Volume One, Chapter 15: Taking Advantage of the Opportunity
As the words fell, the entire hall was stunned.
Within the courtroom, the usually arrogant Princess Qingcheng was now shocked, her crimson lips slightly parted and her phoenix-like eyes wide open.
The Chief Magistrate of Jingzhao, Cui Huaiyuan, forgot to bang the gavel and shout "Silence," his curious gaze fixed on Jiang Rui, who seemed to be sobbing.
The court attendants all wore expressions of eager spectators, their eyes converging on Jiang Rui.
Outside the courtroom, the crowd watching the spectacle erupted into lively discussion.
“What did she say? She’s the fake daughter of the Anle Marquis’s mansion? Then who is the real daughter?”
“Oh my! The real and fake daughters of the Marquis’s household—this is straight out of a drama!”
“This trip here was worth it! We’re actually hearing the Anle Marquis’s family secrets.”
“Sixteen years ago? That was during the great turmoil in the capital. So many people died back then.”
“A noble like the Anle Marquis would have fled at the first sign, while it’s us common folk who suffered.”
...
Li Qingxue snapped back to reality, hearing only one thing clearly: the marriage arrangement with the heir of the Duke of Jin, Qi Xuan, was no longer Jiang Rui’s—it was to be given to the true daughter of the Marquis’s mansion who had suddenly appeared.
Where did this wild girl come from, and how could she possibly be worthy of marrying the heir? It was utterly absurd!
“What on earth is going on with the Anle Marquis’s household? What recognition of kin? What marriage being returned to her?”
Li Qingxue pointed at Jiang Rui and commanded, “You will clearly and thoroughly explain everything from the beginning!”
Jiang Rui blinked innocently. “Is it really appropriate to say it all here...?”
Li Qingxue snapped impatiently, “Stop stalling! Speak!”
Jiang Rui took a pepper-dusted handkerchief and pretended to wipe the corners of her eyes. Soon, her eyes reddened, and tears began to fall.
“Princess, yesterday you smashed the Colorful Cloud Pavilion, causing great losses... Madam Marquis wants me to take responsibility, but I cannot afford to pay, so I had to come to the magistrate’s office to ask you to compensate for the damages...”
Li Qingxue cast a complicated look over Jiang Rui, feeling that her life must be incredibly difficult.
Not only had she lost her status as the Marquis’s daughter, but the Marquis’s family now forced her to appear publicly, demanding money from the court. The illustrious Qi Xuan would certainly disdain someone so mercenary.
Moreover, without the identity of the Marquis’s daughter and the engagement to Qi Xuan, Jiang Rui was merely a commoner with no threat, unworthy of Li Qingxue’s further attention.
“Daring to come and ask me for money, you do have some nerve.”
Li Qingxue sat on a chair brought by a guard, crossing her legs and giving Jiang Rui a sidelong glance, as if bestowing a favor.
“Consider this a charitable deed from me. I’ll reward you with silver, but you must answer my questions honestly.”
“As long as the princess is willing to compensate and relieve this common woman’s urgent plight, I will tell all I know.”
Jiang Rui sniffled, counting on her fingers as she began to tally.
“The damages to the Colorful Cloud Pavilion are no less than two thousand taels, plus the injuries to the manager and staff...”
“Enough! How about three thousand taels?”
Li Qingxue threw her hands up, and a guard immediately handed over a stack of silver notes.
“Thank you, Princess, that’s more than enough!”
Jiang Rui hurriedly counted the notes, quickly pocketed them, and bowed to Li Qingxue.
“I will now clear up your doubts, Princess.”
Then, under everyone’s watchful eyes, she began to narrate the tale vividly.
From the mysterious disappearance of Nurse Liu the night before, to her reappearance today battered and bruised.
From the birth of twins in a ruined temple sixteen years ago, to Jiang Yao, who bore a striking resemblance to Madam Shen, coming forward to claim kinship.
