Chapter 1298 - 974: Bamboo Vinegar

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback.

Yu Wenquan’s gaze flickered slightly, but his expression remained calm as he asked, "How do you prove it? Speak."

Shang Ruyi said, "Father can let Eunuch Liu smell the scent of that piece of torn clothing."

"Smell the scent?"

Yu Wenquan was somewhat surprised and turned to glance at Liu Yu, signaling for him to do so. Liu Yu hurriedly brought the torn cloth to his nose and sniffed, suddenly widening his eyes: "This, this is—"

He stammered, unable to articulate anything for a while, so Yu Wenquan directly reached out and took the cloth to smell it himself.

Everyone around focused their eyes on him intensely, only to see his complexion gradually darken. He remained silent for a long time without saying anything, and instead passed the cloth to Tao Wanxin beside him. Tao Wanxin took it and sniffed once, immediately said: "There’s a hint of bamboo vinegar smell on this."

"...!"

Shang Ruyi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

During these two days in Chengqian Hall, although she had estimated the events that happened and roughly deduced how the other party designed and lured her into it, she was not completely sure. Now, upon hearing Tao Wanxin say that the torn clothing had bamboo vinegar, she knew her deduction was correct.

What comes next will be easy to handle.

So she said, "Exactly. A few days ago, termites were rampant, and bamboo vinegar was used in the palace to kill them. I believe everyone is familiar with this scent."

Zhang Yuping chuckled lightly and said, "Yes, that smell permeated the entire palace, it’s quite unpleasant. But Princess Qin, what does the bamboo vinegar scent on this cloth signify?"

Shang Ruyi looked at her and smiled, "Zhang Jieyu lives in Shujing Palace. The Inner Court exterminated termites the day after Liangyi Hall and Taiji Palace, during which several other palaces were severely invaded. So when it was Qianqiu Palace’s turn, it was the same day Father celebrated birthdays for Zhang Jieyu and Tao Jieyu."

"..."

"Which is precisely the day Sun Xianyue went to Qianqiu Palace for a private meeting with me."

Han Yuhui said, "Why is that a problem?"

Shang Ruyi smiled faintly and said, "Han Shanggong was busy administering termite control throughout the palace and likely missed that the bamboo vinegar was steamed at Qianqiu Palace at noon."

"..."

"How could the scent from the noon steaming be carried onto this piece of torn cloth left by Sun Xianyue who came to Qianqiu Palace in the evening?"

"..."

"Could it be that Sun Xianyue arrived at noon?"

"..."

"But at noon on that day, because of the unpleasant scent of the bamboo vinegar, I led everyone out of Qianqiu Palace to talk to Lady Chu in Jinyu Garden."

"Exactly!"

As Shang Ruyi finished her words, Chu Ruoyan immediately continued, "That noon, Sister Ruyi indeed led Yuan Qian and everyone from Qianqiu Palace to my family’s Jinyu Garden to avoid the bamboo vinegar steaming, and everyone in Jinyu Garden can testify!"

Panqing, kneeling beside her, also said, "I can testify!"

Yu Wenquan looked at them and nodded gently.

At this point, Han Yuhui was a bit flustered. While her gaze wavered, Shang Ruyi took the initiative to look at her and said with a smile, "Han Shanggong, if I recall correctly, the rumor about me and Sun Xianyue’s ’private meeting’ seemed to start because the palace maid named Wen Ying that you had with you said she saw someone climb out of Qianqiu Palace."

"..."

"Was Sun Xianyue really at Qianqiu Palace in the afternoon or evening?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Ruoyan and others were somewhat surprised, even Yu Wenquan looked at her unexpectedly.

The bamboo vinegar scent on the torn fabric has already mostly proved that Shang Ruyi did not meet privately with Sun Xianyue, so why did she seize the opportunity to clear her name and instead confront Han Yuhui?

Yet, no one spoke.

Han Yuhui was evidently surprised too, but she quickly composed herself and barely smiled, saying, "Of course, he came in the evening."

Shang Ruyi said, "If he came in the evening, how could his clothing retain the bamboo vinegar scent used at noon?"

"..."

"If I remember correctly, it even rained that afternoon."

"..."

"Not to mention the scent would have dispersed after airing; could rain still leave bamboo vinegar residues?"

Han Yuhui glanced at the torn cloth in Tao Wanxin’s hand and suddenly said, "In my view, the cloth merely acquired some bamboo vinegar scent, now barely detectable, which doesn’t truly indicate it was contaminated with bamboo vinegar."

At this point, she immediately said, "Unless this cloth truly has bamboo vinegar on it, could it be proven he came at noon."

Hearing this, Chu Ruoyan glared at her fiercely: "Han Shanggong, this piece of cloth is gray; how can anyone tell if bamboo vinegar remains on it? You’re making things difficult!"

Seeing her anxious, Han Yuhui instead laughed, then confidently said, "Lady Chu, that’s not the case. I am only stating facts. After all, if someone came in the evening, they couldn’t have bamboo vinegar from the noon steaming on them."

Chu Ruoyan was suddenly speechless.

And at this moment, Shang Ruyi suddenly gave her a sharp look: "If there’s bamboo vinegar on it, then what?"

"...!"

Han Yuhui was taken aback by her gaze.

From the first day Shang Ruyi married into Taiyuan and met her at the separate garden, until now, years have passed. Han Yuhui certainly knew this woman’s intelligence and was somewhat surprised by her ability to go to the battlefield and fight alongside Yu Wenye. Yet, even so, Shang Ruyi rarely displayed such a piercing gaze.

This gaze was even more daunting than her words, leaving Han Yuhui somewhat at a loss.

And seeing her a bit bewildered, Shang Ruyi pressed on, in a more aggressive tone: "Han Shanggong, I’m asking you, if I can prove this thing stained with bamboo vinegar, then what!?"

This statement nearly cornered Han Yuhui.

In fact, everyone at the hall already noticed that this was a confrontation between Princess Qin and Han Shanggong. If Shang Ruyi truly proved her innocence, the person who orchestrated this string of so-called "private meeting" evidence was likely Han Yuhui!

As Han Yuhui didn’t know how to respond, Yu Wenquan suddenly said, "If this torn cloth truly contains bamboo vinegar, at least, it can prove it was left during noon when Princess Qin wasn’t at Qianqiu Palace, and there wasn’t a private meeting."

Hearing him emphasize "at least," Shang Ruyi’s gaze at him flickered.

That is to say—

She immediately said, "Father, you’re wise!"

Yu Wenquan looked at her, "How will you prove it?"