Mei Hua understood immediately and discreetly went to the Sun residence to deliver the message.
In the hall, Baili Zhi was not surprised by Baili Chen's arrival. Sun Meng'er still needed a maid to go and inquire, but Baili Zhi had secret guards secretly assigned by Emperor Mingxian, who were first-rate at gathering information. So when Crown Prince Baili Cheng entered the Prince Chen's mansion and took Ouyang Yue away, his subordinates had already sent someone to pass on the news to him. Baili Chen said with a stern face: "Third brother, do you know what the Crown Prince is trying to do, and why Father Emperor issued such an imperial edict? That is the Princess Consort, and she is carrying my child. What if something happens to her?"
Baili Zhi looked at Baili Chen for a long time, then said with a sigh, "Seventh Imperial Brother, you are right, but the one who died was the Crown Prince's concubine. If he inherits the throne in the future, this concubine will become a Noble Consort. Right now, the Crown Prince's residence does not have a principal wife. At that time, with Lin Yingying's background, she can become the Empress of the country. Most importantly, Princess Chen is pregnant, and Lin Yingying is also pregnant."
Baili Chen remained silent with a cold face. After a long while, he said, "What exactly happened? How is Lin Yingying's death related to Yue'er?"
Baili Zhi shook his head and said, "I don't know the specifics very well. I just heard that the Crown Prince brought something into the palace before. Father was furious when he saw it, so he ordered the Crown Prince to thoroughly investigate Lin Yingying's death. In my opinion, that thing is of great importance. Otherwise, no matter how much Father dislikes you, he would not have issued an order to have people arrested directly."
Baili Chen narrowed his eyes slightly: "Does Your Majesty mean that something Father Emperor fears has been obtained by the Crown Prince, and the evidence in the Crown Prince's hands points directly at the Princess Consort, so Father Emperor issued this imperial decree? Wouldn't the Princess Consort be in great danger?"
Baili Zhi nodded and comforted her, "But don't worry for now. Although Father Emperor has issued this imperial decree, the joint trial of Princess Chen by the three judicial departments will be fine for the time being. The key now is that we need to find out what evidence the Crown Prince has. Otherwise, rushing over rashly may not be good for Princess Chen."
Baili Chen remained silent, his face growing increasingly dark: "The three judicial departments will jointly conduct the trial. Third Brother, do you think the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review can be trusted?"
Baili Zhi paused for a moment, then thought for a moment and said, "The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Yu De, was promoted by the Emperor himself. He is fairly and just in handling matters. Most importantly, he is the Emperor's man. And now the Princess Consort of Chen is imprisoned in the Court of Judicial Review, under Yu De's supervision. There shouldn't be any major problems with her safety."
Baili Chen naturally understood Baili Zhi's meaning. Although he was very concerned about Ouyang Yue's safety, he also knew that what Baili Zhi said was true. Since Emperor Mingxian had issued an edict, if he forced his way in now, he would only be another person committing a crime. In the end, he would not be able to save his wife, but would only cause more trouble: "I have sent people to investigate, hoping to find out about Lin Yingying's death."
On the other hand, Ouyang Yue was taken away by Baili Cheng, and she was not treated too badly on the way. He even called a carriage for her. They went straight to the Dali Temple Minister's cell. Ouyang Yue's cell was obviously specially cleaned. Compared to those stinky cells, the weeds here were clean and even had a fresh fragrance. There were light gauze curtains hanging around the walls, and a table with two books in the middle. Apart from the lack of freedom of movement, the treatment was really good.
Ouyang Yue walked in silently and sat down carefully. There were guards outside. Baili Cheng also came in and sat down in front of Ouyang Yue: "Princess Consort Chen, I have to make you suffer a little today, but as long as you cooperate well, I can guarantee that I will not make things difficult for you."
Ouyang Yue looked up and glanced at Baili Cheng, then laughed: "Your Highness, if you have anything to say, please speak frankly. There's no need to beat around the bush. You've already brought the person here, so what is there that you can't ask?"
