Shen Minghui snapped back to reality, his gaze darkening as he arrogantly declared, "These are all replicas I had made, not your mother's."
"Replicas?" Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow at Shen Minghui, her gaze cold and aloof, a half-smile on her face. "Does Prime Minister Shen know what common characteristics my mother's jewelry has?"
"Simple in style, noble and elegant, mostly featuring plum blossoms, magnolia blossoms, and wisteria blossoms..." Shen Minghui described the characteristics of the jewelry in a long and detailed manner, lasting for half an incense stick's time. Feeling that he had covered all aspects without missing anything, he stopped and looked at Shen Lixue: "Am I right?"
“Yes, yes, but…” Shen Lixue’s lips curled into a mocking smile: “You didn’t mention the most important characteristic?”
"Really? What are the characteristics?" Shen Minghui asked casually, his eyes icy cold. A few boxes of jewelry, how much could they have in common? Shen Lixue was definitely lying to him.
If he goes along with her wishes and makes up a story, he will fall into her trap. Let her point out a fictitious characteristic herself, which can prove that he is telling the truth and also serve as an opportunity to attack Shen Lixue.
Shen Lixue took out several hairpins from the box, placed them in front of Shen Minghui, and said coldly, "Take a close look at the patterns on these hairpins. What do they have in common?"
Was Shen Lixue deliberately being mysterious? Or did the jewelry really have something in common that he was unaware of?
Shen Minghui's eyes narrowed as he lowered his head to examine the hairpins closely. One was shaped like a plum blossom, another a magnolia, and the third a crabapple blossom. They were somewhat similar in shape, with small rubies inlaid on the stamens and gemstone tassels hanging below. The handles of the hairpins...
Shen Minghui's expression changed drastically in an instant. He stared in shock at the small patterns on the hairpin's handle. At first glance, they were just patterns, but upon closer inspection, they were...
"The hairpin handle is engraved with the oracle bone script character 'Lin,' which is also the mark of the Duke of Wu's mansion. Prime Minister Shen didn't know this commonality, yet he was able to imitate jewelry with this commonality. It's truly admirable!" Shen Lixue emphasized the word "admirable," her tone full of sarcasm.
Shen Minghui felt all his strength drain away instantly, and he slumped into the chair, his face ashen.
"Prime Minister Shen, do you want me to tell you the truth about the fire fifteen years ago?" Shen Lixue looked coldly at Shen Minghui: "Your maternal grandfather committed suicide out of fear of punishment, and your uncle was demoted to the border. You can no longer rely on them to climb to a high position. My mother is your legal wife. You can no longer marry other women openly to advance your career, so you plotted to kill my mother..."
"I didn't kill your mother!" Shen Minghui's eyes flickered as he stubbornly argued.
"You didn't kill my mother yourself, you just set a fire to try and burn her to death." Shen Lixue said each word slowly and deliberately, her cold eyes burning with rage.
"That fire really started on its own!" Shen Minghui roared at Shen Lixue, his eyes dark.
"Then how do you explain these dowry jewelry?" Shen Lixue pointed to the gold chests filling the courtyard, her anger blazing: "After my mother escaped the fire, she was choked by the smoke and was unconscious for five or six days before she woke up. But all these jewelry pieces are completely intact. Don't tell me that when the fire started, you were only concerned with saving the dowry and forgot about my mother and me!"
“Your mother is a living person. She will escape on her own when the fire starts. These jewelry pieces are essential for our survival. If they are burned to ashes, how will we live?” Shen Minghui’s eyes flickered unnaturally. Being a greedy villain is much better than being an ungrateful beast. There has to be an explanation. Of course, he chose the lightest charge. He would accept whatever Shen Lixue did, whether she beat him or scolded him.
Shen Lixue clenched her small, white hands tightly, her gaze towards Shen Minghui cold as ice, faintly revealing a strong murderous intent. How could there be such a shameless person as Shen Minghui in the world? "In your heart, are my mother's and my lives less important than these pieces of jewelry? Or did you think my mother was in your way, so you set fire to her and burned her to death?"
Shen Minghui was suddenly startled and looked at Shen Lixue. Her eyes were half-closed, but her pupils were as clear as glass, as if they could pierce through all illusions and see through the most real events in an instant.
“I have been well-versed in the classics since childhood. Even if I were in dire straits, I would never kill my wife and daughters. I am saving the dowry only because I want some money to make a living!”
Shen Lixue snorted coldly: "You abandoned your wife and daughter to choose an expensive dowry. You are selfish and have a despicable character. You are not ashamed, but proud. Shen Minghui, do you know that your deliberate explanation will only make people think that you are trying to cover up the truth?"
