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Marriage of the Di Daughter

Chapter 178: True Friend

“I’ve clung to life until now, just for this day,” Hai Tang said, raising her head. “I will expose to the world the evil deeds you and this heartless bastard have committed!”

“You!” Princess Yongning gritted her teeth, her anger reaching its peak. But with watchful officers beside her, she dared not move. She was also utterly astonished. She had killed every single maidservant around Xue Fang Fei. Even this Hai Tang shouldn’t still be alive. But now Hai Tang was standing right before her, alive and well. How could this be?

Hai Tang knelt on the ground and recounted all the events that had happened in the Shen family over the years. This included how Shen Yurong had an affair with Princess Yongning, and how Princess Yongning, after framing Xue Fang Fei, ruthlessly silenced everyone who knew the truth.

As Xue Huaiyuan listened, he couldn’t help but close his eyes slightly, and even his palms were trembling. Although he had heard Hai Tang tell the story once before, he still couldn’t help but feel heartache for his daughter when he heard it again.

How could he let Ah Li face these wolves and tigers alone!

After Hai Tang finished giving her testimony, another person stepped forward. This person was gentle, generous, and charming. It was Xiao Deyin, Ming Yi Hall’s guqin teacher.

Jiang Yuan Bai couldn’t help being surprised. He knew Xiao Deyin as the teacher of the Jiang family’s young ladies, but he didn’t know what role Xiao Deyin played in this.

Xiao Deyin also said, “This commoner can testify that Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning did indeed conspire to frame Xue Fang Fei for having an affair, and then murdered her and exterminated her heir.”

Upon hearing this, Princess Yongning laughed loudly, “Xiao Deyin, what are you pretending for? Wasn’t it you who framed Xue Fang Fei back then? This princess gave you the medicine, and you happily accepted it. What, now that this princess has lost power, you also want to take the opportunity to kick me while I’m down? Don’t forget who you are, after I get out, how much longer do you think you can live?”

Xiao Deyin’s heart was pounding, but she remained calm and said, “No matter how much Your Highness tries to smear this commoner, this commoner will not change my story. As for Your Highness’s unfounded accusations, no one will believe. Fang Fei and I are good friends, a fact known to everyone. I have no reason to harm Fang Fei, unlike you, Your Highness.”

Princess Yongning was furious, but truly couldn’t say any reason. At the time, she had approached Xiao Deyin precisely because she had the least reason to harm Xue Fang Fei. Everyone knew she was Xue Fang Fei’s best friend. Even Princess Yongning herself hadn’t expected Xiao Deyin to agree so readily. She had assumed Xiao Deyin was someone who could adapt to circumstances, but it turned out Xiao Deyin was simply emboldened by her backing.

Even now, without sufficient evidence, based solely on one person’s testimony, everyone would likely believe Xiao Deyin’s innocence, because Xiao Deyin had absolutely no reason to harm Xue Fang Fei!

Xiao Deyin recounted in detail how Xue Fang Fei acted abnormally after drinking that day, and how Princess Yongning was also present. Of course, she omitted herself, only saying that Princess Yongning’s people drugged Xue Fang Fei and staged a good show to ruin Xue Fang Fei’s reputation. Since then, she had never left the house again. However, this also made it easier for the adulterous couple to act on the pitiful Xue Fang Fei in the Shen’s mansion.

Xiao Deyin spoke with remarkable clarity and logic, perhaps because she was inherently intelligent, or perhaps because she had already rehearsed these words countless times in her mind. This made her words so natural, so genuine, and so flawless. After she finished speaking, Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong’s accusations deepened, leaving them with no room for rebuttal.

Seeing the expressions on the three officials’ faces, Xiao Deyin knew she had made the right bet. She pretended not to see Princess Yongning’s angry gaze, feeling quite relieved. It seemed Princess Yongning had no chance of survival in today’s trial. Jiang Li was right, after this, nothing in the world could threaten her anymore.

Of course, news of Xiao Deyin testifying for Xue Fang Fei in court despite Princess Yongning’s false accusations would also spread, earning her a good reputation.

Xiao Deyin was extremely pleased.

Right then, a voice suddenly rang out: “That’s not right.”

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“What’s wrong?” Wei Mingyan asked.

“Teacher Xiao’s words are not right.” It was Hai Tang who spoke. “It is true that Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning had an affair, and that she plotted to frame my young lady for adultery, causing her to bear a bad reputation. But from beginning to end, this matter was not done by Princess Yongning’s servants. It was you, Teacher Xiao, who handed her that cup of wine. It was also you, Teacher Xiao, who put medicine in the wine. And it was certainly you, Teacher Xiao, who helped my young lady back to her room.” Hai Tang said coldly, “Teacher Xiao, almost everyone who knew about what happened back then is dead, but not all of them are. It is very unfortunate that I am one of those who are not dead and happen to know the whole story. My young lady’s affair was indeed a vicious scheme devised by Princess Yongning, but you are far from being innocent as you claim, because you are Princess Yongning’s executioner. You know the whole story, you are her accomplice!”

