Yun Zhao watched coldly as these people colluded with one another, her heart turning to ice.
Not to mention that the Princess Royal's pulse should have revealed the poisoning, even that painting—any physician seated in a clinic on the street could have examined it and detected the problem within.
But when the Crown Prince of the realm openly vouched for it, who would dare to question him?
Even the Princess Royal only wore a slightly darkened expression, yet did not openly confront him at the first moment.
Yun Zhao's gaze unconsciously drifted to the Crown Prince, who appeared as gentle and refined as jade.
In her previous life, she had learned the truth while in a secret chamber, overhearing Jiang Heng whispering to a figure beside him whose face she could not discern.
What they wanted was the jade pendant that had been with her since childhood;
And the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family whom the Crown Prince had originally intended to betroth—that should have been her.
It should have been her jade pendant, her fiancé, her life… yet all of it had been stolen by Jiang Wanxin, and desperately defended by that scum Jiang Heng!
She did not covet the position of Crown Princess, but seeing how the Crown Prince defended Jiang Wanxin at every turn today, she knew that in this life, if she wanted to trample the Jiang family flat, demand justice, and bring the truth of Qingwei Gu's tragic deaths to light—
Jiang Wanxin's marriage to the Crown Prince must come to nothing!
"Even if the painting is ruined, it matters not. So long as Your Highness's sacred person remains in good health, this humble daughter would gladly paint ten more." Jiang Wanxin bit her lip and blossomed into a delicate, charming smile. "I only beg Your Highness not to heed slanderous words and misunderstand this humble daughter's filial devotion."
A faint smile curved at the corner of the Princess Royal's lips: "The Crown Prince sees with keen perception and speaks with golden words. Since he declares this painting to be poison-free, how could I not believe it?"
Hearing this, joy flickered across Jiang Wanxin's face, and she was about to speak when the Princess Royal shifted her tone.
"However—Nanny Zhou's frenzied loss of composure was ultimately triggered by her touching your painting. Not to mention that earlier, you committed a breach of decorum before the throne, using the fan bestowed by the Grand Empress Dowager to disfigure a maidservant of my household."
The Princess Royal's long eyes narrowed slightly, her authority pressing down heavily: "Jiang Wanxin, do you know your crime?"
Jiang Wanxin trembled all over, raising her head in disbelief, tears instantly flooding her eyes: "Your Highness!"
Not only Jiang Wanxin—many noble ladies present also showed expressions of astonishment, unable to fathom why the Princess Royal, who had not blamed her before, was suddenly dredging up old grievances.
Yun Zhao clearly saw the anger in the Princess Royal's eyes and knew that she had already perceived the truth, but was merely constrained by the Crown Prince's dignity from exposing it to his face. Hence, she raised the old matter before the crowd, intending to warn Jiang Wanxin.
"Aunt, please calm your anger." The Crown Prince spoke in a gentle voice. "Today is Aunt's birthday…"
The Princess Royal let out a light laugh: "Today is my birthday, and I wish to stand up for a maidservant of my household and take back a gift bestowed by the Empress Dowager. What is wrong with that?"
She raised her hand slightly. "Nanny Zhou."
"Your Highness!" Jiang Wanxin sobbed, her delicate face, frail as a young lotus, streaked with tears. "This humble daughter truly knows she was wrong."
At a palace banquet over a year ago, she had happened to save the Grand Empress Dowager's favorite parrot, and this imperial folding fan was a reward she had obtained with great difficulty.
Among all the noble ladies in the capital, this was a distinction held by none other.
Even Song Baiyu, that elegant and exalted daughter of the Grand Chancellor, was left far behind in this regard.
It was also because of this tale that everyone praised, that for the past half year, no one in the capital had failed to sing the praises of this young Miss Jiang—not only pure of heart and refined of spirit, but also a person blessed with fortune.
