Volume 1, Chapter 17: An Old Trick Revisited

Jiang Rui stared fixedly at the Marquis of Anle as he spoke, her entire being feeling as though she had fallen into a pit of ice.

Everything seemed to have returned to the starting point. The various humiliations and torments she had endured after being enslaved in her previous life felt like a pitch-black web, binding her tightly. A thick, suffocating hatred welled up in her chest; she longed to snatch a blade and, right there in the courtroom, drag the entire household of the Marquis of Anle down with her.

But she was also acutely aware of her own frailty. Even if she had a blade, with her meager strength, she could never kill anyone.

Jiang Rui turned and knelt toward Cui Huaiyuan, who was watching the drama unfold. "Lord Cui, may I ask, what is the penalty for coercing a free citizen into slavery?"

Cui Huaiyuan lazily stretched his neck, glanced at Jiang Rui, and answered casually: "According to the laws of our Great Qi, anyone who abducts a free citizen to be a slave, whether as a principal or an accomplice, shall be punished with one hundred blows of the heavy staff and exiled three thousand miles."

Jiang Rui lifted her head, her voice firm with accusation: "My Lord, I am a free citizen by birth, not the niece of Nanny Liu. My biological parents have no connection to the Marquis of Anle’s estate. Yet, the Marquis and the Marchioness, believing the lies of Jiang Yao, insist that I am a domestic slave born into their household, seeking to force me into servitude. I beg you, My Lord, to uphold justice for me!"

With that, Jiang Rui kowtowed heavily and prostrated herself on the ground, awaiting a response.

The onlookers, mostly commoners, had just heard Jiang Rui’s story and witnessed the aggressive posturing of the Marquis’s household. Their hearts instinctively sided with her, and many began to shout in her support.

"My Lord, please save this young lady! It’s too pitiful!"
"If anyone can just be forced into slavery at will, won’t we all be in danger later?"
"The Marquis of Anle’s household is bullying others too far! Nanny Liu herself has already clarified that she is not her niece."

...

Hearing the voices of the commoners, alarm bells rang in Jiang Yao’s heart. Why were these people helping Jiang Rui? Hearing their cries growing louder and fearing that her plan would fall through, Jiang Yao finally could not help but step forward and shout at the agitated crowd:

"You know nothing! I am the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Anle’s household! When I was born, Nanny Liu swapped me with her own niece. Jiang Rui is that niece, and their whole family are the household's born slaves!"

No sooner had she finished shouting than a voice of doubt emerged from the crowd.

"Wasn't it your father's concubine, Lianxiang, who swapped you? Why are you blaming it on Nanny Liu now?"
"Exactly! We all know it was the Marquis and the Marchioness who lacked virtue, bullying their maids, and that is why you suffered retribution."
"That poor girl's biological mother fled to a ruined temple and encountered your lot; what a stroke of bad luck!"

...

How did these people know?

Jiang Yao’s eyes were filled with shock. She jerked her head around to glare at Jiang Rui, who was still kneeling before the magistrate, her back turned to her. She had underestimated this impostor; in such a short time, she had managed to stir up such a massive scene.

"Clack!"

Cui Huaiyuan finally struck the gavel again. As the bailiffs maintained order, the crowd gradually quieted down.

"Marquis, you were absent earlier, so you likely do not know that Miss Jiang Rui has already clearly explained to us the swapping of the Marquis's daughter sixteen years ago, the abduction and torture of Nanny Liu, and the arrival of Miss Jiang Yao to claim kinship," Cui Huaiyuan said to the Marquis, a faint, amused smile playing on his lips.

"At the same time, let me remind the Marquis: the laws of Great Qi are strict. Even a noble house must abide by the law. Coercing a free citizen into slavery is prohibited. Are you aware of this?"

The Marquis’s eyelids twitched, his heart sinking. *Could it be that Cui Huaiyuan is forcing me to abandon Jiang Rui?* Cui Huaiyuan came from the influential House of the Loyal and Brave Earl and was deeply trusted by the Emperor; he was someone the Marquis of Anle could not afford to offend. But thinking of the promises Jiang Rui had made and the benefits she had dangled, the Marquis was unwilling to give up just like that.

