She was also using him as an eyewitness.
Being used by the Cui family made him very displeased.
Shen Xiabai's lips pressed tightly together, his gaze toward the man kneeling below growing even more displeased. "Men, drag him outside the Penal Department and give him sixty strokes of the cane. Have him recite his crimes for half an hour."
This punishment could not be considered severe, but it was exactly what Cui Yunchu wanted. After all, the crimes committed by Young Master Wang were not enough to warrant a formal criminal sentence; they could only serve as a minor punishment for a major warning.
Young Master Wang was dragged away to be punished outside the Penal Department. Before long, it attracted a large crowd of commoners to watch.
The executioners placed his written confession on the ground. As they beat him, they forced him to read it aloud, completely clarifying all the rumors and slander against Cui Yunchu.
Young Master Wang had wicked intentions, but he was a cowardly man who clung to life and feared death. In order to return from the Penal Department in one piece, he naturally obeyed completely.
In the study, a servant frowned and said, "My Lord, the Eldest Miss Cui sent him here with exactly this plan in mind. Aren't we letting her off too easily by doing this?"
That was the Cui family, after all.
Shen Xiabai said nothing, lowering his eyes as he stroked a yellowed, ancient tome on his desk.
It was left behind by his father, and what it recorded and taught was the livelihood of the people.
His father indeed had ambitions, but he also truly cared for the common people, balancing firmness with gentleness. Otherwise, he would not have donated all his family wealth to save the nation.
Even the Emperor had issued an edict to let bygones be bygones, but the Cui family simply refused to leave him a way out.
Assassinated halfway, his elder brother, who always loved to smile, didn't even get a chance to lay eyes on his newborn son.
Shen Xiabai gathered his thoughts and spoke coldly, "Public matters are public, and private matters are private. We of the Shen family disdain resorting to petty tricks against a woman."
Besides, he had indeed been presumptuous earlier, speaking disrespectfully and misunderstanding her.
Shen Xiabai's punishment was very effective. Within half a day, the entire capital began discussing it.
The Wang family's background was not bad; it was only against the Cui family that they suffered such a huge loss. In truth, many girls from lesser households in the capital had been harassed by him. Now, naturally, everyone followed the wind and kicked him while he was down.
However, completely clearing Cui Yunchu's deeply rooted bad reputation was not that easy.
Xing'er joyfully recounted the outside gossip to Cui Yunchu.
Cui Yunchu curled her lips into a faint smile, very satisfied with Shen Xiabai's handling of the matter. "How about it? Is everyone outside talking about me, the victim, now? Speaking up for me."
Xing'er opened her mouth, then fell silent.
"What's wrong?"
Xing'er said angrily, "Opinions are divided. There are those who speak up for you, Miss, but there are also those who... say, say... flies don't bite seamless eggs. They say Young Master Wang sought you out because you..."
...have an enchanting and seductive appearance, love to show off, and behave flirtatiously. If she had just been well-behaved and observed proper etiquette, Young Master Wang would never have noticed her.
Cui Yunchu was completely stunned.
"Did their mothers forget to give them brains when they were born?!"
Xing'er shuddered in fright.
Cui Yunchu was furious.
"Miss, you can't stop the mouths of the masses anyway. Your reputation has still been salvaged somewhat."
It did have an effect, just not as much as the young miss had hoped.
"No, it's not enough." Cui Yunchu wanted much more than this.
"It must be that Young Master Wang's weight isn't enough. Let's go find Cui Yunfeng."
Xing'er followed Cui Yunchu in bewilderment, arriving at Cui Yunfeng's courtyard.
"Cui Yunfeng, Cui Yunfeng."
On the soft couch in the room, Cui Yunfeng was holding a white cat, stroking its smooth fur. Suddenly hearing Cui Yunchu's voice, the white cat leaped up and hid under the bed.
"..." Cui Yunfeng raised her eyes and looked toward the door. Soon, Cui Yunchu walked in briskly with Xing'er.
"What do you want?" Cui Yunfeng asked, looking listless.
Cui Yunchu said, "I need to borrow your handwriting."
Without a word of explanation, she pulled Cui Yunfeng up from the soft couch, only to get her hands covered in white fur.
"What have you been doing?" Cui Yunchu clapped her hands, and the white fur immediately flew everywhere.
Sunlight slanted into the room through the window lattice, illuminating the dust and white fur floating in midair.
Cui Yunfeng's gaze shifted toward the bottom of the bed, where a furry head peeked out from time to time, looking endearing.
Cui Yunchu saw it too, naturally knowing it was a gift from Prince An.
Looking again at Cui Yunfeng covered in white fur, she must have been holding the white cat constantly for the past two days.
"What handwriting did you just say you needed to borrow?"
Cui Yunchu didn't have time to think about anything else, pulling Cui Yunfeng over to the desk.
...
An hour later, at Prince An's Manor.
Xiao Yi leaned back in his chair, his long legs resting on the desk. He held a piece of wood in his hand, his eyes lowered as he carved something.
A joyful and urgent voice burst into the study.
In a moment of distraction, the carving knife in Xiao Yi's hand slipped half an inch, slicing into his finger.
He casually picked up a handkerchief nearby, covering and wrapping the wound.
Eunuch Liu waved the letter in his hand, his eyes curving into a smile. "Second Miss has sent a letter."
Xiao Yi's expression paused, his peach-blossom eyes seeming to narrow slightly as he looked up at the letter in Eunuch Liu's hand.
"Bring it here."
He took the letter and, looking at the signature on the envelope, his lips curled into a pleased smile.
It was indeed her handwriting.
Xiao Yi impatiently tore it open and pulled out the rice paper inside. At first glance, he frowned, and soon his handsome, somewhat wicked face slowly darkened.
The handwriting on the rice paper was far less elegant than that on the envelope; it couldn't even be called neat. If Xiao Yi hadn't been forced to read countless letters from Cui Yunchu and become intimately familiar with her chicken-scratch writing, he probably wouldn't have been able to decipher the contents.
Eunuch Liu watched his prince's expression turn suddenly gloomy. Feeling a chill in his heart, he cautiously leaned closer.
Hmm... he couldn't read it.
A third of Second Miss's handwriting had been taught by the prince himself. Even if it wasn't a masterpiece of calligraphy, it was still very elegant and beautiful.
What... was this writing?
But he didn't have the courage to ask.
Xiao Yi barely managed to finish reading it and threw it to Eunuch Liu.
"Your Highness."
Xiao Yi picked up the unfinished piece of wood again and continued carving carefully.
A moment later, his lowered head rose again, his sharp brows slightly furrowed.
The handwriting on the envelope was indeed Yunfeng's, so that must be Yunfeng's intention as well.
"Do as the letter says."
Eunuch Liu, "..."
That was asking too much of him. Eunuch Liu held the rice paper up to the window lattice and stared at it carefully for a long time before looking up with a stiff face. "Your Highness, this servant's... old eyes are dim. I can't read it."
Xiao Yi, "..."
