Chapter 378 The faces of everyone in Prince Ji's mansion darkened!
The next day, Shen Lanxi took Sun Feng to meet with the First Prince.
"The First Prince."
"Lord Shen!"
After exchanging greetings, the two sides got straight to the case.
Zhou Rulin: "Yesterday I sent someone to inquire about Princess Yuxue's drowning back then. There are all sorts of conflicting accounts."
Shen Lanxi expressed her understanding: "So much time has passed since then. Some things, even if they are wrong, can be spread as truth as they are told."
Zhou Rulin coughed lightly twice.
“If the Crown Prince is not yet fully recovered, we can rest for a couple more days. This matter has been over for so long, there is no need to rush.”
Zhou Rulin waved his hand: "I am fine now. It's just that Princess Yuxue's matter happened too long ago, and she had an accident in Xishan. We should clear her name as soon as possible."
Shen Lanxi: "The Crown Prince truly possesses a heart that desires to save the world; I, Lanxi, am ashamed to admit my inferiority!"
Zhou Rulin smiled modestly and said, "I'm not as good as you say. It's just that as a human being, one should act without shame before heaven and earth, and without shame in one's own heart."
Shen Lanxi expressed her admiration once again.
Zhou Rulin: "Back then, Princess Yuxue was enjoying the scenery by the lake with several noble ladies. Those noble ladies were Zhou Yunyuan, the concubine's daughter of Prince Ping; Chen Suizhu, the cousin of the eldest princess's maternal grandfather; Chen Qianqian, the concubine's daughter of the Grand Tutor; Zhang Jingshu, the legitimate daughter of the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices; and Chang Yu, the legitimate daughter of the Grand Master of the Palace."
Shen Lanxi praised without reservation: "Your Highness's investigation is so detailed that I am truly ashamed!"
The eldest prince, with an air of refined elegance, said eloquently, "These are all matters of course. Since I have nothing else to do in the capital, I simply inquired beforehand."
Shen Lanxi: "When Yunxue had her accident back then, I was already on my way to Dongchuan, so I knew nothing about what was happening in the capital. Now so much time has passed, things have changed, and those people you used to know have become strangers."
The eldest prince seemed to have been reminded of a painful memory, and said with emotion, "I left the capital when I was young, and only returned to offer incense on my mother's death anniversary each year, and then left again very soon. Compared to the capital, I feel that my fiefdom is more like my home."
Shen Lanxi, lost in her emotions, obediently replied, "Does the Crown Prince mean that we should start by questioning these women?"
Zhou Rulin shook his head, his thoughts clear, and said, "These women have long been married. Among them, the daughter of the Grand Master of the Palace died two years ago due to complications during childbirth. Zhang Jingshu and Chen Qianqian married far away. Only Zhou Yunyuan and Chen Suizhu in the capital know the inside story."
Shen Lanxi's eyes flickered, and she said truthfully, "What a coincidence, both of them have a grudge against me!"
The eldest prince said guiltily, "I have heard that my wife, Lady Cao, has wronged you in many ways. I apologize to you on her behalf."
Shen Lanxi raised an eyebrow: "You mean the flower-viewing banquet held at the Grand Princess's residence?"
Zhou Rulin nodded: "I have severely punished Cao Shi. She will be confined to her home for the next few days. After we have investigated the case, I will definitely take her to her home to apologize."
Shen Lanxi quickly declined, saying, "It was just a quarrel between ordinary women. How could I, the Crown Princess, be asked to apologize to me? It's too much of a sin for me."
The eldest prince said, “Yes, yes, I have already sent someone to ask. It was she who spoke rudely first. Marrying her was not my wish back then, so our relationship as husband and wife is not harmonious. I will ask my father for permission to have the palace governesses teach her manners.”
Shen Lanxi: "The Crown Princess is just a bit too straightforward and frank, but she has no faults."
