Chapter 1015 - 1017: Accomplishment is Insufficient but Ruin is Excessive
Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but roll her eyes—what did Lin Cairen think she was, thinking she was as soft and easily manipulated as persimmon pulp?
"Lin Cairen’s lesson couldn’t come at a worse time," Bai Ruozhu said with a smile at Lin Cairen, "I’ve received an Imperial Decree to go to the Imperial Study Room and must not delay." "It’s not that I don’t respect Lin Cairen, but you can’t be more important than the Emperor, can you? You dare to keep the Emperor waiting—I certainly do not. So, please excuse me."
Lin Cairen’s face turned extremely ugly, her teeth clenched several times, but she forcibly held back.
Using the Emperor to press her, Lin Cairen really couldn’t say anything to refute; otherwise, it would be seen as disrespecting the Emperor. If someone with an agenda heard it, it could greatly disadvantage her.
But Lin Cairen, thinking of what that person had instructed her to do, turned her eyes, beckoning a maid to block Bai Ruozhu’s way.
"How have I not heard that the Emperor summoned ladies to the Imperial Study Room? Don’t just spout nonsense; you should learn the rules properly. The palace is no Vegetable Market, and your crude behavior has no place here," Lin Cairen said.
Bai Ruozhu couldn’t bring her guards like Jianqi into the palace, but because she had brought Dongqing and Huzi with her, Jiang Yichun had arranged two Golden Guards to wait for her at the Palace Gate. The Golden Guards of Danliang Country were the personal guard of the Emperor, essentially the guards of the Palace.
At this moment, frightened, Dongqing shrunk behind Bai Ruozhu. Two guards, holding the immobile Huzi, one of them spoke up, "Lin Cairen, indeed the Emperor has summoned Lady Jiang to review a case, and it has been emphasized that she must not be delayed."
Lin Cairen could not say much this time and left with a cold huff along with her maid, looking even more haughty.
Bai Ruozhu watched her leave, then continued towards the Imperial Study Room.
She had no wrongdoing with this Lin Cairen; if Lin Cairen wasn’t genuinely mentally unstable and acting out of nowhere, then she must be instigated by someone.
The corners of her mouth lifted slightly; alright, if someone liked to act in the shadows, then she would have a good round with them.
No more short-sighted people made attempts to block her afterward, and soon Bai Ruozhu and her group were escorted into the Imperial Study Room by the Golden Guards.
Inside the Imperial Study Room, Yang Tianhua and Yang Hongwen were present, the Emperor seated behind the desk appearing to be reviewing petitions, yet Jiang Yichun’s figure was nowhere to be seen.
Bai Ruozhu suddenly felt a little nervous—anxiety probably stemming from being accustomed to having him by her side; his absence made her feel less secure.
"Bai Family pays respect to the Emperor," Bai Ruozhu saluted respectfully, and upon seeing this, Dongqing quickly knelt down and said, "Slave Dongqing pays her respects to the Emperor."
When Yang Tianhua and Yang Hongwen saw Dongqing and Huzi, their expressions indeed changed. They did not expect Dongqing to be alive—hadn’t Bai Ruozhu said that Dongqing had committed suicide in a well? She even dared to lie in front of the Emperor!
And they were even more surprised that Huzi had fallen into Bai Ruozhu’s hands. What about Lu Dan then?
Yang Hongwen made to speak, but Yang Tianhua glared at him, and he closed his mouth. He couldn’t afford to casually recognize a maid from the Bai Residence at this moment.
The Emperor put down the scroll in his hand and turned to Bai Ruozhu, "Oh? Are these the witnesses you found?"
"Replying to the Emperor, Dongqing is a maid of the Bai Family, the one who attempted suicide by jumping into a well two days ago. I saved her, gave her meticulous medical treatment, and managed to save her life. Full of regret, she voluntarily confessed to being coerced into stealing the bead bracelet," Bai Ruozhu said.
The Emperor looked at Dongqing with a faintly stern expression, "Dongqing, speak for yourself."
Dongqing, out of nervousness, trembled slightly but recounted everything in detail.
"Your Majesty, this servant is a servant of the Bai Family, who knows if it was Bai Ruozhu who instructed her to say these things?" Yang Tianhua glared at Dongqing and spoke loudly. Startled by his glare, Dongqing almost couldn’t kneel steadily.
"Indeed, Your Majesty, such a witness has no persuasive power," added Yang Hongwen in agreement.
Bai Ruozhu responded unhurriedly, "This is Dongqing’s younger brother, Huzi. But it seems he has been controlled by someone else. We’ll need to wait for Your Majesty to see for himself."
Once Jiang Yichun had captured Lu Dan and brought him over, it would be easier to explain.
"Your Majesty, she has no evidence and is merely stalling for time; it’s clear she bribed my concubine to frame me," claimed Yang Hongwen hastily.
Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh, "One or two might be a coincidence, but several of your concubines accused you of forcing them to the Yang Residence. How inadequate must you be as a man to have so many of your young wives dissatisfied?"
"You..." Yang Hongwen wanted to argue further but was stopped by the Emperor speaking up.
"Silence! Don’t give me a headache with your noise," the Emperor said, clearly annoyed.
At that moment, the eunuch Wang Shun came to report that Jiang Yichun had brought the criminal and physical evidence.
"Summon Jiang Aiqing to see me," the Emperor frowned slightly. He did not wish to personally oversee this case; if it weren’t for suppressing the domineering Yang Family, it wouldn’t be worth the irritation.
Jiang Yichun entered, flanked by the Jinwu Guard, escorting a tightly bound man. It was Tiger Master from Dongqing’s restored portrait, also known as Ludan.
"Your servant greets Your Majesty. This man is the one who threatened Dongqing with Huzi’s life to steal her mistress’s bracelet. His name is Lu Dan, and he is an evil doctor," reported Jiang Yichun.
At the mention of "evil doctor," the Emperor’s expression instantly turned grave. A person labeled as an evil doctor was not only known for using poison but also for using sinister means against living people, even cruelly turning them into drug mules.
Dongqing, just a little maid, unaware of the horrors of an evil doctor, only felt it was ominous. Seeing Lu Dan’s pale face, she ignored the Emperor’s presence and shouted at him, "What did you do to my brother?"
Bound tightly and with his inner strength sealed by Acupoint Sealing, Lu Dan displayed little fear on his face. He smiled lewdly at Dongqing and said, "You mean my kind of puppet? He might not count as your brother anymore."
Bai Ruozhu’s heart skipped a beat. What did he mean? Could it be that Lu Dan had dug up Huzi’s corpse and turned him into a puppet, hence why he had no pulse? Could that also explain why Huzi couldn’t be immobilized by Acupoint Sealing like a regular person?
But she couldn’t understand; hadn’t Dongqing mentioned Huzi had grown taller and heavier? Could a puppet grow?
Jiang Yichun kicked Lu Dan in the lower back, causing him to groan and kneel on the ground in pain.
"Your Majesty, this man took money from Lord Yang to steal my wife’s bracelet," said Jiang Yichun, then he took a letter from his bosom, handed it to Wang Shun beside him, and presented it to the Emperor.
As the letter was produced, Yang Tianhua’s complexion turned ashen, and his eyes glared fiercely at Lu Dan, as if wishing to chop him into pieces.
If only he’d known better than to send a message to seek this Lu Dan’s help — despite the man’s formidable reputation, he turned out to be nothing but a good-for-nothing, easily captured by this young Jiang fellow and even carrying his confidential letter. Utterly useless in success and bound to fail in every endeavor!