Chapter 591: Chapter 591: The Attic Case Ye Shi looked at Meng You with vulnerability, her voice breaking, “Meng You, our friendship is witnessed by the heavens, you mustn’t smear my name!” She had kept even her personal palace maid in the dark about procuring the examination papers from Meng You. If only Meng You had been discreet, she would have been innocent. It could be said that, in the matter of obtaining the examination papers, aside from Meng You, there was no other evidence that could convict her. Having known each other for many years, Ye Shi still believed that Meng You would not betray her. At this moment, all she needed to do was show some vulnerability and look pitiful—then Meng You would take the blame upon himself. With this thought, Ye Shi’s tears flowed freely, and she cried sorrowfully, “Meng You, as one who has been in good relations with you, you must not forget the bond we had in the past.” Meng You kowtowed to the Emperor again, then straightened his spine, and said to Ye Shi, “Tenth Princess, the matter has already come to light, why bother struggling?” By giving Ye Shi the examination papers, which led to the exposure of the crime, the Meng family would be ruined by his sole actions. The Crown Prince had promised to protect his entire family, so long as he told the truth; naturally, he listened to the Crown Prince. With this in mind, he confessed honestly, “I indeed took the examination papers from the Ministry of Rites and gave them to the Tenth Princess. At the time, I did not know what the Tenth Princess needed the examination papers for and did not ask but just gave them to her.” Considering Tiancheng’s reputation, Ye Zhenyu asked sternly, “How could you just give them like that?” Meng You explained, “Blinded by the Tenth Princess’s beauty, after she entrusted herself to me, I became carried away and gave them without much thought. I was blinded by beauty at the moment, completely unaware that all these were the schemes of the Beiliang people.” He bowed repeatedly, “I really did not want to collude!” Hearing this, Yu Haoqiong’s expression turned green; he indeed had Ye Shi procure the examination papers through Meng You, but he never instructed Ye Shi to exchange her body for the papers. Wearing a figurative green hat of infidelity, Yu Haoqiong glared at Ye Shi with eyes that seemed to spout flames. He struggled to break free from the chains and the hold of the elite soldiers, trying to rush up to Ye Shi. “Slut, I will tear you to pieces!” Yu Haoqiong roared furiously, his face fiercely terrifying, “Even if you are Princess of Tiancheng, I shall divorce you!” Ye Shi stepped back in fear, crying coldly and mockingly, “It was your idea for me to get the papers; you were the one who asked me to find Meng You.” Yu Haoqiong kicked furiously, “Slut, I told you to find him but not to go to bed with him!” Ye Shi laughed mockingly, “As a marriage Princess married into Beiliang, without any power in Tiancheng, what else could I discuss with Meng You? If not for using my body, would he have given me the papers?” Unable to reach Ye Shi, Yu Haoqiong turned and brutally kicked Meng You, who was kneeling on the ground, “Adulterer and whore!” “You both are truly ridiculous. The Crown Prince and Sixth Brother need not say anything more; this case is settled,” Ye Zhengmo clapped, “Truly spectacular!” Ye Zhenyu’s eyes narrowed slightly; Ye Yiheng indeed had some tricks up his sleeve, simply with a few words he had the couple spill the beans, clarifying the case instantly. It seemed he needed to be more cautious; he could not underestimate him anymore. Ye Shi knelt down, “Please, Father Emperor, decide for me! I was completely coerced by Yu Haoqiong, I really had no choice!” “As Princess of Tiancheng, I naturally uphold Tiancheng’s honor. How could I do anything to harm Tiancheng?” “It’s all due to Yu Haoqiong,” he said, “he only told me that he wanted to see the examination papers of Tiancheng. Considering he is the Prince of Beiliang and would not participate in the Imperial Examination, I thought there was no harm.” Tears welled up in Ye Shi’s eyes, her voice