Bai Mowan clenched her teeth in anger.
She of course understood An Ning’s implications.
Now, in front of so many concubines, she actually wanted to expose the humiliation she had once suffered.
How would she ever stand in the Imperial Palace again?
Her eyes were bloodshot, truly pushed to the limit by An Ning, yet she forced herself to hold back.
An Ning smiled slightly.
As if mocking her overestimation of her capabilities.
Overestimating herself, daring to fight with her!
Bai Mowan bit down hard, speechless for a ti.
An Ning did not speak further.
What had been said was already enough to embarrass Bai Mowan.
Moreover, this ambiguity would only further fuel gossip within the Imperial Palace, allowing the concubines there to speculate about what Bai Mowan had experienced in the past.
She changed her tone, "My aning is that now Zhang Wenhe and Qing Yan have conflicting claims. I cannot determine the truth of the matter based on my own or Bai Concubine’s feelings! Therefore, we must thoroughly interrogate the involved parties, rather than unapologetically execute them, which would only be venting anger, and not fair and just!"
These words made Bai Mowan even more embarrassed.
An Ning stood on the side of righteousness, lowering her to the dust.
"Qing Yan." An Ning shifted her gaze.
Qing Yan responded tremblingly, "The servant is here."
"Think carefully about today’s event. Was Zhang Wenhe intentionally disrespectful to you, or was he simply trying to save you and there was skin contact?" An Ning interrogated again.
"Responding to the Empress..."
"Before you respond, let make it clear. If the testimonies between you and Zhang Wenhe differ in the end, I will have no choice but to employ severe torture to get to the truth." An Ning threatened.
"Empress, Qing Yan is but a weak girl, while Zhang Wenhe is a martial artist, a skilled master. How could Qing Yan withstand severe torture? The Empress is biased." Bai Mowan could not help but spoke loudly.
"Naturally, Bai Concubine speaks sensibly." An Ning said, "I will differentiate the severity of the punishnt. Qing Yan, being a woman, will face slapping. Zhang Wenhe, being a man, will face caning! Until the truth is revealed!"
"Empress, that’s rely forced confession under duress, not uncovering the truth!"
"What is Bai Concubine afraid of?" An Ning raised an eyebrow, "Qing Yan has been disgraced, and is even willing to die, yet fears getting slapped?!"
Bai Mowan once again found herself speechless against An Ning’s rebuttal.
"Bring out the cane and prepare the slapping!" An Ning commanded aloud.
Little eunuchs hurried to bring over the bench and paddle.
An elderly palace maid had already taken her stand in front of Qing Yan.
Qing Yan stared at the old face with cold indifference, terrified, her body shaking.
Today, Bai Concubine only instructed her to falsely accuse Zhang Wenhe, never ntioning enduring such punishnt.
Last ti in Xiaoxiang Palace, she was punished with twenty lashes for offending Princess Youyou just after recovering, and now faced extre punishnt. The thought of the pain on her body made her panic.
She involuntarily looked at Bai Mowan beside her.
Bai Mowan shared a look.
Understandably, Qing Yan knew that failing to follow Bai Concubine’s arrangent today would make life unbearable.
"Qing Yan, you can answer now." An Ning suddenly spoke.
"Empress, it is..." Qing Yan’s voice trembled.
On one side, Bai Concubine’s threats.
On the other, physical punishnt awaited.
Her eyes welled with tears, falling down continuously.
"Qing Yan!" An Ning sternly shouted.
Qing Yan, frightened, collapsed to the ground.
But she did not faint, rely too terrified to utter a word.
"Empress, Qing Yan is rely a young palace maid. You threaten her so; how could she have the courage to answer?" Bai Mowan spoke with irony.
"Unless there is guilt in the heart, why fear ghosts knocking at the door?" An Ning retorted.
"Qing Yan!" Bai Mowan’s voice grew louder, resolute, "Speak as you should; you are mine. Even if I risk my life, I will ensure justice for you!"
Qing Yan heard Bai Mowan’s voice, her face drained of color in fear.
She understood what Bai Mowan ant for her to say.
But... if Zhang Wenhe were to truly choose death over submission, would she be struck dead by the nanny’s hand right in front of her?
"Qing Yan, speak well." An Ning’s tone softened, "I just want the truth, not to punish anyone. And I can promise, even if Zhang Wenhe did not intend to disrespect you, but indeed had skin contact, tarnishing your purity, I will still ensure he takes responsibility for you."
Qing Yan had initially lost hope.
Even if fearing to be battered, she could only fulfill Bai Concubine’s wish, otherwise facing her thods would only lead to worse than now.
And now.
The Empress’s words clearly gave her hope.
The Empress’s aning was, she would ensure Zhang Wenhe takes responsibility for her?!
Though Zhang Wenhe appeared over forty, exceeding her father’s age, if she could escape the Imperial Palace and Bai Concubine, even if Zhang Wenhe were elderly or a beggar, she would be willing.
Qing Yan’s eyes shimred with tears again.
Bai Mowan clearly understood An Ning’s implication.
Her face looked extrely unpleasant.
Just as she intended to speak.
Qing Yan suddenly knelt down, trembling, saying, "It was the servant who lied. Master Zhang did not intentionally disrespect the servant. It is just that the servant is only 17 years old, still pure, and was touched by Master Zhang, feeling humiliated, resulting in the false accusations. It was the servant’s fault, all the servant’s fault; please punish the servant, Empress!"
Bai Mowan’s face turned pale hearing Qing Yan’s confession.
"I ask you again: is it truly as you have spoken?" An Ning asked Qing Yan, "Otherwise, so may insist I coerced you, undermining fairness and justice!"
"Qing Yan’s words just now are absolute truth. If there is any falsehood, may divine punishnt strike . May I live with no peace for a lifeti and fall into the eighteenth layer of hell, never to be reincarnated after death!" Qing Yan publicly swore with a deadly oath!
An Ning’s gaze turned toward Bai Mowan, "Does Bai Concubine have any further questions?!"
Bai Mowan glared at Qing Yan fiercely.
Unexpectedly, the closest palace maid by her side chose this mont to betray her?!
"Even so, Zhang Wenhe, as an outsider, should never have physical contact with any palace lady; this is the rule! Regardless of saving soone or not, a great taboo was committed, warranting execution!" Bai Mowan pressed on relentlessly.
"Today Zhang Wenhe, driven by urgency to save soone, bypassed the rules and deserves punishnt. But his actions were not irredeemably sinful; they ca from chivalrous intention and do not warrant death! Moreover, if Zhang Wenhe were executed, Qing Yan having lost her purity might find it impossible to face the world, likely again attempting suicide in the lake." An Ning replied, "I have always believed that saving a life holds greater virtue than building a seven-tiered pagoda. Plus, with my inauguration approaching, I do not wish to see bloodshed before the ceremony; it would be unlucky! Hence, I courageously request from the Emperor that today’s matter ends with Zhang Wenhe marrying Qing Yan, taking responsibility for her purity, and ceasing further dispute."
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