In the main hall.
Gu Han was kneeling before the Duke of Pingguo and his wife, and kowtowed three times.
"How can you kneel? Help him up quickly!" Duke Pingguo said urgently.
The constable just now clearly stated that the medicine seller and his servant have already confessed in prison, and they will be brought to trial again tomorrow for sentencing.
Gu Shen's marquisate is likely to be revoked, so wouldn't Gu Han have to immediately inherit the marquisate?
Gu Han will soon be the Marquis of Ningguo!
Servants immediately stepped forward to help him up, but Gu Han refused to get up: "This is what Gu Han should thank you for. If it weren't for you, how could Gu Han have overturned the case?"
Lady Pingguo said, "It's all thanks to Jiaojiao."
Gu Han nodded happily: "Yes."
"Gu Han." At this moment, Li Jiaojiao walked in excitedly.
Gu Han quickly stepped forward and took her hand: "Jiaojiao, the court will be held tomorrow, and this matter is almost certain to be resolved... This is all thanks to you. Without you, how could I, Gu Han, have had this day when my injustice was redressed?"
Li Jiaojiao said smugly, "Hmph, you know that now, you must spoil me a lot from now on! Be good to me."
Lady Pingguo looked at them with great satisfaction: "Granny Yu, tell the kitchen that we'll celebrate tonight."
"This old servant will go down now."
Granny Yu was also very happy. Gu Han was about to return to the Ningguo Marquis's residence, and Li Jiaojiao would be going there soon as well. It was truly a joyous occasion!
The following day, the long-awaited trial of the Marquis of Ningguo for framing his own son by poisoning him finally resumed in the capital, and the area outside was already packed with people.
The Duke of Pingguo's mansion had reserved a VIP seat for the guests in the same hall well in advance, and they sat behind the screen.
Shortly after, Prefect Song arrived and then took his seat in court.
Besides Prefect Song, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was also sitting to the side.
Gu Han knelt below the hall.
Gu Shen, Mei Shi, and Gu Yang were all brought out, along with a medicine seller and Gu Han's former servant.
After some questioning, both the medicine seller and the servant confessed.
They identified the person who came to buy medicine back then as the steward beside Gu Shen.
Gu Shen couldn't blame the steward, because all the items had been found in his room.
Finally, Prefect Song slammed his gavel down:
"After investigation by this official and the Court of Judicial Review, it has been determined that Gu Han was framed for poisoning Gu Shen, and that Gu Shen was the one who cried wolf. However, since Gu Shen holds a noble title, his punishment must be decided by His Majesty himself! Now, take the prisoner back and adjourn the court."
Gu Han excitedly cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Your Excellency!"
Gu Shen and Madam Mei glared at him with hatred before being led away by the constables.
Gu Yang was completely stunned, as if he had lost his soul, and followed behind them.
Behind the screen, Li Jiaojiao and the Duchess of Pingguo were filled with excitement—it was a success!
Li Jiaojiao hurriedly ran out, helped Gu Han up, and then turned back to Prefect Song, asking, "What about the marquisate? When will my Gu Han inherit the title?"
Prefect Song said speechlessly, "As I just said, the Emperor decides how Gu Shen and the others will be punished. Naturally, the Emperor will also decide on their titles."
Li Jiaojiao was extremely anxious: "Then...when can a decision be made?"
Prefect Song's face hardened: "Hey, is that something you can ask?"
Li Jiaojiao was startled.
Gu Han quickly shielded her behind him and bowed to Prefect Song, saying, "Sir, Jiao Jiao is just being childish, please don't hold it against her."
......
The next morning.
At the morning court session, Prefect Song reported the verdict: "It was indeed Gu Shen who did it. Please, Your Majesty, make your decision."
Behind the curtain, Empress Dowager Shen said calmly, "Marquis Ningguo, Gu Shen, poisoned his own son, deceived the late Emperor, forced his first wife to her death, and sought to seize the title of Marquis Ningguo. He shall be punished with thirty strokes of the cane and imprisoned for thirty years. Lady Mei was an accomplice and shall also be punished with thirty strokes of the cane and imprisoned for thirty years. Although Gu Yang was unaware of the truth, he is unworthy to be the heir apparent and shall be stripped of his title."
