"What intrigues me most is that the assassin who killed Miss Song was also a Yellow-rank bounty hunter from the Mo Clan."
Is there any connection between these two things? Pei Qingyan pressed his advantage, launching a three-part barrage of questions that forced Shen Jinxiu into a retreat, leaving her with no room for rebuttal.
Pei Qingyan didn't give Shen Jinxiu a chance to refute. The evidence was conclusive, and he had the right to take her back for interrogation. "Guards, take Miss Shen back to the Dali Temple. I will interrogate her personally."
"Mother, save me. I don't want to go to the Dali Temple, I don't want to die." Shen Jinxiu held onto the Third Madam's hand tightly, tears streaming down her face.
Hiring someone to commit murder is a serious crime, and the Chu family will not let her off the hook. She will definitely die.
"Brother, please save her, for the sake of Jinxiu calling you uncle." The Third Madam watched helplessly as Shen Jinxiu was taken away by the guards, and knelt down in front of Shen Feng, crying and begging.
Shen Feng shook off the Third Madam, glanced at the Crown Prince and Prince Li out of the corner of his eye, and put on a righteous and awe-inspiring posture, "If only you had known this would happen, you wouldn't have done it in the first place!"
She had no intention of harming anyone, and she wouldn't have ended up like this. I, the Marquis, don't have such a vicious niece.
Seeing that it wouldn't work with Shen Feng, the Third Madam gritted her teeth and grabbed Shen Jinshu's hand. For the first time, a thought flashed through her mind. "Shu'er, Jinxiu did all this to harm people because of you. Please, Third Aunt, save her."
If you just say a few good words to His Highness Prince Li, Jinxiu can be saved. I beg you, Third Aunt.
Jinxiu and Chu Sangyue were not familiar with each other, and there would be no conflict between them. If it weren't for helping Shen Jinshu become the Princess Consort, she wouldn't have harmed anyone.
Now that Jinxiu is in trouble, why can Shen Jinshu act like nothing happened?
Madam Shen's words not only tore off Shen Jinshu's hypocritical mask, but also dragged Prince Li into it, successfully arousing the dissatisfaction of Grand Tutor Chu.
"Third Aunt, what are you saying? I know you're worried about Jinxiu, but I know nothing about this matter, and it has nothing to do with His Highness Prince Li. Don't make baseless accusations." Shen Jinshu was shocked and hurriedly looked at Prince Li's reaction, her heart filled with hatred for the Third Madam and her daughter.
Two fools, one did something wrong but was so stupid that he was caught red-handed, and the other made wild accusations that displeased the King.
She never explicitly told Shen Jinxiu that she wanted to harm Chu Sangyue; she only complained to her a couple of times, and that idiot Shen Jinxiu actually did it.
All of this was Shen Jinxiu's own decision; what does it have to do with her?
"I never knew my third brother was so capable, that he could even interfere with the verdict of the Dali Temple." Zhou Xingzhi coldly watched this farce and said this casually, but it shocked the Prince of Li and made him break out in a cold sweat.
If these words were to reach the emperor's ears, they would likely incur his displeasure.
The emperor was biased towards the crown prince and had no tolerance for the other princes.
He had bided his time for many years, painstakingly building his own power, enduring the suppression from the emperor and the crown prince, and could not afford to make the slightest mistake.
As for the route involving Grand Tutor Chu, it seems that that's also a dead end.
"Your Majesty, do not listen to this woman's nonsense." Prince Li only panicked for a moment before regaining his usual composure, but he had already blamed the Marquis's Mansion and Shen Jinshu for this.
Shen Mingyi yanked the Third Madam aside and, dragging his weak body, stood in front of Shen Jinshu, saying, "Third Aunt, you've gone mad. Shen Jinxiu has made a mistake and should be punished. How can Shu'er save her?"
"It wasn't Shu'er who asked Jinxiu to harm people. I can understand your feelings, and I respect you as an elder."
"But if you continue to slander Shu'er and make trouble, don't blame me for being impolite." Shen Yanxi also stood in front of Shen Jinshu, his eyes blazing with anger, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
Shen Muxun also silently stood next to Shen Jinshu, making his position and attitude clear, "Third Aunt, we will definitely find a way to save Jinxiu's life, please calm down first."
"Mother, I believe in Shu'er. Jinxiu's matter has nothing to do with Shu'er. Don't act impulsively and harm our Third Branch." Shen Jinxiu's twin brother, Shen Zhexu, tugged at the Third Madam's sleeve and lowered his voice to comfort her.
He trusted the gentle and quiet Shen Jinshu more than his arrogant and domineering younger sister.
Madam Shen looked at her own son in disbelief, then at the three Shen brothers, Shen Mingyi, Shen Jinshu, who were standing in front of her and staring at her warily. A similar scene suddenly flashed through her mind.
At that time, Song Zhiyu was on the opposite side; she was just adding fuel to the fire.
Now, the tables have turned, and she suddenly understands Song Zhiyu a little better.
In the past, she always made Jinxiu flatter and fawn over Shen Jinshu, partly so that Shen Jinshu would not forget to find a good husband for Jinxiu when he became rich and powerful, and also not forget to help their third branch of the family.
On the other hand, she, like the people in front of her, believed that Shen Jinshu was kind-hearted and that Jinxiu would be doing the right thing by being with her.
Only today did she realize that she was completely wrong.
Song Zhiyu looked at the familiar scene before her with a smile. If it were before, she might have felt heartache.
But now, her emotions were completely calm, and she even felt like laughing.
"What are you laughing at?" Shen Yuzhou found Song Zhiyu's smile particularly irritating and couldn't help but ask.
Song Zhiyu glanced at him, her smile widening, and said, enunciating each word clearly, "What's it to you?"
"..." Shen Yuzhou choked, not knowing how to respond for a moment.
Seeing the bright smile on Song Zhiyu's face, Shen Yuzhou's breath hitched.
He seemed to have never seen Song Zhiyu so lively and cheerful before. In his memory, she was always obedient and well-behaved, trying her best to please everyone in the mansion.
But now, her smile is so lively, radiant, and exuberant.
Is this how she should be?
Shen Yuzhou suddenly felt a throbbing pain in his chest, as if something was gradually leaving him.
"Why aren't you taking them away? Haven't you embarrassed the Marquis's mansion enough already?!" Shen Feng roared at Shen Tao, who was standing in the corner. With Madam Shen's outburst, they had offended everyone.
"Shen Jinshu, you will die a horrible death!" As Shen Tao dragged Madam Shen away, she continued to shout and curse, her expression deranged.
Shen Feng caught up with Grand Tutor Chu and flattered him, "Grand Tutor Chu, Shen Jinxiu has been taken to the Dali Temple for questioning. The Marquis of Chengen's mansion will no longer interfere in this matter, so you can do whatever you want."
With the outcome already decided, and Shen Jinxiu no longer of any use, he could only do his best to mitigate the losses, let the Chu family vent their anger, and prevent them from making things difficult for the Marquis's mansion any further.
"The Marquis of Chengen is as despicable as ever," Grand Tutor Chu sneered, uttering these embarrassing words before turning and leaving.
He will certainly teach Shen Jinxiu a lesson, but he will not let the Chengen Marquis's Mansion, which protected her, go unpunished.
"The show's over, let's go." Song Zhiyu looked at Shen Feng's face, which was as black as the bottom of a pot, with satisfaction, and left quietly.
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