Chapter 193: Fake Evidence
“Princess, Princess.”
A calling voice came, and Princess Pingcheng came back to her senses, looking ahead.
The sky had already brightened.
Seven or eight palace maids held new clothes and stood indoors, looking at her with uneasy and nervous expressions.
Seeing her look over, the palace maid hurriedly said softly, “It’s time to change clothes.”
After speaking, she paused.
“If the Princess is tired, why not request leave today.”
After yesterday’s banquet, the Princess’s classes at the National Academy were starting again.
Some things happened at yesterday’s banquet and after it. Although unrelated to the Princess, it involved Marquis Yichun’s Mansion after all, and the lamp in the Princess’s tent had burned all night.
Today she got up looking distracted.
As soon as the palace maid finished speaking, Princess Pingcheng suddenly stood up.
“Why should I request leave?” she said, looking at the palace maid. “Why can’t I go to class?”
The palace maid was startled and hurriedly knelt down. “Princess, I didn’t say you can’t. I meant the Princess is tired…”
Princess Pingcheng said coldly, “When did you hear me say I was tired? Don’t speculate about things I didn’t say.”
The palace maid kowtowed and acknowledged.
Princess Pingcheng’s gaze swept over the palace maids, and they all lowered their heads.
That’s right, Father Emperor didn’t say it personally; those rumors are just rumors!
She absolutely would not be disturbed by this.
“Change clothes.”
Father Emperor was at morning court today, and she hadn’t gone to pay respects.
For Mother Empress’s side, she only had a palace maid say she was rushing to school and left first.
She had no intention of asking Mother Empress if she had heard that rumor.
This rumor was too absurd.
She didn’t want Mother Empress to worry about it.
Mother Empress didn’t like Yang Luo to begin with.
Mother Empress, to begin with, did not like Yang Luo.
Princess Pingcheng clenched her hands in front of her, nails digging into her palms.
Previously, Mother Empress and Father Emperor had quarreled multiple times over Miss Yang, even alarming Grandfather into entering the palace.
At that time, she was very puzzled why a young lady from Duke Ding’an’s Mansion would make Father Emperor and Mother Empress quarrel and even alarm Grandfather.
Princess Pingcheng’s palms stung.
Her body swayed, the shoulder pole landed, and they had arrived in front of the Imperial City Gate.
Princess Pingcheng immediately saw Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong gathered together whispering something, also looking toward the outside of the Imperial City Gate—
Seeing her arrive, the two hurriedly paid respects.
Princess Wuyang’s eyes flickered as she said, “Father Emperor just passed by.”
Father Emperor had left the palace again?
“Father Emperor went to Dali Temple,” Princess Nangong said, adding, “…taking Yang Luo with him.”
Princess Wuyang’s face showed envy beside her. “Wei Jiao is following too.” Then she looked at Princess Pingcheng, feigning concern as she asked, “Is General Chai alright?”
Princess Pingcheng looked at her gloating expression and said coldly, “Since you care so much about my uncle, why not have your uncle go to Dali Temple to inquire?”
Without waiting for Princess Wuyang to answer, she continued.
“You don’t dare to say it, right? No matter, I will ask Father Emperor to arrange for him to go.”
After speaking, she passed them and directly boarded the carriage.
Princess Wuyang’s face flushed red and pale by turns, both angry and afraid. If Princess Pingcheng really told Father Emperor, Father Emperor would truly summon her uncle to Dali Temple…
If Uncle lost face, she would too.
She somewhat regretted her momentary indulgence.
Even if General Chai had issues, Princess Pingcheng was still Father Emperor’s daughter.
She hesitated, wanting to plead with Princess Pingcheng, but Princess Nangong held her back.
“Wuyang, don’t be afraid,” she said in a low voice. “You can find someone else to help.”
Princess Wuyang irritably shook her off. “Who? Your uncle? Isn’t your uncle busy whitewashing walls?”
Princess Nangong’s mother consort was a beauty selected from local tribute, of lowly origins with father and brothers who were masons.
Of course, they no longer did manual labor, but their origins restricted them from holding office, so their status was ordinary.
Princess Nangong didn’t mind her humiliation and lowered her voice. “Haven’t you heard a rumor? That Yang Luo…”
Princess Wuyang frowned. “What about Yang Luo now?”
Princess Nangong leaned close and whispered something, and Princess Wuyang’s expression turned stunned.
“Nonsense!” she shouted.
The surrounding palace maids sternly scolded, “Princess, mind your decorum!” “Princess, please board the carriage!” “Princess, don’t miss class!”
Amid the scoldings, the two princesses were urged into their carriages by the palace maids, and the three carriages slowly headed toward the National Academy.
Princess Pingcheng sat in the carriage without further regard for those two princesses; her mind was only on one thing.
That Yang Luo left with Father Emperor.
What carriage did that Yang Luo ride in?
She looked around her own carriage compartment.
Was it a carriage as luxurious as hers, or did she ride with Father Emperor?
Princess Pingcheng seemed to hear a crisp snap by her ear; the pain in her fingers instantly spread through her body. She lowered her head and saw the broken nail on her palm and the blood beads seeping from the punctured skin.
……
……
“Your Majesty.”
In the hall of Dali Temple, Chai Du bowed in respect.
Although the case file from yesterday had already been verified, the Emperor had also instructed to check again today for any oversights, so Chai Du came again.