"As for the title of Marquis..."
Grand Tutor Gao said, "Your Majesty... Although the Marquis of Ningguo is vicious, he has made great military achievements. Even if his descendants are unworthy, the title of Marquis must still be passed down."
Empress Dowager Shen raised an eyebrow: "I never said I wanted to abolish it. As for who the successor is... let's leave that to Old Madam Gu!"
This was already a family matter, and Grand Tutor Gao and the others had no objections.
......
The Shen family—
Ye Caiping and the Shen family had just finished lunch when Grandpa Yu arrived:
"The matter of the Marquis of Ningguo's mansion has been settled. He will be given thirty strokes of the cane and then serve another thirty years in prison."
Ye Caiping and the others felt relieved after hearing this.
Madam Shen asked, "Then who will be the next Marquis of Ningguo? Who will be the heir? Is it that Gu Han?"
Eunuch Yu said, "Regarding the selection of the next Marquis of Ningguo, Old Madam Gu has always had her own ideas, and she has been sending visiting cards to Her Majesty for some time now."
"But Her Majesty is busy with state affairs and has no time to summon her. Therefore, Her Majesty plans to summon her at the Imperial Flower Courtyard after 11:30 PM."
"Oh, and Gu Han and his group too, call them over as well. Let's see what we say."
"Her Majesty said that you and the old lady and the princess might be interested in coming to take a look."
Shen Manman smiled and said, "Of course I want to see it, after all, it concerns my marriage."
Eunuch Yu glanced at her with a smile: "Princess, you can rest assured. No matter what, Her Majesty will never allow you to marry into the Gu family."
"Then I want to see it too."
"Alright, Your Highness, didn't you know the Princess loves to join in the fun? Did you come here specifically to inform you?"
"We're all going!"
Duke Ping's Mansion——
Li Jiaojiao and the Duke of Pingguo's family were receiving a young eunuch in the hall.
The young eunuch said, "Her Majesty has summoned Young Master Gu to the palace to decide on the matter of who will inherit the title of Marquis."
Li Jiaojiao frowned: "What do you mean by 'issue of ownership'? Isn't it just my Gu Han inheriting the title?"
The young eunuch's face hardened, startling the Duchess of Pingguo. She quickly stepped in front of Li Jiaojiao and said with a smile, "Please forgive her, sir. Jiaojiao is young and doesn't know any better."
The young eunuch chuckled: "You're not young anymore."
"Yes, yes, yes... Can we go with Gu Han then?" asked the Duchess of Pingguo.
"Can."
"Thank you, Eunuch." Gu Han suppressed his excitement and cupped his hands in thanks.
Lady Pingguo quickly slipped a purse to the young eunuch, who then left.
Lady Pingguo looked at Li Jiaojiao with some reproach: "That is an angel, how can you be so rude?"
Li Jiaojiao choked. How had she been rude?
Now is not the time to worry about that: "What about the title..."
Gu Han looked at her and said, "Don't worry, it's a sure thing. Her Majesty values me and wants to bestow the title upon me personally!"
Li Jiaojiao was overjoyed: "That's wonderful! Oh, right, wasn't there an imperial decree bestowing a marriage upon that woman? It was about Shen Manman..."
She pursed her lips.
Gu Han said indulgently, "You can rest assured. In my heart, a thousand Shen Manmans are not as good as a single hair on your head."
“Gu Yang is no longer the heir apparent, and the late emperor’s decree was to grant the heir apparent the right to be with the one he loves, so the name he filled in will not count. I will fill in your name then.”
Li Jiaojiao's face immediately turned bright red: "Mmm~~"
Soon, she will be the wife of the heir apparent, or even the wife of a marquis.
And it was an imperial decree that granted them the marriage!
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