Her five fingers tightened, crumpling the pink note in her palm into a ball before discarding it on the ground.
Lu Yinxi lowered her eyelids. Her crow - feather - like eyelashes cast a shadow, masking all the emotions in her eyes.
Rescuing Zhou Kou was her own choice, having nothing to do with others. As for the consequences of using the speech spirit, she was well aware of them. Thus, she couldn't blame anyone else.
So, she didn't need Shang Luoshu's apology!
"Hongmei, I don't like the color of this rouge. Throw it away!"
"Throw, throw it away?"
Hongmei never expected Lu Yinxi to react like this. She thought she was having an auditory hallucination. "Miss, this is the most popular rouge in the capital these days..."
"Don't make me repeat myself!"
A sharp look shot over, and Hongmei immediately stiffened her back. The gentle and amiable attitude of the young lady these days had made her forget that the Fourth Miss was no pushover. She might act coquettishly and make concessions to her family, but towards outsiders...
"Miss, please calm down. This servant will go and throw the rouge away right away."
The dressing table returned to its original state, with nothing extra on it. However, the young girl's mind began to stir.
Counting this time, it was the second time Shang Luoshu had sent her a message, and both messages had appeared on the dressing table.
Lu Yinxi lived in a remote backyard of the prime minister's mansion, and the dressing table was in the inner room of her boudoir. She didn't think Shang Luoshu's subordinates could send something in without alerting anyone.
So, there was only one explanation.
There was someone from Shang Luoshu in her yard.
Once this speculation was established, it was easier to guess who it was, because there were only a few maids who could enter her boudoir.
Hongmei? Hongrui?
Or maybe Hongqiao, who was in charge of dressing her up?
Whoever it was, it wasn't what Lu Yinxi wanted to see.
The rouge stood quietly on the table, exactly the same as when it was sent. There was also a wrinkled pink note lying beside it.
She was still angry and didn't want to accept his apology.
"The Fourth Miss said she wanted to throw this thing away."
Just thinking about what his subordinate had reported earlier and seeing this box of rouge, Shang Luoshu got angry. He had already humbled himself to apologize, but she still refused to forgive him.
As a royal family member, his pride wouldn't allow such a result. However, his reason told him that Lu Yinxi was right. The apology written on the pink note was indeed not sincere enough.
In that case, he would have to conclude the case and apologize to her in person.
"Chen Guang, have you investigated Sun Xin and Yang Yi clearly?"
Sensing the sudden change in his master's aura, Chen Guang also became serious.
"Your Highness, I've investigated everything. But the Assistant Regent was one step ahead of us. Now, these two men and their families are out of our control."
It seemed that the Assistant Regent had learned his lesson from Zhou Kou and had taken control of the main witnesses first.
"It doesn't matter," the man said with great confidence. "I remember that Yang Yi's mother is going to Anguo Temple in a few days, right?"
"Exactly, but the Assistant Regent will surely send people to protect her along the way. We may not be able to kidnap her."
"There's no need to kidnap her. Just arrange a 'master' to enter Anguo Temple."
When the moon was high in the sky, shining brightly, Lin Zihan, who had spent the whole day painstakingly searching for evidence, didn't hurry back to his mansion but went to Prince Jing's Mansion first.
"I've failed Your Highness."
As soon as they met, he lifted his robe and knelt down.
After leaving his teacher's mansion that day, Lin Zihan had thought a lot and finally realized his own problems.
The failure of the first trial of Zhu Chengjie was mainly his fault. He had been too subjective. After hearing Zhou Kou's words, he had thought it was the truth, ignoring that Sun Xin and Yang Yi were also involved, which had given the Assistant Regent a handle.
A gentleman should admit his mistakes. So, he had come to Prince Jing's Mansion.
"Your Honor Lin doesn't need to be like this," Shang Luoshu motioned for Chen Guang to help the man up and continued, "The case will be retried in a few days. If Your Honor Lin wants to give Fang Qinhu justice, there's still time."
Three days later, the case of Fang Qinhu was retried.
Before that, Shang Luoshu had sent another pink note to Lu Yinxi, telling her not to worry.
In response, the young girl just curled her lips.
What was there for her to worry about? Even if she couldn't clear Fang Qinhu's name through formal channels, she could just find an opportunity to go to the prison and use the speech spirit on him again.
Thinking of this, Lu Yinxi couldn't help but regret again. She should have just made Fang Qinhu mute at the beginning. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been all these things.
