Chapter 154: Trial by Three Courts
In the main hall of the Shen family, the startled Old Madam Shen left the yard, and Shen Ning finally saw her nominal grandmother.
However, the atmosphere of the first formal meeting between the grandparents and grandchildren was not harmonious.
At this moment, Madam Shen and Shen Xiuhe were sitting at the top, Xie Yunqing was sitting next to Shen Xiuhe, Shen Ning was standing there, Qiyue was standing next to her, and the one kneeling was the maid who threw the tray and screamed.
The maidservant was trembling and framing Shen Ning: "The eldest young master asked this maidservant to bring snacks to the second young lady. As soon as this maidservant walked to the gate of the Lotus Pond Garden, she saw from a distance that the maidservant beside the eldest young lady knocked Madam Xue to the ground."
The little girl trembled and said, "I thought it was just the eldest lady scolding Madam Xue, but then I saw Madam Xue lying on the ground motionless, with blood at the corner of her mouth. Only then did I realize something was wrong and screamed in fear."
After the maid finished speaking, Madam Shen slammed her hand on the table and said, "Chen Ning, kneel down!"
The old lady's face was icy. "As a rich lady, you are so domineering and vicious. Mrs. Xue only offended you yesterday, and you slapped her in public, not enough, but you actually beat her to death? My Shen family has been around for decades, and there has never been an incident of a servant being beaten and killed for no reason. You are really kind!"
Shen Nian held a handkerchief and sobbed softly beside her, and asked the housekeeper beside her in a low voice: "How is Mother Xue?"
The housekeeper shook his head: "The doctor said that the sternum is broken, I'm afraid it won't make it."
Shen Nian sobbed, but suppressed it again.
Shen Ning retracted her gaze and looked at Madam Shen who was sitting above her. She spoke loudly, "If you are here to pay your respects to Grandmother, it is only natural for your granddaughter to kowtow. But now, Grandmother wants me to confess my guilt, so I cannot kneel. After all, I am innocent."
Shen Chengxi gritted his teeth: "The evidence is conclusive, what else do you have to say? Xue deserves to be beaten, but the crime is not punishable by death. How can you be so domineering and actually want to kill someone."
Shen Ning suddenly asked him: "Did you instruct your girl to frame me? Shen Chengxi."
Shen Chengxi was furious: "What are you doing here? You dare to call me brother by my name!"
Chen Ning said, "If it's not you, then your maid was bribed... In this mansion, I think there are not many people who can bribe the maids around the young master."
She glanced at the people in the room and curled her lips: "Why, do you want to give me a bad reputation for being arrogant and disregarding human life?"
At this moment, a group of people came in from outside, and the housekeeper came forward to report: "Old Madam, Master, Madam, the aunt is back. She heard that something happened in the mansion, so she came directly here."
As they were talking, a lady in gorgeous clothes, supported by her maid, walked into the main hall: "Mother... your daughter is back."
The person who came was none other than Old Lady Shen’s daughter, Shen Xiang, Shen Xiuhe’s elder sister, and now the Princess of a County.
Because of her status, Shen Xiang naturally sat on the other side of Old Madam Shen as soon as she entered the main hall, looking down at Shen Ning from a high position.
"When I heard Ningning was home, I, as her aunt, couldn't wait to come see my long-lost niece...but I never expected something like this to happen."
As she spoke, Shen Xiang looked at Shen Ning, her charming face showing some grief and sorrow: "The whole family has waited so long, and finally found him back. How could he develop such a domineering and cruel temper? He would beat and kill people at the slightest disagreement... What a pity."
Just as Shen Ning was about to speak, Xie Yunqing spoke first: “It’s a pity that it’s my job as a mother, so my sister shouldn’t rush to solve the case for my family.”
Shen Xiang choked, then curled her lips: "Even if I feel sorry for my daughter, my younger sister should also know the difference between the important and the unimportant. If she makes a mistake, she must be punished. Otherwise, if she continues to be spoiled and indulged, what will happen to her if she continues to be spoiled and indulged?"
Xie Yunqing slammed the table. "What did my daughter do wrong? Why would you punish her? How can you convict the eldest daughter of the mansion just because of the words of a lowly servant? If you can't judge cases like this, why don't you take the position of Jingzhao prefect?"
Shen Xiang's arrogant words were all rebuffed, and she snorted, "I'm not as eloquent as you, but I also know what's right and wrong. However, someone still has the final say in this family. Brother, you must not let your sister-in-law spoil our daughter. Spoiling a girl is harmful to her."
Shen Xiuhe finally spoke, and he asked Shen Chengxi directly: "Did you ask that girl to deliver the snacks?"
Shen Chengxi shouted: "Father, are you doubting me? Even if I don't like Shen Ning's personality, I will never hurt her no matter what."
Shen Ning snorted and laughed: "If I didn't know my brother's attitude towards me, the girl in your yard probably wouldn't dare to do anything to frame the master."
