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Ye Xiaohan lifted her head from a jumble of chaotic thoughts. Who was coming to visit the prison at this hour?
Li Yang appeared from behind the guard, rushing over excitedly. "Sister-in-law!"
He remembered the lesson from their last encounter and kept his voice low, even in this moment of excitement.
"Li Yang! What are you doing here?" Ye Xiaohan exclaimed, standing up and speaking to him through the bars of her cell.
The guard interrupted them, gruffly saying, "You only have a minute. Speak quickly."
He stepped aside.
Li Yang got straight to the point. "Sister-in-law, listen to me! A special envoy has come to town and posted a notice about reopening your case! You won't be executed!"
That foolish boy was so happy, even though nothing was certain yet.
Ye Xiaohan didn't want to dampen his spirits; she could understand Li Yang's joy at the prospect of hope returning.
Li Yang quickly composed himself and continued, "Big Brother sent word back that he has found a way to save you. He wants you to take care of yourself in here and not worry about him!"
"Sister-in-law," Li Yang said cheerfully, "with the special envoy's strict oversight, you will surely be exonerated. Big Brother will come to rescue you; nothing will happen to you!"
Ye Xiaohan reached out and ruffled his hair. It had been a while since she had seen him, and this sudden chaos had added a sense of determination to Li Yang's youthful face, giving him an almost adult-like appearance.
Indeed, children from poor families mature quickly; they have to grow up fast when faced with so many challenges.
She felt a pang of guilt. If it weren't for her conflict with Liu Yuan, none of this turmoil would have happened, dragging the Li family into her troubles as well.
If she voiced these thoughts, Li Yang would surely retort angrily. Ye Xiaohan smiled softly, resolving not to scold him anymore and to treat the Li family better in return for their kindness.
"I understand. I haven't had any issues in prison, and I haven't been punished. I've been doing just fine, so you don't need to worry. But what about you? Has Qi been causing you trouble these past few days?"
Ye Xiaohan chose not to tell Liu Yang about the recent events that had happened to her, not wanting to add to his worries.
Liu Yang replied, "Qi has been sleeping with Round at night, and Mr. Bai Li is helping to take care of them. She knows something big has happened at home, so she's been incredibly well-behaved and hasn't cried at all!"
Hearing Liu Yang's words made Ye Xiaohan's heart ache a little. The usually whiny Qi was being so sensible. She could almost picture Qi holding back tears, looking pitiful.
"By the way, sister-in-law, when I went back last time, I kicked Aunt Liu Wen and her husband out of the Liu family. They don't know where they ended up staying. Whenever they come back to the Liu house and are not allowed in, they just stand at the door and shout insults!"
Liu Yang mentioned the situation with Liu Wen and her husband so that Ye Xiaohan would be aware.
"Don't pay them any mind. As long as there are no strange rumors spreading around, let them shout. It’s best if everyone in this town knows how unscrupulous they are in trying to seize their own nephew's inheritance!"
Liu Yuan was currently too busy dealing with his own issues to have time for Liu Wen and her husband. Without Liu Yuan's support, Liu Wen and her husband's limited intelligence wouldn't stir up much trouble.
Before long, a guard came to urge Liu Yang to leave quickly. Ye Xiaohan nodded, and Liu Yang walked away reluctantly.
The news Liu Yang brought surprised Ye Xiaohan but also reassured her quite a bit. Regardless of whether this special envoy could be trusted or not, Liu Bei would not exaggerate; since he had found a way to rescue someone, it must be true.
With Liu Bei unscathed and having found strong support, Ye Xiaohan felt half of her worries lift.
She pondered for a moment about Liu Bei seeking help and then suddenly the appearance of a Flying Dragon General—could there be a connection between the two?
Could this Flying Dragon General be someone Liu Bei had summoned? How could a mere mountain bumpkin like him manage to attract such a significant figure? What hidden identity did Liu Bei possess that was becoming increasingly unbelievable?
The prison guard soon came to inform her about Mingting's interrogation time. With nothing else to do in her cell and no answers forthcoming, Ye Xiaohan decided to get some good rest. Everything would be revealed once Mingting's interrogation began.