Zhou Rulin: "Let's put this matter aside for now. My idea is to start with the Ji Prince's Mansion. There must have been maids who were with Princess Yuxue back then, and Princess Yuxue must have told her family about the incident of falling into the water."
Shen Lanxi: "That makes sense. Let's go to Prince Ji's residence now!"
As luck would have it, when they arrived at Prince Ji's residence, they happened to run into Marquis Yong'an.
Zhao Zheng still remembered the day he was humiliated by Shen Lanxi. When he saw it was her, he snorted coldly and ignored her, only greeting the First Prince.
"This must be Marquis Yong'an, Zhao Zheng. I only met him at the palace banquet last time. The etiquette was too complicated then, so I didn't have a chance to get to know him," Zhou Rulin said with a smile.
Zhao Zheng exchanged pleasantries with the eldest prince somewhat awkwardly. They had never spoken before. If it weren't for the eldest prince's sudden return to the capital, people in the capital would probably have long forgotten about this son of the late empress.
"Your Highness, with your dragon-like bearing and phoenix-like appearance, it is truly astonishing that you remember me." In the capital, everyone knows that the Marquis of Yong'an has practically stepped out of the court.
It's truly remarkable that the eldest prince could speak to him with such a calm expression.
"Did Marquis Yong'an come today because of Princess Yuxue?" Zhou Rulin glanced at Shen Lanxi and noticed that there was something amiss between her and Zhao Zheng, so he took the initiative to ask.
Zhao Zheng glanced at Shen Lanxi with a complicated expression: "Your Majesty is wise and mighty, and has granted permission to investigate the case of Princess Yuxue being framed. I have been betrothed to Princess Yuxue since childhood. If it weren't for that incident, Yunxue would be the current wife of the Marquis of Yong'an."
Seeing that Zhao Zheng was somewhat injured, Zhou Rulin patted him on the shoulder to comfort him.
"I will definitely investigate that matter back then thoroughly and give Yunxue and you an explanation!"
Zhao Zheng clasped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Your Highness."
When the people of Prince Ji's residence learned that the eldest prince and Marquis Yong'an had come to visit, they hurriedly came out to greet them.
Unexpectedly, besides the two benefactors, there was also Shen Lanxi.
What is this woman doing here?
What good would it do her to expose the scandals of the past and bring shame upon the Ji Prince's Mansion?
"Please come in, Your Highness."
"Lord Yong'an, please come in."
The people in Prince Ji's mansion completely ignored Shen Lanxi, and even when inviting Zhou Rulin and Zhao Zheng in, they deliberately separated her from the two of them.
Shen Lanxi looked up at the plaque of the Prince Ji's Mansion and sneered inwardly.
Is this an attempt to shut her out of the Prince's mansion?
"The First Prince and I have been ordered to reinvestigate the matter of Princess Yuxue falling into the water. His Majesty has decreed that all relevant personnel must actively assist in the investigation and must not make any mistakes!" Shen Lanxi's shout made everyone who entered stop in their tracks.
Zhou Rulin seemed to only then realize that he had left Shen Lanxi outside, and immediately smiled and said, "Please come in with me, Lord Shen, to investigate."
The people from Prince Ji's mansion had dark faces. When they saw Shen Lanxi enter with a smile, they felt a surge of internal pain in their chests, but they had no choice but to make way for her.
"Just now, the people from the Prince's Mansion only welcomed the First Prince and the Marquis of Yong'an into the house, and only invited the two of them. I thought the Prince's Mansion wanted to obstruct the investigation and not let me in."
The faces of the people in Prince Ji's residence were so dark they were unrecognizable.
Shen Lanxi must be holding a grudge against the Prince's Mansion for not pleading for the Shen family back then, so she deliberately made things difficult for them and caused them trouble by taking advantage of Yunxue's matter.
To accuse them of disobeying imperial orders right from the start, Shen Lanxi must really want them dead!
Such a vicious woman! Yunxue must have been blind to follow such a venomous snake back then, and now she's brought such a huge trouble upon her family.
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