Ling Chen wasn't really sympathetic to Shen Mingyi; he was just curious about what he had done to deserve such a ruthless act from the Crown Prince.
"He hurt Yu'er." Zhou Xingzhi said coldly, his eyes churning with dark undercurrents. Although his tone was extremely indifferent, it still sent chills down one's spine, as if one were being stared at by a venomous snake.
Ling Chen paused in his fanning, the image of Song Zhiyu's exquisite and beautiful face flashing through his mind. His narrow, fox-like eyes narrowed slightly. "Then he really deserves to die."
Jiang Huai promptly reported all the information he had gathered: "For many years, Shen's Clothing Shop has been using inferior goods instead of superior ones, constantly suppressing other clothing shops in the capital with dirty methods."
After bankrupting dozens of well-known clothing stores, they bought their unsold clothes at low prices and then resold them at high prices.
Moreover, the several unique clothing designs created by Shen's Clothing Workshop were obtained through underhanded means, snatched from others and appropriated for their own use.
The Shen family's clothing workshop was able to gain fame in the capital in just a few years by using these underhanded methods.
"Your Highness probably won't let him off so easily," Ling Chen said with certainty, even a hint of interest in his voice.
He had known Zhou Xingzhi for many years and had some understanding of his personality.
This person appears cold and indifferent, like a gentle breeze and a clear moon, seemingly unconcerned with anything.
But in reality, Zhou Xingzhi was a paranoid madman. His upright and self-restrained demeanor was a facade; his true nature was treacherous and cunning.
If you offend him, you won't even know how you died.
Song Zhiyu was someone Zhou Xingzhi cherished. He had finally won her heart and loved her dearly, but now she had been bullied by someone else. He had to teach her a lesson.
Zhou Xingzhi didn't reply, but stared intently at Shen Mingyi, who was surrounded by the crowd, through the window. His cool fingertips gently caressed the jade thumb ring on his hand, without a trace of a smile on his face.
*
The following day, at the Imperial Palace.
As soon as the morning court session ended, Shen Feng had just stepped out of the Golden Palace when several courtiers behind him, seeing that he seemed completely unaffected, couldn't help but whisper among themselves, remembering the rumor that had spread throughout the capital.
"This Marquis Chengen has a really thick skin; he even covets the rewards his own daughter received."
"That's right. When coercion and bribery failed, he resorted to murder and even burned down the ancestral hall. If the ancestors of the Shen family knew that they had such an unfilial descendant, they would probably be turning in their graves."
The two voices were not loud, but they clearly reached Shen Feng's ears not far away.
He stopped walking, his eyes widened in disbelief, and his face visibly darkened.
Are those two people behind him talking about him? Is he shameless? Is he scheming to steal his own daughter's reward?
This is utterly absurd!
He wanted to force Song Zhiyu to compromise and make her use the promise made by the Empress Dowager to find a powerful in-law family for Shen Rushan, thus helping his career.
But he wasn't foolish enough to burn down the ancestral hall and watch Song Zhiyu die in the Marquis's mansion, causing unnecessary trouble.
Who exactly spread this rumor?
Shen Feng grew angrier the more he listened, but the two men spoke with such conviction that it was as if they had actually witnessed him sending people to burn down the ancestral hall.
No wonder he felt that the ministers were looking at him strangely when he went to court today; that's where the problem lay.
A surge of nameless rage rose within Shen Feng. He had long ago ordered a complete cover-up of the fire at the ancestral hall, forbidding anyone to reveal a single word of it.
The servants in the mansion would not dare to spread rumors without his orders, except for Song Zhiyu.
Shen Feng was breathing heavily, feeling a faint disdain in the gazes of the surrounding ministers, making him feel like he was being pricked by thorns.
Having held a high position for many years, he had never been so humiliated.
Shen Feng wore a long face and looked listless, avoiding the probing and mocking gazes, and quickened his pace.
"Lord Shen, please wait."
His cool voice was deep and calm, yet it contained an extremely strong sense of intimidation, which made him stop in his tracks.
When Shen Feng turned to face Pei Qingyan, his expression had changed completely. He said with a forced smile, "What brings you here, Lord Pei?"
"Having heard that the ancestral hall of the Marquis of Chengen's residence caught fire, I came here specifically to inquire whether those imprisoned inside by the Marquis are alright?"
Pei Qingyan walked slowly from not far away, wearing a deep red court robe that outlined his well-proportioned and slender figure. The sleeves of the robe, embroidered with gold cloud patterns, swayed gently with his movements, revealing a gentle and refined temperament.
Even Shen Feng, who had always disliked Pei Qingyan, had to admit that Shen Rushan was no match for him in terms of either appearance or talent.
This realization displeased Shen Feng, who then coldly snorted, "This is my family matter, and Lord Pei need not concern himself with it."
Pei Qingyan smiled, ignoring Shen Feng's cold face, and slowly rolled up his sleeves. "I have no intention of interfering in the Marquis's family affairs, but there is one thing I must say."
"Your Excellency should be well aware of my protective nature; Zhiyu is my sister. If she were to fall and get injured at the Marquis's residence, I would not let it go unpunished."
"Are you threatening me?" Being threatened to his face by a junior, Shen Feng's expression was more unpleasant than ever before.
But what he couldn't understand even more was why so many people were standing up for Song Zhiyu.
The eldest princess is, the crown prince is, and even Pei Qingyan is. She's really capable!
"Why do you say that, Lord Marquis? I was just speaking offhand. After all, Zhiyu is your own daughter. Even a tiger wouldn't eat its own cub."
"If Lord Marquis has done nothing wrong, he naturally has nothing to fear. Look at me, I'm just too worried to think straight." Pei Qingyan shook his head with a laugh, as if he really was just saying it casually.
Shen Feng snorted coldly, not taking Pei Qingyan's threat to heart. "Song Zhiyu is my own daughter, and I can naturally discipline her. It is Lord Pei, an outsider, who is overstepping his bounds."
The current emperor values filial piety, and those who are unfilial and disrespectful to their elders will be despised by the world.
As long as Song Zhiyu is his daughter, he has the right to "discipline" her, and no matter what others say, he is always right.
Pei Qingyan lowered his eyelids, his face tinged with sarcasm. His usually cool and gentle voice now seemed to carry thorns, pricking people painfully, "If parents are not kind, how can daughters be filial? The rumors that the Marquis dotes on his adopted daughter and mistreats his biological daughter are known throughout the city."
While Your Majesty values filial piety, you do not advocate blind obedience. If one's father is unkind and one's mother unloving, how is that different from being an orphan? How then can one speak of filial piety?
The three consecutive questions left Shen Feng speechless, and he was so frightened by Shen Feng's imposing aura that he broke out in a cold sweat.
When it comes to eloquence, Shen Feng is far inferior to Pei Qingyan.
This move is tantamount to inviting humiliation upon oneself.
Since Shen Feng wanted to bring up filial piety, Pei Qingyan went along with it.
The two stood facing each other, yet their postures were quite different. Pei Qingyan spoke calmly, his expression composed, and his every move exuded a refined and scholarly air.
Even though he managed to drive Shen Feng to the brink of collapse with just a few words, leaving him with no room for argument, to outsiders, it seemed as if Shen Feng, with his cold expression, was the more aggressive one.
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