Chapter 5: Pulling Cannon Ash to Blame

Yan'er's eyes widened in disbelief as she touched her empty left ear.

"No...sister, listen to me..." Yan'er wanted to deny.

"Smack!"

Another slap came across her face, this time on the other side, making both sides quickly swell to the same height!

Yan'er screamed in pain, "Ah!"

Shimei wiped her numb wrist and turned to look at the lord, "Father, I would rather serve a foolish prince from now on than to disgrace the family. Who would have thought that the thief in the family would be my good sister, your second daughter, plotting against me!"

Everyone present was stunned.

If Shimei was lying, how would the earring explain itself?

So, was this really designed by Yan'er?

Just as the lord was pondering, Yan'er knelt down in front of him, "Father, I am innocent! My sister's reputation represents the family, and if she is disgraced, my face will naturally suffer. How could I do something so detrimental?"

"Oh, innocent? Yan'er, no matter what, the family will send a legitimate daughter to participate in the prince's selection banquet. If I am disgraced or even dead, wouldn't that position fall to you?"

Although Shimei was speaking to Yan'er, she was actually staring at the lord!

The head of the civil officials couldn't be lacking in intelligence.

"Shimei, what is your attitude towards me?" the lord noticed that his daughter had changed!

Shimei's eyes were as cold as frost, and a mocking smile tugged at the corner of her lips, "Father! In this situation, I, the future princess of the foolish prince, will not stay in the family for long. Once I am married, even the father who is the prime minister will have to treat me with respect. Don't you think so?"

She firmly established her identity, not only causing the lord's face to change, but also subtly affecting the mood of everyone in the hall!

Except for Yan'er.

As long as she became the prince's consort, what did it matter if she was the princess of the foolish prince!

She continued to kneel on the ground, looking at the lord with her swollen face, "Father, I really didn't do this! Please see the truth and stand up for your daughter!"

Her crying was so pitiful, her birth mother, Lady Zhang, also knelt down, "Lord, Yan'er has always been kind to others. How could she plot against her beloved sister? Perhaps someone took advantage of this opportunity to frame her, not only harming the eldest daughter but also sowing discord between the sisters. Maybe it was someone else who wanted to participate in the selection of the prince's consort, preventing our family from sending a candidate!"

"Frame her?" The lord snapped out of the embarrassment brought by Shimei and looked at Yan'er, pondering.

Mentioning the "selection of the prince's consort" was a reminder of the lord's self-interest!

Shimei sneered inwardly.

The lord obviously favored one of his two legitimate daughters, whether it was the disgraced eldest daughter or the second daughter, it was easy to guess!

The cause and effect were not important, whether Yan'er was ruthless or not was not important. What was important was the family's interests!

Sure enough, the lord looked at Yan'er and asked, "If it was a frame-up, someone must have bribed the people around you to get your jade earring. Yan'er, who do you suspect?"

Yan'er cried even harder, "I...I don't know anything!"

Suddenly, as if she had remembered something, she exclaimed, "I remember! Tonight, while admiring the lanterns on the street, I saw a pair of earrings that I liked. I tried them on and took off my own earrings, asking Chunxiang to hold them for me. Later, I forgot to put them back on!"

She glanced at the maid Chunxiang standing in the crowd.

Chunxiang panicked and knelt down, "I...I..."

Lady Zhang also looked at Chunxiang with a cold gaze.

Chunxiang trembled, tears streaming down her face, "It was me! Last time, for no reason, the young lady scolded me, and I held a grudge. That's why I deliberately set up this trap on the eve of the prince's selection, but I was afraid of being exposed, so I deliberately wore the second young lady's earring to frame the young lady! I am guilty, please spare me, Lord!"

Shimei saw through this turn of events and found it quite ridiculous!

Tonight, Yan'er was definitely not going to be removed!

No matter, there would be another opportunity in the future!

The lord, who had no intention of dealing with Yan'er, was handed a lifeline and took advantage of it, "Alright, the truth has come to light! You, despicable servant, dared to plot against the young lady. Take her out, give her fifty lashes, and banish her from the family, regardless of life or death!"

His gaze then turned to Shimei, still holding a cane in his hand.

Shimei raised an eyebrow provocatively, looking at the lord, "Father, will this family law continue to be enforced?"

The lord's eyes flickered, and he glared at her fiercely, then put the cane back on the tray, saying, "Even though you are now the future princess of the foolish prince, it doesn't change the fact that you have brought shame to the family. You may have received a marriage proposal, and I cannot enforce family law on you, but..."

He then got to the point, "From tomorrow, Yan'er will take your place at the banquet. Starting tomorrow, you will move from the Hibiscus Pavilion to the Rose Garden, and until you leave the family, you must keep a low profile and not show your face again!"

It was a done deal.

Shimei pursed her lips and glanced at Yan'er, who had been helped up by Lady Zhang, listening to the miserable screams of Chunxiang being taken out to be punished.

She murmured to herself, "The human heart is truly terrifying!"

Yan'er's successful scheme not only brought disgrace to Shimei, but also almost cost Shimei her life!

Now, by sacrificing a maid as a scapegoat, Yan'er not only escaped punishment but also became the most esteemed legitimate daughter of the family!

So be it, let Yan'er climb higher and higher, and the fall will be even more painful!