mournful, “After marrying into Beiliang, I often had to appease Yu Haoqiong and the Beiliang Royal Family, and I suffered tremendously!” The Emperor’s expression darkened; Ye Shi was, after all, his daughter, and it seemed she had endured much in Beiliang. For Beiliang to disregard Tiancheng thus was akin to disregarding him. Seeing the Emperor’s stern face soften slightly, Leng Yu Yan took the opportunity to speak, “Emperor, I heard that the Ninth Princess’s treasury is missing a lot of jewels, and the Tenth Princess’s luggage is already packed. It is said that the trunks, supposedly filled with clothes, are very heavy. Could someone investigate this matter?” Upon hearing these words, Ye Jiu stood up, “Please, Father Emperor, grant permission for a thorough investigation!” “No one can touch my things!” Ye Shi exclaimed urgently, “Leng Yu Yan, I have neither grievance nor enmity with you. Why do you target me ?” Leng Yu Yan pinched her delicate fingers, “The Ninth Princess will soon be my sister-in-law, and her concerns are mine!” Speaking softly, Leng Yu Yan bowed to the Emperor with a spirited poise. “Emperor, four years ago, the incident where the Ninth Princess fell from the attic was orchestrated by the Tenth Princess.” Hearing this, Ye Shi panicked, “Leng Yu Yan, you’re spouting nonsense!” The Emperor furrowed his brows, “Beilan, how did you come upon this incident from four years ago?” Leng Yu Yan bowed, “Recently, by a fortuitous encounter, I saved a woman who was once a palace maid serving the Tenth Princess.” “She revealed that the Tenth Princess ordered her to grease the attic floor and had another maid lure the Ninth Princess to the attic, while the Tenth Princess herself facilitated an encounter with the Eldest Prince, intending for the Ninth Princess to catch him in a compromising situation, thereby causing her fall from the attic.” “That palace maid hid for four years and with the Tenth Princess returning to the capital, she was pursued again. To save her life, she came to the gate of Prince Zhenbei Mansion, hoping to see the Ninth Princess. Although the Ninth Princess stayed a few days at the mansion, she has now returned to the Palace, hence the maid sought me out.” Ye Shi was terrified and flustered, “Leng Yu Yan, you’re slandering me! The incident of Ninth Sister breaking her leg had nothing to do with me!” Leng Yu Yan slowly approached her, “It was because at that time, you wanted Ah Ju’s life. Weren’t you disappointed that she only broke her leg?” Astonished at Leng Yu Yan’s analysis, Ye Shi trembled, “You madwoman, you’re talking nonsense!” Suddenly, Ye Shi spoke harshly, “Leng Yu Yan, you were born to Prince Zhenbei and another woman he was intimate with. How dare you address me by name? When was it your place to meddle in my private matters?” Ye Yiheng replied coolly, “She is my Crown Princess Consort. How could she not address you by name?” Ye Shi laughed even more wildly, “Only the blind and frail Sixth Brother would marry a woman of such background, I must say, I am impressed!” “Thank you for your admiration,” Leng Yu Yan responded calmly, her voice without a ripple, “From a young age, you have been scheming. As soon as you came of age, you liaised with Meng You in secret. Hearing of an opportunity to marry, you abandoned Meng You and set your sights on the Prince of Beiliang.” “However, it was the Emperor who desired for the Ninth Princess to be married off, so you began scheming to put her to death.” Leng Yu Yan suddenly turned, “Emperor, the evidence and witness for the incident that occurred four years ago in the attic have already been presented to the Ministry of Justice. One look will reveal all.” Meng You and Yu Haoqiong simultaneously sneered, realizing how they had been manipulated by Ye Shi all along. The Emperor’s anger was palpable, the truth of the matter left him speechless. “Father Emperor, I never expected to have encountered such a malicious conspiracy back then,” Ye Jiu cried in time, “Recently, I discovered that quite a few valuables have gone missing from the Xingning Palace. Please, Father Emperor, order someone to examine Ye Shi’s trunks!”