Baili Cheng looked at Ouyang Yue and laughed, clicking his tongue twice. He looked at Ouyang Yue with regret: "Princess Consort Chen is truly exceptional in both beauty and talent. Such talent, beauty, and composure are hard to find in the world. Even at a time like this, she remains so calm and composed. It is a pity that she is a woman. However, I have always regretted not being able to make you my Crown Princess."
Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Cheng with a faint smile. The latter smiled and said, "Princess Consort Chen is a smart woman. I was able to obtain the Emperor's decree to arrest you and bring you to the Dali Temple. You should know that I have very important evidence."
"Indeed, the Crown Prince is not a reckless person; there must be something he has done that is detrimental to me."
Baili Cheng smiled strangely: "It's not just bad for you, it's fatal for Seventh Brother."
Ouyang Yue's expression changed slightly as she asked, "What does the Crown Prince mean by this?"
Baili Cheng stood up, hands behind his back, and said, “Now that you’ve brought Princess Chen here, let me tell you about this case. It all started with the banquet held at the Crown Prince’s residence for Jiang Qi and Jiang Xuan. At that time, Princess Jiang Xuan’s maid, Cheng Yu, died a gruesome death, but it was never resolved, and no one paid much attention. Later, I felt that Consort Lin had been negligent in organizing the banquet, so I severely reprimanded her and ignored her for two days. But two days later…” At this point, Baili Cheng smiled meaningfully at Ouyang Yue, “Two days later, Consort Lin sent someone to invite me. As soon as I entered the room, Consort Lin knelt on the ground and begged for forgiveness. Do you know what Consort Lin said?”
Ouyang Yue smiled faintly, remaining silent. Her eyes, like the finest glass beads, were clear and without a trace of impurity, their brightness startling. Baili Cheng's heart tightened upon seeing this, but he sneered, "Consort Lin told me that you and she had long been secretly colluding, and that you had done many things unknown to others. The death of Crown Princess Ning Xihe was due to your joint efforts. Not only Ning Xihe, but also Mu Cuiwei—these were all your enemies. You couldn't tolerate them, and your influence in the Crown Prince's residence couldn't reach that far. So you secretly colluded with Lin Yingying, and the two of you committed a grave crime. But your biggest mistake wasn't just that. You also secretly intervened in the death of the Fifth Prince. The Fifth Prince was wrongly accused and died, and you played a decisive role in that."
Ouyang Yue's expression darkened slightly, but she remained silent. Seeing Ouyang Yue's expression, Baili Cheng frowned slightly and said, "You've cooperated many times, but now you have a disagreement. You disrespected Jiang Xuan's maid, Cheng Yu. Given your status, you wouldn't stoop to the level of such a servant. However, you wanted to warn Consort Lin, so you sent someone to brutally murder her, making Consort Lin take the blame. Consort Lin then sent you a letter rebuking you, but you sent back a warning letter, saying that you would kill Consort Lin if she dared to reveal even a single word about your relationship. Consort Lin felt guilty towards me and told me everything. She even told me what she had always suspected: that the Seventh Prince had rebellious intentions and was currently..." "Your shops have been secretly recruiting and maneuvering, operating discreetly. However, when Consort Lin secretly met with you at Prince Chen's residence, she stole a letter bearing the seal of the Seventh Prince, which contained details of his collusion with foreign powers. Knowing the situation was about to escalate, you had Consort Lin killed. A dead person could silence the culprit forever, so you killed her without hesitation, even intending for her to take the blame. But you never imagined that Consort Lin, because of her love for me, had already told me everything. Your killing of Consort Lin to silence her is a guilty conscience, a self-incriminating confession. You are the murderer behind it all, and the Seventh Prince harbors rebellious intentions."
Baili Cheng's face was cold: "I never expected that you would be so bold as to do such a treasonous thing that deserves the extermination of nine generations of your family. However, since the Seventh Prince is a member of the royal family, his nine generations of family members will not be implicated. But the Xuanyuan family of the Princess's residence is another matter."
Ouyang's breath hitched. Although she tried to remain calm, her mind was in turmoil, her head spinning. The Crown Prince's accusations were far too serious. If things went wrong, the Princess's Mansion, the Prince of Chen's Mansion, and even the General's Mansion could be wiped out. She knew that everything Baili Cheng said was a lie, pure fabrication, but he dared to speak so confidently. She didn't believe Baili Cheng was just spouting nonsense. Baili Cheng must have some evidence, and even if it was false, it must be evidence that would leave them powerless to reverse the situation.