If she were not blessed by fortune, how could she have saved the Empress Dowager's beloved parrot? If her luck were not flourishing, how could she have so easily won the favor of Her Elder Highness?
If she were to have her folding fan taken away over such a trivial matter today, she truly would not accept it!
The Princess Royal furrowed her brow. "I am not a man. Who exactly are you crying like that for?"
With that, she cast a light glance at the Crown Prince, who sat below in silence.
She had indeed heard some rumors lately, but so what? Royal marriages were ever-changing in an instant.
As long as Jiang Wanxin lacked the ability to climb into the Eastern Palace, she was merely the legitimate daughter of Minister Jiang.
Moreover, as the sole Princess Royal of the current dynasty, even if she could not immediately uncover the mastermind behind the painting scroll affair, could she not still deal with a Jiang Wanxin?
Two nimble matrons stepped forward in response. One pinned her arms back while the other deftly rolled up her sleeve, quickly retrieving the coral treasure fan and presenting it to the Princess Royal.
The Princess Royal swept a cold gaze over it. "I shall keep this item in my custody for now. Should the Empress Dowager inquire about it in the future, I will explain today's circumstances to Her Elder Highness properly."
Jiang Wanxin collapsed limply to the ground, her hair in disarray, with only one thought remaining in her mind: It's over.
She instinctively looked up and met Yun Zhao's gaze.
Yun Zhao was also silently watching her, her eyes calm and unruffled, as if looking at a dead person.
Jiang Wanxin could not help but shudder.
At that moment, a steady male voice rang out: "My daughter has been ill-mannered and offended Your Highness's dignity. It is entirely due to my failure in discipline. I beg Your Highness to forgive this transgression."
A handsome bearded man in a purple official robe stepped out from behind the Crown Prince and bowed in salute—
The newcomer was none other than Minister of Rites Jiang Shian.
He wore his court attire and appeared hurried, clearly having rushed over upon hearing of the incident at the Princess's residence.
"Minister Jiang has come as well." The Princess Royal's tone was distant. "Minister Jiang is a high-ranking court official and a favored figure before His Majesty. I could not possibly accept such a grand salute from you."
Yun Zhao's gaze fixed steadily on Jiang Shian's face: So this was her biological father?
He had raised a false daughter of unknown origins in his household, hoping to install her in the Eastern Palace, yet he had not spared a single inquiry about his own flesh and blood for sixteen years!
Why?!
At the same time, Jiang Shian's gaze also crossed the crowd and landed heavily upon Yun Zhao's features.
His expression tightened slightly, a flicker of surprise and doubt passing through his eyes. Involuntarily, he studied the contours of her brows and eyes several times over.
Then, composing himself, he made a deep bow toward the Princess Royal:
"Your Highness's stern punishment today, reclaiming my daughter's imperially bestowed item, may appear harsh on the surface, but in truth it is a great lesson and expectation. Xin'er is young and inexperienced. To receive Your Highness's personal discipline is her fortune."
He turned his head to look at Jiang Wanxin: "Xin'er, why not quickly thank Your Highness for the grace of her admonishment?"
Jiang Wanxin hastily kowtowed, her voice choked with sobs: "Xin'er knows she was wrong! Thank you for Your Highness's instruction. Xin'er will reflect deeply and will be cautious in words and deeds henceforth, and will never betray Your Highness's earnest efforts today!"
Father and daughter played off each other in perfect harmony, and in an instant, they had cleverly disguised the humiliation of a public reprimand as the Princess Royal's painstaking cultivation of and special favor toward a junior.
Yun Zhao stood quietly to the side, watching coldly, and thought to herself: What a fine Minister presiding over the rites and laws of the realm!
Retreating to advance, with a silver tongue that could turn black into white in an instant—no wonder he had raised a legitimate son like Jiang Heng!
Her biological father turned out to be such a sanctimonious hypocrite!
And what about her mother—was she equally partial to Jiang Wanxin, recognizing only Jiang Wanxin as her daughter?