Hearing this, Chu Xiang, who was standing aside, was only stunned for a moment. He quickly came to his senses and sneered.
"Miss Bai really hasn't changed at all. She's still so infatuated with my son. However, for an unmarried young lady to stay out all night with a man, how could Minister Bai still have the nerve to file a complaint here in the Yamen of the Metropolitan Magistrate? Truly, one should keep family scandals within the family, but he insists on making it public!"
"You're talking nonsense!" Bai Yinan trembled with anger. "If it were my daughter's invitation, how could so many of the guards from the Bai Mansion have been injured?"
Feng Jingye said calmly, "Minister Bai is really getting old. He doesn't understand the amorous feelings of young ladies."
"Your Highness, please be cautious with your words! My daughter is gentle and kind. She wouldn't even step on an ant. How could she use the lives of the guards at the gate for fun? Moreover, my daughter had just received the imperial edict of betrothal before being abducted by Young Master Chu. She and the Marquis of Dingyuan are in love with each other. My daughter's innocence is not only related to the Bai Mansion but also concerns the face of the Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion and His Majesty!"
Bai Yinan flicked his sleeve and knelt down deeply again.
"I earnestly request Your Highness to find out the truth."
The courtroom fell silent for a moment.
A glint of playfulness flashed in Feng Jingxuan's eyes. If there was anyone most delighted about Chu Feng abducting Bai Zheng, it would be him.
It would be best if he could help the Bai Mansion bring down the Chu Family. If not, sowing discord between Feng Jingye and Bai Zheng wouldn't be a bad thing either.
None of the killers he sent the night before had returned, which showed that Bai Zheng was indeed more powerful than he had thought. But no matter how capable she was, at least for now, they had a common enemy - the Chu Family.
As a temporary ally, Feng Jingxuan didn't mind giving her a helping hand at the right time.
Thinking of this, Feng Jingxuan said coolly, "Even if Young Master Chu wants to have fun, he shouldn't play with the lives of the guards from the Bai Mansion. After all, those who have been in high positions for a long time regard human lives as worthless."
"Third Brother." A hint of anger flashed in Feng Jingye's eyes. If it weren't for the fact that the Emperor had considered that the Chu Family involved in this case was his mother's clan and it would be inevitable for him to be partial in handling it, and had insisted on arranging Feng Jingxuan to come along, how could this person have appeared in such a situation?
It was obvious that he had ill intentions.
"I've heard that although the guards from the Bai Mansion were injured, none of them lost their lives. This shows that Young Master Chu knows how to handle things properly. As for the injured guards, Prime Minister, the Chu Family should send all the necessary medicine. Don't be stingy with ginseng and Ganoderma lucidum. Compensate with as much gold and silver as possible."
If the first half of Feng Jingye's words had left the on - looking common people a bit dissatisfied, the compensation in the second half completely saved the situation.
Feng Jingye's concession was just right. After all, Chu Feng had indeed caused trouble, and he couldn't avoid paying the price.
With ginseng and gold and silver, he had done enough and there was no room for criticism.
"Humph, the Chu Family will surely compensate those injured in the Bai Mansion. But what about those injured in the Chu Family? Where is my son now? Could Minister Bai also give me an explanation!" The Prime Minister of Chu raised his voice with an air of superiority.
Bai Yinan looked up, his eyes red. "It was clearly Young Master Chu who abducted my daughter and made her disappear. It's the Chu Family that should give the Bai Mansion an explanation!"
"Bai, Yi, Nan!" The Prime Minister of Chu pointed at Bai Yinan's nose and shouted his name. "It's clearly your own daughter who is talentless, immoral and shameless. She seduced my son and stayed out all night. Yet you still have the nerve to turn the tables on us!"
"It's clearly your Chu Family bullying with power!" Hearing his daughter being slandered like this, Bai Yinan, who was usually submissive, was so angry that he completely lost his usual awe of the Prime Minister of Chu.
He suddenly stood up and stared directly at the Prime Minister of Chu. "Everyone who witnessed it yesterday can testify to what Young Master Chu said when he came to the gate of the Bai Mansion. You and I both know it well. Under the clear sky and bright sun, the Metropolitan Magistrate enforces the law impartially, and His Majesty is wise and mighty. They will surely give the Bai Mansion justice!"
"Oh?" Feng Jingye narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Bai Yinan dangerously. Bai Yinan couldn't help but shiver.
"Minister Bai, what do you mean? Do you think this Crown Prince is partial and unjust, helping the Chu Family to frame your Bai Mansion, and not qualified to be the Crown Prince?"
Bai Yinan's face turned pale and he said anxiously, "Your Highness, I... I didn't mean that..."
"You didn't mean that? You said that the Metropolitan Magistrate enforces the law impartially and His Majesty is wise and mighty, and they will surely give the Bai Mansion justice. What does this mean? Does it mean that the Crown Prince standing in front of you can't protect your Bai Mansion, and is neither impartial nor wise?"
"How dare I..." Bai Yinan's face was deathly pale.
"Dare not? So, if you were given a bit of courage, you would really intend to impeach this Crown Prince?" Feng Jingye said in a sinister tone.
The temperature around instantly dropped.
Bai Yinan felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
For a moment, the entire courtroom, along with the on - lookers at the Yamen gate, fell silent.
"Hehe, Second Brother." In the silence, Feng Jingxuan said with a smile, "Look at you. The Minister is just too worried about his daughter and said something without thinking for a moment. Second Brother, don't take it to heart..."
Before Feng Jingxuan could finish his words of smoothing things over, a clear and tearful voice came from outside the Yamen.
"Daddy!"
Bai Yinan suddenly looked up.
Everyone followed Bai Yinan's gaze.
It was Bai Zheng standing at the courtroom door. She was wearing a long water - blue dress. Her fair face showed obvious excitement. When her gaze fell on Bai Yinan, her eyes turned red. She quickly stepped forward and threw herself into his arms, crying.
When the Prime Minister of Chu saw who it was, he immediately craned his neck and looked behind. Seeing that there was only a maid following and no one else, he immediately shouted, "Where did you take Feng'er? Why did you come back alone? Where is Feng'er?"
But Bai Zheng ignored him and just sobbed softly.
Seeing this, Feng Jingxuan's smile deepened.
It was really worth coming today.
The good show was finally about to start.
Feng Jingye couldn't figure out what was going on for a moment. But when he saw Bai Zheng, he restrained his previous imposing manner and asked kindly with a softer expression, "Miss Bai is back. Did you suffer any grievances during this night outside?"
"What grievances could she have suffered? I think she looks perfectly fine! She seduced Feng'er and stayed out all night. Say, where did you seduce Feng'er to?" The Prime Minister of Chu was so eager to find his son that he didn't care about Feng Jingye's thoughts and kept pestering Bai Zheng.
"Prime Minister, can't you see that Miss Bai is obviously frightened? Don't shout at her like this. What if you really scare her into something?" Feng Jingxuan showed an unhappy look and spoke up for Bai Zheng.
"Zheng'er, what's wrong with you? Did you suffer any grievances? The Metropolitan Magistrate and the two Highnesses are here. Tell them!" Bai Yinan paused for a moment and still added "the two Highnesses" to avoid being caught by Feng Jingye on this point again.