Ouyang Yue slowly clenched her fists, took a deep breath to relax, and looked at Baili Cheng expressionlessly: "Does the Crown Prince find this amusing? This Princess Consort finds it utterly ridiculous. Does the Crown Prince think that everything can be pinned on this Princess Consort because of Consort Lin's death and the lack of evidence? Your so-called evidence is not enough to satisfy me, so it's all for nothing."
Baili Cheng laughed: "Princess Consort Chen wants to see the evidence I have, is that it? Very well, I will convince you. Guards, bring the evidence!"
A few guards entered shortly afterward, carrying several items. Baili Cheng accepted them without hesitation, but with just a glance, two guards immediately stepped forward and restrained Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue's face was cold and stern: "Your Highness, what do you mean by this? Do these two even deserve to touch my princess?"
Baili Cheng said dismissively, "Princess Consort Chen, please forgive me. This evidence is of utmost importance, and I cannot simply let you have it. If you tear it up in a fit of anger, I will find it difficult to obtain a second copy. Until then, I will naturally have to trouble you, Princess Consort Chen." As Baili Cheng spoke, he slowly unfolded the letter. First was a letter from Lin Yingying expressing her anger towards Ouyang Yue, followed by a letter from Ouyang Yue threatening to use her. However, when Ouyang Yue saw this letter, her pupils involuntarily contracted. The handwriting on the letter was too similar to hers, so similar that it was as if she had written it herself. If she were not 100% certain of the truth of the matter, she would have really thought the letter was genuine.
Then came another letter, listing secret communications with foreign tribes, how they privately manufactured weapons and raised wild armies, etc. Moreover, the handwriting on it was clearly Baili Chen's handwriting. Furthermore, another letter even listed 80% of Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue's businesses in exchange for silver to fund the private manufacture of weapons and the raising of wild armies. Ouyang Yue didn't recognize the remaining ten-plus percent, so it definitely wasn't Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue's own property. At this point, what didn't she understand? These properties must belong to Baili Cheng. During the real trial, these properties would play a decisive role. As long as the flow of funds was irregular, flowing outwards, even if Baili Cheng didn't go all out, this alone would be enough to arouse suspicion. If Baili Cheng then forged a few letters in Baili Chen's own handwriting, turning the funds of this ten-plus percent of the properties into real ones through correspondence, then Baili Chen would be unable to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River. This move was truly ruthless. Using her and Baili Chen's handwriting, forging so many letters, and Baili Cheng having controlled many of Baili Chen's properties for many years, but he had never mentioned them openly, nor had he ever caused trouble for these properties, yet now they played a huge role. If things went wrong, they would really be crushed by Baili Cheng and die a horrible death!
Ouyang Yue had never been afraid of anything, but this time she was extremely flustered. Ouyang Yue's breathing became rapid, and she gritted her teeth as she looked at Baili Cheng: "Your Highness is so cunning. So many letters, some even clearly marked with the year and month. You really went to great lengths to bring down the Prince."
Baili Cheng laughed: "Princess Consort Chen is mistaken. If you have a clear conscience, you have nothing to fear. Seventh Prince dared to do such a thing; he should have expected to be punished one day. This has only happened a little earlier than anticipated. Princess Consort Chen is a smart woman. As long as you are willing to confess to these crimes, I will ensure you have enough to eat and wear. I will not even touch the Princess's residence or the Xuanyuan Army. After all, you are merely implicated and kept in the dark. Your great-aunt is of noble status and high seniority; it is still possible for her to protect your own people. What will Princess Consort Chen choose?"
Ouyang Yue sneered in a low voice: "Since the Crown Prince has so much evidence, and all the evidence points to my Prince, he already has the ability to arrest people. Why should I, the Princess Consort, change my mind?"
