Chapter 660: Evidence (2)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
As he spoke, he pulled Shen Yijia up and took out a handkerchief to gently wipe her face. His actions were so careful that the onlookers seemed to be able to feel it.
Shen Yijia suddenly thought of her bloodstained face when she first transmigrated. Without looking, she knew that she must be very ugly now.
You Yi!
She pinched her fingers and noticed the heartache on Song Jingchen’s face. She waved her hand indifferently. “It doesn’t hurt. It doesn’t hurt at all. You know that. I…”
Halfway through her sentence, Shen Yijia paused. When she looked up, she realized that everyone was looking at the couple.
“Ahem, Madam Shen’s appearance is quite special.” Empress Dowager Wei coughed lightly. “Someone, quickly bring this girl to the imperial physician’s office to apply some medicine.”
Shen Yijia quickly bowed to Empress Dowager Wei. “Thank you for your concern, Empress Dowager. I’m fine. There’s no need to trouble the imperial physician.”
She had a smile on her face. If one ignored the bloodstains on her face, these words were quite convincing.
Empress Dowager Wei disagreed. “A woman can’t have a scar on her face.”
After confirming that only Shen Yijia’s forehead was injured and that she wasn’t injured anywhere else, Song Jingchen heaved a sigh of relief and persuaded her, “Go. It won’t take long to apply the medicine.”
Seeing her unwilling expression, Song Jingchen pursed his lips and lowered his voice. “Your physique is special. Your wound recovers quickly. If you don’t bandage it and others see it…”
He did not finish, but Shen Yijia understood. Thinking that this was indeed a possibility, she could only leave unwillingly with the palace maid appointed by Empress Dowager Wei.
When she left, she felt that something was wrong. She looked back at Song Jingchen strangely and smelled blood. Shen Yijia sniffed and thought that it was because of her face, so she didn’t think too much about it.
Song Jingchen heaved a sigh of relief. When they were far away, he walked back to the execution ground and knelt down. He said in a low voice, “1 don’t want my wife to worry. Please hurry up.”
The imperial guard holding the staff glanced at the emperor and received a nod from him. He raised the staff again.
The sound of sticks hitting his body could be heard. Only then did everyone come back to their senses from the incident.
Song Jingchen knelt steadily on the ground, not even bending his back.
The only thing he was glad about now was that Shen Yijia did not notice anything else when she flew in just now. Otherwise, that girl might have broken these sticks.
Thinking of Shen Yijia, Song Jingchen smiled.
By the time Shen Yijia returned from applying medicine, the 30 strokes had been completed.
Because Song Jingchen didn’t want his wife to worry, everyone couldn’t help but look at her.
Shen Yijia didn’t understand. She walked straight to Song Jingchen’s side and thought for a moment before kneeling down.
Seeing that his face was pale and his forehead was covered in sweat, Shen Yijia asked with concern, “Hubby, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Song Jingchen had never told her that she would be flogged for hitting the drum, so Shen Yijia didn’t know about this at all.
Song Jingchen shook his head and comforted her. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
Shen Yijia frowned. Thinking that the most important thing now was to overturn the case, she could only suppress her worries for the time being.
The palace servants, who had long been tactful, brought over two armchairs. The emperor and Empress Dowager Wei sat down one after another.
“Emperor, you can start the interrogation,” Empress Dowager Wei reminded him.
At this point, there were still many commoners watching. The emperor knew that he had no choice but to say in a low voice, “Madam Zhou, you said that Lord An Le was framed. What evidence do you have?”
Whether it was the Song family or the other officials who were dealt with together, they were all implicated in Lord An Le’s rebellion. As long as Lord An Le was proven innocent, the others would naturally be innocent.
“My full name is Zhou Xiu. I was once an embroiderer in the capital.” The mute woman kowtowed. “At that time, everyone called me Madam Zhou. If Your Majesty doesn’t believe me, you can call a few old women up to ask. I think some people still remember me.”
“No one wants to know this.” the emperor thought.
Impatient as he was, the emperor waved his hand for Lin Mu to do it.
There were so many commoners outside the palace gate. Lin Mu quickly returned with two old women who were about the same age as the mute woman.
In order to avoid any suspicion of collusion, he had casually chosen the two old women from the back of the crowd. He could ensure that they did not hear the mute woman’s words just now.
When the two old women were brought up, they looked confused. They knelt down in fear and did not dare to look up. “Greetings, Your Majesties..”