Demoting my wife to a concubine? After being reborn, I turned around and married into the imperial f

Nangong Yue smiled, a smile that was childlike yet carried a subtle sense of oppression.

For some reason, Li Yi felt a chill run down her spine. Her buttocks, which had recovered considerably, seemed to be aching again.

"Anshun, my back still seems to hurt a little."

Nangong Yue's voice was very soft, but to Li Yi it sounded like a warning.

With a forced smile, Eunuch Anshun glanced at Li Yi and said, "Oh, my Your Highness, let Anshun take a look and see if you've been offended by some ignorant people."

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Yi immediately said to Nangong Yue, "I apologize for my mistake last time, Your Highness. Your Highness is unwell, please take care of yourself. I will go back now to copy Buddhist scriptures and pray for Your Highness's well-being."

After speaking, he looked up at Nangong Yue.

"Can."

Li Yi glared at Chu Xunzhen, giving him a warning look, before hurriedly leaving.

Chu Wanrou felt aggrieved as she watched Li Yi, who had stood up for her, leave.

Nangong Yue yawned and said to Zhou Qing, "Continue."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Zhou Qing's gaze fell on Gu Changfeng, and he asked, "Young Master Gu, could you provide the account books for the betrothal gifts purchased by your household?"

No matter how much you say, you still need evidence.

The people from the Marquis of Chongding's mansion are eloquent, but he only looks at the evidence.

"Okay." Gu Changfeng smiled calmly.

He entrusted this matter to his mother.

It's just a mere account book. If Chu Xun really falsifies the accounts, he will definitely be discovered.

His account books in the Chongding Marquis's mansion were genuine account books.

"Mother, have someone bring the account book here. This is for the court, and we need evidence. Once the account book is here, everyone will know that Chu Xunzhen deliberately cried 'stop thief!'"

Gu Changfeng stood confidently to the side, speaking eloquently.

Lu Ruoying looked completely bewildered.

Does Changfeng even know what state the Marquis's mansion is in now?

If the account books are delivered and it's discovered that they're falsified, then her act of substituting inferior betrothal gifts will be exposed.

She was well aware that evidence was needed to solve a case.

If she really had evidence, she would have presented it long ago. Why would she use words to belittle that little bitch Chu Xunzhen?

Chu Xunzhen smiled broadly, not caring what these people were discussing. She glanced gratefully at Nangong Yue.

Nangong Yue blinked at her, and Chu Xun's heart skipped a beat.

That mole is damn beautiful and charming.

After calming himself down, Chu Xunzhen said to Zhou Qing, "Lord Zhou, since the people from the Chongding Marquis's mansion can't produce any evidence, please call my witnesses first."

"Alright."

Zhou Qing slammed the gavel, and immediately the steward of the Marquis of Ping'an's mansion and Chunxi walked into the hall.

"Who are you?"

Zhou Qing's voice resounded throughout the hall.

The steward, dressed in a long black robe, said, "I am Song Zidi, the steward of the Marquis of Ping'an's residence."

Chunxi spoke: "I am Chunxi, a first-class maidservant serving the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Ping'an's mansion."

Zhou Qing asked, "How did you know there was something wrong with the betrothal gifts sent by the Marquis of Chongding's residence?"

Steward Song spoke up: "The betrothal gifts were delivered to the manor and carried into the Second Miss's courtyard. Later, when the Eldest Miss Chu took over the management of the household, she inventoried all the items in the manor, including the betrothal gifts. During the inventory, it was discovered that the quantities of the betrothal gifts and the dowry did not match."

"This servant assisted Steward Song in taking inventory of the manor's stock. The quality of the betrothal gifts in the betrothal gift box and the betrothal gifts on the betrothal gift list did not match at all."

