Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Prince Jing gave a cold laugh. "Great, just great! First the kite string snapped, then the dog ran wild, and now a maidservant tries to harm my child."

Prince Jing said, "I'd like to see what else they can dig up!"

Shortly after, one of Jing Wu's men came in.

"Your Highness, the girl is Sang Cao, a second-rank maidservant in Concubine Han's household. She's spilled everything."

Prince Jing's expression didn't change. "What did she say?"

Jing Wu lowered his head. "Sang Cao says Xiaoshu from Consort Xie's household put her up to it."

Xiaoshu, who had been shielding Xie Run with all her might, suddenly looked up. "She's lying!"

"When did I ever tell her to do anything?!"

Concubine Han also feigned surprise, saying slowly, "I too believe Sister Xie would not harm me. Could this girl be making false accusations?"

As she spoke, the guards dragged Sang Cao in.

She looked clean, but her face was haggard—clearly she'd been tortured.

The moment Sang Cao saw Xiaoshu, her eyes brightened, and she struggled to run toward her.

"Sister Xiaoshu, save me! I did exactly what you told me!"

"It was too crowded, and before I could push Concubine Han, Jing Wu grabbed me."

"You said if I pushed Concubine Han into the water, Lady Xie would secure my family's riches and honor."

Xiaoshu said frantically, "You're talking nonsense! When did I ever say that to you?!"

Sang Cao suddenly glared at Xiaoshu with resentment. "Are you going back on your word?!"

"On the fifteenth day of the first month, at the hour of Xu, in the back room of your family's courtyard, with your parents guarding the door, you gave me fifty taels of silver and a filigree red gemstone bracelet!"

"You said that the lucky child in Concubine Han's belly had stolen Lady Xie's limelight and made her unhappy, and you wanted to abort it!"

"These words—you told me yourself!"

Xiaoshu's heart raced, and for a moment she didn't know how to defend herself.

It was true: on the fifteenth, Consort Xie had specially let her go home for the Lantern Festival. She had even stayed overnight.

At the hour of Xu, she and her parents were in the room with the door closed, whispering.

But there was no third person to witness any of this!

If she said that, wouldn't she be walking straight into Sang Cao's trap?!

No matter what she said, it wouldn't clear her—it would only play into Sang Cao's scheme.

Soon, someone brought out fifty taels of silver and a filigree red gemstone bracelet.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, these were found in Sang Cao's room."

Consort Yun exclaimed in surprise, "That bracelet—I remember Consort Xie once wore it."

The Princess said slowly, "You're not mistaken."

"I gave this bracelet to Consort Xie when she was pregnant."

Everyone's eyes turned to Xie Run and Xiaoshu.

The Princess asked calmly, "Xiaoshu, where were you at the hour of Xu on the fifteenth? And who did you see?"

Xiaoshu's face turned pale. She instinctively glanced at Xie Run. She didn't dare speak!

The moment the bracelet and silver were brought out, Xiaoshu knew this was a carefully laid trap against her.

One wrong word, and she'd be ruined.

If it were just her own mistake, that would be one thing—but if it dragged her mistress into it...

Concubine Han clutched her handkerchief, looking furious. "Xiaoshu, why do you not answer? Are you staring at your mistress for cues?!"

"I didn't believe Sister Xie would hurt anyone, but seeing Xiaoshu's hesitation makes her look very suspicious!"

Prince Jing's cold gaze swept over Xiaoshu. His voice was flat: "Speak."

That single word made Xiaoshu's legs buckle.

She knelt on the ground, speaking with difficulty: "This servant did go home that day. At the hour of Xu, this servant and my mother had already gone to sleep. There was no third person! And I never met any Sang Cao!"

"Any witnesses?"

Sang Cao: "No... the older folks in the house were all asleep."

Wan Linlang then drawled lazily, "Dark nights are perfect for secret schemes."

"At that hour, who would notice someone coming or going from a room?"

The Princess also asked, "This bracelet belonged to Consort Xie. It couldn't have ended up in Sang Cao's hands for no reason, could it?"

Xiaoshu said weakly, "This servant has never had any dealings with anyone in Concubine Han's household. I have only seen Sang Cao once or twice. How would I dare tell her to harm my own mistress?!"

"If she falsely accuses me, wouldn't that be walking into my own death?!"

The Princess mused, "There is some logic to your words."

Sang Cao quickly crawled forward. "How could I not dare?!"

"The Zhi Shui Boat Pavilion was crowded and chaotic. If I pushed Concubine Han in the confusion, who would find me out?!"

"If I wasn't discovered, it naturally wouldn't implicate Consort Xie!"

Prince Jing's voice was cold and deep. "So you knew in advance that the Zhi Shui Boat Pavilion would be in chaos?"

Sang Cao seemed startled, then quickly lowered her head and confessed, "This servant did not know, but I guessed it from Xiaoshu's words."

"She only told me to go ahead and not worry, so I figured the Zhi Shui Boat Pavilion would be in chaos today."

Prince Jing's gaze was deep and heavy, his dark eyes settling on Xie Run's face.

"Shufei Xie, do you have anything to explain?"

Xie Run had not said a word from beginning to end, only listening to the two maids' arguments, as if frightened into silence, yet also as if unhurried.

The Princess also asked, "Shufei Xie, I do not believe you would plot to harm Shiqie Han. Do you have anything to say?"

Supported by Zi Hu, Xie Run rose and slowly bowed to Prince Jing and the Princess.

"I am waiting for Sang Cao to finish speaking. When Sang Cao is done with her claims, it will not be too late for me to explain everything one by one."

She lowered her eyes, her calm yet gentle gaze landing on Sang Cao.

For some reason, Sang Cao's heart gave a start under that gaze.

The Princess also asked, "Sang Cao, do you have anything else to say? Or think carefully about any mistakes in what you have said. If you change your story later, you will be punished."

Sang Cao insisted, "All this is from my personal experience; there can be no mistake, and I will not change my story!"

Xie Run sighed softly. "Enough."

"Sang Cao, you said you received the silver and bracelet in the side room in Xiaoshu's home. It seems you and Xiaoshu discussed matters in the room for quite a while?"

Sang Cao said cautiously, "We indeed stayed for a while, but because we were scheming to harm someone, I was afraid and urged Xiaoshu to hurry. Within a very short time, I quietly left through the east side gate."

Xie Run nodded and said gently, "You even know that Xiaoshu's home has an east side gate. It seems you have indeed been to her home."

Everyone was puzzled.

Didn't Shufei Xie's remark just confirm her own guilt?

Then they heard Xie Run ask, "Xiaoshu, is there any conspicuous object in your home's side room?"

Xiaoshu suddenly looked up and instantly understood her mistress's intention.

She whirled around to face Sang Cao, "Sang Cao, my home's side room was once my brother's residence. There is a very conspicuous object in the room. Do you remember what it is?"

Before Sang Cao could speak, Xiaoshu cut off her escape, "That thing is very noticeable; anyone who has been in that side room would definitely remember it."

"Think carefully about how you will answer."

Sang Cao lowered her head, her eyes darting back and forth as she frantically thought of how to respond.

She remembered that Xiaoshu's brother had enlisted. He was injured in battle, retired, and became a martial arts instructor at a nearby school.

A very conspicuous object?

Impossible!

If there really were something so conspicuous, rumors would have spread long ago from people who had visited Xiaoshu's home!

This was most likely Xiaoshu trying to trick her!

Sang Cao hardened her heart and decided to take a gamble. She insisted, "You are lying!"

"There is no such conspicuous object!"

"There's nothing hanging on the wall in your side room!"