Baili Cheng smiled and walked towards Ouyang Yue, reaching out to gently stroke her face. Ouyang Yue turned her head away in disgust, clutching her stomach tightly with both hands. Baili Cheng, however, didn't care: "I love beautiful women most of all, especially those with your stunning beauty. Naturally, I can't bear to hurt you. Princess Consort Chen suffered a lot of unfair treatment in the General's Mansion since childhood, and I felt very sorry for her when I heard about it. In just two years, your status has changed drastically. You, who would never have had any contact with me before, are now an incomparably noble person. You are even more radiant and alluring than when you were the legitimate daughter of the General's Mansion. Don't worry, I still have the magnanimity to forgive. As long as you are willing to testify and prove that the Seventh Prince has committed so many rebellious acts, I will naturally find a way to ensure your safety and even guarantee you more wealth and honor." As he spoke, he lowered his head and kissed Ouyang Yue's luscious red lips.
"Slap!" Ouyang Yue suddenly reached out and slapped Baili Cheng hard. However, she was sitting down and her body was being controlled by the guards. Although she managed to avoid Baili Cheng's advances by struggling, her hand was restrained. She didn't make a move, but Baili Cheng sneered and slapped Ouyang Yue hard.
Bai Licheng's eyes were sinister. He reached out and tightly gripped Ouyang Yue's chin, pressing a handprint into it. "Let me tell you, don't be stubborn. I'll give you a day to consider. If you still don't comply, don't blame me for being ruthless."
After saying this, Baili Cheng stood up, and two guards closely protected him as he left. Baili Cheng looked at Ouyang Yue, who was bowing her head and remaining silent, and a cold smile appeared on her lips: "Men, send people to guard this place. Anyone who dares to get close to this confidential criminal will be suspected of trying to break into a prisoner and will be killed without exception!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" the guards shouted, and Baili Cheng had already left with a flick of his sleeve.
Ouyang Yue sat in her cell, waiting quietly for a while. She gently stroked her face, her eyes slightly narrowed, her right fist clenched tightly. After several deep breaths, her expression softened. Baili Cheng had forced her to sue Baili Chen, which meant he possessed evidence, but wasn't entirely confident he could convict Baili Chen. The old fox Emperor Mingxian, with his public favoritism towards Baili Chen, was what Baili Cheng feared. They didn't know the truth; otherwise, Baili Cheng would have already taken drastic measures.
They are in great danger now, and their only way out may be through the Crown Prince's fear. Unfortunately, Ouyang Yue has not yet figured out how to open a gap from here. Thinking back on the whole incident, it seems that she has missed something. The more things are like this, the less she can afford to panic. She should think slowly. She does not believe that she will die here like this.
When the Crown Prince walked out of the Dali Temple prison, Dali Temple Minister Yu De was standing outside. Upon seeing the Crown Prince emerge, Yu De immediately waved his hand and sent someone inside. The person then came out and whispered a few words in Yu De's ear. Only then did Yu De breathe a sigh of relief. Baili Cheng smiled and said, "Minister Yu, there's no need to be nervous. Although I currently possess the evidence, I will not send anyone to deal with Princess Chen until the case is formally tried. I will not treat her with any leniency beforehand. I only hope that she can come to her senses and abandon the darkness for the light as soon as possible. I will not make things difficult for you, Minister Yu."
Yu De respectfully said, "Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness. I am grateful. After all, the princess is inside. Until the case is finalized, she is only a suspect. If we really beat her, no matter what the final result is, it will not be good for me. I hope Your Highness will understand."
"I know, Lord Yu, you've had a hard time. I'll head back now. I'll leave this place to you. Because the Princess Consort of Chen is involved in a major case concerning the royal family, to prevent collusion, no one is allowed to visit her. Please remember that, Lord Yu." Baili Cheng squinted at Yu De and said. Yu De was taken aback, his face turning somewhat grim, but he still replied, "Your Highness, rest assured, I understand."
"Alright, let's go!" Baili Cheng nodded and left with his men. However, the guards who were stationed in the cell did not leave. Yu De then sent someone in to check. Since Ouyang Yue was in a women's prison, it was not appropriate for a group of male guards to be there. So, he sent more than ten female prison guards to replace them and have these guards stand guard outside. This way, Baili Cheng's orders were not violated, and Ouyang Yue and the other female prisoners would not be made to look too bad.
