33. Chapter 33: This Is a Vast Net

Throughout the Tianyuan Dynasty, who was unaware of the Princess’s incompetence? She possessed no talent for literature or the arts, lacked any skill in martial arts, and was devoted solely to hedonism and vice. Even when she sought to do evil, she always relied on others to carry out her bidding.

Now, not only did the Empress remain unconvinced, but Lin Xiao, the father of Yun Xiyan, was equally skeptical. A flicker of concern crossed his alluring eyes; even if Xiyan had to invent an excuse, she should have chosen a more plausible one.

"Your daughter speaks only the truth. I implore Your Majesty to discern the facts." Seeing the disbelief of those present, Xiyan knitted her elegant, arched brows. It was true—anyone with internal energy could sense the presence of it in others. Her Imperial Sister possessed not a shred of such power; she knew it, and the Empress certainly knew it too. It seemed she was truly trapped in a situation where she could not clear her name.

Yun Qiange tilted her head, feigning confusion, looking every bit like an inquisitive and studious child. "Then who shot the arrow into my shoulder? Could it be that I shot myself?" As she spoke, she thought to herself: I am not afraid of driving you to death; I am only afraid I might fail to do so.

Yun Xiyan was rendered breathless and speechless, unable to find a single point of rebuttal. When the court official’s men had found her, she had only just freed herself from her pressure points and had not yet destroyed the bow. Everything—every single detail—had been calculated by her Imperial Sister with chilling precision.

Xiyan’s fair complexion shifted through a kaleidoscope of colors—green, white, red, and black—as she struggled to contain her fury. So, this was the goal! This was why she had refused to let Haoyu remove the arrow or apply medicine!

Since she possessed the martial skill to dodge the arrow, her choice not to move was a calculated ruse—a plea for sympathy through self-inflicted pain. Then, using a borrowed knife to kill, she had used Xiyan’s own weapon to slay her attendants, leveraging her supposed lack of martial arts to clear herself of suspicion, only to cast the blame squarely back onto Xiyan. Ha, at this point, any further explanation from her would be futile.

It was as if she had fallen into a net meticulously woven by someone with a devious mind, a trap so airtight that it had ensnared every person and event, leaving no room for escape.

However, it would not be so easy to convict her. Biting her lip, she spoke again: "Your Majesty, I do not know why things have turned out this way. This must have been a deliberate arrangement by someone seeking to sow discord between my Imperial Sister and me."

"Indeed, Your Majesty! Aside from Xiyan and the Princess, there was no third person present. This cannot be grounds to condemn Xiyan. I beg you, Your Majesty, spare her; my child is surely being framed." Seeing the situation tilting in the Princess’s favor, Consort Xiao, overcome with anxiety, finally spoke up.

No third person present? In truth, there was one. At this thought, Yun Qiange’s fists tightened, her fingernails digging deep crescents into her palms. She had to find him as soon as possible. Despite having the advantage of time and location, the human element had failed her. All her careful calculations had been undone by a single exception.

Since she could not defeat him, she would have to use threats or bribery to ensure he never revealed what he had witnessed.

She looked up, appearing to concede, and smiled brilliantly at her sister, projecting an air of sisterly affection. Yet, that smile never reached her eyes, which glinted with a subtle, threatening light. With a pointed tone, she remarked, "Speaking of the absence of a third party, that is indeed quite important. For instance, in the matter where I was accused of murdering Princess Li Goule by those with malicious intent—Your Majesty, I could choose not to pursue that case. Just as Consort Xiao suggested, no one witnessed me at the scene. I was branded a suspect merely because a token from my estate was found at the site. I believe that was a deliberate frame-up, for after all, no one saw me involved in that incident, did they? Imperial Sister, would you not agree?"