As soon as these words came out, everyone present was shocked!

Xiao Deyin never expected that such a person would suddenly appear in court. Jiang Li had already told her about the evidence she had gathered beforehand, to convince her that the case was a sure thing. It was precisely because of this evidence that Xiao Deyin believed Jiang Li and stepped forward. But Jiang Li didn’t tell her that among the witnesses was Xue Fang Fei’s personal servant girl. It was at this moment that she saw Hai Tang’s face clearly and was shocked.

Hai Tang? How is she still alive?!

“What….. what nonsense are you talking about? Why would I do such a thing? Fang Fei was my best friend, we’re like sisters, how could I possibly harm her!”

“It’s only because you claim to be the best guqin player in Yanjing, but my young lady’s skill in playing the guqin far surpasses yours. You don’t care about money, but you love fame. You were afraid that my young lady would steal your limelight, so you became jealous and even did not hesitate to conspire with Princess Yongning. You clearly knew that the cup of wine would ruin my young lady’s life, but you still made her drink it.”

“You’re talking nonsense!” Xiao Deyin was panicked. Her deepest secret had been revealed to her without reservation by Hai Tang. It was like a snail that had lost its shell and was exposed to the sun, knowing that it wouldn’t be long before she would be dried out.

She was terrified.

“What sisterhood? My young lady considered you her confidante, yet you repaid kindness with enmity. What deep affection between husband and wife? My young lady was devoted to her husband, yet he conspired with others to murder his wife. My young lady had always treated people with sincerity, but she had only encountered heartless and treacherous people. She had met all the bad people in this world. Only my young lady was the most pitiful, the most tragic, and the most laughable!” Hai Tang said in one breath. However, at the end, she couldn’t help but cry. The sorrow and hatred in her cries were deeply moving.

Princess Yongning burst into laughter, seemingly delighted to see Xiao Deyin’s embarrassment. She said gleefully, “Xiao Deyin, you see? You think that by bringing this princess down, no one will know what you’ve done? You’re more despicable than this princess. At least this princess doesn’t like Xue Fang Fei, but she’s just a stranger to me. However, you’re actually Xue Fang Fei’s sister, and you claim your music is pure and noble? Are you joking? You’re absolutely hilarious!”

Xiao Deyin was speechless and on the verge of collapse. She could only say repeatedly, “No, no.” But her flustered expression and incoherent words revealed that she was not as innocent as she claimed.

Those present were immediately struck by a sense of absurdity. Back then, the affair between Xue Fang Fei and her lover had been the talk of the town in Yanjing. Everyone said that this woman, relying on her beauty, was so unruly. Despite the kindness of the top scholar Shen, she was still unsatisfied, truly a disgrace to Yanjing. But now it seemed that everyone was wrong. That woman, who inexplicably bore the infamy, was actually the most pitiful one.

That beautiful, intelligent, and gentle lady was deceived by her best friend, cruelly murdered by the husband who promised to spend his life with her, and humiliated by the princess in the most cruel way. What did she do wrong? She did nothing wrong. If she really did anything wrong, it was probably falling in love with a heartless and cold-blooded man who pretended to be deeply devoted and unrepentant.

“And then there’s my young master,” Hai Tang said. “When he learned that something happened to the young lady, he rushed to the capital, thinking he had found some clues and located the Jing Zhao Yin, so he could avenge her. Who knew the Jing Zhao Yin would collude with that wicked princess and actually kill the young master, pretending the bandits had killed him.” Hai Tang laughed bitterly, “What kind of world is this! Under the emperor’s foot, such absurd things happen! If all officials in the court are like this, where the people don’t report and the officials won’t investigate, but if they do, the people end up in prison, then what’s the point of setting up government offices? Just directly tell everyone; if you are a commoner and suffer a great injustice, don’t bother to speak up, it’s just a waste of effort. No one dares to stand up for the people, because these officials all have to look at the backers!”

When these words came out, He Qin shouted “Insolence!” and the three others present couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat. Hai Tang’s words went beyond simply stating the crimes of Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning, they were denouncing  the entire officialdom and criticizing the emperor. She was accusing the emperor of employing treacherous officials who were harming the people.

How could the Emperor’s reputation tolerate such belittling? Yet today’s events could not be kept secret. Very soon, what Hai Tang said would reach the palace.

Jiang Yuan Bai couldn’t help taking a look at Hai Tang. After Hai Tang finished speaking, tears were already streaming down her face, but she still stubbornly looked at the three officials without cowering. She knew that these words might bring her death, but the troubles that had befallen the Xue family over the past year were all proof of what she was saying.

They spoke of a peaceful and prosperous era, about a clear and bright world, but in reality, it’s just a paper tiger; a gentle poke and it would fall apart.

How would Emperor Hong Xiao feel after hearing this? Perhaps he would reflect on the past, or perhaps he would accept it and reform the bureaucracy to prevent the tragedy from repeating itself.

Jiang Yuan Bai thought, “Xue Fang Fei’s servant girls all seem to be clever, what a pity.”

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