Chapter 22 — Sacrificed by the Heir: Reborn as Yue Zhaoyue to Avenge Sixteen Years of Injustice

Even if she had to crawl back from the depths of the abyss, she would ensure that I was dragged down into the mire alongside her. Xie Linchu supported her fragile frame, his gaze snapping toward me with icy suspicion.

"Shen Zhaoyue, do you have anything left to say?"

I met his eyes steadily. "This time, the Heir has certainly been quick to offer his belief."

Shen Yuntang sobbed, her voice trembling with manufactured fragility. "Brother Linchu, the wounds upon my body are the proof. Those savages from the North said that if I would only point the finger at her, they would grant me my freedom. But I could not betray my conscience. I risked my life to escape and return, solely to reveal the truth to His Majesty."

Imperial Concubine To immediately intervened. "Your Majesty, the eldest daughter of the Shen house has been tortured to such a state; how could she possibly sacrifice her own purity and reputation just to spin a lie?"

The Grand Princess turned her sharp gaze upon Shen Yuntang. "You claim the Northern border enemies instructed you to implicate Shen Zhaoyue, yet you insist you could not betray your conscience. Then, pray tell, what is the meaning of your accusation here today?"

Shen Yuntang was struck dumb, her breath hitching in her throat. Xie Linchu quickly smoothed over the silence. "Shen Yuntang has just endured unimaginable terror; it is only natural that her words might be somewhat disordered."

Co Nghien muttered under his breath, "The Heir's logic truly knows no bounds of absurdity."

Xie Linchu roared in fury, "Silence!"

The Emperor slammed his palm against the imperial desk. "All of you, be silent."

He turned his piercing gaze toward me. "Shen Zhaoyue, where is the wooden talisman?"

I knelt straight, my posture composed. "I do not know what talisman Your Majesty is referring to."

Shen Yuntang shrieked instantly, "You are lying! Since we were children, you have always worn a wooden token carved with a crescent moon. Father has tried to take it from you many times, but you always refused."

My father's expression shifted, his face draining of color. I stared at her. "Elder sister, how did you know it was a wooden talisman? I have always told everyone it was merely a protective charm."

Shen Yuntang's face turned ghastly pale. Imperial Concubine To spoke up, "She is but a young girl who has slipped in her speech."

I pressed on, "Does elder sister also know the secret behind this talisman?"

Shen Yuntang bit her lip, blood welling. "When I was captured by the men from the North, I heard them speaking of it."

"What did they say?"

"They said... that the talisman holds the power to command the remnants of the Northern border army."

A deathly silence descended upon the Imperial Study. The Grand Princess's expression darkened into a mask of grim realization. The Emperor stared intensely at Shen Yuntang. "Say that again."

Shen Yuntang began to panic. It was evident she had no grasp of the gravity of her own words. Even Xie Linchu seemed to realize the danger. "Shen Yuntang, where exactly did you hear such things?"

She looked at him, wide-eyed. "It was... it was those savages who said it."

I interrogated her further. "Which savages? How many were there? What did they look like? Where did they keep you? What did they feed you? And who, exactly, released you?"

She opened her mouth, stammering. "I... I was too terrified, I cannot remember clearly."

Co Nghien stepped forward. "May this humble subject examine the wounds on the eldest daughter of the Shen house?"

Shen Yuntang immediately burrowed into Xie Linchu's arms. "No."

Co Nghien persisted, "If these are truly the result of the Northern border's tortures, the wounds from blades and whips follow a specific pattern. Conversely, if they were self-inflicted, that, too, would be apparent."

Imperial Concubine To's voice turned frigid. "A common man wishes to examine the wounds of a noble lady?"

Co Nghien replied, "We may summon the palace physician. I merely wish to point out that the blood scabs on her face are far too fresh; they do not resemble injuries sustained three days ago."

Shen Yuntang frantically reached up to cover her face. Xie Linchu looked down at her, his voice heavy. "Shen Yuntang?"

Shen Yuntang burst into uncontrollable tears. "I do not know, I truly do not know."

The Emperor commanded, "Summon the palace physician."

Imperial Concubine To’s complexion shifted violently. My father hung his head low, sweat dripping onto the cold stone floor. The physician arrived quickly and ushered Shen Yuntang behind a screen. Moments later, the physician emerged.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, most of the injuries on the eldest daughter were sustained within the last day. The strikes lack force, and they carefully avoid any vital points. The wounds on her face were caused by a hairpin, not by whips or blades."

Behind the screen, Shen Yuntang wailed, "No! That is not true! I did not do this!"

Xie Linchu stood frozen, his face the color of ash. I looked at him. "Does the Heir still believe her?"

He did not answer. Imperial Concubine To suddenly knelt. "Your Majesty, even if the injuries are suspicious, it does not prove Shen Zhaoyue's innocence. The matter of the talisman involves the remnants of the Northern army; it is better to investigate wrongly than to let a threat slip through."

The Emperor looked at me. "Shen Zhaoyue, hand over the talisman."

The Grand Princess stepped in front of me. "Your Majesty, if she is truly linked to the Northern remnants, then we must investigate her origins thoroughly, rather than rushing to a verdict."

Imperial Concubine To sneered, "The Grand Princess is over-protecting her."

The Grand Princess shot back, "Your Concubine's eagerness to condemn her is just as transparent."

The Emperor roared, "Enough!"

He stared at me. "I ask you one final time, where is the talisman?"

I knelt on the floor and suddenly began to laugh. In my dreams, under these very same interrogations, I was pushed step by step toward my demise. Everyone wanted me to confess to sins I had never committed. Everyone cried out that it was better to kill the innocent than to leave one culprit alive. But this time, I would not wait for someone else to save me. I unclasped the wooden talisman from my bodice and raised it with both hands.

"The talisman is here."

A flash of triumph gleamed in Imperial Concubine To's eyes. Shen Yuntang lunged out from behind the screen. "Your Majesty, look! She has admitted it!"

I lifted my head.