The Case of the Public Trial 048

  The atmosphere in the main hall of the Da Li Temple was chilly, with three senior officials sitting below, looking up at Gu Ling, who sat on the main trial platform. In their hearts, they all secretly sighed, thinking that the saying "a newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger" must have been referring to this young master Gu. The ones sitting in the trial hall felt immense pressure, but Gu Ling seemed completely unflappable.

  Shi Ji stood aside and said in a low voice, "Young Master Gu, you can begin now. The imperial edict has stated that Young Master Gu does not need to worry about the identity of those summoned to the hall. In this public hall, you are the most superior."

  Listening to Shi Gonggong's apathetic words, Liao Daren secretly wiped the sweat from his forehead and forced a smile on his face. However, looking at Zhao Tongling and Yu Daren's stiff smiles that were uglier than crying, he knew without needing a mirror that he looked just like them.

  The young master was born with a fearless and daring temperament, not afraid of the tiger, but they feared the emperor's revenge after autumn, and when the time came, they would be the ones to die miserably. Today's trial is unprecedented in the history of the Great Yuan Dynasty, as all cases involving the imperial family have always been handled within the palace and never publicly tried.

  Normally, after they found the body of the eldest princess in the Liucheng Palace, the bedroom of the second prince, this group of people would have nothing to do with it. How to judge everything is up to the emperor!

  Now it's good, Yu Fei Niang Niang and the Second Prince are shouting for an open trial, but why do they have to work together to investigate? How can this not make them feel uneasy?

  Gu Ling clapped the wooden ruler in his hand and shouted "Court is now in session!" After that, Shi Ji beside him lowered his eyes, seemingly falling asleep, as if he didn't see the scene before him.

  Yu Fei and the second prince were both brought to the hall, their clothes still bright and shiny, completely unlike those of people being interrogated.

  Standing on the public hall, Yu Fei's wooden and apathetic face finally revealed a hint of a smile. The Second Prince beside him didn't show any panic either, as if he was confident that he wouldn't be convicted.

  Gu Ling looked at Yu Fei and the Second Prince, a hint of abnormality flashed in his heart, but his face remained calm: "Summon the Eldest Prince, Lord Shi to ascend to the hall."

  Although only the eldest son was promoted to the upper hall, Mei Fei and the fifth prince both entered the public hall, while Shi Kaiyan stood alone on one side.

  Gu Ling raised his eyes and swept a glance at Shi Kaiyan, indeed as Qing Yun described, tall and slender, gentle and elegant, even at this moment, not a hint of panic was seen, as if this were not a public hall, but a leisurely courtyard.

  Mei Fei shot a hateful glance at Yu Fei and the Second Prince, her eyes burning with resentment. She coldly snorted: "This palace wants to see how you, Yu Fei, can shed blood from your mouth."

  Yu Fei smiled coldly, would she just spit blood at people? What she had to do was far more than that. At this point, she no longer had anything to fear, only as that person said, put her in a dead end and then be reborn. Winning would be good, but if she lost, she would have someone to accompany her in death.

  Gu Ling's face was stern as he struck the alarm wood, saying in a deep voice: "Gu Ling is acting on the emperor's orders to jointly try the case of the eldest princess with the three of you. I hope that each of you will not harbor any lucky thoughts or attempt to quibble."

  Listening to Gu Ling's blunt words, both Zhao and Yu officials had their mouths twitching, sweating profusely on their foreheads, while Liao official also coughed uncomfortably, reminding Gu Ling of his humble identity as a servant.

  Gu Ling ignored the reminders from the three of them, looking at Yu Fei and the Second Prince, he asked: "In order to cover up the cause of death of the Grand Princess, was it true that Concubine Yu and the Second Prince set fire to the Moon Clear Palace?"

  Yu Fei frowned: "Gu Ling, what evidence do you have to prove that this palace and its occupants set fire to the Moon Clear Palace?"

  Yu Fei's words shocked everyone in the hall, and even Mei Fei furrowed her brow after hearing Yu Fei's response.

  Gu Ling's heart sank, and overnight, Yu Fei and the Second Prince became fearless?

  "Yesterday, Gu Mou and three other officials, as well as Shi Gonggong himself, discovered the Grand Princess in the Liucheng Palace."

  "Then what? She is my daughter, and for her sake, for the reputation of the imperial family, I have endured humiliation and suffering. If it were not absolutely necessary, I would be willing to hide her forever, never letting the world know she exists."

  Listening to Yu Fei's words, Shi Ji, who had been quietly observing with his eyes cast down and his eyebrows furrowed as if he were asleep, slowly opened his eyelids and swept a glance at the Second Prince beside him. The Second Prince had lowered his head, but the corners of his mouth were subtly curved upwards, and the fear and despair from yesterday seemed to have vanished without a trace. His eyes flickered slightly, and in just one day and night, things seemed to be getting more and more extraordinary.

