Ye Xinyi’s request was reasonable, and You Chenghui had no reason to refuse. He made eye contact with a subordinate official.
The official understood and picked up the verdict of the case, reading it aloud once more.
Ye Xinyi listened to the entire verdict with a gloomy expression, then bowed and said, "This humble woman acknowledges her guilt and will immediately send someone to the Construction Industry to settle all the workers’ wages."
Most of those present were taken aback. If that was the case, what was this Second Great Aunt from the Ye family doing in the court?
"However," Ye Xinyi changed her tone amidst the surprise of the crowd, and continued, "My lord, this humble woman wishes to see the divorce document given to her. May I?"
You Chenghui hesitated for a moment realizing the divorce paper was indeed meant for Ye Xinyi, of course it was permissible. Why did he feel something was amiss?
Ye Xinyi took the divorce paper, seemingly indifferent, glanced at it briefly, then threw it to her maidservant with a flick of her hand.
The maidservant caught it in a fluster, holding it awkwardly, unsure of what to do with it.
Ye Xinyi bowed to You Chenghui and asked, "My lord, there is one thing this humble woman doesn’t understand. The Yamen agreed to the Ji Mansion’s divorce request, on what basis? Did you verify this matter with either my father or grandfather?"
Of course not, because it wasn’t necessary. Yet You Chenghui felt a chill in his heart. Except for Ye Hongyang and his son, who were unreliable, the people of Duke An’s Mansion were indeed not to be trifled with.
The others in the room looked at each other. Was there a need to ask? Didn’t Lady Ye herself know what she did? Did she insist on coming to the court, publicly embarrassing herself to be satisfied?
Lian Gui stared straight ahead, saying nothing, as if the woman in the court had no connection to Duke An’s Mansion.
The Ji Mansion’s Steward frowned deeply. At this point, Lady Ye supposedly had no relation to the Ji family. Yet her questions indirectly cast doubt on the veracity of the head of the Ji family’s words.
Does she intend to return to the Ji family by questioning her elders?
You Chenghui said sternly, "Since you weren’t present during the trial, I will explain a few things to you. This case was tried in front of all relevant parties, with clear facts and a reasonable process. Your behavior in this case indeed lacked the virtues expected of a woman, unworthy and unfilial. The Ji Mansion’s divorce request was completely justified."
Ye Xinyi nodded, glanced at the Ji Mansion’s Steward, then looked up and continued, "If what you say is justified, then I shall speak of matters beyond it."
As she spoke, she looked towards the scribe sitting nearby recording the court’s testimony, seemingly reminding everyone that it was still documentation time, and what she said was testimony.
You Chenghui felt a warning in his heart, and the officials sensed something was amiss. Although the Government Officials, bound by protocol, remained unexpressive and stern, their eyes gleamed with anticipation, eager to hear what unreasonable matter this newly divorced Lady Ye would say.
The Ji Mansion’s Steward grew anxious, and stepping forward, cupped his hands and said, "My lord, since this case is concluded, I dare not waste your and the other officials’ time. Should we adjourn the case?"
You Chenghui had this intention; hearing this, he was about to reach for the gavel.
Lian Gui, who hadn’t spoken, now did. He stood beside the Ji Mansion’s Steward, and with cupped hands said, "My lord, as our Second Great Aunt said, when you judged reasonably, you only listened to the Ji Family’s side and did not consult our Second Great Aunt, nor our Old Master or the Duke. Since Second Great Aunt has something to say, why not hear it?"
Upon hearing Second Great Aunt, the tension Ye Xinyi had held started to relax, tears almost falling from her eyes. She thought, ever since she was confined by Madam Zhou, she was alone in this world, with no one to support her.
But this steward from Duke An’s Mansion, who had always handled Ye Xinyan’s affairs, spoke for her in the court.
You Chenghui looked at Lian Gui, his brows furrowing.
The advisor sitting below You Chenghui also wished to avoid complications and interjected, "Steward Lian, you heard this case from the beginning to the end, and the testimony from the household’s servant aligns with the accounts of others. There’s no need to waste time on this matter."
Lian Gui cupped his hands again, saying coldly, "My lord, this case concerns our Second Great Aunt. I believe it would be best to hear if she has any hidden truths to reveal. I think our Duke also hopes the case would be fairly handled."
You Chenghui sighed inwardly; the case was quite straightforward and had few hidden truths. During the inquiry days, the steward from Duke An’s Mansion was very cooperative, never mentioning the Duke. To bring up the Duke now would not be a trivial matter.
If he didn’t agree, and later on, Duke An found some overlooked detail to entangle him with, as Intendant of the Capital Prefecture, he might find himself in a difficult position.
"Lady Ye, state the hidden truths you have."
Ye Xinyi gave another bow and started to speak fluently, "My lord, when Madam Zhou of the Ji family favored me, I was able to marry into the Ji Mansion. Upon my marriage, I was the most cherished daughter of the heir of Duke An, prominent in the capital. Everyone knew when my grandfather passed, my father would inherit the dukedom, being the sole candidate for the next Duke An."
"Although I was the concubine-born daughter, I was never treated as such; whether in the affections of my elders or in my upbringing, I was more privileged than the legitimate daughters of other noble families..."
Those present couldn’t help but roll their eyes. So, your legitimate elder sister ended up devoid of any demeanor fit for a legitimate daughter.
"When I married, it was a lavish affair with ten miles of red decorations..."
"Over the years in the Ji Mansion, I was dearly loved by my mother-in-law, and got along harmoniously with my sisters-in-law. From top to bottom, everyone in the Ji Mansion gave me face, praising me for being virtuous, kind, and understanding, the accolades were endless..."
The Ji Mansion’s Steward already wanted to interrupt Ye Xinyi’s speech, as these had nothing to do with the case. This was the court of the dynasty; how could a woman be allowed to prattle about her past here?
Moreover, the more she spoke, the more outrageous and dangerous it became.
"My lord," the Ji Mansion’s Steward spoke again, interrupting Ye Xinyi’s narration, and said, "My lord, this is the court of the dynasty, it is not a place for a domestic woman to talk about her past. My lord, I implore you to conclude the case and adjourn the court."
Lian Gui followed closely, saying, "My lord, the Ji family took advantage of the court’s documentation to seek a divorce document for both families. Divorce documents pertain to family matters, and what our Second Great Aunt says should be relevant to the case." ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by N()velFire.net
You Chenghui waved his hand, saying powerlessly, "Lady Ye, make it concise."
Ye Xinyi continued, "I thought such harmonious days would continue indefinitely. Who would have expected that my father suddenly lost his status as heir, although my conduct hadn’t changed, my circumstances worsened day by day.
Gradually, I began to exhibit inappropriate, unworthy, and unsociable behavior. My flaws and misdeeds increased day by day... until this incident, where the Ji Mansion finally found a chance to sever ties with a concubine-born daughter of a military family..."
The Ji Family Steward’s back felt chilly; unable to listen any longer, he shouted, "Lady Ye, you slander with your baseless accusations!"