Chapter 22 Will she threaten Dou Mingyan's marriage?
Dou Bochang was filled with rage. "Whoever lies and causes trouble will be severely punished!"
Amber said confidently, "Fourth Miss, stop denying it. That place is surrounded by water on three sides, and there is no one else around."
The matter has escalated to this point, and Baochuan has already been implicated.
If her crime is not proven, everyone in Lan Yue Pavilion will suffer!
They were all the Crown Princess's people; they had already made their choice about who was more important, and could only stab her to the ground.
Dou Wenyi laughed with a mocking expression, "It is indeed surrounded by water on three sides, and there is indeed no one on the shore. But what about above the waterfall!"
Amber said, "Above the waterfall is where two streams converge. The rocks there are covered with moss from years of water erosion and are very slippery. How could anyone be there?"
Dou Mingyan's heart tightened; she felt that she was bluffing.
Cuizhi was almost always by her side, but after leaving Biyue Pavilion, she seemed to have disappeared. Could it be that she went to get reinforcements?
"What a coincidence! There are people above the waterfall." With a sweet shout, everyone's gaze involuntarily turned towards the entrance.
How could it be her?
Dou Mingyan's expression changed slightly, and she felt increasingly uneasy.
Lin Zhiyi gave Dou Wenyi a slight smile and bowed slightly. "Uncle Dou, Madam Gu, are you arguing about how Miss Dou fell into the water? May I ask to dismiss the servants and say a few words?"
Upon seeing Lin Zhiyi so vibrant again, Dou Wenyi's eyes instantly welled up with tears.
Lin Zhiyi was the only daughter of Lin Wenkai, the Censor-in-Chief. Her father was upright and honest, and deeply favored by the Emperor. She was of noble character and had an excellent reputation among noble ladies. However, in her previous life, she became a victim of power and died under mysterious circumstances.
“Miss Lin, please speak freely.” Dou Bochang’s expression was complicated as he raised his hand to dismiss the servants.
"Just now, Meng Jingshu and I were near Cuiyu Pavilion... The eunuchs happened to witness the entire process of Miss Dou falling into the water unexpectedly. Wenyi never pushed Miss Dou."
She emphasized the word "with her own eyes" very heavily.
Amber panicked completely, "How is this possible!"
Lin Zhiyi gave her a cold look. "The maids of the Dou family are really rude. They even dare to question their masters."
Behind her, a still-attractive woman stepped out and said with a smile, "So, you think Consort Shu's testimony isn't enough?"
Only then did everyone realize that the person behind Lin Zhiyi was none other than Chen, the head maid, who was a trusted confidante of Consort Shu.
Dou Bochang was taken aback. "What's so important... It's just an accident, nothing serious. How could I dare to disturb Consort Shu over such a trivial family matter?"
Dou Wenyi's lips curled into a mocking smile. Just now she insisted it was a serious matter of 'murder,' but now it's an accident, a family matter?
Dou Mingyan's breath hitched, and she almost burst into tears again. "You bunch of unruly servants! The mist was too thick, and you were standing far away, so you couldn't see clearly at all. Yet you were spouting nonsense. You have no manners at all!"
Manager Chen said meaningfully, "Miss Dou is destined to become the Crown Princess. This unruly servant is a nuisance and should be thoroughly investigated. Otherwise, she could cause a major disaster."
Amber trembled all over, a chill running down her spine.
Dou Bochang and Madam Gu were finally losing face.
Enraged, Dou Bochang kicked Amber hard, yelling, "You lowly servant, how dare you slander your master and sow discord between the sisters! Who gave you the audacity?!"
Pretentious!
If they hadn't been backing Dou Mingyan up, would these servants of the Dou family have dared to do that?
They didn't like her; even the dogs on the street wanted to bite her.
No matter what happens, whether it's Baochuan or Amber, these maids will always be pushed out by Dou Mingyan to take the fall, and it will always be those around her who are punished!
As long as Pei Siyan remains a powerful backer, Dou Mingyan will always be able to act with impunity.
Dou Wenyi changed the subject, "Father, don't get angry yet. We should prepare a gift of thanks for Young Master Xie, after all, he's the one who rescued my sister!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the surroundings fell into a deathly silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
What's the meaning?
Dou Mingyan is the future Crown Princess, yet she was caught in the act by her future brother-in-law!
That was intimate contact, her reputation... how will she explain this to the Crown Prince?
Dou Bochang's face turned green. Was he really going to hand over this immense wealth and power to someone else?
Dou Mingyan's heart tightened, and she hurriedly explained, "Fourth Sister jumped into the water to save me. Young Master Xie was anxious and worried about Fourth Sister's safety, so he jumped into the water to lend a hand. Sister, please don't overthink it."
Dou Bochang and Madam Gu exchanged a glance and said in unison, "That's right, that's right!"
“Of course I won’t overthink it. After all, it was me who was engaged to Prince Xie. He didn’t save me, but he saved my sister. If this were to get out by someone with ulterior motives… I’m afraid people would gossip about it!” Dou Wenyi lifted her eyelids, her words carrying a hidden meaning.
Dou Bochang's expression was sharp, and his eyes exuded a sense of authority. "This matter must not be leaked. Anyone who dares to reveal it will be severely punished by the Dou family!"
Then, he looked at Steward Chen and asked, "Your Highness, where...?"
"Don't worry, Lord Dou. Consort Shu has ordered that the matter not be spread. However... as for His Highness the Crown Prince, Miss Mingyan will probably still have to give a proper answer."
Dou Mingyan pinched her fair palms until they almost bled, biting her lip, "Thank you for the reminder, Granny. I will explain to Si Yan myself. He won't blame me."
Dou Wenyi gave her a deep look.
Dou Mingyan's marriage to the Crown Prince happened suddenly three months ago, and there was no earth-shattering deep affection between the two.
Even after such a scandalous incident... how could she be so sure that Pei Siyan wouldn't blame her, or that he couldn't live without her?
Just now, she had sent Cuizhi to find Lin Zhiyi in advance, and also to pass on the news that Dou Mingyan was in danger to Xie Guidu.
He did not disappoint him. As soon as he heard that Dou Mingyan was in danger, he immediately abandoned the poetry gathering and resolutely jumped into the water to save her.
Dou Mingyan deliberately destroyed the zither, intending to provoke her, make her lose her temper, and make her push her into the water.
However, she was already on guard and hadn't fallen for her trick at the Cuiyu Pavilion. Dou Mingyan had no choice but to settle for second best and staged a scene of falling into the water herself.
She had planned everything meticulously, but she had overlooked Xie Guidu's deep affection for her.
Dou Wenyi originally intended to use this opportunity to expose their affair, but everyone would help cover it up, and the matter would simply fade away.
What she couldn't understand was why Dou Mingyan went to such lengths, actively trying to arrange her marriage with Xie Guidu while simultaneously framing her.
In her previous life, Dou Mingyan seemed to avoid her at all costs, or more accurately, she avoided her meeting with Pei Siyan.
A thought flashed through her mind: Was she worried that he would threaten her marriage?
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