The Double-Chapter 602 - 175 Private Prison

On the fifth day after Princess Yongning was demoted to a commoner, another major incident occurred in Yanjing City.

Early in the morning, Xue Huaiyuan, once imprisoned in the Tongxiang case, or rather, the former Minister of Works of Northern Yan, Xue Lingyun, known as Lord Xue, went to Changan Gate and sounded the Stone Lion’s Drum of Grievance.

The stone lion at Changan Gate, silent for many years, was roused for the second time in just half a year. And the protagonist of both cases seemed to be the same person.

This time was unlike the last. Given the significance of the previous Tongxiang case and the understanding that the unfortunate county magistrate was once a high-ranking official of Northern Yan, Emperor Hongxiao took it very seriously and personally welcomed him.

And soon, the injustices Xue Huaiyuan wanted to accuse emerged. Xue Huaiyuan accused the current princess—no, the now commoner Yongning—and Shen Yurong, who had once been the Assistant Head Writer, of having illicit connections a year prior, conspiring to murder and exterminate his lineage, framing Xue Fangfei for adultery, all for personal gain. That was the first accusation.

Xue Huaiyuan further accused the Mayor of Jingzhao Prefecture of colluding with Princess Yongning to harm his son, Xue Zhao, the brother of Xue Fangfei, having him murdered as if by robbers and destroying the evidence. That was the second accusation.

These two accusations immediately sparked a huge uproar in Yanjing City. Everyone knew about the scandal of Madam of the Top Scholar, Xue Fangfei, committing adultery—it had been the talk of the town. Now that Xue Huaiyuan stepped forward, the details of the case began to surface, and the citizens of Yanjing City started to discuss it with great interest.

If these accusations were false, let’s not speak of it, but if they were true, Yongning and Shen Yurong were truly heartless and ruthless, completely inhuman. Even though the truth had not yet come out, people believed that there was an eighty to ninety percent chance it was true. Ignoring those who just enjoyed the spectacle, at least the previous scene in the Golden Throne Hall had already confirmed the affair between Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning. If Shen Yurong were as truly regretful and loving towards his deceased wife as he appeared, how could he have been with Yongning? This could only mean he was duplicitous, and if so, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to do such a thing to his wife.

On the other hand, people immediately remembered the tumultuous Tongxiang case in Yanjing City; at that time, a rumor spread that Feng Yutang, who had framed Xue Huaiyuan, was actually acting under orders from Princess Yongning. But back then, the Imperial Family ordered silence, forbidding idle talk, and since there was no solid evidence, and Princess Yongning had no reason to trouble a county magistrate she had never interacted with, people didn’t pay much attention. Yet looking at the current situation, there seems to be more to the story.

Xue Huaiyuan was Xue Fangfei’s father, and Xue Zhao her brother. One disaster after another befell the Xue Family, and if it hadn’t been for the Second Miss of the Jiang Family returning to Xiangyang and stumbling upon these events, saving Xue Huaiyuan in the process, it is likely that none of the three members of the Xue Family would have survived, and the world would have forgotten the Xue Family long ago. The Xue Family had such misfortune in just a year and a half; no one would believe there was no one scheming behind the scenes. Regardless of the outcome of the case, just the fact that Xue Huaiyuan made his accusations clear immediately enlightened the people of Yanjing City, and after understanding the interests involved, the situation almost became clear.

This was clearly Top Scholar Shen seeking to marry into the royal family as the Prince Consort, yet his rightful wife was both beautiful and virtuous, with no faults to pick. He chose to ruthlessly murder his wife and unborn child instead, not sparing even her elderly father and brother, showing extreme cruelty.

People couldn’t help but recall the once-talked-about beauty and talent of Yanjing City, Xue Fangfei.

Thinking back now, Madam Shen, bearing beauty and gentleness, was also among the top in terms of learning and character in Yanjing City, and the ladies who interacted with her all felt refreshed and delighted. Shen Yurong abandoned such a good wife to win favor with Princess Yongning, clearly revealing his greed for power and status. Not only that, but being able to cold-heartedly murder his wife after a relationship that should have had a hundred days of grace showed just how heartless he was.

For a while, voices cursing Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong as adulterer and adulteress were everywhere in Yanjing City. Yet, no one knew whether those who were so eagerly cursing now had also been among those who had vehemently slandered Xue Fangfei in the past.

Since the case was of great importance, if the charges were proven, it would be a case of plotting against royal relatives, and the saying "a prince who commits a crime should be punished just like any commoner" is seldom applied, but it’s quite useful when kicking someone when they’re down. With Yongning no longer a princess and Shen Yurong no longer a court official, Emperor Hongxiao wouldn’t mind "severely punishing" them again. Public sentiment is a delicate thing, and the citizens’ current denunciations and loathing for Princess Yongning would naturally transfer in part to Prince Cheng and could be very detrimental to his future actions.