As Chunxi finished speaking, Lu Ruoying flicked her long sleeves and coldly said, "Nonsense. Your master is Chu Xunzhen, so naturally you'll side with your master. Lord Zhou, this girl's words are not to be trusted. Moreover, if the betrothal gifts were incorrect, why didn't she say so when the betrothal was presented, but only brought it up a few days later? I think she deliberately switched the betrothal gifts to cause trouble for our Chongding Marquis's Mansion. She wants our Chongding Marquis's Mansion to provide another betrothal gift. Chu Xunzhen, don't be so greedy. Just take out the betrothal gifts that should be returned to Chu Wanrou, and don't think about tricking us into providing another one."

Chu Xunzhen scoffed, "The betrothal gifts were delivered to Chu Wanrou's courtyard the day they arrived. I only ordered people to go to her courtyard yesterday to take them out and inventory them, intending to put them away. Besides Chunxi and Steward Song, many other people in the manor witnessed that scene. I haven't even included the betrothal gift boxes that were opened. The other betrothal gift boxes that still had their seals intact were all filled with inferior gifts. Madam, what do you say?"

"What do you mean? Who knows if Chu Wanrou changed the betrothal gifts herself?"

Upon hearing Lu Ruoying's words, Gu Changfeng coldly replied, "Mother, Rou'er isn't that kind of person. Besides, the seal is still intact; how could Rou'er have switched the betrothal gifts?"

Chu Wanrou's expression softened considerably.

She was startled when she heard the Lady Hou say those words, but now, seeing the heir protecting her, she felt only sweetness in her heart.

Chu Wanrou gently advised, "Sister, please stop making a fuss. Perhaps the servants from both families made a mistake regarding the betrothal gifts. Let's discuss it again when we get back."

Chu Mingli also spoke up: "Chu Xunzhen, stop making a scene. In the past, the young master indulged you and played along with your tantrums, but you've gone too far today. Lord Zhou's time is precious; he has many cases to handle. Don't be willful. Withdraw the charges immediately and come back to the manor with us."

As soon as the two finished speaking, Chu Xunzhen burst into wild laughter.

"Chu Wanrou, it's your own choice to wallow in self-pity and refuse a thorough investigation. But now, as the adopted daughter of the Ping'an Marquis's Mansion, your reputation is the reputation of the Ping'an Marquis's Mansion. If the Chongding Marquis's Mansion deliberately switched the betrothal gifts, it's a sign of disrespect for you and contempt for the Ping'an Marquis's Mansion. If the Chongding Marquis's Mansion's servants deliberately changed the betrothal gifts to line their own pockets, then it shows that the Marquis's Mansion is in disarray and that the servants are not properly disciplined."

Chu Xunzhen coldly swept his gaze over Chu Mingli and said, "I thought you were the one who cared most for Chu Wanrou. I never imagined you were just a talker who couldn't walk the walk. Now the betrothal gifts are a matter of Chu Wanrou's reputation and the reputation of the Marquis's mansion, yet you would rather keep quiet than investigate thoroughly. It seems you are nothing but a fake elder brother."

The people watching outside the hall all nodded in agreement.

"Isn't that right? This concerns the betrothal gifts! Can't a simple 'mistake' be settled privately?"

"An adopted daughter is an adopted daughter. Even if she wants to marry into the Chongding Marquis's family, she won't consider the Ping'an Marquis's family."

"Young Master Chu actually advised Miss Chu to let things rest? If the Marquis of Chongding's family changed the betrothal gifts, wouldn't Chu Wanrou be left speechless?"

After hearing this, Chu Mingli's expression changed, turning red and then white.

His face was cold, his hands clenched into fists, and he glared at Chu Xunzhen, saying, "You say all of this is based on the assumption that the people of the Chongding Marquis's mansion deliberately switched the betrothal gifts, using inferior ones instead. But in my opinion, it was you who switched Rou'er's betrothal gifts. I was going to give you face, but you've actually cried wolf. You just want witnesses, right? Please allow my witness to come forward, Lord Zhou. My witness can prove that it was you who switched the betrothal gifts."

Zhou Qing nodded: "Witness."

The witness walked up slowly, and everyone was stunned when they saw her face.

How could it be her?