Without waiting for anyone else to speak, Shen Ning slowly said, "It's actually very simple. Isn't Mrs. Xue still alive? As long as she's not dead, she can be revived in my hands... I'll wake her up, and you'll know once you ask her."
Madam Shen frowned: "The doctor has already said that the patient is dying, do you think you can save him?"
Shen Xiang chuckled beside him.
At this moment, a voice suddenly came from outside.
"The imperial edict has arrived..."
Imperial edict?
Shen Xiuhe was stunned for a moment, then quickly stood up and went out.
Old Madam Shen was immediately helped up by her daughter and went out to greet them, feeling a surge of surprise in her heart.
Their Shen family has never received an imperial edict. This is the first time in history. What happened?
The eldest daughter of the Xie family was made a concubine, but even with the help of Concubine Xie, the imperial edict could not reach their Shen family.
Chen Xiuhe, the Minister of Rites, had done nothing wrong, and was hardly favored by anyone. So, what was going on?
When the Shen family arrived in the yard, the eunuch who was in charge of announcing the imperial edict was already standing there, with boxes being carried in at a rapid speed behind him. The eunuch then opened the imperial edict and began to announce it to the Shen family members who were kneeling in the yard.
"By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: Shen Ning, daughter of the Shen family, is gifted with great talent..."
At first, Old Lady Shen was shocked and thought that Shen Ning was going to enter the palace, but then she heard the rest of the text. However, the latter words in the imperial edict surprised the old lady even more.
Was he meritorious in rescuing the royal heir and his concubines?
Shen Ning saved the prince?
When did this happen... Chen Ning went to the palace yesterday and today. If she really had done something great, there wasn't even a whisper of it in the palace.
But the rewards had already arrived, not only from the emperor, but also from the empress and Concubine Ma. There were several boxes of them, which was dazzling.
Even Shen Xiang, the princess of a county, was dumbfounded.
Shen Xiang married the virtuous king Xiao Yuanfeng. It would be better to call him the idle king instead of the virtuous king. He only had the title of prince but no real power. It just sounded nice. Therefore, Shen Xiang had no idea what was going on in the palace.
At this moment, looking at those rewards that looked much better than the things in her Prince's Mansion's warehouse, Shen Xiang's eyes were almost wide open.
Just now they were in the process of holding a trial to determine the guilt, but at this moment, looking at the rewards filling the yard, everyone was speechless.
It was not until the eunuch who announced the decree took the reward from Xie Yunqing and left that the Shen family came to their senses.
Chen Xiuhe was particularly surprised: "Ningning saved Ma Cairen from childbirth and saved the royal heir?"
Xie Yunqing chuckled beside him, "Yes, my daughter is very capable but she doesn't flaunt it. I originally wanted to keep this a low profile and tell my family about it, but I didn't expect something like this to happen today."
Xie Yunqing felt that the old lady must be causing trouble, so he looked at her and said, "Ningning also said that as long as the person is still breathing, she can save him. So, it's too early to say anything today."
After saying this, Xie Yunqing looked coldly at the little girl kneeling on the ground and still trembling: "Wait until she wakes up in two days. If I find out that this lowly slave is the one who caused this, I will make her wish for death!"
The little maidservant was shaking like a sieve, but she bit her lips tightly and said nothing.
Shen Chengxi frowned slightly, feeling that Shen Ning didn't seem to feel guilty at all. Could it be that she really didn't do it?
Was that a false accusation by this girl?
Shen Chengxi frowned and stared at the maid on the ground.
"Ningning, if the person is sent to you, can you save him?" asked Shen Xiuhe.
Shen Ning said without hesitation: "Of course, please rest assured, father, mother and grandmother, I will let people speak within two days."
Shen Xiang calmly tugged at her mother's sleeve, her eyes darting towards the boxes.
Old Madam Shen snorted, "Of course the Shen family won't be swayed by the words of a servant. Let's wait until Mrs. Xue wakes up before discussing this matter. Come, put these rewards into the warehouse..."
"Don't rush to put it into storage."
Xie Yunqing spoke slowly, "These are all gifts given to Ningning by the nobles in the palace. From now on, they will all be Ningning's dowry. Qingcheng, go register them first and then count them one by one and put them in the small storeroom. Don't make any mistakes."
Green orange should be a blessing.
Old Madam Shen couldn't help but tighten her grip on her daughter's arm, and managed to hold back from making a sound.
If it is directly put into the warehouse, it will be the property of the Shen family's official warehouse. She also has the key to the official warehouse... But if it is registered and put into the private warehouse, then it will be the private property of the little girl Shen Ning.
These things are worth at least several thousand taels!
But these things were indeed awarded to Chen Ning by the palace. According to the rules, the rewards given to the younger generation are their own private belongings... No one can say anything.
Shen Ning smiled at Xie Yunqing: "Then I'll trouble my mother to put it away for me."
Xie Yunqing's eyes instantly turned loving, and she said softly to her daughter, "Ningning, don't worry. Your mother will keep your things for you. Not even a needle will be missing."
Shen Nian slowly lowered her eyes and secretly clenched the handkerchief in her hand...
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