“Young Lady Ling, I’m sorry, I wasn’t there at the scene and didn’t see it with my own eyes, so I can’t just say whether I believe it or not. That wouldn’t be fair to my little sister,” He Yanhan said coldly.
Hmm? Hong Xiaoduo looked at the other party with considerable surprise after hearing this. Yuheng, this fourth brother, is not bad.
“Father, Mother, since Lady Ling insists that my younger sister pushed her into the water, I think it would be better to let the authorities handle this matter, so that people won’t say that our royal family is protecting its own.” The eldest son, He Yanxiu, gave his fourth brother an approving look and then stood up to speak.
Hong Xiaoduo began to look at Yuheng's brothers in a new light, realizing that none of them were blind to Xiao Ling's manipulation.
Upon hearing this, the prince looked at his wife.
The princess then looked at the old woman, Yan: "Now I'll give you one more chance to tell the truth. Is the truth really as you claim, that the princess pushed Miss Ling into the water?"
Upon hearing this, Granny Yan glanced at the servant woman whose face was half-distorted and who was trembling with pain, and then at the delicate and helpless Ling'er.
Then, he glanced at Yuheng again, gritted his teeth and said, "Your Highness, although this old servant knows that the Princess is the real young master, this old servant cannot lie against his conscience."
It was indeed the princess who pushed Miss Ling into the water. Even if you hand this old servant over to the authorities and subject him to severe torture, this old servant cannot lie.
"This old servant's life belongs to the master; I will accept whatever punishment the master deems fit, and will have no complaints whatsoever."
After saying this, Granny Yan kowtowed forcefully, looking like a loyal servant facing a tragic death.
"Granny Liu, what do you think of this matter?" the princess asked.
Upon hearing this, Granny Liu stepped forward and looked at Granny Yan, saying, "You've been working in the Prince's mansion for sixteen years now, and to have become the head of the laundry room is enough to prove that you're not stupid."
You eat and use the manor's food and supplies. The prince and princess have treated the servants in the manor well over the years, but what about you? You actually side with outsiders.
Helping an outsider while betraying one's master?
Do you really think your master doesn't know how many benefits Ling Xiaoniangzi has secretly given you over the years, and to whom she has given them?
"What do you mean you can't lie against your conscience? I think you're just too afraid to not lie, aren't you? She gave you another hundred taels of silver on the fifteenth of the first lunar month this year, and the very next day you had your nephew buy you five acres of fertile land, didn't you?"
As Granny Liu spoke, Granny Yan's face grew paler and paler until she finally collapsed to the ground, covered in cold sweat. She knew she was finished!
Ling'er, who had looked pitiful and helpless, was stunned after hearing what Granny Liu said. She was surprised that she knew everything.
Granny Liu then turned to Ling'er: "Xiao Ling, how could your grandfather, Xiao Da Dongjia, have built Rongxin Trading Company into such a large enterprise, with such a stupid junior like you?"
Is it not good for you to continue as before? Even if our Prince and Princess find the Princess, they will not neglect you because of this. After all, regardless of whether your feelings for the Princess are genuine or not, you have indeed accompanied our Princess over the years.
Over the years, the Princess has turned a blind eye to your underhanded dealings, pretending not to know. Your Rongxin Trading Company, leveraging your connection to the Prince's Mansion and operating under its banner, has done business so smoothly both within and outside the fiefdom, and how much silver you've earned?
Whether you were instigated by your family or you are just a young girl who has not learned good things, you should never have used such despicable means against my little princess.
You're ten years old, not a child anymore. How do you think you're so clever that you can fool our master?
How confident and arrogant are you to dare to compare yourself to our princess and compete with her for maternal love?
"Xiao Ling, now tell me again, it was the princess who pushed you into the water."
"Your Highness, Your Highness, Ling'er was wrong. The Princess didn't push me; I fell into the water on my own. But Ling'er was truly greedy for Your Highness's affection. When I saw the Princess return, I was afraid that Your Highness would no longer like Ling'er, and I was blinded by greed, which is why I did this foolish thing."
"Your Highness, please forgive me for the years I've spent with you." Xiao Ling cried and kowtowed, begging for forgiveness.
It's clear that he's genuinely scared.
“I’ve already given you a chance, but you didn’t cherish it,” Princess Yi said coldly.
After saying that, he looked at his daughter, who was still a little dazed, and called out with a smile, "Yuheng, come here."
Upon hearing his mother call, Yuheng went over without hesitation, placed his hand in his mother's outstretched hand, and called out somewhat guiltily, "Mother."
"Did you think your mother would believe her and blame you?" The princess asked, knowing full well what was going on in her daughter's expression.
Yuheng blushed and nodded, unable to lie and say no.
"Silly child, why do you have so little faith in us? It's not like we were kicked in the head by your pet dog," the princess laughed.
Huh? Pfft, hahaha.
After realizing what her mother meant, Yuheng burst out laughing.
"Alright, take your mother and the others back to the courtyard to rest," the princess said, gently patting Yuheng's hand.
Yuheng nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "Mother, don't get angry over this kind of person. It's not worth it. Mother says that you need to keep a good mood to stay healthy."
"Alright, alright, Mother will remember your words. Go quickly. Remember, if your mother and the others need anything but are too embarrassed to ask, you must remember to tell Mother." The Princess whispered a few more instructions before urging Yuheng to take Hong Xiaoduo and the others away first.
On the way to the resting courtyard, Tianquan said to the young prince Heyan who had followed him, "So you all knew everything about that wicked Ling'er? And you've tolerated someone like her coming to the manor for so many years?"
He Yan'an sighed and said, "You don't know, ever since my little sister was lost, my mother has been depressed and often sick."
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