Chapter 256 - 254: Who She Is Now (2 Updates)

Chapter 256: Chapter 254: Who She Is Now (2 Updates)

Jiang Shaobai looked at Mrs. Wen, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Below, Duke Qiao seemed to have noticed something as well, and said coldly, "Jiang Zhonghe, I don’t know what your relationship with this Xu Family girl is, but don’t forget, even the palace is watching this case!

My daughter-in-law fainted when she heard Jun’er was kidnapped; she’s pregnant now, and a little carelessness could be a matter of life and death for two people! You can’t afford to risk that!"

This was an explicit threat.

Xu Jing temporarily didn’t have the mind to think about why Jiang Shaobai would speak up for her. She glanced at Mrs. Wen, and said calmly, "I do want my cousins to come out and testify personally. However, as I just said, this is obviously a conspiracy against them. My cousins, being key figures in this, are likely already controlled by the mastermind.

If I’m not mistaken, soon there will be news of the whereabouts of those two children. When that time comes, as we follow the news, we will find that my cousins are there as well."

Wang Qilang, who hadn’t spoken until now, scoffed, "Miss Xu, are you trying to find excuses for your cousins in advance? This reason is too laughable..."

"Wang Qilang!"

Xu Jing coldly interrupted him, "As the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice, you should know better than anyone that without evidence, you should not convict anyone!

However, it seems to be your characteristic, Wang Qilang, to see a suspicious person and immediately label them a suspect, arresting them regardless..."

Wang Qilang’s face turned pale, and the shame of the murder case at the Imperial College resurfaced in his mind, "You..."

But Xu Jing no longer looked at him, instead turning to Jiang Shaobai, "Jiang Zhaoyin, although I can’t find my cousins at the moment, I have found a way to prove their innocence!"

"Oh?"

Jiang Shaobai looked at her and asked, "What way?"

Xu Jing pressed her lips together, "This method requires some time, so I ask that Jiang Zhaoyin grant me a day..."

"No need."

At this moment, Xiao Yi suddenly stepped forward, standing beside Xu Jing. The smooth fabric of his sleeve brushed gently against Xu Jing’s arm as he said calmly, "Half a day is enough."

Xu Jing looked at him with some surprise.

After inspecting the scene, she had Mr. Yao send messages to both Xiao Yi and Zhao Shaohua, asking them to help investigate something.

The kidnapping from the alley to the Western Capital Prefecture took only a little while, yet Xiao Yi had already gathered the information she needed?

In fact, Xu Jing hadn’t expected Xiao Yi to arrive so quickly.

Sensing her gaze, Xiao Yi glanced over to reassure her, and continued, "Jiang Zhaoyin, members of the Xu Family and the Wang Family, if you’re not reassured, feel free to stay at the Western Capital Prefecture. I assure you, Miss Xu and the Xu Family will not leave. In about half a day, news will come, and then..."

Xiao Yi paused, his voice deepening slightly, "Everyone will know who the real kidnapper is."

Jiang Shaobai fell silent for a moment, then said, "Alright, the kidnapper demands the silver note within two days; we can afford to wait half a day. What do you all think?"

With Jiang Shaobai putting it this way, those who were initially opposed found themselves at a loss for words.

How could they argue that they couldn’t even wait half a day and must immediately torture the Xu woman?

Moreover, Xiao Yi had promised that the woman and those two from the Xu Family wouldn’t leave...

Seeing that no one objected, Jiang Shaobai made the decision, "Then let’s do as Xiao Qilang suggests and wait for half a day. During this time, I’ll have officers watch over Miss Xu and the Xu Family father and son. The rest of you can leave whenever you wish."

They couldn’t occupy the courtroom indefinitely; though the kidnapping was serious, the Western Capital Prefecture still had its daily duties to attend to.

Xu Jing and the Xu Family father and son were monitored by government officials as they waited in a back room of the Western Capital Prefecture.

Most people from the Xu and Wang families stayed behind, though Xu Jing noticed that only Duke Qiao and Xu Guangyi had left.

Seeing her scrutinizing gaze, Xiao Yi, who had followed her over, immediately understood what she was thinking and said softly, "Once Young Master Wang went missing, the Wang Family dispatched all their family guards across the city to search. The Empress Dowager also immediately had the Southern Government Sixteen Guards mobilize an elite force to assist in the search for the two children.

Duke Qiao and Minister Xu must have gone out to check the situation."

Xu Jing figured as much. With their temperament, they couldn’t solely rely on the Western Capital Prefecture.

Her mouth curled without any particular emotion, "What’s the point of sending more people? They can only search under the guise of other pretexts; they wouldn’t dare make a fuss."

After all, the Western Capital was quite large.

There were countless places to hide someone. If a person truly wanted to hide another, sending more people to search wouldn’t help.

At this time, she and the Xu Family father and son were confined in a room alone. Xu Jing looked at Xiao Yi who was accompanying her, her heart slightly moved, and asked softly, "But did my guards tell you that I was taken away by Mr. Yao?"

The guards Xiao Yi had placed with her generally wouldn’t report her affairs to Xiao Yi unless there was danger or something very unusual happened.

Xiao Yi nodded, "As soon as Mr. Yao arrived on your side, they sent a message to me, and I immediately investigated the reason they took you."

No wonder he could come so quickly.

Xu Jing felt a slight warmth in her heart, and said helplessly, "I troubled you again. By the way, I asked Mr. Yao to send someone to find you later..."

"Yes, your thoughts coincided with mine."

Xiao Yi looked down at the woman in front of him, "After understanding the case, I also thought of where we could make a breakthrough.

Before Mr. Yao’s people arrived, I had already sent someone to investigate.

The situation... is more favorable than we thought."

The case itself wasn’t difficult.

Although the other party was bent on plunging her into utter ruin, their methods were too immature to deceive seasoned investigators like her and Xiao Yi.

"After you sent word to Young Madam Zhao, both she and Changyu immediately sent people to assist us in the investigation."

Suddenly, Xiao Yi said softly, "Jing, they are all very worried about you."

Xu Jing was slightly taken aback, the corners of her mouth involuntarily lifting.

Indeed, she was no longer as isolated and helpless as before, no longer betting everything whenever something happened.

Sitting not far away, Xu Huan’an watched the two of them, and although he knew now wasn’t the time to have wild thoughts, he couldn’t help but feel a slight tightening in his chest.

Xu Sihai glanced at his eldest son, and could only sigh quietly.

Soon, half the day had passed. By this time, the outside sky had completely darkened, but the Western Capital Prefecture was brightly lit, as bright as day.

As Xu Jing walked into the courtroom once more, she saw that the expressions on the Xu Family and Wang Family members’ faces were even gloomier. Xu Guangyi glared at her fiercely, as if he wanted to tear her apart at any moment.

Xu Jing immediately knew that their search had definitely not gone well.

She glanced at him indifferently and then shifted her gaze to Xu Ya, who was supporting Mrs. Wen nearby.

Xu Ya’s face wasn’t looking good either, evidently showing more genuine emotion than it had in the morning.

Noticing Xu Jing’s gaze, Xu Ya seemed slightly startled. However, she didn’t look away, simply stared coldly at Xu Jing, her mouth tightly pressed.

This woman was just bluffing.

Xu Ya couldn’t fall for it. Even if she had Xiao Qilang’s help, she couldn’t accomplish anything significant; she certainly couldn’t!

Once everyone was in place, Jiang Shaobai tapped the gavel and said calmly, "Miss Xu, the half-day has passed. Are you ready to present your method of proving your innocence?"

Xu Jing’s lips curved slightly upward, "Of course, not only can I present it, but I have also found the most crucial witness!"