Given the current situation, Deng Hongyi, the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, made a decisive decision and immediately announced the suspension of the trial.
Under the pretext of protecting important witnesses, they forcefully suppressed the chaos inside and outside the hall.
He immediately arranged for yamen runners to almost beg and carry the dazed Zheng Huiyin and Chunying away from the eye of the storm and into a quiet room in the back hall.
He dared not close the government office, for that would be tantamount to burying his head in the sand.
In the main hall, he forced himself to continue hearing the remaining minor cases, but his mind had already wandered to the back hall.
Previously, he had entrusted his most trusted confidant, Chief Clerk Du, with the core message being:
Get rid of this hot potato at all costs! Send it away quickly and gracefully!
The atmosphere in the back room was so oppressive it was suffocating.
Zheng Huiyin sat in the chair, her eyes vacant and her expression blank, as if her soul had been ripped from her body.
Registrar Du stood cautiously a few steps away, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
"Miss Zheng? You... how did you end up among the witnesses?"
Registrar Du had just rushed to ask the yamen runner in charge of registration, and there were no records of these two people in the case file.
They seemed to have fallen into the backyard of the Jingzhao Prefecture out of thin air, and were then brought to court as if by some strange twist of fate.
His official career had been full of ups and downs, but this was the first time he had encountered such a bizarre event.
Seeing her young mistress's distraught state, Chunying felt a pang of heartache and couldn't help but speak up: "We were..."
"Chunying!" Zheng Huiyin abruptly interrupted her, her chest heaving violently like a dying fish.
Overwhelming resentment and boundless hatred almost consumed her; she desperately wanted to tear open the truth at all costs!
But... a sliver of remaining reason held back the mad horse in his heart.
To fight against the imperial heir? With what means could she possibly fight against him?
Relying on her grandfather, the Duke of Zheng, who could easily abandon her for the sake of his family's reputation?
Or should we rely on her parents, who avoid her like the plague?
“Heh…hehehe…” Zheng Huiyin suddenly chuckled softly.
The laughter grew louder and louder, carrying a chilling madness that echoed through the silent room like the mournful cry of an owl.
Du, the registrar, felt a sudden unease, realizing that this young lady might have truly been driven mad by the shock.
Just as Clerk Du was sweating profusely and almost rushed out the door to call for a doctor, Zheng Huiyin's laughter abruptly stopped.
She abruptly raised her head, her once bright and sparkling eyes now only filled with a stagnant coldness and an almost cruel clarity, staring intently at Registrar Du: "This..."
"My surname is Du, and I am the Registrar of the Capital Prefecture." Registrar Du quickly bowed and greeted the officials, adopting an extremely humble posture.
Even in this disheveled state, the woman before me is still the eldest daughter of the Duke's mansion.
Moreover, given the current bizarre situation, he only wanted to get rid of this plague god as soon as possible and absolutely did not want to be involved in anything.
Zheng Huiyin took a deep breath, as if using all her strength, to suppress the crazed look on her face and put on a numb mask that was so calm it was almost eerie:
"Lord Du, we were indeed kidnapped by villains, but fortunately we were not seriously injured."
She deliberately emphasized the word "substance".
"Many thanks to the Jingzhao Prefecture for their timely assistance. The Duke's Mansion will surely offer a generous reward later."
Registrar Du's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said, "Miss Zheng, you flatter me. It is all within our duties."
Zheng Huiyin completely ignored his politeness and continued in that cold tone:
"I would like to trouble Lord Du to spread this message far and wide, especially regarding some key details... make sure they match up."
She stared into Clerk Du's eyes and gave clear, deliberate instructions, word by word.
"For example, on what day, at what time, and where did the villains abduct us?"
Because they knew my identity and intended to extort money from me, they didn't resort to any underhanded methods.
If Clerk Du still can't understand, then he might as well give up on his official career.
Out of the corner of his eye, he involuntarily glanced at the glaring dark brown bloodstains on his lower garment, his heart trembled, but he dared not look closely, much less delve into the possible truth behind the bloodstains.
He immediately understood Zheng Huiyin's intention: she needed a respectable official explanation that could preserve her reputation to the greatest extent possible.
"Your humble servant understands!"
The prefect was maintaining order in the main hall and couldn't possibly come in person, so Clerk Du had to make the decision himself, and he had to do it quickly.
"The case file will be personally written by me, and every detail will be meticulously prepared without any omissions. The criminal will also be informed."
"In that case, thank you very much, Lord Du."
Zheng Huiyin nodded slightly, her posture still retaining the noble demeanor she always had.
However, given her current description, it seems incredibly ironic.
"Please provide another place to wash up, sir, as I need to return to the main hall later."
"Yes, I will arrange it immediately. Please follow me, young lady."
Du, the registrar, felt as if he had been granted a pardon and immediately arranged for someone to guide him to a clean guest room in the backyard.
He then ordered someone to quickly bring hot water, clean clothes, and toiletries.
The door closed, leaving only the master and servant inside.
The breath that had been supporting Zheng Huiyin instantly dissipated, her legs went weak, and she was about to collapse to the ground.
Chunying hurriedly used all her strength to support her and helped her sit down.
The feigned calm on Zheng Huiyin's face shattered completely, leaving only endless sorrow and self-mockery.
How ridiculous... how utterly ridiculous!
Not long ago, she was fantasizing about feigning friendship with Qin Zhaoyue, using her power to gain influence, and even coveting the title of Duke of the State.
How naive and foolish we were!
Hatred! An overwhelming hatred burned like poisonous fire within her!
However, beneath this hatred lies a bottomless bitterness and helplessness.
The Duke's mansion was willing to abandon her once for the sake of its reputation, but now that her reputation is ruined and she has become a disgrace to the family, how could she possibly gain any support?
As for luck... Zheng Huiyin closed her eyes.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