Besides the Dali Temple officials entering with him, Chai Du also heard different footsteps.
As the Emperor called him to rise, Chai Du saw a young man in a black embroidered uniform, as well as two young girls.
Although it had been five years since returning to the Capital City, he was well-informed about matters in the Capital City.
Chai Du immediately knew this was Wei Cui’s son Wei Jiao, detained in the Capital City. As for these two young girls…
No need for him to identify; one of them had already rushed over.
“Weren’t those villains sent by you?” a young girl shouted, almost pouncing on Chai Du, while the other young girl timely held her tightly. “Miss, don’t get agitated.”
The miss’s face was pale, tears in her eyes as she struggled. “My mother has already avoided you all, so why do you still want to kill her!”
Chai Du glanced around and saw few officials had followed in, and they were all in the know, now all lowering their heads as if they heard nothing.
“Miss Yang,” Chai Du said gravely, “The ones who killed your mother and you were not my people. You can’t assume it was our family just because the villains had the bearing of soldiers and Ji Ying was instructed by my father to cover up the White Horse Town incident. If we really wanted to act, we wouldn’t have waited until now; you wouldn’t even have been born.”
The struggling miss’s face was deathly pale, and the Emperor’s face beside her also darkened slightly.
Chai Du saw the Emperor’s expression but offered no further explanation. As Father said, at this point, they could tolerate the Emperor’s step-by-step provocations. If he wanted to inquire, let him inquire, but they also had to show firmness.
“Enough.” The Emperor stopped it. “A Luo, don’t get agitated first. We can catch the culprit only after clarifying the matter. Didn’t you say you have new clues?”
The miss took several deep breaths and handed over a piece of cloth.
“This is from the clothes I tore off a villain when I was pursued and killed,” she said tremulously. “They said only Gaoyang Army soldiers have this kind of robe, because the food, clothing, and supplies for soldiers on your side are the best, different from other places.”
Chai Du looked at the piece of robe and said, “Even if this is truly from the Gaoyang Army, it can’t be concluded that the Gaoyang Army did it. After all, stealing a robe is too easy.”
After speaking, he no longer looked at this Miss Yang, only at the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, is there other evidence? If not…”
Chai Du bowed in respect.
“Your minister must return to the Border Army tomorrow.”
The Emperor stood in the hall and let out a long sigh.
“Wei Jiao investigated that over a dozen Gaoyang Army members’ movements disappeared, and Chai Du provided an explanation.”
“They did go out privately, but not to White Horse Town; they went to the mines.”
The Gaoyang Army had discovered a mine in the border region, concealed it, and kept it for themselves.
This could indeed warrant punishment, but there was nothing much to question. Chai Du had directly said at the time that it supplemented military use, which also saved money for the Emperor.
As for the survey records submitted by Ji Ying, who had returned from the dead…
The Emperor looked at the volumes on the desk.
Chai Du had pointed out issues with each one; they fundamentally could not prove it was the Gaoyang Army’s doing.
“A Luo.” The Emperor looked at Yang Luo standing before him, full of guilt. “I… can’t find out.”
Yang Luo said, “Your Majesty need not blame yourself. It’s not strange that it can’t be found out.”
She glanced at the case file on the desk and threw the piece of cloth onto it, smiling.
“Because these are all forged by me; they’re all fake.”
Fake? The Emperor was stunned.
After reuniting, besides asking him to investigate the White Horse Town case clearly, Yang Luo had also handed over Ji Ying.
Although Ji Ying hadn’t identified Marquis Yichun as instigating him, he sent thick records of various details on the White Horse Town case: the villains’ appearances, attire, horses ridden, weapons used, accents, and the robe piece produced today…
He thought they were real.
He hadn’t expected them to be forged by Luo Ying herself…
However, the Emperor could understand.
His daughter did it because the Chai Clan’s actions were too clean, leaving no evidence. With no way, she forged them, then had her father the Emperor convict the Chai Clan.
Sigh, he didn’t know how to tell his daughter.
Without irrefutable evidence, even the Emperor couldn’t convict.
Or rather, precisely because he was the Emperor, he couldn’t.
He was the Emperor; he had to be a wise ruler, reward and punish clearly, and convince the world.
Yang Luo looked at the Emperor’s changing expression and smiled again.
“But wait a little longer, and real evidence will come.”
The Emperor was stunned again. What did that mean?
“Mother Consort, Mother Consort—”
As soon as classes ended at the National Academy, Princess Wuyang ran straight to Imperial Consort’s Palace.
For a while, because she disliked Mother Consort always asking about Yang Luo’s matters, she simply stopped coming to pay respects. But today, without Consort Li summoning her, she hurriedly rushed over.
Moreover, today she would proactively mention Yang Luo.
But the hall was empty, with no sign of Consort Li.
“Princess.” The palace maids in the hall hurriedly came over and paid respects. “Your Ladyship went to Tianning Temple today.”
Rear palace consorts rarely left the palace, so Princess Wuyang was stunned. “What is Mother Consort doing at the temple?”
The palace maid sighed softly. “Seeing Marquis Yichun pass his birthday stirred up Your Ladyship’s sad memories, thinking of her deceased parents. If they were alive, they could too… So Your Ladyship requested the Empress’s permission and went out of the palace to Tianning Temple to pay respects to your maternal grandparents.”
