Xiao Yiqing: "Very well! Excellent! Then I'll show the Prince what kind of person you really are!!! Guards! Lock Consort Liu in the woodshed! No one is allowed to approach without my order!!"
Jiang Yan was scared!
I'm truly terrified!
This was the first time she had ever experienced such intense fear and unease since arriving in the Zhou Kingdom.
This is an era that is unreasonable and only about power!
Jiang Yan didn't realize what was happening until she was dragged away for a while.
The oriole, her face streaked with tears, chased after her closely.
"My lord, please rest assured, I will definitely beg the Prince to save you!!"
Shangguan Zeyu, that glib-tongued man who never speaks the truth, would he save her for the sake of profit?
This matter quickly reached Shangguan Zeyu's ears.
"...Does the Princess mean that Consort Liu poisoned Madam Shen?" Shangguan Zeyu asked as he read in his study.
“Yes, Your Highness, I’m not making this up. This is the evidence.” With that, Xiao Yiqing handed him the Jade Orb.
"What is this? It's so exquisite."
Such an ordinary compliment made Xiao Yiqing so jealous that her brows furrowed into knots.
"Consort Liu used it to poison Madam Shen, causing her to miscarry and nearly lose her life."
"When did this happen?" Shangguan Zeyu asked anxiously. "Has Qianmei recovered yet?"
"The night the prince returned to the Liu residence with Consort Liu, she survived, but she was never able to have children again, which was extremely cruel."
"Does the Princess suspect that Consort Liu was responsible?"
“Your Highness, it’s not that I doubt you, but I have evidence and witnesses.”
"where?"
"The evidence is in your possession, Your Highness. As for the witnesses, Madam Wang and Madam Wu can both testify. In addition, the three ladies who were bestowed by the Empress Dowager can also testify."
Shangguan Zeyu narrowed his eyes, held the jade exquisite ball up to his eyes, and turned it around to look at it.
"Are those three still in the manor?"
Xiao Yiqing seemed to suddenly remember something, and became nervous and uneasy.
"Your Highness, it was my fault for being so foolish. I forgot what you asked me to do. I deserve to die."
But Shangguan Zeyu said, "In your opinion, Your Highness, how should this poisoning incident be handled?"
“Your Highness, with witnesses and physical evidence, Consort Liu should be punished as a warning to others.”
Shangguan Zeyu accepted the jade-like exquisite ball: "I wonder how the Princess intends to punish Consort Liu?"
“A country has its laws, and a family has its rules. Consort Liu harmed her own sisters and should be punished with fifty strokes of the cane, plus a year of confinement.”
Shangguan Zeyu showed no extra expression, only saying, "If we punish people this severely from the beginning, shouldn't those who make mistakes later also be punished just as severely?"
"nature!"
Shangguan Zeyu smiled: "If that's the case, then the Princess Consort will take full responsibility for everything."
"Yes, Your Highness."
No sooner had Xiao Yiqing left than Zhang Qin walked in.
"What a cruel heart! You've been by my side for the past few years, I wonder if you've ever thought of ending my life!"
"What are your orders, Your Highness?"
"Come here."
Zhang Qin walked up to him.
He lowered his voice, leaned close to Zhang Qin's ear, and spoke for quite a while before finishing.
"Yes, Your subordinate will definitely complete the mission!"
Huang Ying came to see Shangguan Zeyu, but Shangguan Zeyu did not see her.
She went to beg Xiao Yiqing for help, but Xiao Yiqing beat her up.
With nowhere else to turn, she went crying to find Jiang Yan, but the servant guarding Jiang Yan refused to let her pass.
She kowtowed to them and offered them money, but they still wouldn't let her pass.
She was at a loss, not knowing what to do, and burst into tears.
Jiang Yan vaguely heard her voice, quickly got up from the ground, rushed to the door, and tried to see her through the small crack in the door, but saw nothing.
"Yellow Oriole, Yellow Oriole, is that you? Yellow Oriole!!"
It would be a lie to say that Jiang Yan wasn't afraid.
The history books she had read were not fake; the descriptions of the brutality under the centralized power in feudal society were vivid in her mind.
If she were truly accused of harming the prince and princess, she could be beheaded! And her entire family might even be implicated!
She absolutely cannot get hurt!
We must never let innocent lives be taken because of her!!
"Oriole? Oriole, can you hear me? Oriole..."
She didn't wait for Huang Ying, but she did wait for Xiao Yiqing.
Xiao Yiqing stood at the door with her personal maid Chunhua and four servants.
Jiang Yan was pushed to the ground by the door they suddenly opened. She scrambled to her feet in a disheveled state, but before she could utter a word, four servants grabbed her and forcefully dragged her out.
"What are you trying to do? Let me go!!"
