If she admitted to being affected by the aphrodisiac incense, it would mean that Nanny Cao was telling the truth.
The charge of framing Cheng Simian would be confirmed.
If she didn't admit it, she would have to claim that she was naturally lascivious and couldn't help seducing Liang Yuchuan.
Cheng Yong would beat her to death!
It felt as if there was a pear stuck in Yu Qiao'er's throat. She couldn't swallow it or spit it out, and her face turned blue and purple from the憋闷.
Coupled with the bloodstains all over her face, she looked extremely disheveled.
Cheng Simian's cold and sharp gaze was like a sharp sword piercing through her body.
Yu Qiao'er couldn't understand. Her plan was flawless. How did she end up cornered by Cheng Simian?
Where exactly did she go wrong?
Cheng Yong finally saw the truth.
Cheng Siyi's words didn't match up, and she was acting like a rabid dog, biting randomly.
Yu Qiao'er stammered and tried to cover up, unable to explain clearly.
Nanny Cao's defection was the most powerful evidence that the mother - daughter duo had framed Cheng Simian.
His most beloved concubine and his most favored youngest daughter had actually come up with such a despicable and dirty scheme out of selfish desire.
Not only had they offended Liang Yuchuan, but they had also made fools of themselves in front of all the guests.
It also made him lose face.
Rong Shi, who had been watching coldly, finally spoke, "My lord, how do you think we should handle this situation?"
Cheng Yong looked at his wife and suddenly felt a warm feeling in his heart.
Rong Shi said "handle this situation", not "punish".
Handling the situation meant minimizing the negative impact and preserving the face of the Marquis of Wude's Mansion to the greatest extent.
He had doted on Yu Qiao'er for so many years, but all she did was jump around and cause trouble everywhere to satisfy her own desires, making him lose face.
On the other hand, Rong Shi didn't fight for anything. At his most embarrassing moment, she still took his dignity into account.
The look in his eyes when he looked at Rong Shi was filled with more guilt.
Rong Shi remained calm, as if she was just asking about official business.
Cheng Yong waved his hand, "You're the mistress of the house. It's your job to decide what to do with the affairs in the inner courtyard."
He wanted to show his favor to Rong Shi, but she wasn't as overjoyed as he had imagined. She remained calm.
She walked up to Liang Yuchuan. "Young Master Liang, today's family scandal is due to my poor management of the household, allowing the restless people to try to reverse the order of seniority. You've been involved in this, and our Marquis's Mansion would like to apologize to you. Please feel free to make any requests."
Rong Shi didn't mention the fact that Liang Yuchuan had been blinded by lust and barged into Simian's boudoir.
She gave Liang Yuchuan enough face.
Liang Yuchuan was truly furious, truly disgusted by Yu Qiao'er, truly hated Cheng Siyi, and also truly ashamed.
He really wanted to break off the engagement on the spot and make Cheng Siyi completely embarrassed.
But if he did so, although he would feel good for a moment, he would also completely offend Cheng Yong.
Although on the surface, Cheng Yong was marrying his daughter to curry favor with him, he also needed the help of the Marquis's Mansion to expand his prestige in the court.
The Princess would not want to see them fall out.
After thinking through the pros and cons, Liang Yuchuan had no choice but to swallow his disgust and his anger, just like swallowing a fly.
He didn't say a word. He just snorted coldly and walked out sullenly.
Cheng Siyi raised her tear - streaked face and looked at Liang Yuchuan.
Liang Yuchuan turned his head away in disgust, completely ignoring her. When he walked out of the door, he even stepped on her skirt.
Cheng Siyi's heart was completely cold.
Even if the engagement was preserved, she had lost all her status in Liang Yuchuan's heart.
How could the life of a mistress who wasn't respected and loved by her husband be good?
Rong Shi in the past was the best example.
She had lost, completely lost.
She stared at Cheng Simian with venomous eyes, as if she wanted to stare two holes into her face.
