Liu Zhi glanced at Madam Qian and Qian Qiyue, her face deathly pale.
"On Qixi Festival night, the young mistress suddenly left the manor, saying she was going to find the County Princess. I reported this to Steward Luo, but then she fell into the water. The County Princess nearly drowned too."
"I panicked. I tried to return the silver to Steward Luo, but he refused. He threatened me, saying if the mistress or Madam Qian found out, I’d be dead. I was terrified but didn’t dare act. Then, two days later, when Madam Qian announced the trip to Lingyun Temple, Steward Luo came to me again."
"He gave me five hundred taels, ordering me to do one thing at the temple. If I succeeded, he’d give me another thousand and release me from bondage. I—I was greedy, so I agreed…"
Qian Qiyue’s face twisted with fury, but her brother held her back.
Tangning’s voice was icy. "How did you know Princess Leyang was behind this?"
Liu Zhi trembled under the princess’s murderous glare. "I didn’t at first. Steward Luo only said someone would contact me at the temple with a matching token. I was to follow their instructions."
Her hands shook as she reached into her robes.
"This is the token. I had half; the other half was with the person who came to me. They wore a cloak, but I—I was scared of being silenced afterward, so I followed them. I saw them enter Princess Leyang’s courtyard."
"And I saw this male courtesan. He left the princess’s quarters before nightfall. The maids, the old matron, and the two guards at the gate all saw him."
The faces of the princess’s entourage turned ashen.
Tangning pressed, "Do you recognize those people now?"
Liu Zhi shook her head weakly. "I didn’t dare get close. But I glimpsed two maids returning from the kitchens and the guards at the door."
"Are they here?"
The maid scanned the crowd before nodding. "Yes."
She pointed out four individuals. Black Armor Guards immediately seized them. As they were forced to their knees, one maid shrieked, "She’s lying! We’ve never seen any male courtesan or cloaked figure!"
The two guards echoed the denial.
Tangning observed Princess Leyang’s smug expression but remained composed. "You’re her servants, of course you’d protect her. But understand this: tonight’s events don’t just concern my reputation. They involve the imperial family’s honor."
"The Fourth Prince’s consort was publicly violated. A man is dead. The Bureau of Military Affairs has taken charge. Whether you confess or not, this will reach the Emperor."
"You live in the capital. You’ve heard of the Interrogation Bureau. Confess now, and if you’re uninvolved, you’ll be spared. But if the Black Armor Guards drag you back to the city—" Her voice turned frigid. "I won’t be so lenient."
"Princess Leyang and I hold noble ranks. The Bureau may hesitate to torture us. But you? With Liu Zhi’s testimony against you? You’ll visit the Interrogation Bureau. Do you think you’ll endure their methods unscathed?"
The four servants paled further, the maids’ lips trembling.
The Interrogation Bureau’s reputation was infamous. No one entered without breaking. The torturers were merciless, stopping at nothing for the truth.
If they went in, they’d never come out alive…
Tangning gazed down at them. "The charges such as plotting against a prince’s consort, framing officials, slandering the Bureau, need no explanation."
"If you were involved but not the masterminds, you’ll face lighter punishment. But aiding in covering up a crime against the imperial family? That’s extermination of nine generations. Think carefully."
The four wavered, fear stark on their faces.
Princess Leyang writhed against her gag, muffled protests escaping. The hall watched the servants’ internal struggle.
When they remained silent, Tangning’s expression hardened. "So you choose the Interrogation Bureau. Commander Cang, since they refuse to talk, prepare to return to the capital. Take the princess and all suspects for rigorous questioning. Someone will crack."
"With thirty people here, surely one saw the male courtesan’s face."
Cang Lang nodded coolly. "The County Princess is right. I’ve been too merciful, letting fools underestimate the Bureau. Someone come, take them all!"
Black Armor Guards surged forward, seizing Princess Leyang and her matron, shoving them toward the exit.
Just as Princess Ji was about to open her mouth to speak, Old Madam Fu suddenly pulled her back and shouted "Shut up". Seeing Princess Ji looking up and glaring at her, Old Madam Fu said coldly, "If you want to involve the Ji Palace, you can open your mouth."
The people in the Princess's Mansion saw that the black-armored guards were actually taking their master away, and the black-armored guards who came in put knives on their necks. The servants in the Princess's Mansion were all panicked, and suddenly someone knelt on the ground with a plop.
"I—I’ll talk! I saw him!"
"Qiu Qin?!"
Another maid whirled on her. "Traitor! You’d betray the princess?!"
"I don’t want the Interrogation Bureau!" Qiu Qin sobbed. "No one survives there! And my little brother—if this is treason, my whole family dies…"
"You bitch—!"
The attacking maid was mid-lunge when Yue Jian kicked her down. The guards restrained the others as Tangning and Cang Lang approached Qiu Qin.
"You’ve seen this male courtesan before?"
The maid whispered, "Y-yes. His name was Tan Yan. He was Chun’en Lou’s star performer."
"The princess originally planned to use any man to ruin the County Princess’s virtue. But two days ago, she stumbled upon Tan Yan—he’d fled the brothel after misconduct and was being hunted."
"Seeing his beauty and… experience, she thought if caught, she could claim the County Princess had long been involved with him—that she’d brought him here for an affair. So she had him purchased and kept him at the estate for two days…"
"Qiu Qin, SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!"
One of the guards roared, but it was too late. The dam had broken.
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