Chapter 225: Do You Know Your Crime?
The Empress’s heart also sank. Lin Tingting knew very well in her heart that if she admitted it at this time, her good days would be over.
So, even if she was at the end of her rope, she still needed to struggle.
She immediately knelt down.
“His Majesty is wise and clear-sighted. My elder sister has always been on good terms with my second sister-in-law. She must have been bought off by the Crown Princess because my second sister-in-law looks similar to the Crown Princess. This jade pendant is indeed not mine.”
“Nonsense, utter nonsense.” Emperor Qin was very angry. “Do you have evidence to prove that the Madam of Zhenguo Marquis was bought off by the Crown Princess?”
Lin Tingting naturally had none, but she still refused to give up. “His Majesty can investigate and then know if there is any.”
“Without evidence, it’s just empty talk and baseless rumor-mongering.”
“Your Majesty, although what the Yongning Marquis Manor Heir Apparent’s Wife said doesn’t quite hold reason, it’s not entirely impossible. This blood sister would naturally side with her own younger sister. Now she’s speaking so righteously; it might really be as she said—the Crown Princess bought off the Madam of Zhenguo Marquis.” The Empress interjected. Emperor Qin seemed thoughtful, as if pondering the matter.
Lin Tingting seemed to see hope and quickly said, “Your Majesty, the Empress is right. Although the Madam of Zhenguo Marquis and I are blood sisters, she has always been at odds with me. Now she has found an opportunity to join forces with outsiders to harm me.”
Her words made Lin Qingxu’s expression change abruptly, looking at Lin Tingting with full disbelief.
She also knew that if she couldn’t explain clearly now, it would not only confirm Lin Tingting’s words but also implicate the Zhenguo Marquis Manor.
Over the past year or so, she had been utterly disappointed in the Lin Family. She couldn’t let the Zhenguo Marquis Manor be implicated because of the Lin Family’s dirty matters.
She knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily. “Your Majesty, everything I said is true, and I can prove that my words are all truthful.”
“How will you prove it?” Emperor Qin asked with a face full of majesty.
“All children of the Lin Family wear exclusive jade pendants from birth. This jade pendant is made by splitting a single piece of jade. The patterns and texture on both sides come from the same piece of jade stone. Just compare them and it will be clear.”
Afraid Emperor Qin wouldn’t believe her, Lin Qingxu also took down the jade pendant hanging from her waist. “Your Majesty, this is my jade pendant. If Your Majesty doesn’t believe me, you can look at my jade pendant and compare the texture and patterns with that one. Everything will be clear at a glance.”
Emperor Qin looked at her steadily for a few seconds, then said to the eunuch on the side, “Bring both jade pendants over.”
The chief eunuch brought the two jade pendants over, and Emperor Qin picked them up and examined them carefully.
Lin Tingting’s nervous heart was about to jump out.
Looking at the jade pendant, she wished she could snatch it and smash it, but she didn’t dare.
She could only turn her head and glare fiercely at Lin Qingxu.
If looks could kill, Lin Qingxu would have been killed countless times.
Emperor Qin held the jade pendants in his hand and, as Lin Qingxu had said, when placed together, the patterns indeed matched up.
The color and texture were exactly the same.
So, this jade pendant was indeed Lin Tingting’s.
Not only did Emperor Qin see it, but so did the Empress and the Sun Family people.
After seeing it, Qi Wu couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. It seemed his wrongful accusation had been cleared, and he could live on.
Afraid of getting burned, the Empress unhesitatingly abandoned the pawn before her eyes and struck first. “You, Lin Tingting, actually dared to deceive His Majesty. Do you know your crime?”
The Empress was someone who knew how to assess the situation. Seeing that Lin Tingting was doomed, she naturally wouldn’t protect her.
She even directly attacked Lin Tingting to settle the score later with Emperor Qin.
Seizing the initiative—did she think others would forget she had just been on Lin Tingting’s side?
Jiang Ruanxi’s lips curved up slightly. Even if others forgot, how could she forget?
“Your Majesty, my family is unfortunate to have such a grave and rebellious matter. I am ashamed of Your Majesty’s rewards to us.” Marquis Yongning’s sliver of hope shattered in an instant. He had been hoping she could turn things around, but now she had completely ruined the Sun Family’s reputation.
He really regretted not stopping her from talking nonsense here earlier.
Now he could only completely abandon her.
“The Sun Family has produced such a scandal. I have no words to face Your Majesty. It was Lin Tingting’s own mistake, and we at Yongning Marquis Manor were kept in the dark. Please, Your Majesty, see clearly.” Marquis Yongning knelt and said.
After all, Lin Tingting was a member of the Sun Family. If Emperor Qin really pursued it, it would inevitably implicate the Sun Family.
His only hope now was that the Sun Family wouldn’t be implicated. As for whether Lin Tingting lived or died, he didn’t care at all.
Faced with the evidence, Lin Tingting could no longer quibble and knelt down. “Your Majesty, show mercy. I was blinded by lard for a moment and dared to deceive Your Majesty. Please, Your Majesty, show great mercy and spare me. I will never dare again.”
Lin Tingting had done something absurd and shameless, and now she even toyed with him like a fool.
Emperor Qin was naturally furious and rebuked, “The Yongning Marquis Manor Heir Apparent’s Wife is indecent and has committed the crime of deceiving the emperor, which is gravely unfilial and unethical. She is truly unworthy of the position of Yongning Marquis Manor Heir Apparent’s Wife that I originally bestowed. Now I strip her of the Heir Apparent’s Wife position.”
“No… don’t, Your Majesty, show mercy. I know I was wrong. I was momentarily confused and made a grave mistake. In the future, I will reflect deeply and absolutely never commit such a foolish act again.”
Now, the only one she could rely on was Emperor Qin. Although he hadn’t said he would kill her directly, stripping her of the Heir Apparent’s Wife position clearly showed his attitude.
She knew that returning to the Sun Family meant only a dead end for her.
It was just a pity that Emperor Qin ignored her completely. If not for the sake of the Sun Family and Qi Family, he would have directly executed Lin Tingting.
“Yongning Marquis Manor, this was originally your family matter, but since it involved the royal family, I have handled it thus.”
Marquis Yongning kowtowed. “Your Majesty’s great kindness and virtue—I will never forget it even to my dying day. I will definitely go back and handle this matter properly, giving the royal family a satisfactory explanation.”
Only then was Emperor Qin satisfied. He had vented his anger and preserved his ministers’ face. He then turned to Qi Wu. “Qi Wu, considering your Qi Family’s contributions to the court, for your incestuous and licentious behavior, I directly dismiss you from your Hanlin position. Do you have any objections?”
Having saved his life, Qi Wu breathed a sigh of relief and kowtowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty, for not killing me. I have no objections.”
Only then was Emperor Qin satisfied.
But Jiang Ruanxi said, “Your Majesty, Concubine Lin’s matter is hateful enough, but as for the matter of Concubine Lin’s jade pendant, if First Madam Lin hadn’t deliberately concealed it, it wouldn’t have been so troublesome. Shouldn’t this crime of deceiving the emperor also receive punishment?”
