“I believe that someone with ulterior motives discovered that I had asked that one extra question, and thus fabricated a story to slander me in this matter. Your Majesty, being a chess lover, must surely understand that it is perfectly normal for a chess lover to ask an extra question upon realizing that the game has been deciphered.”
Why spread rumors about him and Ning Jieyu?
There had to be a reason for this.
Song Chengyi wasn’t completely stupid. He only admitted to one of the most insignificant things.
That was merely asking who the owner of the chess manual was.
As for everything else, he denied it completely.
In this way, it sounded plausible and reasonable.
Song Gu anxiously worried for his son’s sake and stepped forward, saying: “Your Majesty, with due respect, my son has indeed never mentioned anything about proposing marriage to me. This matter is entirely fabricated.”
Helian Qi looked at Li Rao, his eyes cold and sharp: “Li Rao, you have framed and falsely accused others. Your crimes are grave and heinous, so you shall be executed!”
Li Rao was stunned.
Despite most of the evidence being true, they still lost.
Who would have thought that when the Emperor took his concubines out for a summer hunt, this concubine would actually stay cooped up in the palace and not step out of the palace?
Then you should stay in the palace.
What were you doing out there?!
Having a rare opportunity to leave the palace, Ning Wanyin truly stood out as the first concubine in history to hide in her palace without ever stepping out!
Who would have thought that?
His foolproof plan ended up failing here.
Li Rao was filled with resentment and frustration.
Seeing the eunuchs coming to drag him away, Li Rao hurriedly shouted: “Your Majesty, I still have more evidence! Song Chengyi once went to Bifeng Temple to seek a marriage talisman, and the marriage talisman had his and Ning Wanyin’s names written on it. He keeps this talisman in a brocade pouch that he never takes off!”
He also heard about this from the servant.
Because there was no way to verify whether the marriage talisman was real, and he couldn’t be sure if Song Chengyi was still carrying it…
So, to be on the safe side, Li Rao had not mentioned this earlier.
But he didn’t expect Ning Wanyin to prove that the secret meeting was fake and even turned all the real evidence into fake…
In such a critical moment, he had no choice but to take a risky gamble.
He hoped what that servant said was true, and he hoped Song Chengyi still had the marriage talisman with him.
Upon hearing this, everyone thought that it was a bit outrageous.
Was Song Chengyi an idiot?
Why did he carry something like this around with him?
Ning Wanyin looked straight at Song Chengyi, only to see a look of panic in his eyes.
Her heart sank immediately.
No way, no way? Something like this really exists?
Li Rao, having given up all pretenses, gambled everything on the marriage talisman, saying, “This sinful subject confesses to the truth. This sinful subject did not see Ning Jieyu and Song Chengyi meeting in secret. The two of them were indeed very cautious, so this sinful subject was unable to seize the opportunity.”
The Emperor has already proven that Ning Wanyin did not have a secret meeting with Song Chengyi.
He could only admit that it was a rumor.
“However, everything else is true. This marriage talisman, personally kept by Song Chengyi, is evidence of the two privately pledging themselves to each other. I beg Your Majesty to investigate it carefully!” Li Rao kowtowed.
Talismans are usually written by highly accomplished monks who have written incantations.
However, Song Chengyi, in order to prevent outsiders from knowing that the name Ning Wanyin was written on the marriage talisman, had written it himself in secret.
As long as he could prove that this marriage talisman really existed…
That would be catching him red-handed!
He could then turn the situation around!
Helian Qi’s face was ashen: “Someone, search for him!”
Song Chengyi wanted to stop it, but he couldn’t find a suitable reason for the time being, so he could only hurriedly let Wang Degui search his brocade pouch.
Wang Degui quickly presented the brocade pouch to the Emperor.
Helian Qi opened the embroidered pouch with a stern expression and took out a yellow talisman folded into a triangle.
In that instant, the entire hall seemed to freeze. Everyone stared at the triangular talisman, and the hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
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Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152