Xu Jiayi saw that the situation was out of control, so she quickly glanced at the old lady who’d barged into the court earlier to create a scene and make sure that Feng Tianlan was found guilty.
The old lady threw her a glance to signal that she’d get it done. She looked up at Feng Tianlan and was about to speak when she noticed a middle-aged man in the crowd. Her face immediately went pale, and her eyes widened. She quickly knelt next to Feng Xiupei and started wailing.
“Your Honor! I plead guilty! I was threatened into accepting a bribe of silver coins to make a scene in court and pressure My Lord into sentencing Feng Tianlan to death!”
Feng Xiupei and Xu Jiayi were stunned. Why was she betraying them now?
The old lady was terrified. She quickly took out all the bank bills and silver coins and put them in front of her in a pile, crying as she cowered. “These are the 500 silver coins I received. After this, I was supposed to receive another 1000. I beg you. Please let me off! I promise never to do this again!”
After saying this, the other elderly folks also knelt with her and begged for mercy while kowtowing. They also took out all the silver they had received and claimed that they had been bribed.
Xu Jiayi was stunned for a long time and was utterly speechless at this sight.
“Be honest with me: who told you to do this?” The governor slammed the table hard when he saw the massive pile of silver coins.
“The Fengs did.”
“We’re not sure exactly who it was, but we’re sure it was someone from the Feng family because he was wearing the uniform of the Feng Manor’s servants.”
“He told us to make a scene in court and pressure My Lord into sentencing Feng Tianlan to death.”
The governor became even angrier and slammed the table again. “Then why did you suddenly come clean now?”
“We just felt guilty about doing this, and we were threatened, too, so…”
Before the old lady could finish speaking, Xu Jiayi couldn’t help but come to the front and point a finger at them while shouting angrily, “Who told you to smear the Feng family like this? We have done no such thing!”
“SILENCE!” The governor slammed the table again.
Feng Xiupei could see that there was something wrong with the situation. If they continued in this way, things would only get worse. So, after thinking for a while, she quickly bowed low and said, “Your Honor! I plead guilty! I killed that man, and those people were acting under my orders. Everything is my fault; I beg My Lord to sentence me and not hurt any innocent people!”
“Pei’er!” Xu Jiayi anxiously shouted at her. Murder was punishable by death!
“Mother,” Feng Xiupei humbly responded, but her eyes warned her not to talk anymore. The more she said, the more mistakes she made. Feng Xiupei had merely killed a commoner; did her mother really think that the law would hold her accountable?
Feng Xiang looked out at the crowd outside the court, then looked back at the calm Feng Tianlan. He clenched his teeth and came to the front as well. “Whoever the murderer is, I will leave judgment to My Lord. I will not defend anyone unfairly.”
Someone was helping Feng Tianlan, and Pei’er was panicking from the earlier questioning and couldn’t hold up her story anymore.
Furthermore, Feng Tianlan was basically threatening him already, so, for now, he could only allow his daughter to plead guilty. He wasn’t worried about Pei’er. She was the nation’s first female genius and a disciple at Flying Frost Pavilion, after all. She was definitely not going to die.
Xu Jiayi was extremely anxious, but her reaction was also quick after she understood which course of action was most beneficial to them now.
“Your Honor, I am willing to take the blame for Pei’er.” Xu Jiayi immediately knelt as she said this.
Su Ji threw a quick glance at Feng Xiupei, then took out a piece of paper. “Your Honor, this is the inner wall of the cinnabar, and you can still see traces of the medicine. This is evidence.”
