The abstinent and powerful minister is cold and aloof during the day, but he adores her in his dream

Chapter 260: Execution in Autumn
This sudden turn of events stunned everyone present.

Before anyone could react, Granny Lin let out a howl and lunged at the man on the ground, crying out, "Son, who beat you like this?"

"Bang!" Ouyang Lei slammed the gavel on the table. "Guards! Granny Lin has been disrupting the court proceedings and is suspected of perjury. Drag her out and give her ten strokes of the cane!"

Soon, Granny Lin and her son were dragged out.

Silence returned to the courtroom.

Lying on the ground, Lu Lan, who had initially thought there was a chance for things to turn around, now looked ashen-faced, her eyes fixed on Huan'er who had suddenly appeared.

Li Bingcai was also quite surprised.

How come Huan'er is still alive?
"You are Lu Lan's personal maid, Huan'er?" Ouyang Lei looked at Huan'er and asked in a deep voice.

"Your Excellency, this servant is Huan'er, the maid who serves Miss Lu Lan." Huan'er kowtowed to him.

"Is what you just said true?" Ouyang Lei asked again.

Zhiwan, Wei Shi, and the others all looked at Huan'er, wanting to hear her answer.

Huan'er nodded emphatically and said, "Everything I've said is true..." At this point, she suddenly burst into tears, "My family and I have just escaped death, and we would never dare to hide anything anymore. It was Miss Lu who murdered Concubine Xu..."

"You wretched servant! I've treated you well, yet you dare to smear me! Have you no conscience?" Lu Lan was filled with indignation. If she weren't injured, she probably would have already pounced on Huan'er and started tearing at her.

Startled by her stern shout, Huan'er instinctively shrank back, somewhat frightened.

This was, after all, her master whom she had served for many years. Before Lu Lan suffered such a great change, he treated her quite well, but his personality changed drastically after his innocence was ruined.

On the surface, she was still the weak and timid fourth young lady of the Lu family, but in private, she was ruthless and cruel, often beating and scolding her, and frequently pricking her with needles, not allowing her to speak out.

She was instinctively afraid of Lu Lan.

But thinking of her family, who had just escaped death last night, she clenched her fists and said angrily, "You have no conscience, it's clearly you, Fourth Miss." After saying that, she rolled up her sleeves, "What is this? You always prick me with needles when you're not happy. There's no good skin left on my body."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at her arm.

The little girl's thin arms were covered with countless needle marks, a sight that sent chills down one's spine.

"Lu Lan, you're not even human!" Zhiwan shouted angrily.

"Trying to play the good guy here? Yes, I admit I abused Huan'er, so what? She's just a lowly maid." Lu Lan said nonchalantly, looking at Ouyang Lei, "Sir, Huan'er resents me, so she conspired with the real culprit to identify me. Her words are completely unreliable!"

Huan'er looked at her in disbelief, "Miss, I have never resented you, but this time, you have really gone too far. Moreover, everything I have said is true. You killed Aunt Xu!"

"Hmph, if you want to find fault, you can always find a reason," Lu Lan said disdainfully.

"Does Madam see this? This is the granddaughter you're protecting. She's so ruthless and vicious in private, and you still want to protect her?" Madam Wei looked at Old Madam Lu beside her, her face full of sarcasm.

Madam Lu's expression stiffened for a moment, but she was always proud and unwilling to admit defeat, so she muttered, "She's just a lowly servant."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wei did not want to look at her again.

"How did you escape death?" Ouyang Lei asked. Huan'er wiped away her tears and replied, "Yesterday morning, as Miss instructed, at 4:45 AM, I was to report to the authorities that someone had died in the Duke of Dingguo's mansion and ask the authorities to arrest the person. She also said that if I did as she said, she would give me a sum of money."

I am terrified because the night before, Miss and Aunt Xu had a quarrel. I don't know the specifics of what they said, but Aunt Xu cried all night. She said that she was born to pay off debts, specifically debts to her children. Once she paid them off, she would be free. She also said that as long as her daughter was happy, she would be willing to die, since she had had enough of this life...

At the time, I was very puzzled, so the next day, as Miss instructed, when I went to the government office to report the matter, I felt more and more uneasy.

Could it be that the person Miss wants to kill is Aunt Xu?

I was terrified, but I thought I was overthinking it. Aunt Xu was Miss's birth mother; Miss would never be so cruel.

The servant was waiting anxiously and fearfully near the government office, worried that she would get into trouble. In her panic, she decided to report to the authorities in advance.

After reporting to the authorities, I secretly returned to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion and learned that Consort Xu had died in Yaoguang Pavilion. I was so frightened that I immediately fled back to my hometown.

I thought that this would keep things peaceful, but who knew that in the middle of the night last night, the house suddenly caught fire, and the fire was very big.

If it weren't for the prince risking his life to save us, my whole family would have perished in the fire long ago...

"I haven't made enemies with anyone. After thinking it over, only Miss would kill my whole family. Miss is clearly trying to silence us..."

As Huan'er spoke, she broke down in tears, and the ash on her face, washed away by her tears, made her look even dirtier and more disheveled.

Upon hearing this, Zhiwan's heart sank. Huan'er's words about the young master risking his life to save her—could it be…?

Realizing this, she hurriedly looked at Jiang Shi, "How is my cousin?"

Wei's heart tightened as she looked at Jiang Shi.

The one who just threw Granny Lin's son in was Jiang Shi.

Faced with the gazes of the lady and the young lady, Jiang Shi felt immense pressure and forced himself to say, "The young master... is not seriously injured."

Seeing his expression, Zhiwan knew he was lying and said anxiously, "What time is it? Are you still trying to hide it from us?"

"Jiang Shi, what's wrong with A Zhan?" Madam Wei was also very anxious.

Jiang Shi was somewhat troubled, because the Crown Prince had instructed that he was not to tell his cousin and his wife about his injuries, as he was afraid they would worry.

However, the fact that the young master was injured could not be kept secret, and the young lady and the others would find out sooner or later.

Thinking it over, he cautiously said, "The young master only burned his arm and has already seen a doctor. Madam and Miss Cousin need not worry."

Neither Zhiwan nor Weishi believed him, knowing he was hiding something, but there was no use in their anxiety while they were in court. They could only wait until the case was closed before they could go to find Lu Zhan.

"Does Lord Chen recognize this ring?" Ouyang Lei asked Lord Chen.

After carefully examining Huan'er, Lord Chen nodded affirmatively and said, "It's her. She was the one who reported the case to the authorities yesterday at 9:00 AM!"

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Lei slammed his gavel and loudly announced, "Lu Lan's murder of her birth mother, Xu Yumei, and framing of Zhiwan is a crime for which the law cannot be tolerated. Guards, take the criminal Lu Lan into custody and execute her in the autumn!"