Chapter 721: Chapter 720 Getting Scolded

Originally, all six maids in green skirts were supposed to be called in for questioning.

Now that a young maid had testified, the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice sent someone to deliver the message to Chen Hanlin’s Mansion.

Not only the maids, but even Miss Chen was summoned as well.

However, once the master and servant entered the Ministry of Justice, they were separated.

Miss Chen was led into the main hall, while the maid was taken elsewhere by the government officials.

Miss Chen looked unsettled and questioned, “Why are you separating me from the maid?”

The Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice looked at her and said, “It’s getting late, questioning everyone consecutively would take too long. By questioning separately, we can quickly clear your suspicions.”

Su Jin glanced at Miss Chen.

Previously, when she visited the Baihua Building, everyone was clamoring to leave. It was her idea to propose a search.

However, the steward of the Beauty Pavilion didn’t take this suggestion seriously.

Though the Beauty Pavilion has a powerful backing, these noble ladies are not to be trifled with. Besides, who would be foolish enough to keep incriminating evidence on their person for something like poisoning?

The Beauty Pavilion would not engage in such actions that offend people without reason.

It seemed that this lady truly intended to frame the First Young Lady of the Wenyuan Bo Mansion.

Now that the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice was questioning her and the maid separately, the truth of this case would soon be revealed.

The government officials brought over the maid from the Wenyuan Bo Mansion’s First Young Lady to identify if it was Miss Chen’s maid who picked up the purse and handed it to her.

Miss Chen stood there, her hands nervously tightly clenched.

Soon, the government official returned and said, “Master, the one who picked up the deceased’s purse was indeed that maid.”

The Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice looked towards Miss Chen.

Miss Chen, looking at him, said, “The maid merely picked up the purse to return it. Does that mean she should also be suspected?!”

“Anyone who had contact with the purse in the Beauty Pavilion is suspect,” said the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

“Our Ministry of Justice is merely conducting routine inquiries. If the maid is innocent, she will not be wronged.”

Miss Chen became increasingly panicked, her eyelids twitching violently.

And after the maid was taken away, the government officials used both persuasion and intimidation, laying out the interrogation instruments, and without even using them, the maid confessed.

She had taken advantage of the chaos to bump off the purse that the Wenyuan Bo Mansion’s First Young Lady carried. Then, while bending to pick it up, when no one was watching, she slipped the drug packet into her purse.

The government official asked her why she chose to frame the Wenyuan Bo Mansion’s First Young Lady.

The maid also explained the reason.

At ordinary times, they wouldn’t dare cause a murder case in the Beauty Pavilion, but that day happened to be at Duke Chong’s Mansion.

When Shangguan Feng’er’s maid slipped the drug packet to the Wenyuan Bo Mansion’s First Young Lady, they were at Duke Chong’s Mansion as well.

However, given Miss Chen’s lowly status, she couldn’t get close to Shangguan Feng’er. She went to curry favor with the third young lady of Duke Chong’s Mansion.

When leaving the mansion, it happened that the leading maid needed to relieve herself urgently. They were frequent visitors to Duke Chong’s Mansion, so they left on their own.

Along the way, they accidentally witnessed the maid calling out to the Wenyuan Bo Mansion’s First Young Lady and eavesdropped a few words from behind a rock formation.

The maid originally encouraged Miss Chen to tell Su Jin about this matter to win her favor.

Duke Chong’s Mansion’s third house was of illegitimate birth, so making friends with the Emperor’s most beloved princess would be greatly beneficial without any harm.

Miss Chen listened to the maid’s advice and took a carriage out of the mansion, intending to visit Su Jin.

However, midway, she encountered the Imperial Censor Mansion’s daughter.

Miss Chen admired her cousin, and without the Imperial Censor Mansion’s daughter, she would have married her cousin.

Jealousy blinded her eyes, causing her to change her mind.

In a moment of folly, she not only harmed the Imperial Censor Mansion’s daughter but also sent herself to the execution block.

Listening to the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice’s verdict, Xingxing whispered softly beside Su Jin, “Her cousin must be exceptionally handsome.”

Su Jin was quite curious as well.

When Miss Chen’s cousin arrived, Xingxing’s mouth twitched.

