Now that Mu Fengqie had raised this question, it was worthy of serious consideration. It was a tricky problem. If they couldn't solve it, all their preparations would be in vain.
"My lord, this servant is willing to self - mutilate her vocal cords." Before Jing Xinche and the others could come up with any useful solutions, that woman spoke up.
"What did you say?" Jing Xinche and Mu Fengqie looked at her in surprise. They never expected that this woman could be so ruthless as to mutilate her own vocal cords.
"Are you sure? This is a matter that will affect you for the rest of your life." Mu Fengqie frowned and looked at her. Once the vocal cords were damaged, one would lose the ability to speak. Even if there was a chance to be cured in the future, the voice would never be the same as before.
"This servant is sure. My family was killed by that traitor Chen. As long as this servant is given a chance to avenge them, I will be extremely grateful." The woman knelt on the ground and pleaded. She had been waiting for this opportunity for several years, and finally it had come.
Fortunately, her figure was similar to that of Miss Chen. It was as if the heavens were helping her.
"Wait a moment. There's no need to rush. Let's think of other ways." Mu Fengqie didn't want to use this method unless it was absolutely necessary.
"This servant thanks my lord." After kowtowing on the ground, the woman left with a determined look in her eyes.
Father, mother, younger brother, I finally have a chance to avenge you. After I avenge you, daughter will come to find you.
If it weren't for this hatred that had been sustaining her, she would have given up on life long ago. All her relatives had died overnight. If it weren't for her father hiding her in the secret room, she wouldn't have survived.
And all of this was thanks to that beastly Lord Chen. So, she must kill that brute with her own hands.
"Ache, where did you find this woman?" This was too much of a coincidence. They were just looking for a woman with a figure similar to Miss Chen's, and this woman showed up.
"I saved this woman when I went on a military expedition. At that time, she was just a beggar. Since she was a subject of our Qin Dynasty, I saved her." He never thought that this woman had such a tragic background and that Lord Chen was the one who had killed her family.
"Don't worry. I've sent people to investigate. She has no suspicion and can be used." Jing Xinche knew what Mu Fengqie was worried about and comforted her.
"Okay. Let's still think of other ways." They couldn't really let this woman self - mutilate her vocal cords.
But before they could come up with any solutions, an imperial edict came from the palace, ordering them to bring Miss Chen into the palace.
Jing Xinche and Mu Fengqie exchanged a look. They could both see caution in each other's eyes. It seemed that Lord Chen wanted to make this matter a big deal.
When Jing Xinche and Mu Fengqie arrived, the Snow Feather Kingdom's Queen, King Wen, Lord Chen, and the Emperor were already seated in the main hall.
"Your servant pays respects to the Emperor, the King, and the Queen."
Seeing them come in, Yuan Yuchuan straightened his body and said, "Marquis Zhongning, I heard from Lord Chen that you and Mu Fengqie abducted his daughter yesterday. Is this true?" If this was true, he could just use this matter to deprive Jing Xinche of some of his power.
"Your Majesty, it's not appropriate to convict your servant just based on Lord Chen's one - sided story, isn't it?" Jing Xinche saw through Yuan Yuchuan's intention at a glance. He really never changed his ways. It seemed that he still hadn't learned his lesson.
"Oh? Then tell me your side of the story, Marquis Zhongning." Yuan Yuchuan squinted his eyes and looked at Jing Xinche.
"A few days ago, Lord Chen invited Qier to his birthday banquet. I was worried, so I followed her. I never expected that Lord Chen and Miss Chen would jointly drug me with that kind of despicable medicine. After I noticed it, I knocked Miss Chen unconscious and left." Jing Xinche said expressionlessly. What he said was half - true and half - false, and Yuan Yuchuan couldn't detect any problems.
"Oh? Why is what Lord Chen told me different? Lord Chen, please explain." Yuan Yuchuan leaned back on his seat and looked at the people below.
"Your Majesty, every word your servant said is true. I would never lie. It was Marquis Zhongning who took a fancy to my daughter. When my daughter refused, he forcibly took her away." Lord Chen was crying and sniveling as he spoke. If Mu Fengqie didn't know the truth, she might really believe him.
This old fox was really cunning.
"Humph! Take a fancy to your daughter? What charm does your daughter have that could catch this marquis's eye?" Jing Xinche looked at Lord Chen sarcastically.
Yuan Yuchuan watched the two of them arguing below, then turned to look at King Wen and the Snow Feather Kingdom's Queen.
"I heard that you were also at Lord Chen's house that day. Do you know what happened?" Yuan Yuchuan asked.
"Speaking of which, I just remembered that I wanted to ask the princess some questions that day. But I didn't expect the princess to leave in a hurry on some urgent matter. I didn't see her again until the banquet was over." The Snow Feather Kingdom's Queen looked at Mu Fengqie and told the truth.
What the Snow Feather Kingdom's Queen said was indeed the truth, but the problem was that Lord Chen had said that Jing Xinche had abducted his daughter. So, as Jing Xinche's woman, why did she leave in such a hurry?
If she told the truth, the Emperor would definitely not believe her. But if she didn't tell the truth, how could she get out of this situation?
"Then Mu Fengqie, tell me what you did when you left that day?" Yuan Yuchuan glanced at the Snow Feather Kingdom's Queen. He didn't expect this queen to be so helpful. She had blocked all their ways out.
No matter what Mu Fengqie said next, as long as he didn't believe it, this matter would be Jing Xinche's fault.
Mu Fengqie pursed her lips and was just about to speak up in rebuttal when Jing Xinche quietly tugged at her.
"Your Majesty, it was this servant who sent someone to find Qier that day. After all, I had been drugged. I needed someone to help me relieve the effects, right?" Jing Xinche said slowly.
Mu Fengqie's face turned bright red after hearing this. She never expected Jing Xinche to say such a thing, and in front of so many people. He was really... shameless!
Yuan Yuchuan was also stunned by Jing Xinche's move. This... He had never thought of this situation. He had thought that Mu Fengqie or Jing Xinche would defend themselves, but he never expected that although Jing Xinche did defend himself, his defense was really...
Indecent and really disgraceful.
"Jing Xinche, you actually dare to say such filthy words in broad daylight and in front of the Emperor!" Lord Chen glared at him angrily.
"What? Your family dared to do such a thing. Why can't this marquis say it?"