From then on, everything fell into place.
The Crown Prince handed over the Chen family's token and the villagers' testimonies to Jiang Mingyun. According to Gu Zhan, the Emperor was furious and immediately ordered a thorough investigation.
Everything else took a backseat to this matter, and because no conclusive evidence could be found for Xu Nian's case, she was released by order of the emperor himself.
When Xu Nian was exposed to the midday sun again, she felt a sense of disorientation, as if she had been transported to another world.
She had never understood her master's purpose in sending her here to undergo tribulation, thinking it was just a whim of his. But now she vaguely understood his good intentions.
[It's been a long time since I've seen Da Bao and Er Bao.]
[Yes, yes, is the streamer going to the Second Prince's residence to pick them up?]
Xu Nian glanced at the comments and shook her head with a smile. "Jiang Yuanqing is currently in a neutral position, making him the safest place in the entire capital. Da Bao and Er Bao are safe with him. It's not too late to bring them back after this matter has settled down."
With the respectful farewells of the officials, she stepped out of Jingzhou Prefecture.
Gu Zhan had already prepared a carriage and was waiting at the door. When he saw her come out, he hurriedly came up to greet her, saying, "The Prime Minister has already prepared a banquet at his residence, just waiting for you to return so that he can welcome you back and wash away the bad luck."
As she was helped into the carriage, Xu Nian leaned against Gu Zhan's chest, feeling an unprecedented sense of security amidst the swaying motion. "This time, Jiang Yuanlang really got a good deal."
“He has completely lost the Emperor’s favor, and from now on he won’t be able to cause any trouble.” Gu Zhan’s eyes darkened. He didn’t tell Xu Nian. Just last night, the Emperor secretly summoned him to the palace.
He made a point of asking about the whole story, and Gu Zhan, of course, didn't hide anything.
He knew that even if the emperor didn't favor the crown prince, he wouldn't support the third prince to oppose him from now on. There were plenty of princes in the capital; there was no need to waste energy on someone like this.
The royal family is ruthless; although they are father and son, they are thinking more about their own interests.
Xu Nian played with the general's large hand. "A few days ago, Eunuch Wang came to the prison to see me and took away a divination slip."
"What?"
"Those who do many evil deeds will surely perish. Half a life of wealth and honor, half a life of wandering. He died in despair, his end tragic." She recited what she had seen on that birth chart that day, "It should be the Third Prince."
Jiang Mingyun probably still loves her son, so she stopped the disaster in time, which is why she is so angry.
Unfortunately, he had only a little fatherly love. He pretended not to know Jiang Yuanlang's role in the matter, did not criticize or discipline him, and just watched him go mad and gradually perish.
I can't quite describe how I feel. I've only been in this ancient world for half a year.
She had already witnessed the coldness and warmth of human relationships, the deceit and treachery, that she had never seen in her previous time and space.
But life goes on no matter what.
On the third day after Xu Nian returned home, the Chen family fell from power, and Jiang Mingyun was determined to pin all the blame on Chen Weisheng alone. The case was investigated very quickly.
Ultimately, Chen, the prefect of Jingzhou who had spent his life working tirelessly, was imprisoned for oppressing the people and abusing his power for personal gain, and was executed in the autumn.
Fortunately, the lives of the rest of the Chen family were saved. According to Su Wanting, this was because Chen Weisheng had given Chen Xuan to the Third Prince as a concubine before he was arrested.
"How could Chen Xuan have such great skills?" Xu Nian was learning to embroider when she heard Su Wanting say this, so she put down her embroidery frame and asked in confusion.
Su Wanting glanced at the crooked lines above and looked away. "It must have been a promise for something else. But it has nothing to do with us anymore."
For some reason, Xu Nian suddenly thought of Chen Lingwei.
That girl who looked like a gardenia, pure and delicate, often bullied by her half-sister, but in reality, she was poisonous inside.
Perhaps sensing her thoughts, Su Wanting moved the embroidery frame aside. "Don't worry, Chen Lingwei's maternal family is a prominent and well-known family in Jiangnan. This time, when Lord Chen encountered trouble, a divorce agreement severed his marital ties with Madam Chen. I imagine they have already set off."
On the fifth day after Xu Nian returned to her residence, Chen Weisheng's case was finally concluded. People in the court finally remembered her long-running case.
She was summoned to court again, where Jiang Yuanqing sat at the head of the table as before, and Jiang Yuanling sat at the right.
Only Zhao Jinfeng and Yang Chunhua remained kneeling below. During the thorough investigation of Chen Weisheng, Gu Zhan also presented the evidence that he had used to slander Xu Nian.
Cuiqing was beheaded two days ago. Now that Xu Nian's murder case is over, all that remains is the charge of being disobedient and unfilial.
"Zhao Jinfeng, your words alone are not enough to prove that the Lady of Fu'an County stole the grain. Do you have any witnesses?" Actually, this matter is very simple to resolve. She only needs to use a spell to reveal what happened in those days.
Alternatively, she could ask the villagers to testify, and the case could be closed quickly.
But Xu Nian thought of the elderly people who had just suffered, and how she had actually agreed to many unequal treaties with the emperor in order to pardon the villagers who had given false testimony.
I sighed inwardly. Maybe I should try another method. Sometimes watching dogs fight is a good option.
Just then, Zhao Jinfeng crawled forward a couple of times and said, "My lord, yes, I do. My son, my son Xu Shen, is currently staying at the county magistrate's residence. If you don't believe me, you can ask him for a talk."
Jiang Yuanqing raised an eyebrow. "Princess, is this really true?" He seemed extremely interested in this, not understanding why Xu Nian would raise her enemy's son in her own household.
Princess Fu'an nodded. "Xu Shen is indeed here. Your Highness can go and invite him here. Let's hear what your son has to say."
Her words left the onlookers completely bewildered.
Is this county princess out of her mind? She's talking about someone else's son, so naturally she'd side with them. And she actually suggested bringing him here on her own initiative?
Zhao Jinfeng gave her a smug look, certain that Xu Nian had lost her mind, that a little brat dared to challenge her. Did she really think that just because Xu Shen said a few bad things about her, she was truly on her side?
Yang Chunhua, who had been silent the whole time, sensed something was wrong and quietly distanced herself from Zhao Jinfeng.
A short while later, Xu Shen was led to stand in the lobby.
Xu Nian remained completely calm, focusing solely on battling her hair, which made Jiang Yuanling on the other side shake her head helplessly.
He exchanged a glance with Jiang Yuanqing and asked, "You're Xu Shen?"
"My lord, I am Xu Shen."
Unnoticed, Xu Nian flicked her fingers, and a spell hidden in Xu Shen's sleeve lit up and then went out.
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