"Shen Lixue, don't push your luck!" Shen Minghui roared. "I've already said that I didn't intentionally harm you and your daughter. That fire was truly an accident, an accident. If you insist on pinning the blame on me, please provide evidence. Don't just spout nonsense and fabricate facts to frame me!"
Shen Lixue stared coldly at Shen Minghui. The evidence was overwhelming, yet he was fabricating all sorts of excuses to deny it. He was utterly shameless. She spoke slowly and deliberately, gritting her teeth: "I will find witnesses!"
Shen Minghui gave a casual snort: "Then wait until you find witnesses before you come and testify. The jewelry is already here, you can take it away at any time. Please hand over the Shen family jade pendant!"
Shen Lixue looked at the emerald green jade pendant. Ever since she came to the capital, Shen Minghui had been asking her for the jade pendant, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Back then, Shen Yelei was the legitimate son of the Prime Minister's mansion. He loved his son and asked for the Shen family heirloom jade pendant for him. But now, Shen Yelei was an illegitimate child. His attitude of wanting the jade pendant back not only did not diminish, but became even stronger. Could there really be a secret in this jade pendant?
"Aunt Zhao, what are you standing there for? Quickly bring me the jade pendant!" Shen Minghui was under the influence of a curse and could not walk easily, so he ordered Aunt Zhao around.
"Yes!" Aunt Zhao walked up to Shen Lixue, but instead of forcefully reaching out to snatch it, she tactfully asked, "Princess Lixue, may I have the jade pendant?"
“Of course!” Shen Lixue smiled slightly and handed the jade pendant to Aunt Zhao. She couldn’t figure out the secret of the jade pendant, so she might as well give it to Shen Minghui. At worst, she could take it back after he figured out the secret.
"Thank you, Princess!" Aunt Zhao extended both hands respectfully to receive the jade pendant. The moment the cool jade pendant touched her palm, a guard approached: "Princess Lixue, a young lady named Chu Youran is outside requesting an audience!"
Chu Youran! Shen Lixue's gaze sharpened as she thought of the unusually acting Li Mama, and she quickly withdrew her outstretched hand: "Please come in!"
"Shen Lixue!" Shen Minghui glared at Shen Lixue hatefully, his eyes blazing with anger. She had tricked him again!
Ignoring his anger, Shen Lixue smiled lightly: "I'm just using Prime Minister Shen's place to meet with guests. I'll return the jade pendant immediately after seeing them off!"
As they were talking, a guard led Chu Youran, her maid, and her nanny into the courtyard and bowed to them, saying, "Princess Lixue, Prime Minister Shen!"
Shen Minghui snorted coldly, his brows furrowed, and he looked to the side. The girls were chatting about clothes and jewelry, which he had no interest in.
Shen Lixue's gaze fell on Granny Li. From the moment she entered until now, Granny Li had kept her head down, closely following behind Chu Youran. When she heard Shen Minghui's cold snort, her body seemed to tremble slightly...
Suddenly, Granny Li took a deep breath, looked up at Shen Minghui, and asked calmly and firmly, "Does Prime Minister Shen still remember me?"
A distant yet familiar voice reached his ears, and Shen Minghui's body trembled. He abruptly turned to look at Granny Li. The familiar face and familiar gaze were those of the person he remembered. His sharp eyes narrowed instantly, a dangerous glint in them, and he said sternly, "What are you doing here?"
---Aside---
(*^__^*) Hehe... Next chapter will be about getting revenge on that scumbag father, lalala, thank you everyone for your diamonds, flowers, and votes, mwah...
Chapter 128 The Truth Revealed
"Wait!" Shen Lixue narrowed her eyes slightly. As expected, Granny Li's identity was not simple. She must know some very secret things.
Seeing the guards from the Prime Minister's residence come forward to arrest people, she waved her hand to push them away and stood in front of Granny Li.
"Shen Lixue, what are you doing?" Shen Minghui glared at her angrily. This rebellious daughter was always going against him.
"That's the question I should be asking you!" Shen Lixue stared coldly at Shen Minghui: "As the Prime Minister of Qingyan, you ordered someone to be beaten to death without even asking what happened the moment we met. What was your intention?"
Shen Minghui sneered and pointed at Granny Li, saying, "Do you know who she is?"
"Granny Li!" Shen Lixue replied casually. She didn't know Granny Li's other identity, so she had to let Shen Minghui reveal it.
Shen Minghui sneered: "Fifteen years ago, she was your mother's personal nanny. When your mother was in confinement after giving birth to you, she pushed your mother into the lake..."
Shen Lixue frowned. September was already quite cold, and Lin Qingzhu, who was in confinement after childbirth, was already sensitive to the cold. Falling into the lake must have made her quite cold, no wonder she had developed a host of illnesses...
Granny Li knelt down with a thud, tears welling in her eyes: "I'm innocent! I didn't push Miss Qingzhu into the lake!"