Chapter Forty: New Evidence

He looked up at the old madam, then at Yan Heru, who stood quietly to the side, before pulling out the second sheet of paper from the wooden box.

Upon reading the contents of this second paper, his brows shot up, and his tone toward the old madam turned markedly harsher.

“Old madam, is this what you wanted me to see—evidence of your own embezzlement!” Jingcheng rebuked.

When she heard his first words, the old madam was momentarily stunned; it wasn’t until a heartbeat later that she understood what Jingcheng was implying.

She snatched the paper from his hands in disbelief, opened it, and glanced at the contents. “This…”

Immediately, she turned to the second page and read its contents as well. “This can’t be, how… how could this…”

“Is it that the old madam cannot trust what’s written in black and white, not even her own signature? Or is it that you brought the wrong evidence—wasn’t your intention to present proof meant to frame the Ninth Princess Consort?” Jingcheng pressed, his voice growing stern.

As the Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Jingcheng had presided over countless cases in a year, and though he’d handled few involving the inner circles of power, there were still more than a handful.

So when he saw that the evidence the old madam handed over was proof of her own corruption, he immediately understood everything.

Clearly, the old madam had brought the wrong evidence—she had intended to frame Yan Heru.

Recalling the storm of rumors that had swept through the capital, Jingcheng’s expression grew even darker.

If the rumors persisted, the case would eventually fall into his hands, and he would be tasked with resolving it.

Though the Ninth Prince was not favored by the Emperor, he was still of royal blood. Jingcheng, as Assistant Minister, was ultimately only a servant of the Emperor.

If the matter truly reached his desk, he would find himself in an impossible position.

Normally, even if the Ninth Prince was targeted, it would not affect the imperial family’s honor. But if Yan Heru truly had committed adultery, it would bring shame upon the royal house.

If the investigation revealed this, the Emperor, for the sake of dignity, might punish Yan Heru, but would surely find some excuse to vent his anger on Jingcheng as well.

Who could have imagined that all of this was orchestrated by Yan’s own family?

A family plotting against one of their own—what sort of household was this?

“I… I didn’t… It’s not like that…” The old madam was flustered.

Granny Wang, standing beside her, gripped her arm tightly, finally giving the old madam a shred of comfort.

The old madam took a deep breath, forcing herself to regain composure, and said to Jingcheng, “There must be some misunderstanding here. Assistant Minister, perhaps you should return and rest for the night. This is, after all, a family matter; there is no need to trouble you further. Please, see yourself out.”

Once she had regained her poise, the old madam was once again the steely matriarch she had always been. Yet today, her schemes had come to nothing.

“Old madam, today I am not here alone. My men are with me, all here to investigate this case at your request. If I simply left at your bidding, how would I explain myself to them?

Since my appointment as Assistant Minister, never have I wronged the innocent. And now, do you expect me to stand by and watch the Ninth Princess Consort be falsely accused?”

Jingcheng had made his decision—no matter what happened today, he would stand with the Ninth Prince.

Though the old madam held the title of a noblewoman, she could not compare to the status of the Ninth Prince. Therefore, the one he must protect was Yan Heru, the Ninth Princess Consort.

Yan Heru watched the verbal sparring between the two and suddenly smiled.

Though she had orchestrated for the wooden box to contain evidence of the old madam’s embezzlement, this alone could not prove she was innocent of the alleged affair.

She wondered what was going through the mind of this handsome Assistant Minister—he had, unexpectedly, chosen to take her side. Yan Heru had originally thought Jingcheng was the old madam’s ally.

Since he had already helped her, she could not simply stand by—she had to speak up for her ally as well.

“My lord, I do not know why my grandmother insists on slandering me. I am already married to the Ninth Prince—alive, I am his wife; dead, I am his spirit. In all the realm, who could possibly outrank the Ninth Prince? Why would I ever stoop to such disgrace?” Yan Heru spoke with tears and genuine emotion.

But that was not the end of it.

“I… I once thought my grandmother cherished me, but now it seems she only begrudges me the food I eat in this house! To use such malicious means to cast me out!

Grandmother! If you truly do not wish me to remain, I will leave tomorrow. I returned only to inform my father and brother about enlisting. Hearing of your illness, I wanted to stay and care for you—who could have guessed you would plot against me so cruelly!”

Jingcheng suppressed a twitch at the corner of his mouth. For reasons he could not fathom, he reached back into the wooden box and to his surprise, discovered yet another sheet of paper hidden at the bottom.

While Yan Heru continued her tearful lament, Jingcheng, unnoticed by the others, quietly unfolded this final page.

What he read left him speechless.

“Grandmother, you—”

“Quiet, for a moment!” Jingcheng interrupted Yan Heru, exasperation plain on his face as he looked toward the old madam. His silent stare instantly unnerved her.

Yan Heru rolled her eyes at Jingcheng in her heart.

I’ve been crying my heart out all this time, and only now do you tell me to stop? What a hopeless ally you are.

“Old madam, I had no evidence at first that you were framing the Ninth Princess Consort. All I said earlier was mere conjecture based on the current circumstances.”

Jingcheng’s words drew Yan Heru’s attention.

“But who would have thought? Now the evidence has surfaced. You accused the Ninth Princess Consort of adultery—do you even realize the punishment for such a grave crime?” Jingcheng’s gaze was icy as he looked at the old madam.

She swallowed nervously and took a half-step back. Only with Granny Wang’s support did she steady herself.

It was not that Jingcheng’s presence was so overwhelming—it was her guilty conscience that made her falter.

“I do not understand what you mean! How can you prove it was I who slandered her? You just said you had no evidence—how is it you suddenly have proof? Or is it because you see that I am old and wish to pin this on me instead? Lord Jing!” The old madam retorted coldly.

Jingcheng listened to her, observed her reaction, and smiled. He laid the page he had just found flat, pinching its corners, and presented it before the old madam.

“Old madam, look closely: are these not your name and Lin’s? Did you not write them both yourself? Well?”