Early on the twenty-first day, Ye Xiaohan was taken out by the Guard. This was her first experience with an interrogation, even though she had already confessed and signed the documents.
In the main hall sat Liu Yuan's father, County Magistrate Liu Yun, along with a stern-looking man beside him. He was strong and imposing, exuding an aura of authority without needing to raise his voice; it was clear he was a seasoned soldier.
Is this the Flying Dragon General? Ye Xiaohan silently assessed him in her mind. He certainly had a commanding presence; she could only hope he would be fair and just, restoring her innocence.
Magistrate Liu stood up and declared, "The defendant Ye Xiaohan has sought personal gain by selling inferior goods, resulting in numerous customers being poisoned and disfigured. Her crimes are heinous! She should face the death penalty. However, our dynasty is benevolent; we will not wrong an innocent person nor let a wicked one go unpunished! I have appointed a special commissioner to thoroughly investigate this case and provide an explanation to the people."
He bent slightly and introduced the man beside him with courtesy: "This is Deputy General Tian under the Flying Dragon General, who will oversee this trial."
So this man is not the Flying Dragon General but his deputy. Regardless of whether he is the real deal or not, as long as he remains clear-headed and is not bribed, it should be fine. Ye Xiaohan thought to herself.
After introducing the trial personnel, Magistrate Liu struck the wooden block with a loud bang.
"Defendant Ye Xiaohan, you have poisoned many people, disfiguring their appearances and harming their bodies. Do you plead guilty?"
Ye Xiaohan replied loudly, "Your Honor, please see clearly! I have never poisoned anyone or harmed anyone. I do not plead guilty!"
Magistrate Liu angrily retorted, "You bold woman! There are numerous victims here to testify against you. Are they all self-harming to frame you? You commit such heinous acts without any remorse! Guards, bring forth the torture instruments and see how long she can hold out!"
At his command, the Yard Officer stepped forward to carry out the punishment. Just as Ye Xiaohan was about to protest, Deputy General Tian spoke up.
"Lord Liu, the case has not yet been thoroughly examined. Are you not afraid that the defendant might not withstand the torture and falsely confess?" Deputy General Tian's voice boomed, yet his words carried a shrewdness that contrasted with his appearance, immediately calming the atmosphere.
The accusation of forcing a confession through torture was no trivial matter. Sweat began to bead on Liu Yun's forehead as he stammered, "I dare not! Your wisdom is unmatched. I acted in haste, wanting to resolve this matter quickly; I lost my composure."
He dared not proceed with torture any longer and struck the wooden block again. "Bring in the victims!"
Several women disfigured by the Blush were brought forward, kneeling beside Ye Xiaohan. Their faces, covered by veils, could not hide the afflicted areas.
Ye Xiaohan examined their faces closely; it was clear they were not faking. The pockmarked skin was bad enough, but the extent of the festering wounds was alarming, with yellow pus continuously seeping out. Their faces were a sight to behold, utterly tragic.
As they were brought in, everyone present gasped in shock, and several turned away, unwilling to look any longer.
Deputy General Tian remained unfazed, sitting calmly in his chair without a hint of movement.
Liu Yuan wondered what kind of poison that bastard Liu Yun had put in the Blush to cause such severe harm. He had truly gone to great lengths to frame her.
Liu Yun shouted loudly, "The people kneeling before you are the victims of this incident, and these are just a few of them. According to Yamen's investigation, there have already been one hundred eleven women who suffered poisoning and disfigurement after using the Blush from Peach Blossom Studio."
He addressed the victims, "Look closely at the person next to you. Is she not the one who sold you the Blush?"
When those victims were first brought into the courtroom, they were intimidated by the grand spectacle. However, upon seeing Ye Xiaohan, their fear was ignited into rage, leaving only hatred for her.
"That's her! She is the Boss of Peach Blossom Studio! I bought my cosmetics from their shop, and she poisoned them inside, turning me into this!"
In her fury, one woman tore off her veil, revealing her entire face.
The visual impact was even more horrifying; everyone instinctively held their breath and leaned back. Even Deputy General Tian's eyebrows twitched slightly in response.
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