Chapter 119 Loyalty and Righteousness
Marquis Shen Lun of Yong State was clearly prepared. After bringing the people up, he glanced around the hall.
Everyone unconsciously lowered their breathing.
Shen Lun then walked towards the upper seat, and suddenly caught sight of Princess Yan Ya through the west curtain, causing him to freeze in place.
Gao Quan, who had been sitting firmly at the head of the table, stood up and gave up his position, moving to a lower seat on his own.
Shen Lun nodded in thanks, then pretended not to see her and sat down opposite Princess Yan Ya.
Shen Pingting followed behind her father.
Lady Gao remained in the inner courtyard, waiting for Jin Fangjun and Mu Zhen to arrive together, and did not come out in advance to greet the female relatives.
Mu Xi then gestured to Tao'er.
Tao'er understood and went over to invite Shen Pingting to sit behind the curtain on the west side.
Shen Pingting refused and instead sat down next to her father.
Shen Lun did not object. He slowly sat down and said loudly, "On my way here, I happened to meet Granny Li and the coachman. I heard that they were from the Jin Fangjun Mansion, so I brought them along. As luck would have it, they can come in handy now."
Mu Xi drank a pot of wine and didn't react much. He then returned to his seat and asked Cao Pan'er to fetch another pot of wine. He then said to Shen Lun, "It is indeed a coincidence that you have come at the right time, Uncle. This Minister of Justice, Lord Ma, has a grand show to put on."
What a coincidence! Shen Lun must have foreseen something beforehand and specially went to bring the two of them here.
Shen Lun didn't take the lowly Left Supervisor seriously at all, and instead looked up at the head of the table: "I was worried that we would miss the auspicious time, but why hasn't the Lord come out yet?"
Mu Xi, unaware of the specifics, could only reply, "Father is probably delayed by something."
Shen Lun nodded, then glanced down into the hall: "Just now, when I was outside, I heard someone say something about a physical examination? At the birthday banquet of Lord Jin Fang, who is so tactless as to want a physical examination?"
No one dared to answer this question.
Ma Zheng stood to the side and opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Mu Xi took the wine pot that Cao Pan'er had brought over, poured herself a cup, and then looked at Ma Zheng with a nonchalant smile: "Uncle, someone doubts Xi'er's identity and wants to verify whether I, the heir, am a man or a woman."
"Absurd." Marquis Shen Lun of Yong State slammed his hand on the table, his eyes sharpening. "As for the Jin Fang Jun Mansion, it's time someone took good care of it. When I came in just now, there were very few guards. Where did they all go?"
Mu Xi bowed: "Uncle is right."
Shen Lun then looked up and gave Ma Zheng a look: "Is the Court of Justice bored out of its mind?"
Ma Zheng had no choice but to reply: "Ma Zheng, Left Supervisor of the Court of Justice, greets Lord Shen. I am merely seeking confirmation from the Crown Prince regarding a matter based on witness testimonies."
Even the way Shen Lun exhaled from his nostrils gave off an imposing aura: "At Jin Fangjun's birthday banquet?"
Ma Zheng, being quite experienced, said, "It was truly a last resort."
"What circumstances forced you to do this?" The moment Shen Lun appeared, the situation reversed, and he became the one interrogating Ma Zheng.
Ma Zheng then took out a letter from his pocket, intending to present it: "I received a secret letter during the day..."
Shen Lun ignored him completely, raising his hand to stop him and refusing to take the letter: "What secret letter? Since you dare not reveal your real name, it is a malicious accusation and cannot be trusted."
"Ah...this...besides the letter..." Ma Zheng was speechless under the pressure.
Shen Lun stopped arguing and looked at Li Mama and her daughter, who were embracing each other: "If we need witness testimonies, we should also listen to the testimonies of both sides."
Upon hearing this, Granny Li slowly pushed her daughter away and kowtowed three times to Mu Xi: "This old servant is truly ashamed to face the young master. I don't know why my daughter would say such nonsense."
Mu Xi felt relieved, knowing that Granny Li wouldn't betray her easily: "There's no need for that. Someone must be causing trouble behind the scenes. Granny Li, please speak slowly."
Shen Lun then looked at Qing'er: "This is Granny Li's daughter, right? What do you say now?"
Qing'er stood there dumbfounded, looking at Ma Zheng and then at her mother: "Mother, you weren't taken away by them, waah..."
This completely reversed the situation.
Mu Xi guessed that she didn't need to drink, nor did she need to let the alcohol cause her to act out. She slowly put down her wine glass and focused on watching the show.
Ma Zheng hadn't expected Li Mama to suddenly appear, but he was experienced in handling cases, so he pulled Qing'er away from Li Mama and said, "Think carefully before you speak. Giving a false confession could lead to imprisonment at best, and your life at worst."
Qing'er was bewildered. As a young woman of thirteen or fourteen who had never seen much of the world, she had been coerced and lured for days, and with Ma Zheng threatening her mother's life, she confessed everything.
But over the years, my mother has indeed repeatedly instructed me to be loyal to the Crown Prince and to the Imperial Household.
"I...I don't know." Qing'er didn't know what to do. She wasn't lying, but her mother obviously didn't want her to say those words.
“What do you mean you don’t know? You were so certain just now, how come you can’t say it in front of your mother?” Ma Zheng said fiercely. “If you’re lying, even your mother can’t save you.”
Startled by Ma Zheng, Qing'er changed her words again: "I...I didn't see wrong."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Granny Li was about to go over and pull her daughter away, but Ma Zheng stopped her again.
Ma Zheng not only stopped Granny Li, but also grabbed Qing'er by the arm and lifted her up, saying, "Say it loudly and repeat what you just said."
Qing'er cried out in fear, "Ah... I didn't lie... Mother... save me..."
"Qing'er, Qing'er..." Granny Li rushed forward.
Ma Zheng held Qing'er like a chick, and said threateningly, "Don't try anything funny. Your daughter has already confessed. You can't get away with it now."
Shen Lun took a sip of tea before speaking leisurely: "Granny Li, if I remember correctly, you are from the Shen family. You watched my sister grow up since she was a child, right?"
“Your Excellency is right. This old servant has always been by Miss’s side.” Granny Li bowed respectfully to Shen Lunyi.
Shen Lun put down his teacup with regret: "How Princess Yunying has treated you is self-evident. My sister is a person of great loyalty and righteousness, and so am I. You are an elder who has followed me all this way, and you should know that when righteousness is involved, this whole affair is because your daughter is so ignorant..."
Granny Li seemed to understand something, glancing at Mu Xi and then at her daughter.
Qing'er cried out, "Mother, save me! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"
Despair filled Li Mama's eyes. She crawled over and took her daughter's hand, stroking her tear-streaked face, while muttering to herself, "This old servant has served Miss for many years, and Miss has treated me like family... I also watched the young master grow up, my daughter... my daughter..."
"Mother, save me... save me..." Qing'er struggled desperately but could not break free from Ma Zheng's grasp. She could only use her other hand to tightly hold onto her mother's clothes.
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