"Many thanks for the reminder, Lord Cui," the Marquis tentatively replied. "Perhaps you are unaware, My Lord, but there are servants in the estate who can testify that Jiang Rui is Nanny Liu’s niece."

"But aren't the servants in the Marquis's estate all at your beck and call?" Cui Huaiyuan retorted unsparingly, his eyes scanning the Marquis with a probing gaze. "Marquis, to prove if someone is a slave, please produce the indenture contract. Otherwise, I am compelled to suspect that you are guilty of forcing a free citizen into slavery."

"This..." The Marquis looked toward Jiang Yao. In such a short time, where was he supposed to get Jiang Rui’s indenture contract?

Cui Huaiyuan followed the Marquis’s gaze toward Jiang Yao. "Miss Jiang, I must also remind you: according to our dynasty's laws, those who falsely accuse others shall themselves be punished. Everything you say must be supported by evidence. Do you understand?"

"This daughter accepts the lesson." Jiang Yao looked at Cui Huaiyuan unwillingly, but upon meeting those sharp eyes that seemed to see through everything, she hurriedly lowered her head. "I was anxious upon learning of my own background, and I had only been listening to the words of others..."

"Very well. Without an indenture contract, you cannot prove that Miss Jiang Rui is a slave of the Marquis's household, and since Nanny Liu has clarified that she has no relatives, Miss Jiang Rui is considered a free citizen." Cui Huaiyuan delivered the final verdict, confirming Jiang Rui’s status. "Therefore, I ask that Miss Jiang Yao be more cautious in her speech and actions in the future and not listen to others so readily."

Although the Marquis and Jiang Yao were unwilling, they dared not say anything further. After all, Cui Huaiyuan’s reputation as an investigator was legendary; if he were to dig deeper, they would only fare worse.

Cui Huaiyuan spoke a few more platitudes, summarized the day's case, and scanned the crowd, preparing to end the farce. However, Princess Qingcheng had no intention of letting her romantic rival, Jiang Yao, off the hook so easily.

"Lord Cui, you are just going to offer a few words of advice and not arrest her?" Li Qingxue pointed at Jiang Yao, urging Cui Huaiyuan. "Whether it is false accusation, forcing a free citizen into slavery, or the abuse of private corporal punishment, you should arrest her!"

Cui Huaiyuan cleared his throat and said with professional detachment, "Princess, these three charges you mentioned cannot be established for the time being."

"Why?" Li Qingxue demanded, anxious.

Cui Huaiyuan explained unhurriedly: "The crimes of false accusation and forced enslavement have not been consummated and do not yet constitute a breach of law. As for the abuse of private punishment... Nanny Liu is a domestic servant of the Marquis of Anle's household; this matter does not fall under the jurisdiction of the magistrate's office, so I cannot order an arrest."

He could not set a precedent for interfering in domestic family matters; otherwise, his capital magistracy would be buried in trivial household disputes, and he would never be able to handle proper cases.

Li Qingxue flicked her sleeves in anger. "You certainly have a silver tongue."

"The Princess is too kind," Cui Huaiyuan said with a gentle smile. "In this courtroom, I ask that the Princess respect my decision."

"Hmph!" Li Qingxue turned away in dissatisfaction, glaring at Jiang Yao. She was arrogant, but not brainless. She understood Cui Huaiyuan’s warning and was not foolish enough to do anything to Jiang Yao in public.

Jiang Rui also understood Cui Huaiyuan’s intent: he wanted to downplay the matter and wash his hands of it.

"My Lord, if you do not arrest her, what am I to do if they come to force me into slavery again?" She braced herself against the floor, slowly straightening up, and lifted her tear-streaked face to gaze imploringly at Cui Huaiyuan.

Cui Huaiyuan glanced at Jiang Rui, feeling that all the trouble today had been invited by this girl. He had been used as a pawn by her, and now that she had gained the upper hand, she was still playing the victim. His patience vanished instantly.

"I have already certified your status as a free citizen; what more do you want?"

"I only want to go home! To my own home! But I do not know where it is!" Jiang Rui sobbed pitifully, pointing a finger at Jiang Yao. "She refuses to tell me where my home is. I beg you, My Lord, examine her travel permit for entering the capital and point me in the direction of my home!"