What Nanny Wang said proved that the gold hairpin in Nanny Zheng's hand was not stolen from Lady Shen. It was indeed a reward from Lady Shen.
It also showed that Nanny Zheng was really instigated by Lady Shen to frame Shen Li.
So the matter was clear!
"Lady Shen, now that the evidence is conclusive, what else do you have to say?"
Lady Shen never expected Nanny Wang to appear out of nowhere and ruin all her schemes.
"My lord, I..." Lady Shen wanted to say she was wronged, but she just couldn't say it.
The common people outside the yamen never expected that the matter would take such a turn.
This aunt had her servant frame her own niece for having a secret rendezvous with a man today.
Just as the common people were all chattering, Shen Junming, who had been reminded by Lord Liang's page boy, rushed over in a hurry, but it was a pity that he was still a step too late.
Shen Junming looked up and saw that there were actually three lords sitting up there. He had the illusion of a joint trial. But since the matter had already happened, he could only try his best to minimize Lady Shen's danger.
"My lord! Your subordinate Shen Junming requests an audience!"
"My lords, look..." Whether to see Shen Junming and listen to what he had to say was not up to Lord Liang alone.
"The case has been clearly investigated. Lord Liang may just close the case!"
This meant not to see him. Lord Liang nodded and slapped the gavel with a "pop".
"Bold Lady Shen! You colluded with the evil servant in your family to frame your niece. Your crime is extremely serious! Now I hereby announce that Lady Shen... shall be flogged twenty times, and Nanny Zheng shall be flogged thirty times as a warning to others!"
Hearing this result, Lady Shen immediately bent her legs and fell to the ground, but was then supported by Shen Li beside her.
"Madam!"
Shen Junming looked at Lady Shen anxiously, but was helplessly blocked by two yamen runners and couldn't get closer.
"Mother! Mother!" Shen Miao looked at Lady Shen in her arms and shouted anxiously, "Mother, wake up! Mother!"
Seeing that Lady Shen didn't respond and the yamen runners beside were ready, she quickly shouted at Shen Li.
"Sister, mother has fainted! Please save my mother! Please plead with the three lords to spare mother! Mother is in delicate health. Twenty blows will take half her life!"
Shen Li looked at Shen Miao with tears all over her face and only said coldly, "This is the result of the investigation and judgment of the three lords. How could I change it alone? Sister, stop crying. Otherwise, aunt will feel sad when she sees it later!"
But Shen Miao roared angrily, "Sister, are you really going to stand by and do nothing? Even if mother made a mistake today, she has raised you for many years. Even if she has no merits, she has put in a lot of hard work. How could you not remember her kindness and repay kindness with hatred?"
Even Shen Junming had an angry look on his face, "Shen Li! I never thought you were such a person who repays kindness with hatred! I'm really ashamed of my elder brother and sister-in-law. I didn't educate you well!"
The yamen runners had no mood to listen to them talking here. After moving a stool over, they directly pulled Lady Shen from Shen Miao's arms, put her on the stool, and started hitting her on the buttocks with both hands.
"Ah!"
After one blow, Lady Shen, who "woke up", only felt a sharp pain in her buttocks. But she still cared about her image and didn't cry out like Nanny Zheng. She just looked at Shen Li with a look in her eyes as if she wanted to devour her alive.
The on - looking common people couldn't bear to watch as the blood had already soaked through Lady Shen's clothes after a few blows.
Recalling that Shen Li had refused the pleas of her cousin and uncle without changing her expression, they thought she was too cold - blooded and heartless.
They completely forgot the fact that Shen Li had been framed by Lady Shen just now.
Standing in the main hall, Shen Li ignored the inquisitive looks from the people outside. She only watched the board hitting Lady Shen and Shen Miao's crying face.
After the flogging was over, Shen Junming and Shen Miao rushed up, hugged Lady Shen in their arms, and glared at Shen Li, "Are you satisfied now that you've seen your aunt like this?"
"Sister, you've changed. You weren't like this before. Why are you so cold - blooded and heartless now?"
"Miao'er, don't pay attention to her! From now on, just pretend you don't have this sister. I won't recognize this niece either. Shen Li, you're no longer a member of our Shen family!"
Hearing this, the surrounding common people couldn't help but start discussing again. Everyone knew that the clan was the foundation of one's standing. Without the protection of the clan, one would be looked down upon.
Not only the common people attached great importance to the clan, but also in the court, the clan forces were huge and intertwined.
Mu Ruchu frowned and looked at her with pity, but didn't say anything.
Shen Li looked at this family of three with a sneer. Lady Shen had only received twenty blows today, which was much lighter than what she had suffered in her previous life.
They actually wanted to expel her from the Shen family now. It was really ridiculous.
"Uncle, you're wrong! What has my sister done wrong for you to expel her from the mansion?"
Suddenly, a clear male voice came from behind the crowd. The crowd automatically parted to the two sides, making way. Then, a young and handsome man walked over under the protection of two bodyguards. It was Shen Yi.
Seeing Shen Yi who suddenly appeared, Shen Junming's expression softened a little, but his tone was still unfriendly, "Look at your good sister! Has she done nothing wrong? Humph! She watched her own aunt in such a state and still refused to help. Such a cold - blooded person, has she done nothing wrong?"
"Uncle, have you forgotten that it was Lady Shen who instigated the servant in the mansion to frame Li'er's innocence first? And this case was investigated and judged by the three lords. Lady Shen's punishment is just what she deserves. What does it have to do with Li'er?" Shen Yi looked down at Lady Shen who had fainted with a cold look in his eyes.
"You... Yi'er, don't plead for her. If she hadn't insisted on coming to the Jingzhao Yamen to file a lawsuit today, how could things have turned out like this? She has shamed our Shen family!"
Shen Li looked at Shen Junming disdainfully, "Uncle, you're wrong! It's not me who has shamed the Shen family, but her!"
She pointed at Lady Shen and continued, "First, as an elder, she has no love and openly sent a servant to harm me; second, as the mistress of the family, she is full of lies. During the interrogation in the yamen just now, she lied several times in order to escape punishment."
"People like her are not qualified to be the mistress of our Shen family. How can they be worthy of my respect?"
Shen Junming was left speechless by Shen Li's words, and his face turned blue with anger.
"Sister, no matter what, the kindness of raising is greater than the sky. When you were seven years old, uncle and aunt went out and were not at home. It was mother who took care of all your affairs. Mother has raised you in the Shen family for nine years. How could you forget this kindness of raising?"
"Humph! The kindness of raising?" Shen Li sneered. What kind of kindness of raising did Lady Shen have towards her? Shen Miao really had the nerve to say it. She was trying to use family affection to suppress her.