"Killed someone, who did you kill?" Shen Ying scoffed.
Seeing Shen Ying's stubborn refusal to believe, Zhong Li said, "Should I go to Hua Man Lou to see if Tian Lianxue is still there?"
"Are you implying that I killed Tian Lianxue?"
Zhong Li remained silent, looking at her as if to say, 'What else could it be?'
Shen Ying's lips tightened, her chest heaving.
"Lord Zhong, what does Tian Lianxue's presence or absence have to do with me? If she ran off with that man, are you going to blame me?" She glared at Zhong Li indignantly and continued, "Lord Zhong, could it be that you're trying to settle a personal score?"
"What do you mean by that?" Zhong Li asked, confused.
Shen Ying let out a scoff. "Who doesn't know that the Heir Apparent was my intended husband before he joined the Ministry of Justice? Are you picking on me like this to settle a personal score?"
Upon hearing Shen Ying's words, Zhong Li let out a light laugh.
Seeing Zhong Li's dismissive expression, Shen Ying frowned. "What are you laughing at?"
"Are you overestimating yourself, Miss Shen, or underestimating me?" Zhong Li asked.
Shen Ying was perplexed.
"Who the Heir Apparent likes and dislikes is clear to both of us. Furthermore, I am a fourth-rank official of the Southern Yue Kingdom, not dependent on anyone. We can live without each other. I wouldn't stoop to arguing with a young girl over a man."
"Are you saying I'm measuring a noble person with a petty mind?" Shen Ying was so angry she was about to jump.
Zhong Li, not wanting to waste any more time arguing about Lu Wu Xie, casually called for a constable nearby.
The constable, receiving the order, brought over a tray.
Zhong Li placed the tray before Shen Ying and yanked off the white cloth covering it.
"Ah!" Shen Ying screamed in fright upon seeing what was on the tray.
Zhong Li glanced at the scratched and disfigured woman's face on the tray, taking in Shen Ying's reaction. "What's wrong? It's your own masterpiece, what are you afraid of?"
"Where did you get this from?" Shen Ying asked, her body trembling.
Zhong Li remained silent and casually tossed a small cloth bag from the drawer onto the table in front of Shen Ying.
Shen Ying reached for it, wanting to open it, but then quickly pulled her hand back.
Zhong Li smiled, opened the bag, and poured its contents onto Shen Ying.
"Ah!" Shen Ying jumped up in fright.
Zhong Li said, "Miss Shen, it's just a hairpin, what are you afraid of?"
Shen Ying looked closely at the objects in front of her and slowly sat back down on the stool.
"Do you recognize this orchid hairpin?" Zhong Li asked.
Shen Ying lowered her eyes, appearing unwilling to speak.
Zhong Li was not in a hurry and continued, "There is a residence in the Wu family's silver shop southwest of Jinzhou. You are the owner, aren't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about..." Shen Ying replied tremblingly, her demeanor a stark contrast to her earlier arrogance, now like a docile cat.
Zhong Li looked at her and then slapped another item onto the table.
"Wu You's confession. Do you know Wu You?"
Shen Ying shook her head again.
"Miss Shen, it seems you won't shed tears until you see the coffin?" Zhong Li's expression was stern, and she clapped her hands three times into the air.
Two constables pushed open the door of the disciplinary room and carried in a corpse.
"What do you want to do?" Shen Ying's eyes were red with fear, on the verge of tears.
Zhong Li ignored her, crouched down, and lifted the white sheet.
Shen Ying screamed in terror, "No, no..."
She cried out, and her voice suddenly cut off, murmuring, "How can it be... I clearly..."
"You clearly what?" Zhong Li finished her sentence.
Shen Ying, knowing that the more she spoke, the more mistakes she would make, immediately covered her mouth and remained silent.
Zhong Li looked at Tian Lianxue lying on the ground. Her face had been repaired, and her body had been preserved in the ice cellar, which was the greatest respect she could offer her in death.
"You clearly scratched her face and disfigured her, yet she looks fine, doesn't she?" Zhong Li said.
Shen Ying remained silent with her head bowed, curled up on the chair.
