“Your Highness, no, not even that maid from before…” Madam Kong replied with a look of panic when he asked.
“Are all the maids and young ladies of the household gathered in the main hall, Madam Mu?”
Hearing Madam Kong’s words, Sun Changshun also shook his head. Leng Mingye turned his head and looked at Madam Mu, who was full of worry and distress after seeing Mu Zhenfeng being dragged out for punishment.
“Your Highness, by all rights, everyone should have come to the main hall to greet you, except for my daughter’s personal maid, Xianglan. That maid was fine earlier, but just before Your Highness arrived, someone slit her throat and cut off her ears. Though she survived, she can no longer speak.”
Madam Liu, her face filled with concern, glanced outside at the man being punished. Though she harbored deep resentment toward Wanqing, who stood beside him, she still bowed respectfully in response to his question.
“Whether she can speak or not, bring her here. I only need to see her face to confirm if she’s the culprit I encountered earlier.”
Facing the composed Madam Liu, Leng Mingye spoke indifferently, then turned and walked toward the high platform to take his seat.
“Handsome brother, my father, he… he… Isn’t this Xianglan? How did she end up like this? Stepmother, elder sister, you…”
Wanqing watched Leng Mingye walk away. Though she knew this man was difficult to deal with—his emotions unreadable, capable of killing without batting an eye—she still followed him to the front, ignoring the irritation and disdain on his face as she approached.
She smiled adoringly, as if she had found her protector, completely oblivious to how her pockmarked face made her smile even uglier, causing his lips to twitch slightly. She turned her head and, as if noticing for the first time, gasped in concern at the sight of her father, pale and stumbling, being dragged forward by two of Leng Mingye’s men.
When the man picked up a cup of water and took an elegant sip, ignoring her, she followed his gaze.
Upon seeing Xianglan, her ears and neck wrapped in bandages, being led forward by a servant, she exclaimed in shock, then turned to question Madam Liu and Mu Wanxia below.
Her expression seemed to say, *She’s your maid—how can you act as if nothing happened when she’s injured like this?*
“Qing’er, His Highness is present. Do not interrupt so rudely. Your Highness, this is the servant I mentioned—her throat and ears were slashed by someone. Who could be so cruel? A perfectly fine maid reduced to this state—it’s as if they’ve ruined her livelihood!”
Wanqing’s reckless questioning earned her a cold stare from Madam Liu. Though the girl’s figure and voice were familiar, her face was now marred beyond recognition.
Madam Liu wasn’t sure if Wanqing’s face was truly covered in spots, but the fact that her husband had been punished for scolding her made her wary. Though she didn’t consider Wanqing a threat, the situation demanded caution.
Seeing that Leng Mingye remained silent while Wanqing presumptuously acted as if she were in charge, Madam Liu spoke sternly, causing the girl to lower her head in fear and fall silent.
Then, pulling Xianglan forward, Madam Liu addressed Leng Mingye, feigning tears as she pleaded for justice.
“It’s her! That maid—I’d recognize her even if she turned to ashes! She was the one who brought another maid to my place, and that maid ended up harming Your Highness. Your Highness, it was her!”
Madam Liu, seeking to implicate Wanqing through Leng Mingye, had barely finished speaking when Madam Kong suddenly pointed at Xianglan, her expression horrified.
“Madam Kong, you mustn’t lie! She’s just a maid from our household—she only ever goes out to run errands. When would she have gone to your place? Don’t slander the General’s Manor with your false accusations!”
Madam Liu, startled, quickly turned to Leng Mingye to explain, though her warning glare at Madam Kong was unmistakable.
“Madam Mu, in my line of work, I never mistake faces—especially not someone I saw barely an hour ago. Your Highness, I swear it was her. But this maid… is she truly unable to speak, as Madam Mu claims?”
Madam Kong was no fool. Though her brothel was insignificant compared to the General’s Manor, the man who had just ordered the General’s punishment was not to be trifled with.
She weighed her options and, ignoring Madam Liu’s glare, addressed Leng Mingye with certainty, casting doubt on Madam Liu’s words.
“How dare you slander us! This maid clearly can’t speak! I, too, want to know what happened—how a lovely young maid ended up like this. Perhaps it was your brothel’s people who took her, forced her to assassinate His Highness, and then silenced her to cover their tracks!”
Madam Liu, though wary of Leng Mingye, had no patience for Madam Kong. As the sister of Minister Liu and the General’s wife, she was not about to be intimidated.
She immediately turned the accusation back on Madam Kong.
“Your Highness, I am but an honest businesswoman. Why would I ever seek to harm you? I beg Your Highness to investigate thoroughly!”
Unlike Madam Liu, who relied on her status to bully others, Madam Kong knew when to yield. Instead of arguing, she tearfully appealed to Leng Mingye.
“General Mu, it seems your wife is far bolder than you. Even after it’s confirmed that your maid was involved in the assassination attempt, she still dares to shift blame onto Madam Kong. Truly, the daughter of the Liu family—skilled in twisting the truth. I wonder how her brother taught her such tricks?”
Leng Mingye, having observed the exchange, chuckled coldly. Though puzzled by the inconsistencies, he turned to Mu Zhenfeng, who was pale and unsteady after his punishment, and sighed.
Only then did Madam Liu realize her mistake. In her haste to argue, she had forgotten the unpredictable nature of this ruthless man. If this escalated, not only the General’s Manor but even her brother’s household could face disaster.
“Your Highness, forgive us! My wife spoke out of ignorance—please, have mercy!”
Mu Zhenfeng hadn’t expected his wife to openly clash with Madam Kong in front of Leng Mingye. As a noblewoman, she had disgraced herself by arguing with a brothel madam.
Shooting his wife a reproachful look, he clasped his hands and begged for lenience.
When Leng Mingye remained silent, Mu Zhenfeng glanced at his remorseful wife, then turned to his daughter, his expression stern.
“Neither my wife nor I know the truth of this matter. Though Xianglan is my daughter’s maid, I have no idea when she left or what she did. Xia’er, speak now—when did Xianglan leave this afternoon, and what did she do? Tell His Highness everything, without omission. Otherwise, the entire General’s Manor will be implicated. Do you understand?”
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