12dz Chapter 144 The Master Doesn't Know What His Servants Are Thinking
Chapter 144 The Master Doesn't Know What His Servants Are Thinking
Haiyu's words were clearly sarcastic.
Treason is a grave crime!
The words slipped out without warning, and even Shen Dongfeng, standing nearby, felt his knees buckle and couldn't help but speak up in self-defense.
"I don't know anything! I don't know anything! Grandfathers of the Hai family!"
"Stop trying to claim kinship with us. Who's your grandfather? You're just tarnishing the reputation of the Hai family!" Hai Yu didn't give Shen Dongfeng any room to maneuver, so Shen Dongfeng was so angry that his face turned red, but he didn't dare to argue. In his heart, he cursed all eighteen generations of the Hai family's ancestors.
Seeing his attitude, Hai Yu looked down on him completely. He then focused his gaze on Chi Yun Jing, pulled over a chair and sat down. His actions and attitude were very contemptuous, which made Chi Yun Jing feel very uncomfortable.
"Our two families are related by marriage, after all. You're just throwing this accusation at me right now. Aren't you afraid I'll turn around and bite you back?"
Chi Yunjing was also feeling uneasy when he said this.
Once inside the dungeon of the Eastern Palace, honestly, very few people manage to get out. But he was certain he hadn't done anything wrong, so thinking of that, he couldn't help but straighten his back.
Unfortunately, neither of the Hai brothers bought into his act; one gave a cold laugh, and the other remained indifferent.
"Here is the information we have verified. Vice Minister Chi, please take a look before making a decision."
It was Haijin who spoke. Compared to his younger brother's arrogance, he was much more restrained. However, because of his position at the Dali Temple, he exuded an aura of integrity and uprightness. Therefore, Chi Yunjing was more afraid of him than he was of Haiyu.
He took the stack of testimonies with some skepticism and quickly began to read them. The more he read, the uglier his face became. Finally, he slammed the entire stack of testimonies to the ground and then spoke emphatically.
"Ridiculous! Utterly absurd! This is all slander. What Prince Li, what Third Princess? I have never had any contact with them whatsoever! Sending letters? I don't even know Prince Li, why would I send him letters!"
He insisted that he didn't know them and acted with great righteousness.
But since they were able to capture him, the Hai brothers naturally had enough evidence. So they clapped their hands, and soon a person appeared who made Chi Yunjing look somewhat puzzled.
"Tenth Aunt?"
This tenth aunt had served Old Madam Chi for many years. At this moment, her body was covered in wounds, and it was clear that she had been tortured. When she was dragged in, Chi Yunjing's expression was somewhat inscrutable.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be serving Mother?"
Since her injury, Old Madam Chi has been in a coma. However, unlike Madam Guo, her life is tied to Chi Yunjing's career. Therefore, she has to be kept alive by any medicine. As a result, she has been recuperating at the Vice Minister's residence.
Although he hasn't woken up, his life is not in danger.
As the most capable person by his mother's side, Chi Yunjing's sudden appearance here naturally felt strange. Unfortunately, in everyone's eyes, this scene was completely an act, and Haiyu couldn't help but expose it directly.
"Alright, we've known each other for decades, why are you acting innocent now?"
Chi Yunjing, a veteran of many years in officialdom, quickly realized what was happening after recalling the stack of testimonies he had just heard. He then spoke with anger in his eyes.
"You sent a letter to King Li in my name? You've been hiding in my house all these years, acting as King Li's spy?"
With just a few words, the blame was shifted onto Aunt Shi.
Aunt Shi didn't even lift her eyelids, seemingly acquiescing to the charge, which greatly displeased Haiyu. He already didn't have a good impression of his uncle, and now seeing him act like he dared to do something but didn't dare to admit it, he disliked him even more.
He immediately rebuked her.
"Don't you feel disgusted with yourself when you, the person in charge, push the responsibility onto your subordinates when something goes wrong?"
"Nonsense! It was clearly Aunt Shi who did this behind my back. If I don't hold her accountable, am I supposed to take the blame for her? Tell me, when did I instruct you to contact Prince Li?"
Chi Yunjing appeared completely innocent at this moment, showing no sign of panic whatsoever.
Hai Yu glared angrily, but Hai Jin, standing beside him, frowned and observed the subtle expressions between the two. Based on his usual judgment in handling cases, he felt that Chi Yun Jing was not lying.
However, knowing in her heart that Chi Yunjing had done many things that aroused the wrath of both gods and men, she did not intend to overturn his case at this moment.
Shen Dongfeng watched silently from the side. He didn't care whether the old servant of the Chi family was acting on the orders of his master. He only cared about his own life or death, so he seized the opportunity to speak out.
"My lords, isn't this a private matter of the Chi family? What does it have to do with me? I have never had any contact with Prince Li."
"Hmph, you don't have direct contact with Prince Li, but your family members have close ties with this Tenth Aunt. You're not going to act like Chi Yunjing, pretending that the master doesn't know what the servants are thinking, are you?"
After making a sarcastic remark, Haiyu immediately had someone drag another person in.
Like Aunt Shi, he had also been severely tortured, so he probably confessed to everything. When the person who came showed his swollen face, Shen Dongfeng's reaction was even more exaggerated than Chi Yunjing's.
“Nanny Hong? You…you are also a spy for the King of Li?”
This wet nurse, Hong, was none other than Shen Miaoling's wet nurse.
She had served the family for over a decade since childhood and was deeply trusted by everyone in the Shen family. Moreover, her husband was none other than a steward of the Shen household, so the entire family was closely connected to the Shen family. Now that they had been taken down, Shen Dongfeng was truly left speechless and unable to express his bitterness.
At this moment, he could empathize with Chi Yunjing. This old servant he had raised for decades turned out to be a spy, secretly sending out messages without anyone knowing, yet they were made to take the blame. Therefore, his reaction was even more exaggerated than Chi Yunjing's, and he immediately cursed angrily!
"Bah! You're not trying to drag my whole family down with you just to save your own life! What kind of damned Aunt Shi? I don't even know her. Why would I have assigned you to contact her? I bet it was all your doing, you scoundrels, infiltrating the homes of officials in the capital, gathering intelligence, and secretly conspiring with Prince Li to overthrow the Great Long. But His Highness the Crown Prince saw through your scheme and caught you all. When one plan failed, you devised another, shifting all the blame onto your master's family. Even if you die, you'll drag your master's family down with you. In this way, you can also kill all of us officials who were originally loyal to His Highness the Crown Prince, hoping to sow discord among those who are loyal to him! Good heavens! It's killing three birds with one stone! Prince Li, what a clever scheme!"