The Grand Princess's eyes flickered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. She had carried out the past events with great secrecy, never directly interacting with the Cui family, nor had she ever written any letters to them, and she was certainly not foolish enough to give any tokens of affection to the Cui family, so she was confident.
Without evidence, the Cui family's words were not to be trusted; they were slander.
"Oh? And what evidence does the old madam have? Why don't you present it directly and let everyone have a look?"
The Grand Princess's confident demeanor reassured the ladies in the warm chamber. They naturally hoped the Grand Princess would be alright, and that this was merely the Cui family and Princess Anning fabricating things out of thin air.
For only in this way could they remain safe and avoid being drawn into witnessing a royal scandal.
The Cui family remained silent, merely glancing at Li Man'er.
Li Man'er clapped her hands and said, "Present it!"
Someone bowed and entered, carrying a tray with two letters.
The Grand Princess found the servant somewhat familiar. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was none other than Shuangxi, the young servant who followed her son.
"Shuangxi, why is it you?"
Shuangxi responded with neither humility nor arrogance, "This humble one greets the Grand Princess." He then silently presented the items to Qi Yihan.
The Grand Princess's body swayed slightly. At this moment, she understood everything. It turned out Shuangxi was also a person arranged by the Ninth Prince!
"You've been with Qiao'er for seven or eight years. I never expected this." The Grand Princess sneered, "Ninth Brother truly has a deep stratagem and skilled methods."
At this point, the Grand Princess still had plenty of confidence. She firmly believed that even if Qi Yihan had planted spies in the residence, he wouldn't find any concrete evidence. They were merely trying to make her lose her composure and thus find a way to break through.
Unexpectedly, Qi Yihan was very confident that the items in his possession could convict the Grand Princess. He said, "Imperial Sister, this matter concerns the royal family's dignity. It would be best to let the unrelated ladies return to their residences first. We can discuss it privately."
The ladies were immensely grateful and hurriedly bowed to take their leave.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"This humble wife takes her leave."
They wished to depart, but the Grand Princess refused, shouting with a ferocious expression, "No one is allowed to leave! No one leaves until this matter is clarified."
She acted like a common shrew. "He wants to frame me, it's not that easy. As the former Emperor's eldest daughter and the current Emperor's elder sister, I have never done anything to disgrace the royal family's reputation, nor am I the kind of person who disregards human life as Madam Cui describes! I have no enmity with the Ning family, so why would I harm her? It's absurd."
The Grand Princess's righteous words left the ladies hesitant.
However, Qi Yihan's gaze was profound, as if to say, I have already given you a chance.
The Grand Princess vaguely sensed something was amiss. It seemed the death of Ning family was merely a prelude, and a larger trap lay ahead, waiting for her.
But it was too late.
"Does Imperial Sister know who wrote these two letters in my possession?"
"How would I know?" They were some distance apart. The Grand Princess looked from afar, feeling that the letters seemed like old relics, very old.
Qi Yihan then said, "Very well, let's not discuss the letters for now. Do you know Zhu Zhen?"
The Grand Princess's pupils contracted violently. She managed to suppress a cry, her hand hidden in her sleeve trembling uncontrollably. She dared not meet Qi Yihan's gaze.
"I don't know any Zhu Zhen."
Seeing her pretense, Li Man'er let out a few tsk tsk sounds. The ladies present also exchanged glances. They had never heard this name before, so it was unlikely to be a lady from any of their families.
"Perhaps you will remember if I mention his other name?" Qi Yihan's lips curved into a playful smile. "Little Pretty Immortal."
The Grand Princess could no longer maintain her composure. Her body swayed, almost falling. If not for the support of her maids, she might have tumbled headfirst.
"Oh my, Little Pretty Immortal. May I ask Your Highness the Ninth Prince, is this Little Pretty Immortal you speak of the famous performer from the Qingfeng Troupe who was renowned throughout the capital over a decade ago?" an older madam couldn't help but ask.
"I remember now. Back then, there was a Little Pretty Immortal in the Qingfeng Troupe who played the lead female role. He was so handsome. So many people spent fortunes on him. But after being famous for a short time, he disappeared. The troupe leader claimed he absconded with money and eloped with someone." The madam spoke while scrutinizing the Grand Princess, clearly making connections.
"This Princess knows nothing of Zhu Zhen, nor of Little Pretty Immortal."
"That's not right. If I recall correctly, Imperial Sister also went to watch Little Pretty Immortal's performances back then, and even booked a whole show for him?"
The Grand Princess now loathed Li Man'er. If not for her, these subsequent events would not have been triggered. She was both fearful and apprehensive, knowing that a slight misstep might prevent her escape, so she spoke with even greater caution.
"He was merely an actor. Even booking a whole show wouldn't be a big deal, would it? This Princess enjoys listening to opera. During festivals, I would even invite troupes to perform at my residence. I've heard so many plays and seen so many actors that I can't remember their names. Little Pretty Immortal? I've never even heard of him."
The Grand Princess feigned composure, speaking with righteous indignation.
"I don't think so?" Qi Yihan unfolded the letter in his hand. "This letter is from you to Zhu Zhen, telling him to leave the capital and flee for his life. The letter also mentions that you had a child with him..."
"A child?"
"No way? The Grand Princess kept a male consort, and he was an actor?"
"This isn't just a consort; they even had a child."
The ladies in attendance dared not discuss loudly, but they couldn't help but whisper. The atmosphere in the warm chamber became extremely peculiar, with some watching the drama unfold and others caught up in it.
"Ninth Brother! You are slandering me! What actor, what child!" The Grand Princess's breathing became unsteady. Looking at the faces of those ladies, she wished they would all drop dead. "Begone, all of you, begone!"
The more she acted like this, the more it solidified the rumors of her having a child with an actor. The ladies, like sharks smelling blood, were fearful yet emboldened, eager to know what would happen next.
Li Man'er wanted witnesses, so she certainly wouldn't agree to let these ladies leave. She immediately said, "Dear Madam, please do not worry. This matter is of great importance, and I trust you will all be able to keep your mouths shut. You are witnesses, and you must uphold fairness. I believe His Highness the Ninth Prince will not make things difficult for you. Is that not so, Your Highness?"
Qi Yihan nodded slightly, acknowledging Li Man'er's statement.
The ladies from various households were shrewd individuals and naturally understood that Li Man'er was protecting them. Some felt grateful, while others were indifferent.
However, none of that was important. The most crucial matter at hand was to ascertain whether the Grand Princess had indeed committed those acts.