The Emperor's Beloved Crazy Wife

Chapter 14

‼️⚠️Warnings⚠️‼️
Attempted murder, blood warning, and child abuse.

|Trial part 2
"I swear it's not a lie!"
My voice shattered the silence of the courtroom, where the weight of the accusation hung like a thick fog. I turned to Dai ZhiLan, who stood frozen in shock; her wide eyes were pools of fear and desperation. She clutched the hem of her silk dress, her fingers digging in so tightly that her knuckles turned a ghostly white. The murmurs from the gathering crowd buzzed around her like ominous whispers of crows, their tones distant yet growing more pronounced, echoing the tension that filled the room.

Dai ZhiLan's cheeks flushed a vivid crimson as she instinctively stepped back, her gaze darting between the stern face of A-Zu and the anxious crowd, whose expressions etched a mixture of disbelief and dread. "Why would you say such a thing, Tang-Di...!" she spat, her voice trembling with indignation. But the words faltered on her tongue, choked by the horror reflected in the faces of the townsfolk.

Meanwhile, ZhiLan stood poised, arms crossed defiantly, a smug smirk gracing her lips as if she were reveling in the turmoil. "It's all lies," she declared, her voice gliding through the air like the gentle caress of silk. "Why would I ever harm my own Tang-Di?" The chilling conviction in her tone contrasted sharply with the turmoil swirling around us, intensifying the growing unease within the courtroom.

But my father interjected, his voice rising with intensity, fueled by an unwavering love for his daughter. "We have witnesses," he declared, the words hanging in the air as the room fell silent. Everyone's eyes shifted toward him, anticipation electrifying the atmosphere. A-Zu's expression faltered, her eyes widening in disbelief, and I felt a similar shiver of shock run through me. Had there really been witnesses to the events of that day? I don't remember feeling someone else's presence there with us that day. I glanced over at the white system, its bright panel illuminated with a cheeky winky face, contrasting sharply with the gravity of the moment.

Oh, now I see... I forgot you could do that.

I realized that I had overlooked one crucial detail that day: the system's ability to implant and erase memories. She must have crafted new memories seamlessly. A confident smile spread across my face as I basked in the white glow of the system in the corner; everything was coming together perfectly.
The anticipation was palpable, the room a pressure cooker ready to blow. I felt the warmth of my father's hand on my shoulder, giving me the strength to face the storm that was about to come. I took a deep breath, my heart pounding in like chest like a drum. The first witness stepped forward, an elderly woman with a cane. "I saw it all," she said, her voice shaking with age. "Dai ZhiLan pushed A-Zu, and he fell so far." The woman's eyes filled with tears. "It was an accident," Dai ZhiLan protested, but the damage was done once she spoke those words. The whispers grew to a murmur, a crescendo of doubt and accusation.

Dai ZhiLan's smirk faded, replaced by a look of pure terror. "It was... it was an accident," she stuttered. "I was just trying to see the ocean more clearly and he was always so c-clumsy, always getting in the way and getting himself hurt."

The room transformed into a frigid space, its atmosphere heavy with a palpable tension that crackled like static electricity. A chilling sense of anger and disbelief hung thick in the air, wrapping around me like a suffocating shroud. As the truth slowly unfurled before us, I experienced a tumultuous blend of relief and trepidation swirling within me. Hao JingFei, Dai ZhiLan's mother, stood frozen in place, her eyes wide and unblinking, as shocked realization washed over her. A tremor ran through her body as her hand instinctively flew to her mouth, a silent gesture of horror and disbelief at the person her first daughter had grown to be.

"If this information is accurate," Hou Shen said, his voice steady and contemplative, "we can expect to uncover more details soon." He shifted his focus to the second witness, a young teenage boy who appeared to be in distress. His face bore a prominent bruise on his cheek, and his hands and face were wrapped in several white bandages, hinting at recent injuries. This was Dai ZeDong, the older brother of Dai ZhiLan. Leaning forward slightly, Hou Shen urged, "Please, share what you know. Your account could be crucial in understanding the situation."