"You won, Cheng Simian, you won!" she hissed softly, like a snake spitting out its forked tongue.
Cheng Simian lifted her eyelids indifferently and looked down at her from a superior position. Her look seemed to be mocking her stupidity and pitying her over - estimation of herself.
"Only when rivals fight back and forth can there be a winner or a loser. And you, do you think you're worthy to be my rival?"
Her tone was gentle, as if she disdained to show too much strength. With just a flick of her finger, she could crush her into ashes.
And Cheng Siyi, even if she roared at the top of her lungs, was just a powerless fool at the end of her wits.
Cheng Simian simply didn't take her seriously!
Liang Yuchuan left, and the engagement banquet was completely ruined.
But Rong Shi didn't rush to dismiss the guests. Instead, she continued to ask Cheng Yong politely, "My lord, Concubine Yu is your concubine. How to punish her still depends on you."
Cheng Yong wanted to strangle Yu Qiao'er to death.
But after calming down, he thought that Yu Qiao'er couldn't die before Cheng Siyi married into the Duke's Mansion.
No matter how useless and despicable she was, she was still Cheng Siyi's biological mother. If she died at this moment, the wedding couldn't be held for a while.
Cheng Yong had no choice but to wrinkle his nose in disgust. "Someone, drag this slut to the wood - shed. Give her one meal a day. Just make sure she doesn't starve to death!"
Yu Qiao'er seemed to have lost her soul. Tears and blood flowed down together. Just as she was about to open her mouth to plead for mercy, she saw Cheng Yong's icy look and shrank back, hugging her shoulders tightly, not daring to make a sound.
She was finished. She had spent half her life competing for favor, but in the end, she was even worse than a stray dog.
Two maids came in and dragged Yu Qiao'er away.
Just as they walked out of Cheng Simian's courtyard and hadn't gone far, they saw Steward Chen hurrying over.
Cheng Yong was already exhausted physically and mentally. "What's wrong this time?"
"My lord, Lord Shi from the Supreme Court of Judicature is waiting in the main hall. Concubine Yu is suspected of hiring assassins to harm someone and trying to ruin the eldest young lady's reputation. Lord Shi has come in person to arrest her and take her back to the court!"
Cheng Simian was quite surprised.
The incident of her encountering lecherous bandits on the way to the capital was not really a major case in Shi Jinglu's eyes.
She thought that sending a constable to arrest the culprit was already giving her enough face.
She didn't expect that Lord Shi would come in person!
Cheng Yong panicked. "What hiring assassins to harm someone? When did this happen?"
He glared angrily at Yu Qiao'er. "How many other dirty things have you done behind my back?"
Yu Qiao'er seemed to be half - dead already. She hung her head listlessly, silent and as pale as death.
Cheng Simian simply didn't want to let her go!
Although Shi Jinglu didn't have a title, he was a high - ranking official of the third rank. Cheng Yong had lost a lawsuit to him before and was full of hatred, but he didn't dare to show it in person.
Shi Jinglu didn't bother to talk nonsense with him. He gave Cheng Yong a copy of the confessions of the three lecherous bandits and then took Yu Qiao'er away.
And it was right in front of all the guests.
A chill ran down Cheng Yong's spine.
Soon, the whole capital would know that he, Cheng Yong, the Marquis of Wude, had poor management of his household and indulged his concubine, which led to the concubine being blinded by greed and trying to harm his legitimate eldest daughter several times.
If it was just a family scandal, they could wait for the rumors to die down.
But once it got to the Supreme Court of Judicature, it became a criminal case.
I'm afraid that before tomorrow, memorials accusing him would fly like snowflakes to the emperor's desk.
The Princess would be furious!
"It's all over, completely over..."
Cheng Yong was supported out.
Cheng Simian watched his trembling back, and her cold eyes were calm.
This was just the beginning.
Tomorrow would be the day when the Marquis of Wude's Mansion was completely destroyed.