Jian Zhaoxing

Chapter 495 The Game! Heart-wrenching Pain!
Madam Wang hurriedly grabbed Wang Shuyi's sleeve, crying heartbrokenly, "Shuyi, you can't say such things carelessly."

"The people of Daliang are savage and ruthless by nature. I've heard they even exchange wives and children. How can you go to such a barbaric place?"

Wang Shuyi wiped away her tears: "Mother, you know I can't go, but can Miss Lin and the others go?"

Madam Wang was speechless for a moment, only tears kept falling, and she could not say anything else.

Wang Yuan also turned his head away, unsure of what to say.

Seeing this, Wang Shuyi gritted her teeth and stood up: "Father, since you are unwilling to lend a hand, I will go to Sifang Pavilion now. I must stand with my benefactor!"

With that, she turned and walked out.

Madam Wang grabbed Wang Shuyi's arm, saying, "Shu'er, you're going to kill your mother! You mustn't go, you mustn't go!"

Wang Shuyi's eyes were resolute:

"Father, Mother, if you intend to lock me up and prevent me from explaining the whole story, then I'm going to Daliang!"

“My father taught me from a young age that I must be grateful and repay kindness, but what is this all about?”

Even if I become a corpse, I will go!

Threat!

Threaten with his own life!

After all, she was her own flesh and blood; Madam Wang understood Wang Shuyi's temperament best. She looked at Wang Yuan:

"Master, please say something! Are you just going to stand by and watch Shu'er go to Daliang?!"

Wang Yuan closed his eyes, looked at his wife and daughter, and felt extremely helpless.

He took a deep breath, but still found it difficult to speak.

Seeing this, Wang Shuyi, though with tears in her eyes, still managed a smile:
“Father, I don’t blame you for not allowing me to study and practice writing because you are afraid that my being taught will violate the laws of Dasheng and stifle my freedom.”

"But you are willing to sacrifice the lives of ten young girls for the sake of five cities. I will never forgive you!"

"Since you yearn for a prosperous future, please forgive your unfilial daughter!"

With that, she kowtowed three times and then turned to walk outside.

These words were like a sharp blade, slowly piercing Wang Yuan's heart.

Since he took office as the Censor-in-Chief, he has always been conscientious and diligent, never neglecting his duties, and taking the rise and fall of the nation as his own responsibility before making any decision.

But today, his own daughter's words, each one filled with tears, made him doubt himself. Was his decision to support the marriage alliance right or wrong?
This was clearly the best thing for Dasheng, so why did his wife and daughters become estranged from him?
Wang Shuyi was unaware of Wang Yuan's inner thoughts. Without hesitation, she stepped out of the room and into the courtyard.

"Shuyi!"

An old and weary voice rang out.

Wang Shuyi turned her head and looked at Wang Yuan, who had spoken.

Wang Yuan took a deep breath, as if he had made an incredibly difficult decision:

"You will come with me to the Lin family later to testify for Lin Zhiqing. I will no longer interfere in the marriage alliance."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shuyi's heart pounded uncontrollably.

She did it! She really did it!
Her stubborn father actually relented!

Lin Zhiqing is right, her father loves her!
“Father, thank you,” Wang Shuyi said sincerely.

Wang Yuan sighed: "What are we waiting for? Let's go."

Meanwhile, the main hall of Dali Temple was bustling with activity.

"Lin Zhiqing has no desire for a marriage alliance, yet he has resorted to such cruelty against my entourage, attempting to sabotage diplomatic relations between our two nations!" The Liang envoy's voice was shrill.

"I have never seen such a vicious woman. If Lin Zhiqing does not give me an explanation, I will immediately report to the Emperor!"

He stood in the hall, quite angry, with the corpses of his attendants lying on the ground.

On the other side of the lobby, Lin Zhiqing stood gracefully.

“Your Excellency’s words are quite interesting. I don’t want a marriage alliance. What’s the point of killing a servant? Shouldn’t I… attack you, Your Excellency?” *Thump!*

The gavel rang out, and Zhou Chongzheng, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, frowned deeply:

"How dare you! How could you utter such treasonous words!"

Lin Zhiqing tilted her head slightly, not feeling that her words were anything outrageous.

Seeing Lin Zhiqing's stubbornness, Zhou Chongzheng took a deep breath and looked at the person behind the screen: "Your Highness, this matter..."

That's right, the Crown Prince is also there.

This matter has become so big that it has alarmed the Crown Prince.

His presence behind the curtain, listening to the decision, inexplicably made people a little nervous.

"Lord Zhou, you should conduct the trial as you see fit. There's no need to concern yourself with me." The Crown Prince's voice was calm and devoid of emotion.

Zhou Chongzheng frowned deeply, inwardly groaning.

How dare he conduct a trial on such a serious matter?
He realized that the Lin family was his nemesis.

Anything involving the Lin family becomes extremely troublesome.

He wanted to ask the Crown Prince how to handle the situation, but the Crown Prince changed the subject back to him.

This has put him under immense pressure.

"Lord Zhou, the body is already laid out here. This woman is a murderer and must not be allowed to live!" the Liang envoy spoke again.

Lin Zhiqing retorted without backing down: "Your Excellency, does your Great Liang court not rely on evidence when judging cases?"

"Everyone knows I have no martial arts skills and am just a weak woman. How could I possibly kill your followers?"

The Liang envoy snorted coldly: "Since you are not giving up, someone come and tell me the whole story!"

At his command, the dancer was brought up, her eyes filled with terror.

Lin Zhiqing raised an eyebrow; this was the witness.

This dancer was the one who had been with the envoy from Daliang and had witnessed everything.

The dancer knew that Lin Zhiqing hadn't killed anyone.

The dancer, steeling herself, met Lin Zhiqing's gaze and began to speak:

"Lord Zhou, earlier, while I was strolling around the capital with the envoy, we encountered a woman from Dasheng who had broken the law by entering a bookstore."

“My master, following the laws of the Great Sheng Dynasty, seized the woman and intended to take her back to the Sifang Pavilion before handing her over to His Highness the Crown Prince for further processing.”

"But on the way back to Sifang Pavilion, Miss Lin Er suddenly appeared for some reason."

"Not only did she take the woman away, but she also killed the envoy's attendant. That's what happened."

Zhou Chongzheng frowned:
"Where were you at the time? Do you remember Lin Zhiqing's clothes and the information about the woman who broke the law?"

The dancer thought for a moment before speaking:
"Reporting to you, sir, we were in an alley not far from Qixiang Street at the time, and Miss Lin was wearing the same clothes she is wearing now."

"The woman who broke the law was exceptionally beautiful and dressed as a man."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chongzheng looked at Lin Zhiqing:

"Lin Zhiqing, do you have something to say?"

"Your Majesty, I have something to say." Lin Zhiqing turned to the dancer:

“Young lady, you are slightly wrong. We were clearly on Changqing Street, not Qixiang Street.”

The dancer frowned and immediately spoke:

"It's Qixiang Street. Changqing Street is at the other end of the East Market. We clearly didn't go to the East Market today!"

Upon hearing this, everyone stared at the dancer with a sharp gaze.