Miss Chen must be blind.

Young Master Liu wasn’t that good-looking; her own husband could outshine him any day.

If even someone like him could make a girl kill for him, Xingxing worried about her own lady.

Su Jin made the deepest reflection.

Their master-servant duo was still too shallow, judging people by appearances.

Miss Chen must have valued his inner beauty.

In the eyes of a lover, even Song Yu would appear beautiful.

As they left the Ministry of Justice, the sky already carried a hint of sunset.

Xingxing helped Su Jin onto the carriage.

In the distance, Xie Jingchen rode over on horseback.

Sitting on the horse, he was graceful and extraordinary.

Su Jin glared at him, “Why are you only arriving now?”

The affairs were already settled, and he had only just arrived.

Xie Jingchen looked exhausted, “After paying respects to my grandmother and returning to the mansion, the Emperor summoned me to the palace and scolded me. I just came out of the palace.”

Su Jin, “….”

Xingxing, “….”

Today was the grand third-seven funeral day of the Old Madam’s burial.

Xie Jingchen went with the Prince to pay his respects at the gravesite, so Su Jin didn’t attend.

Although the Emperor hadn’t officially bestowed her title, the Old Prince and the Prince dared not treat Su Jin as anything other than a true princess.

At the Old Madam’s burial, Su Jin wore mourning clothes and followed the procession as a granddaughter-in-law, giving due respect to the Prince Zhenbei Mansion.

Subsequent ceremonies dared not trouble Su Jin.

They didn’t insist on Su Jin attending, and Su Jin didn’t force herself to go.

Thinking that Xie Jingchen should have returned to the mansion long ago but hadn’t appeared, it turned out he had been summoned to the palace for a reprimand.

“What did the Emperor scold you about?” Su Jin was curious.

“….”

Xie Jingchen didn’t want to speak.

He turned his horse’s head and rode ahead.

Su Jin realized too late that she had asked the wrong question. She should have asked why the Emperor scolded him.

Xingxing sympathized, “The Prince must have been scolded badly.”

Su Jin, “….”

But recently, Xie Jingchen hadn’t done anything to deserve scolding.

Su Jin guessed it was inconvenient to speak with so many people around.

No one who’s been scolded by the Emperor would want others to know.

She thought it wasn’t too late to ask when they returned to the mansion.

But on the way back, she couldn’t help but ponder.

Yet Su Jin couldn’t figure out why Xie Jingchen was scolded by the Emperor.

He had no official position, nor had he asked her to do anything that would get him in trouble with the Emperor.

However, Su Jin didn’t realize that it was precisely because Xie Jingchen did nothing that irked the Emperor.

The Emperor frequently sent tributes to Prince Zhenbei Mansion for Su Jin, obviously wanting to acknowledge her as his daughter.

As her son-in-law, Xie Jingchen should have helped alleviate his father-in-law’s concerns.

But Xie Jingchen did nothing—

The Emperor concluded he sided more with Marquis Dongxiang.

Xie Jingchen, “….”

What could he say?

Caught between two fathers-in-law, he never expected to have peaceful days.

After returning to the mansion, Su Jin followed Xie Jingchen, asking, “Why did the Emperor scold you?”

“Just tell me already.”

Su Jin was as anxious as a cat scratching around.

Xie Jingchen remained silent.

Su Jin was so frustrated she wanted to smack him.

If he’s not going to tell her, fine, but saying half and leaving half, what’s that supposed to mean?

Su Jin halted in her tracks.

After walking a few steps and realizing Su Jin wasn’t following, Xie Jingchen turned around.

Su Jin glared at him, then turned and walked off in another direction.

Xie Jingchen came over and picked Su Jin up.

Startled, Su Jin gave a little gasp.

All around, the maids and servants turned to look.

Su Jin blushed, glaring at Xie Jingchen, “Put me down!”

“Didn’t you want to know why the Emperor scolded me?” Xie Jingchen said.

“….”

“You could just tell me, no need to carry me,” Su Jin replied.

“It’s better to whisper it in bed,” he said.

“….???”

“I’m only curious why the Emperor scolded you, do I need to whisper it in bed?” Su Jin rolled her eyes.

“….”

“It’s me who will whisper.”

“….”

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