At this thought, a seething fire seemed to rage in his chest. He yearned to incinerate every single person who had harmed Bai Zheng.
"The coachman was also bribed by the Second Miss. I'm not sure who it was exactly, but Zisu, the maid beside the Second Miss, should know," Chen Jianzhi said, shivering under the overwhelming aura suddenly exuded by Feng Linyuan. He quickly tried to shift the focus.
Feng Linyuan nodded, his voice as cold as an icy pond. "Zisu should be in the Wenrui Hall, right?"
The grand eunuch quickly replied, "Your Lordship is right. Zisu was interrogated by this humble servant before. In this humble servant's opinion, that girl doesn't seem to be very tough - mouthed. A bit of torture, and she'll surely confess everything."
Hearing the words "a bit of torture", Bai Zheng's mind suddenly flashed back to the last time when Qingshao was taken away by the grand eunuch and brought back from the palace half - dead. She couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for Zisu.
But Feng Linyuan clearly had no mercy for this "accomplice". He simply said coldly, "Your Excellency need not be polite to her. If she's tough - mouthed, this Marquis can also help pry her mouth open."
Even the grand eunuch couldn't help but shiver at these words. He quickly bowed and said, "Yes."
Seeing Bai Sheng and Concubine Zhao as silent as eggplants beaten by frost, Su Muxiao curved her lips into a smile.
Was this the end of their resistance?
The matter was far from over!
At this thought, she pretended to be in a dilemma and asked, "Just interrogating Zisu might not be enough, right?"
"Cousin, do you have any concerns?" Bai Zheng quickly asked.
Su Muxiao lowered her head and pondered. "Zisu is a servant born into the General's Mansion. She grew up with Di'er. Her affection for Di'er is extraordinary. What if she's so loyal that we can't pry her mouth open? Moreover, her parents and family are under the control of the General's Mansion. What if she refuses to talk for the safety of her family?"
When Su Muxiao asked these questions, her eyes were fixed on Feng Linche and the grand eunuch above.
Feng Linche's gaze circled around Su Muxiao's face, and he smiled faintly. "Miss Su makes a valid point. Just interrogating a personal maid may not necessarily yield any results."
Just like Cuizhu and Ziyan beside Concubine Zhao. Although they were both personal maids, Cuizhu betrayed Concubine Zhao, while Ziyan was more loyal because of her deeper affection for Concubine Zhao.
The grand eunuch was extremely shrewd. Hearing Feng Linche's words, he immediately replied, "How about summoning all the maids in the Second Miss's room for interrogation? Even if we can't find out about the Second Miss's deal with the bandit leader, someone must have seen the Second Miss's whereabouts during that period."
Feng Linche nodded. "That's fine."
Feng Linyuan then calmly said, "Since Your Majesty is going to interrogate all the servants in the Second Miss's room, in this subject's opinion, it would be better to search the Second Miss's courtyard thoroughly to see if there are any correspondence with Young Master Chen."
When Chen Jianzhi heard the words "correspondence", his face suddenly flushed red.
The grand eunuch quickly looked at Feng Linche. Seeing Feng Linche nod slightly, he replied with a meaningful smile on his lips, "Your Lordship is right."
Searching the courtyard of a young lady from the General's Mansion was not something anyone could do casually.
But if it was an order from the emperor, everything would be different.
If Bai Yizhang dared to stop it, he would be defying the imperial edict.
"No!"
Bai Sheng's face turned completely pale. She quickly shouted.
"Does the Eldest Miss have any dissatisfaction with His Majesty's order?" Feng Linyuan raised his eyebrows slightly, his tone full of coldness.
"Your Majesty, all this is just one - sided words from Chen Jianzhi. Di'er's guilt has not been determined yet. If Your Majesty sends someone to search her boudoir and finds nothing, what then? If word gets out that her courtyard has been searched, Di'er won't be able to live a normal life in the future!"
Searching Bai Di's boudoir would have the same result as searching Bai Zheng's body in public.
Once searched, regardless of whether the charges were proven or not, their reputations would be completely ruined.
Moreover, Bai Di was the legitimate daughter of General Bai Yizhang. Her status was much more noble than Bai Zheng's. Once her courtyard was searched, the gossips in Yongding City alone would drown her.
But Feng Jingye suddenly sneered and said, "The Second Miss's innocence? Is the Eldest Miss joking? This promiscuous woman, what innocence does she have left?"
"Your Highness the Crown Prince! Di'er was drugged and lost her chastity to Chen Jianzhi. Instead of sympathizing with her, you say such heart - rending words. Isn't that too hasty!"
Bai Sheng said sharply. Then she bowed deeply towards Feng Linche, pleading earnestly, "Your Majesty, not to mention my father, my grandfather fought bravely on the battlefield until his last breath. He never sought fame or fortune but only wished for the well - being of his children. If they were fighting desperately on the front line only to find that they couldn't even protect their granddaughter, how heart - broken they would be! Your Majesty, for the sake of my deceased grandfather, please leave a bit of dignity for Di'er!"
This time, Bai Sheng was smarter. Instead of relying on Bai Yizhang, she pleaded on behalf of the old general Bai Qiying.
Sure enough, Feng Linche frowned deeply and hesitated.
Bai Sheng tightly clutched the sleeve of her robe.
Bai Zheng and the others were obviously well - prepared. Since they had taken the initiative to suggest searching the entire courtyard, there must be something unspeakable in the courtyard!
At this thought, Bai Sheng's eyes occasionally glanced towards the door of the hall.
Why hasn't it arrived yet?
Bai Zheng watched the people in front of her coldly. A faint sneer flashed across her lips.
Just now, it was Concubine Zhao and Bai Sheng who were high - and - mighty, wanting to search her body.
Now, in just a cup of tea's time, the situation had completely changed.
This was the consequence of their lack of sisterly love and their audacity to harm her!
At this thought, her gaze shifted and landed on Princess Yunxi across the hall. She curved her lips into a smile.
Princess Yunxi understood and gently tugged at Zhuo Lingxiao's sleeve.
Then Zhuo Lingxiao sneered and said, "Leave dignity for the Second Miss? Did the Second Miss think about leaving any dignity for our Great Liang or your own Eastern Zhou when she tried to assassinate our princess in front of His Majesty!"
Princess Yunxi also sniffed and said tremulously, "Alas! With the Eldest Miss and the General's Mansion protecting her like this, no wonder the Second Miss dared to try to assassinate me in front of His Majesty."
As soon as these words were spoken, Feng Linche's expression immediately darkened.
He almost forgot the reason why Bai Di was dragged to the dungeon.
Regardless of whether she was innocent or not with Chen Jianzhi, she had dared to try to assassinate a foreign princess in front of him. Bai Di was already a criminal!
The courtyard of a criminal was surely searchable!
At this thought, Feng Linche immediately said coldly, "Search! Search thoroughly for me. Don't miss a single corner!"