"Gentlemen, although this is a private matter between our two families, you are all witnesses. Those who wish to continue observing can stay, while those who wish to return home now are welcome to do so."
Someone brought over a grand chair, and the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness sat down in it with an air of great magnanimity.
These guests were prepared to leave, since such a highly confidential matter could only be known by a loyal servant, and it was very likely that those who knew about it back then had been silenced.
To interrogate these loyal servants, severe torture is inevitable. If outsiders were to witness it, it could easily be interpreted as a case of forced confession.
But the Jiang family showed no fear whatsoever, appearing completely magnanimous.
“I, Jiang Yiping, always keep my word. Those who wish to stay and watch need not hesitate.” He repeated himself, as if afraid people wouldn’t believe him.
"My lord, it's not good for outsiders to stay here. After all, family scandals shouldn't be aired in public," someone advised him.
The Marquis of Zhongyi cupped his hands in greeting: "This is not a family scandal of the Jiang family; the scandal belongs to someone else. Our Marquis of Zhongyi's mansion only has family feuds. Madam, would you like to begin the interrogation?"
Cen Ying nodded and sat down in the chair in the center. She said in a deep voice, "Bring Granny Yan up first."
In fact, everyone else was a bit stunned because it all happened so fast.
The Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness suddenly appeared, and with so many people, he surrounded the Wei residence without consulting anyone.
Among the guests were court officials, who couldn't help but wonder: Could the Jiang family's actions be considered a rebellion? Without the emperor's permission or any official orders, the Marquis of Zhongyi had ordered his men to surround the residence of a court official, which was definitely a serious overstepping of the bounds.
"What right do you have to surround our Wei residence? Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness, are you plotting a rebellion? Our lord is the Emperor's subject, not yours!"
Seeing that all the maids and servants around her were taken away, Cen Jie panicked. Wei Xian was not by her side, and she had no one to talk to. She completely lost her backbone.
"This matter concerns the identity of the son I raised. It is a private matter between our Jiang family and your Wei family. Don't drag the imperial court into it. I will also plead guilty to the Emperor later. Once the truth is found, if your Wei family is innocent, I, Jiang Yiping, will definitely apologize to your Wei family with my arms bent over a thorn!" Marquis Zhongyi gritted his teeth, showing no sign of backing down. Even if the Emperor himself was invoked, he was not afraid.
The fact that they even went so far as to offer a humble apology shows that there is absolutely no room for negotiation.
Among the guests, some were afraid of getting into trouble, so they took their leave. Others, who were eager to see what would happen, stayed behind. They wanted to see if the two families' children had been switched at birth or if it was all just a joke.
Seeing this scene, Cen Ying even had the servants bring chairs so that the guests could comfortably watch the excitement.
It wasn't because she was hospitable; it was simply because she overheard her spoiled third daughter-in-law complaining to the system about her sore feet.
Sitting in her chair, Xu Wanying couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, my father-in-law is amazing, my mother-in-law is amazing! They directly led people to surround the Wei family. I never even dared to imagine something like this, but they actually did it. Amazing!"
The admiration in my heart flowed like a fountain.
It was only then that she realized the allure of the Marquis of Zhongyi's family, a family of generations of military generals; whoever held military power truly had a strong backbone.
The encirclement was swift, ruthless, and precise. The vast Wei family estate was like a house of cards. The dozens of servants and guards were nothing but decorations. They surrendered instantly to the Marquis's guards, like mice before a cat.
"Granny Yan, do you think Jiang Chengyi and Wei Jiao are siblings?" Cen Ying asked directly.
Granny Yan was brought over; her face was swollen and her hair was disheveled, clearly indicating that she had just been beaten.
"no."
Cen Jie originally thought that Granny Yan had been bribed, but she didn't expect her to stick to the story, and she immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"When you saw them doing something improper just now, that's not what you said," Cen Ying frowned and continued to press.
"That was because this old servant was confused and said the wrong thing, and therefore was punished by the madam."
"You mean, Madam Wei forced you to conceal the truth?" Cen Ying coaxed.
"No, Madam did nothing. This old servant accepted the punishment voluntarily," Granny Yan changed her story again.
Faced with her vehement denial, Cen Ying was not in a hurry, but instead slowly looked for an opportunity: "You are Wei Jiao's wet nurse?"
"Yes, the girl has been raised on this old servant's milk since birth."
"Since you love her so much, you must come when she and Yi-ge'er get married. And you must be there to take care of her after she gives birth." Cen Ying's voice softened considerably, as if she genuinely hoped for their marriage.
"No, no, no, they can't get married!"
"Why! Cousins getting married is a double blessing. They are a perfect match, aren't they?" Cen Ying asked, feigning doubt.
"There's no reason why, they just can't get married! Their horoscopes don't match."
"That's not up to you. Why don't you have them get married tomorrow and start having children as soon as possible?" Cen Ying sneered, leaving no room for negotiation.
"No, no, Madam Hou, we can't let them get married!" Granny Yan immediately collapsed to the ground, kowtowing and pleading incessantly.
"Aren't you going to tell the truth? Do you have to wait until they get married, Wei Jiao can't have children, or gives birth to a mentally challenged child, and is struck by lightning before you'll finally tell the truth? You're her wet nurse, and besides her own mother, you're the person she trusts most in this world. If her own mother wants to harm her, are you just going to stand by and watch her walk into a pit of fire?" Cen Ying slammed her hand on the table and demanded an answer in a stern voice.
Granny Yan collapsed, as if her spine had been removed, and finally burst into tears, crying out, "This old servant confesses, those two are indeed brother and sister, they cannot marry, much less have children, otherwise they will be struck by lightning and suffer retribution!"
"You old hag, I'll tear your mouth apart! How can they be siblings? They're cousins! You must have been bribed to slander my Wei family, right?!" Cen Jie jumped up and down in anger.
When Granny Yan refused to confess, she still held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that Granny Yan had truly become senile and misspoke.
But looking at it now, it's clear that Granny Yan and Cen Ying put on a grand show.
If Granny Yan confessed as soon as she was asked, it would easily arouse suspicion. But by denying it at first and then telling the truth out of concern for Wei Jiao, she seemed more real and believable.
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