After all, the people investigated by the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review were mostly high-ranking and powerful individuals who were not to be publicly investigated. Offending them would not benefit him either. After doing all this, Yu De tidied himself up and went to the palace to report the matter. Yu De was only responsible to Emperor Mingxian for everything he did.
Back at the Crown Prince's residence, the steward whispered a few words in the Crown Prince's ear. Baili Cheng nodded slightly and said to his subordinates, "You may all leave. I am going to rest. Do not let anyone disturb me."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Upon returning to his bedroom, Baili Cheng dismissed the servants and entered the room alone. At that moment, a person emerged from behind a screen. This person was wearing a large cloak, completely concealing their entire body: "Greetings, Your Highness." As Baili Cheng approached, the person in the black cloak bowed first, their voice soft and clearly that of a woman.
Baili Cheng remained expressionless, saying only, "Go back and tell your master that I have accomplished half of the task."
The woman in the black cloak said, "Your Highness, Her Majesty once said that Ouyang Yue is extremely intelligent. We must not let our guard down until the very end, otherwise you may be the ones who capsize in the gutter."
"I know she shouldn't worry. With the information we provided, it's already enough to kill Baili Chen. No matter how much the Emperor dotes on him, with conclusive evidence, at the very least, he'll be stripped of his title and demoted to a commoner. If I put in a little more effort to get Ouyang Yue to change her mind, they'll be doomed," Baili Cheng said coldly.
The woman in the black cloak said, "Since Your Highness is so confident, then I await your good news." Baili Cheng nodded. The woman in the black cloak turned to leave through the tunnel behind the screen, but then suddenly turned back. "Your Highness, Her Majesty has one more request. She wants Ouyang Yue to be disfigured!"
Baili Cheng sneered: "As expected, when women get ruthless, it's chilling. I understand."
The woman in the black cloak bowed, and this time she truly left.
Inside Liuhua Palace, in Fenyan's bedroom, the air was thick with mist. Fenyan was soaking in the bathtub when suddenly the stone wall beside her opened, and a woman in a black cloak stepped out. The woman immediately lifted her cloak and bowed to Fenyan, who responded with a faint sound. The woman in black then came over and began to wipe Fenyan's body, asking, "How did things go?"
"Your Majesty, I have delivered the message. The Crown Prince has agreed."
Fen Yan had a faint expression on her face: "You did a good job."
"Serving Your Highness is my honor, it is my duty." Fenyan's personal maid was named Furong, a beautiful and charming woman. At this moment, she lowered her head and was exceptionally obedient. Fenyan closed her eyes and said nothing more.
Indeed, the scheme to frame Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen was orchestrated by Fenyan and him. When Lin Yingying came to the palace to find Fenyan, her aim was to strike at Ouyang Yue. However, Fenyan was far more astute and had a longer-term vision than Lin Yingying. Lin Yingying, a woman confined to the inner quarters, could certainly play petty tricks—she had secretly killed countless women in the Crown Prince's residence, resulting in a constant influx of new concubines—but compared to Ouyang Yue, Lin Yingying was no match. This was evident from her attempts to scheme against Ouyang Yue. By having Fenyan cooperate with such a person and betray Ouyang Yue, the likely outcome was that she would gain nothing but become a thorn in Ouyang Yue's side. Even if she truly wanted to harm Ouyang Yue, she needed to find someone who wouldn't hold her back.
However, Lin Yingying was right about one thing: the Crown Prince's power structure had been established long ago. Now, the biggest variable in the Great Zhou Dynasty lies with Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen of the Chen Prince's Mansion. Fen Yan is pregnant with a prince, and even if she denies it, having reached this position, and knowing it's a prince, her ambition has grown uncontrollably. That supreme status—the most noble woman in the Great Zhou Dynasty, trampling everyone underfoot—she's no longer someone everyone can bully. But who wouldn't want the life of someone who holds the power of life and death over the entire nation?
She couldn't possibly remain unmoved, but initially she dared not show it. Ouyang Yue was pregnant with Emperor Mingxian's first grandson. Her giving birth would significantly strengthen Baili Chen's position in the struggle for the throne. Although Lin Yingying was also pregnant at the same time, the significance was far less. Take Baili Cheng, for example. As Emperor Mingxian's first child, and thanks to the Empress Dowager and Empress's efforts, he was able to be named Crown Prince. Otherwise, in terms of legitimacy, the Third Prince, Baili Zhi, would have been far more qualified.