  Others may not know, but he knows that the emperor has secretly dispatched a shadowy inspector to monitor Yu Fei and the second prince. What exactly is the problem?

  Gu Ling narrowed her eyes: "Then please ask Yu Fei Niang Niang to explain why the body of the Grand Princess was hidden in the cold cellar of Liuqing Palace?"

  Yu Fei's eyes turned sharp and fierce, her hatred-filled gaze fixed on the Crown Prince, her voice shrill and piercing: "It was this despicable creature who defiled..."

  "Shi Qin, if you spit blood at me again, I'll fight you to the death." Mei Fei was furious, her whole body trembling as she let out a sharp cry and pounced forward.

  Shi Ji gave a signal with her eyes, and the palace eunuchs stopped Empress Mei who was in an agitated state.

  The eldest prince's face was cold and stern as he stared at Yu Fei: "With a mother like you, Xiao Wang is not worthy of being the elder sister. You are not humiliating Xiao Wang, but humiliating Da Huang Jie. A person's death is for the greater good, and even if Da Huang Jie has made countless mistakes, she is still your own flesh and blood daughter born after ten months of pregnancy. Yet you, in order to maintain a comfortable life, personally poured dirty water on Da Huang Jie. How can Da Huang Jie bear this? Are you or are you not human?"

  "Yuan You Sheng, what nonsense are you spouting? Are you afraid? Afraid that your crimes will be exposed?" The Second Prince said with a fluster.

  The fifth prince's face turned red with rage, and he shouted in a shrill voice: "Yuan Xiaosheng, you are not allowed to distort the truth! It was clearly your mother and son who killed the eldest prince, and to cover up their crime, they set fire to the Moon Palace. Now that it has been exposed, you still have the audacity to frame others and shift the blame. This is shameless, filthy, and dirty. There are no more shameless people in this world than your mother and son!"

  Looking at the quarrel in front of him, which was like a fight between two shrews from the marketplace, Gu Ling heavily slapped the wooden table and sternly rebuked: "In the imperial court, there are still people who behave like shrews from the marketplace, losing their composure. Gu Ling dares to ask, Your Majesties, where do you place the Emperor? Where do you place the dignity of the imperial family?"

  The three adults sitting below Gu Ling were flustered and sweating profusely, wishing they had a hole in the ground to crawl into, rather than being forced to sit there and listen to these royal secrets that they didn't want to hear or see.

  Shi Zhi listened to Gu Ling's rebuke, his eyelids trembling slightly, but he didn't say a word. He was silent, and at this moment, in his heart, there was only sorrow for his master, and secretly rejoicing that his master hadn't seen this scene, otherwise it would have been very distressing.

  Although everyone says that Master is cold-blooded and heartless, with a heart like ice and iron, however icy his heart may be, it's still made of flesh and will hurt.

  Scolded by Gu Ling, Mei Fei's face first turned white, then green, and finally purple. Although she was humiliated, she still managed to calm down and ordered: "Jie Er, you return to the palace."

  The fifth prince, Yuan Jie, was startled: "Mother..."

  "Return to the palace." Consort Mei said sternly.

  The fifth prince reluctantly glared at the second prince before responding in a low voice: "Yes, Mother."

  After the fifth prince left, Consort Mei walked over to a nearby chair and sat down, saying coldly: "Yu'er, before Lord Gu gives you permission to speak, no matter what Consort Yu says, you are not allowed to make a sound."

  The eldest prince respectfully retreated to her side: "Yes, Mother."

  Watching Mei Fei calm down, Shi Zhi's eyes flashed with a hint of relief, and he said calmly: "Yu Fei Niangniang, Second Prince, this is a public hall, please do not forget your identities."

  "Princess Yufei, although I am not an official in the imperial court, at this moment, sitting on the public platform to handle the case by imperial decree, it is not excessive for me to call myself 'this official'. Please state your case. This official also wants to remind you that every word and action should be carefully considered, otherwise, when the time comes, if you cannot provide evidence, don't blame this official for being unfair in judging the case."

  Yu Fei narrowed her eyes as she gazed at Gu Ling sitting on the public hall, and coldly smiled: "Since Lord Gu has said so, this palace naturally has nothing to say. There is no need for this palace to state the case, so please ask Lord Gu to directly summon this palace's witness to come up and testify, and everything will be clear."

  The three adults looked at each other in shock and dismay, while Shizhi quietly furrowed his brow beside them.

  Mei Fei's eyes flashed, and she involuntarily looked at the big crown prince beside her. Her heart was still in shock, wondering who this shameless woman Shi Qin was so confident to testify against?

  Gu Ling hesitated for a moment before agreeing to Yu Fei's request: "Alright, let's follow your instructions, Your Majesty. Summon the witness to the court."