Chapter 16 — The Poor Bridegroom Is the Supreme One

After two consecutive failures - the attack at the market and the plot to push Khinh Vy into Black Vow Coc - Khinh Tuyết and Âu Thế Khang understood that they could no longer continue to use underhanded, difficult-to-control tricks like before. This time, they decided to put all their effort into a strict legal plan, carefully prepared down to the smallest detail, so that there would be no loopholes that could let Khinh Vy escape.

In a closed room of the main court, Khinh Tuyết, Âu Thế Khang, along with Triệu Nhã Trân and Âu Vĩnh Phát sat around discussing, a tense atmosphere pervaded the whole room even though it was still sunny outside.

"This plan must be absolutely perfect," Âu Vĩnh Phát spoke up, the voice of a rich businessman who had experienced countless fierce business markets. "I have had someone prepare a set of documents, recording that Ngân Khinh Vy conspired to steal the private seal of the Ministerial Household, using it to forge a document transferring part of the royal property into private hands. This is an extremely serious crime, enough to condemn her to death if convicted."

"But how can we have convincing evidence for this?" Khinh Tuyết asked, her eyes still a little worried after the previous consecutive failures.

"That is the most important part," Âu Vĩnh Phát replied, the corners of his lips curling up into a cold, calculating smile. "I arranged for a former servant of the Ngan Palace, who served directly in the seal storage room, to secretly disappear, then staged the scene as if this person had been murdered to silence him, with fake evidence showing that Khinh Vy was the one who did it, in order to hide the fact that he stole the seal."

Hearing that, Khinh Tuyết's face showed both surprise and satisfaction at the cruelty and meticulousness of this plan. "So when do we take action?"

"Within the next half month," Âu Vĩnh Phát replied, "I have arranged for an official in Đại Lý Tự, with whom I have had a close relationship for a long time, to take over this case and handle it in a way that is favorable to us. Although Đại Lý Tự Khanh Quách Bá Ninh is famous for his impartiality, under pressure from many sides and with seemingly authentic evidence, it will be difficult for him to avoid having to pronounce a verdict unfavorable to Khinh Vy." Triệu Nhã Trân, from the beginning, had been sitting quietly listening, but now spoke up, her voice somewhat cautious. "What about Khinh Vy's husband? After the Black Vụ Cốc incident, I'm afraid he's not as simple as his poor appearance. If we let him act freely, maybe he'll find a way to ruin our plan at the last minute." Âu Thế Khang, who had remained silent from the beginning, now spoke up, his eyes shining with a sinister light. "I've thought about that. If he really has special abilities like what happened in Black Vy Coc, the best way is not to confront him directly, but to use Khinh Vy herself to control him. I will have people arrest him right before the trial takes place, use him as a hostage, and threaten Khinh Vy to confess on the spot instead of protesting, lest his life will be in danger."

"That's a good idea," Khinh Tuyết nodded approvingly, "if Khinh Vy really has deep feelings for that poor husband like the rumors in the palace, she certainly wouldn't dare to risk his life just to protect her own honor." The plan was agreed upon, and that very night, a servant named A Loc, who had served in the seal storage room of Ho Ministry, was silently kidnapped and taken to a secret place to wait to be "dealt with" according to the script that had been set up.

Meanwhile, at the small western institute, Khinh Vy was completely unaware of the scale and severity of the new plot being prepared to target her. She continued her daily work, silently consolidating more evidence through Kỳ Bá Thành and Bạt Sương, never expecting that this time, the opponent had prepared a much more systematic and ruthless attack than she had ever anticipated.

A few days later, news of A Loc's servant's disappearance spread throughout Ngan Palace, accompanied by vague rumors about someone seeing Khinh Vy appear near the seal storage room on the night A Loc disappeared. Khinh Vy heard this news through Vân Nhi, and immediately felt a high level of alertness in her heart.

"This is not a coincidence," she told Dịch Thần as the two sat discussing in the private room, "I have never been near the seal storage room on any night. This is definitely part of a new slander plot, and perhaps, that servant A Loc became a victim to stage a fake crime scene." Dịch Thần nodded, his eyes became serious. "If that's true, the situation this time is much more serious than previous times. This is no longer a secret assassination plot that can be easily hidden, but a legal criminal case that, once brought before Đại Lý Tự, will be very difficult to deny without strong enough counterevidence."

"We need to immediately let Bạt Sương find out where A Loc is now," Khinh Vy said, her voice determined. "If he is still alive, it will be the most important evidence to overturn this entire case," Dịch Thần immediately called Bạt Sương to come and assigned him the task of finding A Loc's whereabouts as soon as possible. But just a few days later, shocking news arrived - imperial officers suddenly appeared at the small western courtyard, carrying an official arrest warrant.

"Ngân Khinh Vy," the commander of the military team read out the arrest warrant with a stern voice, "you are accused of stealing the Hộ Bộ seal and murdering someone. According to Đại Lý Tự's orders, you must follow me to Nha Mon for questioning."

Khinh Vy stood stunned, even though she had somewhat anticipated this possibility, but when the moment actually came, she still could not avoid a cold feeling spreading throughout her body. She turned to look at Dịch Thần, their eyes met, filled with worry but also filled with determination.

"I will follow you, ma'am," Dịch Thần said, taking a step forward, but the commander immediately stopped him.

"I'm sorry sir, the arrest warrant only applies to the lady, the gentleman has no role here."

At that moment, from behind, another group of people suddenly appeared, led by Âu Thế Khang's trusted henchman. "As for you, young master," the leader of that group of people spoke up, his tone full of menace, "Master Âu Thế Khang has invited you to come to your mansion for... a private conversation."

Khinh Vy saw Dịch Thần surrounded by a group of strangers, her face changed color. "What do you want to do with my husband?"

"Don't worry, ma'am," the leader replied, the corners of his lips curling up in a fake smile, "as long as you obediently cooperate in the upcoming trial, you will be treated kindly. But if you take any action to resist or seek to oppose, we are not sure what will happen to you."

That naked threat made Khinh Vy clench her teeth, an extreme anger rose in her heart, but she clearly understood that, at this time, resisting with force would only put Dịch Thần in even greater danger. She looked at him, trying to convey a wordless message — stay calm, trust, things still have a chance to turn around.

Dịch Thần, although he was boiling with the desire to use his true power to immediately destroy this entire group of people, he also understood that if he acted rashly at this time, not only himself but also Khinh Vy would be in greater danger, and more importantly, his true identity would be exposed before the time was ripe. He nodded slightly to Khinh Vy, his eyes steady as a silent promise.

"Okay, I will follow you," he said, his voice strangely calm despite the threatening situation, "but if anything happens to my lady during interrogation, you and your master will pay a heavy price."

Both people were escorted in two different directions, one towards Đại Lý Tự, the other towards Âu Thế Khang's private courtyard. Standing and watching Dịch Thần's figure gradually disappear, Khinh Vy clearly felt that this was the most dangerous moment she had ever faced since she was reborn - not only her honor, her fortune, but also her life and the life of the person she loved were hanging on a fragile thread.