"I’ll go inform our master immediately that you wish to see him," Meng Zhuqing turned and walked toward the secret room’s exit.
Wild Goose Jade just sat there, watching the secret room door close right before her eyes.
Once the door had closed, Wild Goose Jade sat quietly for a while before whispering softly, "Father, you must protect Yao’er from heaven, ensure that Yao’er not only avenges her enemies but also clears your name."
When Xiao Changyi and An Jing entered Prince Yi’s secret room for the second time, the bound Wild Goose Jade struggled to her feet and then, with a thud, knelt down before Xiao Changyi and An Jing.
While paying her respects to Xiao Changyi, Wild Goose Jade said, "This commoner, Tobanya, begs Prince Yi to seek justice for her father!"
Not for herself, but for her father?
An Jing and Xiao Changyi exchanged glances before An Jing spoke, "So, your real name is Tobanya, but what exactly do you want my husband to do for your father?"
Tobanya said, "Tobanya is my true name, and Wild Goose Jade is also my name, just my milk name."
Then, Tobanya stated more solemnly, "My father was originally King Tuoba Cheng of Beicheng, lord of Beisheng, but he was harmed by the villain Tao Shangran, who falsely accused my father of harboring treasonous intentions. The entire Five Clans were executed, and out of the Five Clans, I alone escaped."
An Jing and Xiao Changyi were slightly taken aback, having not expected Tobanya’s father to be the King of Beicheng.
So, isn’t Tobanya actually a Commandery Princess?
Upon this realization, An Jing understood, "No wonder she carries herself with such nobility, having been raised in a noble family and nurtured by nobility."
Meng Zhuqing was stunned for a while before he could accept the fact that the girl he admired was a Commandery Princess.
Only after sitting next to her husband did An Jing ask, "You said Minister Tao framed your father, do you have any evidence?"
Tobanya replied, "It is precisely because there is no evidence that I thought of killing that villain myself."
An Jing said, "Without any evidence, we can’t just believe your words."
"This commoner understands that, but still hopes that Prince Yi will seek justice for my father. My father has always been law-abiding, loyally devoted to Xiyun, and utterly loyal to the Emperor, yet he met such a tragic end at an old age, torn apart by horses, this commoner’s hatred is immense! My father died with his eyes open! The Five Clans of Tuoba, who died innocently, also died with their eyes open!"
The reason Tobanya had always referred to herself as a commoner was that after her father was convicted, the Emperor of Xiyun had also demoted her father to a commoner, effectively stripping her of her title as a Commandery Princess.
Because Tobanya had no evidence, and based solely on her word, An Jing couldn’t naively believe her; An Jing simply looked toward her husband, letting him handle the matter.
Seeing An Jing look his way, Xiao Changyi finally spoke in an even tone, "You claim it was a frame-up, so how exactly did Tao Shangran frame your father?"
Tobanya immediately said, "Tao Shangran bribed the manager of our household. The manager not only placed a privately made Dragon Robe in my father’s room but also testified against my father when the Dragon Robe was discovered in his room, claiming my father intended to rebel."
"Tao Shangran also bribed several servants in our home who, like the manager, testified against my father, saying he intended to rebel."
"With both human and material evidence, my father was convicted and the Five Clans implicated."