For her own sake, Fenyan had to stop Ouyang Yue from giving birth to the child. However, if she wasn't careful, Ouyang Yue would retaliate. She had known Ouyang Yue for too long and knew that this woman was too difficult to deal with. Sometimes, she felt afraid when she was by Ouyang Yue's side. It seemed that Ouyang Yue always had a scheme in mind. Even a small matter could cause earth-shattering changes if Ouyang Yue used it. She had never dared to act rashly, but now that she had such a good opportunity, she couldn't resist. So, Fenyan mainly sought out Baili Cheng.
Both women shared the same idea: eliminating Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue would greatly benefit them. Of course, they both harbored some reservations about their cooperation. Therefore, Fenyan's condition for cooperation was that she would provide a plan and obtain Ouyang Yue's handwriting, but she demanded that Crown Prince Baili Cheng first eliminate Lin Yingying before the plan could be perfected. Fenyan never expected Baili Cheng to be so ruthless, willing to kill even the woman he loved for his grand scheme, especially since Lin Yingying was carrying his first child!
It's said that Baili Cheng did struggle with Fen Yan's condition, but ultimately made up his mind. Of course, he wasn't worried about having offspring. Shortly after Lin Yingying discovered she was pregnant, a newly arrived beauty in the household also became pregnant. However, Baili Cheng hadn't allowed this to spread, to avoid internal strife. Now that someone could take Lin Yingying's place and bear him a child, if Lin Yingying's death could help him achieve his goal, then her death would be worthwhile.
After ignoring Lin Yingying for two days, Baili Cheng suddenly came to see her. Following his previous plan with Fenyan, he brought forged letters from Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen, intending to have Lin Yingying write two threatening letters containing their contents. This would link Lin Yingying's handwritten letters with the forged letters from Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen, providing crucial evidence. Of course, Lin Yingying couldn't be allowed to live. This wasn't just a calculated move by Fenyan to test Baili Cheng's sincerity and secure her own escape route, but also because too many people knew about this, making things prone to problems. With the handwritten letters left by Lin Yingying, they could create the illusion of Ouyang Yue's assassination attempt. This not only made Ouyang Yue's motives more obvious, but more importantly, Lin Yingying's death would eliminate any evidence against them. No matter how capable Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen were, they couldn't produce any counter-evidence at this point.
Baili Cheng's heart was undeniably ruthless, but a man's most important matters are matters of the heart. There were too many women who could bear him the future heir to the throne, and losing one wouldn't cause any major upheavals in his life.
Fen Yan was unaware that another beauty in the Crown Prince's residence was pregnant. Her plan was to cooperate with Baili Cheng, thus cutting off one of Baili Cheng's lifelines. Only then would her prince have a competitive edge. Therefore, if Baili Cheng had any offspring before she gave birth to this prince, it would be of no benefit to her. Her initial reason for cooperating with Baili Cheng was precisely because she could use this opportunity to destroy the Chen Prince's residence, kill Bai Chenchen and Ouyang Yue, and ensure that Ouyang Yue's unborn child would also meet its demise. Now, it seemed things were progressing exceptionally smoothly.
After a while, Fenyan opened her eyes: "Xuanyuan Yue is disfigured, what is the Crown Prince's reaction?"
Furong said softly, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince didn't show much of an expression. He just said... that when a woman is ruthless, it's chilling."
Fenyan's lips curled into a smile, and she suddenly said, "Xuanyuan Yue... I've wanted her dead for a long time!" Fenyan's face had a strange and sinister look on it. Furong was so frightened that she didn't dare to look up, but she dutifully wiped Fenyan's body gently.
Pinky stretched out her fair hand and lifted it from the water, instantly splashing water and carrying away several vibrant flower petals: "Xuanyuan Yue, this time you have absolutely no chance of turning the tables!" Pinky's eyes were deep and mysterious as she looked down at her beautiful reflection in the water, and at her belly, which appeared even larger due to the water's reflection, and revealed a bewitching smile...
