Proud Feather

Chapter 26 Source
When Tian Fu blurted out this, he felt that something might be wrong. He didn't expect his luck to be so bad. That day was really not an auspicious day. He was speechless for a moment and didn't know how to respond.

Gao Mian slammed the gavel and shouted, "Tian Fu, why are you lying?"

"Little one, little one..." After being completely intimidated, Tian Fu realized he had been wrong. This hurdle wasn't going to be passed by simply playing along with the princess. He couldn't understand why the princess was doing this. Did she really think the Tian family was out to harm her?
Gao Mian said coldly: "Since you don't confess honestly, you will be tortured!"

At this point, Lord Gao didn't have much to think about. The princess had already forced him to reveal his blade, so he could only focus on his work. Isn't it just biting people? That's what the Dali Temple usually does. He'd put a lot of thought into securing his position, so he might as well show his claws.

The bailiff received the order, came up, held Tian Fu down and began to pull down his pants.

The other two maids who came to respond to the complaint were so frightened that they quickly covered their faces.

"Sir! Sir! I'm innocent!" Tian Fu struggled and shouted.

Gao Mian ignored him. He knew too well this kind of petty person who relied on others for power. If he didn't teach them a lesson, they would think they could get away with it.

So, he threw the lottery ticket, and the yamen runner, without saying a word, grabbed him and gave him twenty slaps with the board.

Twenty strokes of the cane were neither too heavy nor too light, enough to make a lackey like Tian Fu, who had not suffered hardship in years, cry for his parents.

By the time the bailiffs had finished beating him, Tian Fu's hopes were completely gone. He'd always relied on the Tian family's influence to earn respect from others, inevitably feeling like he was a significant figure. It wasn't until he received a few beatings in public, in the courtroom, that he finally came to his senses.

The Tian family was nothing, and he was even less so. If they wanted to beat him up, they would. Go back and complain? Even the Second Prince couldn't do anything to the princess, let alone the Tian family?

"Tian Fu, can you confess honestly now?"

"My Lord, I..." Tian Fu wiped his tear-stained face and said, "You asked too hastily just now, and I was afraid you would blame me... The reason I chose the 21st was because the old lady and the eldest lady discussed it. They said it was neither too early nor too late, and it should be just in time to invite the princess..."

"Why didn't you say it just now?"

Tian Fu hesitated and said, "I'm afraid to tell you, do you think the Tian family intends to deal with the princess..."

"Then why did the Tian family invite the princess to the Dahuai Temple?" Gao Mian had already smelled something unusual and immediately pressed on. "Second Miss Tian often interacted with the princess, and it wasn't uncommon for them to play together. Why did they have to invite the princess on that day?"

"I don't know..." Tian Fu was bewildered. "That's what the old lady ordered. I just overheard what they discussed."

Gao Mian threatened: "If you don't answer honestly, I will give you another twenty strokes of the cane!"

"No, no, I won't lie!" Tian Fu turned to the screen and begged for mercy. "Princess, if I tell you even a single lie, I'll be struck by lightning and die without a burial place!"

Chu Ling did not respond. Behind the screen, only the soft clinking of tea lids could be heard. Mr. Jiang, however, said, "Your Excellency, please handle your own investigation. Princess, please do not disturb me."

Gao Mian understood that the princess was quite satisfied with the current situation. So he glared and asked, "So, Miss Tian's visit to the Dahuai Temple to listen to the sutras and Miss Tian's invitation to the princess were originally together, right?"

"Yes……"

"So, how did you meet up with Dahuai Temple? Who did you contact? What did you talk about?"

"I sent someone to tell them, and contacted the receptionist..."

Tian Fu no longer dared to refuse. He answered whatever was asked and quickly made things clear.

It was indeed the Tian family's intention to invite Chu Ling to the Dahuai Temple, but other than that, there was no evidence of any collusion between them and Jinghui. As for the former, it could be said that the Tian family wanted to please the princess and find an opportunity to let her go out and relax.

"Princess," Jiang Shijun said softly, "There is a third thing I haven't asked. The people related to Dahuai Temple haven't been brought in for questioning yet."

Chu Ling understood what he meant. There was no need to rush, as there were still many things to check.

She smiled faintly. "Then investigate slowly, from beginning to end." Jiang Shijun nodded. He had already made such a discovery today, which had already exceeded his expectations. It also made him realize that Her Royal Highness the Princess was much more capable than he had thought. It was simply a pleasant surprise.

He suddenly felt that the desire to avenge the prince was not so far away.

The decision has really been made. Mr. Gao is very proactive and has already asked about the third question in court.

"Who suggested that Madam Tian go to burn incense?"

Tian Fu replied, "The old lady worships Buddha every few days, so there's no need to make a special suggestion..."

This was not top secret information. The Dali Temple had already investigated it, so Gao Mian did not make it difficult.

"Who suggested going to see Jinghui that day?"

In the hall, a younger servant raised her hand timidly: "Sir, this is my wife."

Oh, the wife of Master Yan.

Before Gao Mian could ask any more, the maidservant blurted out everything: "My wife had heard that there was a monk at the Dahuai Temple who was very accurate in interpreting divinations, and she had long wanted to go and ask him. Oh, we heard about it when we were out shopping. The vegetable market is close to the Dahuai Temple, and someone had just come out after asking for divination. I remember they were two old women, and they looked..."

"Okay." Gao Mian interrupted her. Jinghui had been interpreting the fortune for so many days, and her reputation had already spread. It was meaningless to trace the source.

He then asked, "Is the woman who said Jinghui hooked up with a noble woman also your wife?"

"Yes..." The maidservant regretted so much that she didn't hold the lady back at that time.

"Who was chatting with your wife at that time?"

The remaining woman quickly spoke up: "Sir, this is my wife."

Gao Mian looked at them and asked, "Where do you two ladies get the courage to criticize the princess?"

The old woman hurriedly said, "My wife was just agreeing with what she said. After all, she was just saying it for the sake of conversation and she wasn't really criticizing the princess."

The maidservant felt bad about this and hurried to defend herself, "Sir, my wife just said it wasn't nice. After all, the princess is already grown up. It wasn't my wife's intention that the rumors spread like that."

"Not good, what's not good? Let's not talk about the monk. The princess just went to him for medical treatment. What's wrong with that? You slandered the princess and you still have such a strong argument! Come here——"

The two women saw Tian Fu being beaten with their own eyes, so how could they dare to have any luck? Moreover, they were women. If they were tortured in court, how could they face people?
In a hurry, the servant girl suddenly had an idea and remembered something: "It was Madam Tian who said when she came out of the temple that the princess was growing up and the marriage that was supposed to be arranged this year would be delayed. My wife remembered it."

"Yes, yes, yes," the old woman also responded, "That's what happened. I was accompanying them at the time and heard it, too!"

Gao Mian secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Okay, now that he had the result the princess wanted, he could finally get his job done.

So he ordered the three servants to be detained first, and ordered the clerk to compile the confessions and send them over.

The sound of pages turning behind the screen made Gao Mian's heart, which had originally calmed down, tense up again.

He has done so much, the princess will not be dissatisfied, right? Now, as long as she returns to the palace and complains to the emperor, she can immediately deal with the Tian family and vent her anger.

Gao Mian obviously guessed right.

The sound of pages turning stopped, and Chu Ling's voice could be heard again: "Now that you've found the source, why don't you continue, Master Gao? You can't just convict the Tian family based on the ambiguous confessions of a few servants, right?"

(End of this chapter)