"Your Highness has a talent for storytelling that I was unaware of."
Nan Chaoyin refused to admit it, nor could he. These accusations would not only shatter Yuan'er's reputation but also tarnish his own official standing.
For a prime minister to allow his daughter to live a life worse than death—the public outcry alone would be enough to consume him. If Nan Shiying were still an insignificant figure, unable to rise even when trampled in the mud, he could manipulate public opinion and salvage his reputation. But now, as the Regent's Consort, with Ji Jinmo's methods, he could spread these matters throughout the realm within half a day.
Nan Chaoyin harbored deep resentment. He couldn't help but suspect whether these words had been spoken by the Nan Shiying of the past to Ji Jinmo, or by the Qing Yuan of today.
He had tested Qing Yuan at the Nan Manor yesterday, and she indeed showed no signs of betrayal.
So, was it the former Nan Shiying?
That made sense. Since Ji Jinmo had spoken of "mother repaying daughter's debts," it meant that the person who rescued Nan Shiying's trusted嬷嬷 must have been his manor's secret guards.
It was certainly at that time that Nan Shiying, in order to survive, had revealed everything.
Damn it. Had he known this earlier, he would never have let her die so easily. He would have made her continue to live a life worse than death!
"Storytelling? You have quite a few servants in your manor, don't you!"
Ji Jinmo sneered repeatedly. To this day, Nan Chaoyin still showed no remorse. Regardless of how one looked at it, Ying'er was his daughter, yet he treated her like discarded refuse, loathed her like filth. Even now, when mentioning the Nan Shiying of the past, Ji Jinmo still saw only disdain and hatred in Nan Chaoyin's eyes.
"My manor does indeed have many servants, but they are merely ordinary retainers. They would not withstand Your Highness's interrogation."
Nan Chaoyin understood Ji Jinmo's meaning; it was a threat of interrogation. But who said that words spoken under threat and interrogation were true? Could they not be extracted through torture?
Unless there was irrefutable evidence, such matters would only become ambiguous rumors.
"Prime Minister, do you believe I am threatening you?"
Ji Jinmo suddenly smiled. All he had said was for the officials to hear, to hear what kind of life the former Nan Shiying had endured. If the Consort were to slaughter the Nan family in the future, they should not be so quick to blabber, spewing utter nonsense about patricide and fratricide!
Ji Jinmo extended his hand. Shen Lang, formerly a Qian Zong of the Garrison, now a Deputy Lieutenant of the Infantry, took out confessions from his embrace, detailing the various crimes committed by Madam Liu over the years, along with testimonies and detailed information of witnesses.
Ji Jinmo threw the confessions before Nan Chaoyin and said to him, "The crimes Madam Liu has committed over the years are such that even being cut into a thousand pieces would not be enough. I had intended to spare some dignity for her and her mother, considering His Majesty is soon to marry Nan Yuan'er. But the Prime Minister insisted on forcing my hand, even attempting to mobilize the officials to impeach me. In your estimation, should I have flown into a rage and disregarded imperial authority to kill several censors, escalating the matter, intensifying the conflict between myself and His Majesty, and causing the common people to condemn me?"
"I do not know if this action of yours stems from extreme loyalty to the sovereign and patriotism, or if you are attempting to instigate internal strife within Lin Yuan while Da Li invades!"
Nan Chaoyin's expression changed drastically, not only because of the scattered confessions before him but also because of Ji Jinmo's words. He did not know if Ji Jinmo's words were merely a spear aimed at him, or if he had truly sensed something. He believed he had not shown any flaws over the years, except for a few hasty actions after Nan Shiying's substitute marriage due to the sudden shift in circumstances. But he had meticulously cleaned up after those few times, ensuring no loopholes were exposed. Could it be that Ji Jinmo had detected something in those cases? Or had his recent actions been too frequent, his eagerness for Yuan'er to marry Ji Hong making him suspicious?
Various thoughts flashed through his mind. Nan Chaoyin bent down to pick up the confession papers before him and read them at a glance. His indignant expression slowly turned into disbelieving bewilderment and shock after reading.
"No, this is impossible!"
His heart was as steady as an old dog, but he feigned disbelief, his hands holding the confessions trembling slightly, as if they were not thin papers but mountains capable of crushing him.
He was well aware of Madam Liu's actions over the years. It was nothing more than a dozen lives. He couldn't even turn a blind eye to Nan Yuqing's death, shifting all the blame onto Nan Shiying, let alone the lives of those servants. However, all this was premised on it not being exposed. If it were exposed, the mere act of murder would be enough to have Madam Liu's body dismembered.
He had not expected Ji Jinmo to gather so much evidence in just one night, nor did he expect that some cases even had eyewitnesses!
This Madam Liu was truly an incompetent fool who caused more harm than good.
If one had committed a heinous deed, they must see it through to the end. Killing one person was not enough to cover up the entire affair; one had to eliminate the entire family, silence all witnesses, and kill anyone who knew and could not be controlled, to eliminate all future troubles.
"It's a shame the Prime Minister doesn't go to the Nan Qu Banzi to sing opera!"
Ji Jinmo was as cold as ice, but when it came to verbal attacks, he was also a master. If he didn't know about Madam Liu's deeds, it would be as strange as red rain falling from the sky and ice rolling on the ground.
What was he acting out now!
The chief eunuch, having received a hint from Ji Hong, quickly descended the steps, took the confessions from Nan Chaoyin's hands, and hurried back to Ji Hong, presenting them with both hands.
Ji Hong rapidly flipped through them. Upon reaching the end, he could no longer contain his anger. He threw the confessions away and slammed his fist on the armrest of the dragon throne, roaring, "Outrageous! Simply outrageous!"
The confessions scattered, falling everywhere. Liu Wan Jun picked up a confession that had drifted to his feet and glanced at it.
The single confession in his hand implicated five lives.
Some had been beaten to death, others thrown into a dry well. Each and every one of them was an offense that defied description.
"If this is true, then Madam Liu is truly deeply sinful. Even being flayed alive would not be excessive!" Liu Wan Jun looked at Madam Liu, whose body had been disfigured into a human pig, his face filled with righteous indignation. Besides the servants of the Nan family, the victims of Madam Liu also included citizens of the capital. This could no longer be described as vicious; she was simply insane.
The civil officials had intended to speak a few words for Nan Chaoyin, but the evidence presented by Ji Jinmo, unless it was all fabricated out of thin air, meant that Madam Liu deserved to die.