Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Brilliant Performance in Pursuit of the Culprit

Yan Heru lay uneasily on her bed, waiting for Mo Yi’s return. Before long, Mo Yi came back.

“My lady, here is what you asked for. I’ve already burned all the evidence that slandered you. What remains are proofs of Old Madam Yan’s embezzlement and Madam Lin’s mistreatment of the servants. To be honest, Madam Lin’s greatest fault is her harshness toward the servants.”

Mo Yi sounded a little guilty.

Yan Heru nodded. “This is already more than enough. I’m surprised you gathered it all so quickly.”

“It’s my duty to serve you well, my lady.” Mo Yi grinned.

Yan Heru shook her head in resignation. “Thank you for putting this together for me. Now I need to return it to its place.”

“My lady, allow me,” Mo Yi volunteered. “I can put it back without being discovered.”

Yan Heru hesitated. She had a nagging feeling that something terrible would happen tonight. If she was caught sneaking out, the consequences would be dire.

So, after a brief pause, she agreed to Mo Yi’s offer. “You know where that wooden box belongs, don’t you?”

Mo Yi nodded. “I’ve been keeping watch over you in secret. I saw where it was put.”

“Good. I’ll leave it to you. Be careful,” Yan Heru said gravely.

Mo Yi nodded solemnly and left.

After Mo Yi departed, Yan Heru’s unease only grew. She paced the room, growing more and more anxious, fearing that something might have happened to Mo Yi and trying to think of what to do.

Finally, she could no longer wait. Just as she was about to open the door to look for Mo Yi, she heard a commotion of many footsteps approaching the courtyard gate.

Yan Heru cracked open her door and peered outside. At the front was a strange man. After a moment’s thought, she shut the door tightly and returned to her bed, pulling the covers over herself.

Beside her lay Yan Hemiao, still unconscious. Yan Heru worried she might suddenly wake, so she administered another dose. Yan Hemiao remained deeply asleep—she would only wake if doused with water or left to rouse naturally in the morning.

Seeing the man leading the group, Yan Heru sensed that her presentiment of misfortune was about to be realized.

Knock, knock, knock!

Knock, knock, knock!

“Sixth Sister, will you open the door?”

Yan Heru’s brow furrowed slightly.

Was that Yan Heqi?

It seemed tonight would be quite lively—many people had come.

She dressed and went to the door, opening it. “Seventh Sister… you!!”

Feigning drowsiness, Yan Heru rubbed her eyes, barely uttering “Seventh Sister” before seeing the crowd gathered at her door. She pretended to be startled awake.

“Who are you people?!”

“Search!”

“Stop! Who are you to search my courtyard?” Yan Heru tried to block the constables, her anxious eyes immediately caught by Old Madam Yan.

Leaning on her cane, Old Madam Yan slowly stepped from the crowd, looking at Yan Heru with bitter disappointment. “You! You’ll be the death of me! Why would you do such a thing?”

“Grandmother! What are you saying? I didn’t do anything!” Yan Heru denied it at once, her reaction making her seem even more suspicious.

“My lady, forgive me,” said the vice minister from the Supreme Court, his words polite but his expression devoid of apology.

The title “Princess Consort of the Ninth Prince” sounded respectable, but in reality, Shen Hezhi was a prince out of favor; who would truly respect her?

Fortunately, Yan Heru didn’t care what these people thought of her.

“Grandmother, what is the meaning of you bringing these people to my courtyard?” Yan Heru glared at Old Madam Yan, still blocking the doorway to keep the constables out.

“You! Child! Do you not even dare admit what you’ve done? Must I present the evidence myself?” Old Madam Yan struck her cane on the ground in anger.

The vice minister hastened to soothe her. “Madam, please don’t trouble yourself. Once the evidence is presented, no one can deny the truth.”

Old Madam Yan dabbed at her eyes in a show of grief, which made Yan Heru feel nothing but disgust.

At that moment, Madam Lin arrived, clutching a wooden box to her chest. By the look on her face, she had just been woken and was still dazed, not even knowing what was happening.

Seeing Lin’s arrival chilled Yan Heru to the core.

Old Madam Yan clearly intended to use this opportunity—not only to accuse her of murder, but also to expose her supposed impropriety with another man. If that happened, there would be no redemption.

Even if the Ninth Prince himself came, he would be powerless to shield her from such a scandal.

The thought made Yan Heru break out in a cold sweat. If Mo Yi had been even a little slower in returning the evidence, she would truly have met her end tonight.

“Mother?” Yan Heru looked at Madam Lin in confusion, drawing the attention of the crowd.

Madam Lin, utterly unused to such scenes, was so frightened she couldn’t utter a word.

Old Madam Yan glared coldly at her. “Come here.”

At the command, Lin seemed to find her bearings and hurried to Old Madam Yan’s side, still clutching the wooden box tightly.

The vice minister, seeing Lin arrive, immediately ordered his men, “Don’t harm the princess consort. Search the house at once!”

“Yes, sir!”

Yan Heru pretended to be overwhelmed and, with a stumble, opened the door. The constables rushed inside, and Yan Heqi’s expression turned triumphant.

“Sister, did you think no one would find out about your deeds? Even if you threatened me, I can’t cover for your shameful acts!” Yan Heqi looked at Yan Heru with feigned sorrow, her words ringing with self-righteous indignation.

“Shameful acts? What shameful acts have I committed?” Yan Heru looked at her, puzzled.

“There’s no need for you two to argue here. The truth will be revealed soon enough,” the vice minister interrupted, clearly irritated by their bickering.

Rebuked, Yan Heqi fell silent.

Before long, the constables returned. The vice minister asked at once, “Well?”

One constable, looking awkward, replied, “There’s only a sleeping young lady inside…”

At those words, Yan Heru flew into a rage.

“You! You saw her?! My eighth sister wasn’t dressed! You—you’ve dishonored her!” Yan Heru raised her hand to strike the constable, who did not flinch.

Not far off, Madam Cheng had just arrived, and upon hearing this, she was struck dumb, then immediately rushed forward through the crowd.