Chapter 335: Settling Scores

"Third Young Master Ji appeared right after this Princess saved the little girl. His first words to me were, 'You're not Ji Yuntang.'"

"And the reason he gave was quite interesting. He said this Princess came from the countryside, was illiterate, and knew no martial arts—so how could I possibly save the little girl in front of a runaway carriage?"

"He suspected I was an impostor. He arrived too quickly and brought a group of people with him, blocking my path the moment he came—which brings me to my third suspicion."

"Combining these three points, I have reason to suspect that Third Young Master Ji, in order to test whether I know martial arts, deliberately threw a stone at our horse to make it bolt."

"That's not all—he also put a four- or five-year-old child in the path our carriage was sure to take, using her to see whether I would save her."

"If I hadn't acted, the carriage would certainly have hit the little girl. If something happened to her, then I would bear the blame, which would affect my state of mind for tomorrow's examination."

"But if I did act, he could openly question whether I am truly Ji Yuntang, because the Ji Yuntang he remembered was clueless and helpless. He thought I should match that image he had of me."

"From this, it's clear that whether I saved the little girl today or not, he would have found a reason to cause trouble for me. Third Young Master Ji has no regard for human life, and further seeks to implicate the entire Prince Ye's residence—his intentions are despicable."

After Ji Yuntang finished speaking, everyone present looked at Ji Zihang in astonishment, barely daring to breathe.

Committing a crime in public and conspiring against a princess were serious offenses.

Ji Zihang was learned but lacked moral character. If he were to have a criminal case on his record, his three examination scores at the Canglang Poetry Talk would almost certainly be canceled.

Moreover, if this charge stuck, he would also end up in prison.

Ji Zihang realized this as well, his face turning deathly pale, his body swaying on his feet.

He hadn't expected that his little scheme would be so completely seen through by Ji Yuntang.

If she truly pressed the matter, what would he do?

He dared not dwell on the consequences, for he had never imagined that Ji Yuntang would see through him so easily.

Ji Huaiche, being Ji Zihang's older brother, knew him well.

The moment he saw Ji Zihang's panicked expression, he knew Ji Yuntang's claims weren't baseless.

Most likely, the carriage incident had indeed been Ji Zihang's doing.

Ji Huaiche silently cursed Ji Zihang for his stupidity—not only had he failed to harm Ji Yuntang, he had nearly ruined himself.

If this matter were truly investigated and proven to be Ji Zihang's fault, his entire life would be destroyed!

The Royal Academy wouldn't keep students of poor character. The court wouldn't appoint officials guilty of crimes. And no one would marry their legitimate daughter to a man with such a charge against him.

Neither the academy nor government service would permit someone like him to enter.

And when it came to marriage, people would have reservations, saying the Marquis's estate had produced a young man of poor character, and they wouldn't want to marry their daughters to him.

Ji Huaiche's reputation had already suffered, and now encountering this matter, he wanted to curse his luck.

But he knew that cursing now wouldn't help.

As the Right Assistant Minister of Dali Temple, this case was within his purview.

The only option now was to find a way to clear Ji Zihang of this charge and try to ensure this matter did not affect his competition tomorrow.

Ji Huaiche took a deep breath and stepped forward, saying, "Princess Ye, what you just said is merely your one-sided account. What evidence do you have to prove that Zihang did this?"

Ji Yuntang glanced at him with a knowing smile and said, "You want evidence? No problem!"

She strode over to Ji Zihang, and his heart leaped into his throat.

Just as he thought Ji Yuntang was going to hit him again, she walked right past him and went up to a servant instead.

Ji Yuntang held out her hand to him. "Hand over the item, and I'll spare your life."

That servant had been brought by Ji Zihang. Seeing Ji Yuntang standing before him, his legs were shaking.

He fidgeted with his clothes and stammered, "P-Princess Ye... this servant... this servant doesn't know what you're talking about."

Ji Yuntang said bluntly, "The thing you used to startle the horse—hand it over!"

The servant's legs nearly gave out!

He knew well that with Ji Zihang and Ji Huaiche both present, if he truly handed over the item, he'd be a dead man.

Seeing the servant hesitate, Ji Yuntang ran out of patience.

She clenched her fist and punched him hard in the stomach.

The servant's face contorted in pain, doubled over.

As he doubled over, Ji Yuntang yanked at his sash, and a bunch of small items tumbled out onto the ground.

The most eye-catching among them was a wooden slingshot.

The slingshot was small and compact, easy to conceal.

If you didn't look closely, it could easily be mistaken for an ordinary ornament.

Ji Yuntang picked up the slingshot and asked the servant, "What is this?"

The servant dropped to his knees in terror, his face pale as a sheet.

"Th-this... this is just a little toy this lowly servant made for fun. It's worthless."

Ji Huaiche's eyes flickered, and he said in a deep voice, "Ji Yuntang, to accuse Zihang based on just a slingshot is a bit too hasty, wouldn't you say?"

Ji Yuntang toyed with the slingshot in her hand and gave a slight nod.

"Right Assistant Minister Ji is right—it shouldn't be so hasty. How could a mere slingshot convince anyone?"

She then turned to look at Chen Hu and instructed, "Chen Hu, go fetch the little girl I saved earlier."

"Yes, Princess." Chen Hu replied and soon returned with a little girl in a pink dress.

Following the little girl was a young woman with red, swollen eyes—the girl's mother.

The moment she arrived, she pulled the little girl down to kneel before Ji Yuntang.

"Thank you, Princess Ye, for saving my daughter's life. I, Xu Ying, am deeply grateful."

Ji Yuntang helped her up and asked, "Madam Xu, what were you doing out today, and how did you and your daughter become separated? Tell me all of it."

Xu Ying said with a guilty look, slowly speaking, "I brought my daughter out today to buy some fabric at the cloth shop, to make her new clothes for the New Year."

"At that time, this humble woman was inside the cloth shop looking at fabrics when, in the blink of an eye, Xiao Taozi disappeared. I was terrified and searched everywhere for her, finally finding her at the nearby medical clinic."

She then looked at Chen Hu and said, "It was this benefactor who brought Xiao Taozi to the doctor's. I am deeply grateful to him for his help."

Chen Hu waved his hand and said, "Don't thank me. This was all our Princess's doing. She saved your daughter, and it was she who paid me to take her to the clinic to have a doctor take her pulse. If you want to thank someone, thank our Princess!"

Xu Ying, after having just knelt to Chen Hu, was about to kneel again to thank Ji Yuntang, but Ji Yuntang stopped her.

She said softly, "Madam Xu, I have something I'd like to ask your daughter."

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