Just as they were drinking tea, a line of guards emerged from the palace gate, followed by the leader who posted the latest imperial edict.
The people dared not gather around while the guards were there, but after the guards left, the surrounding people rushed over to watch the spectacle.
"Scholar, I am illiterate. Can you tell me what is written here?"
After reading the imperial edict, one of the scholars explained to the crowd: "Didn't they say these past few days that the second young lady of the Bai family killed the heir of the Marquis of Chen? The edict is about the murder case of the heir of the Marquis of Chen, and it says that the capital prefecture will hear the case in a few days."
"What? Wasn't it Miss Bai who committed the murder?"
"The name written above is that of the heir apparent of the Marquis of Chen, Chen Mingzhao. Do you remember the cases of women and children going missing in the west of the city a while ago? They said that the heir apparent of the Marquis of Chen was the one who killed them!"
"How come it's one minute Miss Bai committing murder, the next minute the heir of Marquis Chen committing murder? Isn't the heir of Marquis Chen already dead?"
The crowd was noisy, but finally the scholar in front said, "What's the rush? In a few days, we'll all go to the gate of the capital prefectural government office to see!"
...
Bai Shengqi and Huo Yanjun listened to the discussion among the people below, exchanged a glance, and both frowned.
Huo Yanjun said, "Go and check if this is true."
He then looked at Bai Shengqi: "If it's true..."
"Your Highness, rest assured, this matter will not be resolved," Bai Shengqi said.
...
Soon it was time for the trial at the Jingji Prefecture government office. Bai Yan and Bai Ruifeng rode in a carriage together to the Jingji Prefecture government office.
Bai Yan lifted the curtain of the carriage, and the whispers of the surrounding people reached her ears:
"It was clearly Miss Bai who killed the person, so how did it become the heir of Marquis Chen who killed him? How can a dead person kill someone?"
"I think it's obvious that His Majesty is biased!"
"Even if the case is resolved, what then? Does His Majesty intend to punish Miss Bai?"
"Of course not! Didn't you hear what happened recently? His Majesty was bewitched by that vixen from the Bai family. Knowing that she had murder on her hands, Empress Dowager Chu and Prince Xian sent Marquis Gu to deal with the vixen in order to protect His Majesty's reputation. Who knew that His Majesty would punish Marquis Gu for that vixen?!"
Is that really how it is?
"But today is the Jingji Prefecture government's public trial of this case. I want to see if, if Bai Er is found guilty, His Majesty will really disregard the law and protect her. The emperor is subject to the same laws as the common people!"
"That's true, but what can you do about the person His Majesty wants to protect?"
Bai Ruifeng frowned. "Is someone deliberately spreading such rumors among the people?" Deliberately slandering His Majesty and Xiao Yan's reputation... "What are they trying to do?"
Bai Yan smiled and said, "They've run out of ideas."
If you've lost everything, you can't just focus on building your reputation.
She wouldn't mind peeling away the last shred of pretense that those people had left.
Do you want to succeed him, and also want to step on him to gain a good reputation?
How could you have such a beautiful idea?
Bai Yan's lips curled into a cold smile.
Bai Ruifeng frowned slightly, looking at her younger sister with some worry: "Xiao Yan, I always feel uneasy. In our past life, Gu Cheng'an was instrumental in the emperor's rise to power and was also the emperor's father-in-law, holding a high position and great power. Now, the Prince Xian is with him—"
"Don't worry, sister." Bai Yan looked at her: "He has already chosen the path of dying without a burial place, there is no need for you to take action."
"Don't worry, I can handle this matter today and it won't delay my wedding with His Majesty."
Those who deserve to be left out should go somewhere cool and stay there.
The yamen gates were wide open, and the surrounding crowds were packed in layers, all waiting to see Lord Liu of the Capital Prefecture preside over today's case.
Bai Yan and Bai Ruifeng sat on one side, and soon after, Chen Mingzhao's body was also brought up.
Although it was winter, it had been almost a month since Chen Mingzhao died, and his body had begun to decompose. The people around him couldn't help but cover their noses and take two steps back.
Madam Song and Marquis Chen, who arrived with their son's body, glared at Bai Yan with resentment.
Chen Hou still retained some rationality, but Madam Song pointed at Bai Yan and said, "My lord, she is the murderer. Why didn't she kneel when she saw my son's body?"
The judge, Lord Liu, was Huo Jin's man; he would never order Bai Yan to kneel.
He simply looked at Madam Song, cupped his hands, and said, "Madam, today I am here on His Majesty's orders to investigate the murder case of Chen Mingzhao."
"This is outrageous!" Chen Hou, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but get angry.
Madam Song covered her eyes and cried out, "Heavens! My son is dead, yet we still have to humiliate him like this for the sake of some people's reputations?"
"No noise is allowed in the courtroom!" Lord Liu slammed his gavel down, and the clerk beside him handed over the case file: "Three years ago, the daughter of Widow Sun from the west end of the hall entered Chen Mingzhao's household as a maid and disappeared for two years and nine months."
"Two and a half years ago, Chen Mingzhao had nightmares at night. Madam Song invited a highly respected monk from a nearby temple to the mansion to chant sutras and pray for the young master. The six-year-old novice monk who was with Master Guangji disappeared."
Two years ago, someone kidnapped a pair of twin girls who were playing in the East Market...
As soon as Lord Liu finished speaking, the victims who had lost their loved ones were brought into the courtroom.
"My lord, I would never dare to lie to you! My daughter is not missing; she eloped with her cousin!" Widow Sun knelt down first. "I will not report this to the police; please, my lord, let me go home!"
The bald-headed monk also said, "Amitabha, after our junior brother returned, he contracted a cough and died. We were afraid of upsetting our master, so we said he had run away to the Chen Marquis's residence..."
Next came the parents of the twins who had previously reported the case missing, who also denied that their children had gone missing.
A smug glint flashed in Bai Shengqi's eyes as he stood outside the hall: no one had reported the case; he wanted to see how it would be handled...
Upon hearing this, Madam Song naturally cried out in protest: "If you say my son killed someone, you should at least see the body, right? Now that we can't even find the body, how can you falsely accuse my son out of thin air?"
The people listening to the trial were naturally also discussing it.
Lord Liu struck the gavel several times before silence finally descended.
Bai Yan stood up from her chair and walked to the widow Sun, who had lost her daughter: "You said your daughter eloped with her cousin? But what I see in her eyes is helpless crying, begging you to save her?"
Widow Sun's expression changed slightly, and Bai Yan stood up.
Then, looking at Madam Song, he said, "Madam Song, I can still advise you now: stop making a scene and admit your guilt. The glory of the Chen family for generations can still be preserved."
Bai Yan looked at her and said, "If you continue to be unrepentant, you will harm more than just Chen Mingzhao."
Madam Song sneered, "How dare you! I only want you to pay for my son's life!"
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