The Dandy's Duchess

Chapter 48: Truth and Lies (1)

Yun Qianyue closed her eyes and leaned her head against the old prince's shoulder, yawning as she said, "Grandpa, I'm so sleepy. I'll take a nap, and you can call me when there's a result."

"You little brat, all you know is to sleep," the old prince scolded, though he didn't push her away.

Yun Xianghe looked at Yun Qianyue, who had actually closed her eyes and seemed to be falling asleep. Jealousy burned in her heart as she resented why she wasn't a legitimate daughter. If she were, maybe she would be the one leaning against the old prince now.

Concubine Feng, meanwhile, was silently sneering in her heart, thinking to let this little brat enjoy her moment of pride. Soon enough, she would have her comeuppance!

The room fell into silence, no one spoke.

"Yesterday, the incident with the eldest young lady being injured at Qianyue Pavilion and the matter of Concubine Feng being thrown into the lake this morning—today, I want to hear the truth. If anyone speaks nonsense and does not tell the facts, once I find out, I'll beat them out of the house with a stick!" The old prince's stern voice rang out from outside. Before anyone could respond, he turned to Cai Lian and said, "Cai Lian, you speak first!"

Concubine Feng felt a surge of anger at these words. After years of serving the old prince, he was still siding with that little brat! But what did it matter? Once everyone refuted her claims, she would drown her in their spittle.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Cai Lian, trembling at first, straightened her back when she heard the prince's summons. Remembering how her young lady had comforted her, she found her courage and clearly recounted, "Replying to Your Highness, yesterday, after sending off Young Master Jing, the eldest young lady was at Qianyue Pavilion. The eldest young lady led a group of young ladies to block the entrance of Qianyue Pavilion..."

Cai Lian recounted the events of yesterday without omitting anything, especially emphasizing how the eldest young lady had tried to hit the young lady, how she had been struck, and showed the prince her face with five clear handprints still visible. She had intentionally not applied medicine, wanting to save it for today. She also mentioned how Concubine Feng had called in dozens of hidden guards to kill the young lady, and thankfully, the young lady's hidden guards had appeared just in time. At first, she was a bit nervous speaking to the prince, the Crown Prince, and Young Master Ye, but as she continued, her emotions grew more intense, making the audience feel as if they were experiencing the events firsthand.

Yun Qianyue hadn't really fallen asleep; she thought that Cai Lian definitely had a gift for storytelling.

As the old prince listened, his expression grew increasingly grim. Although sometimes he could be foolish, he wasn't truly dim-witted. After all, he had lived for over half a lifetime and had seen countless people. Many were eyeing the Yun Prince's residence! If this old prince were really as spineless as everyone thought, he would have long been brought down. However, he had always felt that the affairs of the inner courtyard were not for men to meddle in. Although he was aware of Concubine Feng's schemes over the years, he had only ever turned a blind eye. He never expected that things had escalated to this point.

He had always believed that while Yun Xianghe was a concubine's daughter, she had a noble demeanor. After Yun Qianyue had disappointed him, Xianghe had become his pride. He never imagined that she would act so recklessly and that Concubine Feng would dare to use the hidden guards he had given her to harm his legitimate daughter. No matter how disappointing his daughter was, she was still his daughter, the daughter of the woman he loved most, and his only child. This was also why he had never remarried or elevated anyone else to the position of principal consort in all these years. Now, having almost lost his daughter, he was so furious that his hands trembled.

Once Cai Lian finished speaking, she lowered her head and quietly stood aside, saying nothing more.

"Tsk, tsk, how terrifying! I never expected that after seven years away from the capital, the internal affairs of the Yun Prince's residence would be such a spectacle!" Ye Qingran exclaimed, seemingly unfazed by the old prince's pale face. He advised, "Uncle Wang, it's indeed inappropriate for your residence to lack a proper princess. Ah, if Aunt Qing were alive, your residence would never have been so chaotic. Moreover, Moon Sister is the only daughter of Aunt Qing. If those hidden guards you personally assigned to other women had killed her, what would Aunt Qing think from the afterlife... ah, ah..."

Ye Qingran hesitated, not finishing his sentence, his meaning was clear.

The old prince's anger was completely ignited. Just as he was about to yell, he heard the Crown Prince, Ye Tianqing, speak slowly, "This is merely the side of the little maid. After all, she is Qianyue's personal servant. Uncle Wang might as well hear what others have to say. If others testify similarly, it would prove the truth of the matter, and Uncle Wang could act fairly. If not, then this incident remains to be investigated."

Hearing this, the old prince suppressed his anger and nodded, "What you say makes sense! Come, one by one, step forward and speak!"

Inside, Concubine Feng felt triumphant. Her niece had not married the Crown Prince for nothing; at critical moments, he still helped her. Xianghe's beautiful eyes were glued to the figure of Ye Tianqing in the courtyard, unable to look away.

The old prince snorted coldly. Yun Qianyue seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep, her breathing even.

After the old prince spoke, the courtyard fell into silence for quite a while, with no one daring to speak.

"What's the matter? Has everyone gone mute? Speak up!" The old prince took on a commanding tone. Today, he finally realized that he hadn't interfered in the affairs of the inner courtyard for a long time, and it seemed no one regarded him as a prince anymore.

"Replying to Your Highness, everything that Cai Lian sister said is true." A young maid who had been promoted by Yun Qianyue stepped forward. She was still a bit nervous, her voice trembling, but she managed to speak clearly.

"Replying to Your Highness, what they said is indeed true; this servant can testify." Another maid who had been promoted to Yun Qianyue's side immediately added. With the first one speaking up, she felt less nervous.

"Replying to Your Highness, this old servant can also testify." One of the three maids that Yun Qianyue had kept spoke up.

"Hmm, you all are from Qianyue Pavilion, which isn't enough to be considered as evidence. Who else is willing to speak?" The old prince didn't expect that his daughter had a few loyal servants, and his expression softened as he asked the others.

"Replying to Your Highness, what they said is true. This servant (or servant) can testify. Young Lady Qianyue was forced to act in self-defense." As the old prince finished speaking, a group of people suddenly knelt on the ground.

The old prince was taken aback and looked surprised, "Which courtyard do you all serve in?"

"I am from the second young lady's courtyard. Yesterday, I followed the second young lady to Qianyue Pavilion." one of them said.

"I serve in the courtyard of the fourth young lady. I went to Qianyue Pavilion with the fourth young lady yesterday." another one added.

"I serve in the courtyard of the fifth young lady, and I accompanied the fifth young lady to Qianyue Pavilion yesterday." yet another one chimed in.