Generally, cases handled by the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review are serious cases that are jointly tried by the three judicial departments. The trial will not begin immediately after the criminal is arrested. At least three days will be needed to prepare materials and collect evidence. Therefore, when Baili Cheng came to the prison the next day, he would still not be tried today.
As soon as Baili Cheng arrived, he dismissed the female guards. A row of guards stood in the corridor. Baili Cheng slowly walked in. Ouyang Yue was sitting quietly on the weeds. Her complexion was slightly worse than yesterday. Even though the cell had been specially cleaned because of Ouyang Yue's status, it was still very damp because it had never seen sunlight and was not suitable for a pregnant woman to stay in.
Baili Cheng looked at Ouyang Yue and smiled, "Has Princess Chen thought it through? Time waits for no one. Soon, this case will officially go to trial. By then, it will be too late for you to change your story. I think you know very well that no matter whether you change your story or not, the Chen Prince's Mansion will not escape this calamity. A smart person should know how to make a choice."
Ouyang Yue sneered: "But I also know that even if I do as you say, I will die a horrible death in the end. So why should I humiliate myself and frame the prince to make him hate me?"
Baili Cheng couldn't help but clap his hands lightly: "It's truly a rare find. I never imagined that my seventh brother could marry such a loyal and devoted woman like you. It makes me a little jealous. With such a devoted woman, it's no wonder my seventh brother dotes on you like the apple of his eye. I greatly admire a woman as loyal and devoted as you. But loyalty and devotion have their limits in terms of time, place, and people. You've been loyal to my seventh brother, but have you been loyal to the child in your womb? Princess Chen may not believe me, but I dare to swear to heaven that as long as this matter can be resolved with my seventh brother, I can guarantee your safe delivery of this child. Actually, you don't need to worry so much. With your status as Princess Mingyue and the power of your great-aunt, it will be easy to ask my father for leniency. You can use the excuse that you didn't know about my seventh brother's rebellion to extricate yourself from the situation. I think if my seventh brother truly loves you, he will understand your willingness to sacrifice yourself to preserve his last bloodline."
Ouyang Yue's lips curled into a sneer, her face full of mockery: "Your Highness, you have quite the silver tongue. It's a pity that someone as cold-blooded as you, who would kill even your own women and ruthlessly murder your own son, has no reason to believe a thing. If you were to take someone like you seriously, pigs would fly." Ouyang Yue sneered, "Think about it, before it was Crown Princess Xuan Yue, then you allowed the women in the palace to fight amongst themselves and let Ning Xihe be murdered, and now you've personally killed Lin Yingying and your own flesh and blood. Your Highness really doesn't dare to be childless. With such methods, if the throne doesn't ultimately go to the Crown Prince, I really can't think of any other way."
A hint of murderous intent flashed across Baili Cheng's face, but he quickly concealed it, looking at Ouyang Yue with a faint smile: "Princess Consort Chen, there's no need to provoke me. I won't fall for that. Let me tell you the truth, if you don't agree to this, then today I will make several long cuts on your beautiful face, and then I will tell the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review that you tried to take advantage of me, but ended up harming yourself because you were outnumbered. Do you think the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review can interfere in a situation like this? And do you think Father Emperor will believe you? Don't all women love beauty? Does Princess Consort Chen want to die an ugly ghost?"
As they spoke, the guard behind Baili Cheng handed her something—a wooden sword. The blade was razor-sharp, so sharp it gleamed, comparable to an ordinary dagger. Ouyang Yue naturally believed that a wooden sword cutting her face would be disastrous. Baili Cheng was extremely careful; the cuts made with this wooden sword were not only sharp but also resembled wooden cuts. Even if someone investigated, they would only find what Baili Cheng had said. Ouyang Yue wanted to attack him, but she ended up slashing her own face!
Ouyang Yue's heart tightened, her lips pressed tightly together, and she stared expressionlessly at Baili Cheng, a slow smile playing on her lips: "Impossible!"
"Good! Good! You are indeed different from ordinary women. I admire you!" Baili Cheng laughed, but his eyes became even more sinister. "Then, for the sake of my admiration, let me think about whether to make a cut on your left cheek first, or your right cheek, or even cut off your alluring lips so that I can keep them after you die and savor the beauty of this moment every day."