Zhong Li tapped the evidence on the table. "Shen Ying, the Dali Temple has already gone to Hua Man Lou. Soon the proprietress will be brought in, and it will be clear whether the woman who booked a room for the entire day with a man surnamed Hong at Hua Man Lou was you or Tian Lianxue.
You don't really think the proprietress will keep silent, do you? You must have heard about the capabilities of a cruel official, haven't you?"
"What do you want?" Shen Ying was sweating profusely, her gaze becoming unfocused.
"Tell me, what was your relationship with Tian Lianxue? Why were you so similar? Who was whose shadow?" Zhong Li asked.
Shen Ying opened and closed her mouth, about to speak, when a voice sounded from the doorway of the disciplinary room: "Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"
Zhong Li's eyebrows knitted together. She stood up and moved to the side.
Simultaneously, the door of the disciplinary room was opened, and Shen Nong stood at the entrance.
Zhong Li and the Dali Temple constables behind her quickly knelt to pay their respects.
"Greetings to Her Majesty the Empress!"
Shen Nong let out a cold laugh and surveyed the spacious disciplinary room. "Zhong Li, what is the meaning of arresting Ying'er and bringing her to this place?"
Zhong Li slowly stood up and walked to the desk, picking up the physical evidence and confession. "Your Majesty, I have evidence proving that Shen Ying killed Tian Lianxue, the courtesan of Hua Man Lou. This is the physical evidence."
Shen Nong merely glanced at it indifferently, making no move to take it.
Seeing her reaction, Zhong Li raised an eyebrow but did not mind, preparing to put the evidence away.
"Wait!" Shen Nong stopped her. "I heard you went directly to the Shen mansion to arrest Shen Ying?"
"Yes!" Zhong Li replied without hesitation.
"Zhong Li, who gave you the audacity? Do you know what the Shen family is, and who Shen Ying is, to arrest her just like that?" Shen Nong demanded.
Zhong Li casually glanced at Shen Ying.
At this moment, Shen Ying had lost all her fear and was standing tall with an arrogant demeanor.
"Answering Your Majesty, Shen Ying has broken the law, and the Dali Temple naturally has the authority to arrest people. As for who Miss Shen is, she holds no official rank and is not a member of the royal family. When all is said and done, she is merely a noble lady of the Shen family. It is said that even the Son of Heaven is subject to the same law as commoners.
Miss Shen is but an ordinary citizen, why can't she be arrested!"
"You!" Zhong Li's retort rendered Shen Nong speechless.
Zhong Li smirked and pressed her advantage, asking, "Or perhaps, Your Majesty could tell me who she is? Or who you are?"
"Zhong Li!" Shen Nong trembled with anger. This statement was like a knife plunged into the hearts of the Empress and Shen Ying.
One dared not acknowledge her, while the other refused to.
Zhong Li observed their expressions and, having an inkling of what was happening, feigned a dawning realization. "Your Majesty, how could my mind have forgotten that she is your niece."
"You!" Shen Nong finally regained her senses, glaring fiercely at Zhong Li, wishing she could tear her apart.
"Zhong Li, I always thought you were cold and aloof and wouldn't speak so glibly. It seems you've been with the Heir Apparent for too long, and your personality has become just like his," Shen Nong retorted sarcastically.
Zhong Li was unperturbed by the remark and casually replied, "So this is what they call 'birds of a feather flock together'."
"Your Majesty!" Shen Ying was particularly sensitive about Lu Wu Xie. Hearing Zhong Li's words, she jumped down from her stool in anger, stamping her feet in complaint.
Shen Nong shielded Shen Ying behind her. Her gaze fell upon the corpse lying on the ground, and after a look of surprise, her eyes darted around. She gave a subtle signal to Zi Pei beside her.
Zi Pei, acknowledging the order, waved to the palace maids who had followed them. They all flooded into the disciplinary room. Some rushed to Tian Lianxue's body and began to carry her out, while others moved towards the table where Zhong Li had placed the evidence, preparing to take the items.
"What is Your Majesty doing?" Zhong Li exclaimed, sensing trouble.
"What am I doing?" Shen Nong sneered. "You have the evidence, don't you? I'll destroy it, and then let's see how you can convict Ying'er!"