in2ebook Chapter 159: He Confessed the Truth
Chapter 159: He Confessed the Truth
The atmosphere in the main hall suddenly became tense, and everyone's eyes turned to Xie Peining and Granny Wang, with whispers rising and falling.
As the crowd spoke, Granny Wang, kneeling on the ground, trembled like a leaf.
Xie Peining kept her head down, her expression calm, as if the surrounding discussions had nothing to do with her. However, her tightly clenched hands betrayed the turmoil in her heart.
"Ahem..." The emperor coughed softly, and the hall instantly fell silent.
His cold gaze swept over the many people in the hall, finally landing on Granny Wang: "Do you recognize these people in the hall?"
Granny Wang trembled, her head bowed even lower, her voice shaking, "Your Majesty, this servant...this servant...this servant..."
After stammering for a long time, Granny Wang still didn't give an answer, but her hesitant manner said it all.
"Hmph..." The emperor sneered, "Since you can't answer, then I'll have someone help you!"
The emperor raised his hand and pointed at the manager of Yiwenxuan and the maid in the side hall. His voice was authoritative and carried an undeniable sense of pressure: "You two, tell her everything you know!"
The manager of Yiwenxuan and the maid in the side hall exchanged a glance and then stepped forward together.
The manager of Yiwenxuan bowed first, his voice a little nervous but still clear: "Granny Wang, now that things have come to this, you should tell the truth!"
A few days ago, you personally came to my shop and asked for two hundred sheets of top-quality Xuan paper. You even told me not to tell anyone. I'm sure you know better than I do about the uses of that Xuan paper.”
The maidservant in the side hall also quickly bowed and replied tremblingly, "Granny Wang, before the banquet began, when no one was paying attention, you gave me a bag of silver in the side hall and told me to seize the opportunity to steal Miss Xu's personal jade pendant and delay their return to the main hall."
You also said that as long as I did it well, you would definitely treat me well in the future. I... I was confused for a moment and listened to you..."
Upon hearing these words, Granny Wang was struck dumb, and she swayed several times, almost collapsing to the ground.
She raised her head, her eyes filled with terror and despair. She first looked at Xie Peining, then at the Emperor, her lips trembling as she said, "Your Majesty, slander... this is slander! This servant did indeed go to Yiwenxuan to buy Xuan paper, but I did not go to the side hall tonight, nor did I instruct anyone!"
Seeing her trying to argue, the maidservant became anxious and took out a money pouch from her sleeve, presenting it with both hands: "Your Majesty, everything I have said is true!"
This is the money pouch she gave to the servant; the silver inside all bear the mark of the Prince Chen's residence. This servant can't possibly fake it!
The attendant immediately took the money bag and showed it to the emperor.
Upon seeing that the silver inside indeed bore the mark of the Prince Chen's residence, he frowned, his face growing increasingly grim: "If you don't confess the truth, don't blame me for subjecting you to severe torture!"
Granny Wang was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground, her face covered in tears and snot. She kept kowtowing, her forehead hitting the ground with a dull thud: "Your Majesty, spare me! I'll tell you everything!"
It was...it was Princess Consort Chen who instructed me!
Princess Consort Chen said that as long as Xu Jiaojiao's murder was proven, she would reward me handsomely in the future! I was bewitched and agreed!
There was an uproar in the hall.
Now, all the truth has come to light.
Xie Peining's pupils dilated, her eyes filled with disbelief.
Granny Wang actually identified herself?
how come?
how can that be possible?
Is she crazy?
In a flash, she had already come up with a solution.
She slowly raised her head, a complex expression flashing in her eyes—anger, disappointment, and above all, heartache at being betrayed.
She looked at Granny Wang, her voice cold: "Granny Wang, we have been mistress and servant for many years, and I have treated you well. Why would you frame me? Who has bewitched you to turn black into white like this, or do you have other reasons?"
Her voice was sorrowful, and her expression, a mixture of heartache and anger, made it easy to believe that she was indeed the one who had been wronged.
The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping over Xie Peining and Granny Wang.
"Heh..." Prince Chen sneered, "A frame-up?"
He clapped his hands and looked at the guards waiting in the hall: "Bring the person in. Your Highness, why don't you see who it is? Besides, did Granny Wang frame you?"
Xie Peining's face turned pale instantly. She gripped the handkerchief in her hand tightly, her knuckles turning white.
Prince Chen's voice was as cold as ice, like a sharp blade piercing her heart. She had a vague sense of foreboding, as if something had already slipped out of her control.
The atmosphere inside the hall grew increasingly tense, with everyone's eyes focused on the entrance, waiting for the person who was about to be brought in.
A moment later, a guard escorted in a "eunuch".
The eunuch had his head down, his clothes were disheveled, and his feet were covered in yellow mud. He walked with a limp, clearly having suffered some torment.
Upon entering the main hall and seeing the many distinguished guests, a hint of fear appeared on his face, and his eyes flickered as if he were avoiding something.
The moment Xie Peining saw the eunuch, her pupils dilated and her fingers trembled involuntarily.
Wang Mama, kneeling on the ground, was drenched in cold sweat, and her face turned ashen white in an instant.
The "eunuch" on the ground might be unfamiliar to others, but Xie Peining and Granny Wang were very familiar with him. This person was none other than Asheng, the servant boy who served in Mingkun Courtyard!
Asheng usually handles miscellaneous tasks in Mingkun Courtyard. Although he is inconspicuous, he is one of Xie Peining's trusted confidants brought out from the Xie family.
Everyone in the hall was confused, but some sharp-eyed people noticed that the yellow mud on Asheng's feet was exactly the same as the yellow mud by the pond in the Imperial Garden.
Whispers arose, and more and more probing gazes were cast toward Xie Peining.
The emperor on his throne stared at Asheng, scrutinizing him closely: "Who is this?"
Zhao Yunzheng glanced coldly at Xie Peining, then looked at the emperor and respectfully replied, "Father, this man is named Asheng. He is a servant in my household. Yingyi noticed him acting suspiciously while serving outside the palace and captured him."
Why he was in the palace, I do not know. I suspect he is directly involved in framing Miss Xu.
He paused, then bowed slightly and clasped his hands in a salute: “Father, although this person is from my household, if he has any dirty tricks, I will not tolerate it.”
The emperor frowned slightly, his gaze sharp as he looked at Asheng, his voice authoritative: "Asheng, do you recognize these people in the hall?"
Asheng trembled, then knelt down with a thud, his forehead pressed against the ground, his voice trembling: "Your Majesty, I recognize...I recognize..."
His panicked expression clearly showed that he was terrified to the extreme.
The emperor twirled the jade thumb ring in his hand and asked, "How did you enter the palace? And what brings you here?"
Asheng's body trembled even more violently, his voice almost breaking into a sob: "It was...it was...it was Her Highness the Princess who brought me into the palace...Her Highness told me...I..."
He hesitated, not daring to continue.
The emperor, growing impatient, snapped, "What did I tell you? Speak now!"