Baili Cheng is clearly a pervert; he even treasures things from the dead.
But Ouyang Yue was convinced that if Baili Cheng were in her shoes, he would have done the same. Ouyang Yue slowly closed her eyes and remained silent. Baili Cheng's eyes were filled with murderous intent. He hadn't expected Ouyang Yue to be so stubborn and unyielding. Even at this point, she still wouldn't give in. It seemed he had no choice but to teach her a lesson.
Ouyang Yue keenly sensed Baili Cheng's relentless pressure, a chilling aura emanating from him. The wooden sword in his hand gently touched her face, the sharp tip piercing her skin, drawing a drop of blood.
Meanwhile, outside the Dali Temple prison, a group of men suddenly rushed over. Dali Temple Minister Yu De ran out in fright, only to see Princess Shuangxia leading Xuan Yuan Chaohua, their faces grim as they rushed inside. Yu De exclaimed in alarm, "Princess Shuangxia, this is the Dali Temple prison; you cannot just barge in."
"Does the Empress not have the right to see her own granddaughter? Do you still want to be the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?!" Princess Shuangxia shoved Yu De hard, causing him to stumble. He hurriedly said, "Princess Shuangxia, His Majesty has issued an order: anyone who dares to resist will be considered a prisoner kidnapper and an accomplice, and will be executed without exception!"
Princess Shuangxia sneered: "Fine! The Emperor has given the order, then let him come to me personally. Today I'll see who dares to disrespect me. Anyone who does will be executed on charges of treason. Chaohua, lead your men and storm in!"
Xuanyuan Chaohua immediately shouted, "Charge!"
The group of men brought by Xuanyuan Chaohua immediately blocked the group of yamen runners from the Dali Temple. Even when Yu De tried to stop them, Xuanyuan Chaohua held him down: "Lord Yu, there's no need to be nervous. Grandmother is just missing her sister terribly. How can we, as her relatives, not worry about such a serious matter happening to her? Lord Yu, you also have a family. Your two sons and three daughters are living a good life. You should understand that, right? If one day your five children were about to be killed, wouldn't you be eager to see them and save them?"
Yu De trembled violently, staring at Xuan Yuan Chaohua in disbelief. Could this General Xuan Yuan be so bold as to kidnap his family and threaten him? Unfortunately, this was a joint trial by the three judicial departments. Even if his family was taken, he couldn't possibly fabricate a story in front of the other two and the Crown Prince. However, he was filled with extreme fear. If Xuan Yuan Chaohua was truly wicked and killed his offspring, causing the Yu family to be extinct, he would be the eternal sinner of the Yu family.
Yu De forced himself to say, "General Xuanyuan is right. It's only right to see your family before the trial because you're worried about them."
"Lord Yu is indeed kind-hearted. To prevent others from spreading rumors, please come in with me and my grandmother. You can watch from the side and see if we have colluded to give false testimony. That way, you can testify for us." With that, he grabbed Yu De and, without further ado, rudely led him inside.
"Ah!" Just then, a cry of pain rang out.
Princess Shuangxia and Xuanyuan Chaohua were both startled: "Quick, it's Yue'er's voice!"
When they stormed in with their men and saw the scene before them, they were all filled with rage: "Damn it!"
"Guards! Kill every single one of them here!"
Baili Cheng in the cell was startled, his expression changed drastically, and Ouyang Yue beside him had a sinister and eerie smile on her face!
☆、236, Burn down the Crown Prince's Palace, blow it up! (Exciting!)
Baili Cheng was greatly alarmed, for at Princess Shuangxia's command, the men who had come with Xuanyuan Chaohua had already rushed into the prison, surrounding the people walking on both sides of the corridor and beginning to attack. The prisoners were caught off guard and reacted too slowly; secondly, Xuanyuan Chaohua's men were too ruthless and outnumbered them. Perhaps their skills were comparable, but they couldn't withstand the combined attacks of two or three men surrounding each other and hacking wildly.
Moreover, he was extremely ruthless, stabbing himself directly, causing blood to splatter everywhere. The cell was filled with angry curses and cries of pain, the crackling sounds of weapons clashing, and a strong smell of blood filled the air.