From Jiang Yao’s slander that Nurse Liu had swapped the children, to the Marquis and his wife abusing the maidservant Lian Xiang, which led Lian Xiang to retaliate by switching the daughters...
Jiang Rui’s voice was gentle, her pacing neither rushed nor slow, her storytelling rising and falling with captivating rhythm.
Outside the courtroom, the townsfolk listened with relish; the crowd grew larger but no one dared to interrupt, afraid of missing a single detail.
Unconsciously, Princess Qingcheng was also drawn into Jiang Rui’s story, holding a cup of tea, completely absorbed.
Cui Huaiyuan, seated at the head, initially wanted to stop her but, out of respect for Princess Qingcheng, raised and then lowered the gavel. Eventually, he too listened with interest and let Jiang Rui continue...
When Jiang Rui finished her tale, tears brimming, she knelt before Cui Huaiyuan and pleaded:
“Lord Cui, my fate has been fraught with hardship, drifting like a floating leaf. Only now, at sixteen, do I learn that my parents and kin were not truly mine. The real daughter of the Anle Marquis’s mansion has returned, and I shall willingly return everything to her.
But my own background is pure and must not be defiled. Nurse Liu’s family is all deceased; she has no nieces, and she never swapped the Marquis’s daughter. She should not have been subjected to torture and forced to give false testimony.
Furthermore, the woman claiming kinship hides her true identity and acts ruthlessly, unlike an ordinary girl. Having been raised by the Marquis’s household, I cannot bear to see the Marquis and his wife deceived.
I beg you, Lord Cui, to thoroughly investigate the identity of the Marquis’s true daughter as well as my own true identity, so that all may be restored to their rightful places.”
After speaking, Jiang Rui solemnly kowtowed to Cui Huaiyuan.
She was slender and delicate, her tears streaming like pear blossoms in the rain—beautiful and pitiable. The watching crowd could not help but feel sympathy.
“This Miss Jiang is truly miserable, having been the Marquis’s legitimate daughter for sixteen years, only to lose everything in an instant.”
“Hey, do you think the real daughter’s story is true? What proper girl would abduct someone from the Marquis’s household?”
“Maybe she’s some pirate or bandit who forged an identity to cause trouble for the Marquis’s family?”
“If you ask me, the Anle Marquis is foolish to accept any random woman claiming to be his daughter.”
“Exactly, maybe we should try our luck too! Ha ha ha...”
“Nurse Liu is also pitiful—clearly she did not switch the Marquis’s daughter, yet the real daughter accused her and had her beaten so badly. Such cruelty!”
...
Cui Huaiyuan finally understood: Jiang Rui was not there to accuse Princess Qingcheng but to use the Jingzhao government as a pawn.
“Miss Jiang, this is the Jingzhao government,” Cui Huaiyuan said coldly, warning her.
“Your Anle Marquis household affairs are better handled internally. I have no authority to interfere.”
“Lord Cui…” Jiang Rui wiped tears from her face with her handkerchief, looking at him with beseeching eyes.
From her previous life, she knew Cui Huaiyuan to be a reasonable and upright official, but he always kept himself apart from the family intrigues of the nobility.
Therefore, Jiang Rui did not expect him to help capture Jiang Yao, but Princess Qingcheng would not miss this opportunity to sully the Marquis’s reputation.
“Lord Cui, I believe this matter warrants your investigation,” Li Qingxue’s imperious voice spoke up, and Jiang Rui felt it was like hearing celestial music.
Cui Huaiyuan glanced at her helplessly and explained gently:
“Princess, the Jingzhao government is responsible for the city’s security and criminal cases, not the private affairs of the Anle Marquis’s household.”
“What private affairs? Someone was abducted openly in broad daylight from the Marquis’s mansion and tortured until covered in wounds. Shouldn’t the government arrest such criminals?”
Li Qingxue suddenly stood, showing no respect as she retorted.
“In my opinion, Lord Cui, you should immediately dispatch officers to the Anle Marquis’s mansion to arrest the criminals and restore peace to the people.”