She really shouldn't have been soft - hearted!
The news of the retrial of Fang Qinhu's case quickly spread throughout the streets and alleys. So, there were even more people coming to watch this time. There were also two more seats in the courtroom, one for Shang Luoshu and the other for the Assistant Regent.
The gavel was struck as usual, the sound resounding through the sky.
But today, Zhu Chengjie was obviously much more confident than last time.
Lin Zihan: "Lieutenant Sun and Lieutenant Yang, in the battle of Zongyang three years ago, you, Zhou Kou, and Fang Qinhu were all subordinates of General Zhu. So, was the situation back then like what Zhou and Fang said, that they were both framed by General Zhu?"
"Your Honor Lin, please see clearly. Fang Qinhu and Zhou Kou are clearly framing General Zhu."
Glancing at the Assistant Regent beside him, Yang Yi quickly retorted. Sun Xin beside him was not to be outdone and quickly echoed.
"Yes, framing. These two men didn't obey General Zhu in the army back then. Especially Fang Qinhu. He relied on having saved General Zhu's life once and acted all high - and - mighty. On the contrary, the general was kind - hearted and didn't care about him."
The participants in the same incident told two different stories. The common people outside the courtroom couldn't help but be in an uproar. For a moment, they didn't know which one was true.
But there had to be a conclusion in the end.
Calmly lifting the tea lid, the Assistant Regent took the initiative: "General Zhu has made great contributions to the Great Qi, and Lieutenants Sun and Yang also have military merits. Your Honor Lin, how do you think this case should be judged?"
Lin Zihan selectively ignored the first half of his words and said respectfully, "Please don't be in a hurry, Assistant Regent. This case doesn't need to be judged in a hurry. After all, not all the witnesses have arrived."
"Are there still witnesses?"
The hand that was stirring the tea leaves paused slightly. Shang Mozheng couldn't figure out if he was just being mysterious or if there were really other witnesses.
"Uncle, not only does Your Honor Lin have a witness, but I also have a witness who hasn't arrived yet."
Seeing the smile on his nephew's face, the Assistant Regent felt a sudden unease in his heart. By then, Lin Zihan had already given an order to let the new witness enter the courtroom.
Under everyone's expectant and fearful gazes, a trembling figure gradually came into view. When the old woman walked onto the courtroom, Yang Yi suddenly exclaimed in a broken voice: "Mother?!"
"No, Mother, why are you here?"
The old woman didn't respond to her son immediately. She first saluted. After hearing Your Honor Lin tell her to stand up, she immediately slapped Yang Yi across the face.
"Do you still have the nerve to ask? If I didn't come, would I just let you ruin our Yang family?"
The stinging pain on his face left Lieutenant Yang stunned on the spot. He didn't react for a long time. His mother's voice rang out in his ear again.
"Mother has told you before that our Yang family doesn't ask for anything else, just peace and stability.
The master in Anguo Temple also divined your fortune. As long as you are down - to - earth, you can live a good life in the future. Otherwise, the whole Yang family will be buried with you. Why didn't you listen?"
"Madam?"
The sudden slap from the old woman startled Lin Zihan, and his voice dropped a tone.
After calming her emotions, Mrs. Yang bowed again, completely losing the previous aura.
"Your Honor, this commoner, Yang Li, is Yang Yi's mother. This commoner can prove that what he just said in the courtroom is all a lie."
"Mother!"
As soon as these words were said, the situation immediately reversed. Zhu Chengjie even collapsed on the spot as if his soul had been taken away. However, Lin Zihan didn't intend to let him off so easily.
"General Zhu, these days, I've visited many soldiers who served in your army back then and later retired to their hometowns. Do you know how they evaluated you?"
By this time, the case was clear, and there was no need to listen to the subsequent results.
The Assistant Regent left with a铁青 face, waving his sleeves. But the look he gave Shang Luoshu when he left was very obscure.
"By the decree of the Emperor, after investigation, the former Mingwei General Zhu Chengjie falsely reported military information and framed his colleagues. His crime is unforgivable. He is sentenced to be beheaded immediately."
The imperial edict came very quickly. As soon as Lin Zihan submitted the case, the edict spread throughout the capital.
When Lu Yinxi heard this news, she was copying Buddhist scriptures for Mrs. Lu. Hearing this, she just smiled faintly, looking unconcerned.
Seeing this, although Hongmei was curious in her heart, she still respectfully backed out. However, the young girl's voice sounded again.
"Hongmei, it's you, isn't it?"