"Stop struggling, Consort Liu! This is the Prince's order!!"
Jiang Yan suddenly stopped struggling.
Xiao Yiqing sneered, looking at her as if he didn't want to miss any expression on her face, and said.
"You harmed the prince's child, do you think the prince will let you off? You will be given fifty strokes of the cane and confined for a year!"
Jiang Yan's mind went blank for a moment!
Fifty strokes of the cane?
Wouldn't that kill her?
Even if he doesn't die, he'll be crippled, right?
"start!"
Jiang Yan was unwittingly pressed onto the wooden bench used for execution. Just as she was about to plead for herself, a sharp pain suddenly shot through her buttocks, making her scalp tingle.
Next up is the second big board!
The third big board!
The fourth big board!!!
...
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Yan was covered in cold sweat, his hair was soaked, not to mention his thin clothes.
Shangguan Zeyu!
You bastard!
You bastard!!!
You've tormented me like this today; if I ever get the chance, I'll make you taste this excruciating pain too!
Oh my god!
I don't know how many blows he'd received, but Jiang Yan passed out.
"Your Highness, shall we continue the caning?"
“Continue!” Xiao Yiqing said without hesitation, and one could even see a hint of suppressed joy on her face.
Chunhua said uneasily, "Your Highness, if I may be so bold as to say something, we must not hit them anymore."
Xiao Yiqing's eyes suddenly turned cold as he stared intently at her: "You pity her?"
"My lord, I am absolutely loyal to you and would never dare to have any disloyal thoughts."
"Then why did you plead for her?"
“My lord, Consort Liu’s father is the richest man in the world. He must know many high-ranking officials and nobles. If something happens to his daughter, it will be difficult to explain.”
Although Xiao Yiqing was disgusted, she also thought about it carefully.
At this moment, the oriole, which had been kept far away, finally broke through the blockade, ran up, and pounced on Jiang Yan's side.
"Master! Master..." She wanted to touch Jiang Yan's body, but she was at a loss and didn't know where to start.
Xiao Yiqing looked at her with disdain: "Don't try to act all affectionate with me here!!"
The warbler's cries subsided somewhat.
"She's not dead yet, and I'm showing her mercy, so I'll spare her the rest of the caning! But she must be confined for a year!!!" With that, Xiao Yiqing glared at Jiang Yan again before leaving without looking back.
Only then did the oriole dare to cry loudly.
"My lord, please don't frighten me, please don't frighten me..."
Xiao Yiqing was particularly ruthless. She took Fuqu and two other servants into her Peach Blossom Village and also told Chunhua to tell all the servants not to pay any attention to the people from Pear Blossom Residence, or they would be kicked out of the palace.
Huang Ying then carried Jiang Yan on her back and led her to Pear Blossom Residence.
Huang Ying's height only reached Jiang Yan's shoulder. She was thin and slender, so carrying Jiang Yan, who was taller and heavier than her, made her pant heavily after only a few steps, and her whole body was soaked in sweat.
But she did not give up or complain. Instead, she gritted her teeth, persevered, and carried Jiang Yan back home.
When they were preparing to return to Pear Blossom Residence, the sun was still high in the sky, and by the time they arrived back at Pear Blossom Residence, the moon was already setting.
Huang Ying carefully placed Jiang Yan on the bed, but she still accidentally bumped Jiang Yan's body against the edge of the bed, and Jiang Yan slightly opened her eyes.
"Master! Master, are you alright?"
Huang Ying hadn't cried once, even though carrying Jiang Yan back was so difficult. But now, upon hearing Jiang Yan murmur something, she burst into tears.
Jiang Yan quickly closed her eyes again.
Huang Ying was so frightened that she forgot to cry. Her right hand trembled as she slowly reached under Jiang Yan's nose to check. Only then did she relax slightly and burst into tears again.
"My lord, please wait for me. I'll go find a doctor right away! You'll be alright, my lord!!"
Huang Ying didn't bother to change Jiang Yan's blood-stained and soiled clothes. She quickly covered her with a blanket and rushed out.
This night was destined to be one that Huang Ying would never forget, and one that Jiang Yan would always fear whenever he thought about it.
Butler Cui did not readily give Huang Ying the medicinal herbs.
Huang Ying knelt on the ground and kept kowtowing to him. Although he was moved, he did not give in.
In the end, Huang Ying had no other choice but to go all out.
"Steward Cui! Have you forgotten that my mistress was betrothed by the Emperor! Even if the Princess Consort and the Prince are not pleased, she is still my mistress! Furthermore, my mistress's father is the richest man in the world, Liu Xiangyi. Do you understand the implications of this?"
Huang Ying had never been so assertive in her life, nor had she ever used her status to suppress others like this.
But at this moment, the situation was unfavorable, and she had no choice but to take this gamble.
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